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LANSING, MI -- Mitt Romney made one of his most direct efforts to date to pivot to the general election, framing President Obama as an "old-school" liberal in a bid to court independent voters.
Back in his home state of Michigan, the state where Romney's primary win allowed him to begin putting away his Republican challengers in the battle for the Republican nod, the presumptive nominee cast Obama as even further to the left than Bill Clinton, the previous Democratic president who'd achieved political success by courting the center.
"President Obama chose to apply liberal ideas of the past to a 21st century America. Liberal policies didn't work back then, they haven't worked during these last four years, and they will not work in the future," Romney told an audience of several hundred at a community college here in Lansing. "New Democrats had abandoned those policies, but President Obama resurrected them, with predictable results."
The rhetoric was part of an effort by Romney to lay claim to independent voters as his general election effort begins to hit its stride. The former governor sought to accomplish that task, in part, by invoking Clinton -- one of the country's most popular politicians whose political standing has only improved since leaving office.
Recapturing Clinton's winning 1992 coalition -- which included women, suburban voters, moderates and independents -- could be critical for Romney if he wants to repeat Clinton's difficult feat of unseating an incumbent president, and of winning here in his home state of Michigan, which last went Republican in a presidential race in 1988.
"President Clinton, remember, he said the era of big government was over. President Obama brought it back with a vengeance," Romney continued. "President Clinton made efforts to reform welfare as we know it. President Obama is trying to tirelessly expand the welfare state, with promises and more programs, more benefits, and more spending."
The Obama campaign fired back, reminding Michiganders of Romney's push for a bankruptcy for GM and Chrysler (Romney didn't mention autos in his speech), and invoking Clinton for their own purposes.
"Now he wants to bring back budget-busting tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and letting Wall Street write its own rules—policies that President Clinton compared to the failed economic policies that created the crisis, but ‘on steroids,'" Obama spokeswoman Lis Smith said of Romney. "The American people won’t be fooled -- they know that this is the same economic scheme that crashed our economy and punished the middle class in the first place.”
Romney also touted his own biography as proof of his ability to guide the U.S. through a changing world in addition to his efforts to portray the president as a liberal.
Romney, who has long battle GOP and Democratic foes alike over characterizations of his business career, spun his time in private equity and management consulting as a career "at the leading edge of change and dynamism."
"Finding solutions and opportunities in an environment of change and turbulence is what I learned during my career and it’s something I want desperately to bring to the presidency. We can’t look backward," Romney said. "We have to look for those opportunities in a changing world. This is a time for new answers, new ideas and a new direction.”
And to sell his own forward-looking agenda, Romney assailed the Obama campaign's latest tech-savvy tool -- the online "Julia" game simulating a life's worth of effects on a woman -- as a model for government-guided life.
"Old-school liberals envisioned government guiding and providing every need of every citizen. Government would be at the center, the most important player in our lives. Have you seen by the way the president’s vision for the future?" Romney asked.
"To help us see it, his campaign has even created a little fictional character. It's on the website, living an imaginary life filled with happy milestones for which she will spend the rest of her days thanking President Obama. It’s called “The Life of Julia." And it’s a cartoon," Romney said. "By the way what does it say about a president's policies when he has to use a cartoon character rather than real people to justify his record? What does it say about the fiction of old liberalism to insist that good jobs and good schools and good wages will result from policies that have failed us, time and again?"
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Sooooooo!
What does it say about Rob-mey who has embraced Paul Ryan's budget that will cut programs for education, the seniors, little children, middle class and make them pay for the rich entitlements?
*yawn*
Today Clinton is Willard's pinata - tomorrow will be Carter's turn! lol
*grasp meet straw*
Let's see, under Bill Clinton with Newt Gingrich as Speaker, our country passed welfare reform legislation making limits on the ability of some U.S. citizens to ride the welfare train.
Under Obama, Food Stamps are at an all time high ! LOL !! It looks like Hussein is to the left of Bill Clinton. I also do not recall hearing Bill Clinton saying he was going "to redistribute the wealth". Of course, that was INDEED a quote from Obama's last campaign.
Jimbo...And your point is................?
Would you have your fellow Americans starve or perhaps the name of the book should be: "How to Pay For The Bush/Cheney/Republican Congress Recession." in 25 words or less of course!
Really?
Oh, please, do find me that quote.
Google it NOID ! Get off your butt and google it !
Jim you ruin your credibility when you refuse to back up your claim
Whatever... So what? Casting Obama as left of center? I wish! Obama is a centrist if not right of center.
Over reach by Romney again. So what's new? Shocking!
What everyone fails to understand is that Senor Bishop Willard (I flip flop even on my name) Romney has no beliefs. Take the gay issue that people are struggling with, most grew up believing being gay was a bad thing. Now in order to change that people are struggling with their inner beliefs. Since Romney changes with the wind, it is clear he has no beliefs except one. He will and do anything that will help him get elected.
OBAMA/BIDEN 2012
annoyedperson,
Yes, you are ANNOYING. Apparently you are under the mistaken impression that I post here to serve YOUR needs and desires. I am not here to spoon feed you or any other libtard that is too lazy to do his/her own research.
I don't really care how you feel about it Jim I just stated a simple fact That YOU lose credibility when you can't back up your claims with proof. And that goes for everyone both democrats and republicans alike
My needs & desires are just fine!
Thanks for the concern!
Now... if you would be so kind to prove your claim it would be much appreciated.
Come on junior, dazzle us with your Google skills.
Otherwise, you are viewed as another run of the mill right wing liar who pulls stuff out of his ass...
Credibility little buddy - you should try it sometime! ☺
Uh, yeah, see, here's the thing...I did...and other than the right-wing blogosphere crying "WOLF" claiming that the President said he would redistribute wealth do you think I could find a quote saying he would do so?
Nope...nuthin'!
Aaahhh, Feasty at #1.11 ..... I see, once again, you are trying to refer to me as "little". Yes, once before you referred to me as "little jimmy". So, I can only assume you are making such comments because you are REALLY BIG and everyone else is dwarfed by your presence.
Just how BIG are you Feasty ? I am guessing about 5 foot five, 255 ! More ?
Again, you and that annoying person will have to do your own homework. Of course, if I was wrong, I am sure you and the other component of the cut and pasting duo would have posted a link proving otherwise.
Do your homework. But then again, you are a liberal wanting someone else to do it for you.
Ahhh!
I see once again, instead of taking the opportunity to back up your bull@!$%#, you come back with some lame attempt at an insult! lol
I can smell your desperation all the way over here & it STINKS! ;o)
jim = All yarn no tale
Certain "large farm animals" do have a keen sense of smell. Do your homework Feasty or PROVE me wrong.
annoyedperson - jim HAS no credibility. As so many from the pro-Romney and hate everything Obama camp - he throws out lie after lie with nothing to back it up. Surprising? Not really - it's all they have.
Obama/Biden 2012
Sorry Goober!
It is YOUR responsibility to prove yourself right!
That's how it works around here!
Since you are incaple of doing such - let me be the first to thank you for playing!
It's been fun! ;o)
Romney is so far to the right he sees everyone else as an lefty liberal. He has to move to the left just to be conservative.
The GOP was hijacked by the forerunners to the Tea Party (the moral majority) in 1976 and they doubled down in 1980. The party has never been the same since, its only gotten worse. The destroy the middle class, let the poor die, everything for the rich mentality must end.
Yeah boy, that President Obama was so "left" on health care he ran on a mandate and single payer. Oh wait, that was the Clinton's. Oh wait, Romney and other Republicans were for the mandate too. Hahaha, what a dweeb.
Jim
You cannot prove something does not exist, only if something exists.
That was Bush's fallacy in the gulf war. (or one of them)
Here comes etch-a-sketch man, the multiple choice candidate.
look at the victories and failures of the civil rights movement and its litigation strategy in the court. I think where it succeeded was to invest formal rights in previously dispossessed people, so that now I would have the right to vote. I would now be able to sit at the lunch counter and order as long as I could pay for it I’d be o.k. But, the Supreme Court never ventured into the issues of redistribution of wealth, and of more basic issues such as political and economic justice in society.
To that extent, as radical as I think people try to characterize the Warren Court, it wasn’t that radical. It didn’t break free from the essential constraints that were placed by the founding fathers in the Constitution, at least as its been interpreted and Warren Court interpreted in the same way, that generally the Constitution is a charter of negative liberties. Says what the states can’t do to you. Says what the Federal government can’t do to you, but doesn’t say what the Federal government or State government must do on your behalf, and that hasn’t shifted and one of the, I think, tragedies of the civil rights movement was, um, because the civil rights movement became so court focused I think there was a tendency to lose track of the political and community organizing and activities on the ground that are able to put together the actual coalition of powers through which you bring about redistributive change. In some ways we still suffer from that. …
I’m not optimistic about bringing about major redistributive change through the courts. You know, the institution just isn’t structured that way.
There is the quote you were all looking for. He does talk about restributing the wealth, but i'll leave the breaking down of this to older people. Take this as you will.
Romney tells voters what they want to hear, so watch Latinos, gays, women, independents, elderly, all he cares about is getting your vote, and once he has it, he will turn(or should I say "flip flop")on you in a heart beat. He is for the rich and the rich only, do some research and read the Ryan Plan, because he fully endorses then decide who you want for your next President.
My vote goes to Obama, hands down!
Goober died on Sunday. Jim's still angry about it.
what all politicians are afraid to say is; the funding of the welfare system, has broke the bank; old age and disability fund (social security) is awash in Treasury IOU'S, about 3 trillion, interest owed another 1.5 trillion; it funds all the welfare programs, food stamps, negative income tax(illegal aliens alone about 3 billion per year), Medicares tax around 850 dollars per worker in the U.S., funds medicaid; they broke the bank, what is the solution, no one has any idea.
Is Feisty a man, a woman or both? What ever it is, it sure is annoying. Anyway, obama did say to Joe the plumber, on national TV, for ALL to see, that he wanted to "spread the wealth around". Now, if you are so stupid that you don't now that means to "redistribute the wealth", then there is really no help for you.
Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL is this what you wanted to see? Obama to Redistribute American Wealth Overseas to Fight “Global Warming”
i went and google for it you
Romney is right. Obama is way left of center. The radical left has moved so far left they consider Obama a centrist.
Duane, in case you haven't noticed, the Radical Right is so far right now that Reagan would be branded a RINO.
@Ferrosynthesis,
Try googling Obama's conversation with Joe the Plumber.
You guys can masturbate your words all day long, but the "Joe the Plumber" incident is fairly well known. Obama is merely a tax and spend Democrat who has added "redistribution of wealth" to his resume.
He is not left of Clinton.
The Republicans have moved so far Right that our President only appears farther Left.
He is way left of Clinton
I completely agree with Dennis. Republicans are attacking Planned Parenthood, for example, a non-profit healthcare provider that provides contraception, mammograms and PAP smears to women all across this country.
One of my co-workers, who is a Republican, was unaware the place where she goes to get her birth control pills, because she can't afford them through our insurance, was being defunded by rightwing zealots. You better believe I informed her of the Republican War on Women.
Since when is it the responsibility of the federal government to PROVIDE birth control for an individual making it her choice to have sex ?
Our national deficit is about $16 trillion, and last year's deficit under obama was about $1.3 trillion. Left wing idealogues have no common sense about financial matters ! You can legislate UTOPIA, but can you pay for it ??
Obama is far left...
Far left Libs want there freebie's...
Amy,
Your anecdotes are totally non-believable. One of your co-workers couldnt afford birth control ($9 a month at WalMart) and went to the abortion mill Planned Parenthood?
Do you get your morning talking points from moonbat central, instructing you to invent "real life examples"?
Wrong!
Exactly! Well said Dennis.
devie,
Since when did clinton want to raise taxes on the Rich?
Bob - I couldn't help but laugh when I read that too. Man the libs are getting nervous. I have noted a recent increase in the attacks, name calling, demeaning comments over the last week or so here on FR. They are supposed to be above all that (not that they ever were they just "believed" they were therefore it was so).
The abortion mill, Planned Parenthood, really Bob? This is a leap, even for you. Were you equally outraged about the state rape that your hero Governor was all for forcing on women?
Or do you continue to pretend that he had nothing to do with it?
Didn't have to the taxes were lowered on "W" watch. Remember? That and along with starting two unfunded wars.
The wars that were voted in favor of by Hillary Clinton, John Kerry and other Democrats ?
Sheesh Bob - still running scared huh?
I answered your question yesterday, why won't you return the courtesy and answer mine?
For someone who is never at a loss for words, you sure are hiding out these days! lol
lahater - he's really not left of Clinton. The GOP has just fallen off the right cliff!
Bob in Virginia - talk about "moonbats" - sheish! The "abortion mill" stupidity makes you the leader of the moonbats. Please try to grow up and talk intelligently - sorry, I realize that is beyond your capability!
Well Bob if the republican lady gets her birth control pills for free then I guess that proves republicans like their freebies as much as anybody, now doesn't it.
I voted for Clinton but I did not or will not vote for Obama. Clinton tried to bring the country together, Obama just places blame and divides.
Ummm, he tried, remember? Probably not since you nut jobs have selective memories
the socialist that just won the election in france used the obummer platform. face it, obummer is a communist.
Romney is correct. Obama is way left of center. The radical left has moved so far left they consider Obama a centrist.
you must be a friend of Bachmans
Rumney and Obraina should get out of politics and go have a beer..
rightisright......... change your name to "rightiswrong." You are flat out WRONG and this shows your ignorance. Are you that incompetent? Go back to school and take some reading comprehension courses.
STOP posting if you don't know what you are talking about. "Idiot."
STOP posting if you are making things up.
Nicholas Sarkozy is a (right wing) conservative. HE LOST to a socialist Francois Hollande. You probably don't even know what socialism is.
You serve NO PURPOSE on this web log. You are not trusted.... NO credibility.
On the subject of "communism", "socialism", people wanting freebies, and handouts from the government.
You know the median income in Texas for example is $10.80 an hour, which means if a person making that wage works 2000 hours a year they gross $21,600 a year, which means they don't pay a dime in federal taxes. How is it that republicans in the South complain about federal taxes and the deficit when half of them don't make enough money to even owe any federal taxes. Anything and everything the federal government does for those poor souls is a matter of charity now isn't it. Why act like poor republicans refuse their disability checks, food-stamps, and medicare, because they certainly don't, they talk a good game on the subject of welfare and handouts, but they never refuse to accept it, and they never seem to fight for better wages to help themselves.
Wow! The ignorance on this board is unreal.
lahater - Clinton didn't raise taxes on the rich because the taxes were much more fair and balanced when he was in office. Obama is only trying to get back to a more balanced playing field and get the numbers back to where they were more or less. Taxes are lowest in this country than they've ever been since the great depression. You can thank G.W. for that one and also thank him for the lost revenue and fighting wars that couldn't be paid for. If you want to talk about irresponsibility, look at the guy who created this mess (G.W. (tax cuts)) and also look at the current GOP field who feel as though raising taxes to a fair level for all is morally and economically wrong.
Let's get real people. We live in a society. Lighten up and realize that things don't go the way everyone wants them to. They need to work in a way where everyone has a fair shot and everyone has a chance to say what they feel.
RightisRight:
You must like to hear yourself talk; you just say anything???? The economic policies that cause Sarkozy's lost was a near copy of the Ryan Docturne, and the French People resoundly defeated that idea and I suspect The American People will defeat the Ryan authored and Romeny approved docturne.
@Mike -California
Remember that surplus of cash Clinton handed Bush, which Bush used as justification for his tax cut, he did not pay down the debt, or make SS more solvent, he mailed out rebate checks, he gave it away, then he cut revenue, and increased expenses, vastly. He trashed the nations finances and peoples personal finances. Now we are coming back again under a democratic president, those are mathematical facts, I don't need talking points from anybody, I have the tax returns and income statements that irrefutably confirm I do much better and consequently the nation has a chance to do much better when a democrat is in the oval office. The notion that republicans are fiscally responsible is insane.
haha, 13 and charles, yes, i hear myself talk, and i am repeating the news you obviously havent heard! the new prez elect is a socialist that is demanding a 75 percent tax, and telling the world bank to f- k off! THEY OWE MONEY! they borrowed it, and it HAS to be paid back. the people that lent it to them WANT IT BACK! stop with the insults. learn something. the information i just gave you is news. try it sometime.
p.s communism is shared money, with no ownership, whats mine is yours etc. telling people that gave you trillions of dollars you aint payin it back is pretty foolish. you wil see france, unless they start printing their own money, tailspin to depression.
rightisright should be rightiswrong...It's obvious you get your news from FAUX News...
Nothing worse than a fool who defeats himself by aligning himself with the very people who put him at a disadvantage...Before speaking out read a dictionary so you know in reality what the terms socialism and communism really mean...
and you probably answer yourself too. I'm sure you do a lot of things by yourself. Not too sure many people would be able to understand you. I know I don't, except that you're a poor excuse for a troll. And a prime example of a failed education system in which the Republican/Tea Party wants to drive a final coffin nail in.
That is the most accurate and sensible sentence i've seen on this vine for quite awhile. Bravo Forrest.
Thank you Tony. The actual numbers belie their rhetoric.
Clinton helped out with welfare reform,Obama is trying to spread dependance on the government.Obama is way out there on the left.The dept president.
Really both partys are spenders,we need term limits for congress!
Ron Paul is the only true representative of freedom and responsibility.Either he is elected or Romney or Obama with congress well drag the country down the tubes.
Ron Paul has roughly the same chance at be elected as Rue Paul.
I am a democrat and I believe you have a responsibility to work hard and to see to it that you are well paid and share a fair slice of the profits your labor produces. You have a responsibility to pay your fair share of the taxes that support the nation it's defense and it's infrastructure. I believe a great nation has a responsibility to look after it's elderly, it's young, it's common resources, and those who are less fortunate than myself for whatever various reasons. It's only money, you can't take it with you, if you don't do something constructive with it in the end it is just green paper. When a wealthy person dies, many people ask the question how much money did he leave, even if I never knew the man I can tell you how much money he left, he left it all, he did not take a dime with him. If you think sacrificing the education of the young, the care of the elderly, the building of infrastructure, and the wages and benefits of the middle class, to further line the pockets of the super-rich will somehow lead to a better America you are mistaken, it never has and never will. We were never a great nation until we realized that in the 1940's and and as soon as we forgot that in the 1980's we have been in decline. Trickle down economics is a pyramid scheme and those pyramid schemes only work for the people at the top of the pyramid.
This is the best Mittens has? This from someone to the right (at least for the today) of Grover Norquist and the Koch brothers?
Isn't that precious?
Newday, please don't use "Mitten" as Mitts nick, I can assure you the Mitten is NOT for Mitt.
Michigan ...aka..the Mitten
Other than that, We probably agree on everything else. :+)
What did mittens do take his balls outta his wife's purse? For someone who has not 1 original thought on any subject without checking with the GOP/TP people first, all he can say is Obama is bad and Me good? WTF . Russia's Putin would tear Mittens apart and take away his lunch money, We are definitely far more Safer under Obama than under which way is the wind blowing Romney
Catch the YouTube video of Romney s thoughts on outsourcing jobs and his position on abortion ,gay marriage when he was running for governor . The democrats could easily use this in their commercials against him---if they were smart .
Yes, Mr. Weather Vane is all over the place!!!
OK, boys and girls, I have to say that I did not here him exactly say Share the Welth. However If you search for Joe the Plumer, you will find that Mr President came real close to saying just that. Heck I voted for Clinton and I would vote for him again in a blink of an eye over President Obama. To all of you who are so blind to see that Obama is left of left of the left.
Wow this was a great exchange and the Lefties are not liking it one bit. You can see since they came out of the woodwork.
Concerned Citizen
How can you say left of the left of left?
What are you blind? Listening to much Fauks news? Obama strictly centrist, he is pushing Old GOP programs and the Knuckle Dragging Neanderthal Fascist Reich Wingers are opposed
Obviously you have not read my Bio, and did not read the entire Post. Typical left of left of the left lefty. You must be related to Beisty Redhead (no joke intended) and the rest of her Mob from Chicago. Son please read slowly so that you comprehend, next thing you will be writing LOL LOL. Grow up and expand your horizons and please don't go to Fauks (although better than MSNBC).
Sorry Michigan Mark, I accept your criticism as given.
The problem is that when I see Mitty prancing around, I think of him like some little kid that you have to put mittens on!
You got that right, or I mean correct. This state will be solid blue come November. We know who really helped get us back on our feet. It sure wasn't that Romney clone and capitalist vulture of a governor who wants to trim the deficit by dipping into senior's pensions. Snyder's the one termer.
How many words did you spell incorrectly in your "phantom biography" Concerned Citizen? I've seen many of you trolls spell like a 2nd grader.
Well Romney, you lied again, The President is to the right, almost to the center, maybe a hair left of the center. Using President Clinton's name will hurt you more than you know.
This is just telling the people that you really have to plan to make things better. You will say anything to win, as you stated on ABC 'you are entitled to be the President"
Classic attempt by the GOP to utilize the good Democrats do. What will be funnier will be President Clinton and President Obama standing side by side, telling people that their vote does count and they really don't want a vulture capitalist ruining the White House.
If you think back to every president, whether to the the right and left, and back to andrew jackson and even george washington if you want, all presidents say anything to win. Lincoln was an anti-slavery expansion person, but he dare not bring it up in his early years, so he would have a better chance of winning.
To put my point into more future years, many things said by bush and obama have been untrue, i could list them off, but that would waste everyone's time.
Anyways, i think what many people hre fail to realize, is that all presidents do it, and to state that only Romney does Susan, is a misguided view.
Mitt's whole campaign is built on lies. The biggest one is that he's a real conservative. Two years ago, he would've been the RINO poster boy. But, as it stands, the rwnj's are so desperate to find anyone to challenge the President, all is forgotten, for now. Wait until he loses the election. I wouldn't want to be Mitt Romney and near a bus.
Liar liar Mittens on Fire! The size of gov't has decreaed under Obama's watch. What's that two word phrase that begings with the n word and ends with puh-leeze?
Hi pat,
Government increases have mostly come from the creation of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that added 230,000 employees. Under this President the largest increase was the temporary census workers that are now all gone.
If you compare the size of government today to when Reagan was President, today government is smaller in both total employees and as a percent of the population.
If the size of government is "smaller", then you must be including military personnel as part of that work force. In fact, Obama is working on gutting the military.
This President, President Obama -
Has 273,000 fewer federal employees that President Reagan:
"The Reagan conservatives, in fact the entire GOP TODAY are trying to frame President Obama as a big government liberal but again, the numbers don't lie. By the end of 2010, the United States STILL has less employees on the books than we did back in 1980 even though the population has grown from 226,545,805 to approximately 330,000,000 in 2010.
TOTAL NONMILITARY EMPLOYEES IN 1980 — 2,875,000
TOTAL NONMILITARY EMPLOYEES IN 2010 — 2,840,000
We have 35,000 less nonmilitary employees under President Obama than we had 30 years ago."
http://www.politicususa.com/big-government-obama-reagan/
Go read Obamacare. When you've finished, tell us how many new government agencies, boards and bureaus are created. See if you can do some math and tell me how many new government employees will be sucking down on the taxpayer dollars.
We have a smaller government now, than under Reagan 30 years ago.
(Hard to believe, but true.)
Hard to believe, as there are now 100,000,0000 more people in the U.S. than 30 years ago.
Yes, one hundred million MORE people - yet SMALLER government under President Obama.
Clear enough?
Face it.
employees: The number of federal employees grew by 123,000, or 6.2%, under President Obama, according to the White House's Office of Management and Budget.
The federal government has been one of the few areas that's grown during the economic downturn. The private sector remains down 1.1 million jobs from the start of 2009, while state and local governments have shed 635,000 positions.
Nice try,
backhouse
The government today has 273,000 less employees than there were under President Reagan.
The figures I quoted above at:
http://www.politicususa.com/big-government-obama-reagan/
Are correct.
Where are the other 202,000? I see the 35,000 non military but, you said there were 237,000 less overall? Is there 202,000 less IN the military?
Twice the number you first thought of on Sunday under a clear blue sky in Fall - in Monte Carlo.
Try a different audience.
It's the federal goverments size that is the issue. Your number include State, Local and Milititary. Those number have nothing to do with Obama, Backhouse.
Make up your mind.
Since elected in 2010, Republican Governors have fired 607,000 (six hundred and seven thousand) public employees. Doing this increased our unemployment rate by a couple of points.
200,000 of the jobs cut by GOP governors were teachers. The majority were women, with families to support. Flesh and blood.
So compared to other Presidents following normal recession (and this was not), there has been a CLEAR DROP in government jobs.
Reagan did NOT lay off teachers, as he understood that Education is the ticket out of recession.
They laid them off because of the state of the economy which has not improved under Obama. They did it tobalance their the budget. In a way I would say Obama is partialy responsible for their layoff.
Better economy = Incresed taxes for local goverment
Incresed taxes for local goverment = More money for Teachers, Police, Firefighters and local goverment.
Obama = poor economy :(
poor economy = Less money for Teachers, Police, Firefighters and local goverment. :(
jim,
>History of the Federal workforce on average (Excluding military personnel):
Key: President <> (Average Govt. Employees) <> (Population) <> (Percent of Population)
Reagan <> 2.91 mil <> 237.5 mil <> 1.23%
Obama <> 2.78 mil <> 308.7 mil <> 0.90%
We are recovering fromt the worst recession in 60 years - that showed up in 2007. In Sept/Oct 2008, President Bush had to sign in TARP to stop the Banks from crashing. In the last two months of his term 4 million jobs were lost, followed by 4 million more.
In the last 25 months, 4.2 million jobs have been created.
After the recession under Ronald Reagan (not like this one), government employment went way UP.
Government employment went UP under HW Bush and GWB Bush. Under Republican Presidents, there was no reduction in government employment -- as we have seen under President Obama.
The ONLY TIME government employment has decreased is under this President.
The 'bloated government' argument is phony Faux Entertainment lies.
Backhouse - you're wasting your breath. Jim and lahater don't want facts - they just want to parrot the lies they keep posting. It makes them feel good - even though it shows them to be ignorant.
so if govt is so much smaller, why did the spending go from 2.5 trillion per year to almost 4 trillion a year?
no budget, no accountability = no reelection. doesnt get simpler.
Halliburton , in their no bid contract , right now as I am writing this ,charges the American taxpayer $36.00 to deliver a 6 pack of pepsi to our troops in the field .Not gonna change anybodies mind I know ,just saying
You people are funny. You're using statistics which can be easily manipulated to make your points. Ok, I'll grant you without even verifying it that the size of the federal workforce is smaller now than 30 years ago. That doesn't mean the problem of GOVERNMENT SPENDING is smaller. We're spending far more that we don't have under this president than any president in history including your favorite punching bag Bush II and that's the real problem.
I love how people twist and distort facts to prove their point. Comparing Obama to Reagan is irrelevant. The truth of the matter is Obama took office with the economy in shambles and within the first 2 years of his office he increased government jobs.
From the link everyone has been using as proof.
"President George W. Bush...by the time his terms were through, the total nonmilitary federal employees on the books were 2,756,000"
TOTAL NONMILITARY EMPLOYEES IN 2010 — 2,840,000
84,000 INCREASE in 2 Years
So enough with the false math, politically I'm dead center but I can't stand the bs that people spew.
On a side note that article is obviously biased by the formatting, but at least the facts were still there for anyone who is actually capable of reading more than a title.
lahater, YOU ARE FULL OF CRAP. I have read all of your posts to this point. Very few of them have any credible information. You are simply a recording device for FOX News.
Most of us are now skipping over your dribble.
Don't let the door hit your A$$ on the way out.
wow! no retorts with facts, just blah blah blah.
LogicIsHard,
"TOTAL NONMILITARY EMPLOYEES IN 2010 — 2,840,000. 84,000 INCREASE in 2 Years"
Actually most of the 84K increase was temporary census employees.
i do remember something about 16000 more IRS agents.And wanting a civilian security force equal to the military? Czars? The increased dept alone has increased the size and scope of government. To think Obama has made for a smaller government is funny.
You cant spend your way out of trouble.Soon they well be asking to raise limits again.All the numbers are fake for employment,the stock market is the fed pumping money into it and scared europeans putting theyre money into it also.
Some of you are either paid or stupid with the naive crap you write about our government.
ron,
[i do remember something about 16000 more IRS agents] Never hired
[And wanting a civilian security force equal to the military] False
[Czars] Obama has 46, Bush had 43 – Wow!
See my comments above @ 5.1 and 5.13
Right wing blather is nothing more than total fear AND oh so boring. Little minds think alike.. right lahater, wrongiswrong and you know who the rest of you are? Silly little simpletons........
President Obama's presidency is more comparable to Reagan's presidency than Clinton's. Obama is what conservatives used to be. Romney is most similar to President Cheney.
Obama to the left of Clinton??? That's a laugher! Riddle me this: Which president and congress changed the rules that wall street played by and brought down the economy in 2007-08? Or does anyone on this board remember the good ol' Savings and Loans that prospered up until then?
Been in Staples lately? That would be one of Mr. Romney's "saved" companies that is chock full of Chinese goods! You betcha!
Blah, Blah, Blah, is this Rich guy who apparently feels that because he's Rich he doesn't have to address the issues ever going to address the issues.
Every word, President Obama, President Obama, President Obama
This guy has 3 degrees from Harvard, what a Snob yet cannot put together a platform, program, plan and strategy to run for the most Powerful Office on The Planet.
America this Rich Guy, the Snob is showing over and over again because he's Rich he doesn't play by the rules. How dare America expect him to actually work for the Position after all if you recall 2 weeks ago on ABC Mit Romney and Ann Romney said, "Its Mit's Turn" Take these people at their word.
Any Dumb A** can go on stage and run from city to city using President Obama as a Shield for their incompentence. This guy is absolutely positively Incompentent.
Romeny doesn't have the ability to produce anything of worth or merit in his application for this job, he just feels "He's Entitled" period.
Why else is this guy running on simply as Joe Biden said a Noun President Obama, A Verb anything he can think of to call the President and President Obama.
Mit Romney's Campaign is Shameful, lacks merit, he's simply running around the country in Jeans which he's never worn, can't find him in prior to this present run out of the last 8+runs for President and fooling the Public because he actually feels "Entitled" and think the American people will actually Buy this Act.
This guy is a Ventrioquist repeating over and over again and again the President's name followed by his Opinion.
Mr. Romney haven't you heard an Opinion is like a ************ everyone has one.
We simply don't care about your opinion, your own facts, we care about the issues and no amount of running around this country playing these childish games will win you the Office of the President of the U.S. unlike the rest of your life you & your family are not "Entitled" you must work for it!
fUNNY! Romney.... incompetent.... but earned 250 million dollars..... i wonder how many "incompetent " people are on here? lol!
lol
lol
he makes 23 million a year... sounds pretty competent to me. sounds like a smart guy that knows how to make money. i like it!
rightisright, what are you still doing here???? Don't you know about your embarrassing ignorance concerning French president Sarkozy?
What makes you think anyone will believe anything you say now? LoL
You are the definition of "laughing stock."
its funny how you think youre in some group that all care what YOU think. sarkosy lost because the people didnt want to cut govt spending, so they elected a communist that will punish the producers. france is going into depression. thats why europe and our stock market is falling.
nothing funny bout that 13 doy
Funny...I though France elected a (scary word here) Socialist!!! If you can't differentiate between the two I suggest you give it up wrongiswrong!!
If Romney really means that, why does he endorse the Ryan budget which would eliminate virtually all federal spending save for the military and for paying down the debt?
What are Romney's big ideas to create jobs? Is he planning to do what he did at Bain, slash and burn? Rpmney doesn't seem to understand that the U.S. President is not a CEO, he's a diplomat, a persuader, and a compromiser.
Romney does not possess those skills.
He's a one-trick pony, and we cannot afford to risk our country so he can play his trick on America.
Did you mean community organizer spender in chief. When need a president with strong a strong fiscal back ground, not a fairy tale like Obama or Minni Mouse.
hater, you've been watching too much Fox 'news'.
Educate yourself.
What makes you think Romney would be a good president? We have no idea what he stands for, except the rich.
kaybeetoys - lahater keeps posting the same nonsense and name calling on every site. Nothing new today. She/he has no depth of knowledge so can't draw on facts so constantly spouts the "community organizer and spender in chief." You really have to feel badly for someone who shows what a mental midget they are - like lahater - every day!
lahater, you are still nothing more than a FOX recording device.
Perhaps, one day YOU will find Sanity .... but we sure haven't seen it from you yet. You have spent a lot of time attacking my OPINIONS (probably too difficult a concept for you to grasp) and that of another poster ...... pouring out your venom along the way.
Then, of course, the height of hypocrisy is for you, SSS, is for you to comment on their hatefulness !
Your last sentence of #9.3 is a clear violation of the Code of Honor as you call "lahater" a "mental midget". Lahater talks about the President who is pretty much the topic of the story and therefore "fair game". You then attack him/her personally.
Ever notice that the rightie tighties can slander and violate the CoH but cry like little girls when they receive back what they dish out. Then they have the nerve to whine about the CoH....flip flop.....LOL.
"Old liberalism". Well stated. Modern moonbats are clueless about history, not realizing the failures of 20th Century socialism, statism, and coercive utopias...
They think government as God is a new idea. Been there, done that. Failed.
State-Authoritarianism is actually a very good description of the current Republican platform. Thanks, Bob!
Gotta love the moonbat comments..But then again to echo Teknishan's "State Authoritarianism" comments, you might want to answer the following question: What do you have when government is in bed with corporations? AKA Mitt Romney....That would be "National Socialism." They tried that in Germany 1933-45.
Hey Bob we do know history. That is why the republicans will loose come Nov. We know they drove us in the ditch and now we find out they planned to add the water while holding us down. Trickle down economics has failed. The people understand that. We know Cheney was Bush Juniors puppet master. Remember when Cheney was told 75% of the American people disagreed with the war. His answer was "SO".
The American people knows history and we are bound not to repeat with Romney.
OBAMA/BIDEN 2012
Ret_MSgt,
You have a "loose" tongue, but the Democrats did "lose" lots of seats in the House and Senate in the last election. You never figured out why that happened did you ?
Lots of reasons, actually.
One of the more important ones, I think, would be the ~50% voter turnout.
It's why I truly believe 2012 has nothing in common with 2010.
And 2012 will have nothing in common with 2014.
Note: National Socialism is one of the governmental types of state authoritarianism, yes.
Although current 'right-wing authoritarianism' (which isn't confined to the right-wing, btw), is more social morality-driven than economic. 'Old-fashioned, family values mandated for every citizen in this nation, with no room for mercy or tolerance of those who don't adhere to said old-fashioned family values'.
You are in denial teknishan, and then you change directions to meaningless garbage.
You got "shellacked" (Obama's words) because of the raw abuse of power leading up to the "deemed passage" of Obamacare.
2012 has everything in common with 2010 ... we still have Obama at the helm of a floundering economy and his "laser-like vision" still is not working.
Also, in 2012, the U.S. still has no budget under Obama's so-called "leadership". That is why the deficit is rising faster than floodwaters when the levee breaks !!
Bob in VA - again with the "moonbats." You truly are pathetic and prove daily there is no sanity to be found in the GOP. Guessing you're related to jim!
Bob in Virginia - Please get out your Webster and read the definition of Socialism. Nowhere by nobody in Washington, President nor Congress, Republican nor Democrat has ever come close to Socialism, nor do they want to. Whenever it looks like a Democrat appears to be winning, out come the accusation - socialist, pinko, commie - anything to discredit and point a finger, but never anything intelligent or fair.
So now SSS in #10.7 calls Bob in Virginia "pathetic". The personal attacks continue while the comment posted at #10 attacked no individual, only political ideology.
With the loose tongue are you referring to the fact that I bring up history you right wingers what to forget? And yes I did figure for some losing of seats. But that is exactly why the republican will pay a heavy price at the polls in Nov. I will be here informing people of issues they need to go and research. Like the Republican controlled state of Nebraska not wanting the pipeline to cross their water source but the republicans blaming President Obama for that.
I hate to break it to you genius, but the Governor of Nebraska has come out in favor of its completion.
jim - not true. Governor of Nebraska is STILL against the pipeline as it currently is planned. Try not to lie - too easy to show you up!
jim-145....... You are pathetic. Very similar to "lahater" and "rightisright." All three of you are doing nothing more than spouting FOX garbage.
Is there no end to the false statements and lies you creeps come up with?
THE MasterSGT is completely correct......... even though he doesn't need my help with idiots like you guys running amok in here. LoL
Go GET'm MasterSGT...... from a fellow military man USMC Sgt 1970-73
God, I love it when the military shows up! You go get 'em 13dev!
Let's see 13 dev, you have made personal attacks at #2.1, #5.20, #8.2, #9.4 and now #11.3.
Meanwhile Seeking Sanity demonstrated his ignorance at #11.2, and newdayDawning joined the circle jerk at #11.4.
In a 3/26/12 article from the Huffington Post (certainly not a conservative source) an article which reads "Dave Heineman, Nebraska Governor, Supposrts Keystone XL Pipeline Approval". So either the Huffington Post is lying, or all three of you have made fools of yourselves while calling me a liar.
And StillSeekingSanity follows by telling me it is "too easy to show you up ! ".
LOL ! Should I "supersize" that eggscraper for you SSS ???? Will you be in denial ????? Will you "man up" and admit you are wrong ???? My guess is you don't have the "nads".
www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/26dave-heineman-nebraska-governor
I know you libtards will NOT do your own research, so I am spoonfeeding you !!
Sometimes Romney says some really stupid things! Others have already observed the absurdity of the "Obama is left of Clinton" charge. Both are centrists! Obama only seems left because the right has been defined by the Tea Party's ultra conservative positions. Does Mitt really expect us to swallow the claim that Clinton was not in favor of universal health care? Or maybe Clinton had a more business friendly tax code.... is that it?
The truth is, when asked many on the left will offer a negative response to questions having to do with their level of satisfaction with Obama because he is not left enough. I suspect that may have to do with Obama's understanding that as POTUS he has a duty to address the needs of all Americans, not just those who are of the same party or those that voted for him. That's what a leader does.
campdog......... well said ........ Very well said.
Ret_MSgt: Thanks for your service, and thanks for joining us in bringing truth to the people like poor jim...too blinded by the right to see.
Perhaps, genius, you need to review my post at #11.4 before you congratulate yourself on your self-appointed "truth". By citing a liberal source which proves you are wrong, I just "owned you" for you insipid comment at #11.2.
Have a blessed day .... it may take some time to scrape that egg off your face !
He is left of anyone. Obama is no centrist.
I have no idea what world you people live in but reality has no place in it.
Fire the bum
rukidding - don't have to fire the bum - Romney won't be elected so no firing necessary. Now run along and play!
ruK....... how about we fire bozos like yourself from posting your idiot comments here????????? LoL
What a bunch of right wing "FOX clowns" posting here today.
hey 13 doy, are you really admitting that you dont like conservatives posting, and you throw them off? I read that about this site, but wasnt sure it was true!
That means....you are censoring peoples opinions and content, JUST LIKE THE COMMUNISTS DO!
LOLOLOLOLLOOLLLL!!1!
HAHAH.I PRINTED IT, sending to fox news! lol!!!
Attila the Hun was to the left of Romney, so was Barry Goldwater. Romney is driving on the right shoulder yelling about the rest of the traffic. Fortunately, he's doing it on purpose and has previously driven on each of the lanes to his left. Nobody knows when he will swerve.
AffinityGW - hopefully off the same cliff the rest of the far right went over!
He has to blast. That's what we do now. We don't discuss, we blast. Expect Obama to blast back. Blasting has been working well for us. Let's just blast until there's nothing left. Blast, Blast, Blast.
God I hate American politics...
OMG, I'm glad you pointed this out. BLAST, BLAST -- American journalist have lost their vocabulary. Everytime I read the news anymore whether from MSNBC or Huffington Post they always use these types of words.
HAHAHAHA!Obummer resorts to cartoon charachters!lol!
ps. greece and france are toast due to living beyond their means, JUST LIKE LIBS!
It is truly time to let Obama know, THE JIG IS UP. Get it? The little PUNK NEGRO must GO. Too bad Osama wasn't able to get him before WE got Osama. I, of course didn't like Osama, I am just drawing a parallel, comparing him to Barry Soetoro Hussein, the PUNK, MUSLIM, DICK. Your president. Concerned AMERICAN, Larry VELASCO
And people wonder why we say "scratch a "teabagger," find a bigot.
I think Larry proves the point.
You know Larry your little punk ass can go to jail for threatning a president.
Larry Velasco: If you can't be respectful, SHUT-UP.
after romney loses,raise his taxes fifty percent!
I've heard this rhetoric before. I'm not impressed. This is a very cheap trick. If he thinks he is like Clinton, just typing that makes me laugh. The government screwed us, they better try to fix it.
As it has been said before "The South shall rise again." The only problem is that it has risen and it has risen from the liberals. Now the masters instead of using whips are using welfare checks, and food stamps. The more you depend on Government the more your rights and freedoms are restricted. I'm sure that for those of you who have children want to raise them to be successful and independent (for those who truly care for their children). If you would want them to be independent from you why not from the Government as well? Just something to think about.
Rhetoric. That is all it is anymore on either side. This will not be fixed by Romney. This will not be fixed by Obama. I cannot see a future with promise. I believe it has gone too far and continues to sink. Printing more baseless money is not the answer. Taxing the rich will make them reduce their business workforces (we can already see that now big time!). Taxing the middle class is pointless because there are fewer middle class people every minute of every day. Unemployment is rising. Even the government is cutting back on staff and they lose their jobs. Education is in a shambles. Who is going to lead this country in the near future when the majority of students can't even get or afford a good, solid education anymore?
Sorry to sound like a doomsayer but that is exactly what is going on in our country and anyone who can't understand or get a reality grip on that is fooling themselves. All the rhetoric in the world is not going to fix this mess! Good luck America!
frodoboy: Many of us are feeling the same way but keep in mind it's because of our current state of the federal government. The corruption is out of control and the bad mouthing is just part of this administration's way of handling problems. I believe it will get much better once we have a NEW president.
I agree Obama has been disastrous, but Romney is suicide. Well let me qualify that. Because of the last reflubican, my husband's hours at work have been cut in half, and so has his income, which means we have been on the edge for 5 years now, scratching dirt just to get by. Romney's tax plan will add an additional 67% tax burden on those of us already overburdened by unfair taxes, greedy mortgage companies. It works likes this, IF your are in the 6 figure salary range you will be fine; if you are in the high end of 5 figure salary, tighten your belt; if you are at the mid to low $50 thou then you are just dirt. Too poor to pay your bills but too rich for any public assistance whatsoever.Remember Romney is not concerned with the poor ( his words not mine ). We will never know how much in owes in taxes as he doesn't even keep his money here in the good ol' USA, he keeps his funds in offshore accounts.
He and his wife are jusr products of career politicians, they have learned how to steal from PROS!
So under President Obama, your situation has still NOT improved.
annoyedperson... try not to confuse jim-1455434 with facts. It sounds as if he's confused enough already.
Let me put it another way: "Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience."
Sam,
Thank you for your personal attack on me .... you simply prove my point. Libtards such as yourself cannot debate topics without resorting to personal attacks. They are tolerant of others opinions only so long as they agree with their own.
Now if you have any personal integrity, and that is questionable, you could go to my post at #11.5, pull up the link for the liberal Huffington Post and read the article which PROVES that my prior statement.
I know, facing the truth tends to give libtards and leftards a diarrhea attack. Send me your address and I'll see if I can ship a bottle of Kaopectate for you, but you must supply your own TP.
My guess is you don't have the guts to read the truth ... even from a liberal news source.
I think there was a typo in the headline it was suppose to read "Obamney
Obamney
makes play for general by casting Obamney as left of Clinton Whilst Both are Funded By Goldman Sachs
Funny how no one is making that point "Me". Both of these men have the same allegiances when all is said and done, and that is to protect the status quo. So while the majority of the American public argues over the slight differences between these two men, the Banking industry already knows that they are not going to lose no matter who wins.
mikesac: Don't believe that Romney will be status quo. I believe heads are going to roll and things are really going to change. He's accustomed to dealing with the 1% and doesn't need their money.
Really, GranCanyon? Then why is it that Romney cannot man up and rebuke the Limbaughs and the other extremists of his party?
Cowardice is not leadership.
And when does Obama rebuke extremists like Bill Maher who resorts to personal attacks on Sarah Palin's daughter ? Oh, that's right ..... he wants to KEEP THE MONEY !!
The hypocrisy from the left is brethtaking ..... like taking in a deep breath after someone just farted in an elevator ! LOL !!