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Subscribe to RSSRomney has had a challenging summer so far – as he heads into next week’s convention… And yet he remains well within striking distance of Obama… All eyes on Isaac with three days before the convention… Romney highlights his tenure at Bain Capital in WSJ op-ed… Romney and Ryan stump in Michigan at noon ET… And Romney and the empathy gap.
*** Romney’s challenging summer (so far): Having a hurricane potentially land on your convention sort of sums up what has been a rough summer for Mitt Romney. It began in June, when the presumptive GOP presidential nominee found himself on the defensive dealing with President Obama's immigration announcement and then the SCOTUS decision upholding the federal health-care law. Then came the attacks on Bain Capital, the outsourcing charges, and the questions over the tax returns. The supposedly low-risk overseas trip to Europe and Israel turned into negative headlines. And the week before the GOP convention, the story dominating the political headlines has been about Todd Akin, abortion, and rape. That said, there have been bright spots for the campaign over the past two months: the June jobs report, the fundraising success, and the Paul Ryan pick, which has moved the needle in some battleground states. But for the most part this summer, Romney has been on the defensive -- and he's behind, but only by the narrowest of margins.
The Daily Rundown's Luke Russert talks about the hectic past two months for Mitt Romney and why he needs to place the focus back on the economy during the Republican National Convention.
*** And yet he remains well within striking distance: Right before this month began, we wrote that it was important for Romney to have a successful August; if you’re the challenger, August is typically the month when you want to start pulling ahead. And the month has been set up for Romney to make his move -- with the VP pick and the convention that begins next week. But with one event down (the VP pick) and one to go (the convention), the GOP ticket hasn’t pulled ahead, either nationally or on the map. And yet… Romney remains in the game. We’ll repeat what NBC/WSJ co-pollster Bill McInturff (R) told us earlier this week as our poll showed Obama with a 48%-44% advantage: “When a guy gets stuck at 48%, it doesn’t mean they are out of the clear. It means they are in an incredibly competitive campaign.” What’s more, a top Romney adviser tells First Read that the race has been stable over the past couple of months, but that polling shows Romney -- after the Ryan pick and the welfare attacks on Obama -- has narrowed the gap with the president. So as we head into this fall's baseball pennant races, a baseball analogy might be appropriate: Romney's a couple games back heading into his convention next week.
Meet the Press moderator David Gregory explains why the RNC will give Mitt Romney a chance to change voters' personal opinions of him. Gregory says Romney must "get out ahead of his own image, define himself and take control." The Washington Post's Eugene Robinson joins the conversation about the RNC and says it will be interesting to see if the GOP can keep its focus.
*** All eyes on Isaac: Speaking of the convention, all eyes remain fixed on Isaac. The AP: “Tropical Storm Isaac churned toward the Dominican Republic and Haiti late Thursday, although forecasters said it now appeared less likely to become a hurricane while in the Caribbean. It still posed a potential threat to take a shot at Florida as a hurricane just as the Republicans gather for their national convention.” But at publication time, there was some hope that Isaac could move just west of Tampa. As the Washington Post and New York Times have reported, the roll call formally nominating Romney will take place on Monday instead of the usual Wednesday. (Convention planners say this Monday roll call was announced had been previously announced..) The New York Times’ Zeleny reports: “It is a change in the script from previous conventions, where the formal nomination usually takes place on the second to last night of the convention. It is a formality, and Mr. Romney will still deliver his acceptance speech on Thursday evening, but the change is significant and an effort to keep the convention focused tightly on Mr. Romney… Russ Schriefer, a top strategist for the Romney campaign who is overseeing convention planning, said the roll call vote will be timed for Mr. Romney to formally clinch the nomination when the network news programs begin their broadcasts on Monday evening.”
Evan Vucci / AP
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney speaks during a campaign event at Watson Truck and Supply Aug. 23 in Hobbs, N.M.
*** Romney highlights Bain record: Three days before the convention begins -- and before Romney officially becomes the nominee -- the former Massachusetts governor pens an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal highlighting his business tenure at Bain Capital, which has become a point of contention in this campaign. Citing the successes at Bain Capital, Romney writes, “The lessons I learned over my 15 years at Bain Capital were valuable in helping me turn around the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. They also helped me as governor of Massachusetts to turn a budget deficit into a surplus and reduce our unemployment rate to 4.7%. The lessons from that time would help me as president to fix our economy, create jobs and get things done in Washington.” But the Obama campaign takes issue with the op-ed, arguing that it’s an “attempt at convention re-invention” and that Romney is cherry-picking the Bain record. “[W]e already know that Mitt Romney’s tenure as a corporate buyout specialist was not about creating jobs, it was about creating profits for himself and his investors, no matter the cost to workers, companies, or communities,” an Obama spokesman emails.
*** Romney returns to Michigan: At noon ET, Romney and Ryan hold a joint rally in Commerce, MI. The Detroit News reported earlier this week that this is Romney’s first visit to Michigan in two months -- and the event takes place in Oakland County, a swing part of the state that hasn’t voted Republican in a presidential contest since 1988. Michigan, which is Lean Democrat on NBC’s battleground map, is Romney’s native state. And the visit will draw attention to Romney’s opposition to the auto bailout, as well as Ryan’s vote in favor of it in Dec. 2008.
*** Romney and the empathy gap: As our new NBC/WSJ poll made pretty clear, Romney faces an empathy gap in this election, trailing Obama by 22 points (52%-30%) on which candidate is viewed as better caring about average people. Earlier this week, Romney may have demonstrated this disadvantage when he was talking about student loans and education. “You don't max out their credit card if you will by giving them something that they're having to pay for down the road plus interest. What you do is you make sure that we do not pass on trillions of dollars in debts to the next generation. We live within our means and give them the kind of economic start they deserve." And that followed what a the candidate told a high-school senior in March about rising college costs. “The best thing I can do for you is to tell you to shop around and compare tuition in different places.” But here’s the thing: 60 percent of American students, 12 million a year or so, turn to student loans -- because they can’t afford the price of college. When Romney talks about students maxing “out their credit card” or needing to “shop around,” Romney is ignoring that many deserving and high-achieving students simply can’t afford current costs for college.
*** And be sure to tune in (or set your DVRs): Chuck Todd’s documentary “Mitt Romney: The Making of a Candidate” airs tonight at 10:00 pm ET on MSNBC.
Countdown to GOP convention: 3 days
Countdown to Dem convention: 10 days
Countdown to 1st presidential debate: 40 days
Countdown to VP debate: 48 days
Countdown to 2nd presidential debate: 53 days
Countdown to 3rd presidential debate: 59 days
Countdown to Election Day: 74 days
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let me just put this as simply as possible so as not to offend anyone....
Vote for President Obama this November!
if you are middle class, your life depends on it
Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan are selling some BIG lies about the President via ads, and in-person on the campaign stump around the country:
One is on Medicare - President Obama saved $Billions and used it to expand and strengthen Medicare for seniors, by getting rid of waste and fraud. Seniors do not lose a single dime because of it. (The ACA saves seniors on prescription drugs, will close gives them free preventive care, and is closing the donut hole.) Paul Ryan debuted by lying to unsuspecting seniors across the country about that plan. Meanwhile, Ryan's own Medicare plan will voucherize and end it, costing seniors more in the process.
Another is the RNC centrepiece "we built this" lie, created entirely from comments taken out of context:
When the President was remarking how government funding for roads and bridges helps businesses grow, thrive and hire, he said "The point is, is that when we succeed, we succeed because of our individual initiative, but ALSO because we do things together. There are some things, just like fighting fires, we don't do on our own." Fifteen Romney surrogates went to battleground states with the purpose of lying about this fair and true statement - when over HALF of them have taken government money to build up their firms.
The "welfare/work" lie: A flood of false advertizing accuses this Administration of making changes to the 1996 welfare law. RomneyRyan makes false accusations about "gutting welfare reform and taking away work requirements in the law".
Independent fact-checkers, all kinds of media outlets, forums and newspapers find that the ads are blatantly false.
(Post follows.)
As Labor Day rapidly approaches and the election heats up, let us remember these wise words;
Our campaign is built on volunteers. As then-Senator Obama said in 2008,
Anyone who wants to keep moving this country forwards needs to contact their local OFA office and get moving!
Phone Bank, knock on doors, enter computer data… just do whatever it takes to keep from handing the WH to an arrogant, entitled, man and his pampered wife, who feel it’s THEIR TURN!
We cannot AFFORD to go back to the very same failed policies that drove us to the edge in the first place!
Obama/Biden 2012 - Keeping in the car in (D) rather than (R)
Start off with a handful of dead people voting, a couple of Black Panther types disruptively asking for directions and top that off with Felons for Franken conspiracies and we end up with Election ID rules changing overnight, voting hours restricted, True the Vote hoping to insert 1,000,000 watchdogs in polling stations. Why darn it, this should prove to be the smoothest and fairest election year ever.
Lefty liberals like to think Barry is some kind of foreign policy genius. Today’s WSJ has an excellent editorial pointing out the fallacy of that thought entitled “Obama’s U.N. Friends”. It has long been my opinion that the U.N. is a pretty useless third world dominated debating society with no real authority or power. And two countries that are not America’s friends, China and Russia, hold veto power over every issue that comes before the U.N. This is not a recipe for American foreign policy success.
The editorial points out Barry’s failures in dealing with Iran and trying to stop its work on acquiring an Islamic atomic bomb. It discusses how Barry tried for three years to engage Iran. After that effort failed, he is now trying to isolate them and simultaneously work through the U.N. to continue to try to engage them. Apparently Iran is not as “isolated” as Barry would like American’s to believe. The editorial notes that Tehran is hosting a summit of the 120 countries in the Non-Aligned Movement next week. This organization includes third world sh!tholes such as Cuba, North Korea, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda and Venezuela. The first paragraph of the editorial says it all:
The Obama Administration has based its global security strategy around the United Nations, and these days that faith isn't turning out too well. Russia and China have blocked any "collective security" action in Syria, and now U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has decided to lend his prestige, such as it is, to Iran.
It goes on to note that this moron is going to the meeting in Tehran despite “public requests from the US” and “press reports of a personal plea from Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu” that he not attend the summit.
With “friends” like this……
Barry, you’re doin’ a heck of a job.
Nobama 2012 Really, Things Could Be Worse-
Give Me Four More Years and I’ll Prove It
On the welfare law:
At the request of governors, the President agreed to allow waivers if they could demonstrate they would increase jobs by 20% in their states.
CNN's host Wolf Blitzer confronted Romney surrogate John Sununu about the false ads. He read him the DHHS directive describing the waiver program, as well as letters from GOP governors who requested those waivers from President Obama:
"BLITZER: I'll read to you, governor, the precise language from the Health and Human Services memo outlining what the states who seek this flexibility, and you were once a governor, and I'll read to you what it says. It says the Department of Health and Human Services will only consider approving waivers relating to the work participation requirements that make changes intended to lead to more effective means of meeting the work of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. The secretary will not approve a waiver for an initiative that substantially likely to reduce access for assistance or employment for needy families.
SUNUNU: That's correct.
BLITZER: They're not going to approve anything unless it leads to greater opportunities for moving people from welfare to work.
SUNUNU: Look, to quote the president who signed the bill, it depends on what your definition of access is and expands is and background discussions were. The background discussions talked about broadening it to the point where you soften the hard reality of the work requirement. [...]
BLITZER: I don't know, governor, if you've actually read the letters from the governors' offices from Utah and Nevada, which I have here in front of me.
SUNUNU: I only heard their comments. I have not read their letters.
BLITZER: You should read the letters. Because I've read them in depth. [...] We'll make sure we're precise. on this one, governor, on this — hold on a second. Hold on one second.
On this one it's not just CNN. It's every major fact checking organization out there says he (President Obama) has not — has not gutted, has not gutted by any means the work requirements." (transcript, Travis Waldron)
To see the video: http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/08/22/732101/cnn-host-schools-romney-campaign-chair-over-false-welfare-reform-attacks/
.............................................................................
MSNBC's Chuck Todd spoke to Iowa Governor Terry Branstad (R) on the same topic.
Branstad and Sununu were unable to substantiate Romney's stump lies about the welfare law and President Obama.
These are examples of the massive lies and deceptions that are hurting our country c/o GOP/Koch, Adelson, Rove, Romney and Ryan.
Do we want dishonest, disrespectful individuals like these to represent our country?
The GOP/Koch party has made a MOCKERY of the election process in the United States of America.
Deleted
Yesterday, the first post on the First Thoughts thread was deleted. I don't recall exactly what that post said, but my vague recollection was that it was similar to thoughts that poster had expressed on previous occasions (without penalty), and thoughts that I did not find particularly offensive – at least by left wing standards.
Be that as it may, in the wisdom of the board moderators they determined that those words just had to go. But deleting that lead post also wiped out all the other posts on that thread, including mine. What's up with that? Even assuming the initial post was some egregious violation of the rules around here, why should a hundred or so other posts pay the ultimate price for the presumed sins of one poster? Doesn't make much sense to me.
There were a bunch of comments to my post yesterday, but when I finally had the time to respond to some of them everything was all gone. I really don't get that. One of the few things Miss Feisty and I agree on around here is that collapsing posts is bull$hit. The folks who do that sort of thing (on both sides) are nothing more than low life vigilantes without the skills to marshall coherent counterarguments to points of view with which they disagree. But deleting posts is even worse, and wiping out the material subordinate to the deleted post is worse still.
The moderators might want to rethink their heavy handed approach to these matters. Because every American has the right to say anything he/she damn well pleases and the world should never be denied the opportunity to read the thoughts of Miss Feisty, myself or anyone else. And any reader who freely chooses not to avail themselves of that opportunity need only skip to the next post – with no collapse or deletion necessary.
Mitt Romney is Shrouded In Secrecy
If you can not ask MYTH Romney questions about abortion and Missouri Rep. Todd Akin how can the American public trust him? More importantly, how can Romney/Ryan accuse our President of lack of transpency? How about those tax returns?
Republicans are deaf to the concerns of hurting Americans. When that circus known as the GOP Clown Car takes place in Tampa, more Americans will believe, even more so, President Obama is more focused on job creation than Ryan/Romney and Republicans in Congress. Also Medicare is a big issue.
Who would do a better job handling Medicare?
Medicare
Obama 43%
Romney 27%
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/heading-into-gop-convention-mitt-romney-narrowly-trails-obama-in-polls/2012/08/23/6be54460-ed34-11e1-9ddc-340d5efb1e9c_story.html?wprss=rss_social-nonBlogPolitics-rss
.
I can't wait to see Ron Paul supporters start clowning at the Republican Convention.
They don't have much love for Romney. Then when Queene Ann Romney starts speaking to " you people" trying to garner some votes for her husband's dismal record with women, I'm sure she'll make a gaffe. Of course not only will she be the laughing stock but very disliked as well.
Don't forget Romney needs to talk about tax returns.
For poll watchers, I just wanted to point out a distinction that some of us here have been trying to make for some time. Yesterday, Fox News released their latest poll that--for the General Election--now has Romney at +1 which represents a considerable change from the last poll that had Obama at +9. The reason for this is because as the election nears Fox has decided that it was worth the extra money to sample likely voters as opposed to registered voters as they had been doing up to this point (The reason it costs more to sample likely voters is because you need to poll a greater number of people to achieve a sample size that generates the same statistical significance). You'll notice that there is a full 10 point difference in the poll results. Even discounting the 3-4 point bounce Romney realized by naming Ryan as his VP choice, there is still a full 6 point difference between the registered voter poll and the likely voter poll.
In 2008, folks were swept into voting for an inexperienced candidate because he was "cool". While we are no longer beaten over the head with how cool Obama is, we are constantly told that he is "more liked"- code for cool. Of course, having the "American Idol" winner in office has not, exactly, worked out for the country, but you'd never know it from the media coverage- even Chuck Todd managed to admit that the economy isn't getting quite the coverage it deserved. So, since the media is, still, overwhelmed by Obama's cool factor, here are this week's cool stories
Hey, cool. Obama blows into town, and some "over privileged" people get inconvenienced
http://www.wbtv.com/story/19334757/dnc-expected-to-affect-cancer-patients
Guess if you have stage four colon cancer, it's a small price to pay. You might get a glimpse of the coolest dude ever- or, at least, a few of his acolytes. Not many democrats running for office showing up, and it has been cut down from four days to three due to a seriously uncool lack of funding, but, whatever.
Even cooler- the Obama campaign shows its true colors
http://www.buzzfeed.com/mckaycoppins/obama-volunteer-suggests-anti-mormon-whisper-campa
Seems to me there is an Obama cult member on this board constantly touting this same meme. Says he/she is from Tennessee. Coincidence?
Jay Carney understands cool- but some journalists do not
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2012/08/23/carney_dodges_on_why_obama_talked_more_about_michael_jordan_than_cbo_report.html
Why on earth would the Dude in Chief talk about an uncool subject like the stodgy old CBO economic warning, when he was hanging with Michael Jordan? That kind of thing is so, seriously, uncool, dude.
Stephanie Cutter is cool, too. Cool kids don't know arithmetic-that's for nerds. So, she can say things like Obama created more jobs than Reagan- and not be bothered knowing that, at this point in his presidency, Reagan had created a net of about six million jobs, while Obama is still net negative about a million- with a civilian labor force that has declined to 1981 levels, due to the cool trick of shoving able bodied people out of the labor force against their will and economic best interests. Is economics cool? Not hardly. And, as Barbie once infamously said before having her string yanked for the last time, "math class is hard!".
Also on the "uncool" list of subjects is income decline- not cool, dude! Why would Obama talk about something that is such a bummer?
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-08-23/u-s-incomes-feel-more-in-recovery-sentier-says.html
He will leave such downer topics to his opponents, who will, no doubt, also talk about such nerdy things as the fact that initial claims for unemployment are heading toward 400,000 a week again, that gas is headed toward four bucks a gallon again, and food prices will be through the roof by fall.
Obama knows that it is seriously not cool to dis your good friends- to say nothing of jailing your biggest contributors. Thus, Jon Corzine has his "get out of jail free" card-
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2012/08/23/lawyer_tells_santelli_he_plans_to_pursue_criminal_charges_against_corzine.html
Now, this is only good as long as Obama is in office- the statute of limitations is not cool at all- so I imagine that Obama will do the cool thing and pardon ol'Jonny on his way out the door- in January 2013.
Obama shelved in 2012- cause the cool ain't working.
Bill:
For once, maybe twice, I agree with your post.
Dr. Ron
I have to of woken up in Bizarro world this morning! ;o)
No worries, I won't ask for a *hug* lol
I hate to break it to you...
It's not the moderators deleting these posts, it's "your side"!
PS: On the upside it wiped out the filth the idiot from Albany was advocating! I have seen some nasty @!$%# out of him, but that took the cake!
Enjoy your weekend Bill, always nice to have a pleasant chat with ya!
Maybe it's time to consider renaming "First Read"/"First Thoughts". How about "First Grade"?
Isn't the readership fed up with the collapsing? Yesterday, Chris Dorr, an unabashed supporter of President Obama basically dared the collapse holes to shut down his post. Obliging folks that they are, they did it not once, but a second time after it had been restored. Then, it was deleted.
There was no violation of the Code of Honor. It was not inflammatory, unless cheering for the home team has become inflammatory. No. It was a bunch of First-Graders who decided to be nasty. Not to be outdone, their opponents started shutting down posts.
While I may not agree with many of the posters to the right of center, there are some who attempt to make a reasoned argument to support their position. If you disagree, if it turns your stomach, move on. You needn't collapse the post. If the poster is a complete jerk, the Vine offers an "ignore" feature.
The same is true of the left, and I find myself in disagreement with a number of the extreme positions of the left. I can ignore, I can argue with the poster, I can simply move on.
Collapsing a post doesn't even rise to the level of odious censorship. It is no more and no less that disgusting juvenile behavior. It really has to stop.
Bill, Fairfax VA
Thank you for posting that, and I wholeheartedly agree.
Today we find out Romney uses powerful data mining to find donors. Creepy. A few clues have surfaced concerning Romney's accounts overseas. It seems Bain took advantage of something called "blockers" to avoid taxes. Here's the ABC story:
http://news.yahoo.com/bain-documents-romney-offshore-investments-used-blockers-avoid-185957445--abc-news-topstories.html
Oh yeah, and Romney says Big Business is doing just fine. Sound familiar?
http://news.yahoo.com/mitt-romney-says-big-business-doing-fine-criticizing-021242777--abc-news-politics.html
Bain Documents: Romney Offshore Investments Used 'Blockers' To Avoid Taxes
Mitt Romney's $250 million fortune is largely a black hole: Aside from the meager and vague disclosures he has filed under federal and Massachusetts laws, and the two years of partial tax returns (one filed and another provisional) he has released, there is almost no data on precisely what his vast holdings consist of, or what vehicles he has used to escape taxes on his income. Gawker has obtained a massive cache of confidential financial documents that shed a great deal of light on those finances, and on the tax-dodging tricks available to the hyper-rich that he has used to keep his effective tax rate at roughly 13% over the last decade.
Today, we are publishing more than 950 pages of internal audits, financial statements, and private investor letters for 21 cryptically named entities in which Romney had invested—at minimum—more than $10 million as of 2011 (that number is based on the low end of ranges he has disclosed—the true number is almost certainly significantly higher). Almost all of them are affiliated with Bain Capital, the secretive private equity firm Romney co-founded in 1984 and ran until his departure in 1999 (or 2002, depending on whom you ask). Many of them are offshore funds based in the Cayman Islands.
Together, they reveal the mind-numbing, maze-like, and deeply opaque complexity with which Romney has handled his wealth, the exotic tax-avoidance schemes available only to the preposterously wealthy that benefit him, the unlikely (for a right-wing religious Mormon) places that his money has ended up, and the deeply hypocritical distance between his own criticisms of Obama's fiscal approach and his money managers' embrace of those same policies. They also show that some of the investments that Romney has always described as part of his retirement package at Bain weren't made until years after he left the company.
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/bain-documents-romney-offshore-investments-blockers-avoid-taxes/story?id=17067015#.UDeY56PN103
========================================================================
Hey "MYTH" this why US is going broke!!! Your tax avoidanc has driven our economy into a ditch.
4 more 4 44
Obama/Biden 2012
Bill in Fairfax,
The comment had been collapsed and restored twice before it was deleted.
No worries – When the new Newsvine software is released the collapsing featured will no longer exists.
It's a sad day. Lance Armstrong is apparently "guilty" because he no longer wanted a part in the witch hunt against him.
If you are stupid vote for Willard; and screw everyone but the rich.
Obama/Biden 2012
It's beyond ridiculous!
These ass-wipes also took out an entire excellent conversation amongst Bill & others!
I might not have agreed with Bill's thoughts, but he laid out a sound conversation!
Scary thought is, if these juvenile delinquents can't play by the rules on a political discussion board, imagine how they behave in every day life!
NO ONE DESERVES TO BE CENSORED!
...and he's behind, but only by the narrowest of margins.
It depends on whose polls you believe. In all polls though, he's clearly trending in the right direction.
David Walker: Your comments are spot-on. Even liberals and conservatives recognize the current FR system is broken.
As Dennis indicated, a new system is on the way.
Well, looks like this post will be deleted also, it is the exact same message from yesterday (which was deleted).
Get out the vote!
Obama/Biden 2012
A good Friday to one and all.
After calling the United States President various names, Mitt Romney surrogate John Sununu (caught out by Blitzer above) also told Fox: "no surprise on why he failed so miserably over the last four years, in terms of job creation." 18K Pinocchios!!!! No truth to that statement.
1. President Obama created 4.5 million jobs in 37 months - since the official end of this recession.
2. President Bush created 1.1 million jobs over the same time period, following the end of a much milder recession.
So which Administration created more jobs & at a faster pace? By far, President Obama.
John Sununu is either too ignorant for office, or more likely lying for breakfast, lunch and dinner - just like his RomneyRyan colleagues. What a rotten travesty for America these guys are!
Unfortunately, the First Amendment doesn't apply on private websites. They can censor what they wish without any legal recourse.
Fox News host: Cutting the defense budget is a 'sin'
http://www.examiner.com/article/fox-news-host-cutting-the-defense-budget-is-a-sin
==================================================================
When did FOX NEWS become a religious channeel? Futhermore, Republicans in Congress have apparently decided to stall legislation and “put off striking deals on major legislative issues” like deficit reduction in hopes that Romney wins the White House. Republican leader Rep. Jim Jordan even said that some Republicans were willing to see major fiscal decisions postponed until next year, because they are bullish about Mr. Romney winning.
In fact, with buy-in from the Romney campaign, Congressional Republicans have laid out month-long plans “in painstaking detail” that attack the President on defense cuts rather than attempting to find a solution. As Politico notes, “the main goal” of these attacks is “to boost the party’s prospects on Election Day.”
http://www.barackobama.com/truth-team/sequestration-and-national-security-what-you-need-to-know?source=om2012_RR_G_sequestration-search-us_core_sq4&omtype=ofa&subsource=mkwid|4RXRh28j|kw|sequestration|matchtype|b|pcrid|15806079013|pl||&gclid=COusoayBgLICFUlgMgodXWkAGA
4 more 4 44
Obama/Biden 2012
“[W]e already know that Mitt Romney’s tenure as a corporate buyout specialist was not about creating jobs, it was about creating profits for himself and his investors, no matter the cost to workers, companies, or communities...”
What we "already know" is that these pathetic claims by the Obama campaign were debunked weeks ago.
There are two (2) types of people in the Republican Party. The rich and those who think if they vote Republican the rich will give them something. The old trickle down effect, right? WRONG. These guys didn't get rich, and stay rich, by giving anthing to anyone especially the "unwashed class", the poor. A vote for these robber barons is only a vote for the riches 99%.
Is that what you want? I hope not.
OBAMA IN 2012.
Xaber- I confess to being completely confused by the entire Armstrong witch hunt.
It is my understanding that he is accused of using a performance enhancing drug- testosterone- but the fact of the matters that he needs to take that medicinally as a result of testicular cancer.
Is there any sense at all in this organization?
PS: On the upside it wiped out the filth the idiot from Albany was advocating! I have seen some nasty @!$%# out of him, but that took the cake!
______________________________________
Being called "nasty" by the Nasty DumbFux is quite the compliment!!!!
Have a nasty day, Betty.
Fool's Gold
...and he's behind, but only by the narrowest of margins.
It depends on whose polls you believe. In all polls though, he's clearly trending in the right direction.
Fool, that would be toward the most extreme right wing Tea Bangers and GOP.
4 MORE 44
Obama/Biden 2012
Hi, I'm a Republican and I'm Voting for President Obama for the next Four (yes!4) more years, because I don't want a Tax Evader, or a possible Felon, or a Working-Men's Pension Fund Thief, in the White House as my "Outsourcer and Chief".
Mitt Romney and his Republican "Puppet-Masters" are already planning, and definitely are going to Destroy the Middle-Class.
If I was a Policeman, or a Fireman. or a Teacher, or a Federal Employee, or an American Woman, or from the Latino or Gay community, or a Person of Color, or a still yet Undecided Voter, I would definitely Vote a straight Democratic ticket, come this November 2010.
I don't want somebody who uses the EXCUSE of "RETIRING RETROACTIVELY" from Bain Capital so he can pocket a couple more Million dollars as CEO, even though he said he wasn't CEO, at that time.
His AVOIDING Felony Charges by declaring he "RETIRED RETROACTIVELY" from Bain Capital, is something you and I can't do, but the Mitt Romneys of the world and his 1% Percenters feel it's their "birth-right" and they are above the Law.
That is wrong!
And might I add,
Not very Manly.
I have yet to see ANY proof whatsoever. They have no positive tests from him, just coerced verbal and written testimony from people they've also hounded (then made deals with), but no physical proof. It makes me sick to my stomach. Now the USADA is going to try and strip him of his seven Tour titles, of which they do not have the authority to do so. It's disgusting.
Obama – Biden 2012 - Still Cleaning up Bush’s Mess!!!
4 more for 44!
Obama 2012/Romney 1040
A few weeks ago the polls had Obama up by 8 points, and the liberals were just giddy with excitement. But now they show Obama even or down slightly. What is most interesting about the current polls is how poorly Obama is doing among Independents, which were the ones that pushed him over the top in 2008. Obama has also spent over 120 million this summer, and yet his campaign does not appear to be resonating with voters. When you campaigned on hope and change and now 46% of likely voters say the country is worse off or 26% say it remains the same, that is a problem for Obama. I guess when Obama is only allowing interviews about his favorite ice cream or what super power he would like to have, the likely voters are seeing someone completely out of touch.
I totally agree with Bill on the post-collapsing issue. I don't usually agree with Bill but, unlike some "first graders" on this forum, I respect his well-thought-out reasoned points. Part of why I come here is to read both sides of an issue.
I am glad the feature will be disabled. If I don't like a poster's attitude, I just hit the ignore button.
Perfect example of the deleting/collapsing/penalizing happened to me on Wednesday. Moderator Sally gave me a 24 hour vacation for nothing more than posting "Gary you are a sheep" as a first sentence in response to another poster. At the same time, another guy/gal was given a "vacation" for ending his post with the word "fool" in reference to who he/she was responding to. Sometimes it does get a little too black and white with no gray.
Ron, hi my friend.
I have had a post deleted. After enquiring into it, I received at least two emails about it from the moderators. One explained that nothing in my comment had broken any rules.
The comment was restored.
no joe, no bo, nj
The problem is that even though it would have been medicinal, it still would have enhanced his performance and unfairly so to the detriment of other competitors.
BTW, thumbs up for spelling cool correctly 16 times.
First Read says this about Romney, "That said, there have been bright spots for the campaign over the past two months: the June jobs report..."
How can anyone consider the less than stellar jobs report, one that highlights the difficulties of getting out of the mess we have been trending towards for 30+ years, since Reagan began the trickle down approach, and consider that something for Romney to celebrate? Is it because he is so wealthy that none of this affects him or his wealth? Does Romney really celebrate peoples' struggles?
He never tested positive though. There was one test in 1999 where a lab claimed to have found trace amounts of EPO, but after an investigation the lab's practices were put in serious doubt. Nothing really since then if I remember correctly.
Amen Holly!
It appears however, there are some trolls who rather than use that "marvelous" feature, enjoy hunting in packs targeting certain posters...
Says more about them than who they target!
blackcatwhitecat
You are so right and if the Liberal do this, it will be the only way that they will win.
Maybe Tropical Storm Isaac is God's punishment for Mitt Romney's many lies.
Bcwc- huh? The other competitors have the same substance in their bodies- naturally. A doctor would not prescribe an amount that was more than his body would naturally produce- any more than a doctor would over-prescribe synthroid for someone whose thyroid had been removed.
None of the blood tests performed as a result of this witch hunt showed an over abundance of testosterone- so there is your proof.
This action was instigated by a jealous rival- it seems that an allegation is proof, until you can prove a negative.
Disgraceful.
wow...a grown up discussion. how pleasant.
Bill...I don't agree with any of your positions. I have most of the right wing posters on ignore, just because it's easier for me considering the longevity of my attendance here. sanity, self preservation...that sort of thing. Ron's response prompted me to look. I really appreciate what you had to say.
I have not been trying to dare anyone to collapse my comments, although I knew with pretty good certainty it would be...based on experience.
today....I tried to make my thought as unoffensive as possible. took what little edge I was using and dropped it. It will be interesting to see if this thread even makes it through the first hour; unlike yesterday.
Hope everyone reading has a safe and great weekend.
Why is nothing Barry's fault?
no joe, no bo, nj
No, in 2008 some voted for Obama because they agreed with him and some because the Republican Party came out with John Bush McSame and Sarah Failin Palin.
In 2012, buyer's remorse set in.
Let me make this as simple as possible.
Vote for Romney/Ryan.
America depends on it.
.
Backhouse
Not only that, but the Republicons are going to have a whole at the Hate-a-Palooza with "Yes, we did build that" as it's theme. Since the corporate media is going to protect the Repubs with their false equivalency campaign and go after Democrats no matter what, maybe the Democrats should have an entire day with the theme "We don't like to fire people the way Mitt does". Or perhaps, "No Mitt, corporations are NOT people. And neither are fertilized eggs."
Lefty liberals like to think Barry is some kind of foreign policy genius.
They base this on the killing of Bin Laden which is matter of national security, not foreign policy. To buy into this narrative, you need to be sufficiently ignorant as to be incapable of making that distinction. Given that the action itself was based on intelligence gathered by the previous administration and the fact that the military actually carried it out, characterizing Obama's giving of the "kill" order as a foreign policy coup is nothing short of ludicrous. My 6-year old son would have given the same order without hesitation; as it was, Obama didn't get it right until his third try.
Romneys had a bad summer? Why because people like FiSt Read don't agree that Bain WAS a sucessful company period, Or that the outsourcing charges WERE false, Or that tax returns are only important if he's a republican (what about Kerry's), Or the sucessful foreign trip was made to look bad because he would not answer questions to an obnoxious press (corpse). But Obama's was excellent right?, rising unemployment over 8% for EVER, enemic job growth, an IDIOT for a VP, a president who has done nothing for the last 2 years, no BUDGET ever, 40% increase in food stamps, fund raiser after fund raiser, no path for America, but yeah I get it, Romney had a bad summer. BS!
no joe, no bo, nj
Hey, cool. Obama blows into town, and some "over privileged" people get inconvenienced
http://www.wbtv.com/story/19334757/dnc-expected-to-affect-cancer-patients
Guess if you have stage four colon cancer, it's a small price to pay. You might get a glimpse of the coolest dude ever- or, at least, a few of his acolytes. Not many democrats running for office showing up, and it has been cut down from four days to three due to a seriously uncool lack of funding, but, whatever.
Even cooler- the Obama campaign shows its true colors
================================================================
It's not cool when Queen Ann Romney has overcome her cancer because she has insurance. Yet her royal husband wants to repeal healthcare for millions.
You of all people should never, ever, talk about showing true colors. Your posts always perceive the dark side. You are worst than the fictional vampire on The serial Dark Shadows. all doom and gloom. I bet you have on everything black; black panties, black slip black dress, and black shoes
4 MORE 44
Obama/Biden 2012
Snookie,
You'll excuse us if we don't take "medical advice" from someone who believes being raped stops ovulation! lol
Chris,
You're missing the point.
WHY should YOU have to alter your thoughts because they offend the "fee-fee's" of a few?
Happy Friday! Some terrific posts to end the week.
Backhouse, Wolfe Blitzer gets a big cheer for smacking down Sununu; and Chuck Todd, too, for cornering both Branstad and Sununu.
Fairfax Bill, as others said, I agree with your comment about the collapse-a-thon. My guess is that after the second time the thread was collapsed, the moderators just decided to end the game playing. In case you haven't noticed, the first thread gets collapsed when it is a liberal poster which means some right-wingers are determined to silence the left. I doubt the collapsers are regular First Readers and they obviously aren't bright bulbs because they collapse all the conservatives posts along with it.
Dennis, that's good news about the coming changes. It's overdue.
Backhouse
That is the most toxic of all Romney's lies. It's clearly intended to bring out the white racist voting bloc, which is apparently crucial to a Romney victory. That and preventing black people from voting.
Didn't Romney (as governor) actually request the same waiver to unemployment that Obama implemented?
PS: Here's a fun little something
Fool, that would be toward the most extreme right wing Tea Bangers and GOP.
Beverly:
Believe it or not, I actually understand you're comment for a change. Apparently you missed this:
In all polls though, he's clearly trending in the right direction.
GOP looks at Women as second class citizens, Voters face a clear choice "OBAMA 2012"
Bah, apparently I cannot link yet:
[DOT]politify[DOT]com/election/national
Then click on 'Personal' if you want an estimate to your own personal income changes based on the candidate.
Again with First Read hammering on the "empathy gap".
Unlike the First Read cheerleaders, intelligent people understand that the American electorate would rather vote for a results-driven candidate who will get them out of their pain than a candidate who will empathize with their never-ending pain that his own policies extend.
Beverly in Chicago - Going to be a warm weekend how many Democrats are going to kill each other this weekend? How many school children will Die over this school year in your Democrat utopia? Oh yeah, probably more now that the teacher strike is just around the corner. Democrats are wonderful?
I appreciate that Red. I didn't miss the point and my "thoughts" have only grown stronger for support of our President. I just thought I'd try a slightly different approach and analyze the outcome.
What is the OFA office...Oh F*ck, AGAIN?!?!?
Q22 You are right Except the "Buyers Remorse" was in 2012. The Teas are out to destroy the GOP & the USA.
Patriotic American U.S.A. -Why are there 1 million less women working ounder Obama?
Well, this truly is "Opposite Friday." Bill and Feisty agree that deleting posts just because you disagree with the content is wrong. (The Moderators ban really bad posters, thus deleting their comments, but Moderators aren't in the business of deleting posts by people in good standing; that is accomplished by multiple flags by the "community.")
No Jo and I also agree: leave Lance Armstrong alone! The man never failed a drug test, the authorities are just harassing him on the basis of hearsay. It's clear he won those races. Give Armstrong back his medals!
Brad Cantor-617271
You noticed that too, eh? The First Read reporters are pretty cold-blooded sometimes.
The Republicans are not only celebrating people's struggles, they intentionally did everything in their power to slow down the economic recovery so that they could win back the Congress and White House. Several former Republican congressman openly admitted as much to the author of The New New Deal, a book that recently came out.
Xabre & NoJo
The ADA laid charges against Armstrong after 2009 and 2010 blood and urine tests.
Q22,
In regards to your 1.46 post, no where did I suggest that Obama does not have a hand in where we find ourselves today. But, I'm sure we would disagree as to where we each believe his responsibility lies. What I was saying is that our economic situation didn't just happen over night; it has been building up to this because of our stuuborn "faithfulness to trickle down economics". It doesn't work, but every President since Reagan, continues to practice the failed policy. The one exception to this were the Clinton years, and we all know what happened to job creation during that period of our history. While Obama has tried the "bottom up" approach, he has been blocked at each and every turn by the Right, who has sworn to destroy Obama by destroying our Country.
I find the fact that this is a success that Romney can celebrate offensive.
I posted something similar to this yesterday, but it was part of the "collapse-athon".
Paul Ryan's Fantasyland Budget
Paul Ryan is known as a Conservative “fiscal hawk” who created a "serious" budget proposal that makes hard choices about reducing the deficit. This “marvelous” budget has made him a Tea-Party favorite and led to his nomination as Mitt Romney’s running mate.
That “fiscal hawk” stuff couldn't be further from the truth, based on his Congressional voting record, and for a supposed "policy wonk" his math skills and logic leave something to be desired.
Let’s do the math:
The Ryan Budget has a long, detailed list of tax cuts - lower top-tier tax rates and corporate tax rates; eliminate taxes on capital gains, estates, interest and dividends. The nonpartisan Tax Policy Center calculates that these specified tax cuts will reduce tax revenue by $4.3 trillion over the next 10 years.
Not to worry, though - Ryan claims these tax cuts will be made revenue-neutral by closing unspecified loopholes!
In this same 10-year period the Ryan Budget contains specified spending cuts of around $1 trillion. Medicaid funding is reduced by $800 billion, food stamps by $130 billion, and Pell grants to college students are reduced.
Ryan's budget also includes $700 billion in Medicaid savings from the ACA – the same $700 billion the Romney attack ads accuse President Obama of cutting - because Ryan claims they were in the "baseline". So now we are up to $1.7 trillion in spending cuts.
So the Ryan Budget specifies $4.3 trillion in revenue reductions and $1.7 trillion in spending cuts for a total deficit increase of $2.5 trillion – and this does not even include the proposed increase in military spending!
Don’t get upset, though – because the Ryan Budget also includes "secret" tax reforms and "super-secret" spending cuts that will magically transform this $2.5 trillion deficit increase into a deficit reduction.
So that's the Ryan Budget formula - reduce taxes on the wealthy, change Medicare into a voucher system, cut spending on lower-income families and college students….
……sprinkle with magic pixie dust, alter the rules of mathematics, and ABRACADABRA – Deficit Reduction!
Bill in Fairfax disputed this analysis yesterday, linking a CBO report he claimed proved the veracity of Ryan's claims.
Unfortunately (for him) the CBO report he cited used Ryan's numbers for the 10-year period I analyzed, so a report using Ryan's Revenue and Spending numbers for 2012-2022 as a baseline for future years (2023-2050) does nothing to enhance the legitimacy of these numbers.
Paul Ryan - The Deficit? I Built That!
Xabre, send a note to the Vine people asking them to upgrade you from newbie status. Sometimes they forget. ;-)
Mike in SA
Oh, Romney will get results all right, just like he did when he ran Bain -- results for his investors, which in the current context are the crazy billionaires like Sheldon Adelson that are financing his campaign. They'll walk away with more money in their pockets even if Romney has to drive the country into bankruptcy to do it, the way Bain did to many of the victims of its takeovers.
Q22
In 2012, buyer's remorse set in.
Wanna Bet?
Poll: Romney-Ryan plan to reshape Medicare deeply unpopular in Florida
By The New York Times, Herald-Tribune
/ Thursday, August 23, 2012
The Romney-Ryan proposal to reshape Medicare by giving future beneficiaries fixed amounts of money to buy health coverage is deeply unpopular in Florida, Ohio and Wisconsin, according to new polls that found that more likely voters in each state trust President Obama to handle Medicare.
http://politics.heraldtribune.com/2012/08/23/poll-romney-ryan-plan-to-reshape-medicare-deeply-unpopular-in-florida/
===============================================
Note well those are swing states.
4 more 4 44
Obama/Biden 2012
Texas t, Why don't you just go get ready for an attack by the UN.
geo, because of Congress, PS - It's Under, not Ounder !!!!!!!!!!!
Patriotic American U.S.A. - Do you mean the all Democrat congress from 2006 - 2010 ? Sorry about the misspelling I went to a public school!
Shouldn't the headline read Obama within Striking Distance after Challenging Summer?
Analysis of election factors points to Romney win, University of Colorado study says
http://www.colorado.edu/news/releases/2012/08/22/analysis-election-factors-points-romney-win-university-colorado-study-says
Fool's Gold
make this easy for us and show us where in Bain's mission statement does it show that the company's mission is to create jobs.
Bain specializes in private equity, venture capital, credit, and public market investments.
Bain Capital — like other private equity firms — was founded and managed for profit - not to create jobs.
Q22
If it has, why is Romney having such a hard time with Republicans, and moderates? His numbers should be through the roof if that's the case, yet, the Republican Party has to rush and nominate him behind Ron Paul's back!
Republicans don't like Romney, they will vote for him because that's all they got.
Why should any taxpayer care more about how Romney spends his money than how Odumbo spend ours? I don't think any do.
It's just these handouter libtards/turds grasping in their desperation for something that might slow this Romney freight train from obliterating their POS potus and causing them to find jobs. The thought of having to work for a living has made them paranoid and antagonized. Don't worry so much. Working for a living isn't so bad as you think. It will be good for you. People might even respect your opinions a little, even though, if you remain a libtard after being a taxpayer, they will still question your intelligence.
A taxpayer voting for Odumbo would be like a chicken voting for Col. Sanders
Striking Distance? Really? Seriously?
NBC did you not read your earlier reporting that said the battleground states were looking more favorable to the President? Or that the polls look more like mid-October numbers than August? Which also favored the front-runner, who is Barack Obama?
Did some corporate executive come down and order you to reverse course?
Man, some people.
The Red White and Blue He-Man Woman-Haters party is toast. The new hypocrisy party has flipped it's last flop and told it's last lie. It's over. It's done, so stick a fork in it.
America was fooled in 2010. Remember? JOBS JOBS JOBS. Where are they?
Let's look at the record shall we?
1. No jobs.
2. Credit rating downgraded because of GOP shennanigans.
3. They have voucher plan for Medicare.
4. They want to raise middle class taxes so the rich can have more tax breaks.
5. Their candidate won't release his tax returns.
6. Their OTHER candidate wants the government to control a woman's reproductive rights.
7. Their chosen one pays 13% in taxes on his hundreds of millions of dollars he hides off-shore.
Man, the hits just keep coming and you think these guys have a chance? That they are within striking distance?
Hell, we havn't even used the best stuff yet. Check the numbers after God's hurricane sweeps over them in Tampa. Smite them o Lord!
And just wait until after the Democrat Convention and the President's REAL campaign begins. He's going to make Sherman's march to the sea look like the Easter Parade.
Striking distance, gimme a break.
Obama/Biden 2012
bayllie - Why does any company go into buisness? Name me one for-profit business that expects to lose money? If this is such a bad idea, why don't all the Democrats and there union buddies start creating buisnesses, and just give all the money to the employees? Because that buisness would look like solyndra!
geo-1957883
Beverly in Chicago - Going to be a warm weekend how many Democrats are going to kill each other this weekend? How many school children will Die over this school year in your Democrat utopia? Oh yeah, probably more now that the teacher strike is just around the corner. Democrats are wonderful?
How many right wing nut jobs will there be killing and threatening mass murder?
New Hampshire Sheriff Candidate Says He Would Use Deadly Force To Stop Abortions
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2012/08/23/733481/szabo-abortion/
Texas Judge Suggests He Will Join ‘Civil Unrest, Civil Disobedience, Civil War Maybe’ If Obama Is Reelected
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2012/08/22/726471/texas-judge-suggests-he-will-join-civil-unrest-civil-disobedience-civil-war-maybe-if-obama-is-reelected/
FYI: Chicago isn't the only place where violence occurs.
Several people shot outside Empire State Building
http://www.suntimes.com/14695601-761/several-people-shot-outside-empire-state-building.html
And the teachers aren't going on strike.
Less than a week before the Republican convention begins, the race for the White House is a virtual tie. According to a Fox News poll of likely voters, the Mitt Romney-Paul Ryan ticket receives the backing of 45 percent, while the Barack Obama-Joe Biden ticket garners 44 percent.
What happened to that 9 point Obama lead, he had a few days ago?
geo-1957883
No one claims that Bain was/is not successful - we all know it is. We just disagree with Romney's definition of his role at Bain. He says he was a job creator, yet he was not. He claims he did not have anything to do with companies like Ampad, yet he did. He claims he was not the CEO of Bain between 1999-2002,yet the only way he could prove that is by showing his tax returns which he will not.
Romney/Bain's objective was to achieve an annual rate of return on invested capital in excess of the returns generated by other investments. Any job creation was accidental - a byproduct.
It's like saying banks are in the business of creating jobs because they lend money. So every CEO of every bank should say "I'm a job creator" or should he/she say my objective is to lend money to make money???
John -
Why did you not include the "rest of the story"...
The model does not predict Romney's electoral votes, only President Obama's, and assumes Romney gets the rest. It also states a lot depends on how voters view the economy, and that 50/50 states may swing either way. The economic data is from several months ago, and will be updated closer to the election.
So after all this chest-thumping by the Republicans, another detailed statistic model that says the race is too close to call at this point - which we all knew anyway!
Paul Ryan - The Defict? I Built That!
Mitt Romney - "Big Business is doing fine..."
no joe, no bo, nj
In 2008, folks were swept into voting for an inexperienced candidate because he was "cool". While we are no longer beaten over the head with how cool Obama is, we are constantly told that he is "more liked"- code for cool.
In 2008 AMERICANS ELECTED PRESIDENT OBAMA IN A LANDSLIDE ELECTION.
The reason why is many things.
The previous administration FU&ked up every thing that we gained from 1988 till 2009 i mean everything. unemployment was held in check for years, we had a good 10 year run of low inflation and steady job gains, the housing markets were great and our standing in the world was outstanding.
Now No Jo i know you hate the president, the only reason i can get to is that he is BLACK!!!!!! had nothing to do with him being a Democrat. you say he was inexperienced, but if you look over the years he is just as experienced for the job as Bill Clinton, Reagan, GWB, Carter, Johnson, Kennedy. so again you are showing hate because he is black.
we have gained 3.7 million job since April 2009 and that is not good enough for your old ass, we have ended a very unpopular war and winding down a real Fu&ked war and that is no good enough for your old ass, he saved the auto industry so we would not be dependent on foreign out makers taking jobs away, but that not good enough for your old ass, he passed tax credit for new hires, tax cuts for Small businesses but again not good enough for your old ass.
so i guess your telling us you voted for John McCain and Sarah palin because if you did, you did it because you hate the guy because he is black!!!!
Now i guess your going to vote for Mitt Romney, a guy who will not release tax returns(the same requirement Obama, Clinton, Bush, Reagan and even his father complied with) , explain how he will create all these jobs, despite the fact his business record is all about gutting businesses selling them off. his energy plan will ruin our air, with coal plants more oil drilling on federal land that teddy Roosevelt set aside for future generations 100 years ago, i don't know what up with you no jo.
your generation the 60s same as my uncles who had to fight in Vietnam and wage student demonstration because you know what was going on was wrong, would be ashamed of your ass.
what had happened to you.
he passed HCR and in a personal note, how is you grand child, who will never be denied heath care because of HCR, but if Romney is elected that all goes away!!! those reforms will go in the toilet and your son or daughter will be bankrupt trying to provide simple heath care, but that not good enough for your old ass!!!!
i can go on and on and in addition you remember when Roe-wade became law, I'm sure you had friend who had to get a illegal abortion, if Romney is elected that will go away even if there is a rape or incest, god forbid that ever happens but are you ready for that!!!!
No jo as you show us the Pure hate for a man who has only done what the American people have asked, provide heath care reform, get us out of those 2 wars we don't have any money for, and keep our enviorment clean.
but that not good enough for your old ass!!!!
SO please tell us No Jo what is good enough. Romney!! if you say yes, they you need to go to the mental hospital, because your crazy, old and crazy!!!!
Beverly in Chicago - How about we meet for a drink at the city were I was born, Harvey IL, another Democrat city ruined. Would you like to meet there and see what Democrats do to their cities?
I like Romney's campaign ad's I just LMAO, he's quite the comedian. We all no what a person say's and what they do is too different things, I do agree on his stance on Welfare, but I don't see him making an effort to stop Welfare to the RICH and the Oil companies.
Talk about putting all of your eggs in one basket.. lmao!
Oh well, you have to have something to cling to for some much needed comfort!
geo-1957883
you are having a hard time understanding that making money DOES NOT equal to creating jobs. I did not ask you to prove to me that Bain made money. I asked you to prove to me that Bain's objective was to create jobs which you will no be able to do because that proof does not exist.
Harley Chic
and that's where I stopped reading....hahahahahaha...according to Fox News...hahahahha
let me just put this as simply as possible so as not to offend anyone....
Vote for President Obama this November!
if you are middle class, your life depends on it
Based on Historical performance, my life depends on voting for anybody but President Obama. His policies do not seem to be allowing my lower middle class existence to move up. In fact, everything he has done has made costs increase. Medical insurance cost more now than it did 4 years ago, explain how that helps the middle class. Gas prices are 400% higher than before he was elected. Food prices have gone up.
Sure, President Obama can blame Bush for the mess of the economy, but the last four years are owned by President Obama.
I do not understand how the June jobs report can be seen as a bright spot. That wording really bothers me for soem reason.
TNSEVOL --
Snooki Jo forgets the righties have enacted many right to work laws.
Those LAWS lower the wages for EVERYONE.
@Feisty...Obama/Biden 2012 - Keeping in the car in (D) rather than (R)
Yes we need a (D)epression instead of just a (R)ecession
It would be nice if those RepubliCON Superpacs spending millions of dollars on negative ads to defeat our President would put those millions in the economy and get up off those J-0-B-S.
4 more years
Obama/Biden 2012
Don't carry it all - Re: Data Mining
I don't recall that you or your liberal sister Feisty were too cocerned about Hussein's data mining. What gives? Oh, maybe
PMSNBC didn't report on that.Vote for Obama? Your life depends on it?
It's not a matter of life or death, rather a matter of returning to the once great Nation that we were at one time OR becoming a third world country with a dictator which is exactly the agenda of Barrack Obama. PERIOD....... Like 'Rush" said, he's not worried about Obama for 4 more years as much as he is about the Morons that are determined to vote for him. How true...
Harley, You can't go by the fox BS report, that's a dog & pony show !!!!!!!!!!!
I do not understand how the June jobs report can be seen as a bright spot.
Akeem,
I think that they mean it's a bright spot for the Romney campaign. I didn't care for this comment as well as it comes off as snarky.
benramz2
hahha, because rising medical costs is something brand new?
it has been happening forever. Here is a chart. Page 2.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/assets/documents/Health_Insurance_Premium_Report.pdf
Please notice how premiums went from $6,438 in 2000 to $12,680 in 2008 for family premium. That's DOUBLE. But yeah, that's Obama's fault.
Those were dropped iirc.
Akeem, New Jersey
What's bad for the country is good for the Republicans and Romney. It's a "Springtime for Hitler, Winter for Poland and France" sort of thing.
kkwilson
You are quoting Limbaugh? The pill-popping drug addict, arrested for prescription fraud case who thinks that you need to take a birth control pill EVERY TIME you have sex? You are quoting a hypocrite who went "doctor shopping," (illegally deceiving multiple doctors to receive overlapping prescriptions), to defraud about 2,000 painkillers, prescribed by four doctors in six months? You're quoting that idiot as your legit source?
Colorado Man -- I'm concerned about POLITICIANS or ANY ENTITY in general using DATA MINING. BIG DATA MINING BUSINESSES have become to powerful.
Why do they need to know what we buy? Or how much money we have in the bank?
Are you trying to be cute with the PMS or was that a typo???
chris, dorr...
HAHAHAHAHAHA...just another MSNBC goon. What happened? Did FR go on vacation and you had to take over for a few days?
NoJO, if you are referring to me - I am from Tennessee, born here, lived here all my life (have traveled extensively across our great nation and in other countries), have a business degree, and work every day - and yes I'm gonna talk to every Evangelical Christian and SBC member that I know about Mitt being a Mormon - it matters because in the south we have been fed with a constant spoon about how evil the Mormons are and if they change stance now it is going to mean that everything else they taught is is also incorrect, true? Plus, how great of a Christian can you really be if you are really happy about anyone being out of work, without healthcare, or the basic necessities of life? To me this goes against everything they taught us at David Lipscomb (now a univeristy but was a college when I went there) and if they change positions just for the money then those big churches and the SBC have really "got some splainin to do Lucy" (Lucy and Dezi)! One thing I am so thankful for, all my life I've been taught the Bible. In my Holy Bible life in the womb is referred to when the child quickens (usually about 4 to 5 months if my children were any indicitation), the wealthy will not get to heaven, and you should never treat a wealthy person better than anyone else. I live it, I believe it, and see no reason to ever vote for anyone who believes in trickle down or supports the 1%. For me and those who come from our house - no republican vote, not now, not ever, not in any election.
Backhouse how many net jobs did he create? Unemployment 8.3 and rising. CBO warning anyone listening?
bayllie - What buisness is in it to create jobs? jobs are a byproduct of, you can say it profit. Bain capital helped create jobs period, and money for it's investors. Stop demonizing buisness! How many jobs has Obama created? In his personal life? And how many during his presidency, - 1 million. Who would make a better president to get us out of this mess? A guy who is absolutely clueless (Obama) and has had government help his whole life, or a guy who has been in buisness? Thats the whole point!
There seem to be many mis-informed people here today about each side's policies and stances. Sad day when someone actually believes the information posted here and makes their decision based on false information. I appreciate those that actually use facts to back up statements and provide documentation, but there are many that are just spouting the talking points of their party affiliation. Number manipulation, name calling, and false accusations are going to ruin this country (worse than it already is) as they are fanning the flames of hate and division. Last I checked we were the United States, not divided. Respect other's opinions and accept that sometimes you are not always correct.
It takes a stronger person to admit when they are wrong, I will vote for whoever admits they made the mistakes and accepts the consequences. Our current president and the incumbent have both suffered massive failures/lies, but the one that can "man-up" and accept responsibility for his mistakes will be the one that gets my vote and has the greater ethical responsibility despite previous shortcomings.
a challenging summer?
Well, Mitt the Vulture didn't have to face that, but he asked for it! And soon after November 6, he will go back to his old Vulture Self.
BTW Colorado Man -- Care to provide me with a link? From the article I read this morning it said no politician has used data mining to the extent that Romney has.
correction to my original post to you: should be too not to.
This Country is divided exactly in Half on Issues by voters.
Predict their will be another "Recount" of votes after the Nov. 2012 Election.
It is very hard to beat an Incumbent President.
More smoke screen from a media attempting to deflect attention from the real issue (the economy, stupid) with a lot of minor issues and non-issues.....like a hurricane at the convention is going to change anybody's vote????
Isaac is Hebrew for Laughter
Mother Nature (vis a vis the Weather folks) has a wonderful sense of irony, no?
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutnames.shtml
No I understood the context, I just do not understand why it was written. I would understand that comment being written by a poster in the comments but not by First Read. Though I do know Mitt wants to tout the idea that the economy is failing to win the election, I don't think he wishes harm on the country. (The man has a lot of money a good job's report makes him even more).
The wording just really didn't seem well to me. It seemed like an attempt to insert a subliminal punch. I feel if First Read wishes to make a comment of that nature they should be out right with it. I have seen them throw these "subliminal" blows before but this one really bothered me, I was glad when I went back and looked over the comments others felt the same.
Patriotic, I would only take the Rassmussin Poll as accurate. They were the ones who called the last presidential election the closest.
1) Those who believe 2012 presidential race is about Democrats vs. Republicans are truly the saddest and most poorly informed of creatures.
2) As a former democrat now turned independent , it is clear to me Obama is not a Democrat. In point of fact, he presides over this hallowed office as a closet Marxist determined to turn America into a socialist hell.
History provides compelling proof that Obama's brand of socialism promised prosperity, equality, and security, but has only delivered poverty, misery, and tyranny. Historically, equality was achieved only in the sense that everyone was equal in his or her misery!
3)Obama has increased our national debt by well over 5trillion dollars in just 3 ½ short years. That is $4.24 billion per day increased debt! This is more debt than was accumulated by all U.S. presidents from George Washington through Bill Clinton combined and is destined to destroy the future of every household in America, end of story!
4)Here is the greatest irony. It is the middle class and poorer Americans who will literally be casted into utter economic despair as a function of Obama's policies.
5) Anyone with even a scintilla of intellectual acumen need only glimpse at the impact "Obama style socialism" has had in Europe to bear witness to America's future under Obama. On the verge of defaulting on government debts, people are living under crushing austerity measures. Countless jobs have been wiped out; the official unemployment rate is 15-21%. Salaries have been cut to the bone. Pensions and health benefits have been slashed. Tourism industry is a shambles. Tens of thousands of workers have taken to the streets to protest a problem they thought they'd never see in their lifetime!
In picturesque plazas, beggars outnumber tourists and protesters outnumber beggars. In front of Parliament, riot police stand watch to protect big spending socialist lawmakers from angry mobs!
6) It is this kind of chaos that lies in wait should Obama be reelected! Even if clear thinking Americans unseat him, the damage he has done will require an austerity pill and a good dose of Cod liver oil to ease the pain!
7) I will close with just one more tidbit of intelligence that may come as a shock to many. I recently visited with retired U.S. Army officer who now serves in US Security Program think tank. He advised me that that Obama administration is quietly preparing for “ widespread civil
violence and massive unrest that is expected once the economy comes crashing down.
This is expected to occur in Obama’s second term, if he were to be reelected and is anticipated to be a direct result of reckless and massive deficit spending inherent in current administration policy.
He went on to say even if Republicans compromise and allow Obama to increase the tax on those earning over $250,000 per year, the increase would only generate around $42 billion in additional revenue which is a drop in the bucket in the face of Obama’s trillion plus dollar deficit.
Creek Dog,
Obama thinks he is the 44th President. Lets look at the facts:
Inaugural Address of Barack Obama; January 20, 2009
My fellow citizens:
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.
Lets count them:
President
1st Term
2nd Term
3rd Term
4th Term
1. George Washington
1789
1793
2. John Adams
1797
3. Thomas Jefferson
1801
1805
4. James Madison
1809
1813
5. James Monroe
1817
1821
6. John Quincy Adams
1825
7. Andrew Jackson
1829
1833
8. Martin Van Buren
1837
9. William Henry Harrison
1841
10. James Polk
1845
11. Zachary Taylor
1849
12. Franklin Pierce
1853
13. James Buchanan
1857
14. Abraham Lincoln
1861
1865
15. Ulysses S. Grant
1869
1873
16. Rutherford B. Hayes
1877
17. James A. Garfield
1881
18. Grover Cleveland
1885
1893
19. Benjamin Harrison
1889
20. William McKinley
1897
1901
21. Theodore Roosevelt
1905
22. William Howard Taft
1909
23. Woodrow Wilson
1913
1917
24. Warren G. Harding
1921
25. Calvin Coolidge
1925
26. Herbert Hoover
1929
27. Franklin D. Roosevelt
1933
1937
1941
1945
28. Harry S. Truman
1949
29. Dwight D. Eisenhower
1953
1957
30. John F. Kennedy
1961
31. Lyndon Baines Johnson
1965
32. Richard Milhous Nixon
1969
1973
33. Jimmy Carter
1977
34. Ronald Reagan
1981
1985
35. George Bush
1989
36. William Clinton
1993
1997
37. George W. Bush
2001
2005
38. Barack Obama
Wow, 44 doesn't equal 38 people.
geo-1957883
but that's the point for crying out loud: Romney is saying he's a JOB CREATOR; Owners of businesses don't go around saying I"M A JOB CREATOR. They say I own/run a business. And they will tell you that they are in it to make money. And no one is disputing that or putting it down - that's the definition of business.
You take credit for something that is a direct result of your short-term and long-term decisions. If your-short-term or long-term decisions were based on making money, then that's your objective.
When I buy a car, I make my decision based on what is going to benefit ME directly, and not based on buying what car is going to create the most jobs.
and it also is responsible for laying people off, shutting down plants, offshoring jobs - and that was a direct result of Romney/Bain's decisions. But you and Romney don't want to talk about that.
Tell me, what is more likely at Bain:
We will make decision A because it will make us B amount of money?
or
We will make decision A because it will create B number of jobs?
What you are failing to understand that Bain is not this special job creator. It's an investment company like there are many. Again, Bank lend money every day. Bank may pick safer investments but safer investments tend to have smaller returns.
But for the millionth time, show me one decision -ONE - that Romney made as a CEO that proves that Romney's decisions were based on creating jobs. PLEASE SHOW ME.
BTW, AIG made decisions to make money - how did they do with job creation? Lehman Brothers made decisions to increase their bottom line - how interested were they in job creation? I can go on but you cannot seem to understand a simple concept that profit does not automatically equal job creation.
Oh bull@!$%#. It's jingoists like you who make me sick to my stomach. First of all, the Wall Street Journal is a CONSERVATIVE post; try using a more moderate one, like maybe CNN. Secondly, the U.N is the best international organization that the world has yet to come up with. Instead of blowing up each other's capitals, we negotiate and pass resolutions democratically. And I am @!$%#ing tired of people saying that the U.N. is anti-American; it's about damn time someone stands up to us and tells us not to invade some goddamn country. It's about damn time the world decides that it will not tolerate America as an imperial power and decides to stand up to our war hawk leaders. I am tired of this nation going overseas and fighting and wasting precious lives and treasure for idiotic reasons. Thank God for the U.N; at least they have the balls to tell America to play by the rules.
Yet Iran is on the brink of economic collapse. In case you haven't read any news articles, the Iranian people are being pressured by high inflation and food shortages. Obama has tightened sanctions more than anybody else (even that war hawk Dubya); and by the way, if you want to deal with Iran seriously, you HAVE to get China and Russia on your side; Russia supplies Iran with weapons, while China is a major purchaser of their oil. Take them out of the equation, and Iran will be all alone. Not everything in foreign policy is bully and invade.
So apparently working together to solve problems isn't working?? I guess we ought to go back and invade countries by ourselves and deal with cluster@!$%#s all alone!! I guess we forgot about how that blew up in our face in Iraq. We cannot keep going it alone; if we want to remain a superpower (and be respected and liked by the rest of the world), we have to work with other countries; that's how we do it in America (or at least how we used to do it before the GOP went radical).
OBAMA BIDEN 2012
NO TO NEOCONS AND WAR HAWKS 2012
Geo-1957, Fiesty, Bev, you and myself could all meet in Dolton, Il and have that same conversation about Democratic supremacy in government. Only Hiroshima and Nagasaki went down faster than Dolton did after the switch from Republican to Democrat!
Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, Brooke Brower and the rest of the media bias that constantly try to show 300000 of more unemployment fillers are good news or 14 % of unemployed among African Americans are good news. Now a tie Obama Romney is also good news. Good news is going to be when Obama leave the White House too, well see who will laugh in November . LOL
From the NY Times...
Big Income Losses for Those Near Retirement
By CATHERINE RAMPELL
Americans nearing retirement age have suffered disproportionately after the financial crisis: along with the declining value of their homes, which were intended to cushion their final years, their incomes have fallen sharply.
The typical household income for people age 55 to 64 years old is almost 10 percent less in today’s dollars than it was when the recovery officially began three years ago, according to a new report from Sentier Research, a data analysis company that specializes in demographic and income data.
Yea and you morons want another 4 years of "recovery"...
STOP lying to yourself this administration is a disaster!!
The middle class can't afford 4 more!!
Yes, despite the best efforts of the media to sabotage Romney's campaign with selective reporting and outright deceit, Romeny is surging ahead of the most incompetent person ever elected President. Thankfully that will be corrected in November.
NOBAMA 2012!
.
Welcome USA
Tell that to Bush 41 and Bush 43.
Obama/Biden The Un-Bush hahaha
Welcome - He was wrong. He was the 43rd American to take the oath. Your list skipped those who finished incomplete terms, but did not get elected afterwards ... Tyler, Arthur, Fillmore, Johnson (after Lincoln), and Ford. They took the oath, too. Cleveland did not serve consecutive terms, so he got 2 numbers. He took the oath twice, but was still the same American.
@ NEVADANS
Nevada has:
12% unemployment
Home value have dropped by 30% OF 1997 home prices
Food prices have skyrocketed.
Nevada cannot take 4 more years of HIS HOPE & CHANGE
I pray to God daily that he saves us from these two evil rich men and their design for America's rich corporations and businesses.
And let me put it as simply as possible without regard for who I may offend.....
Romney is far from the best choice. But if you believe that Obama has been anything but an absolute failure and a disaster, you are blind, retarded, or you've spent the last few years drunk.
4 more years of Obama will be the end of this country.
What stiking Distance. The only thing Romney wants to strike are woman's right and the middle class. Othere than this the guy doesn't have a leg to stand on---
Hence Strike Him Out!
Spencer, if you actually believe that, I'm not sure ven then you would be justified in insulting people, but clearly at least half of the country disagrees with you, and we all love our country too.
Backhouse (Post #1.1 and #1.5)
Hmmmm, OK, I’ll play.
Exactly how much has Barrack Hussein saved in health care’s waste, fraud, abuse and corruption (WFAC)?
I’m just curious because as recently as December of 2011 exiting Director of CMS, Donald Berwick, admitted that between 20%-30% of our health care dollar is lost to WFAC. His estimate is between $150 billion-$250 billion is lost annually. He also mentioned that these abuses have been going on for decades. Basically, ever since LBJ created this massive transfer of wealth, and it IS wealth redistribution, we have had increasing WFAC.
So, what has Barrack Hussein done in the past 8 months to fix this massive example of government incompetence and dysfunction? An amount and how much will be fine.
Just asking.
See, now here is another example of the convoluted irrational thinking that Liberals/Progressives live under. You think government creates commerce and its supporting infrastructure.
Let me ask you a simple question. Did our government just start building a massive highway system anticipating its need in the future or did it create the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1921 as a result of Henry Fords and others entrepreneurs creating a demand for paved roads? By 1921 there were over 10 million cars on the roads. The government did nothing spectacular. It simply responded to a demand.
Did the government just start building airports in anticipation of someone inventing a flying machine in 1903?
The reason we build new roads and bridges is because of demand created by commerce. Commerce is created by the private sector, by entrepreneurs, by visionaries. No one paves a stretch of dirt roads 10 miles from a populated area hoping someone will come along and build a new mall or subdivision in the future.
You Libbies can crow about how wonderful our government is all you want. The reality is, if it wasn’t for the genius of entrepreneurs and the private sector creating commerce most of our government wouldn’t be needed.
Yes, we DID build it!
The Welfare Law has a provision called Section 407. This sets our limitations on how long you can be on welfare and the requirements. It requires that you have to work to receive welfare. When the TANF law was written in 1996, they were concerned that this could be watered down in the future. To prevent this they added, in Section 407, that it could not be waived by the executive branch. Only Congress, via legislation could alter it. This is called “checks and balances”.
So, Barrack Hussein decides he doesn’t like this restriction so he circumvents it by using Section 402, which mentions Section 402, to claim the authority to ignore that part of the statute in Section 407. By his own paper he says he will issue approvals of policies that involve “definition of work activities and engagement, specific limitations, verification procedures and the calculation of participation rates.”
Basically he’s saying he can use one part of the law to do what he can’t due under a different part of the law, even though that past of the law doesn’t allow him to do that.
This is just another abuse of executive fiat by Barrack Hussein to pander to a voting base ne needs.
It's also interesting what the new rules define work as. Bed rest, reading, one hour of job search per month,,,ROTFLMAO, you can't make this stuff up!
Or can you?
This is exactly why we need to remove Barrack Hussein from office in November. His trampling on the Constitution in the name of fairness or it’s the right thing to do is a mockery of his alleged Constitutional knowledge. But then again, you can’t expect much more from someone who doesn’t accept that our Constitution is a “Charter of Negative Liberties.”
Romney/Ryan 2012 for real Americans.
clwyd: "from these two evil rich men and their design for America's rich corporations"
You're going to have to be more specific that that
fenderbluesjr - My cousin was forced out after the Black Plague invaded ie Democrats, ruined another once proud city.
JimSpence
We are all Americans.
We all love our country.
Anyone who suggests differently doesn't believe in democracy.
Watch these two clips (click the links), especially the second one, where Debbie Wasserman lies and then admits that she doesn't care if she lies and that it "doesn't matter" if she lies in campaigning for Mr. Obama
It is fun watching Debbie Wasserman admit that she doesn't care if she and Mr. Obama lie and misquote in order to make a point. It tells you everything you need to know about the Obama campaign. They lied to you before, they are lying now and they will lie to you again, as long as it serves their purpose of trying to dupe voters into voting for Mr. Obama..
Why vote for a man who uses someone who admits that she "doesn't care" and it "doesn't matter' if she lies to try and get your vote?
You simply can not trust anything Team Obama says when they openly admit that they will lie to you and "it doesn't matter" if they do.
END THE LIES IN NOV., VOTE ROMNEY/RYAN.
PS. Mr Obama should call for the immediate resignation of Debbie Wasserman, unless he sanctions lying in his campaign
spencer...it's obvious from your comment you don't give a rats @ss about your fellow man. I doubt you even respect yourself.
first, I'm not blind
second, I'm not retarded
third, I'm a recovering alcoholic and haven't drank in over 20 years...and you're an @sshole!
President Obama is by far the best choice in this election. He certainly isn't perfect, but he's never said he was. He is not a disaster as you claim like chicken little. He saved us from a disaster!
Fortunately, for our country, there are just a little more than 50% of the country that disagrees with you and our vote will save this country from the "end of the world" team of robmehood and lyin.
simple enough for you spenc? are you offended? tough $hit!
Thurston Howell III/Eddie Munster 2012!!! (For a bleaker tomorrow!)
WelcomeUSA [#1.125 - Fri Aug 24, 2012 12:25 PM EDT]
Your "facts" are WRONG. Obama IS the 44th President. [Only 43 men have served as president -- Grover Cleveland served two different terms; with Benjamin Harrison in between them.]
Before you try to mock Obama's Inaugural Address, educate yourself. I think he knows a bit more American presidential history than you do.
jock59801
OH GOOD GOD!!!!!!
When will you limp-wristed Libbies understand. WE ARE NOT A DEMCRACY!
We are a FEDERAL CONSTITUTIONAL REPUBLIC with a REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY.
The Representative Democracy just means we have periodic free elections.
I'll let you go relearn your basic civics regarding the difference between a Republic and a Democracy. If you really love our country you'll stop this incessant psychobabble about Liberalism/Progressivism and realize the genius our Framers created when they authored our Constitution.
Try to keep up Spanky.
Romney/Ryan 2012 for real Americans
Oops, sorry. I made an error in my post above #1.139
So, Barrack Hussein decides he doesn’t like this restriction so he circumvents it by using Section 402, which mentions Section 402, to claim the authority to ignore that part of the statute in Section 407.
Should read ,,,
So, Barrack Hussein decides he doesn’t like this restriction so he circumvents it by using Section 402, which mentions Section 407, to claim the authority to ignore that part of the statute in Section 407.
My bad.
Romney/Ryan 2012 for real Americans
Romney lost me when he responded to O'bamas immigration disaster by doubling down with pandering of his own. It doesnt matter who gets in, America is going to crash. As far as I am concerned, it may as well be under Democrat rule.
The debt and deficit? Republicans BUILT THAT!
why does romney get excess play on my home page?
Well, he did cut $716 billion from provider payments in Medicare, but I wouldn't necessarily call that removing waste until we have some definite numbers.
Okay, first of all, much of the waste in healthcare is in the private sector, although there is a significant amount in Medicare and Medicaid. Not to mention the fact that up to 20% of every dollar given to private insurers is wasted on administrative costs, compared to 4% for Medicare. Secondly, what is your beef with the social safety net??? Are you tired of the "holy job creators" having to pay for programs that keep people from being poor and prevent poverty from going up to Great Depression levels??? Wealth redistribution is not inherently bad; the modern system prevents the rich from developing an aristocracy while leaving those at the bottom of the ladder to beg. And during that time of redistribution (1940s-1970s), the middle class prospered and income inequality shrank. But over the past 30 years, wealth has been sucked from the poor to the rich via regressive tax cuts and deregulation. And putting in a bloody flat tax or "fair tax" and gutting the social safety net would only increase the redistribution of wealth to the rich.
Well, the healthcare law is on track to hopefully bend the cost curve for rising healthcare expenses, although I doubt it will eliminate the increases altogether. So I would have to say about $716 billion in Medicare savings.
No, government doesn't create commerce; however, it creates the infrastructure and the regulatory framework to support and sustain commerce.
Actually, the main part of America's infrastructure (the interstate highway system) was developed under President Eisenhower, in part to serve economic needs and (indirectly) to better prepare the nation militarily.
And did entrepreneurs who made important inventions just go to the market and sell them at once??? No, they filed a patent with the Patent Office (an example of how government SUPPORTS commerce).
Of course; but your statement proves how government SUPPORTS commerce, for without infrastructure and regulations the "free market" would collapse like it did in the 1929. But commerce is also created by the consumer, as they are the engine of economic growth. Without consumer demand for things like cars and telephones, Alexander Graham Bell and Henry Ford wouldn't be as famous as they are today.
Yet without the government, much of the economy would collapse. Without regulations, workers could be laboring away in unsafe conditions with low pay and harsh hours. Without patents, many of America's greatest entrepreneurs wouldn't be as famous as they are today, as other people would rip off their products. Without financial regulators, large financial institutions would make risky bets and grow too large, leading to periodic bank runs and financial crises on the scale and scope of the Great Depression and the Great Recession.
Yes we did. Unfortunately, if you would just understand that the commerce thing plays both ways; without commerce, the government wouldn't be needed; but without the government, commerce would collapse due to unchecked externalities created by the private sector.
OBAMA BIDEN 2012
did you see the news week cover.even they think obama should go
So why is the Governor of the fourth most liberal state in the union who suddenly became a right winger who picked a guy who wants to keep grandma from having health care having trouble? Amazing. lol Why is there even a debate about this? If you love your grandma vote for Obama. see?, the truth only takes a few words.
bipolar echo:
WRONG! Do a little investigating before you spout misinformation!
In an in-house interview yesterday, Newsweek executive editor Justine Rosenthal said Ferguson's controversial and heavily criticized cover story about President Obama was an opinion piece and did not reflect the opinions of Newsweek.
"This is not the opinion of Newsweek, this is the opinion of Niall Ferguson," Rosenthal said.
Geo-1957, Yeah I know what you mean,but I didn't want to go there. Harvey was segregated when my mom was a little girl in the depression. Everyone was in the same boat and got along fine and they all pulled out of tough times together. As a boy I saw "The Harlem Globetrotters" at Thornton High School, my sister saw "The Supremes" there too. The Blue Top Tavern served the first pizza in the south suburbs, Geno's Steak House, I can still taste Burnetti's Pizza on Halstead on the Calumet River. We can just say the idea of a Liberal Democrat controlled government is about entitlement. Oh we gotta take care of these people and raise the bar for those people. But their socialistic arrogance forbids them from thinking that these people can take care of themselves with minimal support given the chance. To get back on topic though the President leading the polls in any way is a disaster for America. And to emphasize our points, there is a Gov. web site that is called,"Stimulus By States", in it it details how Stimulus money was delegated to towns and cities across America. For instance Riverdale got money to demolish the grain silo's off 144th st. Gary,Ind. got a half a billion part of which was to demo and rebuild it Gov't housing,more police to contain it,uniforms, sqaud cars,training,badges,gas for the cars,etc.,a total waste of money. But Dolton got nothing, not that they deserved anything anyway,they never applied for it? They, the democrat's in charge, either missed the deadline to file for the Stimulus $$,didn't realize they had to do it, or were just incompetent. Can't blame President Bush for everything kid's you got to stand and deliver! ROMNEY/RYAN '12 JAN 20 13 THE END OF AN ERROR!
Freshieee," Well,the healthcare law is on track to "hopefully" bend the cost curve for rising healthcare expenses". Well it isn't, I take my elderly parent's to their Dr a few times a month. Changes in Medicare's billing system required the Doctors office to revamp to a new Gov. online billing system. They were notified 2 months ago that the new system would be in effect. The Dr would be a fool not to adhere to the changes if he intended to get paid. The dr's office submitted bills under the new Obama guidlines and none of the payments were going through. The Dr called in a computer tech to see what was wrong with his computer system. He found out that the Gov billing system was not set up to recieve it, and that the Fed made 2 unnotified changes to the system! So Obama defers payment to fudge the books til after the election! We can't afford another, "HOPE-fully", he's got to go! ROMNEY/RYAN '12
fenderbluesjr - I'll never forget going to the Thornton American Legion on friday nights for the frog legs, listen to live music and havin a great time. My mom used to work at Aurelios in Homewood, actually she started in 1959 when the place first opened, used to love going there and stuffing my face till I could not possibly take another bite. The way America used to be, how sad people like fiesty and bev and the morons can not understand what being a Democrat does to people and cities, total destruction. So sad.
you mean campaign funds spent campaigning doesn't help the economy? Yeah that $750 mil that the President spent to get elected would have helped too.
I don't think there could possibly be any undecided voters left out there but following is a quote from one of my favorite authors that came out before the last election. It's pretty funny but also incredibly astute.
OBAMA/BIDEN 2012!
If Romney's effort to buy the election prove successful, how long will it be before the second civil war starts?
One thing you can always count on is the Republicans are always leading in the polls. No matter how poorly they are doing. Obama/Biden 2012 & 16
Interesting change of tone for the libs - now we are pleading for support and voluntary action. Hmmm starting to wake up from your dream world?
Chris, Dorr...
I think you are still drunk!
.
Not meaning to hijack the topic of thread #2, but was Romney taken out of context in his speech about big business?
Here’s what Romney said at a fundraiser yesterday: “Big business is doing fine in many places. They get the loans they need, they can deal with all the regulation. They know how to find ways to get through the tax code, save money by putting various things in the places where there are low tax havens around the world for their businesses.”
This guy is speaking the truth big business is doing fine, sounds a bit like Obama's truthful take on the private sector. Will the conservatives and right leaning posters call out Mitt with the same outrage as they did the President? Will they complain that Mitt hates business?
The interesting thing about it is that Romney doesn't even try to hide his agenda. He knows that big business is making money and keeping more of it with their manipulations of the tax schemes. So why do they need more tax cuts? He overtly and proudly proclaims that outsourcing jobs to the world is the way to go. How patriotic of him to care less about American jobs, so long as Big business' greed is sated.
With no fear he says what his policies are toward repealing the ACA, slashing entitlements, cutting spending, weakening regulations and increasing tax cuts. Not a shade of moderation is seen in his rhetoric or policy plans yet he is still within striking distance. Millions will still vote for this man.
God help us.
This November the Silent Majority is going to run the Poverty Pimp food stamp President and his Ilk out of the White house and Senate, The Demwits are not going to know what even hit them, People are not stupid enough to think that this country is going to keep the gravy train in full gear, The people need Jobs, Food stamps don't buy gas, Pay for House and Car payments or take your children to Disney World.
Tired of Excuses? Lets give the Business people a chance, We have nothing to Lose.
Romney/Ryan2012
I'm sorry to say this but I think Paul Ryan looks like Adolf Hitlers son !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nice post, Yellowdog.
Funny how the right wingers who harped on Obama over that comment are silent today.
Yellowdog-Mark D
That's the first I've heard about that. The Republicans successfully misrepresented Obama's similar remark and the media bought it hook, line, and sinker. Most of the media will probably ignore the irony of Romney saying essentially the same thing.
Yellowdog Mark, terrific post. I had not heard that astounding Romney comment. Thanks for posting it and your words ring true, "God help us" if Romney wins.
yellowdog,
Yes, Romney is clear that big business, which both candidates say are doing fine , still need more tax cuts, less regulations.
God does not help the stupid as seen in the motivation of a Romney supporter USCitizen reply to your post.
the contrast between your post and his speaks volumes.
jody,
Romney's remarks were said at his fundraiser here in MN at the tony Lafayette Club.
It is one of the most exclusive country clubs in the Twin Cities.
U S citizen-What is the point of calling the President of the USA "Poverty Pimp food stamp President" ?I think that sounds racist, and immature.
I thought people were having a good discussion this morning.
Let's give the Business people a chance? What does that mean? Really? Take IBM that is outsourcing all American jobs down to 20% of total workforce? Why for profit?
In an economic crisis, why do people put down others that have had to sign up for welfare and food stamps, maybe for the first time in their lives? Is this compassionate conservationism?
There is no working with Oblamer, He has divided this Country so deeply that Corporations are not willing to risk anything here, Corporations have about a Trillion Dollars that they could spend, Why are they not doing it? Obamacare, Strict Regulations, Huge Fines, The Fear of Unfair Tax implantation's, They are terrified of what he might do next?
Here's another tidbit for political junkies.
Hey, US Citizen - does "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,.......send these, the homeless, tempest- tossed to me....." mean anything to you? That's the trouble with you "compassionate conservatives". Your attitude it keep your poor, homeless huddled mass out of my neighborhood and on your own side of the border. You have absolutely no regard for those who may be less fortunate.
Obama 2012. Your future and the future of your daughters depend on it!
The GOP TeaHaters practice "Medi-Scare" tactics !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I see the collapse cowards just can't help themselves!
Notice how when the FR regulars are here, very few comments are collapsed!
It's when the freedom of speech *couch cough* loving trolls roll in all hell breaks loose!
Jodi:
With all the time that Mitt Romney has spent in Iowa re-inventing and spinning his record, why aren't you convinced he is as great as he thinks he is?
question from a Native San Diegan from Dubuque.
Romney will end up winning for no other reason than Obama and his party are evading the real issues America wants answers to. Instead, Obama and the Democrats are given the award of "Lie of the Year".
Yellowdog, what Romney is trying to say is that small business is NOT doing fine. Tax policy, Obamacare insurance mandates, uncertainty over regulations do not affect IBM and Exxon nearly the way they affect the family that owns the dry cleaners, the guy that owns a dozen McDonald's restaurants, the family that owns rental property or the woman that owns the local antique store.
Small business owners are basically paralyzed in advance of the election. We do not know what our individual tax rates will be, estate tax rates will be, FICA costs will be, or what our employer health care costs will be. If Obama is reelected, these will certainly be much higher. These costs are expensive nuisances to Exxon and Microsoft. They are business killers to the rest of us.
Obama is a terrible president but a brilliant campaigner. This man has literally accomplished nothing. The nation was stalled under Bush, it is in REVERSE under Obama.
This election should be about his dismal record, but the democrats and their cheerleaders in the media have kept it about birth control, abortion, gays, hispanics, tax returns, the hurricane, you name it.
The race will continue to tighten as people begin to wake up and realize the implications of this disaster.
ROMNEY RYAN 2012!!!!
As far as I'm concerned, commenting on these articles every day is pointless. Today, Romney has a chance. Tomorrow, he's on a sinking ship. The media just prints this stuff to get a reaction out of everyone.
Diane
I will worry about the Citizens of this Country and you can worry about all the Non-Citizens.
Greetings yellowdog, still looking for rain up here in iowa. It sure is strange standing next to a cornfield looking down at tassels rather than looking up at them, but I digress...
Your observations on romney's business comments can hardly be equated with obamas "private sector" comments as big business is but a segment of the "private sector". Seems that our economy is still driven by consumer demand on small business. Big business enjoys the opportunity to sell globally, the local mom and pop not so much. This also translates into large businesses finding it easier to obtain capital and handle the regulatory landscape vs the smaller entities or startups.
See the difference?
There's no way Romney would be this close without the hundreds of millions of $$ from corporations and billionaires.
They're INVESTING in this election, folks - don't you wonder what they expect their RETURN to be?
"This man has literally accomplished nothing. The nation was stalled under Bush, it is in REVERSE under Obama."
1. Passed Health Care Reform: After five presidents over a century failed to create universal health insurance, signed the Affordable Care Act (2010). It will cover 32 million uninsured Americans beginning in 2014 and mandates a suite of experimental measures to cut health care cost growth, the number one cause of America’s long-term fiscal problems.
2. Passed the Stimulus: Signed $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in 2009 to spur economic growth amid greatest recession since the Great Depression. Weeks after stimulus went into effect, unemployment claims began to subside. Twelve months later, the private sector began producing more jobs than it was losing, and it has continued to do so for twenty-three straight months, creating a total of nearly 3.7 million new private-sector jobs.
3. Passed Wall Street Reform: Signed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (2010) to re-regulate the financial sector after its practices caused the Great Recession. The new law tightens capital requirements on large banks and other financial institutions, requires derivatives to be sold on clearinghouses and exchanges, mandates that large banks provide “living wills” to avoid chaotic bankruptcies, limits their ability to trade with customers’ money for their own profit, and creates the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (now headed by Richard Cordray) to crack down on abusive lending products and companies.
4. Ended the War in Iraq: Ordered all U.S. military forces out of the country. Last troops left on December 18, 2011.
5. Began Drawdown of War in Afghanistan: From a peak of 101,000 troops in June 2011, U.S. forces are now down to 91,000, with 23,000 slated to leave by the end of summer 2012. According to Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, the combat mission there will be over by next year.
6. Eliminated Osama bin laden: In 2011, ordered special forces raid of secret compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, in which the terrorist leader was killed and a trove of al-Qaeda documents was discovered.
7. Turned Around U.S. Auto Industry: In 2009, injected $62 billion in federal money (on top of $13.4 billion in loans from the Bush administration) into ailing GM and Chrysler in return for equity stakes and agreements for massive restructuring. Since bottoming out in 2009, the auto industry has added more than 100,000 jobs. In 2011, the Big Three automakers all gained market share for the first time in two decades. The government expects to lose $16 billion of its investment, less if the price of the GM stock it still owns increases.
8. Recapitalized Banks: In the midst of financial crisis, approved controversial Treasury Department plan to lure private capital into the country’s largest banks via “stress tests” of their balance sheets and a public-private fund to buy their “toxic” assets. Got banks back on their feet at essentially zero cost to the government.
9. Repealed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”: Ended 1990s-era restriction and formalized new policy allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military for the first time.
10. Toppled Moammar Gaddafi: In March 2011, joined a coalition of European and Arab governments in military action, including air power and naval blockade, against Gaddafi regime to defend Libyan civilians and support rebel troops. Gaddafi’s forty-two-year rule ended when the dictator was overthrown and killed by rebels on October 20, 2011. No American lives were lost.
11. Told Mubarak to Go: On February 1, 2011, publicly called on Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to accept reform or step down, thus weakening the dictator’s position and putting America on the right side of the Arab Spring. Mubarak ended thirty-year rule when overthrown on February 11.
12. Reversed Bush Torture Policies: Two days after taking office, nullified Bush-era rulings that had allowed detainees in U.S. custody to undergo certain “enhanced” interrogation techniques considered inhumane under the Geneva Conventions. Also released the secret Bush legal rulings supporting the use of these techniques.
13. Improved America’s Image Abroad: With new policies, diplomacy, and rhetoric, reversed a sharp decline in world opinion toward the U.S. (and the corresponding loss of “soft power”) during the Bush years. From 2008 to 2011, favorable opinion toward the United States rose in ten of fifteen countries surveyed by the Pew Global Attitudes Project, with an average increase of 26 percent.
14. Kicked Banks Out of Federal Student Loan Program, Expanded Pell Grant Spending: As part of the 2010 health care reform bill, signed measure ending the wasteful decades-old practice of subsidizing banks to provide college loans. Starting July 2010 all students began getting their federal student loans directly from the federal government. Treasury will save $67 billion over ten years, $36 billion of which will go to expanding Pell Grants to lower-income students.
15. Created Race to the Top: With funds from stimulus, started $4.35 billion program of competitive grants to encourage and reward states for education reform.
16. Boosted Fuel Efficiency Standards: Released new fuel efficiency standards in 2011 that will nearly double the fuel economy for cars and trucks by 2025.
17. Coordinated International Response to Financial Crisis: To keep world economy out of recession in 2009 and 2010, helped secure from G-20 nations more than $500 billion for the IMF to provide lines of credit and other support to emerging market countries, which kept them liquid and avoided crises with their currencies.
18. Passed Mini Stimuli: To help families hurt by the recession and spur the economy as stimulus spending declined, signed series of measures (July 22, 2010; December 17, 2010; December 23, 2011) to extend unemployment insurance and cut payroll taxes.
19. Began Asia “Pivot”: In 2011, reoriented American military and diplomatic priorities and focus from the Middle East and Europe to the Asian-Pacific region. Executed multipronged strategy of positively engaging China while reasserting U.S. leadership in the region by increasing American military presence and crafting new commercial, diplomatic, and military alliances with neighboring countries made uncomfortable by recent Chinese behavior.
20. Increased Support for Veterans: With so many soldiers coming home from Iraq and Iran with serious physical and mental health problems, yet facing long waits for services, increased 2010 Department of Veterans Affairs budget by 16 percent and 2011 budget by 10 percent. Also signed new GI bill offering $78 billion in tuition assistance over a decade, and provided multiple tax credits to encourage businesses to hire veterans.
21. Tightened Sanctions on Iran: In effort to deter Iran’s nuclear program, signed Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act (2010) to punish firms and individuals who aid Iran’s petroleum sector. In late 2011 and early 2012, coordinated with other major Western powers to impose sanctions aimed at Iran’s banks and with Japan, South Korea, and China to shift their oil purchases away from Iran.
22. Created Conditions to Begin Closing Dirtiest Power Plants: New EPA restrictions on mercury and toxic pollution, issued in December 2011, likely to lead to the closing of between sixty-eight and 231 of the nation’s oldest and dirtiest coal-fired power plants. Estimated cost to utilities: at least $11 billion by 2016. Estimated health benefits: $59 billion to $140 billion. Will also significantly reduce carbon emissions and, with other regulations, comprises what’s been called Obama’s “stealth climate policy.”
23. Passed Credit Card Reforms: Signed the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure Act (2009), which prohibits credit card companies from raising rates without advance notification, mandates a grace period on interest rate increases, and strictly limits overdraft and other fees.
24. Eliminated Catch-22 in Pay Equality Laws: Signed Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act in 2009, giving women who are paid less than men for the same work the right to sue their employers after they find out about the discrimination, even if that discrimination happened years ago. Under previous law, as interpreted by the Supreme Court in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., the statute of limitations on such suits ran out 180 days after the alleged discrimination occurred, even if the victims never knew about it.
25. Protected Two Liberal Seats on the U.S. Supreme Court: Nominated and obtained confirmation for Sonia Sotomayor, the first Hispanic and third woman to serve, in 2009; and Elena Kagan, the fourth woman to serve, in 2010. They replaced David Souter and John Paul Stevens, respectively.
26. Improved Food Safety System: In 2011, signed FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, which boosts the Food and Drug Administration’s budget by $1.4 billion and expands its regulatory responsibilities to include increasing number of food inspections, issuing direct food recalls, and reviewing the current food safety practices of countries importing products into America.
27. Achieved New START Treaty: Signed with Russia (2010) and won ratification in Congress (2011) of treaty that limits each country to 1,550 strategic warheads (down from 2,200) and 700 launchers (down from more than 1,400), and reestablished and strengthened a monitoring and transparency program that had lapsed in 2009, through which each country can monitor the other.
28. Expanded National Service: Signed Serve America Act in 2009, which authorized a tripling of the size of AmeriCorps. Program grew 13 percent to 85,000 members across the country by 2012, when new House GOP majority refused to appropriate more funds for further expansion.
29. Expanded Wilderness and Watershed Protection: Signed Omnibus Public Lands Management Act (2009), which designated more than 2 million acres as wilderness, created thousands of miles of recreational and historic trails, and protected more than 1,000 miles of rivers.
30. Gave the FDA Power to Regulate Tobacco: Signed the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (2009). Nine years in the making and long resisted by the tobacco industry, the law mandates that tobacco manufacturers disclose all ingredients, obtain FDA approval for new tobacco products, and expand the size and prominence of cigarette warning labels, and bans the sale of misleadingly labeled “light” cigarette brands and tobacco sponsorship of entertainment events.
31. Pushed Federal Agencies to Be Green Leaders: Issued executive order in 2009 requiring all federal agencies to make plans to soften their environmental impacts by 2020. Goals include 30 percent reduction in fleet gasoline use, 26 percent boost in water efficiency, and sustainability requirements for 95 percent of all federal contracts. Because federal government is the country’s single biggest purchaser of goods and services, likely to have ripple effects throughout the economy for years to come.
32. Passed Fair Sentencing Act: Signed 2010 legislation that reduces sentencing disparity between crack versus powder cocaine possessionfrom100 to1 to 18 to1.
33. Trimmed and Reoriented Missile Defense: Cut the Reagan-era “Star Wars” missile defense budget, saving $1.4 billion in 2010, and canceled plans to station antiballistic missile systems in Poland and the Czech Republic in favor of sea-based defense plan focused on Iran and North Korea.
34. Began Post-Post-9/11 Military Builddown: After winning agreement from congressional Republicans and Democrats in summer 2011 budget deal to reduce projected defense spending by $450 billion, proposed new DoD budget this year with cuts of that size and a new national defense strategy that would shrink ground forces from 570,000 to 490,000 over the next ten years while increasing programs in intelligence gathering and cyberwarfare.
35. Let Space Shuttle Die and Killed Planned Moon Mission: Allowed the expensive ($1 billion per launch), badly designed, dangerous shuttle program to make its final launch on July 8, 2011. Cut off funding for even more bloated and problem-plagued Bush-era Constellation program to build moon base in favor of support for private-sector low-earth orbit ventures, research on new rocket technologies for long-distance manned flight missions, and unmanned space exploration, including the largest interplanetary rover ever launched, which will investigate Mars’s potential to support life.
36. Invested Heavily in Renewable Technology: As part of the 2009 stimulus, invested $90 billion, more than any previous administration, in research on smart grids, energy efficiency, electric cars, renewable electricity generation, cleaner coal, and biofuels.
37. Crafting Next-Generation School Tests: Devoted $330 million in stimulus money to pay two consortia of states and universities to create competing versions of new K-12 student performance tests based on latest psychometric research. New tests could transform the learning environment in vast majority of public school classrooms beginning in 2014.
38. Cracked Down on Bad For-Profit Colleges: In effort to fight predatory practices of some for-profit colleges, Department of Education issued “gainful employment” regulations in 2011 cutting off commercially focused schools from federal student aid funding if more than 35 percent of former students aren’t paying off their loans and/or if the average former student spends more than 12 percent of his or her total earnings servicing student loans.
39. Improved School Nutrition: In coordination with Michelle Obama, signed Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act in 2010 mandating $4.5 billion spending boost and higher nutritional and health standards for school lunches. New rules based on the law, released in January, double the amount of fruits and vegetables and require only whole grains in food served to students.
40. Expanded Hate Crimes Protections: Signed Hate Crimes Prevention Act (2009), which expands existing hate crime protections to include crimes based on a victim’s sexual orientation, gender, or disability, in addition to race, color, religion, or national origin.
41. Avoided Scandal: As of November 2011, served longer than any president in decades without a scandal, as measured by the appearance of the word “scandal” (or lack thereof) on the front page of the Washington Post.
42. Brokered Agreement for Speedy Compensation to Victims of Gulf Oil Spill: Though lacking statutory power to compel British Petroleum to act, used moral authority of his office to convince oil company to agree in 2010 to a $20 billion fund to compensate victims of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico; $6.5 billion already paid out without lawsuits. By comparison, it took nearly two decades for plaintiffs in the Exxon Valdez Alaska oil spill case to receive $1.3 billion.
43. Created Recovery.gov: Web site run by independent board of inspectors general looking for fraud and abuse in stimulus spending, provides public with detailed information on every contract funded by $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Thanks partly to this transparency, board has uncovered very little fraud, and Web site has become national model: “The stimulus has done more to promote transparency at almost all levels of government than any piece of legislation in recent memory,” reports Governing magazine.
44. Pushed Broadband Coverage: Proposed and obtained in 2011 Federal Communications Commission approval for a shift of $8 billion in subsidies away from landlines and toward broadband Internet for lower-income rural families.
45. Expanded Health Coverage for Children: Signed 2009 Children’s Health Insurance Authorization Act, which allows the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to cover health care for 4 million more children, paid for by a tax increase on tobacco products.
46. Recognized the Dangers of Carbon Dioxide: In 2009, EPA declared carbon dioxide a pollutant, allowing the agency to regulate its production.
47. Expanded Stem Cell Research: In 2009, eliminated the Bush-era restrictions on embryonic stem cell research, which shows promise in treating spinal injuries, among many other areas.
48. Provided Payment to Wronged Minority Farmers: In 2009, signed Claims Resolution Act, which provided $4.6 billion in funding for a legal settlement with black and Native American farmers who the government cheated out of loans and natural resource royalties in years past.
49. Helped South Sudan Declare Independence: Helped South Sudan Declare Independence: Appointed two envoys to Sudan and personally attended a special UN meeting on the area. Through U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice, helped negotiate a peaceful split in 2011.
50. Killed the F-22: In 2009, ended further purchases of Lockheed Martin single-seat, twin-engine, fighter aircraft, which cost $358 million apiece. Though the military had 187 built, the plane has never flown a single combat mission. Eliminating it saved $4 billion.
Yup....looks like a whole lot a nothing to me :/
Keep voting the GOP platforms and soon all of us in the poor house will sit back and watch as your fire protection, police and public education money dries up. Next they will shut down VA hospitals, centers for disease control, reduce the number of military personnel guarding our nukes, cut back on on rebuilding roads and bridges, community development, eliminate the EPA, NASA and NOAA who gives us our weather reports. Do you know that the debt on PAST military spending (unpaid Bush wars) is 6% of our budget? That is equal to ALL that we spend on education, community development, child care assistance AND social service programs combined. So you rethuglicans better think twice about what you are voting for, it may come back and bite you in the arse! http://fcnl.org/assets/issues/budget/Taxes10coin_chart.pdf
Yes Diane, If the president doesn't get re-elected your daughters may have to actually marry a man instead of getting pregnant and expecting the government to be the daddy.
Feisty, what will you liberals do with your entitlement programs once the money runs out?
Why are you guys so against the Keystone pipeline which could have supplied us Americans with affordable gas/home heating oil?
Why is it so important to have abortion as a form of birth control when condoms and other less evasive forms are available? Surely, if the poor can afford cell phones and HD cable, they can purchase a pack of condoms, can't they? They should also be able to go to the DMV and get ID's as well. They cost $15, and last around 5 years.
Hey American Socialist, #23 - didn't that move cause everybody's credit card interest to increase regardless of ther credit history? #13, - before we were disliked by other countries, now we are the laughing stock. #18 - stimuli funds targeted to democratic contributors and associates #46 -will cripple the economy if cap & trade / carbon credit B.S. is enacted. Already the EPA is causing financial trouble for companies....that is unless you are a friend of the president. Than goes for healthcare waivers as well.
Gary -
This was the CNN Money headline in Bush's last month of office:
Job loss: Worst in 34 years
Employers slashed 598,000 more jobs in January as unemployment rate climbed to 7.6%.
Here was last month's number from the Bureau of Labor Stastics:
Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 163,000 in July.
All the GOP can do to win is LIE.
Yellow Dog, was Romney "taken out of context"? Oh Boo Hoo! Like The Republicans have NEVER taken anything President Obama has said, "OUT OF CONTEXT!" Get real!
The Tag Line of this article says...
Don't they really mean
The facts are
Obama/Biden - WTF!
Win The Future! 2012
I suggest you study up on poll taxes prior to running your mouth!
There are already plenty of uniformed RWNJ's around here!
As for the rest of the nonsense in your comment, those questions have been asked & answered more times than I can count!
Please try to keep up for a change!
Any President who could accomplish what Obama has against the Do-Nothing Party deserves a second term.
Get with the program, boys, or get the h3ll out of our way.
Gary 420, I agree IBM, Exxon etc. big companies are doing fine. My point was why when Obama said the same thing (the truth) he was criticized. When Romney says it there is no reaction from the hypocritcal people who blew a gasket when Obama used similar words.
When going into business there are uncertainties, there is no sure thing so it is juvenile to think that small business owners must have complete certainty. There are costs that are involved in business, regulation, rules to be followed. The smart business owner should plan on that. The ACA has been proven constitutional, it is not going away there is no uncertainty there. In fact if that dry cleaner owner or mom and pop store owner have less than 50 employees there is no fear to worry about providing their workers health insurance.
The tax rates are set to expire come Jan. 2013. They were meant to be temporary there is a difference between temp and perpetual tax cuts. Our deficit can not continue with perpetual tax cuts. The weak economy you groan about proves that continued tax cuts,even those implemented by the less than perfect Obama, have limited effects on improving the economy.
The nation was in a free fall at the end of Bush's term, plunging from an airplane without a parachute. Obama's stimulus, GE bailout and other policies including his unemployment benefits and social services has ensured that we didn't splatter on the ground. To further the analogy, he is trying to deploy the emergency chute to steady the economy. Instead of helping some in the GOP are trying to cut holes in it.
He has had some success in foreign policy against Terrorism and getting out of Iraq, under his stewardship along with the help of business 4 million jobs have been gained back. Recovery is slow but steady.
Thanks for your input, but I disagree with your assertions and predictions.
Obama in a squeaker, think Bush vs. Kerry 2004. One state wins it for the President with +/- 277 EV.
Yeah, I'd say Koch has found a man to "match his mountains". Skin to skin, that's what Romney is to Koch.
Koch'd climb in Mitt and drive if he could, but, really, there's no need.
RAF...
LMAO... obama spent about $750 million vs McCains $400 million in 2008 and a whole lot more 2% contributed then to obama than today. Rather points to obama not being able to deliver anything of substance these last 4 years.
Don't carry it all:
This just goes to show how tight Romney is with the Koch family, who were at the Nuremburg Trails.
The Koch family also founded the John Birch Society and ALEC.
Now Romney proves he is also part of the radical right.
Romney/Ryan are just following in the Koch/GOP/Tea Party traditions of taking your weakness and accuse your opponent of it. Just another use of the "Big Lie", repeat it often enough by the RWNJ Echo Chamber of talk radio and Faux News and the followers will follow in lockstep.
Take a sound track from any interview or speech and cut it up into a sound bite that sounds like what you want to lie about and repeat ad nauseum and when called on the lie keep repeating it anyway.
Take your opponents strengths and "Swift Boat" them. (It's interesting that it's a right wing dirty trick has risen to the level of common parlance.) Claim outrageous and completely unsubstantiated lies (McCain's Black Love Child) and release them through the Echo Chamber and then claim to know nothing about it.
Their hero, Karl Rove, is synonymous with Lies, innuendo and dirty tricks. That won't keep them from using him, and his PAC, from smearing mud on everything in their name.
While exaggerations have always been in the arsenal of politicians, with the occasional lie slipped in. The Koch/GOP/Tea Party have refined the "Big Lie" into an art form that can only be described as pornographic.
Repost that got buried.
umhmmm... Dolores, If we continue deficit spending, those things you mentioned, fireman, police etc will be gone without any involvement from the GOP. It's already happening, and Mitt Romney hasn't been elected president last time I checked. Haven't you heard of American cities going bankrupt? - especially, in california. NASA has all but been shut down by the president, we are now looking to the Russians to sub-contract any space endeavors. The military will see cuts in the coming years as well, moreso if the president is re-elected. BTW, the EPA won't get cut. It has GAINED power in recent years due to the Cap & Trade policy.
Feisty, you won't answer the questions because you can't without looking like a fool. By the way, I am not a "RWNJ" as you accuse me of being. I am a registered Independent who has from time to time voted for a democrat. The problem is, people like you have moved way too far from the center for me to embrace your ideology.
As far as Poll taxes, the 24th ammendment got rid of them in 1964 for federal elections, and this might supprise you but, I will agree that for those few sothern states that still have poll taxes for state elections should repeal them.
"american" - I don't give a rat$ a$$ who the "2%" contribute to.
They don't look out for my interests.
Oh yes the Republicans want to destroy the country they live in which would leave them exactly where? And the Liberal plan for saving America is ??????????????????? Got a food stamp I can borrow I mean have. BTW I'm a Liberal, no really!!!!
ToxicChemist - You want to see Armageddon on your state's budget? Let Ryan take an axe to the federal distributions.
A huge portion of state revenues come from the feds.
Ryan wants to take the corporations' and 2%'ers tax cuts out of state budgets and poor people. Good luck with that!
wlee - Yeah, because we've never seen the elites in places like Somalia and Libya turn their countries into hell-holes for their own benefit, now have we?
The robber baron class in THIS country has a history, too - it's not their first offense.
There is a huge difference between "Big Business" doing fine and "Private Sector" doing fine. This country, based on the recent US Census, has 27,281,452 Firms of which 3912 are considered "Big" Business. That means Big business is 0.014% of the "Private Sector" So Romney saying that 0.014% of the businesses are doing fine isn't saying much until you realize he's also implying 99.986% are not doing fine. Whereas Obama said 100% of the Private sector are doing fine.
People with any sense know full well that small businesses are not doing fine in this country, so when Obama stated the Private sector was doing fine, he was not correct.Most of the Private Sector who are small businesses are not doing fine. They are hanging on. Romney is totally acccurate in his statement. That's the difference between a Business person who knows the demographics of Private sector vs. a community organizer who knows how to plan parties and nothing about building a business.
Here is what Romney said during Olympic, strangely it sounds exactly like what Obama's remark, which he repeatably blame Obama for. Post this every times someone use Obama's remark in the future.
Romney:
"You Olympians, however, know you didn't get here solely on your own power. For most of you, loving parents, sisters or brothers, encouraged your hopes, coaches guided, communities built venues in order to organize competitions. All Olympians stand on the shoulders of those who lifted them. We've already cheered the Olympians, let's also cheer the parents, coaches, and communities."
@ clb-462357
Right, because Romney is not taking things out of context, right?
Sigh, read what Obama said, it is a comparison, which a true statement of if you do copmarison between two different things.
Of course you would defend Romney to death.
How are you going to spin that Romney "will create 12 millions jobs in his first term"?
Or How is Ryan plans to get 700 billions to fund tax cut for the rich for the next 10 years? Oh, that's right, the same 700 billions Obama plans to use for millions of uninsured, which Romney called it "thievery".
Yes, American taxpayers would like a little cheering (and sharing) for all they've given big business in this country.
Real American, It is going to happen one way or another. We can make targeted cuts now, or continue to spend until the money runs out (the money China is willing to lend us) then we have no say in what gets cut. It all gets cut at that point. It's simple..... You can't continue to spend money you don't have.
By the way, corporations do share with the American taxpayers......it's called a "Paycheck." Keep waging war on business and you'll see them move overseas..
Okay... you're right!
Happy now? lol
Sure you are! *winky wink*
You sure seem to have all the "right" answers... ;o)
That's utter and total BS.Toxic - You can't continue to spend money you don't have.
GDP in this country is HIGHER today than it was when the recession started. (Thanks almost entirely to increased productivity by American workers.)
The only difference is where it's going.
Striking it Richer:
The Evolution of Top Income in the United States
Emmanuel Saez, March 2, 2012
For a real eye-opener, see the chart on p.7
The only reason we don't "have" money is that we've cut corporate taxes down to 8% of all federal revenue and given the top 2% enough in tax cuts to account for all our annual deficit.
There's a revolt building in America, tax payers are sick of guys like Romney using gimmicks, loopholes and offshore havens to avoid playing taxes, where is the IRS, this dude is a Crook !!!
Want to see why the federal budget is in the red and working people are getting hammered?
Sources of Federal Tax Revenue, 1945-2010
GDP was NEGATiVE 5.2 when Obama took office. It's now in POSITIVE territory.
No, not really. I would like to know the answers to those questions from someone with viewpoints such as yours. ......And yes, I am a registered Independent.
Chris said,
"let me just put this as simply as possible so as not to offend anyone....
Vote for President Obama this November!
if you are middle class, your life depends on it"
The last thing I need from a intellectually challenged bat sh-t crazy left wing nut job is...
Voting advice!!
The middle class can't afford 4 more!!
Actually, both Gallup and Rasmussen have Romney ahead at this point among Likely Voters (the ones that actually vote) by about 2%, so perhaps it should say "Obama is within striking distance".
The NBC/WSJ poll is artificially skewed towards Obama by about 6% because they included about 26% more Democrats than Republicans in their poll - when recent surveys show that the voters are essentially equally split at about 35% each - the rest are Independents. If you adjust the NBC/WSJ poll for this obvious bias, it would also show Romney ahead by about 2%.
But the really important poll is the Electoral College estimate, and if you look at the proper Likely Voter polls for each State, and allocate the Undecided Voters based on recent history (2004 & 2008), you find Romney dramatically ahead 316 votes to 196 votes for Obama and 26 tied votes.
Do tell, what in the world does Poll Tax have to do with presenting an ID to vote in this country? Do you even know what a Poll Tax was? Maybe you're the one that needs to study up on it.
The problem with your statement is that it is totally wrong under the law. Did you stop & think that’s why the Justice Department has made no such claim in the federal lawsuits in which it is fighting the voter ID laws in TX & SC. The claim that the costs and time involved in obtaining a free photo ID card for voting is a poll tax was raised in the first lawsuits filed against the Georgia and Indiana voter ID laws back in 2006. Indiana’s law was upheld by the Supreme Court in Crawford v. Marion County (2008). Indiana requires an ID to vote. Even the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the most liberal appeals court in the country, did not buy the poll tax claim when it reviewed Arizona’s voter ID law. Arizona requires an ID to vote.
In my state, you must present a valid state issued id to get welfare, food stamps, wic or any government and/or state assistance. You must also present a valid social security card or be prepared to sign up for one if you haven't already.
Also, there is only one place in my county to get services and that is our county seat which is one of the largest in the state, along mountain roads taking up to a hour from my place to get to. There is next to nothing in public transportation in my county. So, if you want welfare, you find a way to get to these places and get any other services you want, including a marriage license. No different than voting. If you want to vote legally, then you find a way to do so.
That said, when I came to my state and went to get a driver’s license, I had to have certified copies of my birth certificate, and two proofs of residence (not a p.o. box) and my social security card (or check stubs/w2s showing my ssn). However, in my state, as stated above,you have to have a state issued id (follow the above rules for a driving license or state id) to receive your welfare, so how is this an "extra" expense for voting? If you are calling it a Poll Tax for voting, then why isn't a poll tax for doing everything else one can imagine that requires a photo id?
The Justice Department is wasting an enormous amount of our money on these law suits that they have not been able to win in the past and won't be able to win in the future. Their suits are clearly not bi-partisan. (Pennsylvania).
Then ask yourself, Pennsylvania has passed a law requiring ID’s
to vote which goes into effect this election, so why is it that Holder is not
suing the State of PA? Maybe because it’s
usually leans democrat in the election. Having an ID to vote isn’t a new thing,
I don’t know a state that I have lived in that it wasn’t required if they didn’t
know you. And I have lived in several
states.
RoyWilson - Not according to the best statistician in the business, Nate Silver at fivethirtyeight.com.
Gallup and Rasmussen polls both tend to lean right.
But that's all right - ya'll just go ahead and figure you've got this thing sewn up.
UScitizen, I don’t understand how anyone can be so obtuse. “There is no working with Oblamer”? That statement is nothing but equine excrement. The GOP absolutely refuses to even begin to work with our President. It’s not Obama that is a divider, it is the GOP/TP.
Those businesses that are sitting on that money aren’t spending because they don’t have to. They are making great profits by squeezing more work out of the fewer employees that they’ve kept. Those businesses don’t drive the economy, they react to it. Demand drives the economy, if there was more demand they would hire more workers. But it’s a circular equation because due to higher efficiency they need less employees, not to mention all the jobs they have shipped overseas to increase profits.
You’re so steeped in partisan rhetoric from the GOP that you wouldn’t be able to see the truth if it slapped you in the face.
clb- Can you answer the burning question that not one conservative has answered yet?
If the GOP is really so concerned about vote fraud, why are absentee ballots not included in the voter ID requirements?
Less than a week before the Republican convention begins, the race for the White House is a virtual tie. According to a Fox News poll of likely voters, the Mitt Romney-Paul Ryan ticket receives the backing of 45 percent, while the Barack Obama-Joe Biden ticket garners 44 percent.
The poll, released Thursday, is the first Fox has conducted among likely voters this year, which means an apples-to-apples comparison can’t be made to previous polls. Likely voters are eligible/registered voters who will most likely cast a ballot in this year’s presidential election.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/08/23/fox-news-poll-race-for-white-house-tightens/?intcmp=trending#ixzz24U2euef3
1) Those who believe 2012 presidential race is about Democrats vs. Republicans are truly the saddest and most poorly informed of creatures.
2) As a former democrat now turned independent , it is clear to me Obama is NOT a Democrat. In point of fact, he presides over this hallowed office as a closet Marxist determined to turn America into a socialist hell. History provides compelling proof that Obama's brand of socialism promised prosperity, equality, and security, but has only delivered poverty, misery, and tyranny. Historically, equality was achieved only in the sense that everyone was equal in his or her misery!
3) Obama has increased our national debt by OVER 5 trillion dollars in just 3 ½ short years. That is $4.24 billion per day increased debt! This is more debt than was accumulated by all U.S. presidents from George Washington through Bill Clinton combined and is destined to destroy the future of every household in America, end of story!
4) Here in lays the greatest of ironies! It is middle class and poorer Obama supporters who will literally be casted into utter economic despair as a direct function of this reckless spending! There will be no free lunch!
5) Anyone with even a scintilla of intellectual acumen need only glimpse at the impact "Obama style socialism" has had in Europe to bear witness to America's future under Obama. On the verge of defaulting on government debts, people are living under crushing austerity measures. Countless jobs have been wiped out; the official unemployment rate is 15-21%. Salaries have been cut to the bone. Pensions and health benefits have been slashed. Tourism industry is a shambles. Tens of thousands of workers have taken to the streets to protest a problem they thought they'd never see in their lifetime!
In picturesque plazas, beggars outnumber tourists and protesters outnumber beggars. In front of Parliament, riot police stand watch to protect big spending socialist lawmakers from angry mobs.
6) It is this kind of chaos that lies in wait should Obama be reelected! Even if clear thinking Americans unseat
him, the damage he has done will require an austerity pill that will be hard to swallow and a good dose of Cod Liver Oil to ease the pain!
7) I will close with just one more tidbit of intelligence that may come as a shock to some. I recently visited with retired U.S. Army officer who now serves in a US Security Program think tank. He advised me that that Obama administration is quietly preparing for " widespread civil violence and massive unrest" expected once the economy comes crashing down.
This is expected to occur in Obama's second term, if he were to be reelected and is anticipated to be a direct result of reckless and massive deficit spending inherent in current administration policy. He went on to say even if Republicans compromise and allow Obama to increase the tax on those earning over $250,000 per year that would only generate around $42 billion in additional revenue which is a drop in the bucket in the face of Obama's trillion plus dollar deficit.
With the primary casual factor is being attributed runaway reckless spending and burdensome entitlement programs exacerbated by an uncontrolled immigration policy, extension of a failed welfare system,revenue stream and job reductions due to the implementation of Obama Care, unbalanced energy policies and a taxation system that serves as a disincentive for job creation.
Watch these two clips (click the links), especially the second one, where Debbie Wasserman lies and then admits that she doesn't care if she lies and that it "doesn't matter" if she lies in campaigning for Mr. Obama
It is fun watching Debbie Wasserman admit that she doesn't care if she and Mr. Obama lie and misquote in order to make a point. It tells you everything you need to know about the Obama campaign. They lied to you before, they are lying now and they will lie to you again, as long as it serves their purpose of trying to dupe voters into voting for Mr. Obama..
Why vote for a man who uses someone who admits that she "doesn't care" and it "doesn't matter' if she lies to try and get your vote?
You simply can not trust anything Team Obama says when they openly admit that they will lie to you and "it doesn't matter" if they do.
END THE LIES IN NOV., VOTE ROMNEY/RYAN.
PS. Mr Obama should call for the immediate resignation of Debbie Wasserman, unless he sanctions lying in his campaign
I noticed many of you "regulars" were absent yesterday when the story was about another disappointing jobs report.
First Read and First Thoughts continue to give you your red meat articles questioning and attacking Romney and Ryan while never writing about Biden and hardly ever mentioning Obama unless it is in good light. It doens't bother me because it FR / FT and all you "regulars" are proof Obama is in trouble when America is talks about his record. Continue to use your deflect, distract, and accuse tactics, and hope you can hide the Obama legacy of failure.
The two statements in discussion has nothing to do with taking things out of context. It is what was said by both parties. The topic was not context.
Obama said "As I've said, we created 4.3 million jobs over the last two (years), 27 months, over 800,000 just this year alone.The private sector is doing fine."
Obama was comparing private to the public sector, but he still stated the private sector was doing fine. Still a gaff on his part just as McCains gaft was "...The fundamentals of our economy are strong." Which I am sure you jumped all over that one! Obama screwed up when he said that, period.
I compared his statement against Obama's which was factual. So what is your problem?
That wasn't the subject was it... so why are you bringing up something off my topic. What's the matter you can't find something that statistically states my information is incorrect so you go off topic. I don't know if he can create 12 million jobs or not or more. Like any politician Dem or Rep, they make promises during campaigning that once they are in office isn't always that easy to achieve. But you are so wrapped up in worshiping a particular party rather than looking at the individual & individuals record. There isn't a President in the past that got re-elected when the country was in the state we are today with a sitting President. Why? Because independent voters generally believe if they pick someone else, no matter who it is, it can't get any worse. Which statistically speaking, it usually does not get worse, it gets better.
Got to love people's talking point from both parties. Again, stick to the original post. Defend that post. When you go off topic of the original post then you can't counter it. It's campaign season, its up to you as a responsible voter to research talking points, not recite them word for word and know that both parties have their talking points. You might actually make an informed decision if you really actually knew what legislation has been proposed and/or passed.
This isn't our oil. It is Canada's oil. It was not available to us. It was to be piped through our country to get it to the shipping lanes for export somewhere else.
Why should you so concern yourself with the decisons somone else chooses to make concerning their body? As for condoms and birth contol mediacation, conservatives and religious zealots are shutting off access to these. They are indeed making them "evasive" as you so accurately note.
Hitting the sauce already.. eh?
We were right here, but maybe you didn't notice because you were to busy deleting comments!
Really??? Fielden....Are you really trying to tell me that condoms, IUD's the Pill will not be available at the drug store and abortion is the only available option.....Really??? Do you even check what you post before you hit the "post" button?
Please elaborate how the oil from our "neighbors to the north" would not sell to us.....
Logic -- WOW. Not to astute are you? Try reading you might get a clue.
Watch these two clips (click the links), especially the second one, where Debbie Wasserman lies and then admits that she doesn't care if she lies and that it "doesn't matter" if she lies in campaigning for Mr. Obama
It is fun watching Debbie Wasserman admit that she doesn't care if she and Mr. Obama lie and misquote in order to make a point. It tells you everything you need to know about the Obama campaign. They lied to you before, they are lying now and they will lie to you again, as long as it serves their purpose of trying to dupe voters into voting for Mr. Obama..
Why vote for a man who uses someone who admits that she "doesn't care" and it "doesn't matter' if she lies to try and get your vote?
You simply can not trust anything Team Obama says when they openly admit that they will lie to you and "it doesn't matter" if they do.
END THE LIES IN NOV., VOTE ROMNEY/RYAN.
PS. Mr Obama should call for the immediate resignation of Debbie Wasserman, unless he sanctions lying in his campaign
Logic required, Disappointing jobs report, oh you mean the weekly first time claims for unemployment, seasonally adjusted, to estimate expected job losses/gains.
The last monthly jobs report showed jobs up 164,000
American 205 - I understand the difference between Big business and the Private sector only encompassing a part of it. Good, fair explanation/defense of Romney but one thing to consider. In Obama's speech he was talking in terms of job gains in the Private sector despite cuts and layoffs in government the public sector. The first time government cuts of this magnitude are taking place during a recession mind you. He used the terminology Private sector in lieu of Big business in that regard. No harm no foul in my book.
Maybe not you, but I think whether Obama said private sector or big business people would've still hollered. Case in point, when BP was polluting our oceans and Obama worked to set up a cleanup fund. The GOP hollored that Obama put his heel to the throat of a "hapless" company. Afraid to say it but most hear in a partisan manner. They hear what they want to and don't try to be "Fair and balanced" - I guess even I do it once or twice. Not this time though. Waiting to hear Fox and Friends scour Romney over this this afternoon, can't think they would ever be hypocritical.
Your take, why would Romney so willingly give "props" to outsourcing in the statement in question? If a Romney administration wanted to lure companies to the country why write their outsourcing policy as normal business procedure?
Last point to consider if Big Business is doing so well, why do they need more tax cuts? If oil companies and big business is doing well as pointed out by both Romney and Obama why do they get subsidies? Every economist, reporter, news agency clearly states that the majority of Romney's proposed tax cuts are going to the rich upper class 2% and not the small business owners.
By the way hope you guys get some rain up there. In DFW we have been having our share of rain, but with it, a break out of West Nile.
miklkit- Don't you have any factual reasons to oppose Romney?
Robert Welsh founded the John Birch Society, and the roots of ALEC were in the Illinois Legislature. ALEC originally was opposed to Nixon and his 'Imperial' presidency.
While the media and the DNC like you to hate the Koch brothers, they keep silent about their support from George Soros. Keep in mind that the Kochs are industrialists that make products in the US. They need you to be able to afford fuel, beef, and paper towels to stay rich. Soros runs hedge funds. He made a Billion dollars on the collapse of the British Pound in 1992. Is he looking to top that with the collapse of the US Dollar? You should look at what people's motivations might be before you obey the media on who to love and who to hate.
clb-462357
Because the purpose of these laws is to prevent African Americans who disproportionately lack such IDs, from voting. It costs not only money, but time, for the working poor who don't have much time or money to spare to get the paperwork necessary to get voter IDs. The Republican pol in Ohio explicitly said as much, while another hack in Pennsylvania crowed that the law would "allow Mitt Romney to win" there. Millions of legal voters who don't even know the details of these laws are going to be turned away from the polling places because of them.
And the concern for voter fraud is a load of obvious hogwash. There are other anti-black laws, like the ones in Ohio and Florida that block early voting on days when African Americans are most likely to turn out. There's not even any reason remotely related to voter fraud for such laws, so the Republicans don't bother to invent an excuse for passing them.
I'll give you that; this election is between progressives and conservatives, between moderates and extremists, between reformers and traditionalists.
Okay, how the hell is Obama a socialist??? The guy is a centrist Democrat, similar to Bill Clinton. A socialist would destroy the free market or allow it to crumble during the recession; Obama sought to save the free market via Keynesian economics, whose founder considered himself to be a "moderate conservative" compared to the socialists of his days. His healthcare plan is to the freaking right of Bill Clinton and Richard Nixon, for God's sake!!!
Oh bull@!$%#. The actual number is around $4.5 trillion, and around $3 trillion was caused by the recession and the Bush tax cuts; only $1.5 trillion was due to direct Obama policies (the stimulus, second round of TARP, etc). And I don't recall you mentioning that Bush DOUBLED the debt (adding more debt than from George Washington to Clinton) thanks to regressive tax cuts. What the @!$%# did you expect when you have a huge tax cut and a recession occurring simultaneously??? Do you buy into that supply-sider crap that tax cuts pay for themselves????
No; the middle class and the poor are being thrown to the beast thanks to regressive supply-sider bull@!$%# being propagated by the GOP. Their tax cuts for the rich and deregulation of the financial market crashed the economy, erasing trillions of dollars of middle class wealth. And that is on top of trillions lost by the middle class in the past 30 years thanks to the failed concept of Reaganomics!!! Spending did not damage the middle class; tax cuts for the wealthy, deregulation of the financial industry, and anti-union policies damaged the middle class.
America under Obama is NOWHERE near Europe. First of all, the recession caused the debt crisis in Europe (excluding Greece), not the other way around. Spain had a balanced budget before the their real estate crash. But after these countries ran into deficits because of lower revenues and higher spending due to high unemployment, the EU (led by Germany's Angela Merkel) forced those countries to go into harsh austerity in return for bailouts. Unfortunately, austerity failed (see the economic conditions in Spain and Britain) as the national economies fell back into recession and increased deficits. If you want to blame anyone for the European crisis, thank the proponents of austerity measures.
Britain botched their recovery by cutting spending and raising taxes; then they fell back into recession and unemployment soared. And even as their country is swamped in economic and sociopolitical chaos, the PM David Cameron won't even reverse course. AUSTERITY DOES NOT WORK!!!
How many times do I have to tell you: AUSTERITY DOES NOT WORK!!! It didn't work in Europe; why the hell would it work here??? Yes, we need to balance our budget and reduce the deficit, but not at at time when we need more spending and consumption. We need to engage in short-term stimulus while planning for long-term deficit reduction, with a mixture of both in the medium-term. Cutting spending and raising taxes during a weak recovery only makes things worse; THAT is why the CBO warned us about the ominous fiscal cliff.
Actually, it would generate $85 billion a year, or $850 billion over the next decade. Look at it over the next decade; we have $7 trillion in deficits over the next 10 years. The Obama tax plan would reduce the deficit by roughly 12%; the Romney tax plan would increase it by anywhere from 30% to 50%. Which do you think is better??? That's why I say repeal the bloody Bush tax cuts, let the first round of budget cuts to happen, cut defense by another $250 billion, and then focus on strengthening Medicare and Social Security. Is that so hard to do???
Apparently you have no real perspective about our nation's problems. I don't @!$%#ing care if Obamacare loses jobs; I'd rather seek healthcare reform than cater to the pro-business crap that the GOP promotes. We cannot keep cutting taxes for ANYONE, gutting our safety nets, ignoring global warming, and talk about privatizing entitlement programs. We need a serious debate about these problems, but the GOP refuses to compromise or even listen to reason. The GOP will simply shift all the costs of these programs onto the poor and the elderly, while the rich get a huge tax cut. THAT IS NOT HOW YOU FIX THE ECONOMY.
OBAMA BIDEN 2012
This is the republican dream, told in a song by lou reed
Pedro lives out of the Wilshire Hotel
He looks out a window without glass
The walls are made of cardboard, newspapers on his feet
His father beats him 'cause he's too tired to beg
He's got 9 brothers and sisters
They're brought up on their knees
It's hard to run when a coat hanger beats you on the thighs
Pedro dreams of being older and killing the old man
But that's a slim chance he's going to the boulevard
He's going to end up, on the dirty boulevard
He's going out, to the dirty boulevard
He's going down, to the dirty boulevard
This room cost 2 000 dollars a month
You can believe it man it's true
Somewhere a landlord's laughing till he wets his pants
No one here dreams of being a doctor or a lawyer or anything
They dream of dealing on the dirty boulevard
Give me your hungry, your tired your poor I'll piss on 'em
That's what the Statue of Bigotry says
Your poor huddled masses, let's club 'em to death
And get it over with and just dump 'em on the boulevard
Get to end up, on the dirty boulevard
Going out, to the dirty boulevard
He's going down, on the dirty boulevard
Going out
Outside it's a bright night
There's an opera at Lincoln Center
Movie stars arrive by limousine
The klieg lights shoot up over the skyline of Manhattan
But the lights are out on the Mean Streets
A small kid stands by the Lincoln Tunnel
He's selling plastic roses for a buck
The traffic's backed up to 39th street
The TV whores are calling the cops out for a suck
And back at the Wilshire, Pedro sits there dreaming
He's found a book on magic in a garbage can
He looks at the pictures and stares at the cracked ceiling
« At the count of 3 » he says, « I hope I can disappear »
Read more at http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/49609/#xqSOikBJVIW8LTJV.99
heres the republican dream in a song by lou reed
Pedro lives out of the Wilshire Hotel
He looks out a window without glass
The walls are made of cardboard, newspapers on his feet
His father beats him 'cause he's too tired to beg
He's got 9 brothers and sisters
They're brought up on their knees
It's hard to run when a coat hanger beats you on the thighs
Pedro dreams of being older and killing the old man
But that's a slim chance he's going to the boulevard
He's going to end up, on the dirty boulevard
He's going out, to the dirty boulevard
He's going down, to the dirty boulevard
This room cost 2 000 dollars a month
You can believe it man it's true
Somewhere a landlord's laughing till he wets his pants
No one here dreams of being a doctor or a lawyer or anything
They dream of dealing on the dirty boulevard
Give me your hungry, your tired your poor I'll piss on 'em
That's what the Statue of Bigotry says
Your poor huddled masses, let's club 'em to death
And get it over with and just dump 'em on the boulevard
Get to end up, on the dirty boulevard
Going out, to the dirty boulevard
He's going down, on the dirty boulevard
Going out
Outside it's a bright night
There's an opera at Lincoln Center
Movie stars arrive by limousine
The klieg lights shoot up over the skyline of Manhattan
But the lights are out on the Mean Streets
A small kid stands by the Lincoln Tunnel
He's selling plastic roses for a buck
The traffic's backed up to 39th street
The TV whores are calling the cops out for a suck
And back at the Wilshire, Pedro sits there dreaming
He's found a book on magic in a garbage can
He looks at the pictures and stares at the cracked ceiling
« At the count of 3 » he says, « I hope I can disappear »
Read more at http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/49609/#xqSOikBJVIW8LTJV.99
Houston!... Voter I.D./Voter fraud = A solution in search of a problem. Basically... a non-existent problem.
RealAmericansFirst "RoyWilson - Not according to the best statistician in the business, Nate Silver at fivethirtyeight.com...Gallup and Rasmussen polls both tend to lean right."
Since I don't know anything about Nate Silver's accuracy in the last two Presidential elections, I can't comment on his estimate - for all I know, he's a left-wing hack. But with regard to the accuracy of Gallup and Rasmussen in 2004 and 2008 - here are their results;
Gallup - Missed the actual by 2.4% in 2004 - biased in favor of the Democrat (Kerry). Missed by 3.7% - biased in favor of the Democrat in 2008 (Obama). Their average error was 3.05%, and their bias was also 3.05% in favor of the Democrats when compared with actual results.
Rasmussen - Missed the actual by only 0.7% in 2004 - about the best of all major pollsters. Their bias was 0.7% in favor of the DEMOCRAT (Kerry). In fact, Rasmussen was widely acknowledged as the most accurate pollster in 2004. In 2008, Rasmussen missed by only 1.3% - again, one of the most accurate pollsters that year. Their bias was 1.3% in favor of the Republican (McCain) in this instance.
In summary, Gallup had a significant Democratic bias in their final polls, when compared with actual results, while Rasmussen had the best record of all of the major pollsters - missing the overall average mark by only 1%, and their so-called 'bias' averaged a miniscule 0.3% - by far the least biased pollster of all of the 12 pollsters included by Realclearpolitics.com in both 2004 and 2008. 10 of the 12 pollsters had a distinct Democratic bias averaging 1.6%, and the Realclearpolitics average of all 12 pollsters had an average Democratic bias of about 1.2% for the last two Presidential elections.
With such obvious bias by most of the pollsters in favor of Democrats, you would be well advised to pay close attention to Gallup and Rasmussen if you want to REALLY know what's going on.
I hope this was not to complicated for you, but believe me, the actual details favoring Romney are far more complex for this discussion. A win by Obama is extremely unlikely at this point.
Freshieee "AUSTERITY DOES NOT WORK!!!"
It's sad to see that some people still believe that you can "Spend yourself to prosperity".
Some people just never learn from history (ie; Greece). Try spending far more than you earn and you'll soon discover it doesn't work - despite Obama's rhetoric to the contrary.
The National Debt has increased by a whopping $5.348 Trillion since Obama took office as of today (which is ALL Deficit spending), and what do we have to show for it? A stagnant economy and high unemployment.
We can't afford 4 more years of Obama - Plain and Simple.
Middle class set back over last decade: report
By Susan Heavey
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The middle class has shrunk drastically over the last 10 years as Americans' net worth has plunged, wages declined and standards of living slipped away, according to a report released on Wednesday.
Middle-income earners, long seen as the solid center of the country, are pessimistic and place the blame squarely on U.S. lawmakers, banks and big business, the findings by the Pew Research Center showed.
"America's middle class has endured its worst decade in modern history," researchers wrote.
Since 2001, median household income has fallen from $72,956 to $69,487 in 2010, the report said.
The median household net worth, which is the value of assets minus debt, dropped from $129,582 to $93,150 over the same 10-year period, according to Pew, which analyzed U.S. data along with its own survey of nearly 1,300 adults who consider themselves middle class.
The nonpartisan research group's snapshot comes in the midst of a close presidential campaign that has become in part a referendum on whether President Barack Obama's policies over the last few years have helped Americans as the nation struggles to recover from deep economic woes.
Pew's survey found more of the middle class support Obama's policies than Romney's.
More than half (52 percent) of those polled said Obama's policies would help the middle class in a second term, while 39 percent say they would not. Forty-two percent said Romney would benefit middle income Americans if elected, while 40 percent say his policies would not help, the survey showed.
Researchers said they found that "neither candidate has sealed the deal with them, but that President Obama is in somewhat better shape than his Republican challenger, Mitt Romney."
Polls have shown Obama with a growing lead over Romney.
The plight of the middle class has become a bellwether of the U.S. economy in the wake of the recent Great Recession that officially ran from December 2007 to June 2009, ending just six months into Obama's first term.
According to the poll, 62 percent of respondents said Congress deserved "a lot" of the blame for the nation's economic troubles over the past decade, while 29 percent blamed lawmakers "a little." Banks and financial institutions as well as large corporations were also largely at fault, respondents told Pew.
Various surveys have shown Americans -- particularly women, minorities, children and young adults -- are still struggling amid the slowest economic recovery since the 1980-81 period.
Pew's analysis is based on data from the Census Bureau as well as the Federal Reserve Bank and is broadly in line with separate reports from the two government entities that were released in June.
According to the Census Bureau, household wealth declined by 35 percent to $66,740 between 2005 and 2010 as home values and share prices plummeted. The Fed report showed median family net worth plunged to $77,300 in 2010 from $126,400 in 2007.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/middle-class-set-back-over-last-decade-report-174840799--sector.html
________________________________________________________
Something for the Poll Dancers this morning. Come on folks they’ve been running a little short on PT tips this election season.
The Middle Class is shrinking. As long as we continue to pursue the Economic Model that we’ve been on since Reagan it’s going to continue to shrink. The same with Economic Disparity. It’s only going to get worse and that’s the bottom line.
Most Folks not eat up by Obama Derangement Syndrome realize that it’s time for a basic change in the way we do Business. They also can see no matter how hard Ol’ Willard shakes that Etch-a Sketch that he just wants to serve his best interests and his Monied Backers and has absolutely no interest in making things better for the Majority of Us.
Then when Ol’ Willard realizes that he just don’t have nothing that he can sell to We the People that we all haven’t heard before and rejected he decides to go out and recruit Lil’ Paulie and make it worse. Lil’ Paulie not only try’s to sell the same old policies that drove us broke in the first place he also wants to fight about Social Issues that we solved to most folks satisfaction in the 60’s and early 70’s.
Oh it ain’t over not by a long shot. It’s going to just get worse between now and November. Can’t help but to be so. You see when you don’t have anything that you can sell you degenerate into Lies and Distortions and then spend a bunch of money to embellish them. But at the end of the day most folks are going to recognize them for just what they are.
Shame on you Willard and Lil’ Paulie for not respecting the good Common Sense of We the People.
Now all the Poll Dancers can take over. Let’s ante up folks; baby needs a new pair of shoes.
With Willard Romney hiding so much about his life and dealings, many people are left to wonder if Willard is covering up sinister or criminal activity. Let's keep the investigation going on Willard Romney, and expose him for what he is, A LYING, TAX CHEATING, OUTSOURCING TRAITOR TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!!
I have to give the Obama apologists credit for creative spinning. It is unceasingly amazing to me that they can take any devastating news about his abject failures, and spin it into someone else's fault.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-08-23/u-s-incomes-feel-more-in-recovery-sentier-says.html
So, incomes declines less than three percent during the actual recession- and declined almost five percent during the recovery- but, somehow, that is not Obama's fault.
None of his policies were responsible.
None of his regulations were responsible.
None of the increase in the debt- five trillion and climbing- or incredibly bad investments with tax dollars into his donors' failed companies had any impact.
Nope. None of his fault whatsoever.
I await with bated breath how the election results will be spun. As the movers arrive at the steps of the White House, I believe the spinners will be busy trying to convince people that it was not Obama's fault he lost the election- if they even admit that he did.
If Obama is such and open book, then why is he spending millions to keep everything about his past sealed? Which is obviously fine with liberals, it is only the other guy they care to know about. But even not knowing is no problem for liberals, as they will just make stuff up without so much as one shred of proof. You are innocent until proven guilty in the United States, unless you are a Republican that liberals want to lynch.
job1
Traitor? Really. I will go for that but your lookinig at the wrong guy when you say that.
The reason he has not closed Gitmo is because he knows he will be going there. And its not that bad.
Traitor fits the Spender in Thief in the White House, He has circumvented the Constitution, Congress and the Laws of this Country.
Dee Snide Band and Tom Morello Band, we emphatically denounce Paul Ryan use of our songs. We don't wont any part of him and his Tea party. What is that telling you, the American people are sick of the GOP lies !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Another fine article and added pearls of wisdom, IR.
uscitizen: Wow! What a hater. Your life must really suck. How have the last few years been for you? Whatever are you going to do if Obama is reelected. Oh dear! Also, I hope you're lying about being a us citizen-we don't want people like you in this country.
NJNB-
Are you shocked that the jobs gained after the recession are at lower wages than those before? That is typical when demand is higher than supply - people who were downsized or laid-off accept any available job which drives down average wages. Employers can offer lower-paying positions to higher-qualified candidates.
You claim we are Obama apologists, and we blame President Obama for nothing. Meanwhile you blame President Obama for everything, and cite every piece of negative economic data you can find as basis for your biased missives.
You are obviously a chronic anti-Obama zealot who refuses to acknowledge the major part that Republican policies contributed to the crisis and the subsequent slow recovery, and blindly accept the Romney/Ryan mythological recovery plan.
How can you argue for a return to the failed "tax-cut and spend, deregulate everything" policies that caused the financial collapse and the recession? Are you so blinded by your hatred for President Obama that you fail to see what a flawed candidate Mitt Romney is, and how disasterous a Romney/Ryan budget would be?
Just another stupid Right Nut Lie. God, YOU PEOPLE.
Cash for Clunkers removed about 90% of the Obama bumper stickers.
I have only seen three "Romney 2012" bumper stickers - and they were all on the same car!
"Jolly Old Soul", your new avatar says it all - "Romney/Ryan 2012 - you're a loser"!
Paul Ryan - The Defict? I Built That!
Mitt Romney - "Big Business is doing fine..."
Im seeing more torn off Obama bumper stickers in the past 2 months.
Another example of right wing suppression, just like deleting posts here. In 2010 I had it happen to me, so far this election my bumper sticker is intact.
Are you seriously trying to say that Twisted Sister speaks for and represents the US?
Good god man, you are really reaching here.
Just keep up the spin and lies.
We're not gonna take it.
With Hussein Obama hiding so much about his life and dealings, many people are left to wonder if Hussein is covering up sinister or criminal activity. Let's keep the investigation going on Hussein Obama, and expose him for what he is, A LYING, CONNIVING, OUTSOURCING TRAITOR TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!!
Just wondering, does it hurt to be an ignorant ass like Feisty and Beverly? It must, they always seem to be in pain. If the clown in the White House is so wonderful, why are they such hating @!$%#s?
kenva - you (and some of your buddies posting here) have been huffin' way too much Rush Limbaugh. It rots the brain and destroys the soul.
President Obama 2012!!
IR - based on all the leftwingers trying to use a large variety of adjectives and names here on FR I would hardly put them into the category of having any type of rational common sense. Also applies to a few rightwingers as well.
Rallying the troops IR by calling for the poll dancers, hardly necessary here on FR.
Tanks made a beautiful sound in my ears. It is nicer than he deserves. I will put it that way.
Wonderful article about how the middle class has gone downhill over the last decade......... let me add one last little FACT:
REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH SERVED FROM JANUARY 2001 UNTIL JANUARY 2009.
YOU should take time to think before you copy/post someone else's length work.
The Liberals have done so much for us in California, has anyone seen my bankruptcy papers? How's that pay raise Legislators?
/
Wasn't it your GOP Governor that got California into the Mess !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Actually it was the dumb democratic governer that we had before him that got us into the mess. You know Grey Davis, the dumbie dem that got recalled in a very blue state. That alone tells you how bad the guy was. He gave the unions everything. We have prison guards here making over a hundred thousand dollars a year and retiring in their early fifties. Reckless spending and over regulation, that caused businesses to leave the state, is what got California in trouble. If you want to see where the US will be with 4 more years of Obama, then look no further than California.
IR, I'm with you.
I think this is one of the big issues. People are so afraid of change, so unwilling to do anything differently. They refuse to listen to new ideas, even though that is what made this country.
Patriotic,
California is in the same mess it has been in for a long, long time. Arnold was a failure against the opposition just like Obama has been. But, specifically related to CA, their spend, spend, spend policies are the problem. Not a bad governor. Also, it is in fact the liberals out there that refused to take the steps to prevent this issue. Blame them.
Patriotic American, really !!!!!!!!!! Maybe you should ask all the business's that have left, although botox business's have picked up!!!!!!!
I would like to accuse you liberals of stringing out a post so as to make it difficult to reply directly to a particularly biased post but then I would sound like a lefty.
Independent Redneck Va.
By Susan Heavey
The very same research that Ms. Heavey quoted also indicated that those numbers were headed back up and had pretty much recovered what they has lost during the Clinton recession but for some strange reason liberal democrats like to ignore facts like that.
http://pewresearch.org/pubs/2332/middle-class-optimism-income-barack-obama-mitt-romney-congress-wealth-income-lost-decade-worst
As a native Californian, I'd personally like to inform you why my beloved state is down in the dumps:
1. Overly-generous welfare system. Even a liberal Like me can admit that the welfare system might be a little too generous. I'd personally make the system offer the median value of benefits in the nation.
2. Balanced-budget amendment, or as I call it, the stupidest piece of legislation ever conceived. The fact that California has to balance its budget every year, even during a recession, is insane. If you want to fix the economy, you don't cut spending and raise taxes; you increase spending and, when there is clear evidence that it is effective, you lower taxes on middle and lower income people (temporarily). But some idiot came up with that idea and now our state has both a huge deficit AND millions of unemployed. I say eliminate the balanced budget amendment (or change it to state that the budget must only be balanced when debt reaches 40% of GDP) and start spending money on infrastructure projects, especially building high-speed trains and railroads.
3. Proposition 13. This proposition was passed in 1978 and has deeply cut into state revenues, forcing major cuts in the budget that hurt the economy. It also hampers the passage of any tax increase to balance the budget by requiring a supermajority to do it.
4. Education. We need a better education system, and we need to fund it properly. We need to prioritize funding, redirect resources to areas that need them, and hire more teachers to reduce class sizes. We also need to improve regulations, strengthen public schools, and make sure that the teachers that we are hiring are top-notch (I would accomplish that by requiring that teachers have to come from the top 15% of their classes and that they get merit-based pay). We must also end seniority-based tenure and make it easier for schools to fire incompetent teachers. Yet charter schools haven't fixed anything, so I would eliminate all of them that have not been at least on par with public schools. Eventually, we need more federal involvement in public education, particularly through the feds funding all of the needs of the schools and having some control over what happens in the classroom.
"And that's the way it is"....this week.
VP nominee Paul Ryan took his mother along with him in Florida. What better way to lie to seniors about medicare and social security than to take his 78-yr old Mom along to "vouch-er" for him--trust my sweet, boy, Paul, he'd never hurt old people...and just ignore that Ryan kill medicare Budget, he "misspoke".
It's 2008 and "Groundhog Day". Romney is not drawing the crowds Ryan draws. Shades of the half governor of Alaska stepping all over John McCain.
In Janesville, WI, Ryan criticized President Obama for the auto factory closure; said Obama promised it would stay open...but failed to mention that the outdated facility was scheduled for closure in early 2008, before Obama was elected and closed Dec 23, 2008, before Obama took office. Why mention little, factual details like that?!
Limbaugh started an attack on the debate moderators by labeling them as two far left and two far, far left liberals. You've got to hand it to the hot air balloon, he knows how to manipulate. This way, the GOPers can blame those far and far, far left liberal moderators if Romney flunks the debates~those were unfair, liberal, trick questions.
Sean Hannity said Paul Ryan has become a national sex symbol. Really? George Clooney is a sex symbol, Paul Ryan is, uh...well, a domineering male who believes women have no right to make their own reproductive decisions and that "ain't" sexy.
Augusta National added its first two female members. Should we cheer for the two or ask why so few, and why it took 12 years into the 21st century?
The Obamas hosted the first-ever Kid's State Dinner. Cheers for treating American kids as special as foreign leaders. It was part of the "Let's Move" program; kids submitted healthy recipes and 54 lucky kids and their families attended. The photos spoke volumes. What a thrill for those kids.
Missouri GOP Rep. and Senate candidate Todd Akin blew a giant hole in the GOP and Romney/Ryan this week when he declared that a woman's body has ways to prevent pregnancy during "legitimate rape". Akin then apologized and walked it back with the tired line that he "misspoke". He probably meant to say "forcible rape" which is Paul Ryan's preferred term.
In response to Akin's comment, Nate Silver asked, "can a candidate win if they get 0% of the women's vote?" Best quote of the week!
Akin's jaw-dropping comment pushed the GOPer Kevin Yoder off the front page of the news. GOPers went on a tax-payer funded trip to Israel with dining, drinking and jumping into the Sea of Galilee from a restaurant deck. Yoder went a step further, he preferred nude jumping off the deck! These yahoos were in Israel representing the U.S.; next time Congress better send along chaperones with GOPers.
RNC Chair Reince Priebus said the GOP Platform doesn't represent the party's presumptive nominee--it's "not the Platform of Mitt Romney." So, does that mean Mitt's not a Republican or that the GOP is disowning him?
In New Hampshire, the Romney campaign distributed rally tickets then cancelled the tickets because too many independents had accepted. Instead, the Romney team brought in busloads of "real" republicans from Massachusetts. One has to ask why bother stopping in New Hampshire if it's necessary to haul in the "Mitt, Mitt, Mitt" crowd from another state?
Paul Ryan claims President Obama engages in "crony capitalism". Would that be the same as Ryan lobbying for millions of dollars for the crony companies who donated to the Ryan campaign?
Iowa's ignorant, bigot GOPer Steve King said he's never heard of a child getting pregnant from statutory rape or incest. King should read something besides Orly Taitz & The Donald Birther News.
Romney's first whopper welfare lie about President Obama was so discredited by everyone that he dumped it and is now running Welfare Whopper Lie #2 which simply put the same lies in different order and block format. Wonder if the "font size" is just the right height?
Paul Ryan told rally attendees that he's a "Catholic deer hunter." No offense to Catholics but does that mean Ryan crosses himself before or after he shoots the deer?
Turns out GOPer Todd Akin is on the House Science Committee which makes about as much sense as Michele Bachmann being on the House Intelligence Committee.
There's a problem in Washington State. Romney/Ryan might not be on the November ballot. No, unlike GOPers trying to keep Obama off the ballot, it isn't democrats retaliating. In 2010, the GOP failed to run a candidate; therefore, the GOP did not meet the state's requirement as a viable party for 2012. It is likely a judge will find a way to allow Romney/Ryan on the ballot but...sweet justice...or as Rachel Maddow said, "Medicine comma, taste of your own."
Having watched many Romnay campaign ad lies starting with the primary and now in the general, it would be more appropriate if Mitt ended his ads with: "I'm Mitt Romney and I approved this Lie." Otherwise, he should watch out for lightening strikes.
In North Carolina, Etch-a-Sketcher #2, Paul Ryan criticized the military sequester forced spending cuts~erasing, of course, that he voted "YEA" and agreed to the cuts. Ryan has no problem with his "YEA" vote for forced cuts to education, medicaid, food assistance and all other discretionary spending.
In New Mexico, Mitt Romney announced his Energy Independence by 2020 Plan, AKA, "Drill baby, drill". Why waste money harnessing the never-ending wind and solar energy when Mitt can just deplete the planet of oil and pollute the air and water with one stroke of his mighty pen!
Mitt Romney is now telling journalists not to ask the campaign about Akin or abortion. Well, "Arrogance I'm Special" has spoken and issued censorship orders again.
Tropical Storm Isaac is headed on a direct path for Tampa to hit Monday, the start of the GOP Convention. Limbaugh says President Obama is hoping for a hurricane. Sorry, Rush, it was James Dobson who in 2008 had his crowd of praying for a deluge to hit Denver on the night of President Obama's acceptance speech...instead a hurricane hit at the start of the GOP Convention. I figure God does not like having his time wasted on trivial pettiness; he has a long memory. Either He's still annoyed at Dobson and his crowd or he's sending a personal message to the GOP and the Vulture/Voucher guys that Ayn Rand selfishness, greed and disregard of the poor and the infirm does not sit well with the Man Upstairs.
The Bachmann "Chitspa" Award this week goes to Paul Ryan who co-sponsored and voted for the "forcible rape" HR3 bill with his "legitimate rape" buddy, Todd Akin, said that all those anti-abortion bills, the banning of contraception bills, the defunding of Title X and Planned Parenthood~he was just "following the crowd" with his "YEA" votes....after all, Ryan said, "rape is rape"....and I'm sticking to this excuse until next time I need to Etch-a-Sketch!
Jody: Great post as always.
goes without saying....you are the best Jody!
hope you have a great weekend!
Perfect... just perfect!
Unlike cheap... poorly written imitations! ;o)
Jody:
Superb, as always, although you did raise a question. You mentioned that Paul Ryan is a "Catholic deer hunter". How does he know the deer are Catholic?
The constant stream of Romney and Ryan lies and the fact that they continue to receive support makes me wonder what kind of morals their supporters have. Do these people tell their kids, lying is just fine? Has bearing false witness been deleted from God's Bill of Rights and Wrongs?
Great wrap-up, Jody. I hope it isn't too stressful for you to have to sift through all the candidates for the "Chitspa" award. For first runnerup I nominate Mitt Romney for saying he doesn't want to disclose his tax returns because they contain information about his charitable contributions, which are priavate matters between him and God (and his accountants at Price Waterhouse).
Thanks Jody - what a way with words....
GNOP -They can't handle facts. THEY CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!
Where are the 1040's Mythe/ WHAT are you hiding?
Contempt...with a name like yours it figures you'd like that cover story. Newsweek should be ashamed to allow that story be printed. It is so filled with lies and half truths and was never fact checked....Newsweek doesn't have a fact checking dept.
The Jobless Report is like a poll a snapshot, but if you like to gloat over the fact we are have a slow recovery, you must be another of those cheerleaders for the bad news to suit your political agenda. Otherwise known as being part of the problem. I'll take Nate Silver's statistics over anyone else.
Jody -- A lot went on this week. Wow. Again, some of it is so far over the edge it makes one think that can't be true. Yet it is. You can't make this stuff up. Anyway didn't even realize it's Friday! Gees this week flew by. Many thanks for another terrific wrap-up Jody. Have a terrific weekend.
If I'm too busy to keep up with the news Jody's Friday wrap-up gets me up to speed.
GREAT Wrap up for the week. There are going to be continued questions about Willard Romney.
Willard Romney Olympics documents are not being released for the public to view. We the People want to know Why.
Willard Romney is not being honest about his time at Bain Capital. We the People want to know Why.
Willard Romney and staff spent nearly $100,000 in state funds to replace computers in his office at the end of his term as governor of Massachusetts in order to keep his records secret. We the People want to know Why.
Willard Romney refuses to release his tax returns We the People want to know. Why.
We the People want to know Why. Because this man Willard Romney is hiding many things, and don't we the people have the right to know what he is hiding.
With Willard Romney hiding so much about his life and dealings, many people are left to wonder what sinister or criminal activity is Willard is covering up . Let's keep the investigation going on Willard Romney, and expose him for what he is.
Jody, you continue to do terrific work and this week is no exception. The choice of Tampa by the GNOP for their most important event, speaks to their lack of good basic common sense, the height of hurricane season is from the middle of August thru September and no one with a lick of sense should plan on a big event such as this convention during this time frame. It leaves me again shaking my head at their blunders. On the other hand, perhaps I should let them blunder away.
Joy - I'm in love with you.
Jody, I too always enjoy your wrap-ups and am thankful you take the time to write them! Let's me know what I missed during the week. And I think Solutions is in love with you and just forgot the d :)
Thanks, everyone. There was plenty on the edit room floor.
David Walker, Ha! I didn't think about them being Catholic deer.
Contempt Me, here's a thought: if you don't like what I select, which are items that can be put into simple and short paragraphs, then write one of your own. That way, you and Snookie can go rain on your own parade.
Paul Ryan says Women who don't fight back rape isn't rape, but those who fought back is rape. This Paul dude is starting to look more like that Crazy Nut Rick Santorum every day !!!!!!!!!!
Steeler Fan, I didn't hear Mitt's latest excuse about why he won't release his taxes until after my "deadline" so to speak. It's a really dumb excuse since most people would say, good for him, he gives 10% to his church. I also find it both amazing and naive if Mitt thinks people consider tithing as charity. A good portion of that money goes for upkeep of the church, the pastor or ?'s wages and living quarters in some cases, electricity, water, heat, air conditioning, cleaning services, general expenditures--what's left over goes for good deeds. Don't forget, if Mitt calls tithing charity, deducting the amount given from his taxes sounds more palatable. Maybe what Mitt's really afraid of is that the Mormon Church will discover he short-changed them!
Jody, I posted a link to the Businessweek article below regarding what the Mormon church does with their tithing money. Don't get me wrong all churches are welcome to do what they want with what they take in but the LDS church only uses 7% of what they acquire in tithes for humanitarian aid. Bishops, etc., in their church are required to show their returns to those over them (can't remember what they are called) to make sure that the paid the full 10% in order for them to gain admittance to their temples. It's a bizarre religion and one that I've studied most of my life (forced to as a non-Mormon living in Utah.)
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-07-10/how-the-mormons-make-money#p5
Jody -
Great post - you made my Friday as always!
Like you said, so much material, so little time. A few of my favorites from this week:
Henry J. Aaron, an economist and a longtime health policy analyst at the Brookings Institution and the Institute of Medicine, called Mr. Romney's vow to repeal the Medicare savings contained in the ACA 'both puzzling and bogus at the same time.'" - kinda describes Mitt Romney in general!
Romney said during a campaign fundraiser Thursday: "Big business is doing fine in many places,'' ''They get the loans they need, they can deal with all the regulation. They know how to find ways to get through the tax code, save money by putting various things in the places where there are low tax havens around the world for their businesses.'' - if all that is true, then why does he want to lower their taxes and reduce regulation?
Mitt Romney complains about his tithes to the Mormon Church being made public ....he has a point, these donations should be kept between a man, his God, and the IRS....Mitt could always keep the contributions "super secret" and not claim them on his tax returns....
Paul Ryan - The Defict? I Built That!
Mitt Romney - "Big Business is doing fine..."
Get a job libtards/turds.
Hey Jody - one more as reported on CNN last night.
We are already on our way to energy self-sufficiency by 2020. All Mittens/Ride-me have to do is NOTHING!!!
Jerry - does your chimp avataar mean you believe in evolution? Breaking ranks with the reich wing?
Great week-and all
Most of the Mormon churches tax free money is invested in buying land and businesses. They own the largest cattle ranch in the country at 330,000 acres, huge but smaller ranches, 3 radio stations, a TV station and hundreds of other businesses.
Just AWESOME, Jody!
My favorite line,...I wonder if the FONT size was just the right size. BWWWWWWWWWAHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAA!
I can just imagine the gems you left on the cutting room floor.
Thanks for all of your hard work!
David walker, may I refer you back to 2008 and Obama's words and what he says now, just a couple Bush's borrowing , debt ceiling, balanced budget, just once try looking at things with both eyes open. Liberal the party of excuse
Jody - great wrap up as always. I might add to your response that tithing is also used to build Mormon office skyscrapers such as the 25 story monolith in downtown SLC, erect awe inspiring temples such as the San Diego (La Jolla) temple off major interstates (that one caused so many pile-ups, the state had to install extra freeway signage off I-5), and fight social agenda issues such as defeating Prop 8 in California. And the biggest motivation for Romney to tithe is to achieve the Celestial Kingdom, in which he will become God of his own universe in the afterlife (apparently, money doesn't only make the world go around, it makes the universe go around).
Hey Buckaroo, yes I did know that as I live in Utah. I'm not going to start the LDS bashing stuff on this thread. You're welcome to e-mail me if you'd like to share all of your thoughts with me. This is not the forum nor is it pertinent to the conversation. My statement was more about how the monies collected are spent.
If you are on such good terms with them, why can't you spell it right? Maroon!
I see my liberal friends have added more to my efforts, thanks.
Buckaroo, still sounds a bit fishy to me but I'll give them credit, that's real nice of them to own a huge ranch and harvest peaches, too, to help the poor. Wonder if Mitt ever picks peaches or herds cattle or does he just give his money not his time?
jerry, I'm retired; I don't need to get a job. How about you?
Clara, I just couldn't resist the "right height" line!
The TeaWackos are filled with fools and perverts, are they Maroons ???????????
@News98 - are you taking credit for authoring your post? If so, I would like to point out you repeated yourself several times. I also noticed it seems to mirror the post from Jody, so I was simply forced to report this as possible plagiarism to the newsvine moderators. I'm sure you would agree with that in as much as you agreed not to plagiarize when you agreed to the terms of newsvine.
wlee - lotsanumbers wrote:
Yes, you may. It seems like it was only four years ago. You remember, that was the year that John McCain was telling us the economic fundamentals were sound, only to discover a mere day or so later that the world was on the brink of disaster. About those sound fundamentals. Did those include the outright theft of trillions of dollars at the hands of the criminals in the financial services sector?
Ah yes, 2008. Why, I believe that was when we discovered that the third quarter GDP was running a negative number, accelerating into the fourth quarter.
No one knew the extent of the disaster. Then, within 24 hours of President Obama's inauguration, we discover that a group of Congressional Republicans are actively plotting to destroy his efforts to mitigate the disaster. Mitch McConnell, a two-bit whore, tells us outright he plans to blow up the Presidency.
Then you and your low-intellect buddies demand to know why President Obama hasn't taken the greatest financial disaster in three-quarters of a century and turned it around on a dime.
Spare me your partisan BS. When you want to deal with facts, we'll debate. Until that time, piss on someone else's leg.
You forget to mention the disaster was caused by the Democrats in Congress passing those bills forcing banks to make home loans to people who never had a chance of paying them off. The only reason the banks took the loans was because the Congress had Freddy Mac, and Fanny Mae back the loans. With the loans backed by the Federal Govenment the banks then took the risk, knowing the federal government would cover them. And low and behold in about 2 years the loans fell through when housing prices did not increase. It sure sounds like the Dot com bubble, of the late 90's and the energy bubble of the 70's. Libeials create these disasters then blame someone else. If you learned from history, The same thing happened back in the 1920, with stock purchases on margin. Everything is fine as long as the price doesn't drop. If it falls no one has the money or the reason to pay the full price on a loosing commodity. Of couse the same reasons cam make people rich, if you have saved the cash to buy the depressed stocks, homes, or anythng else, you can make real money by purchasing them and selling them later. The smart people will do the latter, the dumb ones will do neather, the poor will do the former, waking away having nothing.
As for Obama every other President turned the recession they got around within 2 years and showed Real improvement by the 3rd year. That is except for two presidents, one being FDR whose lasted 10 years before the second world war ended it, and Obama who has been stuck in nomans land. He wasted 6 trillion, (he would have been better off giving that 6 trillion dollars to the taxpayers) with nothing to show for it, except for a larger national debt. He created more bills to limit job production by companies, the only ones making out are the Largest Banks, because of the Frand/Dodd bill limiting small and regonal banks, thus making lending to businesses harder (especially smaller businesses.). You mention the facts but fail to mention them. I go by actions over speaches. It is easy to say you will do something, a real person does it. So far Obama is not the person he touted in 08.
David, what a surprise reverting to name calling , sorry if you can't face the facts. Partisan BS you should know all about that. I point out Obama's words and you deflect. Excuses excuses truth hurts doesn't it
@300 - what bill was that? And please be specific. If you find it, please share it - otherwise, I guess we won't see you here again posting this lie.
wlee - lotsanumbers wrote:
No you did not. It's impossible to debate something that IS NOT there. Again, your low-intellect buddies may go for that crap. I won't. Of course, you could have addressed the points, but you can't. I have facts at my disposal. You don't.
300Michael wrote:
Bills? Show one. Just one.
So, the Dems have decided to make this election all about where Republicans stand on rape and abortion.
Are you all sure you want to go there?
Do you feel the slightest bit hypocritical bringing up this "War On Women" crap when none other than Bill Clinton will be speaking at your convention? The only president in US history who has been accused (quite credibly) of RAPE?
Todd Akin should call a press conference and announce that he will drop out of the race just as soon as Bill Clinton apologizes to Juanita Broaderick and Kathleen Willey for sexually assaulting them. And every time the camera pans in on Bill's mug, all the women watching who, driven by curiosity looked up Willey and Broaderick, will be thinking what a sick bunch of hypocrites these bastards are.
Would you all like Akin better if he left an aid/hookup alone to drown in his car while he ran off to save his career? Nah. Only if he was a Democrat. In which case you would re-elect him to the Senate year after year.
As for abortion- It's time Romney/Paul fight back on this issue. As it now stands, we have a sitting POTUS WHO SUPPORTS INFANTICIDE. Obama voted AGAINST banning Partial Birth Abortion and has stated he is IN FAVOR OF LATE TERM ABORTION aka BABY KILLING. As of this morning, this is IN THE DEM PLATFORM. These sick SOBs (including B. Hussein Obama) need to be asked about this.
The overwhelming majority of the American people see these procedures as the atrocities they are. But Obama, being an EXTREMIST on abortion, supports them. This needs to be publicized heavily.
So, since you people have decided to make abortion an issue in this election, tell us all here- Do you, like Obama, support the murdering of babies?
And before any of you dimwits dismiss this post and collapse it, realize that I, like millions of others am pro-abortion as long as it is early. Who is the extremist on abortion? Me or your sick-ass president?
Pretty sure the GOP succeeded in doing that all by themselves.
Nice straw man argument. late term abortion is supported by Obama only in cases where the mother's health is at risk. You're just repeating the lies made up by the right wing propaganda machine.
Obama, Democrats, and liberals have always stood for killing the unborn. Which prevents unwanted or unnecessary personal responsibility.
Damage123
YES!
Damage
The Dems have no morals or foundation to stand on. They know not what they do in other words. So they think they know what their doing but not really. It is ok to kill babies and throw them away because they stand behind "choice". They think they know the Military because they have seen a movie about war. They are simple minded and easily brain washed. No long term solutions just what feels right today. I used to try and have debates with them but it wastes time. Read the silly thought on here and you know I am correct. Wrong is wrong and they do not see it.
Allowing people to make their own choices is the very definition of personal responsibility.
Obama and the current Dem platform are the EXTREMIST view on abortion. The American public needs to know about this. They need to know that the POTUS voted AGAINST the BAN on Partial Birth Abortions. He knows damn well that "health of the mother" includes "emotional health" where the mother's life is not in danger. He just plain and simple supports infanticide.
The American public needs to be shown the choice to decide whom they think is "extreme"- A party that thinks women should pay for their own abortions, or the party that murders babies. The Dems have opened this Pandora's Box and if the Repubs have any balls, they'll make them sorry they did.
@Damage123
Extreme is a woman being raped and forcing her to have the baby.
Xabre says, "Allowing people to make their own choices is the very definition of personal responsibility."
What an idiotic statement relating the very definition of personal responsibility being that a person can decide to have an abortion. The actual definition of personal responsibility should be not acting so irresponsibly that to correct your behavior you have to get an abortion.
Getting raped is now a character flaw?
Tragically, in this day and age we need to point out that it is "irresponsible" to KILL a 9 month-old fetus. Most Americans are FOR abortion as long as it is early. Abortions resulting from rapes are done early. The public supports this. But the OVERWHELMING majority of Americans are AGAINST LATE TERM ABORTION AND Partial Birth Abortion. Barack Hussein Obama IS NOT. This makes him an extremist who is FAR FAR outside the mainstream. The word needs to be spread. It's bound to change some minds (at least among those who have one) and change some votes.
He wasn't vagina hunter. He was mouth hunting.
Damage123
I find it interesting that you say you are pro-abortion, I think you would be hard pressed to find anyone on the left that is pro-abortion.
The people on the left are pro-choice--meaning that the choice should be left up to the individual woman. The left also advocates for sex education and cheap and accessible contraception-which would in turn reduce the number of abortions performed. (Why is the right not for these things?)
With regard to Bill Clinton, please tell me when he was charged and convicted of rape? Now I'm getting a little older, but I don't recall that ever happening. How does one accuse "quite credibly" if no criminal charges were ever brought against him?
As has been pointed out before, President Obama supports late term abortions when the life of the mother is at risk. So you're telling us that the woman's life does not matter to you? I guess you only care about some lives but not all. You talk about the left following their "messiah" but have deemd yourself the one who decides whose life if worth saving? How very un-Christian of you.
President Obama is not extremist on any issue. Which is why the real liberals are upset with him. Almost all his proposals include ideas that republicans have supported since Reagan was in office. In fact, during the last dem administration(Clinton) the big republican idea was health care mandates--their claim was it wouldn't work without everyone being covered to have a bigger risk pool thereby lowering costs.
Damage,
Your views as expressed are mind-numbingly idiotic, and your inaccurate statements misrepresent President Obama's support of a Woman's Right to Choose.
No one that I am aware of is Pro-Abortion. Most Democrats are strongly against Abortion, and support all measures to limit the need for it. We support abstinence programs, sex-education, availability of birth control, pre-natal care, and adoption.
Unlike Republicans, however, we also support an individual woman's right to have final say over her body. It is up to a woman in conjunction with her doctor (and possibly her significant other) to weigh the individual factors and make these kind of hard decisions that will permanently impact her life and health.
Again, unlike Republicans, we support access to affordable healthcare for all women, pregnant or not.
President Obama said it best - "What I think that these comments do underscore is why we should not have a bunch of politicians, a majority of whom are men, making health care decisions on behalf of women".
You named yourself well. And accurately.
I know of no one that is pro abortion. It is a necessity that will happen no matter what the law says. Always has, always will. The best thing to do is to make sure it is done professionally.
I'm all for giving Liberals condoms ,heck give them two if it helps stop them from reproducing
That sounds like all the war-mongering Republicans who managed to stay out of the Viet Nam war:
George W. Bush
Dick Cheney
Mitt Romney
They will all start lots of war but they and their sons will never be fighting in them...
If you take out religion excuse, what do you have?
They're just reducing the number of losers living on the government life plan and hurting the number of future democrat voters as well.
And the number of people who would serve as cannon fodder for the GOP's wars.
EEngineer and Michael-412302... But... then how will Kellogg-Brown-Root and Halliburton make any profit? LOL!
This country is hungry for better leadership in the White House. ROMNEY/RYAN 2012
After 3 1/2 years of economic failure we can give Romney a chance and if he can't turn the economy around we can vote him out. The last thing suffering Americans need is four more years of reord high unemployment and no jobs. Screw the Change I just want a job. BTW: I am neither Republican or Democrat but after seeing President Obamas aunt stay in Boston illegally since 2004, I think its time for a Change.
How many times does Mitt Romney have to tell "you people" to kiss is @#$# before you get the message?
lol
Happy Friday, Nash. Hope you have a great weekend.
I love Mitt's latest reason for not disclosing his tax returns---they show his charitable giving and that is so private and personal to him. What a crock. He and Ann have frequently said that they tithe and the details of the charitable giving could be redacted, leaving the total to be shown. Wonder what staff person stayed up late nights dreaming that up.
Morning Nash!
Have you seen this little gem out of Willard last night?
Now... let's have some red kool-aid & *popcorn* to salute him for FINALLY telling the truth! ☺
Steeler Fan,
Romney's new excuse for not disclosing his tax returns is getting more bizarre.
His father released 12 years of tax returns when he was running.
I am sure his dad was a good Mormon and also gave his 10% to his church.
Willard Mitt-Wit Romney message to the American People who ask him questions, "Kiss My A$$."
Good Morning Nash! Please give me a brake.
You have a misspelled word but who am I to point this out. It really does not matter. What matters is the standards only apply for those that have a different opinion (not a liberal opinion).
Jodi, not being fictitious, good piece of writing, don't agree with all of it, but good piece of writing.
Northstar---couldn't believe my ears last night on the latest. Apparently it was OK to let his accountants know about the charitable giving and of course the McCain campaign (who got 23 years worth of returns) but not the American public. After Mitt loses the election he should consider an acting career since he says this stuff with a straight face.
Oh God the irony. I'm laughing IRL.
*waves to the First Read crew*
*sips Koolaid*
*munches popcorn*
P.S. "You people" is whoever that Ann Romney says it is . . . condescending much? ;o)
Mitt said: to tell the Republican Lunatics to kiss his F-N Azz and he's not showing you no F-N taxes ever.
Plus Reverse Mitt said: I don't have to tell you my F-N plans for the country, just F-N elect me and you will find out. As a matter of fact you should have known what the F-N I'm going to do to the country by the V.P I picked you dumb F-N A hole. Now don't ask me another F-N question.
Xabre, the sad thing is it doesn't even know what you're talking about. ;-)
And I for one have no desire to kiss Mitt's @#$# ever nor look at him in his (as JoAnne said ) Mom jeans galavanting around spewing his bogus bs around the country!
Well ComtemptMe . . . I will give you credit for not pretending that she didn't say it like the media tried to do when the unfortunate phrasing slipped pass her precious lips . . . fortunately for me, I only have to hear "kiss my @#@" once . . . even a whole month ago . . . and I get the picture.
Have you seen this Romney Girl video? . . . Made me smile! :o)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLJgi3KH7ec
Steeler, Nitt can join another former Repuglican presidential candidate, Fred Thompson, doing reverse mortgage commercials, for the breeding of more personal debt in this country. Like they say " I didn't twist their arm to sign, and it is only money and not morally wrong".
http://www.fff.org/freedom/fd0502c.asp, Gee George, you would do anything to buy a vote, but it is not your money or your Dad's.......
Concern, in case you do not understand Xabre's comment #8.8, you mean break, not "brake". You have used brake many times and each time you use the wrong one so I'm going to help you today, that way you can get it right next time. "Brake" is a piece of machinery to name one definition. "Break" has multiple meanings one of which is "to separate into parts" which would describe a coffee break or lunch break which separates a work day into parts. Get a dictionary and look up the difference.
When asked if he was a Red Sox fan, Romney told a US Air Force pilot that he (Romney) was there at Fenway Park for the deciding Game 4 of the 2004 World Series. The Truth? No, he wasn't. In addition to the fact that Romney was in New Hampshire campaigning for GW Bush that day, Game 4 was played at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.
Romney told a Yankees fan earler this week at his rally that “We all hate Yankees.” WOW!
Annie Romney says only the little people pay taxes, she looks at the Middle Class as little people !!!
Jody, Iowa
Thank you Jody for pointing that out, but I did understand Xabre's comment #8.8. Did you understand my comment #8.6, minus the use of the wrong word?
Gotta love Mitt's empathy to students trying to get a higher education---it shows just how out of touch he is. I read an interview with Ann Romney where she described their struggling days as students---they had to sell some stock to pay their tuition. Mitt's entire life has been so insulated that he doesn't know the experiences that average Americans have.
Yeah, what he said. Of course the fact that Obama was raised in an upper middle class family and attended some the finest schools in the country means he is in touch. Doesn't it? Whether he actually earned what was afforded to him or just rode the affirmative action gravy train will probably never be known, after all his entire past has been sealed.
And Mr. Obama does?
Well, we know that the Obamas understand financing one's higher education with student loans, since it wasn't that long ago that they finished paying theirs off. Mitt told one student to "shop around for lower tuition" and another to borrow money from his parents. As if of course the parents could spare the cash. He apparently believes that the 60% of students who need student loans shouldn't be in school.
Rick--if you had read the President's autobiography you would know that he was not raised in an upper middle class family.
@Rick-3416939
Didn't Reverse Mitt tell you the ask your F-N parents of help attending college?
rightwingscrewball pretty much says it all because every word you posted is rightwingscrewball gibberish not to mention showing a bigotry. Are you demanding Romney's application, transcripts, his grades, his thesis? President Obama has released his taxes, why hasn't Mitt Romney? Why should President Obama release his college records when Mitt won't do that either. Michelle Obama was NOT disbarred from practicing law, if you're really interested in the truth--which I doubt--you can look it up.
Jody, what does releasing taxes or any of the rest of Liberal deflections have to do with the economy or unemployment? What happened to getting our country back on it's feet? When you have no game you revert back to what you do best, change the subject. Romney might not be the answer if elected, but we sure know Obama isn't
Life goes on without Romoney & Ryrand, Akin is urging Ryan to drop out !!!
wlee - Jody was clearly responding to rightwingscrewball.
YOU however changed the subject, deflected, and made a false accusation. You then followed it up with an opinion that you presented as "known fact."
Isn't that kind of hypocritical?
Matthew, so I changed the subject on what is actually important to the country, I'm so terrible,and please tell me where I stated anything as fact, like your comment it's opinion, unlike you I'm able to discern . The truth is you want to waste your time on non issues while the country is slipping deeper into debt
You stated, "Romney might not be the answer if elected, but we sure know Obama isn't" By stating "we sure know" you expressed an opinion as a fact. If you intended it as a rhetorical statement, I apologize for jumping to a conclusion.
Ok, we can discuss the debt and the economy:
"Grand Bargain" rejected by Republicans (who's party candidates later claimed they would have rejected it even if the promise was for 10 dollars in reduced spending for every 1 dollar in increased revenues).
American Jobs Act; Bring Home Jobs Act; Rebuild America Jobs Act; etc. all blocked by threat of filibuster.
And yes, we can discuss the bills held up by Sen. Reid which contained "right wing social engineering" (props to Newt Gingrich for the phrase) clauses. For example:
Example: HR 782 "Amends the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act [CWA]) to prohibit the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or a state from requiring a permit under the CWA for a discharge from a point source into navigable waters of a pesticide authorized for sale, distribution, or use under FIFRA, or the residue of such a pesticide, resulting from the application of such pesticide" This one is designed to gut the Clean Water Act and to reduce the oversight of the EPA. It is a "dirty bill."
Example: HR 910 - "Amends the Clean Air Act to prohibit the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from promulgating any regulation concerning, taking action relating to, or taking into consideration the emission of a greenhouse gas (GHG) to address climate change." Designed to deliberately undercut the Clean Air Act
HR 4 - "and (3) increase the limitation on recapture of excess advance payments of the tax credit for health insurance premiums. " designed to undercut PPACA
HR 1230 - "Directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct specified proposed offshore oil and gas lease sales as follows: (1) lease sale 216 in the Central Gulf of Mexico within four months after enactment of this Act; (2) lease sale 218 in the Western Gulf of Mexico within eight months after enactment of this Act; (3) lease sale 220 on the Outer Continental Shelf offshore Virginia within one year after enactment of this Act; and (4) lease sale 222 in the Central Gulf of Mexico no later than June 1, 2012." Tries to force off shore drilling while the BR Spill was still being cleaned up and litigated AND there was an off-shore drilling moratorium until the issues behind the BP spill were fully identified- tries to undercut EPA regulations.
H R 9 On Passage P Small Business Tax Cut Act - adds 46 billion to the deficit with no appreciable savings for the small business. Also defines lobbyists as small business. (Source: Joint Committee on Taxation)
Mar H CON RES 112 On Agreeing to the Resolution P Establishing the budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2013 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2014 through 2022 - This is the Ryan Budget. It does not take into consideration projected revenues nor expenses, just says "this much and no more." Further, the amounts allocated will not allow current military levels, debt service, or entitlements to be maintained or paid. Attempts to end medicare. Sets aside funds associated with the costs of repealing PPACA. This is an agenda bill more than a true budget projection. Feel free to check out the agenda and impacts of this bill at (http:// factcheck.org/2011/05/ryans-budget-spin/)
NBC wrote an article that didnt have to do with taxes or the other negative crap they always put out. You will see that as the election nears and the writing on the wall becomes more clear and all there campaigning for Mr. Oboma has failed they will start writing more positve reports on the President to be. They will too want access the next four years.
HA! Don't hold your breath! They are set to come out with a one hour documentation on Mormon religion I hear. That should stir some interest!
Personally dont give a sh it less about his religion. We have a large Mormon church in our community and the people that go there are some of the hardest working people in our area. You guys are going to have to find something else besides taxes and his religion. We really dont care in middle america.
Maybe they should have a double feature for all to see. A movie about Mormons and the 2016 movie shown back to back.
you'realoser - you, of all people, are going to lecture us on "holy books"? You don't have one empathetic or compassionate bone in your body. Obviously you don't know what it means or feels like to be an "underdog".
President Obama 2012
Moronic logic, How come fox propaganda has not written nice things about our Potus for access?
You guys are so concerned with Romney's religion yet choose to ignore Obama's life in Rev. Wrights church why is that? Let's try to stay on topic ECONOMY, did anyone pay any attention to what the CBO has said?
Buckaroo
you might as well be talking to a brick wall. If Barry were to slap Michelle around on national T.V. his subjects would say she deserved it. BTW, I believe in real life if Barry tried to slap Michelle around she would beat the crap out of him. I believe she's more man than he is.
Dem4
What can the liberal/socialists gain from attacking and denigrating a well established Christian religion? Or, are you attacking all religions as well as God himself? I myself am not religious, but every Mormon I've met has been a credit to his community, religion, and country. (Of course, I have never met Harry Reid who is an embarrasment to the human race). If only more people were like the Mormons and held their values, we wouldn't be in this mess with Obama.
"Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it". That is one one the truest statements ever made. Polls are not needed to predict who wins. HISTORY has already done that.
"It's the ECONOMY stupid"! Why is that one short sentence so difficult for some to comprehend? As HISTORY has shown us before, the economy will decide this election. That means a Romney win. There has not been ONE POSITIVE economic development in 4 freaking Obama years as president. Anyone who believes he even has a remote chance of keeping his job is delusional............
As history has also shown us, the principles that Romney bases his economic platform on do not work.
History has shown the "most likeable" candidate always wins. That's because likeable equals "trustworthy" plus "admirable." That is President Obama, to a T, and most assuredly, that is not Mitt Romney.
You can't trust Romney, because he refuses to release his tax returns to show how he achieved a 13% tax rate. It's hard to admire a candidate who is incapable of flattering the British. At the Olympics. Which he claims to have "saved" during the Games in Utah. Using pork barrel funding from the government.
Amy, trust worthy? Look at what he has said before being elected, and what he has done then come back and tell me how trust worthy he is. When you finish that assignment please share what Politician is. BTW love your examples of trust worthiness......
Your right Amy, Barry's trustworthy and honest I might add. Just like he said no one in his campaign called Romney a felon.
Amy
Don't know what you are smoking, but could you please share? You must know something that millions of people don't.
"valuable in helping me turn around the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City."
LOL
He registered as a lobbyist and got a $1.3 billion bailout from Congress. Here is what John McCain said about it;
“an incredible pork-barrel project for Salt Lake City and its environs”
Mr. Romney's bold plan for energy independence by 2020?
You didn't build that, Mr. Romney. CitiGroup did back in march of this year...
fa.smithbarney.com/public/projectfiles/ce1d2d99-c133-4343-8ad0-43aa1da63cc2.pdf
Romney is a pro-war Draft Dodger and Tax cheat.
Ryan is a Utopian fantasy game economist who sees society through the eyes of a Middle Ages Spanish Inquisitor.
Romney's economic advisers are straight from the Bush/Cheney Whitehouse team.
Romeny's National Security Advisers are the same ones Cheney used for the Iraq invasion, secret prison interrogations, domestic spying and PsyOps disinformation campaign.
The GOP energy policy is for the sole benefit of a few Oil Billionaires to strengthen their Cartel, inflate prices and destroy competition.
What more does the voter need to know?
And Obama is a MARXIST......
And he pouts when he doesn't get his way........ Lord help us when he gets the boot in November........
He's gonna throw a fit............
Obama wants us to pay higher energy bills so we can say I may being charged twice as much now, but it is Green energy. We ship our oil to China, and that is suposed to make the earth better? That is like saying my neighbor is house is on fire, but since it is not mine the air in the city is cleaner. If this is how Liberials think, I can see why we are nin worse trouble now. Obama has people who never worked a day in their lives, trying to make jobs for the country with results that are worse then doing nothing, and getting worse by the month. Obama makes up his own laws, in violation of the Constitution and because of Reid, he gets away with it. Businesses pay the highest tax rate in the World, and it is not enough, Except for the Owners of Soylendra who made millions when going bankrupt, who is better off today then 4 years ago? Is the country better off then 4 years ago? I believe the answer is NO. Do we want to give this clown more time to distroy this country? I hope the Answer is NO. But half the answer is dependant on the Liberials, that refuse to see what is happening.
Steve your going no where with your argument, same as Nitt and Co.. 300 you may pay higher energy costs because you live in a area that has not kept up with the times, ala Indiana, the hoarder of coal dependance. Now our bills are up and expected to increase another 20% by the next few years....So, what do our Energy exec.'s say, "It's those dam* regulations that are causing your costs to go up"... Live in a dream world as long as you can.....LOL.
@milo
If Romney is a draft dodger....WHAT IS CLINTON??? You name the last 5 presidents who served their country and I'll name the last five who did not.....starting with Obummer.
Steve...., Name calling won't change reality. the Cold War has been over for 24 years.
Obama saved the auto industry.
Under Obama, the stock market doubled in value.
Obama saved our economy with a bold stimulus plan that turned our economy around, from losing jobs at nearly 800,000 per month to gaining jobs at over 150,000 per month. If it wasn't for Republican obstructionism, we would even be doing better.
Obama is NO marxist, he is our President and he's doing a great job at bringing our country back from the brink of a Depression.
OBAMA 2012
shaak322
#15.6
The stock market topped 14,000 about this time in 2007 and tanked in 2008 pretty much after the democrats in congress had their chance to tank the economy.
Even after the democrat congress tanked the economy in December of 2007 unemployment never got over 7.6% under Bush.
And if it wasn't for democrat obstructionism we probably would not be here in the first place
And Obama is a collectivist.
Real Clear Politics polls show that Romney is surging since his Paul Ryan pick. All polls listed---OTHER THAN NBC's- show a race within 2 points, either way.
Yet First Read sticks to its Dem talking points that Romney had a "rough summer" and Romney is behind....and "remains within striking distance"...
.
RCP (Average of polls) as of 8/21/2012 After Ryan Pick / Before Conventions
10 Tossup States: Tied in one (FL=29), Obama leads in 8, Romney leads in 1.
Delegates: Obama = Solid(142)+Likely(30)+Lean(49) = 221 +Tossup(82) = 303*
Delegates: Romney = Solid(76)+Likely(58)+Lean(57) = 191 +Tossup(15) = 206
Total Delegates: [303+206+29 = 538] Win = 270*
The Republican Party still believes in the equality of everyone to be free to pursue their God Given right of Happiness.
The Democrat Party Still believes in the equalilty of everyone to have the Govenment pursue their Government given right of it's idea of happiness.
Republican's believe that all money is owned by the people, who give some of it, for the Government can Operate. (People Give and People Keep)
Democrat's believe that all money is owned by the Government and it allows people to keep what ever it wants at any time. (Govenment Takes and Government Keeps)
Republicans If you do good, and you help people, you will have your own personal rewards, you choose the charities you donate to, and create jobs for people.
Democrats The Government forces you to pay taxes so that they control the people they choose to help (be it corperations, or billionairs, or the poor), The develop ways to keep the poor dependant on Government. The make it difficult for charities to survive, and regulate and tax bussiness to death.
Tea Party was to curb Government spending (something they haven't done as well as they should).
Occupy Movement. Tax and Spend more for Government programs of dependancy. Not to mention destroy public property, and cost citys millions for cleanup and sanitation.)
Republicans still believe that God Gives Us Our Rights.
Democrats still believe that Government Gives Us Our Rights, and thus Government can take them away.
Bob, you need to keep in mind that little "Chuckie"Todd and Brian Williams are so busy taking turns affixing their lips to the President's behind, they don't have time to fact check their reporting let alone the accuracy of their polls .
300, are you playing a tit for a tat, or actually explaining your personal principles? Thought so...Jake, and they Thank You for listening,,,.
The Conservative Philosophy, as I understand it:
The rich have our best interests at heart; and the poor are out to ruin us.
Bankers, Hedge-fund managers and CEOs are "job-creators" who should be rewarded with extensiive tax breaks; union laborers, truck drivers, police officers, fire-fighters and teachers make too much and are a drain on the economy.
CEO salaries and benefits (worth millions) are shining examples of capitalism and a free-market at work; freely-negotiated union workers’ benefits and pay are too high.
Government has too much power in the workplace; but not enough in the doctor’s office. Government should also be able to listen to your conversations, track your library books, and know what goes on in your bedroom.
You need a government-issued ID to vote; but not to buy a gun.
Government should place restrictions on what a woman and her doctor decide; but no restrictions on who can buy guns, how many, or what kind.
Welfare and food stamps are a major problem; tax evasion schemes are the American way. People who legally take advantage of government assistance are "free-loaders", those who pursue complex but legal tax-avoidance schemes are "good businessmen".
Freedom is worth fighting for; but people who disagree with me have too much.
Regulations kill jobs; they don’t save lives or protect our natural resources.
Paul Ryan - The Deficit? I Built That!
Mitt Romney - "Big business is doing fine..."
08-24-2012
The newest research from Nate has it as the NOV 6 factors:
“Obama chance of winning 68.6% Romney 31.4%”
“Projected Winner Obama 296.3”
“Projected Loser Romney 241.7”
However, if the election was being voted in “Now Cast” Today:
Totals
“Obama chance of winning 69.9% Romney 30.1%”
“Projected Winner Obama 290.0”
“Projected Loser Romney 248.0”
Funny how right wingers like the above think tax payers like themselves should be the only ones that should be allowed to determine what the government funds. Liberals want government to fund social programs and environmental ones and many want less spending for military. Right wingers want to increase military spending and cut social programs. I suggest the government provide a box on each income tax form to choose where the money goes and see whether right wingers can pay that 1 trillion+ a year for military spending on their own and find out how easy it is for liberals to pay the 600 billion total that the government spends on non funded social programs. It isn't the right forced to pay for our programs it's the left forced to pay for yours.
Larry it is not what the right wingers think or want. It is what the Consitiution says is the Rights and Duties of the Federal Government as well as the State Governments jobs to do. The constitution places restrictions on Government, and lately Liberials have been expanding Governments dutys, to things it has no business in. That is the problem. Military is a responsibilty of the Federal Government. Social and enviormental dutys is not. The Consitution does not allow for a "Box to check off" where the money is to go for, because to protect our country is every taxpayes duty. Now if you were to say, 50% of your taxes goes to military, and 5% goes to treaties, and 5% goes to Regulation, and you get to choose what the other 40% goes for, then I would be in agreement. Then people could choose if they want to pay for charities, social programs, enviormental, or just get the 40% back in their own pockets. For Centries the Chirches have taken the responsibilty of Social programs. So without the military we probably wouldn't be around today, looking at past history. It is not that one is forced to pay for either liberial (Social Security, and all the entitlements which are not constitutional, or that the military requires money from Liberials to pay for their freedoms. The company you work for doen't as you to pay the buildings cost or the utility costs, but you do pay for your medical, and other things from your paycheck. If the building or the utilies were not paid for you would not have a job.
300 Micheal - yep, gosh darn that liberal President Lincoln who decided that States rights did not supercede federal rights and responsibilities.
Gosh darn that liberal SCOTUS that decided that "seperate but equal" (Plessy v. Fergusson)simply isn't . . . And what about that liberal SCOTUS that said Jim Crow Laws were unconstitutional inspite of the State election laws, gosh darn them too!
And WHO CARES about that silly Commerce Clause or the responsiblity of the Federal Government for the safety, health, and welfare of its citizens?
Larry
I would think that the liberals would like to have some military protection and pay for it also. As to the liberals paying for so-called "social programs", you would only be moving it from one pocket to another.
If the government depended on the liberals to pay for the social programs then the social programs would be in huge trouble. Even now it is the churches and other Christian organizations that help the needy the most.
What the government deines as poor is pure BS.
He is probably setting up Swiss Bank Accounts for the 5 repub supreme ct judges just in case another 2000 Bush-Gore deja vu happens if repub voter suppression does not work. Repubs have those business brains cranking, back up after backup plan you can bet.
Give it up finally.... GORE IS GONE
You should be glad there are 5 repub supreme ct justices since that is the only way it is possible to get an arguably open minded court. Take the recent health care ruling with one of those "repubs" voting for what his interpretation of the constitution allows and voting for the law. If the court were weighted towards the liberals there would be no need for arguments at all. Liberal judges vote for liberal policies no matter how hard they have to twist or re-interpret the constitution.
Obama got his wish Obamacare Tax. So what if he like about not raising taxes on the under $250K workers. So what if they will have to pay even more come January, The liberials are used to Obama's lies.
exlax ETCH-A-SKETCH, IN STRIKING DISTANCE! You know this is Republican Political Press BULL$HIT! No wonder his "president" religious HYPOCRITE GUNSLINGER Ryan wants to "RESTORE" spending the 99% American People's TAX DOLLARS on REPUBLICAN MILITARY CORPORATES! He figures exlax is going to need a HIGH-POWERED HOWITZER to catch up to our ILLUSTRIOUS PRESIDENT OBAMA!
JUST WISHFUL THINKING by these political puppets! A TOTAL WASTE to the American People's Society and their HARD-EARNED TAX DOLLARS!
99% American People, VOTE & vote 100% STRAIGHT DEMOCRATIC and let's rid our selves of their BLATANT CORRUPTION once & FOREVER! The lives you save WILL be YOURS & your CHILDREN!! BELIEVE IT!!!
Acutally it is the Governments job to have a standing miliarty, It is it's #1 Job. So the majority of Federal taxes should go to the military. I suggest you read the Constitution. It is also to regulate interstate commerice, and make foreign treaties. Now look up Medicare, and Social Security, are they found in the Constitution? No, but they soon will be the largest expendures the Government makes and will soon take all its money to pay for. Social Security will soon be on a one to one (payee vs. Payer) which means one worker will have to pay for the retirees benifits as well as their own. Which is currently at $1300. each. So every worker will have to shell out $2600 a month for Social Security taxes. Do you want you kids to do that? The Liberials have had their way since 06, and look at what had happend. a Recession in 08, a Debt doubled, Less total workers. More government depency (this is a plus for them). And higher taxes and less jobs due in January. Liberials are living the dream. Too bad it is a nightmear for the rest of the country. The only good news is we have a chance to change it. But if you like this vote for Obama and give hime 4 more years to change your mind. If you want a change out of this nightmear then vote for Ronmey. This is the only choice out there. I wish we had others, but the people have spoken. I for one hope we make a change. Our future depends on it.
The constitution only mandates military spending for our nations defense which hardly requires the worlds largest military and a navy thats tonnage exceeds the next 17 nations combined Our military is far beyond what's needed for defense it's an offensive force. 900 military bases around the world serve no role in the defense of this country.
300Michael: Could you make a less informed post? Both medicare and social security are self funded with a 7.65% plus employer match for social security and 1.45% for medicare also matched. Neither program is funded by income taxes or any general funds. Your statement that social security will soon be a 1 worker to 1 retiree ratio is nonsense. After the baby boom generation dies off the ratio will begin to go the other way.
In defending our country we need to keep the sea lanes open, that requires a large navy, the oceans are very large, look at a globe. It is much harder to keep them open then to close them. Bases are resupply points and are needed as well, not to mention they act as a deturrent factor. As a mater of fact because of these factors we have not been attacked. Most weaker countries do not attack a stronger one. Like animals you attack the weak. If you knew your world war histroy you would have know this.
As for Social security and Medicare. while they are self funded, they are actually not. I suggest you look at your paycheck sub (if you have one) and see how much SS is taken out. Now look at the SS statement you get once a year form SS to see what your payout will be. Finally take that payout and divide by your ss taxes withheld for the month. How many months of your taxes will pay for One month of SS benifits? The answer should be near 15 months of paying equals 1 month of recieving. So after working for 30 years you would have taken out all our contrabutions in 2 years. Who will pay for your retirement beyound those 2 years? You guessed it the taxpayers. So it is not self funded as libeials like to believe. That is why it is going bankrupt. With the average person living to 85, the system can't pay for the additional 18 years. So retirees are only paying 10% of the benifits, the taxpayer will pay the other 90%. Medicare is the same thing. You can check your stubs again, but you get the picture. The Government has to raise the retirement age to 85 just to keep things going, and that doen't even count the people get dependent childrens benifits, or spouseal benifits. and SSI and related programs. If you think 1.45% is going to pay for medicare, when the average is more then 7% for medical expenses you are mistaken. Those cost can only go up. Even AARP says there will be a one worker to one retiree in a few years, that one worker will have to pay out nearly $3000 for Social Security taxes each month to cover his and his retirees costs, and then add the Medicare's costs of $1000. each month. And the person would have to make a living, so the top $4K would go just to these two programs.
Tr oh yes your children are going to die if a Republican is elected the end of the world prepare the bunkers, oh great if the Republicans win I'll have to get a job and actually do something for myself, you're right it's the end of the world
How then would you define the Constitution's mention of "promoting the general welfare" as being a function of government? If your citizens are not healthy, educated and happy, what use is a military force? And who would make up such a force?
300 Michael
We spend as much on our military as the next 20 largest countries combined. Who is our enemy? Osama bin Laden with a 20 hijacker force provoked us into two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and we took him out at his house in Pakistan 10 years later with two helicopters and a small strike force. Terrorism isn't fought with armies or navies, although drones seem to help. Intelligence efforts are important in this effort to fight terrorism, as is making peace in the Middle East.
The world has changed, but Republicans continue to think in WW II/ Cold War realities. Our biggest enemy seems to be ourselves.
We argue about whether climate change is real, instead of taking concrete steps to deal with it.
Republicans attack welfare and food stamp recipients, but offer no alternative but kicking them off the programs. What happens then. They just go out and get jobs? They just die in the streets? They just start their own businesses? They go out and steal food and we end up paying $30,000 per year to imprison them? What exactly?
No solutions, just vague promises and attacks and namecalling, not to mention all those LIES about welfare, medicare, the economy, birth certificates, religion, Marxism, reasons not to release tax returns.
And this insane persistence in trying to make Trickle down Economics work. It works all right. It works at helping to create the Great Recession of 2008-2009 with the rich getting richer and the middle class shrinking and getting poorer.
Medicare and Social security payouts have been funded completely out of revenues from Social security ad Medicare taxes. As a sole proprietor, I pay 15.3%. An employee would pay half of that with the employer matching it. If you project spending and revenues into the future, we will have to raise revenues, or reduce benefits, or raise the retirement age. This is because the Baby Boom generation is huge and will retire soon.
It is unfortunate middle class incomes have not kept up with the income growth of the rich, then we wouldn't have this problem. I suggest we lift the cap off of the income taxes ($108,000- $120,000 now) and get this 15.3 % on Mitt Romney's $20 million annual income. That would yield over $3 million on Mitt alone. Of course, we could tax at this rate on all the other $million plus incomes out there. After all, the rich need the workers to work and buy so they can make all their money. It wouldn't be unfair to make them contribute at the same % age rate towards the retirement of their workers, would it. Or is it just the attitude," you're too old to make me a profit anymore. Hit the road, you're on your own." The throwaway work force.
You mean that even after all of the "so-called" main-street media shilling for Obama, Romney is still going to TAKE THE WHITE HOUSE.....
Send Barry PACKING in 2012
Most of this is pretty meaningless. If the jobs number are 165,000 and above for Aug (released 9/7) and in Sept. (released on or right after the first debate), then Obama has a much better than 50-50 chance. If the numbers tank, I don't think Romney even tying dogs to the top of his campaign bus would help Obama at that point.
God, this is depressing. We have the inept running against the unable. It is sad that we are in the shape we are and this is the best we can do. At least Obama is personable and has a good personality. Easier to watch on television.
I voted for Obama because I thought he was good for the Country. I do not vote for people because I like them. The is not a likability contest. Are we in High School?
Well Mr President you had your chance now let's pass the Baton to someone else.
Why are you capitalizing nouns that aren't proper? Must be those damn "nuevos socialistas" at work again.
@Ron I didn't know American Idol was our benchmark for President.
Xabre, if you are going to try and correct everyone's grammar , you will have little time for debate, may I suggest you find a vine more in tune for your expertise
wlee-950886
Their interests do not lie in debate but in propaganda only.
No More 4 44. Get out Obama. American needs real leadership. Romney/Ryan in 2012.
Romney....
Big business is doing fine because the buy out the small business, move the headquarters to the Cayman Islands and then make taxpayers pay them billions.
Romney should know because this is exactly how he became wealthy. He destroyed small businesses and taxed the middle class to pay for his houses all over the country.
NBC, let me congratulate you. At least you had the gutts to say this much. It is a close one.
Bain, bought out Struggling Bussinesses that were about to go under. The companies job was to try to turn them around, to make them profitible for another buyer. But Some Could not be Saved. So the the parts were sold. Auto insurance Companies do the same thing, they take damaged vehicles, and try to repair them for the owner, Some can not be saved, so they sell the "totaled car" to the Salvage Yard, that in turn sells the parts and the metal for scrap. Yet I do not hear about how bad Insurance/Salvage Yards are for the american worker. Thousands of workers still have jobs because of Bain, Some do not despite their trying to save them. But All Would have lost their jobs without Bain. So Thank You Bain for saving those Jobs. And if Bain can save american jobs, and make a profit, So much the Better. But to say HE destroyed businesses and TAXED the Middle Class to PAY for is housed is a FLAT OUT LIE. Besides you know the only one that can TAX people is the Government, and Governments, Unions, and bad management can destroy Business. The only Reason Liberials Hate Romney, is because of Lies like this. They say it enough times they believe them. Meanwhile Obama is about to kill another 1 million jobs and they want to reelect him, just to get a tax increase. Even with that the national Debt is still expected to be 600 Billion dollars.
Debbie;
where in the h*ll do you get your "mis-information" from Fiesty or some other liberal sound bite machine?
Really, Debbie? Talking points? And did Mitt Romney really cause that millworker's wife to die of cancer?
Debbie,
Where did you read that at? Moveon.org?
..and those " struggling co.'s" got there because of what? their business, not ours.
Most middle class people paid less in taxes than Romney did. Its the economy stupid! Our economy is on life support and you want it to go down the toilet by keeping the same people in office. President Obamas aunt was ordered deported in 2004 because she was here illegally. Guess what? She continued to stay in Boston illegally. Last year she was granted asylum. If anyone else had stayed here illegally after being ordered to be deported they would be put in jail. I guess immigration was afraid to deport her because she was Presidents Obamas aunt. Vote all these clowns out in November, Republican and Democrats. They are in office to line their pockets so they can retire at our expense.
KB toys was aquired by Bain with 18 million of their money and investors brought in for the rest. Bain immediately borrowed 65 million on KB's assets paying it all as a special dividend just to the Bain partners including Romney. After waiting long enough the bankruptcy judge wouldn't claw back the dividend Bain took KB into bankruptcy costing 3700+ jobs. Romney and his partners profited 47 million dollars. KB's employees lost their jobs and earned benefits and KB's suppliers and Bains partners lost most everything. The good news is the Bain partners made 47 million in profit. That's Bains idea of "saving' companies."
In 2002, Goldman Sachs, along with two private equity firms, TGP and ... hmmm ... Bain Capital, teamed up to buy Burger King. This is exactly the kind of situation private equity firms like to trumpet: taking over a downtrodden company and nursing it back to health. And to get them their due, Burger King’s new owners did some good, stabilizing both the company and the franchisees, many of whom were in worse shape than Burger King itself.
But the private equity investors also cut themselves an incredibly sweet deal. Their $1.5 billion purchase price included only $210 million of their own money; the rest was borrowed. They immediately began taking out tens of millions of dollars in fees. Four years later, they took Burger King public. But, first, they rewarded themselves with a $448 million dividend. In all, according to The Wall Street Journal, “the firms received $511 million in dividend, fees, expense reimbursements and interest” — while still retaining a 76 percent stake.
Does it need to be said that Burger King was soon back to its old struggling self? Or that the solution, once again, was to sell to another private equity firm? Of course not! In 2010, Bain, Goldman and TPG cashed out, selling Burger King to 3G Capital, for $3.3 billion. In sum, the original private equity troika reaped a fortune by selling a company that was in nearly as much trouble as it had been when they first bought it. Surely this represents the apotheosis of financial engineering.
300 Michael-
Bain, bought out Struggling Bussinesses that were about to go under. The companies job was to try to turn them around, to make them profitible for another buyer.
That is not actually the case. Bain bought companies that were undervalued and they could make money from. Some were struggling, and some were very profitable.
Bain almost always used equity from other acquisitions to buy a business, charge it management fees, and make short-term efforts to improve profitabilty such as slash spending or reduce jobs.
Some companies survived this process and continued to show profits. Others showed short-term improvment and were sold at a profit. Others were driven to bankruptcy by the increased debt and managment fees, and were dissolved after their pension funds and other assets were "liquidated".
It is an outright lie to say that Bain "attempted to save companies" and "all the jobs would have been lost without Bain". Bain grew companies and destroyed companies, added jobs and outsourced jobs, whatever it took to make millions for their investors.
GOP, We adopted two Clowns !!!!!!!!!!!!
Debbie, he taxed the middleclass? I heard he kidnapped all the first born, and forced them into labor, only after causing a cancer outbreak
So larrry both companies would have gone away and their employees have lost their jobs, at least Burger King employees still have their jobs. KB toys was in trouble, One ones in my city were always empty except for the employee working there. People who risk their money should make a profit, that is why people start businesses. They risk their money in hopes of making a PROFITIBLE business someday. If successful they deserve to make a profit. People put money in the bank, they have little risk, but still make a profit off the intrest, which they should lower risk lower profit. Bain and investors , loose millions on some deals and make millions on others. The Government is there to collect if they make the money but doen't pay if they loose the money. the same goes for the taxpayers. When GM looses money the Taxpayers loose money because the taxpayers now own it, as a invertor with my 401K I would not choose to invest in a loosing company like GM, but Obama wants to save the unions, and at taxpayer expense. Yet no liberial complants. But if a privite company does it it is a crime in their minds. Such double standards. Meanwhile Chrysler the company Obama didn't want to be bought out by the taxpayers is making record profits, here the taxpayers would have gained, but no that is not allowed, they Back GM, Solyindra, and other loosers at the taxpayer expense. If Bain looses money the investors loose their money. If Obama companies loose money the taxpayers loose money.
Tnsevol The point is Bain is risking their own assets, not the taxpayers. Obama risks the Taxpayers money on businesses he chooses, (most lost everything except for the Obama doners). It is not the governments job to promote winners and loosers, it is the public that should choose by the purchases they make. I do not understand why they do not teach more about business in schools. Not to mention home finances, so that people understand money. You have government leaders who know nothing about business trying to tell others how to run them with only a class in college background, if they have even that. I can say learning and taking business classes in college and actually running a business is two totally different things. Nothing really prepairs you like actually running one.
You but-kissing liberals sure love your spin - you focus on this:
But you manage to leave out the second part:
A lie of omission is still a lie.
Politics is a liar's game. The period between Labor Day (the repukes hate labor, but want the votes) and the election are crucial.
Romney and the repukes have a big job. They have to run down Obama, without ever answering why we should want to go back to the last time they ran the WH from 2001 to 2009. They'd just as soon not mention that.
Then, of course, there's the wild assortment of kooks in their closets. Ryan and his fictional Ayn Rand fantasies. The endless parade of nuts who want to circumvent the Constitution and the SCOTUS with regard to both women's rights and health care. The endless funding of still more money for their multi-national friends feeding off the global babysitting budget while claiming the old and the sick are costing too much. Crazy McConnell's insistence that he and other pols ought to be able to take as much unregulated, untraceable money as they like without explanation.
Then there's the really big elecphant in the room. Willard himself. He's NOT a conservative. He is a well document RINO. And he wants to be the first Mormon President. For a whole bunch of the right wingers who consider Mormonism to be a cult, this is also a problem.
Good luck my little repukes. You've got a lot more to weather than a hurricane.
Get a job libtard/turd.
Typical Obama supporter. Doesn't argue with facts or discuss Mr Obama's plans, but resorts to name calling and misdirection to try and save Mr. Obama from going over the election defeat cliff before he gets the chance to bring the nation over the fiscal cliff
kingk, that's PRESIDENT Obama. and your republican memory is short. we're still paying for reaganomics savings and loans debacle, thank you. and the bush/cheney war cost legacy. at least president obama averted the imminent financial doom this country was facing, and is slowly getting us out of this mess that republican ideology brought us to its knees. industrialists took our jobs and left us poor. it's time for them to pay higher taxes and they can contribute to this country's healthcare system. tired of the rich using you and letting you die. while in congress, they vote themselves lifetime pension and healthcare for serving one term....get it? president obama is giving incentives for small business and corps who'll start manufacturing here to create jobs. you left us with an eight thousand point stock market, banks ready to close their doors, unemployment which is still reeling from outsourcing. stronger unions in this country could have kept our jobs here, but, unions are bad, right? republicans are a bunch of whining losers who think they know the answer to everything. the more i learn, the more i realize the enormity of that i don't know. but i know one thing. rich industrialists have your leaders in their back pocket, call it special interest, they pay their contributions to think the way industrialists want you to think. with the exception of your tea party candidates, and they're more than a little scary. we democrats, on the other hand, including conservative ones who are rich in our party, support the people. and our candidates are civil servants, who take into account what's good for the people and are free thinkers, who are not brainwashed into thinking, that if you support the rich, you'll be rich. voting by association? and while the cut taxes and spending is logical, we know how to add and subtract people, the republicans indulge in huge spending, on war and defense. it's bull, and it's the koolaid you've been drinking the past fifty years. we're one of the last industrialized nations in the west without a healthcare system for it's people when the rich industrialists abandon you, which is what you've witnessed, what do you expect? the rich use you and let you die. wake up. and the mortgage crisis? you can't blame the banks. blame yourselves for taking on more than you could chew. and it came back to bite us all in the butt. we could have said no, to all the credit, second mortages, and firsts that were available to us. but our enthusiastic greed got in our way. that's who's to blame, not the banks. harsh lesson.
Delusion, you name is Democratic Party. Of the seven polls out this week, only two shows Obama in the lead and one(Public Policy) has Obama in the lead by one point. The only other with Obama in the lead was the NBC poll which has Obama up by 4 points. But it was pointed out that the pollster in this poll used 9%more Democrats than Republicans. Can you say, stack the deck. So on the average in the last week all of the major polls show Romney tied or with a slight lead. Yet MSNBC is spinning that Romney has quite a bit of work to do to catch up to Obama. So this analysis is purely based on their own poll which is by their own admission heavily slanted to the Democrats.
http://www.fff.org/freedom/fd0502c.asp, "Bush Profiteering
from Housing Defaults" Yes, Yankee the Repugs. do no