E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka says he fears that Republicans would do to labor unions at a national level what they’ve sought achieve in the states should Mitt Romney win the presidency and the GOP control Congress come next January.
Underscoring the stakes for organized labor in this fall’s election, the head of one of the nation’s largest unions described for NBC News what he said was a strategy to strengthen labor in the long term, and guard against Republican efforts to curb workers' rights.
“We’re not looking at a single election anymore; we’re actually looking at three elections: the elections in 2012, the elections that will happen in 2014 and the elections that will happen in 2016,” Trumka said on Monday.
T.J. Kirkpatrick / Getty Images
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka announces a boycott of Hyatt Hotels during a press conference July 23 in Washington, D.C.
It's part of a shift by the AFL-CIO to a broader focus beyond politics and this year's presidential election, just the most high-profile of a series of political battles endured by labor this year. The most bruising fight played out in Wisconsin, where Republican Gov. Scott Walker survived a recall effort spurred by his work to enact legislation stripping public sector unions of most of their collective bargaining rights, and forcing them to make greater contributions to their benefits plans.
Labor lost in Wisconsin; Trumka said that the national labor movement deferred mostly to local officials on waging that campaign, and suggested he might have done things differently had he been in charge. And the AFL-CIO’s political director, Michael Podhorzer, pointed to a 2011 vote to overturn an Ohio law on collective bargaining similar to Wisconsin’s as more instructive.
But beyond those two states, labor has been made into somewhat of a scapegoat for state budget crises by Republican governors and has been forced to accept increased concessions.
And if Republicans capture control of Washington in this fall's election, the AFL-CIO said it’s bracing for that same fight on the national level.
“If there’s a Republican trifecta, of course they will go after labor. We’re the last line of defense,” said Trumka. “So they’re going to do what they did in the states. In 20-some states they attacked us because they saw us as standing in the way.”
Trumka said he would expect, at a minimum, for Romney to pick business-friendly officials to sit on the National Labor Relations Board. Romney wasn’t the most unfriendly of Republicans as governor of Massachusetts – “I wouldn’t say we called him ‘Uncle Mitt,’ but it was a much different relationship. He wasn’t antagonistic, he wasn’t hostile,” said Trumka – but, like the rest of the Republican Party, has shifted to the right over time.
Moreover, the AFL-CIO president argued that the conservative drift within the GOP has purged any moderates with which the union could partner. He named only two Republican lawmakers — New Jersey Rep. Frank LoBiondo and Ohio Rep. Steve LaTourette — as reliable allies, and said he considered centrists like Maine Sens. Olympia Snowe (R) and Susan Collins (R) as "no longer moderates."
But the union is also serving notice to Democrats that they shouldn't automatically expect the AFL-CIO's support, either. The AFL-CIO has endorsed President Obama's re-election bid, but winning a second term wasn't the union's top priority, Trumka said. Their top three priorities, he said, were "jobs, jobs and more jobs."
To that end, the AFL-CIO is preparing an economic agenda for release on July 31 that includes the litany of priorities the union views as important for boosting employment.
"It’ll give us an opportunity to say to people: here’s one vision for the economy, here’s another vision," he said. "Which of these two do you endorse? If it’s this one, good luck, if it’s this one, then we can do business together and help you get elected."
But political observers shouldn't make the mistake of assuming that the union has entirely abandoned its political advocacy.
The AFL-CIO has had core staff in six states — Pennsylvania, Ohio, Nevada, Michigan, Wisconsin and Florida — on the ground and working for months. And a labor-affiliated super PAC has allowed the AFL-CIO and other unions to communicate more directly with nonunion employees (despite the fact that Trumka noted they oppose the Citizens United ruling that gave way to the rise of super PACs).
"This is going to be a battle of the airwaves versus a battle of the grassroots," Trumka said. "We’ll see what happens."
Leave a Comment:
Everyone should be bracing for the attack should the GNOP sweep in November!
Put the GNOP back into power and we will no longer be able to recognize this country!
That's a fact...
We’re not looking at a single election anymore; we’re actually looking at three elections: the elections in 2012, the elections that will happen in 2014 and the elections that will happen in 2016,” Trumka said on Monday
Translation - 2012 is a lost cause so we need to start figuring out how to coerce our way back to relevance by 2014.
Good luck with that , Dick.
Hi Feisty,
101% A+++
Here's a fact, Fiesty's version of America is Destructive! Reverend Venatari.
WCA-
You're making a mountain of a molehill and showing you are not very aware of your local unions.
The AFL-CIO is gearing for a different game. They're worried about mid-term election cycles. 2010 proved to be disastrous to them, and they're getting burnt for their complacency (Wisconsin, anyone?).
They're already trying to line up people to run against Issa (R-CA) in 2014 and 2016, as well as some mayorships which term in 2014, out here in California and I imagine that it's translating to a national push.
Bout time they started paying attention to mid-terms. Less than 50% voter turnout is unsat.
I especially love all the 'mandates'. Tom Corbett, the republican who took Pennsylvania...who has a 'mandate' to fix the organized labor 'issue'.
His mandate consisted of a voter turnout of around 40%.
The AFL-CIO is looking to make sure that crap doesn't happen again.
When people show up to vote, Democrats win.
When they don't, Republicans win.
The party strategies should be pretty obvious.
Who was that president that said public sector unions would be the death of america?
maybe he was right..
Wait a second TEK - are you actually saying the unions were complacent in Wisc.?
Huh. Cause it seemed to me the whole thing was a union effort. They massed, rallied and got beat down.
And come on Issa? They conservative from Orange COunty south?
But this will be a great test. There will be a large turnout, and it will not end well for team blue. Looks like we will be getting about two years of all repub.
Then it'll all swing back, like it always does.
Fun, right?
Spanky-
In 2010, yes I am.
And I would've voted to keep Scott Walker, too, were I in Wisconsin.
You sleep in the bed you made.
Now they get to learn to make their bed.
Issa is San Diego North. Carlsbad, Encinitas, Oceanside, Camp Pendleton.
I'm not seeing a republican tri-fecta, man. I give Romney 1-5 odds, tops.
we will no longer be able to recognize this country!
__________________________________
I already don't recognize my country. Barry and the lefty liberals have turned it into a has-been socialist country like those failed Old Europe countries that are now collapsing under the weight of their govt giveaway programs where all you have to do is hold out your hand and whine and Uncle Sam will be there with a bag full of freebies.
"The only problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money to spend."
-Margaret Thacher
Checks and balances is the most important part of American political system, such as Congress vs. president, pro-life vs. pro-choice, NRA vs. gun control, labor vs. management.
But GOP wants market tyranny, totally detroying labor. It's up to voters in November to decide if American democracy gets to survive.
The 1%ers will definitely go on the offensive if they get in. That's why it is so important to vote out the teabaggers.
If you have money to burn, vote for Rmoney. He won't care, because he is so filthy rich you still aren't of any importance, but he might toss some scraps your way while he is peeing on the middle class.
The GOP agenda for a long time is to reduce the wages of the American worker. They are against unions and won't be happy until every worker is just receiving enough to survive.
They are against communism but are willing to ship our jobs to China, a communist country. They have a reverence for Steve Jobs because of the money he made but that was because Apple products were being made in China.
When unions are disbanded people will work at minimum wages just to feed their families.
It's a sad commentary on the GOP agenda!
1-5? wow, that's pretty low, particularly given the polling and historic break at the end for the challenger.
At this rate, and based upon economic indicators I see no way O pulls this out.
Germany was just downgraded. Dude, there goes Europe, right off the cliff.
On the plus side, it looks like I need to REFI yet again. It's down to 3.5% for a 30 year fixed. I just got 3.75 last month.
You are so stupid it hurts
Does anyone on the left understand buisness? If you are a VALUABLE employee that buisness WILL not let you get away at all means possible. They will not permit lazy ie democrats to work for you.
If this Clown Romney wins you can kiss this Nation good bye, all Romney cares about is money and his mega rich buddies !!!!!!!!!
Good point Pat. Am.
So tell us, just who was Obama hanging out last night at that fundraiser for the mega rich?
Whoops, meme fail.
Care to go again?
There is no "issue" with organized labor. The Neo Nuts are fabricating those myths. Gosh, I just hate the 40 hour work week, the 8 hour day, paid holidays, paid vacations, medical benefits, workers comp, OSHA...
Oh for the days of company towns and the company store. Those terrible labor unions their the problem! Yeah right. Wake up! The right wing wants to turn back the clock. Shocking!
And all this time I thought Darrel was from his father's penis. Well he sure acts like one.
@Louie
Really? Did you get the memo, because I didn't. They don't want to reduce the wages they want to make the wages based on merit not time served and they don't want to have mandated pensions that aren't sustainable.
The problem is you argue this from emotion but it isn't personal. The way you want it to be isn't financially sustainable. You think they want to hurt you and all the union members and that is just plain not true.
Why would they want to hurt you or keep you down? If you perform your job better than anyone else they are more likely to elevate you than the unions are which only care about seniority. In the unions you aren't rewarded for being better at your job. I'd rather hire a non union electrician because I know he has to know what he is doing. In the union you don't. The union is not unlike our public schools. You can graduate without knowing how to read. It's really quite sad but hardly the fault of the evil republicans.
Your guys made that bed.
Excellent well thought out message Ranting Redhead. Another problem with the unions is it is almost impossible to fire anyone, they hold the employer hostage with their impossible demands for $$$, pensions, and benefits. The way those teachers behaved in WI was SHAMEFUL and disgusting. Due to that little demonstration of immaturity and bullying and ones that have subsequently followed I am sick of the thuggery of the unions. They are afraid of the republicans because they cannot threaten, bully, pay, or lobby them because they are not for sale, not like the current occupants. Go ahead community collapse me -- you can't handle the truth!
If the Teapublican oligarchy headed by plutocrat Romney gain control, workers--and America as we know it will--be destroyed for another term (and then Romney will be booted out like he would have been as governor of Massachusetts). The Lost Decade due to failed GOP/Bush-era polices was bad enough!
Minimum wage employees – 2/3rds are employed by large, profitable corporations with an average of $9 million CEO pay. If the minimum wages was indexed to inflation, it would be around $11/hour right now. Paid sick leave has no effect on profitability, yet is pitiful as well.
Fellow Americans, even if you're unhappy with President Obama, the alternative can and will be worse. ABR - Anybody but Romney.
yeah right !!
thats why they move jobs overseas and pay millions to the CEO and upper management; because they want sustainability.......right !!
This question coming from you? Hahahaha.
And where is Mrs. Spanky? Or for that matter, someone to check the IP address for Dotties girl who always shows up to praise someone else's post -- odd. Don't get any ideas from certain trolls with multiple log-ins so they can vote up their own posts -- You know who you are.
Business goes where it can thrive and wont stay where it cant, and under Obama and his mega regulations, it can no longer thrive in this country. The thing liberals dont seem to understand about business is that they are in busines to make money, they are not charitable organizations, the sole purpose of their being is not to provide jobs, its to make money.
Germany was just downgraded, Spanky. Wow, What say you Spanky? If the epitome of fiscal deficit is not growing anymore, shouldnt we take Obama.s socialism with his 2% gdp growth as an example of how to grow the economy in this fiscal mess occasioned by the Bush/Cheney recless, "deficit does not matter syndrome of two wars not taxed to pay for it and to make matter worst in spite of that gave a tax cut, pretending that vodoo economic's work. They tanked the world economy, from Greece to Spain and beyond. England, Italy now Gemany are in free fall, even China the the bankers have stuttered. But Obama USA is still growing but not at the rate we should all apploud but at the little train that could speed, when all else is stuttering. Spanky make a pick of the better alternative.
The question still stands! As a buisness owner for over 37 years! True Socialist.
Anyone that hates unions just cuz they heard on TV that they were bad has been sold on the idea that a single individual can have a positive outcome when they negotiate wages with an employer who's number one goal is profits. Even if you are not in a union you benefit from them if you live in a union friendly state. Things like living wages, job security, healthy working conditions and adequate health and retirement benefits. It is the states that bust unions that have citizens that get the opposite from their employers and at the same time are sold that the unions are bad and because of their existence is the reason you got a $hity deal. The more of us as citizens of this country that unionize the better our health and pay will be. Dont be sold by politicians that say that your "Right to Work For Less" is the American way. No, its the corporate way of doing things now a days and if you dont wake up and fight for those rights (or move) you only have your self to blame for being paid to do a job for $10hr less then a person doing the same thing in a state that is friendly to union workers
Germany got a down-graded -outlook-.
UK will, too.
Austerity doesn't work in a downturn. Never has, never will.
It's very clear that the Republicans want to turn our country into the type of country where their corporation friends send the jobs. China, Vietnam, etc. They want slave labor in this country and they are determined to get it at any cost.
teknishan...last I looked, Germany didn't have any Austerity measures in effect.
Spending yourself trillions in debt has never worked and never will.
Hey Ranting Redhead, you gotta stop with the Fox Taboo News BS !!!
Excellent post Redhead Ranting. You know you hit it out of the ballpark when they simply attack you personally and not your points.
Ah, the absurdity of it all. Leave it to a 'supposed' American to quote a Brit as he hunts for Reds in America.
Why is that Patriotic American? Did I say anything that wasn't true? If I did please point it out. I don't know what Fox has to do with this. BTW why do you pick on a cable channel? It's just like when you refer to Mitt Romney as Willard or Dick Cheney as Darth Vader. It only makes you all look like sore losers who can't mount an argument to save your life.
You tear down everyone else because you are afraid to have a real discussion. It's sad really and hardly patriotic. If you were, patriotic, you'd want to get the current resident of the White House out as fast as you could because he is turning this country into something despicable.
Joe in Albany
Yeah Joe, when Obama was sworn in the Country was in such great shape and he personally hung a $14T debt on our neck.
Why do you think Bush just declined to appear at the Convention? He is so ashamed of his disastrous Presidency he does not want to show his face or remind America how he plowed up our Hershey Highway without Vaseline.
No Politician alive had been through this and would have been able to stop the avalanche of problems stemming from the failed Republican Policies in place from 1998-2007.
Your spin has spun itself out.
Who really cares what Richard Trumka thinks? Unions like the AFL-CIO are dying, have been for years, and rightfully so. Watching them slowly starve to death has been a particular joy for me.
When Carnegie and Frick were killing people in the steel mills, the early labor leaders risked their lives to bring decent working conditions to the factory. They were American heroes. But now Samuel Gompers is spinning in his grave. The AFL-CIO leaders today are nothing but a band of petty criminals.
If the GOP wipes what's left of them off the map after the election, good. They are nothing but goons and thugs.
the afl cio is dieing.so is the middle class.it isnt a coincidence.the rich own our government and export our jobs.they get the government to turn a blind eye to the illegal aliens flooding across the border everyday.the rich are our overlords
The collapse of our great Republic is inevitablle.
With the amount of irrational rants from some on here it should be clear we are no longer a nation built on principal, independence and merit. Government and unions have truly become Big Brother. Ambition, pride and determination have been replaced with apathy, self-pity and ambivalence.
Unions had a place at the beginning of the industrial revolution. As America emerged from being an agrarian nation a meteoric rise in commerce was unleashed. The growth of the strongest economy in the world was built on the shoulders of domestic exportable manufacturing industries. Yes, there were abuses at first as the populace educated itself in this transition. Workplaces were unsafe because we had no one else to learn from. As injuries and unsafe workplace conditions grew so did the need for improvements. Enter the unions. Workplace safety, more humane working hours and child labor laws were created. Wages were improved and commerce thrived.
Now remember, from the late 19th century through the early 20th century we were the driving force of innovation in the world. With the rapid development of technologies such as electricity, communications, transportation and many others we were not only creating commerce, we were creating all the problems associated with it. This massive expansion required cooperation between labor and management. And it worked.
Today all the protections that unions helped promote are either Federal or State laws. OSHA, Dept. of Labor, EEOC, Minimum Wage laws, etc. The unions have not created a significant benefit for labor in 25 years (FMLA was a government program).
Now, after WW I, the Great Depression and WW II we were the only standing industrial nation as the others laid in ruin as a result of wars or financial collapse. The world needed rebuilding and rebuild we did. As all the other nations in the world recovered they also noticed what we were doing. They saw the level of wealth, prosperity and standard of living our economy was creating. Do any of you believe the whole world was just going to remain in its 2nd and 3rd world status and allow us to be the dominant nation? Of course not. As a result Asia, Europe, Brazil, Russia, India and others began their own industrial revolutions. Today many of those emerging nations are approaching or surpassing our level of commerce. There are over 7 billion people on this planet, even if we tried we couldn't supply everything everyone else needs. The rest of the world is catching up to us.
Now, as a result of this there are many markets globally, as such competition is growing. I certainly hope none of you believe that we will get back to the days where we could charge whatever we wanted for a transistor radio and the world had to pay us for it because we were the only one capable of producing it? We won't. The days of escalating wages, benefits and legacy costs are gone. We are no longer competitive as the world is doing the same thing we did 100 years ago.
This doesn't mean we can't remain competitive, but it does mean we have to be realistic. The days of unskilled, illiterate, untrained labor demanding the wages and benefits of the past is gone. We can get that in any number of offshore countries. This will require a significant amount of reforms. We are still operating under 20th century ideologies in a 21st century world.
We need significant trade reform, tax reform, regulation reform and most importantly union reform. Unions must become industry supportive rather than antagonistic. The days of negotiating purely for the rank and files benefit is over. If we want industries to remain here there must be a more cooperative effort between industry and unions. Creating obviously unsustainable benefit and legacy costs and then walking away from the table without any accountability to assure the demands will work is irresponsible. It does no one any good when unsustainable negotiations require an industry to shut down or leave for friendlier havens.
The majority of Americans don't have a problem with union workers, it's the management and corruption within the union that everyone objects to. This has been going on for decades. Using rank-and-files money to promote their political benefits is wrong and must stop. If unions claim they can offer an industries work force better bargaining ability they need to prove it to them by offering their service to those that want it, not coerce everyone into their ideology. If the others then want to join they should be able to.
Right to work states should be allowed and encouraged. The NLRB must be a bipartisan panel not front-loaded with advocates for the unions. Public sector unions have created $4 trillion of unfunded pension plans, this can no longer be allowed. The public sector works for the private sector, not vice versa. Wages, benefits and legacy costs cannot surpass the private sectors, this is simply unsustainable.
The union advocates have to stop using the teacher, police and fire fighter bogeyman threats. There are thousands of administrative positions in all areas of the public sector that can be cut or combined to save our tax dollars. Budgets must be created that are effective and sustainable. Future projections must have responsible targets, not just the ones that will make the budget balance. Rainy day funds must be demanded and maintained. Legislation must have Sunset Clauses that require legislators to periodically review the performance of budgetary issues.
Thank you, Jim.
Labor Braces for Attack Should GOP Sweep in November.
Should??? Don't you mean WHEN?
We can not and will not allow Willard Romney to be elected President of the United States.
if the gop sweeps then we live in a nation of insanity.
The polls have Obama plummeting, but no one should under estimate his resolve. I don't happen to think Obama likes the job of being president, but he loves the perks and benefits of the job. The allure of the perks and benefits are a seduction for which Obama will set no boundaries. I believe Obama will do or say anything, absolutely anything to remain in power, and when he feels his is truly losing Obama will become most dangerous.
When you take into account all that has transpired in his first term, most of which has been a disaster for the country, well you ain't seen nothing yet. Obama has already attended over 270 fundraisers in his first term, something he will not have to do in a second term. Just think of the ill that can befall a country when Obama has more free time. I shutter to think.
The MOB in our jobs and in our GOVERNMENT had better take notice..
We The People ain't gonna take your corruption anymore!!
Romney is like fools gold, it looks real but its not. This Clown is a Phony !!!
what is in his tax records that is so bad he is afraid to show us!!!!!
Here is a really weird thing about a couple Banker Wankers – Rich Ricci (pronounced Richie) and Mr. Diamond. I'll bet Romney knows them both, along with the NASCAR owner. Anywho...
We know what is in Romney's tax records. Tax experts like David Cay Johnston are very familiar with portfolio's like Romney's. Romney paid little or no tax for at least 2008 and probably 2009 as well, he uses gray-market tax shelters to hide his money, and has taken advantage of things not caught in audits by the IRS, such as how he managed to move so much money into his IRA.
These are reasons why Romney decided it would be worth the heat and not release his returns -- Other than the incomplete 2010 return, and the 2011 return released so late in the campaign he hopes no one will have time to comb through it. But the price he will pay will still be huge -- Can't wait to see how many years of returns Romney requires from his VP pick.
It is sad that Romney's father not only released 12 years of returns, saying that one year is a "fluke," but that his father paid an effective tax rate or 40% instead of the average 14% Mitt pays (at best). Back in Romney Sr. days, the rich believed in investing in the country and paying it forward.
Romney -- He's not in it for you.
as opposed to a nation of poverty and welfare.
One factor that changed in the mid-1990s is the advent of cable news and FOX in particular. And then add to that Hate Radio. Progressive outlets in answer to the rightwing bias didn't appear until later. But the Echo Chamber and Cone of Silence is a large reason why FACTS no longer have an impact in elections.
The newer factor is the unlimited money being spent by about 17 cranky gazillionares who are trying to buy our country for their gain. The spending by the rightwing this cycle is typically 3 to 1, and sometimes 5 to 1 (as was the case in Wisconsin's recall of Scott Walker).
This is why such a crappy candidate like Romney is able to do as well as he is. Granted, the unemployment rate and economy is a challenge for the president. But seriously, Romney lost to McCain who lost to Obama in 2008, and Romney is the nominee simply because the GOP field was so weak.
After the Olympics, and barring more distractions like the tragedy in Colorado, voters will start to pay more attention. Information--such as the video on Slate about Romney's flip-flop regarding abortion--will continue to prove that Romney is NOT trustworthy. (If you haven't seen this video, you should see it! Especially if you're Mormon.) Hopefully most voters will decide not to change horses midstream for such a disastrous alternative.
Obama/Biden - 2012!
Anyone that hates unions just cuz they heard on TV that they were bad has been sold on the idea that a single individual can have a positive outcome when they negotiate wages with an employer who's number one goal is profits. Even if you are not in a union you benefit from them if you live in a union friendly state. Things like living wages, job security, healthy working conditions and adequate health and retirement benefits. It is the states that bust unions that have citizens that get the opposite from their employers and at the same time are sold that the unions are bad and because of their existence is the reason you got a $hity deal. The more of us as citizens of this country that unionize the better our health and pay will be. Dont be sold by politicians that say that your "Right to Work For Less" is the American way. No, its the corporate way of doing things now a days and if you dont wake up and fight for those rights (or move) you only have your self to blame for being paid to do a job for $10hr less then a person doing the same thing in a state that is friendly to union workers
right because the GOP are not the most corrupt of all. It is sad when we all live in a society of Greed, and power that drives the world into the most destructive fall ever!
And again I say...Where are Romneys's SOLUTIONS? Bumper sticker bullet points and 59 POints of Light wont cut it. Where is the POLICY, MItt?
WHere are the details? What gets cut? Debt? Jobs Proposals? Foreign Policy? Energy? Trade? China? Iran? Healthcare Replacement?....does Mitt know anything at all about fixing these problems?
So far..ROMNEY HAS NO SOLUTIONS ....just bumper stickers and a 59 bullet list of vagueness
No Policy details...NO VOTE!
Obama/Biden 2012
Hey dottie, all contracts are NEGOTIATED by BOTH sides, and ratified and agreed to by BOTH sides, no thuggery involved.
The Union SS Troops are on the move READY TO ATTACK AND DESTROY THOSE WHO REFUSE TO JOIN THEIR RANKS AND PAY DUES!! The Unions of today are nothing more that Legal Organized Crime that extorts money from those that are "forced" to join their ranks. While the Union Leadership makes 6-7 digit salaries + top benefits, they leave their members fight to keep their jobs in today's economy. An Economy destroyed by O'Bama who the Union Leadership fully supports. Bribery at the highest level of Government. O'Bama attacks small business and then tries to lie when he is called to task for the words people actually observed him speaking. But true to himself, O'Bama once again blames someone else for his total failure as President. People have to ask themselves - Are you better off today then you were when O'Bama became President. We have a wrecked economy, increasing unemployment, failure on the World Stage and a President who continually failure to take ANY responsibility for his total failures, he has accomplished absolutely nothing Positive during his reign as President.
TruePatriot: You say "We know what is in Romney's tax records. Tax experts like David Cay Johnston are very familiar with portfolio's like Romney's. Romney paid little or no tax for at least 2008 and probably 2009 as well, he uses gray-market tax shelters to hide his money, and has taken advantage of things not caught in audits by the IRS, such as how he managed to move so much money into his IRA". Really? Are you and your "friend(s)" his personal accountants? Or are you just a typical liberal that spreads misinformation and lies and hoping it sticks? Please present proof if this is, indeed, a fact. Thank you
Corporate...
Again with the tax records?? Geez...give it a break. IF the IRS had found anything illegal, don't you think that they would have reported it? I mean, don't you trust the IRS? WE had to trust Harvard with college transcripts, so why can't you trust the IRS?
Jannie-862333 -- Hahaha, really? Yes, tax experts do have a clue what the 1% does to avoid paying taxes. The loses folks like Romney wrote-off due to the recession is why it is very likely Romney paid little or no taxes in 2008 and 2009. This is not conspiracy theory like those chain Emails you get from your crazy wingnut uncle.
But your claim about spreading misinformation is the most hilarious. Let us know how this feels to you:
Perhaps readers get the point being made above, that Romney has NO idea what it is like to be unfairly attacked about anything. Especially in regard to the most basic transparency expected from all presidential candidates – The most basic requirement team Romney will demand of all individuals being vetted for his VP!
Romney -- Stop throwing temper tantrums, stop making lame excuses, stop blaming the Democrats, and just come clean.
Yea right, the Unions will kiss that azz like their lives depended on it, don't try and play us Democrats for fools, besides you idiots created the problem with your ridicules wages and benefit packages, there was a time when the Unions were needed but you people got way too greedy. Soon the democrats will turn their backs on you and as a democrat I will be very pleased, you're part of the problem our Nation faces, driving the cost of doing business here in America so expensive it created the outsourcing problem and you could stand to lose 200 lbs.
JK1963 -- The IRS is very short staffed. Of the random audits they conduct, things can be missed in complex filings like those of the 1%. But more likely most of the returns are not audited at all, so Romney releasing returns not audited with questionable activity is why he won't release these, hum?
True Patriot
Are you a Communist Marxist
The 1% does not exist and is by the book of the Karl Marx Ideology who established the Soviet Union in 1922 which no longer exist.
Go back to your Bill Ayers camp because your rhetoric is getting very old.
This is no problem. As soon as we get rid of minimum wage, child labor laws, OSHA, paid vacations and health care, everything will be fine!
Oops I forgot public education.
There, that should do it.
I believe in a fair market (regulated) capitalism, and the right to practice religion, among other things that clearly are NOT communist. I also believe in Social Security, so you could accuse me of being a socialist, but I'd rather have socialism than pro-military corporatist fascism that most of the Right embrace these days.
True,
That would apply to the average "Joe", but since *IF* as you claim that Romney has all these foreign bank accounts, then that would definitely be a red flag for the IRS to audit. Additionally, you DON'T think that even when he ran back in 2008, that he wasn't on the IRS screen that far back?? But more to the point, why do you CARE? I mean you are not likely to vote for Romney anyways, so would releasing his returns be the deciding factor on whether he gets your vote or not??
This is the thing that people talk about "transperancy" with releasing records (be it tax records, college transcripts, birth certificates). One side screams about the other candidate's lack of transperancy, but at the end of the day, does it really make a difference on whether or not they release this or that? I mean does it give an indication of the kind of person? For example, the left is screaming at seeing Romney's tax records because supposedly he has all these foreign bank accounts, but at the same time, he has also donated a great deal to charity (more so than Obama). So what matters? Add to that, that the vast majority of people that want to see them couldn't do their own taxes let alone be some sort of new tax expert on what is legal and what is illegal with his taxes.
It was trickle-down economics for the last 30 years that put us there. Why should we continue making the same mistake and expect different results? And why on earth would the Republicans ask us to?
Innuendo by question. The answer is: No. Only someone who didn't really understand those terms would waste time asking that question.
Mathematical illiteracy noted. By definition, there is always a "1%", and any other percentage between 1 and 100. The "wealthiest 1%" exists, just as the "poorest 1%" exists. It has nothing to do with the ideology of Karl Marx, it's just a mathematical fact.
You've made some strange comments here. To begin with are you saying that because Romney gave to the Mormon church, we shouldn't care how he made his money or how much he sheltered from US Tax? And are you telling us that not only are we so stupid we couldn't understand his taxes but we're so stupid we couldn't understand a tax experts explanation of them?
And are you telling us that demanding to see Romney's tax returns is the same as demanding a sitting President of the United States prove he was born here. And are you saying Romney hiding something in his tax returns is less likely than Obama's mother somehow knowing he would one day be elected President, so she bribed Hawaiian officials and two newspapers to fake his Hawaiian birth? ...Really?
old doc,
What I'm saying is that people are screaming for documents that hardly decide whether or not someone would vote for a candidate. I'm a loss to see how a hired "tax" expert would know more about Romney's tax situation and would come to some conclusion contrary to the IRS. If Romney was using illegal tax shelters, wouldn't you think the IRS would be prosecuting him for it?
As for the birth thing...I was referring more to his college transcripts than to his birth certificate and my point is that if the people on the left want Romney release his tax returns because you don't believe the IRS, then why is it that we are supposed to believe Harvard when Obama has his transcripts sealed??
A gop sweep in November. Well that means lots of addition tax breaks for the one percenters, no more health care, no more minimum wage, no more social security, no more medicare/medicaid, no more middle class. Now that's really something to look forward to??? Talk about class warfare, the republicans don't even hide the fact anymore that they are in an all out war against middle class America. Why does the gop despise the middle class?
Sadly boehnor, cantor, norquist and mcconnell failed economics 101. The middle class drives the U.S. economy and once they have finished us off it won't matter how many trillions the one percenters have stashed away in their offshore/swiss bank accounts - currency won't even be worth the paper it's printed on. Game, Set, Match.
Wow, the folks who belong to a Labor Union just don't get the big picture.
Where, Unions folks, do you think Trumka gets the funding for all the donations to the Obama campaign and for the Union attacks on other political candidates (Wisconsin) ?
You are CORRECT ..... it is coming from YOUR UNION DUES.
Just wait and see if there is ANY money in the Union slush fund for your retirement when you decide to bail out.
You're right that the money to pay for supporting pro-labor candidates and fight against anti-worker candidates comes from our dues! Why would we support any candidate who desires to lower our standard of living? Apparently you don't know that a union member has the right to withhold the portion of his dues that goes toward politics. We know that and the vast majority of us choose to keep giving this money to support candidates who support us. In fact, a large percentage of us also voluntarily give even more than required! Another fact you seem to be in the dark about: our pensions are funded by the companies we work for (if we even have a pension) and the union does not have access to this money. I find it incredible that you anti-union types continue to comment about unions while staying totally clueless about what a union does!
Very insightful... even big labor isn't stupid enough to believe NBC polls....
We can not and will not allow Willard Romney to be elected President of the United States.
What amazes so many, is the fact that this foolish man, Willard Romney the talking lying buffoon, is the Republican choice for President of the United States.
OBAMA / BIDEN 2012---STILL CLEANING UP BUSH'S MESS!!!
I thought after electing Dumbya for a second term, and he ended up trashing the economy, people would learn. They did. Now, it seems that they have forgotten, and that opens the door for a rich weasel like Romneycare.
I just hope Obama kicks his empty red suit in the butt throughout the debates.
Take note of the trend in polls, Obama is plummeting. You don't seem to realize that Obama will be running more against himself then he will be Romney. The fact that Obama has been throwing everything at Romney and still losing in the polls proves his message is failing.
The majority of Americans now blame Obama for making the economy worse, and most feel the nation is on the wrong track. With the majority of the American people blaming Obama in greater numbers by the day, all Romney really needs to do is stay out of the fray.
With the American people already blaming Obama, just how affective do you think a campaign reinforcing that message might be this fall? In the fall campaign Obama is going to hammered with his own words and promises, superimposed on unemployment numbers and massive debt.
Romney will have more money to spend, since he is gaining now and spending very little. The writing is on the wall for you Obama supporters, but then again there were better Democratic Party candidates when you decided to slay the country with Obama.
Rick3416939 - depends on which tea leaves (polls) you read. If you're a poll and statistic geek, check out " "
Fun to go state by state - see bottom right interactive box where you can pull up, by state, assorted polls and compare results.
I find it interesting that the republicans forget what bush did to our country and now want to blame President Obama for what the republicans did.
We went from low unemployment and a surplus and looking to pay our entire debt in 10 years. With bush in just 8 years we were in two wars, losing millions of jobs, a housing crash caused by deregulation and the largest deficit in the history of our nation.
Then after 3 1/2 years of the republicans blocking any bill to create jobs or do something for our economy the republicans now want to blame someone else for their failures.
The economy the republicans broke, President Obama's fault.
The high unemployment the republicans caused, of course President Obama's fault.
Handy how the republicans break our economy and then pretend they are the ones to save us from, yes you got it, President Obama.
After the republicans just voted to keep the special tax cuts for companies that move our jobs overseas. Cool, huh, us taxpayers get to pay the moving expenses for moving our jobs overseas brought to you by republicans.
I would have to be pretty dumb to think that republicans care about jobs or America.
Romney is a empty suit and has nothing to offer this nation, I see this Clown as a loser !!!!!!
The people who are complaining about 1) Romney's tax returns and 2) his money invested overseas.
1) His tax returns are none of your business. If he was doing something illegal the IRS would have caught him by now. Millionaires are audited about 35 times more often then someone making less then 250,000 dollars.
2) Investing overseas is legal. I do it in my 401k and you probably do also. Having money in a bank(s) overseas is legal and controlled and audited by the IRS. Any amount over $10,000 must be reported to the IRS on one of their forms and on the tax return. Having money in a Swiss bank makes it easier to move money into and out of investments and perfectly legal. In fact it has been disclosed that Pelosi and Reid and at least 36 other millionaire democrats have overseas accounts, including the tax cheat Rangle.
One can only conclude that libs are just whining and bytching because they have a moro n for a candidate and are looking to deflect the issues away from the economy.
Keep blaming bush, it didn't work then and isn't working now. Keep deflecting from the real issues and Romney talks about the economy and obama keeps sinking deeper in the polls. Obama one and done.
I find it interesting that all democrats in the past escape all blame, a sure sign of bigotry.
I suppose you libtards have a response for your own Democrat Senator saying that top secret information is being leaked from the White House....guess that's Bush's fault as well?
Obama has had 4 years and he continues to add to the deficeit. Don't blame Bush for Obama's shortcomings. It is time the unions take care of themselves and let the people alone. We don't need to pay them when we are getting good jobs on our own. DOWN WITH UNIONS
Americans first,
I find it interesting that the republicans forget what bush did to our country and now want to blame President Obama for what the republicans did.
1st..Really still on the blame Bush trail?
2nd.. You realize Romney is not Bush?
3rd.. Look up Glass Steagall. An act that was repealed that allowed investment banks to gamble with every ones money and not just investors. It's an act which has been said by economists to have helped create the banking crisis we just went through. Oh yeah the repealing was signed into effect in 1999 by.....wait for it....Clinton. The same guy who signed NAFTA. A democrat. Not all the blame goes to Bush there bucko.
It is amazing to me that when a democrat sights facts they end up being like algors "global warming" facts...only facts because they say they are facts, nothing to back them up. Also they talk bad about talk radio or as they call it "hate radio", because every left leaning show gets canceled because no one listens to it....
Pay no attention to those black Suburbans in your driveway later K?
American,
I find it interesting that Obama doesn't accept any responsbility for his lack of progress with the economy. When the polls are trending towards America blaming Obama for not delivering on economic growth, Obama is having a hard time accepting the truth that he has failed.
....unless, of course, he wants me to vote for him. If you're not a crook, show me.
sam,
What a crock... like that would be the ONLY deciding factor that you use to vote for him. And are you a tax expert to figure out if he was a crook or not?? And ask the same thing of the President...why doesn't he release information about himself? As you say..."if your not a crook (or fraud), show me..."
Why would any of you to expect republicans to admit that bush/cheney and the gop put us in this depression???? Republicans and the truth - now that's an oxymoron for you. Come on now people, republicans don't deal in facts. Just take a peek of that tv ad that mitt robme's running where willard edits/distorts the presidents speech about job creators and is a complete fabrication and a lie. And the gop is proud of these deceptions??????? All I can say is wow.
The one thing Obama had going for him was that he was "likeable".
According to the New York Times poll things are a changing. The public has recognized his LIES about Romney and his negatives are rising Fast and Furiously.
I never quite understood how anyone found Obama to be likeable. He's arrogant and obviously doesn't think much about America.
The People want Willard to release his tax returns.
Why not make people feel better and release them. His father did. It makes you think that he is hiding something bad.
Obama 12 years
Biden 14 years
Gingrich 1 year
Romney 1 year (Only part of 1 year)
Santorum 4 years
McCain 2 years
Palin 2 years
W Bush 8 years
Cheney 8 years
Clinton 8 years
G. Bush 3 years
Nixon 4 years
George Romney 12 years
hes not only likeable but a great leader.
Job I have had this discussion with people I work with. We are a very divergroup in all ways. The majority don't care about his or anyone's tax returns as long as everything was legal.
What relevance does his tax returns bring to the election? Why wouldn't Husssein release his grades or transcripts? Why doesn't he the Fast and furious info? For being the most transparent bunch you have to sue them to get anything
Which is more relavant...what the President was doing 20 years ago as a Harvard Law Student or what Mr. Romney was doing 10 years ago to earn his money?
Which of course begs the libbie question -0 why o why has the IRS signed off on Mitt's taxes each and every year?
Job, got anything on this issue?
Oh and Job - can to tell us why everybody has a strict right to privacy in their tax returns?
Sorry for the typo. Darn keyboard I meant diverse group. I think back to the Kennedy's they were and are a very wealthy family and most of the wealth initially was obtained by less than legal means. Old Joe was quite a character. This is a non-issue unless you are trying to create class warfare. This would be funny if not so hypocritical.
http://www.examiner.com/article/pelosi-bristles-at-thought-of-releasing-even-her-most-recent-tax-records
...as you ponder that question, consider the number of rants we've heard over the years about elected and appointed officials owing back taxes.
So funny. You can expect the rwnj's to come out of the woodwork saying "Why didn't Obama release his grades."
Well, Romney has not released his college transcripts OR his tax returns.
Romney made them an issue by claiming that he is a super duper business man, and a loyal patriot, who only wants the best for America. (I do believe he salutes at that point, wiping a tear from my eye at the very picture of it all.)
Prove it Mitty. Why don't you let us see how truly loyal you are to this country. Hmmm?
People are more concerned with Obama that crows every chance he gets about how his was Camlada this and that and head of the harvard law review but still won't release his grades. If he was so awesome in college release the info and prove it.
Everyone knows what Romney was doing ten yrs ago at bain..he was saving companies and saving jobs..... something Obama has never done in the White House or before....
Neither so who cares. If he did anything wrong in filing he taxes the IRS would have caught him. If you think that all the RICH DEMOCRATS haven't taken advantage of the Tax laws then you are just blind. The same people screaming about offshore accounts have accounts offshore themselves.
.Obama the promise BREAKER!! Equals a LIAR!!! BIG EMBARRASSMENT to the USA!!!
Obama’s promise that his healthcare proposals would “never be purchased with [a] tax increase on middle-class families.” The SUPREME COURT & JUSTICE DEPT say it is a TAX!!! .Attack on the middle Class! Taxation by misrepresentation
…….…NOW Obama wants to invade Syria and Iran!!!
..mr. American businessman..YOU DID NOT MAKE THAT!! It was stolen from the back of the worker---PURE MARXISM!!
Remember these?
THE OBAMA CHRONICLES:
“I promise 100% transparency in my administration.”.
“I promise NO NEW TAXES on a family making less than $250K a year.”.
“I will allow 5 days of public comment before I sign any bills.”.
“I will remove earmarks from PORK projects before I sign any bill.”.
“I will end Income Tax for seniors making less than $50K a year.”.
"I will bring ALL of our troops home within ONE year."
“I’ll put the Health Care negotiations on CSPAN so everyone can see who is at the table!”.
“I’ll have no lobbyists in my administration."
"I'll close Guantanamo."
"I'll resign if I don't cut the deficit in half by the end of four years."
"I'll unite the people of this great country."
“The TROOPS will be home for CHRISTMAS.” WHY ARE MORE LEAVING EVERYDAY???? AND DYING every day…
NOW Obama invokes Executive Privilege( as a Sen. called it’s use a RUSE!) for Holder on GUN SMUGGLING and killing US Agent Brain Terry!!! That only applies if Obama was part of it!! Obama & Holder should be on trial for giving Machine Guns to the Mexican Drug cartels!!
BETTER KNOWN AS LIES.
Fool me once shame on YOU!
Fool me twice shame on ME!
What is "Camlada"?
Can antibiotics cure it?
"...camlada"? Are you serious, tangeant2? "camlada"? Oh my dear God, no wonder you are so confused. Didn't do higher ed, did you?
Cum Laude. Latin. Your President was Magna Cum Laude. Upper 5%. And that came from Harvard.
And he was editor of Harvard Law Review. You would have no knowledge of what that is, but suffice it to say that only the top of the top even make Review, much less editor.
But, thanks for the laugh. Now I understand why people vote for Romney. They don't know any better.
One more thing: and college students get asked this every day: provide a reputable source that your President has EVER bragged about being Magna from Harvard.
I'll check back.
That would seem to have very little to do with the issue. A candidate who prefers foreign depositories for his money brings suspicion on himself. One can be totally within the realm of legality while being completely outside the bounds of accepted ethics ~ such as why an American president would bank in a foreign country. Its not illegal but hardly kosher for a nation's chief executive. The suspicions arise when the candidate so adamantly refuses to allay public concerns about his business dealings. If they are legal ~ and ethical ~ one would think this would be a tremendous asset for the candidate. The reverse is rather obvious.
ROFL..."He had a bad case of Camlada but thankfully flare-ups can be controlled!"
Si hoc legere scis nimium eruditiones habes!
Wait, what?
So you can follow the law and be completely outside the bounds of acceptable ethics?
Huh. Sounds like somebody no like-y likes the laws.
But hey, at least every single thing Obama has done is 'kosher' for the US.
Even the recent assertion of Executive Privilege, right?
Of course - totally kosher.
Why it's almost like you have not review all the financial discloses issued by Mitt.
Liberals like Job1 are prone to distortions. Here are the facts behind the tax returns released by presidents. Note the years they were in office in relation to the years of the tax returns they released. It is facts like this liberals want you to ignore.
Nixon released 1969-72 and he was president from 1969-74.
Ford 0.
Carter released 1977-79 and he was president from 1977-81.
Reagan released 1981-87 and was president from 1981-89.
Bush Sr released 1989-91 and was president from 1989-93.
Clinton released 1992-99 and was president from 1993-2001.
Bush Jr released 2000-2007 and was president from 2001-2009.
Obama released 2000-2011 and has been president in name only.
In 2008 McCain released 2 as a candidate for president.
This years Republican candidates, Gingrich 1, Santorum 4, and Romney 2.
Hey, by the way, why should he bother to release all of his college transcripts? I mean, if you don't believe the birth certificate why would you believe the transcripts?
tangeant2 thanks to the republican for that, no on everything for this country. Get you information from fact check and not fox.
By the way Noid: your post at 4.18? Yes I am, and apparently, so is the President.
Spanky, it is rather obvious that certain things are simply too deep for your underdeveloped mental faculties. But yes ~ the statement stands and it is defensible among rational thinking individuals. Executive Privilege is a perk of the office but it is not absolute as both SCOTUS and congress have declared from time to time. So "kosher," yes. Infallible, no. I have not reviewed all of Mitt's financial disclosures for neither I nor anyone else has access to "all of Mitt's" financial activities. Perhaps you can provide them for us?
The World is laughing at Romney, they see him as a "JOKE" PS - Some call this Clown the Joker !!!!!!!!!!
I got it Jim - you can't argue the merits so you go for silly personal attacks.
Fantastic, captain of the debate team and all, eh?
So having covered my mental capabilities,maybe you can now work in some cracks about my physical appearance?
That's be great. Would really bring home you point. :)
I just love you libbies. Keepin' it real.
Too much, the wingers want college transcripts and birth certificates from President Obama, but it is too much to ask of Romney to see his tax returns to see if he is as honest as he claims.
If Romney has nothing to hide then why hide it?
Republicans are still whining that we didn't vet President Obama properly and with that in mind the republicans have decided that Romney has been vetted enough.
Just because Romney was signing SEC filings stating he was both CEO and major stockholder and retired and receiving $100,000 a year salary all at the same time. What is not to trust?
You know as well as I do that limpy and all the announcers on faux would be frothing at the mouth with all their hate and conspiracy theories on how President Obama was so crooked he deserved jail time for the things in his unreleased tax returns.
Unreleased tax returns are a big deal and if Romney wants the job he needs to be honest with the American public. We don't need Romney's college transcripts, we don't need his birth certificate we just want to see what Mitt is so desperately trying to hide in his tax returns.
Only in the land of Mitt Believe does the public forget about his tax returns.
border joe Your fake outrage is a typical of the right wing. Where is your outrage over the "We are going to make this President a one term President" comment. That said loud and clear we the republicans not going to do anything to make the Presidents plans work & we'll do this on the backs of the American people in the worst recession since the Great Depression. Thank You GOP.
If you think Rmoney is going to bring back jobs your all nuts. America is not the manufacturing country it use to be. We have a serviced based economy and its killing us. Will someone on the right please tell me how Rmoney Is going to bring back the manufacturing jobs back. Everyone talks, buts there is no plan except for tax cuts and no regulation. To bad that plan won't be as good as the republican's plan to make the President a one term President. Its a shame that the republicans can't use that energy to help the American People. Instead of trying to bring down a President.
Smitty: Get real. Every past president has faced the same type of opposition from the other party since the beginning so stop whining about it. The fact is President Obama lacks the leadership skills to work with others unlike Clinton who had a Republican Congress or Reagan who had Tip O'Neill.
Willard could stop a lot of the tax talk by releasing the taxes. Common since tells us that he is hiding something, and in spite of Ann Romney saying “you people,” we see the need to know.
Why are all of Obama's college records hidden from the public ? What is Obama hiding ?? Did Obama obtain financial assistance through a fraudulent application ???
believe'nAmerica dude I'm as real as it gets. In my life I have never seem anything like this. Look at every vote in both houses. Its along party lines. Clinton and Raygun both had a congress that would work with them. Thats not true today, and the best part is you know that. So get off it! In the republican/tea bag party world "Its are way or no way." You tell me how one can work with that.
Gosh, so many illogical people, so little time:
Riddle me this jimmy: if your President's records are hidden from public than what would cause you to posit that your President made a fraudulent application?
Crazy much?
Smitty, it's called leadership. Both Reagan and Clinton knew what it took to lead without having to dictate. They brought the common good to the table and sold it to the Congress. Obama brings it to the table and says "eat your peas or no dessert".
I just hope that if Romney is elected some of the Democrats grow the balls to philibuster everything the repuglicons put forward !!!!!!!!!
talk to the hand The republican/tea bag party is like the little kid who can't have its way.
Even when the President uses republican ideas. The republicans disagree. Tell me how that can be? I'll bet if the President used the republican platform they would say no to that to. The republican party is the party of Hell No!
Job1, Feisty, newdaydawning, da noid, and miscellaneous other liberals...
The most educated, intelligent posts on this thread are border joe in 4.12 and Rick-34166939 in 4.20.
Why have you left wing extremists failed to address those comments?
Oh, you mean where our buddy Joey refers to BRIAN as BRAIN? That intelligent post? Fox News crap.
As to Rick: here is my response: go back and have someone read and explain to you my post at 4.9. You can understand it if you try oh so very hard!
@newdayDAWNING #4.33 gibberish,
Reading is fundamental ....... I did not post a statement, I asked a question... actually three of them in my post at #4.31, which was a reply to #4.30.
Do you have reading comprehension issues, or do you just like to distort reality ? Maybe YOU can have SOMEONE read my post #4.31 back to you ! Obviously, you are not up to the task.
And I answered your question jimmy old boy.
Your question is nonsense, since you posit in the question that nothing is released.
So I ask again. Crazy much?
By the way, Romney has not released his college records either. His dad was not born in this country. Do you suppose, following your "logic" that Romney obtained some fraudulent aid as well?
Or did his daddy foot the bill, since Romney would not have a clue about how to take care of himself?
I feel sorry for conservatives that live by some religious code but Libtards are a bigger disaster than the zombie apocalypse.
Transcripts, these people must have the word STUPID tattooed on their foreheads why in the world would We be concerned about what he did in school if you can't watch OBAMA talk and access his intelligence you need to go back to school, but how someone made their money is very important especially if they are hiding accounts overseas. Do I want a President leading the nation that won't pay his fare share of taxes, HELL NO!
You have to love liberals like Job1 and neewdayDAWNING...RETURNED with their you are guilty unless you prove yourself innocent attitude. A weak attempt at reverse psychology I suppose. Just because liberals are grasping at straws trying to come up with anything they think could help a failing presidency they want the tax returns when none are required by law. Nor does history support the claim that all presidential candidates routinely release tax returns, prior to taking office.
But the central theme in this argument is the word "legal." Tax returns are not required by law from presidential candidates. Anymore then taking full advantage of legal tax shelters isn't cheating on taxes. Whether someone thinks it is ethical or not is inconsequential, we have actual tax cheats working for the Obama administration and that did not disqualify them with liberals. So unless the IRS has a problem with Romney's tax returns, who cares if a bunch of snipe hunters do.
Believe'nAmerica:
You couldn't be more wrong! Never in the last several decades, if not American history, has such an orchestrated effort been made to bring down a president. This is a known fact (except to those whose viewpoints are shaped by far right fringe media outlets). Mitch McConnell came right out and said it. Other right wingers have said it as well.
Talk to the hand:
No amount of leadership can overcome the abject hatred Republicans in Congress (and many of their constituents as well) have for this president, for whatever reason (and not necessarily because of his proposed policies, if you get the drift).
The Republicans are backed up by corporate and plutocrat money, and will certainly outspend Obama and other Democrat candidates by several orders of magnitude. They aim to marginalize the Democrat party to the point that America becomes a one party state. Is that what you want? Even you RWNJs will have your regrets once that happens (unless you're part of the power elite). You will have a consortium of industrialists, plutocrats, and government that will be running the country. Such an arrangement is called fascism. We've seen this type of system play out in the 1930s in Germany and Italy. Is that what you want?
I suggest you right wingers avail yourself of multiple media outlets from across the ideological spectrum and to keep an open mind while doing so. You may be so jaded by now that you won't like what you hear and tune it out, and in that case there is no hope for you. If, on the other hand you do keep an open mind, you will find that there is a lot of dishonest commentary and out right lies floating around out there, and can then make a judgement on what's real and what's not.
All you yahoos posting about obama grades and not being relevent -- remember -- obalmer wasn't vetted the first time through so it's very relevent.
He is a product of affirmative action, we wantt to see how he lied on his admission forms to gain preferential treatment -- very valid now and forever.
ROTFLMFAO. you can't fix stupid, proven by this poster... hey buddy, even Romney claims he wasn't at Bain 10 years ago, hence all the ta do about when he left/didn't leave/retroactively retired... the rest of the idiocy you posted deserves no comment...
Openmind...no your not. You're not even close. If you're really open minded, I challenge you to read the story about Fast and furious that was researched by "Fortune" Magazine...you know, that liberal financial rag. Just google "Fast and furious + Fortune Magazine".
Come on man...just read it. It was done by a conservative magazine, can't you trust them? Try to understand what it is you really support...before it's too late.
OK you're repeating that the President "wasn't vetted", want to explain your comment or just point to the "Americans for Prosperity" article like a good little parrot?
"he's a product of affirmative action"...why don't you just come out and say "he's black...and us conservatives don't trust black people". Come on...man-up and quit mincing words.
Since we are in Obama's 4th year in office, still NO BUDGETS as required by law, it might be useful to know if Obama ever had a course in basic accounting ... or economics for that matter , or finance.
Of course, Obama's college records also might reveal a fascination with ideologies of total government control, or Marxist ideology. It might also reveal how he PAID for his college and how he got in.
NewDay Dawning, ... more liberal crap from you ? Hell, you didn't answer any question but simply ran your mouth trying to deflect and then change the subject.
You still have EGG ALL OVER YOUR FACE because you are unable to distinguish a question from a statement. Oh heck, go ahead and try to answer back ... you can only fool yourself !
Job,
You can say the same thing about Obama and his college transcripts...
"Why not make people feel better and release them. It makes you think that he is hiding something bad."
newdayDAWNING...RETURNED
Methinks he was "Magna cum Affirmative Action".... a lousy student who got a pass... prove me wrong... editor of the Harvard Law Review, huh? what did he write during that time... NOTHING... again, prove me wrong... you can't because he's spend a million buck hiding it... Fast and Furious...what's the Murderer-in-Chief hiding there?
The newest research from Nate has it as:
“Obama chance of winning 66.9% Romney 33.1%”
Let's fight to keep the lead.
I hope that's right. Electing the mouthpiece for the Kock Brothers and Grover right now would undo all the progress we have made since W had to stop trashing the economy.
The only good thing that could come out of a red win would be that it hurt so bad, people would never do it again.
Fuuny part is over at Cafe Press, things have taken a decided turn for the worst.
'08 pro Obama stuff - 80%, negative 20%. Today it's 45%-55%
That's people putting their money were their mouths are.
But your still gold, you know cause Nate says so.
Indeed ~ but which people? Under our present system, people who are not even citizens of the United States of America can put their money (and their mouth) to work for their special interests ~ and do it in secret. This seems to be of no concern to the very same people who fear that an illegal ballot may be cast at a polling place. Of course, the same privilege of secrecy is extended to anyone who washes his money through PACs. The bigger the bucks, the bigger the mouth and the louder the speech. But then, no one would do such a thing. Right?
Got to love the enthusiasm in the middle of Obama's meltdown in the polls. Seems the blame Bain is a loser. The tax return a non-issue. More people blame Obama then Bush for the economy. People feel that the Obama policies have made the economy worse. People feel Obama has the country on the wrong track. It would seem the endless Obama blame game and parade of excuses is no longer being believed. But the very least liberals can do is put on a good face, after all you can't afford to lose many more of the voters that are already abandoning the good ship Obama.
Some strength.
Romney while governor couldn't create jobs like he promised and is now making the same promises he couldn't keep last time.
Romney whined about not being able to create jobs while governor and he explained it was the bad economy was the problem not him. ( Yes the unemployment at 4.9 what a horrid economy)
Now that our economy is almost twice as bad as the economy that Romney couldn't create jobs before, why is it we are to believe him now?
Romney has got the answer. Tax cuts for the rich and nothing for anybody else.
We all know the tax cuts didn't create jobs, but they gave the rich a heck of a lot of tax cut dollars to spend buying the election for the republicans who have promised them forever tax cuts.
You know how bush improved our economy, well Romney has most of the same advisers and plans to re-instate the great bush economy. Tax cuts and wars of choice. It worked so well last time, what could go wrong?
I see another democrat fact.....this poll must have been all democrats, 66.9% still want obama, 33.1% want anybody else.
What progress has been made over the past three years?. And please, don't mention GWB as an exemption to all of Obama's shortcomings. The budget has never been balanced in any of the past three years. Our deficit has doubled since Obama took over. Exactly what positives have been done in his tenure that are actually cost effective measures and not mandates that will add to our deficit in the future. The health care law will destroy what is left of this country by putting more burdens on the Middle class and by adding more un-qualified people to the ranks. We cannot continue to finance the lives of the unwilling/unable to work citizens and we need to stop preaching humanitarianism when it is no longer affordable. Give me a cost effective way to manage the un-insured/unemployed that does not come out of my payroll taxes and i will be all for it. I am no longer willing or able to pay for everyone else. My family and myself is who i care about and who i am willing to care for financially. Everyone else needs to think the same. Take care of yourselves and put your hands back into your own pockets and get them out of mine. Vote Romney 2012. we can't afford not to.
95% of statistics used by people trying to argue a point are made up on the spot.
Job1 - I trust Nate Silver so I know his figures are correct.
My husband has a tee-shirt - "Keeping Millions Out of Work to Put One Man Out of a Job - Republicans 2012". Just about sums it up.....
Dom we don't need to mention Bush. All we need to do is mention the Republicans who on the first day of the President's term had a meeting and decided to do everything they could to stop all progress towards recovery in order to make the President a one term President. A record number of filibusters, 33 votes on the ACA and on and on and NO and NO and NO and this is where we are. At no time in the history of our great country has one party tried so hard to subvert everything that was being done for political purposes. To me the GOP has committed nothing short of treason, plain and simple.
Sure, if we're looking to divest ourselves of this Country. I'm sure Romney could leverage our natural resources to the World Bank for a really fat loan. Then sell off the physical assets, allow the country to go bankrupt and deposit the defaulted loan funds to a Swiss or Cayman bank account. Wouldn't that be the "smart Corporate thing to do"?
Jim in Texas
Be happy to have ALL campaign contributions made public... not just the conservative ones like the Senate tried to do... (so they could still hide union donations)
and we'll put monitors in both campaigns so that we can see which Mid-Eastern countries all those prepaid credit cards that come to Obama are from...
American First - Romney unemployment rate was 4 1/2 for the state and it is hard to create jobs when everyone in your state is working what's left at 4 1/2% adults that can't work due to disability and your welfare queens.
Please tell me when our Clueless leader is ever going to see 4 1/2% unemployment on a national level. You kool aid drinkers would be dancing in the street if BO unemployment rate was 4 1/2%
You are aware of the fact that the unemployment rate will never reach zero? Just checking since your argument on unemployment is bs.
Why don't you mention that job creating was 47% for MA when Mitt start as governor and end at 38% when he left office. I love half-truths from the left.
Why don't you mention that the state was in the red when he was elected and was in the black when he left with a nice raining day fund.
Why don't you mention that he passed a budget every year he was in office and even got a democratic run state like MA to agree on his budget. Mitt knows how to work cross the tqale unlike the current President.
Why do you mention that he finally took charge of the Big Dig and got that disaster completed and stop the fraud by the union contracted companies and political hacks running the Big Dig who wanted to make sure he wasn't reelected for ruining their gravy train, Union and the state cooked political HACKS hate Mitt.
Romney didn't run for reelection when he decide to run for president in 2008 unlike John Kerry who didn't give up his Senate seat when he ran in 2004. Kerry let the taxpayers pay his senate salary while he ran from President.
Why don't you mention that Romney work for free as Governor and didn't take a salary since the state was in the Red when he was elected.
Why don't you mention that his LT Governor was a female since the left likes to claim he doesn't respect women.
Please don't tell me who Mitt Romney is I live in Massachusetts and I would gladly have Mitt back as governor. The state of Massachusetts current governor is a panders to the welfare queens in this state for votes. Deval Patrick just tried to pass a bill letting welfare queens use their ebt cards for vacation, jewelry and bail. I guess jewelry and vacation on the taxpayers dime are now the necessities of life. Deval = Obama lite another pander for votes. Deval also never meet an illegal he didn't like; MA is still supporting both of Obama illegal relatives.
Big Labor is realizing the gravy train is coming to an end. Unions no longer serve the employee, they serve themselves.
depends which union you belong to I guess. The democratic nature of my union can't allow the upper management to do anything the members don't approve of.
Oh sure...next step after that? Abolish minimum wage.
Face it, the Chamber of Commerce Ghouls and the Wall Street Kochsuckers crowd want nothing more than to pay you like 3rd world workers, reduce your benefits like 3rd world workers and give you a 3rd world standard of living under 3rd world working conditions.
They want to pollute as much as they want, outsource as much of the jobs as they can, not be retricted by any safety rules or have any responsibility whatesover for your development as a professional.
Corporate America stopped treating employees as people to be developed and promoted. Now employees are COSTS to be REDUCED, ELIMINATED or AUTOMATED. Wall Stret continues to urinate on the shrinking Middle Class. Disgusting
Wake up America, to Corporate America is now 'people' and People are now widgets to Corporate America. How f-ed up is that.
tell me some more democrat facts.....what has the minimum wage done for this country? I made $1.60 minimum wage when I was a kid.....went down from $3.00 BECAUSE of the minimum wage!
2Lane
Your post is quite funny.
Abolishing minimum wage would actually provide more jobs, not less. Ontop of that it would allow entry level jobs to do what they are suposed to do, provide on the job training so that you can advance your own career and move up in the workforce.
Unions forget that we are all individuals and cater to the lowest commen denominator.
Public sector unions will eventually be a thing of the past in most states. They're too corrupt and allowing them is a huge conflict of interests. People are waking up to this all the time.
A couple years ago the City Council in Santa Fe, New Mexico raised the minimum wage to 10 bucks an hour. My daughter-in-laws father owns several fast food franchises in Santa Fe. Needless to say he was worried that he may have to lay people off and lose business. None of that happened. He raised his prices a few pennies here and a few pennies there, hired more people, and made more money than he had ever made. His customers had more money to spend - see how that works?
Osama is a turd sandwich that is ruining this country. The labor unions are in there between the slices of bread. Osama and the unions are history.
Romney is a thicker turd sandwich that tell you whats on the inside !!!!!!!
release the tax returns dude !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Release Obama's college records dude !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
mullet, you are a shining example of the exemplary intellect of the right wing. You sure have a way with words I really envy.
Unions are paying the democrats protection money for their survival.
Just as Republicans are owned lock stock and barrel by big business.
Sofork - why do you and your republican ilk hate middle class Americans???
I'm Republican and I am middle class America. So I surely don't hate myself. What I hate is paying taxes so that deadbeats can smoke crack all day and pop out more deadbeats. The "war" Libs talk about is coming... but it's not some fictitious 99% vs the ever-demonized 1... it's the taxpaying 51% vs the deadbeats....
Oh, and Oblamo can't blame the poor economy on Romney's tax returns....
I'm also the middle class and a conservative and I'm for ending all welfare - corporate and the democratic welfare queens.
Democrats already had their chance with their Super Majority to pass Card Check and they didn't, they could pass a Public Jobs Works and they didn't, They could pass Banking regulation and they didn't, they could pass Public Option and they didn't, they could pass Equal rights to Civil Unions for homosexuals and they didn't, They Promised all these things and they didn't. Why support the Democratic party? At least the GOP makes good on their campaign promises.
What was the GOP campaign promise they kept?
Was it the jobs, jobs, jobs, the republicans promised in 2010, if they kept their campaign promise then where are the jobs?
All the things the democrats couldn't pass is because the republicans were blocking them and now it is the democrats fault.
You guys spin so hard, it is amazing you can even walk.
Elenore, the Dems never had a super majority in reality. They are a diverse party, not like the lemmings of the right. There have always been, or at least there were, conservative Dems thus they never had a solid consistent 60 votes in the Senate. Also Dems tend to be able to think for themselves and make up their own minds. Quite the opposite of the GOP where if you do not vote as told you will probably lose your choice committee seat or be primaried. It must suck to the a Republican with brains. Then again, anyone with brains should not be a Republican.
Hey, just because Dems can't agree with each other doesn't change the facts... they had 60 votes in the Senate, and used it to ram Obozocare down our throats... without reading it.... talk about the party of drones....
The Party of Mass Destruction has managed to demonize Labor Unions and convinced many- many ignorant people that Union Labor is the big impediment to our economic recovery.
This strategy was brilliantly thought out by the Rovian manipulators. They have managed to turn workers against each other and wounded a big source of funding for the Democratic Party.
Foot soldiers like Walker, Christie, Kasich are doing the dirty work and using their faux populace rhetoric to further confuse the Know Nothings.
What we need is the next Walter Ruether, Jimmy Hoffa to turn this back on the Robber Barons - how about a national transportation strike?
There is no place for a union in the Federal or State government. That just shouldn't happen. It makes it to easy for politicians to give the house away making all these promises to unions with taxpayer money. If a private company wants to have a union more power to them. They are the ones that have to live with the contracts not the taxpayers
openmind Your need to read history first on union's and then your can comment on the union. Your have a closed mind not open.
and if unions are so awesome, why have more then 35,000 union members in Wisconsin left the unions?
Unions are just a giant pyramid scheme, with those at the top making a ton of money. With those at the bottom having no real choice.
Like Obama, the unions really don't require any help.
When the working conditions get bad enough. When wages go down. Benefits become nonexistent. The unions will come back. Stronger and bigger than ever. Mark my words.
when we get to that point Smitty, we will also see a great deal of violence as well !!
Romney's Economic Plan for America
Bobby bo,
The problem we have is a lot of people don't work for unions and they feel unions have no worth or value to them. Little do they know they are wrong.
Your 40hr work week, vacation, equal pay for doing the same job, sick leave, maternity leave and the list goes on.
We can go on all day showing them the facts of how the unions have helped the average worker and they will still tell you you are crazy.
I do not work for a union and I am not part of one, but, I do support them.
I work for a privet corporation and over the past 7 years I've seen the profits of this company grow 30% but every year we get the story of how we made money but didn't make dollars so there will be no raise this year.
WTF? REALLY?
At least with unions I could call BS with my fellow workers, now all I get to do is talk sh!t in the lunch room with the other disgruntled workers, while reading the bulletin board about what a great company this is to work for.
Private Unions I have no problem with but as far as public unions for state employees they have to go. I'm tired of the taxpayer getting screwed while local politicians promise state employees the world so they can get union dollars for their campaigns. When is the taxpayer/homeowner going to have a say at the bargaining table? State employees just like federal employees shouldn't be allow to unionize.
Step 1 - Buy a media company and brain wash the under-educated and uninformed with ongoing talking points and sound bytes.
Step 2 - Buy the supreme court so you can pour unlimited funds into getting your minion elected President.
Step 3 - Have the party in power (that you control) pass legislation that will eliminate environmental regulations, union power, and taxation which have been reducing the profitability of the many companies you control.
Result - Wealth and power beyond anyone's wildest dreams at the expense of the people and the environment that you depend on.
Well done Mr. Murdoch and the Koch's... well done.
all democrat talking points - paid troll or brainwashed.
Spokanebob you have bought the republican con-job. These are not talking points these are the truth.
So which are you paid troll or brainwashed?
Think about it, if you can, the small surcharge to put Americans back to work couldn't be passed because the republicans claimed that the small amount of money would do irreparable harm to the job creators. So no jobs.
But those same millionaires and billionaires have hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars to buy the election and lie to you for the republicans that have promised them forever tax cuts.
I would have to be mighty dumb to think the republicans cared about jobs or America?
Americans first, you are asking way way too much to ask that those on the right actually think. A total impossibility. The GOP public, just like the GOP in Congress simply go the way they are told, no questions asked. Quite embarrassing really.
Obama's accomplishments in a nutshell:
3.5 million less jobs today then the day obama took office. Source: US Govt payroll report
14 million more Americans on food stamps, welfare and public assistance
9 million more Americans on disability today then the day obama took office.
Nearly 6 TRILLION dollars in new debt
When the underemployed and those who have given up, the unemployment is over 16%
Two years of total democrat control of the government and the result 2 trillion dollars in stimulus funding that cost the taxpayer about 5 million dollars for each job added
Crony capitalism, almost 600 billion dollars to Solyandra and other companies that have gone bankrupt.
Obama gives brazil 50 billion dollar grant to produce oil while killing up to 35,000 jobs with the stopping of the pipeline from Canada
Obama gives 100 billion dollars in green energy grants to foreign country's such as the startup company for electric battery for cars in Finland
Nearly 100 million dollars in cost to the taxpayer so Michelle can go to vacations in places like Spain, Thailand and Brazil.
Leaking of secret state secrets that resulted in the death of 12 SEAL TEAM 6 members in an ambush
More rounds of golf in 3 years then any two presidents combined.
The list goes on, but the point is that obama is a failure and does not deserve election
You need to check your "facts" - too much distortion there to even comment. Step 1 in my previous comment above applies here.
But, Obama is working on his goal which is to make all of us "collectively" poor. The poor and the working poor in this country seem to buy into this ridiculous idea of Obama that they, the poor and working poor will be better off if everyone is equally poor. This "feel good" class warfare "tax the rich" crap and everything will be alright is just that, crap. The result will be a weaker nation unable to defend itself and broke. We really cannot afford 4 more years of the Obama administration.
Hogwash.
I question some of what you say, in particular the statement of tax the rich.business. I am a business owner and my brother is a salaried employee for another firm. My net income is almost twice what his net is and my tax liability is substantially less.
Facts? Surely you jest. Since when did facts have any impact on a political argument ~ ~ ~ by either side? When such offerings are made and then challenged, then the subject is changed ~ usually with "....and what about so-in-so doing (fill in the blank)...." as though the sins of one offsets the sins of all. But it is a fun game because one can change the rules without penalty when circumstances warrant.
Spokane:
There you go again with misrepresentation and out right lies. For example you better do a little research on Keystone. The 35K figure you use is a lie in that at best it would be 3500 and mostly Canadian jobs during construction and only a few hundred after construction. On top of that the oil shipped tru the pipeline is going to a free trade zone in Texas where it can be shipped over seas for a higher profit. It will not provide one gallon of gas to the US.
Contracts are already in place to ship the gas over seas. Also, very few if any new jobs will be created at the Texas refineries in that they have qa full staff, and excess capacity to process the crude.
Once again your facts are incorrect. The CBO estimates at least 35,000 jobs during construction which includes workers, suppliers, truckers, food vendors and so on. With somewhere around 4000 permanent jobs once the pipeline is complete. 98% of the pipeline falls within the US so the number of Canadian jobs in the US would be minimal. Once again you fabricate in order to defend your president.
And for sake of argument, lets say your 3500 figure is correct. Thanks obama for denying those 3500 people high paying (in most cases union) jobs. Thanks obama
The oil companies own ad touting the pipeline only says it will create a few hundred jobs. It then goes on to say that jobs like the pipeline and other jobs like it could produce as many as 100,000 jobs.
Then we have the honor of risking our environment for a pipeline that we don't even get any gas out of, but we do get to make the koch brothers richer.
If it is such a good deal let the canadians run the pipeline across their own country. Oh, that right, the canadian value their land and environment and don't want the pipeline in their country.
So lets send it down to America where the republican politicians are already bought by the koch brothers. Imagine my surprise when it came out that it was Romney's first day as president promise to get that pipeline build for the koch brothers.
If you really believe this is about jobs, then our country is in more desperate need of education than I thought.
Spokane bob,
where are you getting your information? To my knowledge the CBO has done no analysis on the Keystone project.
I think you are the one spouting off about something you know nothing about!
(chuckle) Oh sure. Obama has been out bludgening people and disabling them. Geeze Spokane....get out of that eastern washington pig farm much?
Many leftylibdem comments are pure horsepukey, such as the Catepillar distortion - a typical cherry-picked, myopic point of view full of anti-corporate hate and ignorance. The Catepillar story is much more detailed and historic than that dimwits cheap attempt at cheerleading the lemmings.
The bottom-line is: YOU DIDN'T BUILD THAT. What an insult to small business owners, artists, musicians, patent holders - anybody that has individually accomplished anything. And what arrogance - only a faux intellectual liberal would have the limited vision and pompous ego to say in public - "...people who think they're so smart". BO is projecting! BO THINKS he is smarter than everybody else - he's a Haarrrvarrd man, doncha know. Yeah, he got lots of help to catapult him way over his head...some of it illegal, some of it unethical, some of it pure Chicago corruption. Pundits will be talking about that open window into BO's socialist soul in November as the beginning of the end for the Amateur. Note how BO disingenuously attempts to claim it's taken out of context BUT the context is worse for him. Put the pressure on the Deceptor-In-Chief, squeeze the little pencil-necked worm, and watch his true colors come forth, listen to his false narrative of US history, and his community-organizing, socialist manifesto will crystalize like the cocaine he used to snort.
Remember: YOU DIDN'T BUILD THAT.
The best thing that can happen is that the Community Agitator in Chief, AKA Obama is voted out of office. Unions are another story. Unions are responsible for the decline of unions just as much as the other factors that contributed to the decline of unions. Unless you have been exposed to some of the ridiculous demands and have seen some of the tactics unions and their leaders used, you really have no idea of how unions handicapped business with no regard for the long term success of either the employees and or the employer. Yes, in the begining, unions were necessary. But as time went on union leaders went too far.
Some unions work extremely well in protecting workers from exploitation by unscrupulous employers, some not, much like everything else in this world nothing is perfect when you look at the big picture.
Your generalizations and simplistic approach to a complicated system reveals the limitations of your knowledge in this matter and your reliance on being spoon fed the sound bytes you need to formulate an opinion.
You seem to offer no real facts to dispute what I posted. Reason is, what I posted is an accurate account, without going into a multitude of examples and historical facts. I doubt if you have any real knowledge on the subject.
Unions were necessary because industrialists in the 19th century were powerful, arrogant, and corrupt. And the common people became sick of it. Unions and their leaders today have become powerful, arrogant, and corrupt. And the common people are becoming sick of it.
Now on subject. Someone please tell me why there are public unions? I support private unions. But for the life of me I cannot understand why when someone is hired for the city or state or the feds they need a union. Public union employees on average make 36% more than the same worker doing the same job in the private sector and in most cases have a job for life with early retirement. Public sector unions should no longer exist as most people are protected by other laws that prevent retaliation and discrimination.
and the source for your "36%" is?
How many cities in California have to go bankrupt before you understand the facts? Or will the state have to declare bankruptcy for you to understand?
So what exactly do you hope to gain by making most employees minimum wage with no benefits and no retirement?
We could have bunches more people who don't make enough money to pay taxes.
I guess that is why the republicans are planning on raising taxes on the poor because they plan on there being so many more of them.
Then the republicans want to kill women's rights, voting rights, civil rights, health care, EPA, medicare and social security. In no time at all, the republicans will have created an America that looks just like communist China except for the guns.
The NRA wants to take us back to the wild west, where everyone has to carry a machine gun for protection. We could have gun fights and need to wear a bulletproof vest to go to the grocery store. And just get use to it because the NRA says that is the way it is now.
When Sudafed is more controlled than guns and ammo, then we have a problem.
Obama can NOT run on his sorry record!!
[I]f you don't have any fresh ideas, then you use stale tactics to scare the voters. If you don't have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people should run from." That is what Barack Obama said when he accepted his party's presidential nomination in 2008. Four years later, it reads like a prophetic description of his re-election campaign.
See story in washingtonexaminer.com
Small business owners and Labor Unions are the foundation on which the greatest middle class in history is based. GOP policies have been, and continue to be, undermining that foundation. The amazing thing to me is the focus the GOP places on the marginal tax rates for the wealthy when, without a vibrant middle class most small business owners, and many larger corporations as well, lose their consumer client base. Without this base sales decrease and profits go down. Tax rates are the tail wagging the dog. A healthy middle class is THE economic issue.
Increases to employee compensation over the past ten to twenty years have gone to fund health care insurance, which has meant an ongoing drop in purchasing power of middle class workers. Hence the tie between economic prosperity long term for the middle class and the Affordable Care Act. Prior to politics over running the issue after the 2008 election, many in the GOP understood the connection, but the voices of Republican reason have been silenced.
Bluecat55: GOP is NOT undermining the small business owners, it's President Obama and the Dems who are doing that quite well I might add. The fact is that Washington is controlled by Democrats. Democrat President and Democrat Senate and as long as Democrats continue to control this country, we will continue on this same road to nowhere. We can't afford to have another 4 years like the last 4 years.
Nonsense. The Republican Senators have done more fillibusters than any time in history. The Republican Tea Party House is even willing to shut down the government, ruin our credit, and destroy our economy just to keep taxes low for their rich donors. Your comment was just more simplified partisan bs, no response to the actual substance, sad.
You need to read up on fillibusters. The Republicans have only threatened them. If you fillibuster you must hold the floor as long as it takes. No one has fillibustered because the Dems haven't got the guts to call the bluff. Fillibusters have been around for just about as long as we have been a country and how do you suppose all those laws got passed. The Republicans are using the only tool they have in the Senate because Harry won't even attempt to work with the other side. Most times bills from the house will get debated in the Senate and then there will be a vote. Not with Harry. It's his way or the highway. By the way where is any type of reply to any of the house budgets Harry. 3+ years and you still haven't taken care of that job.
The bill has to make it to the floor to filibuster. Why won't Ried bring any bills to the floor? Harry Ried is the biggest problem with the Senate. The Senate is the party of no. When is the Senate going to submit a budget?.
The choice in this election is clear. That being if you like corporate America and think they will do right by you in that they have a moral compass, Romney is your man. But if you are a small business owner or a working stiff and would like to have an acceptable standard of living, Obama is you man.
The reason for my statement is that in the city I live in small business owners and the working stiffs have taken it where the sun don't shine because of Corporate big box stores. They move in and under sell locals until they have to close their doors and lay off all their workers, and then the big boxes raise their prices and hire the layed off workers for half of what they were making before , and give them no benefits.
I have been lucky with my business interests so far, but I fully suspect that at some point in time some corporation will chew me up and spit me out like they have to a lot of my fellow small business friends.
Dumbing of America continues.
You are a lying troll. The Chamber of Congress is 85% for Romney. The Chamber of Congress is nearly 80% small business of less then 500 employes. Business people that are not millionaires are all in favor of dumping obama due to his lack of business knowledge and his attack on small business.
Spokane: I live within 130 miles of Spokane any if any one is a troll you are. First it is not the chamber of congress fool, it is the chamber of commerce.
Also, the chamber of commerce is bough and sold to corporate interest, and how do I know that I because from 1965 thru 1998 was actively involved, but could see where they were headed, and told them to take a flying leap.
Correct it is the Chamber of Commerce. And are you really that stupid. The chamber of commerce is made of individual entities in most of the cities in America. They are independent of each other and have an alliance on the national level. There is not one chamber of commerce anywhere that is "owned or sold to" a corporation as you imply. You are either ignorant or a troll
Chamber of "Congress?" Are you fu*king serious? You wouldn't by any chance be referring to "Chamber of Commerce," are you? Fer chrissakes, don't display your ignorance in a public forum unless you like being laughed at. And try this on ~ the US Chamber of Commerce is and has always been a rightwing shill ~ long before Obama. Even in the best of economic times it rails against government and does so regardless of who is president. I'm sure they love Romney. He is an advocate of their no-regulation, no-tax mentality.
Typical liberal response. Your ignorance and your inability to see a "typo" just shows how bigoted you are. Typos do not change the reality. The Chamber of Commerce represents nearly all of business owners in this country. The people who put idiots like you to work. They hate obama because obama is anti - business. They are independent people that for your limited mind were against Bush for his RINO presidency. So continue to show your limited brain capacity and keep voting for the president that continues to play the class warfare card. Obama one and done.
Jim, "you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink". Wow - maybe it's time to put spokanebob on "ignore" because he clearly wants to argue and has no regard for facts. All he has to do is "factcheck.org" or check out Wikipedia.
There is no secret as to what Romney and his backers want. They are anti-union in all its forms, both private, public, industrial and trade unions. This is a deep seated religious/philosophical dogma to them. Just listen to Romney's New Hampshire speech at the end of the primary season (his four points). Eliminating compulsory union dues is the code for national right to work. Romney's backers want to repeal the Wagner Act of 1935 that recognized the right of workers to organize. These business owners have made a practice of doing all they can to eliminate unions. One of his primary backers spearheaded the vote in Indiana to pass right to work. This is the "small business" that Romney backs - total autonomy from government regulation, taxes and above all freedom from the demands of workers.
If unions are so awesome, why not make it a choice. Just like in Wisconsin where the public unions have lost over 35,000 union members this year, now that they have a choice.
The had a choice - it's called an election - and elections have consequences. Try collecting the "beer money" from your old college buddies and see how far you get. It's a fact of human nature - that's why people have contracts - to keep everyone to their promises.
BS unless you are just plain stupid you can go to another place to work you are not subject to being abused by anyone. Companies are going to do what they have to keep good workers. The only thing the union is good for is protecting the stupid and lazy.
Seriously Bob do some homework. The average teacher salary for 2008-2009 in Wisconsin was $49,051, while the national average was $53,910.
Calling people that disagree with you a "troll" doesn't make you right, it makes you small.
Zee - the wage base in Wisconsin is not the same wage base as in say NY or California. The average wage base for teachers has nothing to do with the fact that when given the chance people will not be union members at all. Given the opportunity in Wisconsin over 35,000 public sector employees have left the union and are doing just fine.
Just look at what has happened over the years that unions have gained a foot hold in education. The quality of education has declined. Coincidence? I think not.
Openmind: do you really think all, most, some employers can be trusted to pay fair wages in a labor market of too many workers competing for too few jobs? Do you think the coal mine owners have learned from their mistakes of the past? Do you want to be the Wal-Mart worker being asked to work "off the clock" or lose your job?
Thanks' to Walker the union are down.
Wm I got an education (paid for by myself) and I have a marketable skill that allows me to offer my talents to the highest bidder. I don't need a union to stand up for me I can do that on my own. And yes if all you want out of life is to ask if you want fries with that you are going to make a minimum wage. If a company doesn't take care of it's good employees they will not last very long. As I stated in the beginning I don't think there is a place for a Union in the public sector. If a private company wants to deal with that it is fine with me. A private company is dealing with it's money the public unions are being paid with taxpayer money and we the taxpayers have no say in it and that's not right
That's fine about the public/private dichotomy, but that's not Romney's goal. He sincerely wants to cripple private sector unions as well, as was done recently in Indiana. The issue is do you and your co-workers have the right to organize to present your "requests" to your employer? Under the Wagner Act you have that right. Prior to that, the employer could fire you, or worse, call the police. Wal-Mart and Target fight very hard to prevent unionizing. They are very profitable companies with very low paid workers. And yes, we get very accustomed to buying cheap stuff from these stores. But that doesn't mean that's the only business model we should pursue.
Glad to see labor finally fighting back against the unfair demonization that has taken place in this country over the last 30 years. No coincidence that the decline in the middle class has occurred during the decline of labor.
So we are just going to ignore Wisconsin, eh Steeler?
No coinicidence related to economic globalization either, right?
SO Steeler - you a member of a union? Of course not.
You should not ignore Wis. Since the Republican gov there took over, cut some of the beifits to save money, more union jobs have been created, the state is returning into the black- things are going quite well for all concerened. Take a lesson from Wis.
Kelldon Wis. is in the red and not black. Please fact check.
Also no coincidence the decline in non-public sector union membership followed the decline in unionized industry and continues to do so..
If the people are conned into supporting a Republican "sweep", then the majority, union and non-union, should be ready for "more of the same", Bush-Cheney style, and the drastic costs and neglect then again passed to the people.
Possibly the voters should forget the issues, not because they aren’t important but because you really can’t trust what is offered. Everything said is just aimed to excite, to manipulate people’s thinking and to use people’s fears and biases to control their emotional responses, much of it being done with deception / dishonesty and all of it for self-serving purposes. Who would deny that it has become a game over who can spend the most money to get their propaganda in front of the people, to saturate people’s minds with their deceptive rhetoric? The results should never be controlled by who can spend the most - that really can’t ever fairly represent the people’s interests.
Take Obamacare as an example. Both sides aggressively pitch their angle with those pushing for repeal, saying it will drastically raise costs, and those touting it’s benefits, advocating it will actually save money. The reality is that the reform is desperately needed and that while fine-tuning Obamacare is reasonable, trusting those who aggressively fought it and now want to repeal it, to then implement something real, is not very realistic.
The Republican / Tea Party has become owned and controlled by “the money” and to now fail to recognize that just leaves us open to being conned and manipulated, as if simply “pawns” to be used for their purposes. The only way to break the strangle-hold “the money” has on the Republican Party, and to regain the Grande Ole Party with a true conscience for the people, is to refuse to be controlled by the mega-millions being spent, by their propaganda saturation and to firmly and totally reject their “puppet” politicians who serve just them, as together they just con the people for their own purposes. This country really can’t take “more of the same”, Bush-Cheney style, that stubbornly placates “the few” and arrogantly takes the majority for granted.
Agree. Not to mention the Republican solution to the economic crisis being austerity which has been proven everywhere else in the world to be a failed strategy.
"Why would they want to adopt a failed strategy" you ask? Because in every strategy there are winners and losers. Guess who comes out on top with an austerity strategy. HINT: Not John Q Public
Many leftylibdem comments are pure horsepukey, such as the Catepillar distortion - a typical cherry-picked, myopic point of view full of anti-corporate hate and ignorance. The Catepillar story is much more detailed and historic than that dimwits cheap attempt at cheerleading the lemmings.
The bottom-line is: YOU DIDN'T BUILD THAT. What an insult to small business owners, artists, musicians, patent holders - anybody that has individually accomplished anything. And what arrogance - only a faux intellectual liberal would have the limited vision and pompous ego to say in public - "...people who think they're so smart". BO is projecting! BO THINKS he is smarter than everybody else - he's a Haarrrvarrd man, doncha know. Yeah, he got lots of help to catapult him way over his head...some of it illegal, some of it unethical, some of it pure Chicago corruption. Pundits will be talking about that open window into BO's socialist soul in November as the beginning of the end for the Amateur. Note how BO disingenuously attempts to claim it's taken out of context BUT the context is worse for him. Put the pressure on the Deceptor-In-Chief, squeeze the little pencil-necked worm, and watch his true colors come forth, listen to his false narrative of US history, and his community-organizing, socialist manifesto will crystalize like the cocaine he used to snort.
Remember: YOU DIDN'T BUILD THAT.
I think Unions should spin less government regulation because with all the government regulations now in the workplace, there really is not a need for unionizing unless you want to bully an employer, but if there was less regulation and smaller government, then unions would be more powerful, I think, because they actually will be doing something the govt is not already doing for the worker.
Hey Dick - Stop crying b**ch. Most Americans don't give a f**k about unions.
Us, working hard Americans, know you thugs are nothing but takers ($) and pawns for the weak Lib party.... Wake up idiot. The game is over. The takers are losing. The makers are coming to take this country back. God Bless America !!!
Nice name calling RCM, always the best defense for someone who has nothing else to offer.
You must be a poor taker.... Get a job lazy !!!
Forget Labor Unions, if the GOP sweeps or gains any more control than they currently have, Every American in the lower 98% should be prepared to be eliminated as expendable. They have no use for you unless you have several zeros behind you.
Trade unions are the reason we had (past tense) the great American middle class. If you pay your workers a living wage (not just the minimum) they will SPEND it. When they buy things, like cars and washing machines, someone has to make them, and here come some more factories and employees, who, if well paid, will spend theirs too.
If unions are busted and workers have only minimum wage to live on they have nothing to spend and the economy suffers. Most of the alleged "job creators" cannot see past the quarterly reports and it is THEY, not the workers, who are destroying our economy.
RAB
This is the economic lesson that the GOP has forgotten. Give the middle class jobs and they will spend which creates more jobs which more people spend.... They think if they give to the top 2%, money will trickle down to the rest in the form of low paying jobs...
Tax it and it will make the world a better place. Income redistribution works and you didn't make that. Democrat mantra.
LOL you need to change your name to Foxbob with talking points like "you didn't make that".
How old are you?
Zee, making everyone the same will not make anyone better. The democrat manta is tax the rich ( they already pay like 93% of the taxes depending on where you make the line of rich and not rich) and redistribute the wealth. How does that inspire a business owner to hire when he knows it will only make him pay more in taxes. We all want to have good paying jobs, and toys and big houses, but if you take away the incentive to succeed you take away the reason for trying. Think about this, back in the 50's and 60's and even the 70's when it was ok to succeed this was the greatest richest country in the history of the world. I am not so sure we are anymore due to the tax and spend politicians ( yes both dems and repubs are guilty). I believe it would be better to get government out of the business of deciding winners and losers.
I don't believe the mantra is "tax the rich". I believe it is "pay your fair share" by eliminating loopholes that enable some to pay a lower percentage rate than others. It's not "socialism", it's balancing the scales.
For example, if everyone pays 30% then $2,000,000 is taxed 600k and $20,000 is taxed 6k - The argument should NOT be as you put it, "the guy who makes $2,000,000 pays more in taxes than the guy who is making $20,000" - that distortion has fooled a lot of people the past 3 years.
On the subject of taxes, my own opinion is that a national consumption tax will eliminate tax cheats throughout the economic spectrum, and also eliminate a $12B federal bureaucracy.
Hmmmm I believe back in the 50's 60's and 70' when this WAS the greatest richest country in the world the so called "rich" were in the 90% tax brackets vs the 35% they now pay.
Mad, we also didn't have nearly the number of social programs and defense spending we have today. You're also forgetting that after the 1940's we had no competition because a large portion of the world was bombed into submission during WWII.
Big Labor does not serve the common man, hasn't since the 1970's. Big labor is also why America has not been able to compete in the global market.
Back in the mid-20th century, the US was an economic & manufacturing dynamo, that all changed as other countries began making the same goods for cheaper & with better quality. One only has to remember all the POS American cars that came out in the 1970's (Pinto, Gremlin, Manta, Mustang II, etc.).
Big Labor exists only for itself; to stuff the pockets of fat cat Union Bosses with $$$. Organized crime has never left the unions & never will as long as corruption exists. Why should the worker on the bottom contribute 20% of their pay into a entity that only enriches its 'top 1%'?
Don't blame the unions for those crappy cars. Blame the CEOs that ran the companies. And no I'm not pro-union.
Can antibiotics cure it?
Don't worry, Romney will be safe, germs can't infect plastic.