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EUCLID, Ohio – On Monday the Romney campaign learned something once again about the best-laid political plans:
They often go awry.
The campaign had planned Monday's town hall event in Northeast Ohio to be all about the economy and a middle class the campaign described as "pushed to the brink" by President Obama's policies. There was a sharp infographic prepared, a web ad produced and a candidate prepped with an array of anecdotes from his chats with middle class Americans.
"We don’t have enough people that have got good jobs. Incomes have dropped," Romney told an audience of some 500 supporters sympathetically. "It’s harder. Americans in the middle class are feeling squeezed, even if they have a job. And obviously most of our citizens have a job, but boy, these are tough times.”
Romney came in with a message but was knocked off track by voters’ questions.
"I’d appreciate your comments on an investing strategy that seems to have resulted in several million dollars of your personal income taxes being paid to foreign countries instead of ours," asked the second person to take the microphone.
“I’ll look at it," Romney laughed tightly. "I’m not familiar with that. I didn’t think I’d paid any foreign income taxes but I’ll be happy to take a look at it.”
Three questions later, a woman stood up and said, after posing a question, she thought the President Barack Obama ought to be tried for treason. Romney didn't address the comment, and the story took on a life of its own by the time he had finished the event. (He eventually disavowed the comment.)
Romney takes heat for ignoring treason remark
Romney campaign staffers have long acknowledged the dangers of town hall events - they're less scripted, and anything can happen - but by and large Romney excels at the format and for voters in some states like New Hampshire and even Michigan they're a part of the political tradition and therefore a necessary risk.
But buried beneath the deviations and distractions at today's events were at least two subtle tactical shifts by Romney and his campaign that should not go unnoticed.
First, Romney confronted head-on the issue of rising college costs, and attempted to blunt President Obama's advantage among young voters by accusing the president - who held his first two official rallies of the campaign this weekend on college campuses in Ohio and Virginia - of effectively trying to buy the youth vote with student loans.
"In an effort to try to and reengage college students and graduate students to get involved in the Obama campaign, and they’re pulling back, obviously,” Romney said. “They’re not as enthusiastic as they were. In an effort to try to get them engaged, he’s going to promise to give a lot of free stuff to them. And to say, I’ll pay for your education, or I’ll get rid of the loans, I’m only guessing, but my expectation is that he’s going to find—as politicians do—promises of free stuff as a way to get people to vote for him."
Romney's second shift wasn't what he said, but the order in which he said it. Romney has long closed his campaign speeches with anecdotes from his service as CEO of the 2002 Winter Olympics. They tend to be stories designed to uplift and inspire, and come as well-received "kickers" to Romney's traditionally more negative stump speech.
As Romney has sought to reintroduce himself to the broader electorate, the stories have become more regular - going from a couple of mentions per week to the closing thought of his last three campaign appearances.
On Monday an upbeat Romney, who has said he plans to attend the opening ceremonies of the 2012 games in London, wasted no time. He opened his remarks with an Olympic anecdote.
Just as planned.
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Mitt's whole campaign will go awry. This guy just doesn't get it and he will never, ever be able to connect with anyone not worth at least a few million dollars. He thinks everyone should be able to live like he does. Well sorry bucko, some of us just aren't as fortunate to have been born into it like you were. Empty suits, we don't need.
Obama/Biden 2012
You are a fool. You think Pelosi and Obama or any Senator represents the middle class. Come on, they are all wealthy off our money. If you only new the truth about the politicians. The class warfare launched by our loser of a President is just that. Let's attack the rich and Romney. Success is bad. Everybody wants something for nothing. Did you react to the 1/2 billion dollars YOUR President pissed away on Solyndra? Probably not.
at least i'm an educated fool, rather than just a plain, old ordinary one such as you. But hey, educate us on all of these allegations you've been hearing from the TV ads. Especially the one about class warfare. Do you even know what that is?
you are right..pelosi and friends are wealthy. The difference is that they are fighting for policies that will actually take away from themselves and will help the poor. where has Obama ever said success is bad or even implied that? That is simply another made up right wing talking point. the President wants all people to be successful and although there can be legitimate disagreements as to what policies help accomplish that, it would be nice if people didn't just repeat tired old lying talking points.
What bothers me about Willard, is that people somehow believe that his present and past performance are somehow NOT indicators of his future efforts.
He literally stripped billions out of companies, buying them up and then selling off the pieces, costing tens of thousands of jobs. Does anyone believe he won't try that with America?
He hides his accounts in offshore banks, evading his tax responsibility, and pats himself on the back for it. Does anyone believe he won't do that for the wealthiest fatcats? How will that help create jobs? What's his PLAN?
Does nobody think enough for themselves that they can't realize that Willard wants to take the country BACKWARDS? That's what regressive conservatism is, people. Wake up, willya?
How can he claim to love America, when he clearly doesn't like the average, middle-class American?
Romney's been the presumed Republican candidate for POTUS for what a week now?
Obama's been campaigning since 2008.
Don't worry Romney's got plenty of time to clear up his message and get it out there. President Obama will be regurgitating the same class warfare rhetoric He's been using since 2008.
Its not like it really matters anyway. Everyone has pretty much made up there minds already. Four more years of mediocre, at best performance, which has cost us trillions of dollars, or give someone new a chance.
They certainly cant do any worse than Obama has. Its not like Obama set the bar very high.
Not that its going to change anyone's mind but lets not forget.
Seal Team Six got Bin Laden after years of intelligence and information gathering by our intelligence community and armed forces to find out where Bin laden was. Robo Pen would have signed the order to go in.
800 Billion dollar stimulus plan that was suppose to prevent Unemployment from going above 8% and here it is 3.5 years later and it has never been below 8%. IN fact the Unemployment rate was 79% in Jan of 2009 and here it is May of 2012 and its 8.1%.
1.7 Trillion dollar Health care reform bill, that was supposed to bend the cost curve of health care down and all it has down is increased everyone's insurance premiums by 15-20%.
16 trillion dollar deficit. Lets not forget Ovama Words about raising teh Dept limit.
http://geekpolitics.com/obama-on-raising-the-debt-ceiling/
Daivd,
Romney was running for the nomination in 2008, but McCain beat him to it.
He has been an unemployed wannbee living off his huge investments till this election cycle. Now he will go to Tampa and eventually be the nominee, but the Paul delegates will make him sweat alittle more until his acceptance speech.
BTW, he will lose in November in a close election.
To those of you who say Romney is hiding accounts and not paying taxes,prove it. There is NOTHING illegal about offshore accounts and there has been no proof provided that taxes are being avoided.
David you're right that raising the deficit shows leadership failure but really it's the leadership of the Republican presidents that got the deficit to where it is today. Reagan tripled it, Bush 1 raised it more in 4 years than Clinton did in 8 years, and Bush 2 doubled it. In 8 years Clinton raised it slightly over a trillion dollars but left office with a balanced budget. Bush 2 ruined everything Clinton had going but people like you have blinders on and cannot see the truth. Or maybe it's just because you're so partisan that you are in a state of denial as Woodard said.
@ lulu
Romney won't show his income taxes returns for the last 4 years. Why do you think that is? Could it be that he doesn't want the things he has done to come out? I would bet that is more the truth than legality.
In the Republican universe - leadership does not count. Romney only 'participated' in creating jobs - he did not actually do it himself.
In the Republican universe - freeloaders steal our money using government handouts. Romney 'saved' the Salt Lake City Olympics using government handouts.
In the Republican universe - taxes only take money out of the pockets of hard working Americans. Governor Romney balanced the MA budget using three times more tax increases than spending cuts.
Romney does represent severely conservative Republicans. The severely conservatives Republicans have promised nothing since 2006 - and - that is exactly what they have delivered.
Romney hasn't promised anything either - but - he has the 'Obama one term obstruction' shtick working overtime.
People are forgetting that the Republican policies that Romney is pushing is what got this economy in the mess it's in today. Republican want to claimed they would have done better than Obama but they're the reason the economy tanked. Not the housing bubble they like to claim but the collapsed economy that caused people to lose the jobs they needed to make the payments on their homes.
Larry don't you mean the Democrats who had been in control of Congress from 2006 -2010.
Do we need to remind you that a President can only submit a Budget proposal and its Congress that actually writes and passes all appropriations bills and all the POTUS can do is sign or Veto them.
Isn't great how Its been all the Republicans fault for Obama's failures even though they have controlled only the House of Representatives for all of 16 months now, and the Senate is still Controlled by the Democrats, so they only have 1/3 rd of the power, but the Democrats wont take responsibility for the Four years they had Total control of Congress and 2009 and 2010 when they also had the White House.
Romney believes we should all pay our way. That is why Romney is campaigning on donated money.
Romney is pushing a conservative product. Can we trust a banker that will not invest their own money in the product they are selling?
Romney believes corporations are people. Some of Romney's best friends are corporations - and - his friends are funding his SuperPAC.
Romney believes that his wife does critically important work. Romney likes unpaid labor.
Romney is sensitive to social issues. Romney allowed his foreign affairs adviser to self-terminate his employment with dignity
Romney will expect us to check the muffler on his bus - since we will be under there anyway.
I am really starting to wonder how any one can be proud that they are Republican or Democrat. Both parties are run by the rich, for the rich. Republicans are more open about it, but the Democrats are essentially just as bad. Romney and Obama suck. Vote for an independent or a third party. Send these morons a message that we are not going to tolerate their retarded partisan, divisive games. Every article on here I see people divided across conservative/liberal line. No one is willing to compromise or come to a consensus. Everyone complains about Congress being bitterly divided while simultaneously beating their chest and proclaiming their party is the best. Do you want to play their game?
@Satanick -- Yeah, sure, whatever you say.
That must explain why the Democrats have been calling to raise taxes on the 'rich'. Who is calling that class warfare?
That must explain why Democrats tried to regulate banks and Wall Street. Who is claiming that the 'job creators' are being hurt?
That must explain why Democrats tried to lower the number of uninsured using the MA healthcare model. Who is claiming that was rammed down their throats?
That must explain why Democrats wanted to lock in the savings from ending the wars using PAYGO - to lock in the lowered deficits. Who called that a stunt?
It must be spring in Republican farm country. There's a lot of manure being spread around.
Funny, I think the Democrats were the ones who got the banks bailed out. The Democrats get just as much money from the rich/corporations as do the Republicans.
Democrats regulating Wall Street? With what? Dodd Frank? hahah, that is a good one.
Why weren't the Democrats trying to regulate Wall Street before the collapse? Why did they vote to go war? Why have they let trillion dollar deficits become the norm?
Willard Romney...
a pair of Brown Right shoes
stuck in a Tuxedo world
(with apologies to "Lonesome" Geo. Gobel)
@Satanick - Nice try. Hanky Panky Paulson ran to Congress with the 'sky is falling' plan to bail out the banks. The Democrats did not pass it - and - the markets fell further and faster. Don't you remember- the evil Democrats were threatening the world economy because they did not pass TARP the first time?
The Democrats passed TARP to buy mortgage backed securities to stabilize the derivatives market. Hanky Panky, being a true golden Republican, promptly did the opposite of what Democrats intended - and - forced investment banks to take the money as loans (without too much arm twisting). Republicans bailed out the banks - by ramming it down the Democrat's throats.
Notice I said the Democrats tried to regulate banks and Wall Street. The Republicans successfully watered down Dodd-Frank - claiming it would hurt 'job creators'.
The deficits are large and permanent because the Republicans allowed PAYGO to expire in 2002 so they could enact the 2003 & 2005 tax cuts without required spending offsets. Without PAYGO, Republicans enacted Medicare-D without required spending cuts.
Democrats reinstated PAYGO in 2010. Republicans have been desperately trying to find every stupid cut they could so that the cuts would not happen - because - PAYGO makes the cuts and lower deficit permanent. That is why the Super Committee screwed the pooch - those defense cuts are real and permanent - until Republicans can allow PAYGO to expire again.
Whatever a Republican complains about - it is because that Republican is the biggest offender. Everything a Republican does is bass ackwards.
Romney's the ultimate liar.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwIn2vzb2Jc
And we are back to where we started. The Democrats could have said no to the bailouts. But they didn't.
They half heartily tried to reform Wall Street. But they wouldn't dare hurt their corporate masters too bad. They need funding for elections! They can't piss off Wall Street too much.
Vote Democrat. I don't give a @!$%#. I just don't see why people think one party is oh so much better than the other.
Watch for Romney to avoid town halls, or worse yet take questions from plants in the audience (Rove trick).
Of course his economic message is muddled, he hasn't said yet how he would fix the economy, just that he will.
Where's the specifics Romney.
@ Satinick
Ron Paul.. The PEOPLES President.. not a partys..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bw2bDq4cOSc
Nerm,
. . . and the aliens met with Bush to tell him to do all this.
Paygo is a useless term that the Democrats never follow. As with all Democrat policies, it is nothing but a smoke screen to make people think they are doing something good, when they are really not doing anything.
NO party has ever truely followed paygo, so why even bother lying about it?
A few decades has seen american politics grow into a completely dysfunctional phony process. Republicans have taken this fact, and are currently spinning it for the wealthy and powerful. Democrats are also to blame of course. At least democrats more represent the less wealthy and powerful (sometimes). Republicans have completely lost their credibility with me. The degree of congress's obstruction is unwarranted. To the point of unhonorable and unamerican. Truly....unhonorable and unamerican. To think we voted for hope and change and republicans have done NOTHING but step on it from day one. By God I'm voting for it again. CLEAN UP CONGRESS!
@DB Akron -- Ask Newt Gingrich about PAYGO. Gingrich was the only Republican candidate that had real experience cutting Federal deficits - using PAYGO.
Instead the GOP has selected a Governor that relied on tax increases he inherited from the previous administration.
Romney's worse enemy is Romney.
He will have his "Read my lips" moments. Already, in Ohio, they are asking tough questions.
What is Romney's plan? That's right, the Blunt bill and Paul Ryan's Medikill Budget bill.
Jobs? Nope, got nothing. How many months has he been running? How many anti-Romney candidates where there?
Even the 9-9-9 plan was a plan more than Romney's proposed, even if it did suck. Crap, Perry had a half a sheet of paper for tax reform.
What comes to mind when you think Romney?
Etch-A-Sketch... bout all I got.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. The problem we have is that the Republicans are TELLING people what they are going to do with their tax money(give it to the rich and make everyone else suffer) and the "die hard" republican base that ARE struggling to make ends meet are still going to vote for him only BECAUSE they don't like Obama for obvious reasons. (Yes race is a large part of the issue as much as I hate to say it but it is the truth sadly). You know something is wrong when middle class and poor republicans are willing to pay more in taxes just to get Obama out of the White House. Having said that:
The problem with democrats is they have no backbone to stand up and say something or put it out in the open. They are so afraid of losing their "seat" than standing up for what the party believes in. Don't get it twisted, the majority still advocate for the rich on the sly BUT those that are struggling to get by far exceed the rich just like the hate groups that don't like Obama far exceeds the moderates on the republican side. The sad part, the die hards in both parties are still going to vote for them REGARDLESS or stay home and not vote which will hurt both parties, the republicans more so than the democrats as Willard is still unlikable by both sides of his party.
In my opinion, here's what a lot of those that like "talking points" to criticize the president failed to realized: For those that think that it was because of the GWB WH we were able to kill Bin Laden, I would say you fail to realize that Bush had 3 opportunities to capture/kill Bin Laden BUT never gave the order.....I wonder why???? GWB knew the information he was given concerning Iraq WAS false BUT he chose to lie to the country and bully congress into declaring war on them. I wonder why??????
As for the economy, Besides Solyndra, If the president had done nothing as “most” of you would have liked him to do, where do you think the economy would be today? The Stimulus, most of the Governors (Republicans) didn’t accept the stimulus money from the government which is why it wasn’t as effective as it should have been. And let’s be honest for a change, Although, the stimulus didn’t reduce the unemployment rate as intended due to my previous statement BUT it did keep it from ticking upward. From an independent standpoint, with as much unwillingness and defiance the house and Senate has had, culminated with unprecedented disrespect towards Obama or any president to date, he has done the best he could to get the country on the right track.
Why weren't the Democrats trying to regulate Wall Street before the collapse?
Well, actually, both Democrats and Republicans did try. But George W. Bush was having none of it! George W. Bush was pushing his "American Dream" initiative from the moment he was elected in 2000. He got it passed in 2003. All legislation is documented on government websites. Look this one up; it is quite interesting:
American Dream Downpayment Initiative (ADDI) - signed into law on Dec 16, 2003.
Sponsor: Sen. Wayne Allard [R-CO]
Co-sponsors: Samuel Brownback [R-KS]; Conrad Burns [R-MT]; Ben Campbell [R-CO]; Michael Crapo [R-ID]; Michael Enzi [R-WY]; Charles Hagel [R-NE]; Lisa Murkowski [R-AK]; Richard Santorum [R-PA]; Jefferson Sessions [R-AL]
Note that there was not one Democrat co-sponsoring this bill. The bill was sponsored by a Republican, co-sponsored only by other Republicans, passed by a Republican majority in the House and Senate and signed into law by a Republican president. It reduced downpayments for all GSE (Fannie/Freddie/ FHA) loans to 3%.
This was a Republican dream - to make it easy for minorities to afford homes and transform them into grateful Republican voters for decades. And Bush fought every attempt to curb any of the runaway home mortgage crisis.
Here's an excerpt from a 2008 Financial Times article (you'll have to search for it - their silly website doesn't allow linking to an article):
... the Ohio Republican who headed the House financial services committee until his retirement after mid-term elections last year, blames the mess on ideologues within the White House as well as Alan Greenspan, former chairman of the Federal Reserve.
The critics have forgotten that the House passed a GSE reform bill in 2005 that could well have prevented the current crisis, says Mr Oxley, now vice-chairman of
Nasdaq.
He fumes about the criticism of his House colleagues. "All the handwringing and bedwetting is going on without remembering how the House stepped up on this," he says. "What did we get from the White House? We got a one-finger salute."
The House bill, the 2005 Federal Housing Finance Reform Act, would have created a stronger regulator with new powers to increase capital at Fannie and Freddie, to limit their portfolios and to deal with the possibility of receivership.
Mr Oxley reached out to Barney Frank, then the ranking Democrat on the committee and now its chairman, to secure support on the other side of the aisle. But after winning bipartisan support in the House, where the bill passed by 331 to 90 votes, the legislation lacked a champion in the Senate and faced hostility from the Bush administration.
Adamant that the only solution to the problems posed by Fannie and Freddie was their privatisation, the White House attacked the bill. Mr Greenspan also weighed in, saying that the House legislation was worse than no bill at all.
"We missed a golden opportunity that would have avoided a lot of the problems we're facing now, if we hadn't had such a firm ideological position at the White House and the Treasury and the Fed," Mr Oxley says.
This is only one quick example. There are many, many more. Bush had no interest in stopping the runaway home mortgage crisis. He stopped every state initiative to rein in shady lending practices by mortgage companies and banks. Google "preemption" to see how Bush used the power of the Federal government to stop state and local attempts to slow it down.
George W. Bush and the Republican party are responsible for the home mortgage crisis and this recession! Romney only intends to finish what Bush and the Republican party started.
Well I guess the GOP could never be accused of trying to buy any votes from people except the hoodwinked, the befuddled, and big money corporations.
Unlike Obama, Romney certainly ISN'T trying to buy votes (because he's so damned honest) from minorities, women, the poor, the unfortunate, the elderly, college students, youths in general, those that lost property, those that lost their 401Ks, those that lost pensions, or the unemployed.
His move to pure austerity combined with directed special interest spending and tax cuts for the rich will help no one that I know... no one.
“I’ll look at it," Romney laughed tightly. "I’m not familiar with that. I didn’t think I’d paid any foreign income taxes but I’ll be happy to take a look at it.”
When Romney gets into the debates with Obama, these type of answers are not going to work. He is not going to be able to just attack Obama, like he did the other republican candidates in the primary debates. Romney will have to answer tough questions on what his plan is for this country. I am very interested in how he plans to grow 500,000 jobs a month, and get unemployment down to 4%.
Common Sense 23 and EEngineer..... If the voters would educate themselves to learn and understand why we have these financial and economic mess, we can elect the right person for the Executive and Legislative bodies of our government.
Unfortunately, people do not understand the most fundamental of our government. The media do not make this any clearer that the president cannot make the law, congress does, as your postings have shown.
Satanick
Funny, I think the Democrats were the ones who got the banks bailed out. The Democrats get just as much money from the rich/corporations as do the Republicans.
Democrats regulating Wall Street? With what? Dodd Frank? hahah, that is a good one.
Why weren't the Democrats trying to regulate Wall Street before the collapse? Why did they vote to go war? Why have they let trillion dollar deficits become the norm?
-------------------
Huh? Who was President in 2008? It was a Republican
Who tried to regulate Wall St? It was Dems, but you are right it was watered down by the blue dog dems
Why did they vote to go war? Why have they let trillion dollar deficits become the norm?--Well Republicans had control over Congress and the Presidency...they could have paid for the war.
Romney doesn't have an economic message other than the same old, same old, same old --- tax cuts for the richest of the rich and more deregulation. We saw the results of that during the Bush administrating beginning in 2005 -- the worst economic downturn since the depression. Standing up and talking about how he fixed the Olympics and thinking that will somehow create 500,000 a month isn't an economic message.
David Noah, you failed civics, and history, right? Simple majorities no longer 'control congress', not with the Senate filibuster rule, and a Presidential veto.
How about a little history:
First off, the Democrats had control from January of 2007 to January of 2011, not 2006 - 2010. And an argument can be made that their effective control of the Senate actually ended in February of 2010 when Scott Brown took his seat . . . not to mention that they did not have the 60 votes required in the Senate until Al Franken was seated in July of 2011.
When the Senate was lead by the Democrats in from January of 2007 to January of 2009, President Bush dusted off his veto pen, and vetoed every single economy fixing bill the Democrats managed to pass. That is, every bill the Democrats were able to get past a filibuster by the Republican/TP Inc. party in the Senate.
In 2009, Senator Ted Kennedy died in August, and when Scott Brown took over in February of 2010, the Democratic caucus no longer had 60 votes. Of course, the 60 votes included two Independents who caucused with them, and the blue dog Democrats, so even that 60 votes was not guaranteed. If you were to actually look at the votes taken for cloture, and many other votes during this 'control', you'd see that there was almost never any bill that past with the 60 required to overcome a filibuster.
When you get a clue about what you're talking about, David, maybe people will actually start listening to, and believing what you say.
@Tonybeeerm
at least i'm an educated fool, rather than just a plain, old ordinary one such as you. But hey, educate us on all of these allegations you've been hearing from the TV ads. Especially the one about class warfare. Do you even know what that is?
I surely hope your blind arrogance and obedience serves you well when food, shelter, fuel and ammunition are too expensive to buy and you're at the mercy of your god Obama (aka Loki). Your self proclaimed education will be hard to eat when that happens.
@Jimm-3229351
Jimm, that's only half right. Key members of the SEC went to Clinton in 1998 and argued that derivatives needed to be regulated and posed a considerable risk to the economy. They were shot down PDQ by Clinton and Paulsen ( it may have been Greenspan) ,I think. Clinton could have and should have taken action. Now granted, Bushco would probably have immediately reversed that, but then that would have been on them. Clinton and the dems do share some responsibility in this trainwreck. The biggest scandal of all this,IMO, is that Paul O'Neill, the then Secretary of Treasury, advised against tax cuts in 2001. Bush did it anyway. O'Neill told Cheney and bush that they had just ruined the US economy and their response was to say (Cheney)," It's our due. We won the election." :in fact, I'm not so sure that they did. Their further response was to fire O'Neill and pass yet another tax cut. So their own Sec. of Treas. warned them of the very dire consequences of their actions. They passed 2 or 3 stimulus plans that failed, with no outcry from the 'pugs, and then the end that O'Neill predicted came crashing over us in 2007-08 and yet you have idiots and jackasses today that want to blame Obama for what bush did 11 years ago and was warned about how catastrophic it would be. That is shameless and inexcusable. No American who loves his country and family should forgive the 'pugs for their leading role in this. Yes, the dems were also responsible, but mostly, it was Raygun, Bush I and Boy George with a Congress that was easier for Fly Boy than a 10$ hooker and a beer.
If Willard's economic message got muddled, it's because, like with just about everything else, he doesn't know what it is. He is nothing but sound bites, talking points, opinion polls, and placating the Tea Baggers while trying not to look like an extremist.
A corp. raider who cost the country hundreds if not thousands of jobs is going to solve the financial problems of the country. If you really believe this I've got a bridge to sell you.
That's a little tough to do when the Republican Party controlled the White House and Congress...and who's fighting against regulating Wall Street now?...not the Democrats.
You need a little history lesson; I suggest you actually look up both the bill and the vote. To begin with, it wasn't a vote to go to war. The administration was suppose to go back to the UN...it didn't. Also, most Democrats voted against authorizing military action...but don't take my word for it...look it up!
I watched the 2002 Olympics and Romney did a great job! He went to Mass. and created a health plan that worked very well and really helped the people of that state. Now as a candidate for the republicans, he has to disown his health care plan that was so effective. So he will say or do anything to get elected. With Romney it's really all about money and getting more for him and his ilk, than anything having to do with the well being of our people and the condition of our country. He will not be as bad as Bush was, but not much better. You can vote for him, but I won't.
TO: lulu98 who wrote:
Why would you ask anyone to "prove" what Romney has already admitted, unless of course you haven't been listening.
There may be nothing illegal about offshore accounts, but the reason those accounts are "offshore" is to avoid paying United States Income Tax on that money.
If you intend to vote for Romney, then he is the one you need to ask for proof as to his personal income tax, just like the person did at one of Romney's Town Hall Meetings, or didn't you read this article either?
Obama/Biden 2012
How come when things go bad for the American economy, everyone has to take a hit except for the rich people and corporations?
If they're asked to do their share, that's class warfare, but it's somehow fair to take it on the people with the least amount of power.
Supply side Jesus nods in approval, now get a job you lazy liberal.
Now this insight is worth lengthy discussion. Though Romney/Paul Ryan do not provide details about a lot of things in their plans, and Romney flip-flops so much no one knows what he will say day-to-day, the Teapublican base knows the basics -- They know just as the rest of the nation knows that the GOP/TP wants to take the nation backward to the same failed voodoo economics, but this time on steroids.
Yet rightwingers still support this and Romney. Why? Common Sense 23, sure it is largely out of irrational hatred for the president and Dems. But progressives need to realize that rightwingers actually believe in voodoo economics. You don't think they do because all the evidence shows it is a debunked failure, and surely with all the economic and financial experts--even conservative ones--also saying it is a failure, they couldn't possibly STILL believe in this.
But they DO, they don't think Ayn Rand fictions are fiction, Milton Friedman (though he and Benake are right about the Fed being able to do more to bring unemployment down) has not been debunked in other countries, and superstitions like the "invisible hand," "taxes pay for themselves" and "trickle-down" tax cuts for the rich are real!
Seriously, if anyone could get past the FOX Noise/Hate Radio filter to reach these people, that would be a good start. I've mentioned conservatives like visual aids (e.g., Glenn Beck's chalkboard), and have noticed MSNBC news programs using a lot more charts and graphs. President Obama's campaign has launched the Julia ad. Hopefully rightwingers will actually evaluate these things. Hopefully?
I'm not holding my breath. I don't have much hope that these people (e.g., the Flat Earth Society) can be brought into the 21st Century.
TruePatriot-445959
Great post!
There are a dozen or so "offshoots" to your post that I could get deep into, but sometimes I think that it's a huge waste of time. I have long-time friends and relatives... even my brother... that have come under this spell. It's a world of no logic, a ton of denial, and absolutely no willingness to listen. It's as though they have become so paranoid that facts are no longer facts and that if something can be imagined, it must be so... a huge conspiracy is what they believe in.
And this affects more than just politics. It directly affects our economy. The 24/7 all media hate campaign has a direct influence on consumer and small business confidence and is keeping our economy at it's current slow growth pace.
I could go on, but I won't. Thanks again for your insightful post.
LMarcT -- Thanks. I read and vote for your posts too.
Chris Hayes had two authors on that got me back on the topic. It was pointed out that liberals tend to embrace science more, and therefore empirical methodology of multiple tests, peer review, and or course credible sources. So liberals are also more likely to understand the difference between hypothesis versus theory.
Milton Friedman's hypothesis was tested, and failed miserably. Supply-side "voodoo" economics has been tested and has now failed miserably. The ideology never even made it from hypothesis to theory. But these are "truths" for the rightwing, not just because they are anti-intellectualism/science, but because they haven't kept up. And most of all, they operate more from fear, are resistant to change, so don't really want to hear about anything that challenges their status quo belief system.
Maybe Keynesian philosophy has yet to become theory too, but let's test it instead repeating what we already know doesn't work. The only way to convince the rightwing is for them to experience a truth. If we had single payer health care for example, then they would see how much better it is and forget they ever opposed it.
Doomsday prepper (aka xenophobic wacko), eh? Dude, if you're that worried about the apocalypse, you may well die of a stress related heart attack.
True, true. But tell me, how is this Obama's fault??? The slow recovery, maybe you could partially blame Obama, although I doubt it, but this??? Incomes have been flat for the past three decades; why??? A huge focus by the United States on financial markets via fiscal policy and the ignored middle class industries, otherwise known as supply-side economics. Yes, these are tough times. And I'll admit, I wish things were better. Then again, I also wish that the Democrats still controlled Congress. And let me ask Romney and all of his supporters on the vine this: how will Romney fix any of this???? He recently backed the job-killing European-style austerity plan(sorry Europe, usually a fan, but not this time) otherwise known as the Ryan Budget??? Why did he back tax cuts that would give the middle class a couple hundred bucks while giving millionaires over $150,000??? Why does he seem to ignore the fact that most of the income earned in past years goes to the top fifth of American households??? In fact, the top 1% had their incomes almost triple over the past three decades by seeing their taxes decline by 37%. Tell that to the middle class. '
OBAMA BIDEN 2012
Thomas Blue @ 1.35 -
That's an interesting post. You seem very educated on the subject matter. I can only assume this means that you left out the following fact on purpose:
Obama signed those tax cuts again.
They are now the Obama tax cuts.
I hated Bush, but don't try to pretend that Obama is any different.
I hated the Bush spending, Obama does it more.
I hated Bush's Wars, Obama does it more.
I hated Bush abridging of The Bill of Rights. Obama does it more.
Obama is like Bush on steroids.
Those are now the Obama tax cuts. You can make excuses (but the mean republicans!) But the fact is he signed off on it.
There is one candidate for President who isn't LYING right to your face.
Ron Paul 2012
This years republican primary battle is not just the Ron Paul supporters against the Romney supporters.
It's We The People against the the corrupt politicians from BOTH parties in Washington, and thier Wall St masters.
Alil Common Sense
Not exactly. For one thing, Obama was forced to sign the Bush tax cuts by the Republicans, who used unemployment benefits as leverage. He originally only wanted them for the middle class, but was forced to accept those for the wealthiest Americans as well.
Technically, Obama appears to be spending more than Bush, but in actuality, he isn't. You may argue how the massive deficits indicate that Obama is spending more, but you don't seem to realize why we have huge deficits. Basically, when recessions happen, revenues go down and spending goes up because of a lack of employees who pay taxes and sluggish economic growth, which further lowers revenues. It is pure insanity to balance the budget during a recession; FDR did it in 1937 and we went into a double-dip recession. As for the wars, I have yet to see any major wars being engaged. The only new conflicts Obama has engulfed us in is the hunt for Joseph Kony (with international support, may I add) and the fight in Libya. That is it.
Just because Obama signed them doesn't mean that they're his. Bush was the one who created them; Obama was forced to pass them (for the rich). We don't add a person's name onto their successor's triumphs. At least, that is not the accurate thing to do. We didn't call the Reagan tax cuts the Bush tax cuts when George Bush Sr. continued them until he broke his no-tax promise, did we???
Unfortunately, Ron Paul isn't the smartest cookie in the jar. He is charismatic and honest, I'll give you that, but he's not a very good leader. For one thing, he seems to forget that cutting spending costs the government jobs through cancelled contracts and layoffs, which can cause a negative multiplier effect that will endanger a weak recovery. In addition, he doesn't seem very compromising to me; name me a time when he said he'd be willing to raise taxes to solve the debt problem. If he did that, AND laid off on the states rights' crap he would seem a bit more appealing. But he won't, so that's why he's not leadership-material.
Freshieee, LMarcT, and True Patriot, great posts, one and all. Intelligent, lots of depth, and an obvious understanding of the subject. There are several books I've listed on my Newsvine page you all might be interested in. I am going to check out your pages to see what recommendations you may have.
Keep up the good work.
I wonder if Michelle is going to make Barack apologize for the violence he committed against a little black girl when he was in school? He tormented her, ridiculed her, and even pushed her down. What a gentleman.
David-1250323
You've fallen for a vdeoclip edited by the republican propaganda machine. Even the girl claims it isn't true.
"A" for effort though, good try.
I thought that story came for one of Obamas books....You mean to say that everything that Obama said was not true??? How could that be??? Maybe it was another composite girl....Obama always says that when backd into a (truth) corner....Gee, perhaps there is nothing that Obama has ever said that was true....Maybe it is all just composite made up crap....
Yeah, that wasn't peer pressure on a 6 yr old, he was bullying her. Wonder how big the bruise got when she stumbled back. How much hair did he rip out of her head?
Oops, that was Romney and his gang of five holding a student down to get shaved. My bad.
Boss..You are presenting details about Romney that have not been presented before to my knowledge...Were you there?...or are you just making up lies. The whole 50yr old story seems to be missing a lot of facts ... Ripping hair out of heads??? Do you write fiction for a living??? or maybe you just justify your hate with unsubstantiated rumors. Are you going to make legal charges on the hateful Romny incident?? Are you going to be the star witness by presenting far left reactionary made up crap?? Why dont you cut out the nasty lies and attitudes??
J.A-522495
Odd, since the right seems to be the ones claiming Obama pushed a little black girl down. These rumors you speak of are all over the right wing web. Are you actually saying they are making things up? Google Obama bullied little black girl and you will see the thousands of right wing propaganda websites attesting to it.
I'm not lying, seriously. These right wing blogs have the president bullying a girl.
Unless I'm misreading your post. Surely you aren't accusing me of making up crap, are you? I mean, if it is fine with conservatives to slobber over every made up claim about the president, it should surely be o.k. with them if I do the same, right?
I'm pretty sure the story goes like this:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/mitt-romneys-prep-school-classmates-recall-pranks-but-also-troubling-incidents/2012/05/10/gIQA3WOKFU_story.html?hpid=z5
The Washington Post released the news.
So, there's the facts. There's the witnesses. See my post above for the facts on Obama's so-called "bullying". Notice what side the posse is on?
Boss. Did the story about Obamas experience with the little girl come from Obama and his book...or not. I have heard excerpts of this in Obamas own recorded voice...and now there are denials that this ever happened and Obama is saying that this is a composite girl and situation(he has used those terms before when backed into explaining the real facts.....I dont claim to have first hand knowledge, but if you have real facts, please let us know.....Or, you can just keep up the attacks on what you think is rightwing false information....
No, it did not. The story that Obama pushed a black girl down is false. She staggered back.
They turned a push into a shove into a shoved down to a bullied girl.
Now, look up bully. It doesn't describe the event in the book as a black girl being bullied by Obama.
Twist it, flip it, spin it, it is still not fact.
The recording that I heard was from an audio book with Obamas voice....I have not even heard the version that you are talking about.......Look, with all the phony crap about 15 yr old Romney that was mostly false and widely mis-reported daily..You are complaining about this??? Did you think that nothing negative about Obamas past would ever be made public??? The left has been hiding the facts about the Obama past for many years now and you get in a twit about something this unimportant??? Grow up... And yes, I have heard that there is little truth in this (obamas story) and that it was mostly made up and that led to the Obama statement that this was a composite story..... Perhaps Obama prefers fiction to fact when it comes to his past....
I would think your ear was planted firmly on the republican talking points. Odd it is that you haven't heard the right wing propaganda on this.
Even stranger, you tell me to grow up when you post childish thoughts like, "Gee, perhaps there is nothing that Obama has ever said that was true....Maybe it is all just composite made up crap...."
Boss...You are so one sided that it is unbelievable.....Neither story is important, but it is the hate Romney crap that has been big media news on a daily basis. It has for a long time been big media hate news attacking republicans that is continuous. When there is a response that is negative towards Obama, you call foul......There is nothing more consistant than the media attacking republicans while at the same time limiting any information concerning the Obama background. Did you want 100% attacks on republicans and zero information on Obama? Did you expect the no retaliation thing to last forever?? Get prepared for republicans to bring up Obamas past(finally) because he is not going to skate by his ugly socialist activist history this election like he did last time....
J.A-522495
Friend, you just aren't getting it. The president is not liked on both sides of the isle.
To the right wing, Obama is what the media portrays him to be, a pure socialist.
To the left, a socialist in name only. He's more conservative than Reagan. His compromises with the republicans winds up being complete surrenders.
But Romney?
He's as transparent as one-ply toilet paper. A corporate elitist with a hidden agenda. He's got something up his sleeve, anyone can sense it. You don't make 20+ million a year and fight for a job making 400,000 a year without wanting something. What is it the power of the presidency can possibly give Romney? Common sense says he could buy anything he wants. Just what it is that makes this man run for president for 8 years begs for suspicion.
The whole conservative nation smells a rat. Look at the anti-Romney votes. Forever, the anti-Romney votes won over the pro-Romney votes. Look at the candidates that ran against him. Even they are struggling with their endorsement of him.
Now, I was for Bush before he was against me. With Romney, I've not had a good vibe off him from day one. Seems the rest of the conservative country is feeling the same way.
Boss..You certainly cannot put yourself in the position of claiming to know why Romney is running for president. "he has something up his sleeve, anyone can sense it" is just more hogwash. Obama has failed and it is past time to try another approach.
There are only three reasons for people to run for the office of president. One, I suppose is the glory of accomplishment(or just the office). Another is to support a particular direction that is thought to be needed. Another is to correct the direction that has been happening. Money is certainly not the motivator of Romney...or Obama for that matter. For Romney, I think he wants to accomplish that change of direction and prove that he has the ability to lead the country in better directions. For Obama, I think that he wanted to radically change the direction of the country(a country that he didnt particularly like) and to be known in history as the president who changed a country from a free enterprise system into a very liberal(in the direction of socialism) direction....Which he thinks is wonderful...
#1.62
Interesting.
I can't put myself in a position of claiming why Romney is running for president but you can place yourself in a position to determine why Obama is running for president.
In fairness, you must grant me my position. I believe Romney wants to change the country from "Hail to the Chief" to "Hail to the Chief Executive Officer".
Boss... You can have whatever position you want with or without my permission. We have seen real evidence of what Obama is doing or trying to do, so we certainly know more about his directions. With Romney, we can only consider his past efforts while not being president. But, we cannot be certain of what he will accomplish or try to accomplish until we are more than three years into his being presdent. A chief executive officer may very well be a welcome change that we could all benefit from.
There's a thought. We can all owe our soul to the company store.
Worker wages are already stagnant while corporate leaders gain every year. The wage gap is astronomical.
Putting Romney in charge is like putting a chicken hawk in charge of a hen house.
Besides that, every CEO made president in the past has always created a depression or recession. The record businessmen have in the white house is poor at best.
Although Obama was a disappointment on some policies, I'll stick with him, given my options.
Boss...Well, that is a thought. But, just try to have a successful economy without business and CEOs....Oh yea, that is called strict socialism or communism...the preferred economies....Get real!! All those powerful socialist leaders must have been having success in seeing that there are no poor people in their countries...sure....
Get used to those type of answers, folks. This guy will slip, slide and skirt the questions about his credibility because he has none. He'll keep fooling the conservative right wing that he's one of them, though he's really not. This guy will be toast by July.
Credibility? Slip and Slide. I thought your were talking about the greatest slip and slider that was ever President - the Obamanation we have now. Tell the students he will lower loan rates, tell the unions he will keep their jobs a live, tell the old no body will cut their benefits, tell the middel class we will tax the rich. You need to forget about voting this year. It was people like you that got us into this mess. Not congress...
I see the Klan meeting has adjourned.
I see the Klan meeting has adjourned.
So anyone who disagrees with Obama's policies and thinks he's a crappy President is automatically a racist? A pity you can't defend him in a more substantive way.
SI
Goes with the territory. Just as all liberal Democrats are lazy Communists living off of government handouts. You wanna talk rationally, let's go. Wanna troll, right back at ya'.
You wanna talk rationally, let's go. Wanna troll, right back at ya'.
Fair enough. Besides, I saw a post farther down that makes me want to rethink my original defense of "fedup".
SI
And what makes you think that you are educated about anything? Oh, I see, if you do not like the liberal dribble, you must be uneducated. Pelosi doesn't fight for anyone but herself. And remember she said they had to pass Obamacare to know what is in the bill. Do you really think that is the way government should work?
I’d appreciate your comments on an investing strategy that seems to have resulted in several million dollars of Tax payers Money being paid to China to enrich that country and creating Jobs in China.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40565987/ns/business-going_green/t/wind-their-backs-powerful-democrats-help-chinese-energy-firm-chase-stimulus-money/#.TxjXsYHkedk
How are you planning on getting back the $535 Million dollars of taxpayers money "Invested" in "Solyndra" and the other "Green Energy" investments that have gone belly up and cost us millions of dollars?
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/09/15/despite-stimulus-funding-solyndra-and-4-other-companies-have-hit-rock-bottom/
Your worried about what Romney did with "his own Money" and not what Obama and the Democrats have been doing with "our money"?
I'd like to see those of you that say Obama hasn't accomplished anything try and get something done when everywhere you look, you're blocked and stopped. Congress hasn't allowed anything to be done so the credit couldn't be given to Obama YET something where done in spite of them.....
How can you accept / permit / excuse a Congress that stated they would rather destroy the country before they allowed Obama to get anything done? THIS SOUNDS TREASONOUS TO ME!!!!!!! They are supposed to work for ALL OF US not just some of us (like the rich).........
PLUS, do you think it's ethical / moral / acceptable to allow them to accept bribes / gifts / checks on behalf of corporations & special interests that go against WE THE PEOPLE and vote against US? How can this be?
Why did we ever allow the Supreme Court to allow the new election laws that make it ok to have super packs? Let the justices skirt around their tax responsibilities and have them taking bribes? Since when? What are we?
They say they want smaller government and we got it smaller than ever (not enough), they got a agreement on slashing the budget even though it was more than they had proposed (not enough), everything done is never enough and THEY DO NOTHING and they want people to vote for them?!Q?!?
Where is all that money we used to have which would have prevented all these problems we now live with? In Irak, Afghanistan and everywhere else being eaten up by private contractors (friends of Congress), being shared by the corrupt, being wasted away.... while Congress gets richer and richer....
Oh the Republican Obstructionist argument never gets old(for those on the far left).
The Republican House has passed Budgets for the second half of 2011, 2012 and 2013.
Where's the Democrat controlled Senates Budgets for those years (and 2009, 2010, 2011)?
Obama couldn't even get a single member of his own party to vote for his budgets for the last two years. Sounds to me Like the Democrats are the ones doing all the obstructing.
The House has passed over 30 Bills and sent them to the Senate where Harry Reid sweeps them under the rug and refuses to bring any of them up for a vote or write Senate versions so they can go to reconciliation.
How many bills has the Senate Passed this year? Two?
The Democrats spent 13 months, all of 2009, just on one bill, the Health care reform bill, to the exclusion of everything else. It wasn't Republican Obstructionism that cause them to take so long it was their own party because they had the House, Senate, and White House and a filibuster proof majority in the Senate. They had to Buy Democrats votes with the Corn husker Kickback, Louisiana Purchase, Florida Freeby, Connecticut Conn, etc. to buy enough Dem votes to pass it.
The Dems spent 2010 writing and passing the 2300+ page Frank-Dodd bill, again, to the exclusion of everything else including federal budgets and appropriations.
You cant exactly obstruct a party that is incapable of getting anything done.
I believe he already is but that's just me. Toast that is.
@ David Noah
Dems, Repubs, same thing. Who cares who did it. These arguments are so stupid. You think its the Democrats, they think its the Republicans and then you guys have examples of each and nothing will change. The point is both parties are retarded. Both parties have overseen America's decline and both parties should be held accountable.
Your absolutely correct Satanick unfortunately we have to deal in reality not fantasy. The reality is that there is no viable third party to challenge the stranglehold the Republicans and Democrats have on our political system.
The left has done a superb job of ridiculing, demonizing, painting the Tea Party as Racists, Bigots, Homophobes, etc.
The "Occupiers" don't need any help. They have done a tremendous job on their own of demonstrating what a bunch of lawless, rioting, destructive, disorganized, U.S. Flag burning, dopes they are.
Who do you choose?
The party that has put fourth and passed Budgets even they they may not be popular but are at least attempting to deal with the out of control spending, despicable deficits, run away entitlements etc., or the party that just keeps kicking the can down the road, refuses to pass budgets, whines and cries about how its everyone else's fault but their own, taking no responsibility for the mess were in etc. and there best line is"it could have been worse.".
I side with Occupy personally. We need a third party and thus far they have remained independent. The majority of protestors have not been destructive or violent. It is a purely democratic movement.
The Republicans idea of a budget is to just hammer the hell out of the middle class and poor so the rich can keep their tax breaks. I will give them that they have been trying and they have got the fact that Social Security and Medicare need reforming out there.
Where have you Been Satanick?
The Unions, Sorros, Ayers, Black Panthers, Media Matters, MoveOn dot org, Pelosi, Obama, etc. have been behind the "occupiers" since the Beginning.
The only thing that has been "Grass roots" about Occupy is the Marijuana.
I have been following the movement personally. No one is "behind" the movement. They are actually struggling to get funding because they don't accept donations from corporations or the rich.
The unions have participated in marches with Occupy, this is true. But that is more because both groups have some overlapping ideas more than anything.
Obama has said that he can understand why people are protesting, might I add that many Republicans have said the same, but he has never claimed to endorse the movement. It's not a part of the democratic party, as much as the media wants it to be.
Romney is not eligible for Presidency according to federal law under the U.S. Constitution article II by his own public admission.
Source .. http://www.art2superpac.com/issues.html
Tony,
I've worked on quite a few rich people's tax returns the past couple of years. MOST of them pay foreign taxes and have no idea. Those people have all the statements come to them and then hand them to the Tax accountant.
Mitt has his investments in a blind trust. The trust sends the info directly to the tax accountant. The only way Romney would know if he paid any tax is if he actually studied all forms required by the IRS before he signs. Most only care about how much they made, did they get a refund, or owe. If they owe, how much and why.
Care4myCountry.
This was already looked into. Romney IS eligible. Romney is more qualified to be president than the two candidates we had in 2008. You should really study minor vs hapersett. In this decision back in the 1870's the court ruled on what a natural born citizen really is. This ruling was also confirmed as the rule on citizenship in the late 1970's when a minor party candidate ran for president and was ruled ineligible by the courts.
I think that we need a Richard Prior moment. None of the above sounds darn good about now.
Neither party has any moral high ground to stand on.
Until we the people can agree on that and force them to be ethical, we are so hosed.
One of the above posts listed all of the things that President Bush did to help people get into housing. What is so different that President Obama is doing? Do we really need to double down on policies that are supposed to help people achieve their dreams, that puts our whole country at risk? We only have to look to Europe to see where that leads. We are better than that.
We need change, we need change on how things are done, not in who gets the money, the low interest loans, the special regulations and stupid mandates.
We need the truth, if we have to raise taxes, then tell us by how much and for how long so we can plan ahead, so businesses really know what the cost is going to be when they hire an employee.
It is not a matter of who is right and who is wrong. It is a matter of who is going to lead us to the light at the end of the tunnel.
Looking at both parties right now, I honestly do not see a leader from either one that can do what needs to be done. Both parties have shown a total resolve to bicker endlessly about things the general public does not care about.
I want hope, I need hope, but it sure is hard to get out of bed in the morning right now.
There is one candidate for President who isn't LYING, right to your face.
Ron Paul 2012
And, he won't be elected because his honest agenda would take us back to the 1800s.
He'll have the time as his campaign should be in tatters by then.
In Romney's speech bashing President Obama , he said, "It's still about the economy, and we're not stupid."
Yeah, it still is about the economy, stupid. It's about how hucksters like Mitt crashed it, the middle class paid the price, and the top 1% got more tax cuts.
Romney can't come up with any plan of his own. All he does is repeat the failed plans of the Republicans from the Bush era, but here is what's worse, he has been pandering to the far right who clearly would send us all into 1930 Germany. I'm sorry, but read, they would. Romney and his ilk think they can control them, just as the pre-hitler German conservatives thought they could control Hitler. This is all wrong guys, read, learn, this right radical thinking cannot be supported by Americans.
By the way WHAT IS MR. FLIP FLOPS PLAN? He hasn't given one HAS HE?
WHAT IS IT? more ranting and raving HE HAS NO PLAN!
Whats Obama's Plan?
The ones that have been rejected without a single yes vote for the last two years?
Witch---
Just wait a minute...he's drawing it up on the Etch-a-Sketch, as we speak.
Weemee, you have a point. Let me expand on that some.
Romney assures us that he will adopt Paul Ryan's Randian budget which amounts to austerity measures. Look what austerity is doing to Europe. It's driving Europe deeper into the hole. The UK is back in a recession after their attempt a austerity. Look at Greece. When you take money away from people, they have no money to spend in the greater economy, tax receipts are down, public sector workers are let go leaving even less money to spend in the greater economy resulting in private sector job loss. It's a descending spiral, it's happening in Europe, ant it's happening here. What is needed is a proven economic program - it's called Keynesian Economics, and it helped dig us out of the Great Depression. If Romney gets in he will be a marionette operated by such sinister operatives as Grover Norquist, Frank Luntz, and many other behind the scenes right wing power brokers. And let's not forget about the Koch Brothers, Dick Armey, Karl Rove, and the various billionaire sponsored and funded Tea Party factions. They will see to it that we revert to the trickle-down model which has been a proven failure. The result of trickle-down is the wealth gap which threatens to destabilize our society. Actually, it already is destabilizing our society. Look at the hyper-polarized make-up of our political and social order. If voters are dumb enough to elect Romney, we are in big trouble. Simply put, it is impossible to balance a budget by taking discretionary money away from people who would otherwise spend it on day-to-day living. Mark my words. If Romney gets in, we all go off the cliff (except, of course, the plutocrats who own him and who'll direct his policies.
Obama's been the POTUS for three years and four months and we can see how well his plans are working because we are living them.
8.1% unemployment, .2% Higher than when Obama took office 3.4 years ago and its only cost us 800 Billion dollar Stimulous, 1.7 trillion dollar Health care reform bill, 6 Trillion dollars added to our dept, 4 years of record setting deficit spending, the U.S's credit rating being downgraded for the first time in History, and 4 Years of the Democrats failing to pass a budget,
The Left thinks their qualified to discuss economics, budgets and have the right to ridicule others that actually do there lawful duty of passing a budget?
No, russell, what is driving europe in the hole is resisting austerity.
David,
the real story is that our workforce is back to the size of it was in 1981. If you add the 10 million people that have dropped out of the workforce, unemployment would be 11.3%. We also still have 1 million less jobs than when Obama took over.
DB-ignoring the french election won't make it go away. Europeans are rejecting austerity-right or wrong. Your ignoring facts you don't like seems par for the course. The right wants it their way and won't be bothered with facts that don't match their world view.
"Obama's been the POTUS for three years and four months and we can see how well his plans are working because we are living them."
Yep -- and while not great, things sure are much better off than they were in January 2008. A few Examples:
Wow....
You're pretty good at reciting Schulz's talking points verbatim, like a parrot...
There are fewer Americans working, NOW, than when BO took office.
The workforce participation rate is at the lowest level in decades.
GDP "growth" is about 2%- barely has a pulse after nearly four years...
Record numbers of Americans on food stamps, and living below the poverty level. That's the Democratic dream right? Everyone dependent on the gubmint?
Obama has ADDED 250,000 Federal employees to the payroll since taking office. Just what we need. More Big Government.
Oh yeah...and $5,000,000,000,000 in new debt, and nothing to show for it.
I can see the far left trolls are out in force here today...but don't let the facts change your opinions.
And yet the Republicans want to continue trickle-down economics...why is that? Over the last 30 plus years it has been shown to fail the vast majority of Americans, so why do Republicans want to continue a failed economic model? ...because they're getting wealthier than ever! The also want to institute the Ryan Plan...another attempt to accelerate the transfer of wealth to the top 1%. And yet, many poor and middle-class Republicans support this further transfer of wealth. Do they really need a "father figure" that much?
"You're pretty good at reciting Schulz's talking points"
Talking points?? No Mike -- FACTS. The DOW was bellow 8000 in Jan. 08. Today it's above 13,000. Oil production is at an all time high. You may not like these FACTS but they are FACTS.
And tell us Mike -- just what is Romney's plan to improve the economy??
Charlie,
yes they are facts, but you have to look at how those facts are put together.
Oil is up due to increased production on private land. Not due to an increase in production on federal land.
Yes the stock market is up, the stimulus money goes to wall street first. How is that not your trickle down theory?
The stock market has lost 500 points over the last several days. 1000 points equals 1 trillion dollars, roughly. So we have lost about 500,000.00 over the last couple of days.
Charlie,
well what his plan is, is a darn good question.
What is President Obama's plan?
The truth is neither one of them really have a plan. The truth is I do not have a good idea either.
I do however have a pretty good idea that what we are doing right now is not working.
Spending future tax revenue today, to create jobs tomorrow, with the hope the day after that it will be all sunshine and roses is not realistic either.
We have money in our country. We just need a direction.
I do know this, we need to lower our energy costs. If we do not we are headed for another recession. This one will be worse than the one we are still trying to recover from.
The stock market has lost 500 points over the last several days. 1000 points equals 1 trillion dollars, roughly
It's GAINED 5000 points since President Obama took office. We see swings all the time but the trend us up -- WAY UP.
What a bunch of BS. Unemployment is steadily going down, and 8.2% is a helluva lot better than the 10% peak. The stimulus created between 1.8 million and 3.3 million jobs, and the healthcare bill is going to LOWER the deficit. Unfortunately you right-wingers don't understand that. As for debt, Obama only added roughly $4.8 trillion, and most of that was because of the recession, not because of his spending policies. As for the credit rating, S&P blamed BOTH parties for their partisan ways, but the Republicans were especially at fault for balking at accepting tax increases, even in a 3:1 ratio in favor of spending cuts in Obama's package.
And the Right thinks that they are qualified to call themselves "economical" and "pro-business" and to discuss economics when it has been PROVEN that their supply-side theories have FAILED??? The truth cuts both ways, my right-wing friend.
OBAMA BIDEN 2012
Fresheee, We added 115,000 jobs in April. In order to keep unemployemnt at its current level we need to be adding 165,000.
The $800 billion stimulus targeted the government rather than the private sector. The 2.1 million jobs the White House claims it created cost $400,000 each. If we had targeted the private sector with that kind of money, we probably would have created 8 million jobs.
If the Republicans would have accepted the tax increases it would have done nothing to really help the deficit. The top 10% of Americans earn 47.1% of all income in the US; however, they pay 70% of all income taxes. They pay a much higher portion of their income share in taxes than the remaining 90% who earn 52.9% of income.
It can be tough out there on the campaign trail.
Pesky questions and inane comments galore.
So in speaking about student loans... did he drop his comment about asking your parents for a $20,000. loan to start a business? Or telling college students to shop around if tuition is too high for your budget??As if it is a matter of going to Sams Club or Whole Foods.
But the opening and closing remarks, Romney is falling back on the Winter Olympics.
What happened to his singing patriotic songs? Has he scraped the sing along?
BTW: a factoid for tonight: France had a voter turnout of 80% on Sunday. US had a 57% turn out in 2008. I think we should move our election day to a Sunday. :)
Hooray! I've said that for years. The Tuesday vote goes back to the days of horse drawn carriages and Sunday blue laws. Of course, the rwnj's want to return to those days.
Tony,
You are so right. The GOP would never go for this simple fix. In fact they want to restrict the people who can vote on election day.
We have a crazy voter id constitiuional amendment on our ballot in November.
You should be shopping around for schools you can afford. There are good schools that provide a great education and do not cost an arm and a leg.
Did you know that France voted to up their income tax to 75%? Have you checked out what the income tax rates are in the rest of the First World where citizens REALLY get support from their leaders? We are the worst out there...
And the only reason that a socialist won is just that. He is a socialist who would provide for everyone at whatever cost. Take a look at the number of rich and business owners are leaving France for just that reason. He plans to take and blow off the austerity so desperately needed to keep the country afloat. If Obama wins in November, it will be much the same scenario. Large turnout by those wanting to maintain the status quo with the handouts.
@lulu,
college tuition at the U of MN is around 15,000 -16,000 a year for residents. then you add books, fees. That is $60,000. for a four year degree. I'm not talking about a private college. Romney is clueless about the burden on middle/working class families.
@BGarcia,
Yes, Europeans have very high taxes. In return they have universal health care, pensions, great transportation system, good school system but very competitive. In Ireland, if you get into Trinity College in Dublin, tuition is paid for.
@talk to the Hand,
Hollande is a socialist, but do not simplify his election. HIs campaign was that "austerity only" is an extreme path, but austerity and growth is a balanced approach. He wants to slow down the spending while focusing on economic growth. He want to raise the minimum wage and hiring of new teachers. That does not sound radical to me.
NorthstarDFL,
What is wrong with voter ID?
How can you need ID to cash a check, get a job, buy over the counter medicine, fly on a plane, but not need it to vote?
There are cheaper schools than the University of Minnesota. I have several relatives that have gone to school there. One of them just graduated a couple of years ago. She is working at Starbucks serving coffee.
There are a lot of good two year degree programs out there. Take one of those, you are done in two years, you usually will get a job right away. Once you have worked for a couple of years, most have programs that will allow you to get a 4 year degree later.
How many people know what they want to do right out of high school? I know that I have had to change careers a couple of times now.
Tell me, we didn't have voter ID laws over the past 10 years, and last time I recall, there wasn't any significant evidences of major voter fraud in our nation. Why do we really need them anyway???? Voter fraud is virtually nonexistent. And I find it very suspicious that it negatively affects Democratic voters. Plus nobody has done anything to make it easier to get Voter IDs. They even restricted early voting!!! It all seems pretty suspicious....
OBAMA BIDEN 2012
Freshieee,
so you are saying that it is hard to get a state ID?
How can you live without a picture ID of some type?
Why do we need it? how can we not have it? that is a better question.
Why doesn't Romney talk about his time as governor of Massachusetts? Apparently he completely ignores that aspect of his executive background.
Ask your President that same question. Nobody could have a worse record than Obama.
The President answers questions on a daily basis about his record, policies and the decisions he makes. Romney hasn't given one iota of a clue what his plans are. If you know them, tell us. btw, if you're a United States citizen, he's your President too. And if you're so fedupwthisite, why don't you leave?
I bet the people of Massachusetts could tell you why he does not want to talk about his governorship. And what was in all the computers and disk that he purchased and destroyed that was used by members of his administration. What is he hiding?
He uses Hair Club for Men and Cialis. Ann needs some lubbin' every now and then.
BuT Obama never really answers questions. It is always excuses and blaming others.
LULU-you're listening to Beck not President Obama. He answers very skillfully and has a great command of language and logic. You just don't like the answers or aren't listening. I would guess the latter-you like the pablum of Fox or the drivel of Rush. Thinking for yourself is hard.
I have the same questions myself...
1. If he is a good governor and doing well at it, why not seek re-election for second term to solidify your credibility as a leader. You want to serve your country, this was a good platform to showcase what you can do.
2. Maybe he saw that on the second term, he will be dealing with problems that he cannot solve, it will be better to quit than to have failures on record.
If all he can stand on is Winter Olympics 2002, there is really little governing to do here than being a project manager and fund raiser at the same time. Olympic policies and procedures are already in place for a very long time and little changes occur.
Meanwhile, dealing with foreign policies and changing political ideologies occur regularly through out the world, what is his record to stand on ?
Ask your President that same question. Nobody could have a worse record than Obama.
Remember George W. Bush?? Remember the DOW below 8000. Remember the largest surplus of all times transformed into the largest deficit of all times in less than 3 years? Remember the worst attack on US soil in the history of the nation? Remember the war started with a nation having nothing to do with that attack. Remember the 750,000 jobs lost month after month after month? Remember the worst economy since the depression? Remember -- ALL OF THAT HAPPENED WHEN GEORGE W. BUSH WAS PRESIDENT. That's the record of the WORST president of all times.
Remember in 2007 we all received a check from the treasury dept( if you made less than $250,000) with instructions to go out and spend it on "consummables". A Republican President giving me government money to go out and spend???? That was one of the first red flags, the 2nd red flag was that 70% of American's who received the check did not do their patriotic duty, rather they paid off credit cards or put into savings. It is called the beginning of The Great Bush Depression.
A closer look at Romney’s economic policies reveals that his policies would actually jeopardize the economic security of so many American women:
Romney’s rhetoric just doesn’t match his platform. If elected, Romney’s policies would have serious consequences for women.
and minorities the middle class and most of the rest of the country. If you're wealthy, he's your guy. Otherwise bend over and be prepared to get reamed.
Tony...I was going to respond to your filth and lies....but, why bother....You are just another of those old failed cranky guys that hates success and the successful... Keep hating this countrys success of opportunity and free enterprise....and tell everyone that we all missed the boat by not accepting socialism...
Well put JA.
...and JA52*** is just another stuck in the last century disingenuous self-victimized person who hates anyone who doesn't suck on Rush or who "thinks out of line"
you need to find a country where whiners & haters are considered national heroes like you do yourself .
So neither one of you can respond to the initial poster of this thread so you jump Tony's post. LMAO. Weaksauce.
Romney is not President material, get used to that fact. 3/4 of the country left those red necked racist ideas behind us when Martin Luther King Jr. marched.
J.A., in light of our recent agreement, I will try to be civil. I do not oppose success. I admire it. I admire the likes of Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg, as do many of my liberal friends. I will bet that some of us (including myself) aspire to be the next Bill Gates. We don't oppose opportunity and free enterprise; what we oppose is excessive economic inequality. Tell me, is it in the best interests of economic opportunity and free enterprise for the top fifth of Americans to control most of the income earned in the United States??? Is it also in the best interests of our economy for incomes for the middle class to remain stagnant while our financial markets are rife with frauds like Bernie Madoff??? It is not. Our recoveries from recessions have become slower mainly because incomes for the middle class have plateaued. You cannot grow out of a recession when at least two-thirds of the nation's growth goes to the top 20%. The best way to fix this crisis is through fiscal and regulatory policies. Fiscally, we must end most tax breaks that offer incentives things like speculation and outsourcing and introduce some (not a lot) that encourage investing in start-ups and job-creating investments. We must return tax rates for the income brackets to Clinton levels in order to balance our budget. In addition, we ought to raise the top tax rate to 45% with a maximum goal of having them pay a minimal average of 36%, and a second top rate at 39.6% with a minimum of 32%. Capital gains ought to be approximately 25%, with a minimum of 21% paid. In addition, we must create a national policy that supports middle-class jobs like manufacturing and energy, invest and reform our education and healthcare systems, invest in programs that will create jobs and help small businesses, and root out corporate welfare. In addition, we must end Citizens United and return the power of the vote to the people.
As for regulations, we must simply strengthen Dodd-Frank, reinstate Glass Steagall, crack down on Wall Street fraud, return unions to power (while keeping them in check, as Big Labor isn't always the angel we think it is...), increase the minimum wage, institute a living wage, and break down the 4 biggest banks into smaller holdings. We must also reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, regulate the housing market in order to strengthen in, promote programs to help underwater mortgage owners and buffer up the housing industry, and offer smart and fair regulations that keep our economy going while also putting the health and welfare of all Americans as our first priority. Simply put, we cannot go back to the failed days of trickle-down economics, nor can we adopt a strictly left-wing economic system (although by many means you would be accurate in calling me a leftist). We need to find a balance. Unfortunately, nowadays that balance, which used to lay squarely in the center of the political spectrum in America, is now technically center left, due to the polarization of the Republican Party. I welcome any and all comments and responses from you, J.A., as long as they are as respectful to me and my fellow commentators as I have been to you. Hope to hear from you soon on the vine.
America 2012
On Romney's character....
Sometimes, this facet of Romney’s personality isn’t so subtle. In July 1996, the 14-year-old daughter of Robert Gay, a partner at Bain Capital, had disappeared. She had attended a rave party in New York City and gotten high on ecstasy.
Three days later, her distraught father had no idea where she was. Romney took immediate action. He closed down the entire firm and asked all 30 partners and employees to fly to New York to help find Gay’s daughter. Romney set up a command center at the LaGuardia Marriott and hired a private detective firm to assist with the search. He established a toll-free number for tips, coordinating the effort with the NYPD, and went through his Rolodex and called everyone Bain did business with in New York , and asked them to help find his friend’s missing daughter. Romney’s accountants at Price Waterhouse Cooper put up posters on street poles, while cashiers at a pharmacy owned by Bain put fliers in the bag of every shopper. Romney and the other Bain employees scoured every part of New York and talked with everyone they could prostitutes, drug addicts anyone.
That day, their hunt made the evening news, which featured photos of the girl and the Bain employees searching for her. As a result, a teenage boy phoned in, asked if there was a reward, and then hung up abruptly. The NYPD traced the call to a home in New Jersey , where they found the girl in the basement, shivering and experiencing withdrawal symptoms from a massive ecstasy dose. Doctors later said the girl might not have survived another day.
Romney's former partner credits Mitt Romney with saving his daughter's life, saying, "It was the most amazing thing, and I’ll never forget this to the day I die."
So, here's my epiphany: Mitt Romney simply can’t help himself. He sees a problem, and his mind immediately sets to work solving it, sometimes consciously, and sometimes not-so-consciously. He doesn't do it for self-aggrandizement, or for personal gain. He does it because that's just how he’s wired.
Many people are unaware of the fact that when Romney was asked by his old employer, Bill Bain, to come back to Bain & Company as CEO to rescue the firm from bankruptcy, Romney left Bain Capital to work at Bain & Company for an annual salary of one dollar.
When Romney went to the rescue of the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics, he accepted no salary for three years, and wouldn't use an expense account. He also accepted no salary as Governor of Massachusetts .
Character counts!! (and yes...that's worth reading again!)
Sounds like more campaign BS, doesn't it, folks? It's a good thing we can't vote for president in the US Territories. I'm not sure ANY of the candidates for federal office (Congress or president) would get a winning vote. I know that I would continue to hit our NO VOTE button, then the VOTE button, to tell ALL of those on the ballot that they don't deserve my vote. That is why I continue to support the Popular Amendment Movement's efforts to get the Election/Campaign Finance Reform and Term Limits constitutional amendments before the voters of each state. Get involved at faircampaignreform(dot)us.
Tough to have things "go as planned" when you change your positions "mid sentence"!
Pretty soon at these rallies he will only take questions from his wife and sons - even that may prove to be risky!
Here we go MSNBC - starting officially with Romney bashing! Look at your headlines - Romney does this wrong, Romney does that wrong... Not like last weeks 4 days on the death of Bin Laden. It is pitiful you call yourselves a news agency...Let's see GE owns NBC right? How much taxes did GE pay last year?
Unlike the 24 hr bashing that has gone at FOX since the Obama was elected. eh?
You're a hack, you know it, your words back it up!
Here we have another idiot liberal that, let me guess is collecting some form of social money, probably lives on food stamps, most likely black and hates anyone that works and is successful. Yup, a typical Obama supporter with straps.
Oh yeah, right. Go away moron. You're way out of your league.
fed
typical teapublican....not even close to being right on any issue.
you are still a hack, an unintelligent one at that....but you know that as well!
I am surprised you guys can read and write. You need to read the constitution and the Obamacare bill. I did like the use of unintelligent. I guess you are sensitive to the word stupid. All I know is some of my college students could run the country better than Obama....
Quit trying to bulls--t us clown. The only thing you could be at a college is the janitor that mops up the puke after one of their parties.
I not only read and write, I retired as a Command Sergeant Major from the U S Army. And you sir need to have a little more respect for the President of the United States. He came from nothing and made himself into what he is today. He could be a drug pusher, (know about them, I am now a corrections officer in a state prison), or a welfare recipient, (yes there are some who play the system.) or just a homeless drug addict who blames the system. No, He pulled himself up by the bootstraps. He is a husband, father and pretty good leader. He has made mistakes because he is human. He made the ultimate decision as president. To get OBL. And anybody, Republican, Democrat, or Independant who has ever been responsible for other peoples LIVES cannot badmouth him
Probably teaches at Liberty University with the brainwashed Religious Right.
The over hyped Tea Party - exploiters of dissatisfaction & anger they are more about screaming than anything else. A bunch of gun nuts, tax protesters (who don’t want to pay any tax at all) insurance company lobbyists, constitutionalists who have not read the Constitution and wouldn't understand it anyway, crazy “birthers” and a bunch of fat cat politicians pretending to be outsiders like the Caribou killing nitwit Sarah Palin and yes a contingent of racists. This is not a coherent intellectual or political force.
They remind me of the Tea Party in Alice in Wonderland complete with Mad Hatters, ridicules costumes, a Dormouse, White Rabbit, a Knight who is talking backwards and a Red Queen (Palin) screaming off with their heads.
Let's see GE owns NBC right?
Actually, I think Comcast owns NBC now. Still, your point is well taken. After GE benefitted from "green energy" tax breaks paying zero in taxes and Jeffrey Immelt was made Jobs Czar, I guess NBC had served it's purpose.
SI
How about the new law the witch from Arizona had passed: you can now take weapons into government buildings!!!!! We already had a shoot out with a guy wearing body armor that killed his whole family, we had that horrible shooting of the Congresswoman.... want more? Just wait a minute....
Mark D -
Great post. You are in a position to give due credit and due respect to our CIC.
I get kind of disgusted by all the insults and hate thrown around on this board by otherwise literate people who are susceptible to right wing propaganda.
I'm an independent who voted almost exclusively Republican until recently, but all the hate, lies, and far-right boilerplate has turned me off completely, and I will not vote for a republican at any level unless/until they get their act together.
I am also a veteran (Viet Nam) and when I was in the service we had people driving around on the moon in buggies. We, as a people, as a society, had it together. Now we, as a society, are coming unraveled, I'm afraid, and unless people (and politicians) come to their senses, we are in for a long trip to the Dark Ages. I certainly hope I'm wrong, but I don't think so.
So come on, pile on all you right wing trollmeisters. I'm going to bed now so I won't be able to defend myself, but hell, I don't need to. I'm fine with where I am.
Hey fedup -- I'm a liberal and I probably pay more in taxes in any given year than you make and every dime of it comes from the private sector. It's uninformed, ditto-head/Fox cultist like you who are holding this nation down.
Okay now THAT is racist. I'm not a fan of those who say that if you don't support Obama that you're racist (if there are any), or when people kinda get hyped up about racial things (sometimes happens), but I know racism when I see it. So only blacks like Obama??? Only blacks are on welfare???? You do realize that most of food stamp recipients are white, don't you??? You do also realize that a helluva lot of white people (including myself) admire this president. So why don't you go back to your cold cave where all your fellow right-wing extremists congregate and stay there until you have something meaningful to say. I could easily talk bull@!$%# about the supporters of the GOP, but it's not worth talking to a biased, right-wing idiot like you.
OBAMA BIDEN 2012
Freshieee
That is worse than racism. That is pure fanatical hatred. The equivalent to calling a conservative an old, white, women hating, rich, slave owner.
It is meant to incite, not debate.
It's good that NBC is holding the opposition's feet to the fire. But Obama has been in office for almost four years and you have never examined him. NBC never looked into where he was born. You never investigated his forged birth certificate. You never released his college transcripts or interviewed one friend or ex-girl friend. You gave him a pass on his close association with some of the worst people in America including Bill Ayers, Bernadine Dohrn, Rev Wright and Rashid Khalidi. You let Obama get away with the massive corruption in his "stimulus packages" that saw $100s of billions of our tax dollars slip into the pockets of his cronies. NBC has ignored the "Fast and Furious" scandal that saw his administration selling weapons to foreign drug dealers which resulted in the deaths of many people including Americans.
Aren't you people in the media supposed to be objective journalists rather than partisan activists? Shame on you.
doug, please return to your nice room with the padding on the walls with the nice attendants. They are only there to protect your safety.
Obama's birthplace has been covered and proven. REPEATEDLY. If you want to continue to spout conspiracy theories and not live in reality, then please go away to a nice padded room for your own protection.
dougjmiller - Are you retarded?
No Doug he is not retarded he probably listens to Rush L. the three times divorced , drug addict all day and the CRIMINAL fox news network all night he has been brainwashed to the point where his paranoid delusional fantasies have become his reality
I can see Dougie is an avid watcher of FAUX news. Propaganda that would make Russia proud.
NBC has ignored the "Fast and Furious" scandal that saw his administration selling weapons to foreign drug dealers which resulted in the deaths of many people including Americans.
Oh no nutwing doug you have been foxed again. That would be Bush W that started that program without evn letting the attorney general know what he was doing. Do your research nutwing. Yes please go back to your padded room for your own protection. You can be cured someday like any drug addict your addicted to Shawn hannity truthless serum or you have absorbed to much Rush
Mitt has an audience of 500 in OH where Obama got 14,000 on Saturday.
And that is a big crowd for Mittens...LOL
The rest of the 15,000 Mitt fans were at work paying taxes so you could go to Obama's rally.
Mitt FLIP FLOP ON TAXES
1."Mr. Flip Flop Romnut, 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. Flip Flop Romnut, 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. Flip Flop Romnut, 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. Flip Flop Romnut, 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. Flip Flop Romnut 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?
Yeah, right T2. When have you even seen a Republican actually pay taxes> They are so busy looking for loophole they get nothing done then a "liberal" has to come behind him and do it right.
I pay a higher percentage of taxes than Romney and it pisses me off that the rich made loopholes for themselves knowing a wage earner does not qualify for them.
Mitt fans working on Saturday? Not likely. More likely they were out on their yachts or at the golf course perfecting their backswings. The 1 percenters usually don't work on weekends.
...FWIW...
Mormons don't either
unless they are ETCH A SKETCH Mormons
Is Gov. Romney going to take any more questions from real people, or is he going to make sure only the 'right' ones get asked?
Even then he'll come down on all sides of any position.
Sounds like Obama to me. Only tells everyone what they want to hear, and doesn't talk about his achievements because he has none. Are you going to drink from this change is coming speech again? Oh, I forgot we don't want to go back either. Obama talking as the forward leader is funny enough. He needs to go back to the park and organize like he used to do.
Obama kept his word
FLIP FLOP Romney speaks in Detroit; folks shouldn't forget that he and every other GOP candidate opposed the auto recovery, preferring to let the industry go bankrupt. From day one . President Obama has stood with the auto industry, saying, "We cannot, and must not, and we will not let our auto industry simply vanish." He's kept his word: More than 1.4 million American auto industry jobs have been saved, 200,000 created, and more than 150,000 are expected in the next few years.
What did Mittens Flip Flop say say, “let Detroit go bankrupt”.
Romney always manages to stick his foot into his mouth. Instead he should kick his own 1$$.
The TEApublicans are getting more looney all the time. During the McCain losing effort for the White House some woman called Obama a "muslim" while THIS year, during the Mitt (dog-on-the-car-roof) Romney event, another woman thinks OUR president is guilty of "treason." The GOP misled followers repeat ANY crazy thing they have heard.
Those of us who KNOW our president is the BEST leader this country has had for a decade, NEED to show up at the poles in November and NOT allow the crazy right of this country to gain control and WRECK this great nation.
Vote OBAMA/BIDEN 2012 and ANY non-GOP candidates down the ballot.
Remember Sharon Angle? I'm still waiting to see her bring out her 2nd Amendment Remedies.... like Palin, her neighbors don't like her either and the rest of NV can't stand her.... she's also TP yet she receives social security, medicare and her husband was a long time government worker, so what gives? Like Bachman who railed against the "machine" but got subsidies, government aid and everything else... phonies, hypocrites all of them!
So you prefer Harry Reid and his lies and cheating....and what a great personality!! He will be known forever for his sage statement "the war is lost" in such sad tones.....but I think that sad tone is so natural for him...
No offense, but I'd take Harry Reid over Speaker Boehner and Eric Cantor any day of the week.
M R INHERITED his name, his socio-economic status, and his pompous, arrogant attitude!! He is now passing on these characteristics to his 5, entitled sons who will NEVER have to work at Walmart or choose between whether to pay the electric bill or a student loan!!! This family have NOTHING in common with the middle class in America and anyone who supports him is clearly oblivious to this fact. Over 80% of Americans die in the SAME socio-economic status they were born into! NO, we CAN NOT be anything we want to be! Get real sheeple!!!
The epitome of entitlement.
I think that Mr. Romney needs to understand that SUCCESS is NOT determined by the amount of money that you have, your net worth, nor the number of businesses that you have run. The main determining factors of SUCCESS is all about your integrity, how much you value other human beings....regardless of their economic status in life, your REAL family values, your consistency of character, and whether or not you are sincere about your beliefs and what you say. Mr. Romney, you have said some awful and untrue things about other candidates....or you have been silent on speaking out against injustice. Remember, Mr. Romney, people tend to believe what you do....not necessarily what you say.....especially when what you say is not consistent with the truth. When your words are untrue, those words speak to who you REALLY are. Remember, that "....for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." {Matthew 12:34} For example, when you say things like {1} you are not really concerned about the very poor, {2} corporations are people, {3} let Detroit go bankrupt, etc............. that kind of verbiage is coming from your heart, and we know that is really how you feel.
Take a look at the record of dishonesty Romney has already racked up:
Romney: “President Obama’s failed economic policies have led to more regulations.”
Romney: “[President Obama] said that if we let him borrow $787 billion, he would hold unemployment below 8%.”
Romney: President Obama “has not created more jobs for the American people.”
Romney: “The number of new businesses started per year is down 100,000 a year under the Obama term.”
Romney: “Did you know, by the way, that of all the jobs lost during the Obama years, 93% were lost by women? 93% were lost by women.”
Reality: Fact checkers and economic experts have labeled this charge “dubious,” “skewed,” and
I GUESS IT'S OK to LIE IF YOU BELONG TO THE CULT OF MORMON
Bull puckie. The job loss rate was NEVER high enough to "average" 752K jobs. Suggest you look at facts rather than listening to your Lib talking points and postings.
You need to have a look at the "Mormon Bible"...
if you can take advantage of another IT'S OK...they call it "helping themselves".
TALK TO THE HAND...
you have to learn that "talking points" is a conservativ tool to rally those who cannot think for themselves...
Liberals have no such problem & therefore Liberal Talking points are a figment of the "lives in fear conservative" mind... sorry Rush never told you about this, he probably wanted to but was too stoned on Oxy's to keep it together .
Witchking, If we are creating 540,000 new small businesses per month, as you say, how are we creating only 115,000 jobs in April. You would think there would be 1 to 5 jobs per small business which would translate to 540,000 to 2,700,000 new jobs per month. Are you sure you did not mean new small business starts per year?
Regarding the stimulus, the White House claims 2.1 million jobs. The cost to taxpayers is over $400,000 per job. If the stimulus had targeted the private sector rather than government, we could have probably created 8 million jobs. If we had done that even i would support Obama.
The stimulus was targeted at the private sector; well, except the tax cuts. Indirectly, though. A lot of the money went to the states, which allowed them to keep employees who kept many private sector jobs by strengthening demand. Others went to contractors for building roads and bridges (tell me, do you see secretaries and assistant supervisors pouring asphalt and cement????). Governments tend to do much of the spending during a recession in order to pick up the slack left by the private sector. The private sector wasn't going to be helped with just money alone; it needed the confidence to invest. The government did the investing, which gave private lenders the courage to start picking up some of the slack. As the economy recovered, jobs came back, and growth expanded, however slow. And as for the jobs effect, the CBO estimated that between 1.8 and 3.3 million jobs were created or saved. Remember that approximately 40% of the package consisted of tax cuts, so in actuality the cost was $188,880 if you subtract the tax cuts and revise the jobs number to an average of 2,500,000. A bit pricey, but it did well, considering that we had lost trillions of dollars during the course of the recession.
Romney why don't you do what Obama is not. Tell us the truth, America is bankrupt. Sit down and explain that the best route forward is declaring bankruptcy and sending the banksters to jail.
If Mitt did that, he would have to send most of his friends to jail.
Then let the man do his time.
The Obama haters never comment on the story at hand, Romney sides steps questions about 100's of millions he has off shore, he wants to be President, step up answer the question.
The truth is he has PEOPLE who take care of his money, uuhhhh I'll have to look into that? WTF?
Obama/Biden 2012
How do you how much money he has? Again for all of you dopes, it is not illegal to have offshore accounts if you pay your taxes. There is no evidence that he avoids his obligation. And please do not tell me you do not take whatever deduction you can.
All US Currency is just that, the property of the USA .
It is a CERTIFICATE of DEPOSIT not money .
Shipping ANY US money out of OUR COUNTRY only helps NON Americans... why would any CONSERVATIVE defend offshoring Jobs, Cash, daughters or our government ?
Lulu, it may not be illegal, but it sure isn't patriotic. You want to elect a man to be the head of this country, this country he deems unworthy to invest his money in? I don't.
I'll vote for Romney…..someone that knows America is the last free nation….no place else to go..folks
Yeah, Romney knows who OWNS the last free nation.
Really? the last place to go? Seriously? You need to travel the world and get out of the USA so you can see how many countries live better than we do. How their governments support the people and actually work for them.... visit the lands of the midnight sun, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, etc.
To those of you that think this is a "free" country..... come away from the pipe and open your eyes. More than 2 million people have left this country, some even give up their citizenship, due to the excess of laws and inability to live freely, so much racism and hatred and discrimination..... the crazy's are taking over!
So Garcia, why does everyone still want to come here even at the cost of being deported for being here illegally? Oh wait....the benefits with open arms....the libs and progressives don't want to change that. Never mind.
The other 15,000 people that would have been at Mitt's rally were working and paying taxes so you could go to the Obama rally.
As if Romney supporters pay taxes.
I pay plenty and get zip in return. The money is squandered.
So, lulu, you are totally clueless about all the services the Government is providing to you? Let me make just a short partial list:
Highways. Air traffic control. Courts. Police and crime suppression. Fire fighting. Military defense. Parks. Environmental protection. Food safety. Medical safety. Suppressing fraud and quackery. Stabilizing the financial system. Resolving disputes. Promoting trade with other nations. Epidemic tracking and disease prevention. Medical research. Scientific research.
Any one of those would probably be worth the taxes you are paying - put together, you're getting a great bargain for your taxes.
T2-there are no others for the Romney rally. The majority of Republicans are not voting for him-they are voting against Obama.
I would vote for a hamster over Obama.
CM...
You're not REALLY gonna try to tell me the Federal Government is truly efficient and not wasteful with our tax dollars, are ya??
Mike- nobody is saying the federal govt doesn't have some waste to trim. Lulu just seems to forget all her taxpaying dollars do provide. Romney of all people should know it takes money to make money, and it reads like he wants it done on the backs of the poor.
who wrote this piece of crap puff article? What went awry...people asked questions?
T2- See here is the prime example, all of us Liberal Democrats don't have jobs, I'll let IBM know, I guess my husband has just been showing up for the last 18 years for the great chicken noodle soup they serve in the cafeteria.
Saw a lawn sign today with the Romney slogan on it. Romney, believe in America's millionaires.
The other 15,000 people that would have been at Mitt's rally were working and paying taxes so you could go to the Obama rally.
T2 - Listening to Rush too much?
"Three questions later, a woman stood up and said, after posing a question, she thought the President Barack Obama ought to be tried for treason"
It is truly amazing the ignorance that comes out of Ohio. Everyone makes fun of Mississippi and Alabama but Ohio is right in there with them.
MIKE: What is truly amazing is not the ignorance and hatred of these people but rather the stunning display of cowardice shown by Willard the Weather Vane.
I am not a big fan of John McCain but his finest moment of the 2008 campaign, if he actually had one, was when this ditzy, crazed old lady started up with nonsense that Obama was a "Secret Muslim". McCain to his credit took the mic, and explained the crowd that while he disagrees with Obama, he is a decent man.
Don't ever expect class like that from a weasel like Wilardo. His entire political career has been built on one flip flop after another. I truly don't think there is a single issue that he has not had at least 3 positions on. To say he has no core, is an all time understatement.
When that scumbag Limbaugh called that young woman every name in the book and Mittens was asked about it, his heroic stand was to say "Those were not the words I would have used". Now there's some Profiles in Courage. Evidently instead of calling this woman a whore and a slut, Willard would have called her a harlot and a street walker. He is as spineless a jellyfish as I've ever seen on the national stage. Check out his record in Massachusetts. When he ran agains Teddy Kennedy he ran TO THE LEFT OF TEDDY, and as Liberal I can tell you, that's not an easy thing to do. Now he would have us believe that he is a "Severe Conservative".
I like how Bill Maher calls Sarah Palin a "C" and other derogatory comments about Women and not a word from the Democrats and they defend Bill Maher giving Obama a million dollar donation?
I Like how the Left Portrays the Tea party as Racist, Bigots, Homophobes, etc. even though they never had a single piece of proof to substantiate their claims but the Democrats, Obama, Pelosi, etc. dont say a word when the "Occupiers" are out raping, Killing, Destroying Public and Private Property, closing down ports which is economic terrorism, breaking into public buildings causing millions of dollars in damage, thousands of arrests, Burning the American Flag, Anti-Semtic statements and signs, etc. and there has been hundreds or articles and reports in the news.
I like how they can make a huge deal out of one shock jock calling someone a slut because they are on the right but completely ignore and endorse the criminals and terrorism being performed by the Left.
Just keep swinging that hammer of truth David Noah
the liars, racists & haters cannot stand science, reality or truth
or the fact that
EVERYTHING is changing all of the time
except in the conservative mind
David, the teaparty in my area are racist. You only have to listen to them to know their underlying complaint is along the lines of some people need to stay where they belong. I can't speak for all of them, just the ones I know.
Romney's message didn't get muddled, democrats have deone all they can to make other issues come to the fore.
It's still Obama's economy and it's his biggest failure.
No surprise there, socialism doesn't work.
bob-519223
Typical republican diatribe.
Trash the GLOBAL economy and blame a democrat for not fixing it quick enough.
Or, for not fixing it at all.....Or, for not even trying to fix it....