E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
LAKELAND, Fla. -- Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan called for "accountability," both for President Barack Obama and themselves, on the heels of accepting the GOP presidential nomination.
The newly-minted Republican presidential and vice presidential nominee held a sendoff rally here near Tampa, Romney's first public appearance since last night's address to the Republican National Convention.
“We want to be held accountable for the promises we made last night, and the night before. Paul Ryan and I both spoke to the American people about what we’ll do if we become president and vice president," Romney said, urging Americans to also measure Obama by the promises he has either kept or discarded.
Ryan, who accepted the vice presidential nomination on Wednesday, told the crowd of roughly 2,000 supporters that he felt he and Romney had emerged from Tampa offering a "our fellow countrymen a very clear choice" in visions of leadership for the next four years.
Romney said he was "embarrassed" by the tributes and stories about his life told last night by members of his church, his family, and by those touched by his tenure at the Olympics in Salt Lake City or at the statehouse in Massachusetts. He said some of the stories were "overly generous," but he appreciated them nonetheless.
Romney and Ryan will now part ways -- on newly unveiled official campaign planes -- for separate campaign stops to round out the week. Romney will head to South Louisiana to tour storm-damaged areas with Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, and Ryan will stump in Virginia at a campaign stop originally envisioned as a joint appearance for the ticket.
Leave a Comment:
Romney was embarrassed by the stories that he himself must have OK'd in advance? Incredible, literally.
Romney - "embarrassed" by the terrible lies he has told via ads and in person across America?
"We will not let the truth get in the way" said Romney's campaign.
Romney is a dyed in the wool 1%-er, who has sold his soul to the Adelsons & big corporations.
He would be a 1% President. That's it.
Romney Acceptance Speech:
No mention of Financial Reform / No plan, well … repeal reform
No mention of Climate Change / No plan … doesn't exists
No mention of Immigration / No plan, well … self deport
No mention of Romneycare / Repeal its brother - Obamacare
No mention of Syria / No plan, just attack … maybe
No mention of Social Security / Don't fix … privatize
No mention of Veterans / Cut benefits, create more Vets
No mention of Medicare / No plan, just back insurance companies
No mention of Housing / No plan, the rich buy when prices hit bottom
Romney and Ryan should be careful what they ask for. When they ask for accountability they might just be held accountable for all the lies they've told!
Oh, and about accountability Mitt. Where ARE those tax returns????
Obama/Biden 2012
Accountability? Maybe it was just the bar bill and Boehner forgot to hand in his chits and the numbers didn't add up.
It is better to refuse to release your tax returns and be thought a criminal than to release them and remove all doubt.
Accountability doesn't exist in Ryan or Willard!
Ryan should talk about how he and the House TeaPeople obstructed progress on every piece of legislation that would have helped the economy.
...........Be Proud Mr. Wonk!
Willard should talk about how he destroyed jobs and lives while walking away with millions.
...........Be Proud Mr. Job Creator!...Oh, and while you're at it, where are those tax filings!
Why should Mitt release his tax returns?
Can you imagine the uproar if President Obama suggested a bill that exempted book royalties from income tax? How can we judge anything Romney would propose if we cannot be clear on his motives?
Should we just trust him?
Romney, Ryan, accountability, are words that do not belong in the same sentence, paragraph, page, or chapter. If Romney and Ryan were interested in accountability, they would be looking at ways to hold the government responsible for the social contracts that are Social Security and Medicare. Rather than taking the bold actions of ensuring these systems are accountable and sound enough to deliver the benefits promised, they take the Wall Street/Corporate route of reneging on their promises and cutting the programs to something completely different from what they were originally contracted to provide.
That isn't accountability folks, that is underhanded slime and greed at work, specialties, I might add, of Romney and Ryan. It seems plenty of Americans are perfectly happy letting the Romney/Ryan's of the country swoop in, grab, and pocket their pension plans under the guise of capitalism. And now, it seems these very same people are perfectly happy letting the Romney/Ryan's gain political power so they can do the same thing in the name of government. What's next America, letting Romney/Ryan grab 3/4 of your IRAs for personal profit?
Dennis, Columbus, Ohio
Romney Acceptance Speech:
No mention of Financial Reform / No plan, well … repeal reform
No mention of Climate Change / No plan … doesn't exists
No mention of Immigration / No plan, well … self deport
No mention of Romneycare / Repeal its brother - Obamacare
No mention of Syria / No plan, just attack … maybe
No mention of Social Security / Don't fix … privatize
No mention of Veterans / Cut benefits, create more Vets
No mention of Medicare / No plan, just back insurance companies
No mention of Housing / No plan, the rich buy when prices hit bottom
These area's the president and Vice president are going to Embarrass them on, expecially Ryan because he was apart of the problem in congress, since 2010 when the republicans took control of congress with the promises they never kept.
things the congress never brough to the president. (you know all bills and laws start in congress)
No immigration reform, refused to bring dream act to a vote
No Jobs Bill, the one the president put fourth for road construction that economist said could create 500k jobs over 3 years was killed in committee and watered down by the GOP has never come to a vote.
No help for veteran they have no problem sending them to war but don't give a sh*t when they get home.
no alternative to what the the president has signed into law.
No alternative health care law, there only solution is to get rid of HCR and replace it with nothing.
No alterantive to the Iran or NOrth Korea problem, only war.
no nothing!!! NODA Zilch!!!!!
I can't wait till Biden puts his 30 years of being a senator on that junior congressional phony!!!!! i can see it now biden will be all over him like the bad suite Romney was wearing last night.
the biggest mistake Ronmey made is picking a person from the lowest graded congress ever.
If George W. Bush's prescription failed miserably, why will we need the same medicine in a old-cranky bottle of Mitt?
Where is the Republican't accountability?
Someone who wants accountability and the dems scoff. Thats because they do not know what it means. They have not seen it looking at this President so they believe it is bad.
Twitts and dimwitts all.
So, Ryan and Robme don't want to account for anything they've done in the past, including NOT accounting for Ryan rubber-stamping each and every one of Bush's failures, and Robme doesn't want to have to account for Robme coming in 47th out of 50 in "jobs creation" meaning he failed miserably at creating jobs when he was Governor, Republicans don't want to talk about Romneycare, BUT they ONLY want to put President Obama on the stand, WITHOUT being held accountable for anything themselves.
Bull----!
Ryan and Robme have long-standing records of FAILURES and if they want to be held accountable, START NOW Republicans, don't pretend like Ryan and Robme are starting with a clean slate and don't have anything that THEY need to explain, because it is the actions that Republicans took in the past that screwed us up so badly today!
Obama/Biden 2012
TO: rukidding47 who wrote:
Don't try to twist it!!!
We've been demanding accountability ever since George "Curveball" Bush's cousin threw the Florida election by disenfranchising Florida voters!
We demanded accountability after 9/11 when George "Curveball" Bush flew more than 100 members of Bin Laden's family to safety, when no Americans could fly!
We demanded accountability after we learned we were lied into war with Iraq.
AND we demanded accountability when George "Curveball" Bush crashed the entire United States Economy, which just happened to be 2nd on Bin Laden's terrorist wish list!!!
Rebublicans "scoffed"!!! All we got from Republicans were testimonials that George Bush was "not responsible" for anything that occured during any of the 8 years that Bush occupied the Oval Office, in spite of Bush having declared himself to be "The Decider".
Obama/Biden 2012
While listening to the talking heads today I couldn't help but think about a line I heard in a movie once - "people don't care about your life Mr. President, they care about their own". If that's true, what did Romeny, or Rubio, or any of the rest of them, tell people about what they could expect these guys to do for them?
When you look at the Romney budget, he would have to cut all discretionary spending by at least 40% (although this is admittedly irrelevant in a way because he'd still NEVER balance the budget) which includes things like Pell grants and the FDA. How will that make people's lives better?
The other thing that struck me is that every speaker equated success with wealth. Christie even repeated that his parents had "nothing". Really? Do these politicians really think that the be-all and end-all is massive wealth? I guess they do, since their policies only work for people who already have theirs. Except for Ryan, who after all the tripe about poor people somehow deserving to be poor, now says that it's the President's fault that people are poor. If these morons could buy a clue they'd quite pandering and buzz-wording and be honest with the electorate.
Accountability? Do they even know the meaning of the word? What about some accountability for the lies they continue to tell over and over? I'm not sure we know how to do accountability in this country any more. I haven't seen any, at least since the 2000 election in Florida.
Romney obeyed the tax laws and campaign laws!! LYNCH HIM!! Lol!!
.Obama the promise BREAKER!! Equals a LIAR!!! BIG EMBARRASSMENT to the USA!!!
Obama’s promise that his healthcare proposals would “never be purchased with [a] tax increase on middle-class families.” The SUPREME COURT & JUSTICE DEPT say it is a TAX!!! .Attack on the middle Class! Taxation by misrepresentation
…….…NOW Obama wants to invade Syria and Iran!!!
..mr. American businessman..YOU DID NOT MAKE THAT!! It was stolen from the back of the worker---PURE MARXISM!!
Remember these?
THE OBAMA CHRONICLES:
“I promise 100% transparency in my administration.”.
“I promise NO NEW TAXES on a family making less than $250K a year.”.
“I will allow 5 days of public comment before I sign any bills.”.
“I will remove earmarks from PORK projects before I sign any bill.”.
“I will end Income Tax for seniors making less than $50K a year.”.
"I will bring ALL of our troops home within ONE year."
“I’ll put the Health Care negotiations on CSPAN so everyone can see who is at the table!”.
“I’ll have no lobbyists in my administration."
"I'll close Guantanamo."
"I'll resign if I don't cut the deficit in half by the end of four years."
"I'll unite the people of this great country."
“The TROOPS will be home for CHRISTMAS.” WHY ARE MORE LEAVING EVERYDAY???? AND DYING every day…
NOW Obama invokes Executive Privilege( as a Sen. called it’s use a RUSE!) for Holder on GUN SMUGGLING and killing US Agent Brain Terry!!! That only applies if Obama was part of it!! Obama & Holder should be on trial for giving Machine Guns to the Mexican Drug cartels!!
BETTER KNOWN AS LIES.
Fool me once shame on YOU!
Fool me twice shame on ME!
Even Biden has endorsed ROMNEY for prez!!!
Who wants accountability the party that will not take accountability for the economy they created but blame Oboma, thats a streach even for them.
So Willard, does that also mean being held accountable for the lies that you and Mr. Ryan tell on the campaign trail? It is pretty hard to hold you accountable for promises when all you can deliver at this point is more hot air.
What about the plethora of lies that filled Paul Ryan's speech at the RNC that even Fox News had to acknowledge them? Would he like to be held accountable for those?
Apparently they don't want to be held accountable for what they said before two nights ago. Talk about an Etch-A-Sketch philosophy.
The question is, what will they believe tomorrow? I'm surprised no one in Vegas is setting up a pool so we can bet on their next round of positions.
Great comments from a future President when describing the Obama administration...
"These are tired and old big government ideas. Ideas that people come to America to get away from. Ideas that threaten to make America more like the rest of the world, instead of helping the world become more like America."
Marco Rubio - 08/30/12
The middle class can't afford 4 more!!
He obviously wasn't referring to trickle-down economics.
Maxx - our future president is also our current President - President Obama. Only in the minds of the very low information voters will Romney ever be president. Bush did enough damage to the office. Romney would totally destroy it!
Obama/Biden 2012
Maxx Power
Ya know Maxx, that kinda stuff doesn't always go over well in the rest of the world.
Maxx, they are the same ideas that have sustained our government for over 200 years. The seem to have worked pretty good right up to January 2011. We all know what happened then.
Bush has been out of office for almost 4 years, are you really going to continue to blame him. Obama himself said that if he couldn't turn things around in his first four years he would be a one term President. Look it up if you don't believe me.
Tina - get the quote right. President Obama said if he couldn't turn things around in his first 4 years he would be looking at a one-term proposition. You probably should have LOOKED IT UP! He never said he would not run for a 2nd term.
Obama/Biden 2012
TO: Tina Wa State who wrote:
If that's were the blame lies, absolutely! It wouldn't matter if it's been 100 years since George "Curveball" Bush has been out of office, there STILL remains unanswered questions that must be answered.
First we need some Republican accountability for all that crap that happened, so far Republicans are either still in denial, maintain they have "amnesia" or still inexplicably contend that Bush was NOT "responsibile".
NOW that someone else is in the White House, Republicans suddenly want to unfairly give Bush a "pass" but want to hold President Obama "responsible"? Uh, NO.
Give us some "accountability" and then we will see if Bush was or was NOT responsible.
Obama/Biden 2012
Listen to the hatred in your posts, you cannot even see past your anger and hatred. Oh and by the way "seeking Sanity" I did not mean he would not run I just meant that by his own words he realizes he made a pretty big empty promise and would not have a chance of re election, I would not assume he would not run again his ego is too big not too.
We sure do not need any more george bush policies.
SHOW US THE REST OF your TAX RETURNS mit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Let us make a decision on you when these tax retuns are shown!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mitt Romney isn't listening to you.
And neither is anyone else with more than half a brain.
I am CERTAIN he would have been slapped with any criminal charges possible regarding his taxes, had he done ANYTHING illegal.
Answer me this. What in his tax returns could possibly change your mind about him? Are you going to look at the returns and say to yourself "hey, this is a decent, law-abiding man who donates a huge amount of money to others?"
"Let us make a decision on you when these tax retuns are shown!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
I think it's safe to say your decision on him has already been made. Showing more tax returns would just throw more fuel on your fire, which is blinding you, by the way.
NorCalModerate - not if he took advantage of the amnesty program in 2010. And, not really in any real world. See the IRS will audit for 3 years back - unless they can prove intentional fraud - then they can go back further. There is no reason to believe his taxes have been audited.
There is EVERY reason to believe they will be in the future!
The STANDARD in this country is for every Presidential candidate to release a minimum of 5 years. Mitt's father released 12 years. But, we all know Mitt isn't half the man his father was!
Obama/Biden 2012
SeekingSanity, Romney has faced opponents who would have loved to nail him for tax fraud for many, many years -- well before the amnesty program in 2010. And, if I remember correctly, he released more tax returns when he ran for governor.
NorCal - it is not the standard for anyone but Presidential candidates to release their tax returns. Funny though, when McCain saw them he chose Palin over Mitt. Surprise!
No he didn't release more tax returns when he ran for Governor! Try again!
Don't worry - when he loses I'm pretty sure he'll be audited - big time. The first hit will be for the "dressage horse" they claim as a therapy horse!
Obama/Biden 2012
TO: NorCalModerate who wrote:
You can't possibly be "certain" of something that you are NOT even privy to. What you may mean is, you are certain you want to "ignore" any criminal charges that may be possible.
For all you know, his records could be under scrutiny right now, and it takes some time to review and act upon any discrepancies.
Obama/Biden 2012
There are many perfectly legal ways to weasel out of paying taxes. Especially if you can afford armies of "creative" accountants to find them all. There is a book called "Perfectly Legal" by David Cay Johnson. It clearly explains how it works.
Lol! Keep the dream alive American Girl! Maybe they'll find something illegal somewhere, because he can't possibly have no illegal activities regarding his taxes. And if they never do find anything illegal, he must have bought officials off, right?? There's absolutely no way he could be honest on his taxes, right??
Heartlight3, so are you saying we should punish the citizen for obeying the law instead of placing the blame on a faulty law? Makes total (non)sense.
No, I don't believe I mentioned "punishment" at all. I was merely stating that there are perfectly legal ways to avoid paying taxes. That does not make it right. I made a decision fairly early in my adult life, that since I drive on the roads and make use of utility delivery systems, airports, schools, first responders and other services provided by the government that it is my patriotic duty to pay my taxes to support the system that allows me to live in freedom and security. Obviously, not everyone feels the same way.
@NorCalModerate
If a man can only stand firm on one position. Lowering taxes for the "job creators", lt is extremely beneficial to see what he paid taxes at during his time as a so called "job creator".
Or maybe we should just put our heads in the sand, and start giving these guys negative rates so they will create more of these mythical jobs.
We could just go to a medieval feudalism system. The rich (royalty) have no laws on them and receive money from everyone else, and the church controls the populaces social behavior. That sounds like fun...
But then, you're a loyal Romney serf, ready to defend the indefensible. Moderate my ass.
You're right though, him showing his taxes wouldn't change my mind. If he has to hide it like this, instead of using it to destroy his opposition (which you know he would), then he is either a fool, a liar, or a fraud. I won't vote of any of those cases.
I cant believe that he talk about his religous it is conflict interest!
Mr. Romney is not going to get the woman's vote by saying what he said last night. The comment about how HE mentored WOMEN was quite offensive.
Aren't there any women out there that he admires because THEY mentored HIM! That's way more important because it says he's open to their viewpoints and opinions, and that he learned a lot from the women he worked FOR, WITH, and those that worked FOR HIM!
Guess you were busy packing your bong and missed the whole story on his mom then.
Sorry he has my vote I am not stupid enough to fall for the hope and change line. Change is all I have left wisen up
To Dachs......If you had watched the entire convention, instead of trying to find things to dislike about Mr. Romney you would have seen him saying that His admired his mother very much, and that the "women" in his family were the mentors to everyone. His mother was a feminist. You just hate him, and need to pick pick pick your little fights. This is a man who truely loves women, and hires them.
I'm an independent voting woman - I liked Romney's speach, his attitude and his concern for our country's future. Wake up people - there is no free lunch and if you think there is you are a part of the problem and not part of the solution. Our country cannot afford to keep going down the path we are on. Romney has earned his money - we need him to help our country get out of this unbelieveable debt we are in. By the way, where did Obama get his millions, we know that Mr. Romney worked for his.
GerryRita - you're totally ignorant if you don't know where our President got his millions. He was an attorney; he taught Constitutional Law at the University of Chicago; he wrote several best selling novels.
If you couldn't find that out on your own, you are seriously lacking in intelligence! But, you're the perfect Republican. They like them dumb!
Obama/Biden 2012
gerry: Romney was born into a wealthy and influential family....never had to worry about money. Remember his line to students, "if you want to start a business, ask your parents for $20,000"...now how many parents do you know that have $20,000 laying around to give to their children....Romney's family did.
President Obama was born to a single mother and mostly raised by his grandmother in Hawaii. He overcame odds to go to Harvard, was editor of the Harvard Law Review, worked in an law office, where he met his wife, worked as a Constitutional Law professor and community organizer before becoming a Congressman, and wrote a few books.
Romney worked only to amass wealth for himself. President Obama worked to give back to the community.
So there, one born into wealth and influence, never having to deal with the day to day issues average Americans have to. One born an average American and made it to President Of the United States.
Book deals. As an aspiring novelist let me tell you it is 'real work' too. Not as profitable as capital investment, but certainly hard work...
running a business and running the country are not analagous, in business the profit line is all important. When running a country things are not that simple, and just because you can maximize profits well doesn't mean that you'd be able to manage a country well.
More of the constant bull@!$%# rhetoric about free lunches. Unemployment and food stamp programs are not free lunch systems, and they never have been. We all pay into these insurance systems via our taxes, and they are there for us in the event people like Romney and his Wall Street cronies destroy economies and businesses and throw us into the unemployment pools.
Sure Romney earned his money, that is, if you count robbing people as work. Anyone can develop elaborate schemes to fine tune the art of robbery. If you see that as work, well, you deserve to lose everything you have worked for.
Romney is the epitome of the free lunch standard. He might as well be the bully in the schoolyard playground that knocks you down and steals your lunch money - oh wait, he IS that bully. And it doesn't bother him in the least. He has his GOD standing behind him, blessing his every lie and move.
Right there with ya, GerryRita!!
The free lunch comment to me references the fact that government doesn't make things free; it simply means we give our money to a different group of people -- there is no getting something for nothing.
BS. The government is the equivalent of a service industry type business. We pay them for services and they provide. Profit doesn't matter (although a surplus WOULD be nice) but for God's sake, at least you have to balance the incoming with the outgoing.
A fine example of a low information voter, living on the assumption that business exists to provide them with a service. Business has one goal, and one goal only, to earn profits. All other activity, such as providing a service is secondary and is only done so to meet the single goal of earning a profit. Sadly, these are the voters the Romney/Ryan ticket rely upon.
You may want to take a little closer at Mr. Romney's time as Gov in Mass and while you are looking take a peek at Mr. Ryan's voting record. You will get closer to your question about where all this debt came from......I.E. unpaid for tax cuts, unpaid for prescription drug plan, two unpaid for wars all of which were voted for by Ryan.
Those on the right say that President Obama spent more than anyone in office but fail to acknowledge most of what is being spent now is paying the debts caused by the mindless drunken spending binge the republicans did under Bush. Yes, Yes I know you are tired of hearing about blaming Bush, but since Bush left Obama and the American public with all that debt when he left office who should be blamed and who should pay? Let us also not forget the Bush TARP bail out with no strings and it was also Bush who got the ball rolling on the Auto bail out.
A business has insurance to recover from unseen events. How does that compare to people's expectations that their government helps them recover from wild fires, tornadoes, earthquakes, hurricanes and any other natural disaster that comes along. We had budget surpluses in the late 1990's and George Bush decided their was no need to insure against the future and gave all the money away, mostly to the rich.
Business = maximize profits
Government = provide for the general welfare of all citizens.
How you can equate the two is beyond my ability to comprehend.
What have you seen in the last two years that suggest that the current congress understands balancing the budget and paying their debt?
Business = maximize profits
Government = provide for the general welfare of all citizens.
Both have employees with a job to do. A restaurant is a service industry. You pay them for a meal. Government, for one thing, provides security. They get PAID to give something of value to their clientele/citizens. Yes business has to make a profit to continue and get better at what they do. Government gets paid the money for those things and to make it better.
Governments and business leaders share a similar skill set in that both employ people to help achieve a goal. Motivating people with often different ideas on how to accomplish an objective is the common link. Both require leadership that can work well with others.
My sharpest criticism of Obama is his often sneering and blatantly disrespectful treatment of those across the aisle, as we saw when he extended a hand of bipartisanship to Ryan by graciously inviting him to a speech, only to lambast him front and center. Not cool, Mr. President, not cool. He gets an F for playing well with others.
And this -- when we're in debt, the country does need to "maximize profits" in order to get us out of that debt, regardless of how it accrued.
During a recession, people quit eating out and pay less taxes. The restaurant does not have the good faith and credit of the United States behind it, so it probably goes out of business. The world had that faith in the United States until this congress threatened to default on our obligations. Still, they could not put a dent in the worlds faith in our ability to pay our debts, so the government goes on. Our credit as a Nation is our strength. Once we lose that, we will be just like that closed restaurant. For now, there is no comparison.
NorCal - actually the businessmen who have been elected as President of the US have been an absolute disaster. Take for instance - George W. Bush!
Obama/Biden 2012
Just because someone's a businessman doesn't mean they're good at it, or governing! But Romney seems to be able to navigate both worlds relatively well.
NorCal - oh, you mean unlike Ryan extending his hand to Obama only to blast him with lies later? Wait, that's okay with you because hypocrisy is the Republican way!
And, actually, Romney doesn't navigate both worlds well. He didn't run for a 2nd term as Governor because he screwed the people of Mass so badly. He is absolutely HATED there! Don't look for him to carry that state!
Obama/Biden 2012
Seeking Sanity, I'm not a Republican. And I don't agree with a lot of what MOST politicians do, including Ryan. I didn't know he did something similar to what Obama did at that particular event, so he deserves a "shame on you" too.
As far as Romney's appeal in Massachusetts, it's no surprise given the vast majority of Mass residents are democrats. They won't look back on his tenure fondly. We moderates accept that bias.
After last night's events, especially the sincere, touching stories of the families Romney helped from his church, I think I have my candidate. He is definitely not perfect, but I think his positives outweigh the negatives. He has a lot of talents that we need right now. Put one more independent in the Romney category. (For the week, anyway. We'll see how convincing Obama can be next week.)
The Carville-Greenburg poll of independents has Romney 53% Obama 38%. I don't think you are alone.
I've never heard anything more ignorant.
Did you read this?
Or maybe this?
The Mormon church is a hate group. They do not allow women the same rights as men and have spent more money defeating gay lesbian marriage than any other group what anyone from his church says is therefore automatically suspect.
His magical underwear must have cast the spell he was hoping for.
Does anyone truely believe that Mitt would make a good president or does everyone backing him just see him as the lesser of two evils? I dont think he would make a good president. He is a 1%er and has always lived his life that way. He has known nothing other than the spoon feeing he has received his whole life. How could he possibly know what is best for the other 99% of Americans when he is a total stranger to our needs? I wonder if Mitt ever had to worry that if he were to go to the hospital that it could mean finacial ruin for himself and his family. I wonder if he was ever worried that if he lost his job, would he become homeless? I wonder if he has been forced to make the choice between his own health or feeding his family.
His speech echoed the same promises that we have heard every 4 years since I can remember. Those same promises will still be being promised in 80 years from now too. I didn't hear anything new. Mitt is no leader he is only a follower of those that have gone down this same path in the past. He is a clueless follower, not a leader of a country.
The problem with your argument is that you assume that the only trials in life worth connecting to are financial trials. He's had plenty of other life experiences to draw from to understand challenges in life, as was showcased last night by the people speaking on his behalf. I suggest you watch the clips of those speeches. There are lots of different struggles that we all face in life. Some of us have financial burdens. Some of us have emotional/relationship burdens. And in his case, his family has suffered from medical burdens. I don't think it's fair to say he can't relate to people just because he has experienced a different set of trials and successes.
Speaking of success, I'd much rather have the guy who is a multi- millionaire helping me with my financial problems, rather than the average Joe who might know what I'm experiencing, but has no clue how to fix it!
His personal successes have come at the cost of how many jobs? How many hard working americans were laid off at Mitt's hands? Yes, very successful at sending jobs overseas and sending americans to the unemployment lines while he counted his money. Sorry, I have something that I dont believe Mr. Romney has, concience. He can keep his finacial advice as far as I am concerned.
I am glad for him that he has found people to say nice things about him. Millionaires seem to have all kinds of friends and they are usually ready to say just about anything Mitt wants them to say. Remeber what Mitt said? "We wont let the truth sand in the way..."
nor cal,
Speaking of medical issues that the Romney family face. Does Mitt and Anne have to make a decision on her medical treatments or food on the table or any of the multiple roofs they can choose between. The point that was being made above is that the Romney's may face things beyond their control but you can't compare that to facing financial ruin or homelessness while facing medical hardships.
Yes his family has suffered with medical issues, however they have not been burdened with the financial issues that go along with that.
I have suffered from medical burdens--I too have MS, but I don't have the luxury of a "therapy horse" that doubles as an olympian, that I can write $77,000 off my taxes for--I don't even earn $77,000 in a year.
Before my employer changed insurance companies, my co-pay for my MS medication was $1350.00 per month. Do you think the Romneys would have trouble paying that? I certainly did. Should I have to worry about going bankrupt to pay for my medication?--the medication that keeps me able to work and support myself--which keeps me off of welfare. I don't think the Romneys have to worry about that. But I have to think about that everyday, and if G-d forbid my condition worsens and I can not continue to work without the ACA I would not be able to get a policy on my own because it is a pre-existing condition.
They suffer with medical burden?--no they deal with a disease that they can afford the best of everything to help control the disease. Funny that they are"suffering" but don't try to advocate for everyone to be able to access the same level of care that they can.
And you know what every family has medical issues, but most people actually do suffer--trying to access care, afford to pay for care and continue to pay for everything else to support their families. The Romneys will never suffer.
Cory, the problem with that point is that, by extension, you make anyone in the 1% somehow less capable of human experience than the rest of us. I'm not willing to degrade the life experiences of an entire segment of the population. I personally think it's morally wrong to attack a group of people like that.
And, I really believe that money doesn't buy happiness. I spent most of my childhood and a good decade when I was first married below the poverty level. I have to be honest with you -- I NEVER had to choose between food on the table or medical treatment. Those things were taken care of by the government. There was a very tangible safety net. I had wonderful people in my life and for the most part, life was very enjoyable.
I'm happy to be where I'm at now, no longer in poverty, but being poor just isn't as desperate as people make it out to be. I can, from experience, understand the argument that the more comfortable we make poverty, the easier it is to stay there. There isn't as much motivation to leave poverty because here in America, compared to many places in the world, living in "poverty" is living like a king! Poverty has flat screen t.v.'s, eating out, smart phones, and all the social benefits our state and country already provide. Which is a GOOD THING! I'm GRATEFUL that poverty in America is still a decent life! I'm GRATEFUL that our country has elevated poverty! Today's poverty is yesterday's middle class. With one exception that I wish someone -- anyone -- would address: the mentally ill homeless, and those stuck in addictions that affect their children.
Sorry, two exceptions. :)
Nor Cal,
First I did not equate the Romney's with an entire segment of society. Second it was you who brought up the medical experience issue. I pointed out that someone in the Romney world can't comprehend what someone going through the same or worse health concern would face when you toss in loss of job, loss of insurance, loss of home etc...on top of the medical issue.
Cory, you said "He is a 1%er" -- that's the entire segment of society I say you equate Romney with.
I understand that you're saying he can't comprehend what someone with a different set of trials is going through. My point is, not every candidate is going to have the same set of trials. It's just not possible. That means that either candidate is going to be in charge of a demographic he can't comprehend. Does that make them unfit to be president? Do you have to personally live through poverty to understand it? Do you have to personally live through MS and cancer to understand it? How much suffering does a person have to go through to be an effective leader in your opinion (no Christ references intended)?
Andie---thanks so much for sharing your story. Thoughts and prayers to you. What amazes me about the Romneys is that with all their blessings, Mitt wants to cut his own tax rate---13% is too high to pay. How on earth can anyone possibly need more than $250 million?
Steeler Fan, when I was in poverty for many, many years, I NEVER ONCE thought it would be justified -- or moral -- to walk up the street to my wealthy friend and tell them that they needed to give me their money since I was a decent, hard-working, impoverished American. I don't think it's right to punish someone just because they have what I need. The average American pays an effective tax rate around 8 or 9 percent. Romney pays an effective tax rate of around 13 percent. Don't you think we're already punishing people for simply being wealthy?
Thanks Andie, your story is emblematic of average folks, struggling with disease, while working to pay their bills.
As you say, the Romneys are in no way faced with financial challenges. In fact they have a very convenient way (lawyers and accountants) to avoid even paying what should be rightfully due.
Stay strong!
NorCal Moderate - "I NEVER had to choose between food on the table or medical treatment. Those things were taken care of by the government."
Where do you think the money came from for the support you received from the government? Mr. Romney wants to cut spending on those same services, so that when your children or your friends find themselves poverty stricken as you were when you were younger, those services that helped you survive that time will not be available to them. Do you see the discrepancy in your thought process?
Bet Norcal dodges this question.
Wow, Mitt was amazing. It's tue our country is in big mess. Obama not only made wrong choices he made bad choices. FIVE TRILLION dollars worth. Mitt and Ryan we are ready, WE WANT OUR COUNTRY BACK!
"We want to be held accountable for the promises we made last night, and the night before. Paul Ryan and I both spoke to the American people about what we’ll do if we become president and vice president,"
All I heard last night was hatred and the blame game. People quoting God's word out of context. No positive plan of action of how Mr. Rommey would help Americans. So tell me how can anyone hold someone accountable if they have not promise anything to the American People?
where's your tax returns robme
If romney wins, no one will ever release more than 2 years tax returns from now on. It will set a precedent for all others that follow.
And the problem with two years is........?????????????????
If Romney/Ryan win it will not matter. If the republicans win this election our country will have been sold out from under us. Only those chosen few will be allowed to run and only the chosen will be allowed to vote. Only those with wealth will be able to educate their children as public education will be a thing of the past. Only those with wealth will be able to seek medical care and for those who become to old or sick to work, you are on your own.
Talk to the Hand, the problem with just two years is that they're running out of fuel to keep their tax return chant burning. I really don't get why they need to see more. Voyeurism, maybe? I don't know.
Maybe you should research how George Romney (Mitts father) felt about only a year or two of tax returns.
I'm paraphrasing here but he said one or two years can be a fluke. He released 12 years.
Why didn't you capitalize fluke? She is speaking at the DNC (Democratic National Clusterf**k)
It's amazing that no one realizes that Romney has been running for office for a very long time, and has been releasing his taxes for a very long time.
Sorry, NorCal, you are wrong. He has demanded that those he has run against release their tax returns, but he has never released any of his until this last year. Do some research.
And actually has not released a single complete year's return. So far one partial year and an estimate for another. He is stalling like when he ran for office in Mass. and in the end he will not release anything.
This article is so one sided. All you see is that he made money in the corporate world, and you see that as bad. If there were no corporations and business people with a drive most of you would not have a job. Most of you that complain about people who earn more than you are not self motivated and lack a fundamental drive to succeed on your own. Most of you see having a work ethic and drive as being dishonest. I really think that people need to quit looking for the government to solve their problems and take a real hard look at their lives and make sure they are doing all they can to help themselves.
Big problem for Mitt, Obama is and has been held acountable for his actual promises
norcal,
Please re-read what I posted and show me anywhere I used 1% because I don't remember saying it and in looking back I don't see it. If you are going to quote me please quote me correctly.
Actually nrca... it was you who equated Romney with the 1% not me
Oh, sorry, you're right, that was M Johnson who said that. My apologies!
um... tell me again why Romney should distance himself from Bush? I didn't agree with everyting that President Bush did (ie: spending $$$, no border security), but he certainly wasn't anywhere NEAR as bad as what we have now! Just for instance... unemployement was less than 5% when Bush was in office... What HAS it been? Please don't tell me that all of this was left over from the 'Bush era'... Obama has been in office 3.5 years and has made matters MUCH worse!
Please provide proof that unemployment was under 5% for his 8 year tenure. You can't blame the last 3.5 years one just one clown. Every clowin in politics has added to this pile of f*ckery for at least the last 30 years and probably longer. No candidate is fit for office, they all have hidden agendas.
Unemployment was lower under Clinton, so it can be posited using your logic that Bush was just as much at fault for putting 'Mericans out of jobs. Truth be told though as jobs lag the other indications, Clintons success was caused by Good Bush, Bad Bush was handed crappier cards by Clinton and Bad Bush caused the mess we are in today. It is just as likely that the Tea Party is tea bagging the US since a Republicant wasn't elected.
"Accountability" ... hmm ... interesting.
It seems like some want to blame the Democrats for the economy, but that isn't reality and if believed it is just asking for more of the same. How did the jobs go away and who profited in the process - whose supporters are they and why are they paying mega-millions to continue their exploitive ways. If you look at who really profited, who is using propaganda to blame "big government", government spending and the deficit, which while worthwhile corrections they just didn't cause the problems, and look at who wants to maintain their status quo with permissive, co-responsible politicians allowing their continued exploitation, and if you can consider all of that with an open, objective and rational mind, you should be able to see who is being the problem while they are feeding their insatiable "more" (never enough) appetite and just peddling propaganda to the people, who continually loose more. And to find fault with politicians' performances during our down turn - who put their political ambitions above all else, stubbornly blocking and arrogantly faulting all efforts, withholding bipartisanship, protecting tax cuts for the very wealthy and just being irresponsible while depending on propaganda to con the people and manipulate public opinion. Give credit for what has been accomplished and prevent returning to more of the same, Bush-Cheney style, no matter how rationalized.
There is some question about Romney's residency when he ran for Governor in MA...whether or not he had claimed Utah as his primary residence at that time. He also sold his Belmont house in 2009, moved to CA, yet continued to vote in MA, which is a voter fraud and considered a felony in the Commonwealth. So it seems the Romneys are hiding much more than what percent they paid or didn't pay in taxes. The Guardian (UK) has an article about it as does the Belmont Patch if anyone wants to do the research. It is a story that persists here but has not been picked up by the national media, that I know of. So when they fear that someone will investigate the returns, if they are released...they know exactly what will be found to "attack"them. If there was nothing to hide they would have already released the tax returns. Everyone knows that, even the Romney supporters who may say, "Big Deal," but are also wondering why the returns haven't been turned over.The Romneys continue to allow this to be an issue by their lack of transparency and to come up with excuse after excuse because those returns may end his chances. No accountability there. And it is an issue that will NOT go away.
Ooooh, that awful Romney, how dare he obey the campaign laws and tax laws!! Lol!!
This articles title made me laugh out loud.
Obama/Biden 2012 4 more years!
Accountability after we been elected???!!! So what about any accountability that you Mr. Ryan have said and written since you've been in Public Office and let's just take over this last year. Mr. Romney after Soledad O'Brien asks him what he'll do about the poor "I'm not concerned about the poor the poor have a safety net and if the safety nets needs fixing I'll fix it, My real concern is for the middle class of this country!!! He should be held accountable for that!! Mr. Romney says in a speech before the Repulbican Debate in Florida " I love firing people!" let's see if he can be held accountable for that!! Let's see Paul Ryan votes againist the Simpson Bowles recommendations because it included tax increases for all americans including his wealthy friends he should be held accountable for that!! There's plenty others but don't have time to go over all of them at this moment. But there are plenty things to be accountable for before Mr. Romney and Mr. Ryan become President and Vice President.
NorCalModerate nobody wants to be againist Mr. and Mrs. Romney's wealth as we have plenty of wealthy democrats also. But for somereason Mr. Romney is being very coy about his taxes that over the last 40 years hasn't been an issue because most of the people running for highest office in the land released at least 10 years of tax returns. So the reason the President and his staff and the DEMS are beating him over the head with it is because he acts like there's something in the other 10 years we shouldn't see as a Public voting him for President of the United States. Until then he's going to keep getting this slammed in his face.
If you had a brain you would be more worried about the loser in the WH and the records he has paid 4 million to hide. Wake up. Amazing that Obama has put 28 million people out of work and you don't know nothing about his past. We know who the morons are. The looney Liberals. Obama has already ben kicked to the curb. Just waiting for Nov. 2012
Romney/Ryan America Choice.
"If you had a brain"? What a thing to say to liberals. It's not their fault they don't have one.