The military needs to be lean and mean..not only saving money to help the country move into sound fiscal health, but also allowing more money to invest in the next generation of hiogh technology, to stay on top. Delightfully, often what starts out as military tech in the end benefits all people, such as the Internet.

But the more than $100 billion wasted on F-22 or other such waste has to stop. The ability to destroy the world 100 times is not enough? why we have to spend more so we can destroy it 101 times?

Have you heard about Imperial Overreach?

"Now there's only one place -- there's only one place this president's willing to cut, and not just a little. He wants to cut a trillion dollars out of our military budget," Romney told the crowd to boos.

What a huge lie

R/R clearly forget that those cuts are only half of the sequester cuts. Our President doesn't want these cuts and R/R know it!

R/R do not give a flying crap about the cuts to other programs

Hasn't America had enough of the cowboy mentality?

"God made man, but Samuel Colt made them equal!"

Wow, we really haven't learned a thing in the past 100 years, have we?

"Romney, Ryan vow not to cut military budget"

Another pandering by a pair of PanderBears?

Not cutting military spending?

I thought I heard Mitt vowing to reduce the deficit in his acceptance speech - OK, if you don't cut the military (big big spender), you want to cut services to people who are in need (not much govt spending here to begin with).

Now, I doubt if Mitt really understands Economic 101 (common sense), not to say business acumen.

Ryan doesn't want to get all wonky...

He says he ran in 2 hours 50+ minutes versus the realilty of him running the marathon in over 4 hours.

Wonky.....Liar, liar, the truth just isn't in him, even for the smallest of accomplishments! Lying liar and the lies he tells!

Romney told the crowd to boos. "Look, that's bad for jobs

The only "job"that Mitt Romney cares about is that of President Obama. He wants it for HIM. He could not care less about anybody.

The Republicans ony care about the military when they are young, and ready for combat. If a soldier gets hurt or he is disabled for life, the Republicans toss him/her like a DIRTY SOCK. The same policy that they have for unborn babies.

The money that the Republicans want to "save"for the military budget NEVER goes to really help veterans. Mitt Romney and lying Ryan have NO CLUE about these type of news:

The announcement from the Army was a shock – 38 soldiers committed suicide in July of this year. This broke last July's record of 33.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/army-suicide-numbers-are-on-the-rise.html#ixzz25GTNWQi6

We should enact a new taxation only on Republicans to fund their wars and we wouldn't see many more new ones for a while.

In his first TV interview as president, he said we should talk to Iran. We're still talking, and Iran’s centrifuges are still spinning. . . .

Under my administration, our friends will see more loyalty, and Mr. Putin will see a little less flexibility and more backbone. Romney 8/30/12

I'm not an Indian, but I sure know war talk when I hear it!

Beat those drums Mitt! Beat those drums!

By the way, Mitt The Liar claimed in his acceptance speech that Pres. Obama reduced military spending, as if this reduction is a problem. If so, Mitt has lied again, because Obama has actually increased military spending....killed bin Laden, and ended both of Bush's wars.

What magnificent achievements for Obama the Commander-in-Chief !! the Only other president who achieved such military distinction is George Washington in the War of Independence.

The defense budget will be cut into. To say otherwise is ignorant when we are preparing to wind down from war. I am usually not a proponent of defense cuts, but if you look at the amount we are spending compared to the rest of the world, there is room for cuts, without risking our national security or ability to answer to "new world" challenges.

We spend just about more than the world combined on defense. No single country is even in the same galaxy as us when it comes to defense spending.

This is akin to Bush saying "no new taxes" the Republicans are digging their hole deeper and deeper daily. Remember Clinton dipping into the war chest is part of wht helped the economy improve during his term.

To even promise such a thing is an insult to my intelligence, and a missed opportunity to help the economy.

How about it liberals... let's get rid of the military... since you still seem to hate them so much... true colors NEVER fade. Let's start war protests... but wait until Romney is in...

We don't hate them. We, on the other hand, wouldn't mind if you AND ALL THE OTHER REPUBLICANS THAT LOVE GUNS SO MUCH WOULD GO AND fight your OWN F**** WARS.

IRESPOND-2315268

an excellent point! At home, GOP policies destroy the Middle Class, overseas, the Republican warmongers launch wars to please the Defense Industry and push Middle Class kids to die in foreign lands ... for what?

Remember Ike's warning against Military-Industrial Complex. If you have the ultimate war hero warns Americans against that, you know...you have see either or both of the following?

Defense Industry..on steroids...

or Military Contractors...gone wild.

How much does the Defense Dept spend on private contractors?

Start with that....

well, the defense-oriented economy ... has been a real bad habit...America should drop..sooner than later.

When Ike warned against the threat of a 'Military-Industrial Complex,' he also meant the power of them tends to threaten the very existence of democracy and the American body politic.

Romney won't cut defense spending because Rove and Cheney have already programmed Romney the strawman to make war against BeckyBeckyBeckystan. War profits at all costs!

If Mitt gets elected...and he takes off for France...you know there will be a war!

Actually Iraqi oil production is up as of now, higher - for the first time - higher than that before Saddam's invasion of Kuwait in August 1990.

But only American oil tycoons will make obscene profits from this, I don't think they will ever spend a dime to help our veterans to get job training and affordable healthcare.

Now we know what war is good for...not for veterans at least.

The Founding Fathers feared a standing army and now that standing army has become too big for the confines of its own land and has spilled into the rest of the world. The baby is too big to bring home and yet it is continually fed. Going to be a big bad unwieldy boy one day.

Hey you incredibly stupid crazy-wacko Teabaggers! Haven't you figure it out yet that the only reason Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan and the Republicans preach 'God, Guns and Guts' to your Families, is because they want your Kids as "CANNON-FODDER" (yes! Cannon-Fodder) for their immoral-illegal Wars, to protect their money-interests of their one 1% percenters.

Yep! you White trailer-trash Teabaggers and Republicans (you know who you are), are being played for Fools. You're just too dumb to realize it.

It's not "Guns, Guts, and God" the Republicans are force-feeding you, it's really "BEER, BAIT, and BEANS" they're pouring down your gullet.

Vote a straight Democratic ticket come this November 2012.

You'll be glad you did.

I Love it!

Now Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan and the Republicans now want "THERMAL NUCLEAR WAR" with the RUSSIANS.

Hello Mitt Romney (you golden tablet worshipper)! Hello Paul Ryan (you Ayn Rand worshipper), are you two Crazy, or what? I and other Freedom Loving Americans and us still Undecided Independent Voters, do Not want WW111, we do Not want a "THERMAL NUCLEAR WAR", cause of you two Clowns.

Looks like Mitt and his Ayn Rand "side-kick" Paul Ryan, want to GO BACK to the FIFTIES, when we all had to climb UNDER our little desks at school.

So now its official, all the talk about tough decisions and balancing the budget was only so much rhetoric.

What does Romney care about the military? He is a draft-dodger who ran away to France to avoid serving. Both him and his running mate, Ryan, are questionable. Paul Ryan’s black girlfriend, Deneeta Pope ,stole $77,000 and spent time in federal prison for defrauding her employer Ernst & Young. Ryan attended her wedding in May this year and has always stayed close to her. Did he get some of that money?

From my prior post, Romney pretending to be a leader of the people is a veritable conundrum.

Mitt Romney is a draft-dodger. He ran off to France in order to avoid serving with our troops.

How could he be Commander-in –Chief of US forces?

1. His record shows that he outsourced millions of jobs to India, Mexico, China, etc.

How could he draft a plan to build the economy when he helped to destroy it?

2. Romney belongs to a secretive cult. For example, if you are not a Mormon, you cannot witness a Mormon wedding ceremony in their “church”.

How could a cult member function as leader of a liberal society?

3. Romney’s great-grandfather and the rest of his kin broke the law, jumped bail and ran to Mexico in order to upkeep their illegal lifestyle. His father was born in Mexico.

Why isn’t Romney running as a candidate in the Mexican or French Presidential elections? How could a law-breaking, polygamous, polytheistic cult member swear to uphold the laws of the United States as President?

4. Mitt Romney is the Anti-Christ. The Mormon book, The Pearl of Great Price, claims that all other Christian groups are "corrupt" and are an "abomination" in God's sight (Joseph Smith, 2:19). If given another chance, the Republicans led by this Anti-Christ will begin yet another war as they did in Iraq and Afghanistan which has resulted in the loss of thousands of young American lives. Armageddon will begin. America will be destroyed by the combined forces of Russia, China and Iran.

If you vote for the Republicans your children will be drafted for yet another Republican-inspired war with Syria and Iran. No Mormon will serve in the war for it is against their religious principles. Your children will. Obama fights wars intelligently and from a distance. As shown with Libya, he would not put our troops on the ground and risk lives. Yet Obama accomplishes his aims.

Why would we allow the Republicans to put more young, American lives at risk?
Our children are still being slaughtered in Afghanistan every day. How could a member of this divisive cult
serve all of the people with fairness?

5. Romney is hiding his tax returns.

How could force compliance as head of government when his hands are not clean?

6. Romney is a Latter Day Saint.

How could a saint be untruthful? Is he too good to show us all of his returns which might reveal his off-shore accounts?

"We Built it", The only thing the Republicans have built in the last 12 years is the "Hell" they will have to live in come November.

Republicans don't care about anybody, Anything, just the LIES they are told to keep repeating.

So Enjoy your Hell, You Built it!

BTW My Obama/Biden Tee shirt was made here in the U.S.A.

Wow! Why wouldn't you want to make cuts in the military? I wasn't going to vote for either of them anyway, but now I will work even more strongly to defeat the Military-Industrial Complex" that Ike warned us about!

You know, I betcha that Mitt Romney and his Ayn Rand worshipper, Paul Ryan still think that RUSSIA is still the USSR. Yep! they think our New friend and ally RUSSIA is still the UNION of SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLIC.

Is that BACKWARD THINKING, or what?

Not only is it Backward thinking, it's Extremely DANGEROUS THINKING.

REPUBLICANS just want to use you PRECIOUS KIDS as "CANNON-FODDER".

I'm a Republican and what I say is True. I know their "play-book", I helped write it.

You know it. I know it, and now your Republican Momma know it.

If you really want THERMA-NUCLEAR-DESTRUCTION, HOLOCUST, the ARMAGGEDAN, and the END of LIFE as we know it, then go ahead and vote REPUBLICAN.

Vote a straight DEMOCRATIC ticket come this NOVEMBER 2012 and send Mitt Romney and his Republicans "BACK to the DUNG HEAP of HISTORY", where they all belong.

Remember I'm a Republican, so I know what I say!

It's True.

Brianb-999431

"More hilarity from the liberals. A headline saying Romney isn't going to cut the military budget and the liberals go off the deep end claiming the republicans want WARRRRRRRR."

They're not saying republicans want war because of the headline. They're saying it because republicans WANT WAR.

Rich people make a lot of money off of war. Its a win win.

Coyotehunter.

Who gives a darn about China and Russia when we can't defeat the Afghans! Iraq and Afghanistan-two lost wars, $5,000,000,000,000 wasted, and 7,200 American lives wasted for defeat!

He wants to cut a trillion dollars out of our military budget," Romney told the crowd to boos.

That's why Obama asked for and received a record amount of money for defense spending last year.

We have the chance to be a great nation once again where every American knows the pledge of allegiance and respects his country and its boundaries.

That doesn't mean we can't get rid of wasteful spending, fraud and corruption, does it? Why do we have third party civilian contractors building barracks when we have a corps of engineers? I'll tell you why. The politicians that pushed for this are getting kick backs.

A nearly one trillion yearly defense budget doesn't equate to being a great nation. It translates to a militaristic one.

You'll need more money than that, if the GOP Tea Party wants more wars on FIVE fronts. They want to shift the DoD budget to build more warplanes, more warships, more tanks...and lower the wages and benefits for our military personnel.

And you'll need a LOT more manpower to wage these planned wars by the GOP, than you do, now. ...DRAFT, anyone? It'll come to us re-marketed and repackaged in the form of a proposed federal law, "mandatory government service for all able-bodied Americans for two years."

(Back in November of 2011) The GOP Candidates Want Never-Ending War on Terror

The Republican presidential candidates declared that the U.S. is locked in a constant war on terror —- meaning, they never want Americans to enjoy peacetime benefits, ever again.

As George Orwell famously noted, bad public policy often hides behind dishonest language. Nations that truly are permanently at war generally go bankrupt or become police states or both. Nations whose leaders pretend they are permanently at war when they are actually not simply suffer a profound distortion of their national priorities. In the United States today, that is bad enough.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/11/25/the-gop-candidates-want-never-ending-war-on-terror.html

Why Do Republicans Like War?

No lame, "We don't like it but we have to," BS. We know you like it. The question is why. Why BOMB BOMB Iran? Why war in Iraq? Is it the thrill of killing people or just the need to take out your aggression on others? Is it because you like to spread democracy at gunpoint? Why are you so violent? Why do you hate healthcare and love bombs and guns so much?

General Wesley Clark: Future Wars Were Planned By the Republicans - Seven Countries in Five Years

http://www.sodahead.com/united-states/why-do-republicans-like-war/question-2685791/

"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. Its spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children." -- Dwight D. Eisenhower, Republican President in office, 1945.

For fans of Les Miserables, check this out:

www.OneTermMore.com

Great music. Revised lyrics. Classic parody.

The Republilcan prayer: War without end, amen.

Please God, don't Allow that Golden Tablet worhipper and that Ayn Rand worshipper to win the Election, ok?

I give thanks every night to President Obama for Protecting my Family and the Families of Policemen, Firemen, Teachers, Soldiers, all you Postal Workers and other Federal Employees, and all you Independent Women, and all you People of Color, and all you in the Latino and Gay communities, and most of all all you Undecided Voters:

Safe from the Likes of Foreign and Domestic Terrorists, and also you crazy-wacko gun-toting, knuckle-dragging Neandrethal Teabaggers and Republicans.

Thank-you and God Bless you, President Obama for keeping us all SAFE.

As a Republican, I'm Encouraging Everybody, and I mean Everybody, to vote a straight Democratic ticket come this November 2012.

It'll be Fun, and it's the Right thing to do.

Lets sen the Republican GOP Party back to the Dung Heap of History, where they reall belong.

Is this a Great post, or what?

Burning Brightly said: I would rather ride on a destroyer with the Republicans than ride on a Unicorn with the democrats. We have the chance to be a great nation once again where every American knows the pledge of allegiance and respects his country and its boundaries.The gravy train ends this year Romney/Ryan 2012- 8 years

#1.33 - Sat Sep 1, 2012 5:44 PM PDT

------------------------------------------------

I see that you're doing a spin to reverse what Bill Maher said of the GOP, that it's mascot symbol should not be an elephant, but a unicorn, for this party relies heavily on fiction, lies, distortions and religion to justify its unreal policy-making. Maher joked that the Republican party is so committed to "magical thinking," or "fantasy," that the symbol of their party might as well be a unicorn.

Bill Maher: GOP Is Made Up Of ‘Magical Thinkers’ Who Mistake ‘Superstition For Science’

“The grown-up answer to our massive national problems is ‘Identify them scientifically and prioritize.’ The Republican answer is ‘There isn’t a problem, and anyone who tells you different is a liar who hates America. We don’t have to make hard choices. We just have to ignore science and math. That’s why God gave us values.’”

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/bill-maher-gop-is-made-up-of-magical-thinkers-who-mistake-superstition-for-science/

My idea would be to bring our servicemen and women home and have them protect our borders,as that keeps them employed......Iran starts any crap, one (or 10) well placed trident missle(s)(which we have plenty of already)(which have multiple warheads) takes care of that problem for a long, long time. Plus it also lets everyone know whats up,and they'll stop all their nonsense.

What ever happened to that neutron bomb, which kills everyone but doesn't destroy property? Perfect republican weapon.

We have way too much cool stuff in our arsenal allready to keep making crap for conventional warfare thats already outdated that just keeps rich bastards like Cheney richer.

Develop new technoligies to make our armed forces lean and mean. Then lets really deal with those cartels too and show them a real war (not on drugs) on THEM.

America just needs the will to use these weapons instead of servicemens' lives.

The people who hate us will always hate us, they'll just think alot harder about the consequences of screwing with us.

In anticipation of their wars to come, the republicans more than doubled the DOD funding. To date that has accumulated to more than 4 trillion dollars straight from the tax payers pockets. They took the defense budget from 382billion to more than 760billion in one swoop and did not count that into the national deficit along with many other billions they gave away to pay off the rest of their war monging buddies. People like Roy Wilson who completely supports wars as it makes him feel safe deny this but then again, just gooogle what these war mongers in the republican party are really striving for.

Here is where Romney stands on starting a pre emptive strike against Iran: www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/republicans/8887247/Republican-hopefuls-would-go-to-war-with-Iran.html

I guess that in order to do this the republicans will also increase the defense fund to around 1.5trillion dollars a year and scream later it is the lousy little people that are robbing our government coffers dry with their hunger pangs that is to blame. Idiots!!!

Look at these fiscal 'conservatives' wanting to burn up the cash! I call these two posers. Limited government means a limited military as well.

Well he just lost the independant vote, does guy even want to win?

I don't see any reason to bitch with what he said - he pandered to the few and alienated the many with this rhetoric...the majority are War'ed out.

Ryan said, speaking at The Landing on a very hot day. "If Florida goes the right way, America goes the right way."

Okay, it may have been posted already ... but I was just so dang mad at reading that! So Florida is now the State that decides the elections? All of the others don't count????? OMH ... AGAIN Mr. Marathon liar, you discount the fact that the majority of the people in this country own computers and fact check your lies the minute they come out of your mouth!

GAH!!!

4 more for 44 (who by the way doesn't lie about his basketball skills!)

I understand why the rich are for republicans,they favor the rich!I dont understand why the non rich are for republicans! The republicans are EVIL WAR CRAZY LUNATICKS who don't give a crap about us AMERICANS except for the rich!When that IDIOT romney said the military budget will save jobs,he means the high paying jobs of his MILITARY CONTRACTOR PALS!!People,stop believing the LIES of the SNEAKY DIRTY REPUBLICANS!! `````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````Y``````````````

Just one of so many reasons NOT to vote for Mitt/Ryan. Unfortunately, looking at all those smiling faces at the DNC, reason will not prevail in their minds.

What has an IQ of 100 ??? Answer... the entire combined participation at the DNC!

Is it just me or is there anyone else out there who can't wait until the debates? Boy o' Boy I just can't wait until Mitt actually has to say all of this crap with Obama in a position to set the record straight right then and there, face to face. I, for one, think Mitt is going to fold like a lawn chair when pressed, because he already seems to be a nervous type of fellow when he's out of his element. Man, I can't wait!

The Republicans just can't say no to a massive defense budget. Ike must be rolling in his grave.

michigan unemployed ...

yup romney pandering for votes, he be hard pressed to beat obama's pandering to the blacks , illegals and the gays though

It's no wonder you're unemployed. We live in a country where education and diversity are VALUED. You, sir need to understand that and then possibly ... when you realize that this is a DIVERSE country, you might just be employable.

4 more for 44

Burning Brightly........... is that like your lights are on, but there's no-body home?

SD,

Nuke Iran if they mess with us? Glad you're not in charge.

I just wish for once a Republican would say something that wasn't 100% predictable tripe.

Michigan Unemployed; the Left doesn't have to say a word to get the Black and Gay vote, the negative stuff the Right does to those people is all it takes to get their vote. If you were here illegally, would you show up at a voting booth - I wouldn't. I live in Tucson, AZ, illegal central, if you really wanted to round them up all you would have to do is go to our Walmarts. BTW; they spend millions if not billions at Walmarts in this country...old Sam laughs all the way to the bank.

As far as the Hispanic/Latino vote; they are by far mostly conservative Catholics - but they vote mostly Democrat - that should tell you just how badly the Right treats some people.

Sorry, I must have missed it....... what branch of the service did Mitts son serve in?

BTW, Air Force vet.... son and daughter-in-law Navy!

Rich,

I can't believe it! Actual logic! Fairness! Thought! Yours is one of the first I've seen from a poster from the right on this board. I disagree with you about Romney being better than Obama on defense (or much else), but I REALLY appreciate the avoidance of lock step on EVERYthing Obama does is bad "just because" it's Obama, and everything Romney plans is good "just because" it's Romney. Thank you.

ROY,

How about recalculating the Defense spending to a percent of Federal revenues?

I doubt that picture looks anywhere near the same.

I live in Wis. Ryan is such a brown noser it's not funny, he lied about the GM plant closing under obama, which is a out right lie. It closed uneder that ass hole Bush he must think people would forget that ever happened, or maybe he hope no one would check out his record he voted for the auto bail out, and he voeted for both wars he even asked the dept of energy for a stimulst in my state which he got!! I can't wait foe the debates their are going yo chew up R/R then spit them out!!! hey call this number to thier HQ 857-288-3500 and tell them what you really think about.

Mitt Romney has been caught by FactCheck.org in 533 lies in 30 weeks. Paul Ryan's reign of lies is just now going to start catching up with him. How can a Republican candidate for President even begin to make statements that he will not make cuts to the military budget when his own hand picked Vice Presidential Nominee sat on the House Floor and filibustered as part of a group of House Republicans who held this country hostage over a budget which included the "Budget Control Act" which was passed 100% by Republicans which cut $1.2 Trillion dollars from the Pentagon (military spending) over the next 10 years. They demanded without relenting that this act be included in the 2011 Budget in order to keep Government running at the time. Now all of a sudden....it's Obama who wants the cuts, come on people....read, learn, stay informed, and I don't mean watch MSN or FOX news coverage for information.

Mitt Romney said in his speech on Thursday night that "things are worse now under the failed policies of President Obama than 4 years ago" . When confronted yesterday by a reporter that asked Mr. Romney did he understand that Obama saved the auto industry in this country, stopped the free-fall of the stock market, averted a depression, got our troops out of Iraq, got Osama Bin Laden, and actually has improved the unemployment rate under his administration, so how could he make a statement like that at the convention? Mr. Romney told the reporter "I didn't say things are worse".

This man has been called a liar to his face in debates by Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, Jon Huntsman, and Rick Santorum. The Republicans are so set on their mantra that Obama's policies have not worked that even when faced with real numbers, real situations, and real accomplishments....they are so blinded with hatred that they can't see the truth when it is staring them right in the face, and neither can Mr. Romney. For anyone in the Republican party to call Obama a liar is hysterically funny, considering what the Republican party has done to our country with two wars, deregulation of banking systems, tax cuts for the rich, and took office in 2000 with a SURPLUS.....seems like Republicans did not do such a bang up job did they? Now they expect American's to prosper under the massive failures of those policies and refuse to vote for a Jobs Bill that has sat on the Republican Run House Floor for 8 months. Republicans are motivated by the failure of this president that they would throw the American People under the bus to do it....and they have.

Here come the mass liberal spammers. They need a report spam button. Maybe that would clean these comment sections up a bit.

You could do your part and not post stuff like this. You know, personal responsibility and all. Not to mention, you're posting on a very liberal biased site.

I see both sides posting plenty of tripe though.

@ backcountry;

For the last two weeks Mitt Romney's campaign has incessantly attacked President Obama for the cuts to defense spending mandated by the agreement he made with Congress to lift the debt ceiling last year. Romney and his surrogates blame Obama, instead of their fellow Republicans in Congress, for this turn of events, and claim it will damage America's national security. They are also playing hypocritical politics, and violating their own supposed principles, by complaining that the cuts will cost jobs in swing states such as Virginia. Here's a sampling of their statements:

http://www.thenation.com/blog/169110/romney-blames-obama-gop-defense-cuts

As I stated earlier we spend just about as much as the whole world combined on defense, a few cuts from the defense will not weaken our national security. Even with cuts no country would even be in the same galaxy as us, as far as spending goes. Obama is doing a fine job on defense, and I was a big critic of him before he became president as far as defense goes. Believe me I would say if it was the other way around.

Of course there will be no defense cuts and not because they care about our safety, it's because private industry makes a killing on defense spending and God forbid private industry stops making ridiculous profits. You're deluded if you think the uproar from the Republicans about defense cuts is about us being "less safe".

This is why they want to privatize medicare and public schools and anything they can get their greedy hands on.

Dennis, step up to the plate and do it yourself. Before you do though, please tell us all when the government will switch to that type of accounting. And best start using that % of revenue for all the other government spending as well. After all let's not be selective depending one the spending category.

atlposter

Great Question! Answer - NONE. Just like their Dad. Mitt Romney applied and received 3 deferments during the Vietman draft. His father applied for them under "him being a missionary" and sent Mitt off to France for 2 1/2 yrs. Each year after that, when the lottery was drawn, if his number was lower than 195, he applied for a new deferment and went on a new mission some where else. In 1972 for the last lottery for Vietman, Mitt Romney pulled a number over 195 and knew that he would not be drafted. That was the only draft lottery he did not apply for a deferment for.

Now every one out there is going to say,,,,,"well, Obama never served in the Military either". A slight difference people, there has been no draft since 1972, but there was when Mr. Romney registered for selective service which is required under law and he dodged it 2 times. And this is a man who wants to be a commander in chief talking to Military families about American values....right!

Of course there will be no defense cuts and not because they care about our safety, it's because private industry makes a killing on defense spending and God forbid private industry stops making ridiculous profits.

Government welfare to corporations is ok though! It's just when welfare for the poor that is bad ;)
I don't understand the Republican ideal of big government=bad when many of the companies that support the party make bank due to government contracts. Many of them get bailed out by the big bad government when they screw up.

So I'll ask again since the my question didn't get answered- What has Obama done to cut military spending? Anyone? Anyone?

Obviously very little. No one wants to cut anything of substance. They just kick and scream, point their fingers and shake their fist and then let the next guy deal with it. Meanwhile the debt continues to increase and trillion dollar deficits have become the norm. It's going to be real funny when the interest we have to pay off on the debt starts adding up.

Roy, More money for education...so, people will learn that you can't compare apples to oranges.

All you do realize Romney just admitted to the elephant in the room that the Defence budget is over a trillion DOLLARS A YEAR.

We spend over a TRILLION with a T on "defence" a year and Romney Just admitted it in a lie claiming Obama wants to cut a trillion from the defence budget.

Of all the enemies to public liberty war is, perhaps, the most to be dreaded because it comprises and develops the germ of every other. War is the parent of armies; from these proceed debts and taxes … known instruments for bringing the many under the domination of the few.… No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare.

— James Madison, Political Observations, 1795

That being said:

The USA with its massive spending budget, is the principal determinant of the current world trend, and its military expenditure now accounts for just under half of the world total, at 41% of the world total;

SIPRI has commented in the past on the increasing concentration of military expenditure, i.e. that a small number of countries spend the largest sums. This trend carries on into 2010 spending. For example,

• The 15 countries with the highest spending account for over 81% of the total;
• The USA is responsible for 41 per cent of the world total, distantly followed by the China (8.2% of world share), Russia (4.1%), UK and France (both 3.6%)

But even for the large US economy, the high military spending may not be sustainable in the long term. Noting trends in military spending, SIPRI added that the massive increase in US military spending has been one of the factors contributing to the deterioration of the US economy since 2001. SIPRI continues that, “In addition to its direct impact of high military expenditure, there are also indirect and more long-term effects. According to one study taking these factors into account, the overall past and future costs until year 2016 to the USA for the war in Iraq have been estimated to $2.267 trillion.”

http://www.globalissues.org/article/75/world-military-spending

People better REALLY do their homework before you consider the candidate you vote for!!!!!

@Satanick

It's going to be real funny when the interest we have to pay off on the debt starts adding up.

Actually it's been adding up for quite awhile. For every dollar you pay in Federal taxes 40 cents is used to pay off the interest on our debt. Just the interest! Can you imagine a household budget where you take 40% of your paycheck just to pay the interest on your credit cards without bothering to pay down anything on the principle even as you continue to use the cards? It's already reached the point of insanity.

Back,

That's not correct. Interest on the debt is more like 15%.

But while you're on that topic you can look at http://zfacts.com/node/324 to see where we'd be if Reagan, Bush 1, and Bush 2 had not spent the 10 Trillion they did (4 under R-B1, and 6 under B2).

Quick answer: a LOT better shape. Obama could have spend a ton of money to get us out, and it wouldn't even be a blip. So your "just the interest" is an argument for our side, you know.

Mr. Romney's "speech," attempting to display (read: shill) his "pro-military" position, would have been much more accurate, though less effective, had he delivered it from where he served his military commitment for 30 months, starting in 1966...

FRANCE!

Character counts. And Mr. Romney has a wealth of principal, but a dearth of principle.

Lowering taxes on the rich, removing the safety net for children, disabled and the elderly while continuing to feed the military industrial complex is the path of self-destruction. It is evil and inhumane!!

That's not correct. Interest on the debt is more like 15%.

http://www.treasurydirect.gov/govt/reports/ir/ir_expense.htm

You are right. However, it is insane how much money we are spending every year on the debt.

so what Mitt is saying is--we have to cut spending, but we're not really going to cut spending. What we're really going to do is halve revenue, and bitch some more about all the spending.

If you're not ready to cut defense spending then you are just talking about nothing.

How can one plan to make a positive difference, if there stubbornness prevents any positive change for America?

Tax breaks for the rich, unnecessary spending for creating death, cuts to the overall welfare of America, forcibly penetrating women who have previously been forcibly penetrated, and voting restrictions.

The republican party has turned dark.

Normally I would say vote for whoever, just vote. A bright future is in sight with a democratic or independent vote.

How many feet does this asshat have? every day he finds something else to do that to his person. He has to have very little feet left to wlak on maybe thats why he walks lik a cross between a camel and an old lady.

Mitt Romney has been caught by FactCheck.org in 533 lies in 30 weeks

Same old Republicans. Tax breaks for the rich and high defense spending for their votes. Probably more wars too. The defense companies love it as do their shareholders.

In honor of Clint Eastwood the republican party is renaming itself as the 'empty chair ' party.

on another note; republicans don't want to cut the arms budget but have no problem asking grandma to live on less, any moronic heartless fool that votes for him deserves a front row seat in hell.

The Military Industrial Complex are people too! Come on people this is one of the reasons the Republicans brought this fool hardy nonsense case to federal court. To save the Military Industrial Complex of Chickehawks and draft dodgers like Willard and Ryan. Haven't we seen this story or chapter from the GOP play book before and it ended up bringing us the Great Recession. Next if Willard is elected it will be the Great Depression making the other Great Depression look like a small recession. All of this because the old white man party cannot stand to have a Black man leading this country and doing a good job of it. This goes back to the Jim Crow days for sure. Why does 1/4 of our federal budget need to be for military spending? Please someone answer this question for me as I cannot see why we need to invade every country in the Middle East. Isn't this why we back Israel for all of these decades with the welfare checks we send them every year?

• Myth Romney / Lyin' Ryan
• ***** Campaign - 1220 *****
• We'll Bring Back Serfdom

Visit Bruce-1628250's column >>

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Perhaps not widely known, but the USA and Russia (and other countries, the CIA and Interpol) are working together to account for, contain and decommission the old nukes from the satellite countries of the former USSR, so they won't get into rogue hands.

Do we want the Romney/Ryan team involved in this? Perhaps they haven't been briefed?

The political landscape shifts all the time (remember when Saddam was our ally against Iran?) and we need perspicacious and flexible leadership in the Pentagon and the White House, since the President is, after all, Commander in Chief. A saber-rattling attitude will have disastrous effects on this program, to say the least.

Obama 2012

What is a "real American"? What do they look like? How much money do they make? Do they crap and pee a different color then the rest of us "other Americans"? Go f--k yourself you arrogant blowhard!!!

Hardly a rant there, jimboS. It's all there - on ol' Mitt, in black and white - you know, the guy who is actually running for president - regardless of Biden's record, who is NOT running for President.
Coulda shoulda woulda, way to deflect.

Can't these GOP trolls be LESS transparent? Their lip flapping is getting soooo old.

If I’m president and Paul Ryan’s vice president we will not cut our military budget.

True. They wont need to because the sequester will have already taken care of that before inauguration ...

Gotta give them credit for realizing that.

Jim Spence real dumb Americans for Romney/Ryan as usual. I am an alum of the same school as Ryan only I studied hard core science while he took the easy route. Real rocket scientist with this guy. He is out for the public dole and he has been in Congress long enough to get it no matter what happens unless he can keep the federal coffers full so he and his fellow cronies can draw it down. The Republicans come up short again in the brains department and without a plan. I recall the same rhetoric when Bush II was running for nomination as president. Look what the wonderfully intelligent Republicans brought real Americans. Two wars, one founded on WMD's that were never there to begin with and the other just because Bush II wanted to show his daddy he was a man's man. The Iraq War was a pay back for the attempt against the elder Bush's life on an oil deal and money loan they (Bush II) didn't want to pay back.

Yes, Jim, real Dumb Americans vote the Grand Old Pathetic party every time and we take ten steps back as a society. The Middle Class always pays the bills so the MIC can make more money from our taxes and put fear into the minds and souls of the people from the "Boogy Man gonna get you" rhetoric. Some of us are not stupid as to believe this BS. Maybe you are but we aren't. Willard is a loser and will be in November. Ryan will go back to the public dole of $180K/year and health care like the rest of us will have under ACA and not the Special Health Care Congress voted in for themselves. Now if we can stop them sucking on the federal teet just think how much money America would save too in addition to reducing the DOD budget by at least 25% the first year. Let the MIC employees find some real work instead of feeding off the public trough.

The military industrial complex that makes money from war always has to be reined in. Several presidents both before and after Eisenhower have warned about this. Eisenhower was the most outspoken on this subject, as far as I know. No cuts to military budget. Campaign contribution from military contractors is showing up here. Cooking up another war could well be in the works here.

WILLARD IS A YELLOW BELLY DRAFT DODGING PUSSY OF THE HIGHEST DEGREE!!! VOTE FOR THE GOP IF YOU LOVE THE GUYS THAT START WARS BUT NEVER FIGHT IN ANY!!!

I remember when draft dodging and going AWOL used to be considered dishonorable, yet the Republicans chose 1 to run the country in the last 8 year disaster, and now they just nominated an even bigger one to run this year. Clint Eastwood loves to make war movies, so maybe he can make one about the war heroics of Bush and Willard. GOP slammed Kerry via "Swift Boat ads" and now they want to show respect to veterans. Take your fake smile, plastic persona, and BS rhetoric back to France where you belong Willard, and take that soft, compulsive liar and congressional flunky with you too! You two don't deserve the chance to make the choices that could get more of our soldiers killed!

These necons are so dumb. They just lost the election with this headline. Not only did they margianalize and disrespect the Ron Paul constituency, but now they've basically told even the more compromsing among them (the Rand Paul fans who cheered his speech about "Audit the Pentagon") to take a hike.

Guess what? No libertarian vote, no win.

I had long ago decided not to vote for Romney or Obama...both are sociopathic warmongers and habitual liars (like nearly all politicians). Obama only left Iraq when he did because Wikileaks made sure our welcome (if you can call it that) from the new Iraqi puppet government, that we attemptred to control and put in place, ran out. But any of the compromisers in our movement (the libert movement) just lost all hope of any comprmise with these neocon monsters.

A pox on both their houses. DemoCrips and RepubliBloods with their false dilemmas and false paradigms of left vs right are ruining this country.

Libertarians: Vote Obama, for a 3rd Party, or write in Ron Paul's name. We have to make Romney lose! If he wins we have no liberty movement in the Democratic Party (yet), which means a Romney win gives us no liberty candidates until 2020 or 2024...whereas if Romney loses we get a liberty candidate in 2016!

Don't set our movement back 8-12 years when you can stop the setback at only 4 years! Romney and GOP must lose!!!

Jimspence: Not the sharpest knife in the drawer are you?

About Biden: So, a life threatening ailment that kept him from serving is never mentioned in his OWN MEMOIRS and never prevented him from playing very strenuous sports such as football or being a lifeguard

You insinuate a young Biden somehow got preferential treatment even though he had poor parents? Your ignorance is under whelming. The military doesn't accept people with pre existing illnesses like asthma that might force them to pay disability over a life time.

Your comment:A typical couple retiring last year will, on average, pay $150,000 in Medicare taxes over their lifetime, but receive more than $350,000 in benefits. As a result, the program ran a combined deficit of more than $288 billion last

Are you nuts? You think a program that collects these taxes from the 50's, 60's, 70's etc. should pay out dollar for dollar? You ever hear of inflation? The government when borrowing these funds is supposed to pay interest. If this money had been paid into an annuity it would be worth far more than 350K.

You just spew mindless non sense.

WHAT MITT ROMNEY DID TO KAY BEE TOYS

Founded in 1922, Kay Bee Toys was the second-oldest operating toy retailer in North America (behind FAO Schwarz) before its demise.

Bain Capital bought Kay Bee Toys in 2000 and loaded the company with debt. In the space of only four years, they closed 365 stores.

Kay Bee Toys went bankrupt. Fifteen thousand people lost their jobs.

Bain's take: $120,000,000. Yep: one hundred twenty million dollars. Made off the backs of a company and it's workers who had done no wrong, a company that was a fulfillment of the American Dream.

Bain Capital made a 900% return on their investment by destroying a solid business.

Romney called what he did to Kay Bee Toys, an American company, "creative destruction."

Imagine what he could do to America and to the world if he had his finger on the button.

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

VOTE OBAMA/ BIDEN 2012

Medical Disqualifications
Below you will find details from the Army's "Standards of Medical Fitness", These standards generally apply to all other branches as well. Remember that most of these conditions are NOT necessarily permanently disqualifying, but they are red flags! If you have had a medical complication at any time in your life that is mentioned here, then you need to tell your recruiter. He/she will tell you whether your condition can be waivered, or if it is permanently disqualifying. Remember that if you do not get an official waiver and your condition is later discovered, you will most likely be dishonorably discharged for fraudulent enlistment. The choice is yours.

Lungs, chest wall, pleura, and mediastinum

The causes for rejection for appointment, enlistment, and induction are:

a. Abnormal elevation of the diaphragm, either side.

b. Abscess of the lung.

c. Acute infectious processes of the lung, until cured.

d. Asthma, including reactive airway disease, exercise induced bronchospasm or asthmatic bronchitis, reliably diagnosed at any age. Reliable diagnostic criteria should consist of any of the following elements:

(1) Substantiated history of cough, wheeze, and/or dyspnea that persists or recurs over a prolonged period of time, generally more than 6 months.

Jimspense: Unlike Romney, Biden signed up for the draft and was rejected due to asthma. Troll.

Perhaps Romney knows we will need a strong Military to defend ourselves from all the Democratic welfare recipients who will have to go to work to get thier welfare checks.....lol

This comment is about as factual as any in this thread... GROW THE F@@@ UP PEOPLE.

The only thing to prevent WWlll is the strength of our armed forces. Should our military be reduced the DRAFT will be enacted when the #$#$ hits the fan. We will only have peace through our strength.

You righties show every day what idiots you really are. First off, the republicans got 98% of what they wanted last summer and that was the sequester. So at the first of the year, cuts will hit entitlements and military, that is what the republicans wanted, dont go blaming Obama for this he had nothing to do with it.

Now for a little education, on January 1st, no matter who is elected in November, Obama will still be in charge. That means even if Mittliar/Ryanliar get elected the cuts will happen.

For those of you that think we have to have a fat defence need to go fight some of these wars. You dont seem to care that our young men/women have to sacrifice time with their families, putting their lives at risk every second of every day to be in wars you just love to have to prove we are so strong. So if you are for wars, go fight them yourselves, but quit asking others to fight them for you. You guys are so dispicable that you would even boo a gay military man, you dont want them talking about being gay, but you dont care if they die for your country. So go fight Iran with your other war loving republicans, if you think it is so important.

I think we should cut the military budget and I'm a fairly conservative guy...we should stop running around the globe using out military for humanitarian missions, delivering food/aid, helping rescue tsunami/earthquake victims, etc etc. The military should just be for fighting so we need to stop funding all this humanitarian nonsense.

So Roy, you are admitting that at least 1/3 rd of our national debt comes from the wars! You haven't calculated the increased costs of the Pentagon yet wither. I thought Romney and Paul said that to balance the budget: "Everything was on the table?" More republican lies and proof that they have been bought by the: "Military Industrial Complex" that Ike warned the party about! they have done a good job of brainwashing as well from your posts!

Romney Vows no defense cuts so the GOP can start their next War with Iran, these Warmongers are going to destroy our Planet, God help the World if these maddogs get back in !!!!!!!!!!

Larry-367607

You said,

Jimspense: Unlike Romney, Biden signed up for the draft and was rejected due to asthma. Troll.

The fact is,

"As a result of a physical exam on April 5, 1968, Joe Biden was classified 1-Y and disqualified from service because of asthma as a teenager," said David Wade, a campaign spokesman.

He had a "history" of asthma. He didn't have asthma at his physical.

He NEVER mentioned his "debilitating" disease in his own memoirs, but amazingly he recounted palying football and being a lifeguard. Metered dose inhalers for asthma were just beginning to be used in 1955, yet he never mentions any treatment for his "asthma". How could such a debilitating disease in the 50's not be mentioned in his memoirs?

He lied about his asthma to avoid the draft, pure and simple.

You can spin and deflect this anyway you want, he was and is a draft evader. Of course you Libbies will protect this buffoon as he is a walking nightmare with one gaffe after another.

Try to keep up Spanky.

ROMNEY/RYAN 2012 for real Americans

That's not correct. Interest on the debt is more like 15%.

http://www.treasurydirect.gov/govt/reports/ir/ir_expense.htm

You are right. However, it is insane how much money we are spending every year on the debt.

Not really. I know this is difficult to understand when you're thinking about the world economy like your home finances, but the national debt unless something happens to the standing of the US throughout the world, is pretty much irrelevant. The people yammering like to call it up like a devil because they know the electorate immediately equates it with their personal finances, but it is not.

First off, the US is not bound to pay it. And I assure you they would not if they thought it was in their best interest. Do a bit of research on how well the US pays their dues to the United Nations. They don't. Unless they feel like it. When you're the biggest meanest kid on the block you do what you want. If tomorrow the US said to China, "we aren't paying you". China would have no recourse but to say, "yes sir, can I please have some more?" Of course more on that is China is US Corporate America so the US will pay.

Second, debt is not always a bad thing. If you can borrow money more cheaply than use it then debt makes a profit. Business operates on this principle. Banks operate on this principle. The US government operates on this principle.

Third, you must not have a car and a mortgage. For most people the interest on those two alone blows 15% out of the water, don't even get started on credit cards and small loans...

OBAMA / 2012 for Honest Americans !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Make Love, Not War !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jimmy Spence,

You should just quit while you're behind... then again, reading your comical ramblings is good Sunday morning entertainment for us real Americans.

Good God! It's the 21st Century. A nation can't survive going off on military adventurism like it's a 1920's banana war anymore. It only profits the very few, very wealthy, while costing the rest of the country billions, and their son's and daughter's lives.

Spend the money on education and technology and you will have a much stronger, happier nation.

President Eisenhower, also a 5 star general, warned against the military-insustrial complex. We have the strongest military ever to exist on this planet. With massive cuts in military spending we can still be the strongest military superpower on the planet and these idiots want to cut safety nets but increase the military. Why?

Adler, they want to leave the DOD budget intact so Bain Capital can do more hostile take overs on the subcontractors to the DOD machine. Romney will pull another Halliburton as Cheney did.

To Satanick==You asked what has Obama done to cut back on military spending? In 2007 alone it was costing us 720 million a day or 500.000 a minute to be in Iraq. According to a Nobel Prize Economist that I looked up. The U.S debt because of Iraq alone so far is, 806,606,382 and the number of U.S deaths as of Sept 2011 4, 476. And what does Romney/Ryan want to do??????????

What is Amazing is the effective numbers of Americans who have been

Conned/Fooled by the republicanCrimeCartelPropagandaMachine. Think about
it...
These Very Well monied, SnakeOil Saleman, MittTaxPittanceRommel and
his SideAssKick, Eddie Munster, are The Elitist Thug's economic Hitters Who Caused This Whole Disaster Starting with President Reagan and Most Assuredly Pronounced with KingGeorge The VacuumBrained during his Notoriously Shameful Shrubber Reign 2001- 2008. these two Amoral Politicos are into Contolling and Manipulating America in their favor, ACTUALLY Stealing America's economic power.
Research It: These Republican 1-10% wealthy and corporate Thieves have OVER $20
Trillion Dollars Stashed in Overseas accounts in their names and registration
numbered foreign accounts. Money needed for rebuilding America NOT Bloating their elitist "family
wealth" for the future of their "Little Darlings" SUCH AS Rommels $48,000,000
Malibu Mansion WITH an InHouse Car Elevator for his son's $180,000
Ferrari. Fiesty is correct that We Will Not allow the small minded, small numbered bigots who cannot take a blackman in the WhiteHouse to have their way. Prez O is the ONLY Choice. These Elitist rich Thugs calling themselves "republicans" belong in Prison NOT in Congress or The WhitHouse.
Try this one on for size: President Harry Truman in 1948: "The
Republicans … will try to make people believe that everything the Government has
done for the country is socialism. They will go to the people and say: "Did you
see that social security check you received the other day—you thought that was
good for you, didn't you? That's just too bad! That's nothing in the world but
socialism. Did
you see that new flood control dam the Government is building
over there for the
protection of your property? Sorry—that's awful
socialism! That new hospital that they are building is
socialism. Price
supports, more socialism for the farmers! Minimum wage laws? Socialism for
labor! Socialism is bad for you, my friend. Everybody knows that. And here you
are, with your new car, and your home, and better opportunities for the kids,
and a television set—you are just surrounded by
socialism! Now the
Republicans say, 'That's a terrible thing, my friend, and the
only way out
of this sinkhole of socialism is to vote for the Republican ticket.'" And, AND!,
AND!!! that was 64 Years Ago!!!. The republicanCrimeCartel
is still doing
the same exploitation of people THEY ARE NOTORIUS FOR. BUT,
according
toKingGeorgeTheVacuumBrained, it is called "free market" capitalism; with
families in the streets and 25% Unemployment.......

Fellow and Sister
Americans: A vote for ANY republicanCrimeCartelSoldier, Rommel, is a vote
Against Yours and Your Family's Well Being.

Well, I don't know about all that, but I do know if the GOP wins the ticket this fall, all of us struggling to help our kids in college can kiss their Pell Grants good-bye.

Right On Schedule: The republicanCrimeCartel Created this disaster back in Reagan's time and Perfected it with the Bushies, especially With KingGeorge the VacuumBrained during his NOTORIOUSLY SHAMEFUL Shrubber Reign 2001 - 2008. THEY ARE Causing this Depression we are back into to get people mad at Prez O and vote for Rommel and EddiMunster, his love mate. YOU KNOW what Rommel's got in mind For US???: A HUGE American military, OTHER PEOPLE's Sons fighting Newly thought up And VERY PROFITABLE WARS for 1-5%ers Riches and Corporate Wealth, And NO American Universal National healthCare System. Does ANYONE KNOW what the ceo of United HealthCare took Home for 2008 Salary? Hold onto your hats!!!: $128,000,000 *C A S H* WHILE, Mind You, their paid policyHolders were denied and DIED. The FACT that America HAS NO Universal HealthCare System like THE OTHER COUNTRIES, WHO TAKE CARE OF THEIR CITIZENS who need medical attention and help instead of fattening the wallets of the EVIL Rich and paying for Unending Wars, IS A NATIONAL DISGRACE!!!!!!! FACE IT Sister and Brother Americans, Rommel IS ON THE SIDE OF THE FAT INSURANCE COMPANIES And WILL MAKE SURE We Americans Are Denied A Wonderful HealthCare System. YEAH, A LOT of US are mad at Prez O; The Man Has ROYALLY SCREWED UP LATELY: He let the $4.00+Gas and oil go by without a protest OR Complaint to the Justice Dept Going after the oil companies for Price Fixing And PRICE GOUGING. AND that shaking hands with karzai of afghan after what he said????? "thanks sucker taxpayers..." NONETHELESS, Has ANYBODY got an idea what republicanCrimeCartelSoldierRommel will do to US and ANY economic progress made?? He WILL GUT US LIKE A FLOPPIN' FISH ON THE DOCK.....You're gonna' see Unemployment up to 40% and NO Social Security..Gotta Pay for New Wars And NO MEDICAL CARE At All; republicanCrimeCartelPanacea: Sick??, No "health care insurance policy"? awww.. Sick?..Well, DIE QUICK!!!!! AS "healthcare" policies cost SKYROCKET out of control. And Rommel and his LoveMate Lyin'Ryan, Like Rommel and Goebbels, are gonna' give you the republicanCrimeCartelPropaganda Lies; You Love Your Family? Don't Go for it. You Don't care?? Go Ahead, vote for these two Politaphiles and see what happens......................... Here's the rundown on Mitt Romney's devastating record as CEO of Bain Capital, a tenure marked by bankruptcies, bailouts, and mass layoffs — all while Romney and his partners raked in Billions of Dollars in profits for the firm and Romney himself amassed a Quarter-Billion Dollar Fortune. Romney's Bain Capital Caused Mass Layoffs, Sent Jobs Overseas Thousands of Americans were laid off by Bain Capital at companies it purchased, managed, and, at least a quarter of the time, drove into bankruptcy, ruining Lives, Destroying Careers and Families including Many Many Suicides While stuffing his pockets, Keeping his Darling son OUT of service to his country with the line "My son is Fulfilling his Patriotic Duty by helping me get elected"...Got that one?? and, Of Course, installing the InHouse car elevator for his "darling little boy's $180,000Ferrari....Listen Up People...This guy IS Count Dracula In carnate. A vote for ANY Republican politico is a vote against Yours and YOUR FAMILY'S Well Being. You can take that to the bank.

Patriotic American U.S.A.

OBAMA / 2012 for Honest Americans !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Make Love, Not War !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0QBD6CXgdo

oop there it is....

You got to love these chickensh!t hawks where was all this military bravado when Mitt was not in Viet Nam and spent 30 months saving the French from the evils of wine and premarital sex? Many Mormons chose not to get the deferments for college and religious reasons that they could have gotten and serve their country. Any of Mitt's boys in the military and at risk of serving in the wars he wants to start? No way according to Mitt, "They have made other career choices". To be fair according to Mitt he and the wifey had it tough. After all they had to sell off some of the stocks he was given as a child to make ends meet while in college. BOO HOO, poor Mitt and Anne. How tough. Ryan was a "reliable supporter of the [George W. Bush] administration's foreign policy priorities" who voted for the 2002 Iraq War Resolution, authorizing President George W. Bush to use military force in Iraq. Ryan also voted for the Iraqi War troop surge of 2007. In May 2012, Ryan voted for H.R. 4310, which would increase defense spending, including spending for the Afghanistan War and for various weapon systems, to the level of $642 billion – $8 billion more than previous spending levels.

Ryan was a "reliable supporter of the [George W. Bush] administration's foreign policy priorities" who voted for the 2002 Iraq War Resolution, authorizing President George W. Bush to use military force in Iraq

Your kinda off base Devils son. A lot of Dems voted for that too . Obama did not vote one way or the other on it . My Question to you ( which you will not answer , no liberal has yet) It is 9/11 your country has been attacked .

You are the President . What would you do?

"Now there’s only one place -- there’s only one place this president’s willing to cut, and not just a little. He wants to cut a trillion dollars out of our military budget," Romney told the crowd to boos. "Look, that’s bad for jobs and it’s bad for our national security. The world is not a safer place right now, not with Iran trying to become nuclear, dangers throughout the world. If I’m president and Paul Ryan’s vice president we will not cut our military budget."

Yes, of course you will not cut the military budget. You conservatives always like invading other countries with no reason and providing billions in profits to defense contractors and war profiteers.

JimSpence

So, the limp-wristed Libbies are ranting about their usual bogeyman, the dreaded Military Industrial Complex MIC.

You know, for a diehard small-government conservative like yourself, I'm surprised that you don't seem to support defense cuts. For God's sake, we are spending $1 trillion a year (or 6.7% of GDP) on defense!!! I think the $10 trillion defense budget over the next decade can shoulder at least $600 billion (or 6%) in cuts.

Of course they do. They need to destroy more of our Constitutionally mandated Enumerated Powers. It would be nice to see them display the same outrage for their sacrosanct unconstitutional and UNSUSTAINABLE entitlements and social programs.

Frankly, I could care less about what you right-wingers think are "enumerated constitutional powers." The Constitution is 230+ years old; who the @!$%# would listen word-for-word to a 200 year-old document??? No sane government would, much less a government of the world's largest economy. I would rather break the Constitution then tell the poor to go beg in the streets. You're going to rely on Social Security and Medicare, so enough with your hypocrisy.

Let me give you little Libbies a few examples of what your REAL bogeyman should be.

And let me give you right-wingers a few examples of how your ideas are both cruel, unnecessary, and insane.

A typical couple retiring last year will, on average, pay $150,000 in Medicare taxes over their lifetime, but receive more than $350,000 in benefits. As a result, the program ran a combined deficit of more than $288 billion last year. Going forward, the most optimistic scenario puts Medicare's future unfunded liabilities at more than $35 trillion. More realistic estimates suggest that the shortfall could actually exceed $90 trillion.

First of all, how the hell is $90 trillion a reliable estimate??? It seems like the most pessimistic estimate in my opinion. Secondly, you fail to realize that this problem has a SOLUTION: control healthcare costs. The reason Medicare is becoming less solvent is because of growing healthcare costs, which are due to our highly inefficient private healthcare system. A reasonable nation would have a stronger government position in healthcare, either with a national health insurance program or an individual mandate with tight regulations, healthcare exchanges, and a public option, among many other reforms. Under my proposal, I would allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices, sanction for-profit care providers and deal only with non-profits like Kaiser Permanente until for-profit hospitals lower their prices, and reimburse doctors and hospitals on a system based on the qualitative measure of care provided, not the quantity. That, in addition to malpractice reform, higher retirement ages, and increased Medicare premiums and taxes would solve Medicare's solvency for the foreseeable future. In addition, to lower healthcare costs as a share of GDP, I would expand Medicare to everyone not covered by Medicaid, TRICARE, and the VA healthcare system and allow Medicare to run hospitals and pay doctors, modeled off of the British National Health Service and the American Veterans Administration hospital system.

Consider a single man who earns the average wage throughout his career ($43,100 in 2010 dollars), works every year from age 22 to 64 (works for 42 years), and then retires at age 65 in 2010. Over his lifetime he has paid $345,000 into the system. But he is likely to get back $72,000 more than that, or $417,000 in Social Security and Medicare payouts, according to recent Urban Institute calculations.

A single woman with the same work and tax history will come out even further ahead due to her longer life expectancy, likely netting $464,000 in lifetime benefits, which is $192,000 more than she paid into the system. These amounts are in constant 2010 dollars and assume a 2 percent real interest rate.

That is why we have to both reduce benefits and increase payroll tax revenues. For Social Security, I would simply extend the taxable maximum for the payroll tax rate to all wage income for both employers and employees, increase the payroll tax rate to 15.1%, and increase the retirement age to 67 by 2016 and index it to median (not average) life expectancy to address for the difference in life longevity between social classes.

Please notice all the shortfalls involved in these situations. These are what are creating our biggest problem. Unfunded Liabilities.

Actually, these shortfalls are creating our biggest long-term problem, and even then it has to compare to growing healthcare and college costs, an uncompetitive education system , and stagnant median wages.

Of course the Liberals/Progressives never discuss the enormous amount of Unfunded Liabilities our entitlements are creating. It's always better to avoid the real 800 pound gorilla in the room rather than address its problems.

Well, this liberal already addressed these problems. What's your plan???

As we watch one economy after another collapsing in Europe we ignore our own inevitable collapse. Among European nations, only Greece and Ireland have larger deficits this year than we do.

And yet you fail to realize that each of the European countries in fiscal distress (with the exclusion of Greece) is underwater because of the recession, not their social programs. If you take a look at countries like Spain and Ireland (the latter having been the darling of the laissez-faire Washington Consensus) before the financial crisis of 2008, they had both lower debt levels to GDP and surpluses. The reason that they are in debt is because they had to give bailouts to their banking systems and then faced high spending on unemployment programs and lower revenues thanks to the recession, which was caused in part by the globalization of the U.S. credit burst. Unfortunately, anti-social welfare state conservatives like yourselves used Europe's distress to vilify the safety net and negotiate massive spending cuts during the summer of 2011.

Now, if you include all the Unfunded Liabilities of pension and health-care systems, Greece's total debt equals 875% of its GDP. France owes 570% of GDP. The United States owes 885% of GDP, more than any other industrial nation.

Technically, you are only counting current GDP. I would prefer taking a look at cumulative GDP over the next 75 years, according to which GDP is scheduled to total nearly $907 trillion, negating the unfunded liability shares to roughly 7% at best and 16.7% at worst.

Barrack Hussein devoted 189 words to the deficit and debt in his State of the Union Speech in January. His dysfunctional solution is to just have the "rich" pay their "fair share". Some including myself, argue they already pay their fair share since the mean 1% earn 16% of all income but pay 36.7% of all Federal income taxes.

Unfortunately, not only are your statistics wrong but your premise is also wrong. The top 1% earn 25% of all income, a 150% increase since the 1970s. And the sole reason why the rich pay more in federal income taxes is because they make more; the top 1% have seen their income increase by nearly 275% over the past 30 years while taxes for them have been lowered by around 37%. Of course when you make more in income you are going to pay more in taxes. You fail to acknowledge that second factor.

The ridiculous "Buffet Rule" will raise less than $37 billion per year, less than 3% of this years deficit. If we were to confiscate ALL the wealth of every millionaire and billionaire in America, it would pay less than 1/10th of our total Debt.

Well, that in itself is incorrect. Let me assume that you are talking about the top 1% (even though they make upwards of $380,000) for rounding purposes. Assuming that the top 1% control 25% of all income and around 43% of all wealth, that amounts to a total of around $28 trillion ($3.9 trillion in income and $24 trillion in financial wealth), or roughly 175% of gross national debt. Even if you take out the income factor, that amounts to roughly 150% of gross national debt. Try checking your statistics next time.

We think of Europe as the home of big government. On average European governments consume about 49% of their GDP. Our Federal government consumes about 25% of our GDP. State and local governments take another 10% to 15% of GDP. The CBO calculates that we will consume 43% of our GDP by 2050.

I don't necessarily see the big deal of government spending being over a third of total GDP. I mean, of course there should be a limit to the size of government (I'd say 50% for federal, state, and local institutions), we should not automatically equate large government with large-scale tyranny. Government is actually pretty good at generating economic growth and sponsoring new industries; the U.S. military invented the Internet and the GPS and purchased the vast majority of microchips until the expansion of the microchip market. In addition, European countries tend to have higher standards of living thanks to low-cost healthcare and higher education, so in many cases more government can mean more prosperity.

As we watch our criminal government avoid all necessary austerity measures we spiral towards a Greek-style calamity. Instead of cutting our budget and spending, Barrack Hussein decides to increase spending on health care, student loans, green energy, job training, hiring veterans, and more teachers and on and on. The fiscal cliff is not only a threat, it's an inevitability.

You Republicans seem to forget that austerity DOES NOT WORK. Europe is in recession thanks to premature austerity, and that is where the Republicans will take us. For God's sake, the Ryan plan will cost over a million jobs next year and nearly 3 million in 2014 alone. I would rather let the fiscal cliff happen than let Republicans dictate the deficit-reduction talks; at least the fiscal cliff will contain tax increases.

So, go ahead and continue your irrational discussions about the mean nasty MIC.

It just makes your debate more insignificant than you already are.

So says the guy that thinks that social programs are criminal and unconstitutional....

ROMNEY/RYAN 2012 for real Americans

OBAMA BIDEN 2012 for SANE Americans.

Jim Spence,

Congratulations! Your comments have been crashed for a new record on MSNBC. Your pea brain responses with off color comments and little to make your points, but to attack with words leaves you with a !st Place medal. In this case it is the "SKUNK Award!

Jimmy Boy - What does Joe Biden's asthma have to do with the military budget? Do you want to go to war with Iran? Do you want to intervene in Syria? Even you Republicans can't actually have an appetite for another military cluster F*#K in the Middle East, can you? How do you plan on paying for this next one? We are in the tank financially because of two unfunded and failed military ventures in the Middle East and unfunded tax cuts. Even you right-wing wackos can't honestly want to sacrifice more American lives and money in another failed Nation Building venture. Will your insanity never reach a limit?

KimH,

JIm S. doesn't think he just spouts words and color words at that since he can't come up with the truth! He is fed so much through the FOX intervenious line that he can't act like anything, but a republican zombie!

"If Florida goes the right way, America goes the right way." - Mitt Romney

Seeing as how Citizen Romney and Mr. Ryan's Medicare "plan" has virtually handed the state to President Obama, I fervently hope Citizen Romney remembers that quote when giving his concession speech.

It is 9/11 your country has been attacked .

You are the President . What would you do?

I'd go after the people who actually attacked us. Almost all of the hijackers were Saudis.

What the hell reason did we have to invade Iraq...and how well did that go?

retiredcoastguard, well let me be the first to answer your question. I would have asked congress to declare war on the Taliban government of Afghanistan and Al Qada on 9/12. I would have hit the Al Qada bases and Taliban cities hard immediately on 9/13. No request for the Taliban to turn Bin Lauden over. No depending on Afghan allies that let Bin Lauden get away. Followed by boots on the ground to kill what the bombers and missiles did not get quickly. No nation building just a huge @sswhooping. That is what we should have done. War only becomes dangerous when you use it as a chance to play dress up and fly to a aircraft carrier. War becomes dangerous when you try to limit the response. You win by killing the other people until they either are no more or just give up. Sometimes you need to go all Lemay on people. (yes this liberal knows who Curtis Lemay was) It would not have taken more than two years to get it over and get out. Attacking Iraq which had absolutely nothing to do with 911 did what? I'll answer that too. It set up a pro Iranian government Shia in Baghdad. A Shia government that fought against us (Sadr and other so called clerics). They fought us with the C130's full of $100 dollar bills that Bush illegally shipped over there with no accounting for where any of it went. (surprise!! most of it disappeared!!) It set up a pro Iranian Shia government that now assists Iran with skirting around the sanctions we have imposed on them. It placed Iran and it's allies even closer to Israel, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

There is some talk here about President Eisenhower's warning about the military industrial complex that was completely ignored.

I may one of the few on this blog old enough to have voted for Eisenhower, a Republican. He was easily the greatest president since Washington. After he left office, the Republican Party went far to the Right as Saint Reagan's administration began the failure of our economy with his Voodoo economics, as named by Bush 1.

The coming election is really an important test of our collective inteligence and patriotism. History shows how every Empire has gone down the drain which was because of the loss of their ability to maintain their over-built military. That is where we will find the money to fix this economy.

It may take a couple of generations before the Republican party will again have some conservatives leading it. In the mean time even if some feel they have to hold their nose having to vote for a Negro, they need to vote Democratic or we lose our Democracy.

Besides what he's dealt with in spite of all the resistance by the Right at the cost of the people, I'm glad he's a Black Man, that at least shows we are growing up.

It is 9/11 your country has been attacked .
You are the President . What would you do?

kaybeetoys,

I'd go after the people who actually attacked us. Almost all of the hijackers were Saudis.

Kaybeetoys, You gave the right reply to that guy. I would go one step further.

"As the President, I would not make arrangement for all the Bin Laden family members in the USA to congregate in Boston after 9/11, put them on a plane from Boston to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with FBI escorts. That too two days after the incidence."

Freshee, I hope you're stll around....

I've got a question for you....you included some stats that put Jimmy in his place about "all the wealth of the rich would'nt put a dent" in the Federal debt. You showed that to be completely untrue. Nicely done. Since the 1970's, or since Reagan more importantly, how much has the 1% gained in gross wealth? I'll bet it's more than the $15T than the Govt has in new debt since then. So, if the gov't had been properly taxing it's population, we would have no debt? If the 1% income/wealth (whichever makes sense in the context of the calculation) had increased at the same rate as the 99%, how much would their have wealth increased from 1980 to now? Is the difference between actual wealth change and my hypothetical more or less than $15T?

Anyone swallowing what these guys are selling is a f@#king idiot... okay... I'm sorry... how 'bout just a poor misinformed soul that was led astray (f@#king idiot).

So. Let's get this straight so I'm not misunderstanding what I'm hearing...

First of all, both Romney and Ryan have made it clear that they will use the non-existent Romney budget versus the now infamous Ryan budget... that's good, I guess. We don't really know, do we?

Secondly, Romney and Ryan have made it clear that they will NOT gut or otherwise mess with Medicare like Obama is... whatever that means. But it surely means no money saved on Medicare.

Now, along with other things they won't do, they won't cut the military budget... sight unseen... whether the budget makes sense or not... before, no doubt, they've even looked at it.

This, combined with additional tax cuts for their donors... the rich guys... can mean only one thing... deficits don't matter.

Unless they balance their budget on the backs of the poor and the middle class.

I thought we got rid of those brainless "deficits don't matter" walk-around-with-a-stick-up-their-ass global cowboys 4 years ago...

They'rrrre baaaaack!

SmBusOwnerinNY

Freshee, I hope you're stll around....

I've got a question for you....you included some stats that put Jimmy in his place about "all the wealth of the rich would'nt put a dent" in the Federal debt. You showed that to be completely untrue. Nicely done. Since the 1970's, or since Reagan more importantly, how much has the 1% gained in gross wealth? I'll bet it's more than the $15T than the Govt has in new debt since then. So, if the gov't had been properly taxing it's population, we would have no debt? If the 1% income/wealth (whichever makes sense in the context of the calculation) had increased at the same rate as the 99%, how much would their have wealth increased from 1980 to now? Is the difference between actual wealth change and my hypothetical more or less than $15T?

I cannot necessarily say whether it is more or less than $15 trillion; that may sound correct. Then again, total GDP output over the past 30 years is more than $40 trillion, so it may be in the $5-10 trillion range (although that is for accumulated income only). Wealth might be several trillion more. Technically, had we kept tax rates at 1970-levels and kept heading north (by that I mean not buying into trickle-down fallacies), the debt would be far lower; probably in the 10-20% range (if we balanced the budget under Reagan and Bush 41 and then borrowed money for the 2009 recession). So we would technically be a creditor nation had we not bought into the supply-side BS.

Freshieee

Normally I would agree with your analysis. The one problem I have is the skew that occurred during the Bush administration. I'm not going to quote numbers here because I want to sell the concept. The concept is as follows:

Although our debt had risen up to and including the Clinton years, most administrations at least gave lip service to paying for legislation they passed. Clinton and the Republican led Congress at least tried to put forth a balanced budget. Then enter Bush and his "deficits don't matter" Cheney who constantly tried to address the economy with tax cuts with an eye towards their trickle-down theory. The point is that virtually everything Bush did went unfunded (refused to raise taxes and/or cut budgets) and went straight to debt year over year. And this mess they created has it's own momentum... meaning that it would take a decade to stop the deficit spending and even longer to even pretend to get at the debt it created.

The larger point is that statistics cannot be used in or around a $500 Billion dollar annual deficit and a $500 Billion drop in revenue due to the economy and worthless tax cuts.

But even so, I would not mix up the cause of the debt with the cause of the widening wealth gap between the rich and the middle class. The debt is a direct result of 8 years of deficit spending and a collapsed economy while the wealth gap is simply explained by artificially low tax rates at the top and unbridled (and maybe illegal) processes that allowed the rich to move income from standard income to the ridiculous 15% capital gains rate...

The tax rate at the top of the tax rate schedule has NOTHING to do with fairness. The real question that has to be answered to determine the top rate is "what rate will discourage profit-taking (transferring huge sums out of the business to personal income) yet not completely stifle wealth creation at that level." The answer to that question today is that it must be higher than it is now.

Indications that taxes are too low are when:

1) You see huge executive paydays (check)

2) You see huge profits with no business expansion (check)

3) You see a widening gap in wealth between those that have the choice of profit-taking and those that don't (rich versus middle class up through middle management) (check)

4) You see record breaking sums of money headed towards off-shore accounts instead of back into the economy (currently estimated as high as $100 Trillion) (CHECK!)

5) And, in spite of all of the above, you still see very little job creation (check)

This is the discussion that needs to take place. This is the narrative that needs to replace the blatant lie that lower taxes at the top causes jobs... because they don't.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taliban

The Taliban (Pashto: طالبان), alternative spelling Taleban,[5] (ṭālibān, meaning "students" in Pashto) is an Islamist militant movement of Pashtun tribesmen.[6] It ruled large parts of Afghanistan

Almost all of the hijackers were Saudis.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Qaeda

a global militant Islamist organization founded by Osama bin Laden

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghanistan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Responsibility_for_the_September_11_attacks

The 9/11 Commission Report outlined the following "opportunities that were not or could not be exploited by the organizations and systems of the time":

not watchlisting future hijackers Hazmi and Mihdhar, not trailing them after they traveled to Bangkok, and not informing the FBI about one future hijacker's US visa or his companion's travel to the United States;
not sharing information linking individuals in the Cole attack to Mihdhar;
not taking adequate steps in time to find Mihdhar or Hazmi in the United States;
not linking the arrest of Zacarias Moussaoui, described as interested in flight training for the purpose of using an airplane in a terrorist attack, to the heightened indications of an attack;
not discovering false statements on visa applications;
not recognizing passports manipulated in a fraudulent manner;
not expanding no-fly lists to include names from terrorist watchlists;
not searching airline passengers identified by the computer-based CAPPS screening system; and
not hardening aircraft ****pit doors or taking other measures to prepare for the possibility of suicide hijackings.[139

Excuse the above mess this is my notes aka tele promter.

Freshieee

OK Fishy, I'll Play again, as your post is filled, once again, with nonsense and typical Liberal emotions rather than facts.

For God's sake, we are spending $1 trillion a year (or 6.7% of GDP) on defense!!!

Yes, and 94% of that money is spent in AMERICA employing millions of Americans to companies such as Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics, Raytheon, L-3 Communications, Computer Sciences Corporation.

Want me to continue?

Or would you prefer I remind you of the pathetic minimum wage/low-no benefit jobs your boy-toy Barrack Hussein has created after wasting $863 billion on a useless $timulu$ crony-benefitting disaster? You know, the $timulu$ that creates those great jobs in retail stocking shelves at WalMart, hospitality cleaning dirty hotel rooms, temp-jobs and others. Please grow up. Our military creates more good long term jobs than our criminal government could ever dream of.

Frankly, I could care less about what you right-wingers think are "enumerated constitutional powers."

ROTFLMAO!!!!

Of course you little limp-wristed Libbies could care less. I’m sure you can come up with a much better system than the one responsible for creating the most powerful nation and economy in history. I’m sure you, Barrack Hussein, Joe Robinette Biden, Nanny Piglosi, Hairy Reed, Bawney Fwank and others can come up with a better one. Maybe one built around your favorite, “social and economic justice for the collective” nonsense. Or maybe you can just use the handbook that promotes, “from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs wants”. We all know how well that has worked historically, don’t we. Of course you and the other unmotivated lemmings believe that Barrack Hussein and his Harvard faculty-lounge cabal can create the perfect system, just because they have discussed it among all the other incompetent and inexperienced elitists. Please stop being so dysfunctional that you need to cling to some inexperienced community organizer who’s greatest accomplishment has been hosting a few picnics in Chicago and written a few books, about himself. Or better yet, let’s just base our Constitution around a cartoon character known as, “The Life of Julia”. I’m sure that will work much better.

A reasonable nation would have a stronger government position in healthcare,

Hmmmm, you mean the same government that made at least $125 billion in improper payments in 2011?

Or maybe the same government that spends $25 billion annually maintaining unused or vacant federal properties.

How about the same government whose OWN AUDITORS spent the past five years examining all federal programs and found that 22 percent of them–costing taxpayers a total of $123 billion annually–fail to show any positive impact on the populations they serve. I want you to read this one again Fishy. Our own government ADMITS that almost ¼ of your sacrosanct government social programs FAIL TO SHOW ANY POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE POPULATIONS THEY SERVE!!!! This means THEY DON’T WORK!!!!! But hey, they only costs us $125 billion EVERY YEAR they stay in place. You Libbies don’t care because half of you don’t pay ANY Federal income tax. It’s easy to be ambivalent when you don’t have a horse in the race, isn’t it?

I can go on further about the REAL cost of health care having 20%-30% of waste, fraud, abuse and corruption in it with all those regulations you Libbies so cherish, but I won’t. I think you’re pretty embarrassed by now anyway realizing what a disaster our criminal government really is.

I would simply extend the taxable maximum for the payroll tax rate to all wage income for both employers and employees, increase the payroll tax rate to 15.1%, and increase the retirement age to 67 by 2016 and index it to median (not average) life expectancy to address for the difference in life longevity between social classes.

So, you want to raise the rate by 22%. Actually 80% on the employee side and you don’t see that as a hiundrance to spending by consumers and hiring by employers? You do realize that to restore Social Security to sol­vency would require raising the current 12.4 percent Social Security payroll tax to at least 17.6 percent, a 42 percent increase. Eliminating the cap on taxable income for payroll taxes would actually do little for the pro­gram’s long-term solvency according to the CBO. Restor­ing the program to solvency would require at least a 24 percent reduction in benefits. The question now becomes when do you start these cost increases and benefit cuts? To those that have already paid into the system for 30 years? 20 years? 10 years? Good luck finding a politician willing to do this. Hint: He or she doesn’t exist.

Unfortunately, not only are your statistics wrong but your premise is also wrong.

Try checking your statistics next time.

My numbers come from the Feds “Beige Book”, the Treasury, IRS and OMB. I don’t know where you get yours from.

I don't necessarily see the big deal of government spending being over a third of total GDP.

Now you’re starting to scare me Fishy. First of all the ECB analyzed a wide set of 108 countries composed of both developed and emerging and developing countries, using a long time span running from 1970-2008, and employing different proxies for government size… Our results show a significant negative effect of the size of government on growth. …Interestingly, government consumption is consistently detrimental to output growth irrespective of the country sample considered (OECD, emerging and developing countries). (emphasis mine)

Second, after all the waste, fraud, abuse and corruption in our criminal government you actually believe giving the government more money will magically fix everyuthing? You Libbies need to stop and look at the massive waste, in the hundreds of billions of dollars every year, our government has in it. Sorry, we common sense Americans who can invest our own money and get much better returns, for instance the pathetic 2.2% SS gets, would much rather do it ourselves.

You Republicans seem to forget that austerity DOES NOT WORK.

Really?

Perhaps you have missed the austerity measures of Estonia. After the 2008 collapse they cut government wages by 10%, raised the retirement age from 61 to 65 by 2026, reduced eligibility for health benefits and liberalized the country’s labor market with decreased regulations making it easier to for businesses to hire and fire workers. Today it is running a budget surplus, it’s national debt is 6% of GDP. Growth is 7.6%, the best in the EU. Unemployment is down from 19% to 11.7%. By the way, the president, Toomas llves schooled your boy Paul Krugman and the nonsensical Keynesianism he panders so wildly.

Latvia, was in the deepest recession in the EU in 2008. It had a 24% drop in GDP and a run on the country’s largest bank. Half of all government agencies were eliminated. Public employment was cut by 1/3 and public sector wages were cut by 25%. Since these austerity moves were placed their unemployment has decreased from 19% to 15%, Real GDP growth was 5.5% last year and is expected to be 3.5% this year. Their budget deficit is 1.2% of GDP and their national debt is just 37% of GDP. As Greece is being pushed out of the EU, Latvia has been pronounced eligible for membership.

If this isn’t enough Switzerland should be a little easier to grasp. It has a system similar to “Cut, Cap and Balance”. Their Debt and taxation is constitutionally mandated. It’s total government spending is just 34% of GDP, compared to an average of 53% in the EU. Ours is 41%. Their national debt is just 41% of GDP. Their growth hasn’t returned to pre-recession levels but its growth is much better than Greece or Spain. Its unemployment rate is 3.1%.

If this isn’t enough I can tell you about our friends just North of us, the Canadians if you’d like. Before you go jumping off the fiscal cliff in order to justify giving our corrupt government more money, ask canada about their tax cuts. You probably won’t believe it because of your “statistics”.

ROMNEY/RYAN 2012 for real Americans

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2010/06/ap_taliban_tactics_061710/

Bush's fault?

The men on the USS Cole were/are Americans and we know the source of that attack too. Bill (chinagate)clinton was in charge then.

Anyways ..thanks kbee and dson for your opinion's

You answered my question as to what YOU would have done.

Hopefully those in charge know more than we do.

Something to think about though . Why is al qaeda even in iraq?

They were not there before 9/11 and now they are kinda interesting . They did not supposedly get along with saddam.

I believe you might agree they are there because we are and since they the enemy do not want us there.

Plus , that location location location thing ..look at globe maybe just maybe now.

Bush was right.

Either way , Saddam was a liar and a menace and hopefully were all glad he is gone .

Same could be said for bin laden .

As the war on terror continues hopefully people will realize that it is global and it is not going away anytime soon.

Boeing, et al, do not add to the GDP for consumers. What you have forgotten is the hard lesson learned by the former USSR. The simple theory of guns or butter is the first and foremost lesson or idea you have forgotten, JimSpence. We cannot spend our way to prosperity by manufacturing a war machine since it does not provide a consumer good such as durables and so forth for the masses. With this being pointed out to you the MIC plays no part in growing our GDP but does fill their coffers.

A nation that wants to stay prosperous cannot continue to spend a quarter or better of its budget on military spending. Economics simply does not work this way. The GOP has it wrong and has had it wrong since Reagan years. The playbook needs to change and our nation must start manufacturing butter or durables for the civilian population since our resources are finite.

JimSpence your rhetoric on the MIC is nonsense and cannot be supported as was demonstrated from the Bush II and Cheney years. Wars do not pay the bills at home. Never have and never will. Wars only create a sense of well being because people are employed for a short duration while those products they have worked to manufacture do not bring a return from the resources this country expends to make them. We must return to a base of consumer goods and let the MIC employees find work in that sector instead of continuing to feed the war machine for the sake of feeding it. Do your homework instead of making anecdotal statements that are not supported by fact and logic.

So they won't cut the military budget? Why not? If we are mostly out of Iraq and getting out of Afghanistan, why do we need the same amount of military spending? I would not want to see them cut military pay and benefits but excluding healthcare, that's only about 1/3 of the defense budget. But weapons we don't need and contractors we don't need should be looked at.

What I fear is that they will cut the VA budget, which is not part of defense spending. VA cuts are already part of the proposed Ryan budget. Seems like it's smoke and mirrors time - once our boys come home, they'll have a harder time getting needed services but hey, we didn't cut the military budget! I'm sure Halliburton, GE, General Dynamics, and a few others will be saying thank you while those who did the actual fighting are wondering why it will take 6 months to see a doc at the VA.

And of course, Mitt Romney's sons WILL NEVER SERVE in the armed forces. At least the British Royals have some sense of dignity and they pretend to serve.

Mitt Romney says that his sons are "on a mision of God, helping him to get elected"

A woman in Iowa raised the question again, asking whether any of Mr. Romney’s five sons are serving in the military, adding pointedly, “If none of them are, how do they plan to support this war on terrorism by enlisting in our U.S. military?”

Although his campaign said his remarks were taken out of context, Mr. Romney’s response is drawing criticism, because he said, in part, “one of the ways my sons are showing support for our nation is helping to get me elected.”

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/08/08/questions-about-romneys-sons-and-military-service/

Romney would attack Chad ......with a pair of scissors...because he doesn't like Chad's hair......such a war monger...Hold em down boys...I am right behind you.

No man wiser in council had he been there. No man braver in battle had he been there......Romney le Pew!

While Ryan, chairman of the House Budget Committee, continues to campaign against these pending defense cuts, he in fact voted last summer for the Budget Control Act of 2011, resolving the debt-ceiling debate, that included this defense sequester.

Ryan is a liar (lying about his marathon finish in under 3 hrs) and a flip-flopper who would say and do anything to become vice president.

Moron mormon :) Never gets elected :)))))))))

Give his affection for rock, I wonder if Paul Ryan has any CCR on his iPod playlist? I'm thinking "Fortunate Son" would be the perfect soundtrack for the Romney campaign.

For the party by the party?
Political rhetoric
Money means nothing it is about resources money is a means to exchange them.

Rule of law? (mandate)
Pardon me but driving on the right hand side of the road and having your steering wheel on the left is a Standard not a law. (regulation).

I can tell you no matter what party you tink you belong to. The fact remains the baby boomers are the strongest voting block and they are retiring. Now they will not be producing but will expect to have their handouts.

What a ill prepared rant but I don't have the time.

Just like you don't want to pay for the poor I don't feel the need to pay for a bunch of wrinkled mean old people. What's fair is fair. Keep it real.

Cut throats soon it will be your turn. Live by the cut die by the cut!

Romney won't attack Chad... Republicans would rather leave them hanging!

The ONLY people Romney/Ryan won't attack, are the ones with the same mindset; Somolia Pirates

John doing...

And JFK wasn't supposed to be elected because he was a roman catholic being controlled by the vatican.

Dick Cheny is backing Romney and Ryan and needs his Halburton to make him some more money to pay for his last no heart operation. You know the one he was too old to have, while other candidates were youger and in better shape to have that heart. And so the cheering team of Cheney, Norquist, Bush, Rumsfeld, Tenet etc, goes out to Romney and Ryan, we want war, we want war, we need money and you need to score. Bomb someone here and bomb someone there, it really doesn't matter to us, the Republicans just don't care.

NorthstarDFL... But, but, hey, what about Kellogg-Brown-Root and Halliburton? Who's gonna' look out for their well being (and profiteering)? Oh, wait! George H.W. and Dick Cheney, of course. What was I thinking?

"A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom." Martin Luther King Jr.

"I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones." Albert Einstein

coyotehunter... No offence intended but, what decade are you living in? These clowns are serious and it has nothing to do with national defense. It's all about profit. This ain't your grandpa's '48 Studebaker.
Burning Brightly... Apparently not bright enough. "Whenever you hear a man speak of his love for his country, it is a sign that he expects to be paid for it." H.L. Menken

"It is my conviction that killing under the cloak of war is nothing but an act of murder." Albert Einstein

shinchan... But not in time of war (Viet Nam) like the deserter George W. and draft dodger (I had other priorities) Cheney. President Obama was too young then. Try to follow the dots here, okay?

We DON'T NEED a big defence budget!All our government is doing is fighting the worlds battles!The IDIOTS in WA.DC should be taking care of THE RUINS in this COUNTRY instead of taking care of the WORLD WITH OUR MONEY!! Clint Eastwood said that politcians WORK FOR THE PEOPLE! Then we should beable to FIRE THE IDIOTS and have INPUT in what is done with OUR MONEY!! Ladies, do you want those IDIOT REPUBLICANS to tell you what to do with YOUR BODIES!!

if republicans told the truth , they would have to call themselves the "i hate grandma ' party.

Actually, I wouldn't mind it if he didn't cut the Military budget. We need a strong military. Ok. What we don't need is Wars. They need to slow down with the warmongering sentiment and just focus on what needs to be done. Obama has made it clear that he's not going to do that. He's had almost (4) years now to get his house in order AND he himself has LIED to the nation numerous times. I'm not all crazy for Romney however you guys need to remember that Obama has lied to us as well. If the economy keeps dying and no jobs and it won't be long until the army and our cache of nukes are the only thing keeping us from another cold war. However, with all this bickering and in-fighting and new taxes (AFC) being placed on the MIDDLE CLASS this nation won't last much longer anyways.

You Dems can say what you like but we both know Obama has failed us. I however, wouldn't mind it if Clinton could run again for President :) I don't think he should have been impeached and I don't think a POTUS should stand up on TV and bad-mouth a former President. Obama has made his bed and golfed and f*cked around, 5.5 Trillion in debt now almost. Don't try and tell us about Romney, neither Obama or the Democratic party have ANY room to call out the Reps or R/R cause you guys are f*cking up too.

@Dianne

Alright, it sounds good, only thing I would add, is the AFC makes this whole thing that much more bizarre. Because when it rolls thru in *I think* 2013, the MIDDLE CLASS is going to get run under the bus with numerous TAXES and an-unconstitutional couple hundred (maybe thousand) dollar fee if they don't purchase health insurance. Do you think it's right how people are now going to be taxed to death and forced to buy product that the Gov thinks they need? Where does it end? In other words, AFC basically means every human being is now a slave to the system, whether you want to be or not. How about RFID chips? You know like how you tag your dog. Where would you like us to "insert" your "chip" Dianne? It's in the Health bill and you can even Google it. That's why we're pissed.

Dark One

Spot on, but remember Clinton was impeached for lying ( I did not have sex with that woman ). In my book there is nothing worse than a liar.

I was wondering when someone was going to mention what President Obama did BEFORE the storm hit. Just because he was not physically there doesn't mean he didn't do squat. In fact, the states got emergency funding prior to the storm. Just because he is not up in everyone's face doesn't mean he wasn't behind the scenes doing what needed to be done. Great job by the way, President Obama! :)

Truth be told, while Obama is there I hope makes his point that money could best served creating jobs fixing our own crumbling infrastucture than in a war with Iraq.

Romney is NOT employed by the government nor is he the president. I personally thought what he did was an act of desperation to upstage President Obama to get votes. I guess at this stage of the game of politics Romney feels he has to pull out all the stops to get elected. He might have a great deal of money but that was classless!

TheDarkOne,

Apparently you don't remember the recent Supreme Court decision which determined the fee for not having insurance is, in fact, constitutional. Please remember, also, that this will only impact about 2% of the population as the rest are covered already or will be able to get insurance at an affordable rate, or for free if their income is too low. Additionally, you should know that this fee requirement was initially proposed by the Republicans who would only support the bill if it was included and is included in the Romneycare version in MA and has worked very well there. Lastly, I would rather everyone have insurance so the rates for the rest of us don't keep increasing due to non-paid for emergency room visits, but if you want to personally pay for those visits I invite you to do so!

Also, I don't quite understand how Obama has lied? Having plans and goals and not being able to get them all realized because the other side of the isle has conspired to work against all your efforts is not lying. Lying is knowingly, intentionally saying something you know is wrong. It blows my mind how people are so quick to point all fingers of responsibility on Obama when much of it belongs on the other side of the isle with the Repubs who have held this country hostage by refusing to compromise.

Oh you silly scared people- you just make it up.....slam anyone who disagrees.....then collapse the comment. Watching you all worry and spew hate- proof positive you're not feeling super confident.....be careful, we can see you squirming! See you in November- those of you who actually show up ; )

If you care about you family,

If you care about your country,

If you care anything about the truth,

If you have the courage to do this,

then

Watch this video described and available at this link

http://Bruce-1628250.newsvine.com/_news/2012/09/02/13615732-when-mitt-came-to-town

This could be the most valuable thing you do before deciding how to cast your vote for the President of The United States of America in 2012.

This could be the most important election you will ever cast a vote in, during your entire lifetime.

Don't blow it by being uninformed!

Well know where all his money is really hidden because those will be the places the jerk WON'T drop a bomb on.

Thedarkone: He's had almost (4) years now to get his house in order AND he himself has LIED to the nation numerous times. I'm not all crazy for Romney however you guys need to remember that Obama has lied to us as well.

You know there's a difference between making statements that you'd achieve certain goals but not be able to achieve them and simply stating what you know to be a lie time and time again right? Many of Obamas promises were assuming he'd be dealing with a congress willing to work with him as other presidents have.

GOP - The Party of Wars, Hate & Lies !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Republican Strategist Karl Rove joked about Todd Akin being found mysteriously Murdered, this party is loaded with crazy Morons !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ROy WIlsonm and Mittt ROmney are neck and neck in trhe race for the statement that is most estranged fro reality, Firtsw, Mittt: T"he world is not a safer place right now, not with Iran trying to become nuclear, dangers throughout the world." THere have beeen something like 20 deaths due to islamic terror during the Obama tenure in offfice (conrtrast to over 5,0000 for Bush. ROy's particular brand of misapprehension of realitry involveds somewhow turning a defecit in the pollls into a seven point lead for ROmney. I evaluated the same pollls and came up with a 150 per cent lead for Obama! hehehehehe. After all, it doesn't cost anything to make the claim acccording to what I've learned from Dick Cheney. Incidentallly, isn'ty President Obama in line for omw credit for keeeping Iran non-nuclear?? Seeems like it to me.

1) Our military budget is roughly equal to the world's next 15 largest military budgets added together, most of whom are our steadfast allies!

2) There is clearly pork in the US military budget (F-35, M1 Abrams, billions in earmarks, etc.) The current annual budget for the F-35 alone would be enough to nearly double NASA's entire budget!

How can Romney and Ryan (or any other politician; Democrat or Republican) be serious about reducing the deficit while taking military spending completely off the table??

I am glad we have the most advanced and powerful military, but there is waste that must be eliminated.

With all of the other lies Ryan and Romney are telling, I wouldn't be surprised if defense stocks drop based on this "promise" from the GOP.

Though an early supporter of the Vietnam War, Romney avoided military service at the height of the fighting after high school by seeking and receiving four draft deferments, according to Selective Service records. They included college deferments and a 31-month stretch as a "minister of religion" in France, a classification for Mormon missionaries that the church at the time feared was being overused. The country was cutting troop levels by the time he became eligible for the draft, and his lottery number was not called.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/05/mitt-romney-vietnam-war-draft_n_1571288.html

You need to go wipe. Something stinks.

Look under your chair. Usually that person that SMELLS IT FIRST, is the person that is brewing on it. Oh! Help yourself with some of that toilet paper.

We must NOT do anything that bothers the "Godfather", ( MILTARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX) as pointed out here by somebody ahead of me :))))))

If it was for the troops, go for it! But it's not, it is to feed that PIG called the Military Industrial Complex, and that is just so wrong in so many ways. Another politician has been bought!

Hey - IRESPOND-2315268

Bush stunk up the chair way before Obama sat in it. In fact Obama is still trying to get the Bush stink out and at the same time he's gettin' blamed for it. Hey, by the way, how come the Repubs never talk about W?

I also love Romneys claim to create 12 million jobs. Did you know that Moody’s Analytics, in an August forecast, predicts 12 million jobs will be created by 2016, no matter who is president. (See page 51.) And Macroeconomic Advisors in April also predicted a gain of 12.3 million jobs. Pretty slick, huh? Thats the guy I want to vote for, NOT!

IRESPOND-2315268 Comments 2.1, 3.1 and 3.3:

Bingo! Love it! Very well put!

I love to read people's opinions, but what gets really frustrating is when people post stuff that is NOT factual... Please quite calling people liars if you are only repeating what the opposing side SAID.

If we just met the payroll for our soldiers with no military "discretionary spending" for one year we would have $410 BILLION dollars to shore up social programs such as welfare and unemployment to get us through these times. Throw out the Tea party obstructionists and you will see jobs created and the economic recovery of our Country as well. Then we would need less money for welfare and unemployment. Let the Bush tax cuts on "job creators" expire until we see some @!$%#ing JOBS CREATED.

In 2009, Moody's also predicted that jobs would grow by 11 million from mid 2010 until the end of 2012. How is that prediction looking so far?

Two weeks ago, Mitt Romney said that fact checkers should dictate which ads the Obama campaign airs or does not. “You know, in the past, when people pointed out that something was inaccurate, why, campaigns pulled the ad," Mitt said. Now, the Romney campaign is going all in on welfare reform and their accusation that President Obama has dismantled its work provisions, despite the fact that it’s not at all true. This is the man the Tea Party wants in the White House? NO! It's Paul Ryan they want a heartbeat away from the presidency.

Yepper, obama and company created a large stimulas in 2009 that heavily favored the public sector over the private sector then immediately followed it up with massive regulations in obamacare and financial reform. Talk about choking off any recovery with all those new regulations oriented towards the private sector so soon after ignoring the private sector with stimulas funds. Obama must think he is right, government makes jobs possible. After all, innovation takes government backing. LMAO!

One and done 2012...OMG!

Chef, Bush Jr 'predicted' getting Bin Laden no matter the cost after 9/11 to an emotionally charged U.S., though only 6 months later he couldn't be bothered in finding him and dismantled the Bin Laden team, That was in 2002. Now, when was Bin Laden taken down and by which President promising to do so and did, almost TEN years later and almost TWO years after 'predicting' to do so? Bush took down a leader of a country by illegally invading it, costing how many lives in total? How many top al qaeda has the Obama Administration taken down without soldiers touching ground to do so, before and after Bin Laden? Per usual, it takes a Democrat to clean up a Republican mess, and still be demonized by the passive-aggressive republican for doing so.

american, so what were all the Bush Era stimulus' that Ryan voted 'YES' for when the U.S. WASN'T as bad as it was when Obama passed his with Ryan voting 'NO?' How about a large chunk of Obama's stimulus going for those same 6+ million people who lost their jobs under Bush Jr, or are supporting those same massive republican voters with social services. Are you saying that as an 'american' (by suedo-name only) you believe they shouldn't have received any help?

Obama is not being avert to fighting any wars. Obama is not about flexing America's big muscles and letting the world know we are bad-ass. Obama very covertly has used America's Intelligence Network more effectively than any other President in history. The fact that Romney went to Poland, and is continuously chiding Russia is to re-invent Reagan's "Star Wars Initiatives". This is not necessary but only to ride the coat-tails of Reagan's legacy, and, most importantly to provide a big military pork barrel spending agenda.

The Pentagon wants to re-tool our military to take on China. The analysis is we do not need to build that station in Poland; mobile Aegis Cruisers can be just as effective, we do not need to build an East Coast defense shield right now; we can defend against Russia from Alaska quite effectively.

IRESPOND-2315268

Though an early supporter of the Vietnam War, Romney avoided military service at the height of the fighting after high school by seeking and receiving four draft deferments, according to Selective Service records. They included college deferments and a 31-month stretch as a "minister of religion" in France, a classification for Mormon missionaries that the church at the time feared was being overused. The country was cutting troop levels by the time he became eligible for the draft, and his lottery number was not called.

Nice rant.

Now, how about this one you limp-wristed Libbies seem to ALWAYS forget.

Officials with Democratic presidential nominee Barrack Obama's campaign released Joe Robinette Biden's Selective Service records at the request of The Associated Press in 2008.

According to the documents, Biden, received several deferments while he was an undergraduate at the University of Delaware and later as a law student at Syracuse University. A month after undergoing a physical exam in April 1968, Biden received a Selective Service classification of 1-Y, meaning he was available for service only in the event of national emergency.

"As a result of a physical exam on April 5, 1968, Joe Biden was classified 1-Y and disqualified from service because of asthma as a teenager," said David Wade, a campaign spokesman.

In "Promises to Keep," a memoir that was published in 2007 and became an instant best-seller after he was tapped as Obama's running mate, Biden NEVER mentions his asthma, recounting an active childhood, work as a lifeguard and playing football in high school.

So, a life threatening ailment that kept him from serving is never mentioned in his OWN MEMOIRS and never prevented him from playing very strenuous sports such as football or being a lifeguard.

I hate to say it but I think this is typical for the delusional Liberal mind.

Maybe Dan Rather can write a book about this.

Hypocrites.

ROMNEY/RYAN 2012 for real Americans

An earlier poster said: "Obama is not being avert to fighting any wars. Obama is not about flexing America's big muscles and letting the world know we are bad-ass. Obama very covertly has used America's Intelligence Network more effectively than any other President in history. The fact that Romney went to Poland, and is continuously chiding Russia is to re-invent Reagan's "Star Wars Initiatives". This is not necessary but only to ride the coat-tails of Reagan's legacy, and, most importantly to provide a big military pork barrel spending agenda."

Dubya promised Poland a large pot: debt rescheduling, missile defenses, up to date war weapons, top line airport, etc., etc. Google it. All for the 600 soldiers from Poland to join in dubya's coalition for his touted (remember that flooze?) War on Terror, the Axis of Evil. Prez Obama has put that on a back burner, way back.

Prez Obama's first priority has always been and always will be the safety of our country thanks to our military. Prez Obama's actions are for the safety and care of military personnel and their families - men and women who enlisted to keep our country safe. Michelle Obama, our dear First Lady, and Mrs. Biden have also promoted programs for our military. What a team.

The repub/tparty held the Defense Bill 2012 as hostage, adding the unPatriotic Bill written during the criminal regime of bush/cheney. This bill allowed American citizens to be picked up off the street without any recourse. Well, the repub/Tparty added this to the Defense bill (first time ever done), thinking our Prez would not sign the bill. The Prez is up to their dirty trix and signed with amendments, which included "...no American may be held or arrested without due process..."

Our Prez is no fool, but true to his deep respect to our military, the Prez put them first. The repub/tparty couldn't care less that health care, mortgages and food for military families was at risk. There was no "compassion" during bush/cheney, and today there is nothing but the grab for power and control by the repub/tparty. They've shown their agenda for all to see.

OBAMA 2012 and a strong Democratic Congress

The TeaTards in Congress are Bankrupting America for the 1% !!!!!!!!!!!!

Jimmy,

I see you are not attempting to defend the draft dodger Mitt. Instead you redirect; typical tactic for someone without merit (i.e., knucklehead). It's like watching a monkey hump a football.. great entertainment, thanks a ton!

Us real Americans appreciate people like you...

jim you partisan hack. Biden didn't counter-protest the war protesters during Vietnam THEN dodge the daft with daddy's clout.

If Biden was out on the streets with a blow horn advocating the establishment and screaming at anti-war protesters (like Romney did) then you might have a point.

potable2: Not a very drinkable idea. ☺

You forgot Syria, North Korea doesn't have oil, but still a good place to kill off a few young Americans and Haliburton and Blackwater will be raking in the big bucks.

No WAR.

Obama 2012

I believe the "jobs" Mitt says he will create will be in the military. If he reinstated the draft he could pull millions off the roles of welfare and unemployment. He would then have the cannon fodder he would need for "having some backbone" with Russia, China and Iran.

This is absolutely 100% a losing issue for Romney

Romney and Ryan are saying about now, not cutting the budget isn't playing well so we better pick something else to talk about. Lets see, we can't talk about increasing the military budget, we really can't talk about cutting taxes on the wealthy because that won't play well either. So they will have to go back to, everything will balance out, JUST TRUST ME!!!!!!ELECT ME PRESIDENT AND TRUST ME. Well, just as sure as I can see Russia from Alaska, they have my vote. NOT

Hilary /Eisenhower 2016!....Hell repubs are so far right they would not for for Reagan/Eisenhower 2016!

Will someone please explain to me how if we do NOT cut military budgets, we do NOT raise taxes in any way on the wealthy and in fact lower them, we do NOT cut Medicare and Medicaide, and we do NOT increase the deficit , how we are going to increase jobs in America ? Government has no way to increase jobs except by increasing spending. Romney has pledged not to increase spending, and in fact to cut spending while also pledging not to increase tax revenues in any way. Will someone please do the math on that and get back to us ! I want to hear the "plan". We went through the whole Republican Convention with no hint of what the "plan" was, I want to hear it.

Ryan has voted NO on all Veteran's Affairs legislation, his marvelous budget calls for a 13% cut in VA Budget. OMB report. bad guy our Paulie.

Obama 2012

President Obama has passed a bill that effective January of 2013 Veterans that are on Tricare for Life will have to start paying $200 a year and go up from there to make it more in line with the private sector. Also President Obama has a bill that will increase copays for all military and wants to make military retiress wait until they are 57 to draw their retirement. I hope this is not true because you CAN'T Compare the Military to the private sector.

Obama/Biden 2012

OK I have read enough of your STUPID comments Pigotry, Republicans for Obama 6186389, Gaia, Layton 3733410 and Lorraine H. Obama has cut military spending many of times. Unemployment is already bad under Obama now Obama is letting go the military putting them out on the streets adding to that high unemployment rate not 8.0% more like 16.7%. Now this Obama has done a good job what have you been smokin? Obama has done NOTHING for America in the last 4 years!! Obama has helped Iran, Cuba, Kenya and the Palestinian people. With the Trillions he had printed up to put the American people in debt with. Obama is the first so called president to have his own military. Why is that? What are his plans for his own personal military? And if anyone has been lying look at your dog Obama. Obama has been lying since or before he got in the White House. Obama is so Anti - American and communist he is just using you Democrats to help him destroy America and he needs 4 more years to finish the job. You guys need to stop and get your heads out of your a$$es and open your eyes. God gave you a brain use it!! Obama could care less about you and me. Obama is out to bring America down and out. Did you know that every Muslim in the USA and that comes to the USA are EXEMPT from OBAMACARE but me and you have to pay!! When Obama told us that his family was Christian just to get the votes when he knew better that his family was Muslim. Obama couldn't cover the crosses up fast enough. And as far as Obama catching Osama Bin Laden that is a joke!! With all of Obama connections with the Muslims people Bin Laden was handed over on a silver platter. So lets not make it out to be anything more then that. The only thing Obama was willing to do was invade Pakistan's air space and then he paid Pakistan millions to keep them quite. Obama bails out Wall Street then had Van Jones start Occupy Wall Street. And you can see as long as the sky is blue if Obama doesn't see the voting going his way he will have The Black Panthers out starting RIOTS all over the U.S. A. so he can declare Martial Law!! Trying to stay in power Obama is a evil monster and more. And for you people that are voting for Obama for the color of his skin you are IGNORANT!!! Obama is a OREO lets not forget his mother was white as snow. That is why Obama is so light!!! To bad the first Oreo in history wasn't someone we could be PROUD of....

godmother mia: Oh your post is nasty, following the Romney/Ryan strategy of saying whatever comes to mind. Name calling, insults, no respect for the position of President nor elected officials.

Only reason for that could be your a.m. juice? Lay off, godmother. you're embarrassing yourself and your anti-U.S. repub/Tparty. Shameful.

Say, thanks godmothermia, for naming some of the true and real Patriots here: Pigotry, Republicans for Obama 6186389, Gaia, Layton 3733410 and Lorraine H. To them many of us say, Good Job. Thanks for all you do.

Wow...Godmothermia......got a lot of pent up anger there in your rant; not much in actual facts. Most of your post has been debunked...but we get that you dislike Obama a lot. You also have a lot of racial slurs and hidden code with it. Care to give any positive, factual, and excited facts and support for Romney/Ryan ticket?? I would rather read about differing policies and positions on issues facing America, then about someone's opinions about their dislike of the sitting President.

The Pentagon has estimated that since the start of the current conflict in Iraq, more than 5,500 U.S. military personnel have deserted. We speak with journalist Kathy Dobie who wrote the cover story for this month’s issue of Harper’s magazine titled "AWOL in America: When Desertion is the Only Option." Dobie says, "Some of them leave because they’re unwilling to kill, some because of family and personal problems and some because of the unjust recruiting process." [includes rush transcript]

http://www.democracynow.org/2005/3/15/awol_in_america_why_over_5

Surely you mean "if you are wiling" instead of "if your willing". But I do agree with your statement :))

As far as the desertions go we do have a voluntary army, so why did they join? Stay the frigg off the armed services if you are not willing to go to war, just or injust.

A bloated Military.... We built that!

John Doing... So, you're willing to "go to war?" Here's what a man far brighter than you had to say: "He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would suffice. Heroism on command, senseless violence, and all the loathsome nonsense that goes by the name of patriotism - how passionately I hate them! It is my conviction that killing under the cloak of war is nothing but an act of murder."Albert Einstein

Hey Rburn----Mitt says TRUST ME, can't you find it in your heart to just TRUST HIM?????Just a little blind faith!

Mr. McManus... This is one of the most impressive posts I've ever read on here. You speak truth... Too bad we have so many in the country that just won't listen... Please, post more often!

We have this in the current obama administration--- A LIAR in CHIEF in OUR White House--- NO HOPE, NO CHANGE, LIES and DECEIPT--- TIME TO LET'IM GO!!!!!

M. McManus, that was a brilliant article and I agree to the fullest. Keep up the good work.

Obama/Biden 2012

RM, baloney and please, what is DECEIPT? A Liar in Chief, prove it, cite source, other than limbaugh or beck, something that can be verified would do. Mr. McManus, excellent, thank you.

Obama 2012

@Michael Kent

Do you read the news at all or is it just spoon fed to you by your Republican co-horts? Ryan lies about his budget, Romney lies about job creation, Ryan lies about running marithons, Romney lies about Bain Capital. Hey, all you have to do is go to fact checker, politifact among many other places to see the gaffs. If you look above you can see the link for the 12 million job creation lie Romney just told. In fact here is the link again.

Moody's Analytics, in an August forecast, predicts 12 million jobs will be created by 2016, no matter who is president. (See page 51.) And Macroeconomic Advisors in April also predicted a gain of 12.3 million jobs.

@Michael McManus Great post!

Excellent, Mr. McManus (#9). I agree with you 100%

Too bad the Repulsicans don't "get it."

I doubt they'd even understand your comment even if they read it..............

I think the scary thing about this election is neither the President nor Mitt Romney have served in the military. As a veteran I am very worried because the President wants to decrease military health benefits starting in January of 2013 I am still trying to figure out who to vote for. If Romney doesn't cut health benefits that we have earned that would be a point in his favor.

Apparently you must want four more years of misery and record unemployment.

Mr. McManus, I too appreciate what you had to say. Thank You

Too true about Romney changing most of his stances..not long ago he would have been considered a RINO . I personally don't know anyone who has any convictions on important matters that has changed their minds so completely, and so quickly without a whiff of personal history to account for those changes. The only change I've seen is the rise of the teaparty, which leads me to believe that Romney is really just an empty suit of a man... I would bet if anyone is turning over in his grave it isn't Lincoln, bemoaning the republican party but, his father, George,bemoaning his son.

Michael McManus... Well said. Bravo!

Man of Steel... Um, you need to check your facts, sir. I believe you're running on faulty information and we've had enough of that with the last administration, thank you.

"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance. That principle is contempt prior to investigation." Herbert Spencer

P.S. John Doing... "Just or UNJUST? Jeezus, dude! Where is your head?

Michael McManus

I have never read a post on here that was as good as yours, I believe every word that you say is true and I appreciate your taking the time to both research and post the truth. I have always wondered why a person who was not rich, or was a woman or a minority, would vote republican, it is mind boggling. I guess its because many of the people that they ( rich republicans) prey on are ignorant and vote against their own best interest. But you would think that with all of the access that a citizen has to electronic information today that couldn't happen but it still does fascinating really

Man of Steel, where DID that record unemployment come from, the tooth fairy, or were you comatose during the Bush Era?

i like it. mr mike mac please tell these people they need to understand...

http://retiredcoastguard.newsvine.com/_news/2012/08/30/13575364-here-is-your-proof-liberals-are-smarter

Oh I like to fire people__why because for every one I lay off I collect several thousand dollars cause my company doesn't have to pay wages wre just push the other workers to do the laid off workers job.More lay off is better for me.

Rep. Paul Ryan's budget proposal has a 13% REDUCTION in VA programs for returning veterans. Some of the cuts are for counseling involving domestic abuse and for vets contemplating suicide. Two or three rotations doesn't seem to be an undue hardship for Mr Ryan. Why should it? His party sent them to war. They're back. Let them move on with their lives like real men, ....you know,...the ones who visit they gym to build up extra strength should they ever need it. Just like Mr Ryan. Real men.

As a veteran also I agree with you that money should be funneled to VA to help the vets that have injuries from their service and not have VA spend 5 Million to put on a conference in Florida. A lot of deserving veterans are waiting for their claims to be processed and average time is between 18 and 24 months to process a claim. I have been waiting almost 3 decades for a decision on my injuries..

Man of Steel, waiting THIRTY YEARS for benefits? There's something fallacious OR specious in that statement. Btw, President Obama cut DOWN the time for processing of claims from the Bush Administration, is pushing for a measure that would let Congress approve VA money a year in advance, thus avoiding the delays for budget reasons that have plagued the agency, announced a new VA budget of $112.8 billion, a 15.5-percent increase over the previous year, AND The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act added another $1.4 billion to the VA budget, to be used toward improving services, including grant money to states to build extended care facilities for vets, and the hiring of 1,500 new claims processors to speed up delivery of benefits. These are just a FEW things President Obama has been doing/trying to do, to help VETERANS. Tell me, Man of Steel, have you heard ANYTHING from Romney/Ryan as to ANY concrete plans for Veterans, let alone ACTIVE service men and women if they take over the Administration?

fantom -

Evidently you are unaware of the controversy surrounding Agent Orange and several other weapons that were used during Vietnam. Most Agent Orange cases have repeatedly and routinely denied as a service-related injury.

The powers-that-be still refuse to admit that the chemicals used were detrimental to the health of veterans of the era.

DancerTiffy (#12):

Bingo!

"Those (mainly Republicans) who don't learn from the past are condemned to repeat it." I pray to God he doesn't let Republicans do just that for much longer......

Republicans spend massively on military spending, if you're in the military for a lifetime you'll probably be better off voting republican. Democrats prefer to spend less on the military but pick up the pieces for those that return battered and bruised. If you aren't in the military for a lifetime democrats will be there for you even if you don't return in one piece. Republicans opposed this increase. They're pro military but could care less for those who can no longer fight.

President Obama Seeks 15% Increase in VA Funding

WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Bob Filner (D-CA) provided the following statement on President Obama's Budget Outline for the Department of Veterans Affairs for Fiscal Year 2010:
"I applaud President Obama's budget request for the Department of Veterans Affairs. After sixteen years on the Veterans' Affairs Committee, I am very encouraged that this outline is consistent with recommendations made by the veterans' groups who co-author the Independent Budget. This has never happened in the 23-year history of the IB!"
"This budget request will increase funding for VA by 15% this year and by $25 billion over the next five years, including a proposed $4.9 billion increase for Fiscal Year 2010. After years of funding neglect and budget shortfalls, I commend President Obama on this honest assessment of the funding needs of the VA.

am, at last 13% cut, ryan's "marvelous" budget.

Obama 2012

http://retiredcoastguard.newsvine.com/_news/2012/08/30/13575364-here-is-your-proof-liberals-are-smarter

Gotta love Mayport , i was stationed there Dec 80-Aug83 on a buoy tender doing ATON .

Seriously... you think the WH controls the price of gas? Wall Street controls that by watching the trends in consumption; supply and demand and what the market will bear. SO if you are willing to pay $4.00 a gallon you will be charged $4.00 a gallon. ugh... pay attention to what goes on in the world around you.

Good idea Picky Ricky - problem is the Republicans ran half the people in this country into the poor house during their 8-year reign under Bush. Now its tough to find 48% who make enough to qualify for taxes. Well, give the Republicans another term in office I bet they get the other 48% in the poor house too.

rick-723786... Another uneducated graduate from the intentionally 'Dumbed Down' generations.

Everyone pays taxes numbskull. If you're referring to the Federal Income Tax, refer to it as something warranted for repeal.

People who won't make an effort to learn their Country's own History (along with reading, writing, and arithmetic), are useless.

Hey Rick,

Who created the deficit? see the chart and here is the link.

The link is here:

Regan/Bush/Bush created 12 trillion of the current deficit and W alone created 9 trillion of it by himself. This cannot be fixed in just 4 years. It took 8 years to create it!

Somehow the deficit and recession are always laid at Bush's feet. What seems lost is that the Democrats controlled both houses of Congress when the recession began and for the first 2 years of the Obama years when the deficit added 50% and no much happened in the economy.

Yup.. I meant federal taxes and if you don't have any skin in the game (like pay federal taxes) to run our government, you are inclined to want to tax everyone else. I pay plenty of taxes and don't want to pay a penny more until the no loads start to pay. I also served 24 years in the military including two combat tours in Viet Nam so I figure I have paid my fair share for 50 years now.

I am sure I will get the last laugh in November... my tax rates will not go down but the country will be better off. I have no problem cutting Defense as long as we cut all the BS programs that have nothing to do with what the federal government is supposed to do.

ooops..time to go for a ride in my sports car.

Yuk it up, liberals !!!

The Obama deficit as you call it is not really his. It was inherited form the GOP president before him and had ot be raised to save us form a depression caused by his failed policies, policies which btw not only do mittwit and howdy doody want to continue, they actually want to make them even worse. Didn't work the first time so why do you expect those policies to work this time? And Rick FYI while there was a dem majority in both the senate and house for a while it was not enough of a majority to get things past the republican sabotage Obama at all costs mentality.

inshock-1 - if you still can't link, just send the people at newsvine a note to upgrade you. They forget sometimes .... and great posting :)

Rick: Are you enjoying all the benefits (and that sports car) that came from the United States Government for all those years in the military??

yup... were you too chicken to serve ??? Didn't see you in Viet Nam...

My sports car, vacation homes, etc came from investments in the stock market, starting my own company, etc. Not a penny from handouts, etc.

Hey rick, my uncle was WIA on a River Assault Squadron 9 mission in the Summer of '67, during Operation CORONADO V. Where were you exactly at that time, because he said he didn't see you there either.

rick,

Why do you and many like you assume that if a person isn't paying federal taxes, they're "on the doll?" Do you realize that many middle and upper middle income households, even those making 6 figures, can get out of paying taxes by taking deductions that make their liablility zero? Deductions such as mortgage interest, child deductions, medical deductions, charity, daycare, student loan interest, etc? They are only doing what I'm sure you and most others do, including Romney, we all know, taking every deduction for which they qualify. Why should you chide them for that? It doesn't mean they aren't working or are receiving any government benefits. The deductions mentioned above help people afford to buy homes, afford daycare so they can work, etc. And you may also recall, it was the Repubs who started the earned income credit which so many of you freak out about as it allows the working poor a larger refund if they have children. What do you think they do with that refund? They buy stuff, which helps the economy.

It appears Rick-723 #18.9 is in a country of himself. I'll go with Prez Obama and Elizabeth Warren who said, paraphrased, "We didn't build our businesses alone, we did have a community supporting us in various ways. We weren't successful on our own, we had consumers support us with their purchasing power." That's how the world works. Try leaving your paved street to get gas brought to you by a truck driver, etc. You get the idea. Now finish your 10th grade homework, school tomorrow.

Rick: I am one of the 48% that doesn't pay income tax so you want me to pay icome tax on my $1093 monthy social security check. I thought I was entitled to that since I paid FICA tax all the years I had worked. Apparently you think that is a hand out Subtract the social security benefits, the disabled benefits what will thjat percentage not even half of 48% . Their is many that has to pay rent, food and medical out of their social security check Majority happens to be poor widows collectring sociacial security.and you want to let them starve I guess .. You are a selfish fool!

Hey sports fans.... the Obama deficit is so big that even if these guys cut out the entire DoD budget next year, we would still have a deficit. Tax and spend is over. If we want to have folks "pay there fair share" (remember this Obama BS), then we need the 48% who pay nothing get off the dole and pay something into the pot. Then we can have progress in cutting the deficit.

It's amusing to use talking points like if only the 47% who paid no income taxes who pay some small amount the deficit would be eliminated. This ignores facts but who cares? How will imposing even a tax rate higher than on the wealthy on those who have almost nothing fix anything? Does it matter at all to you people that the 400 richest Americans have a net worth that exceeds the combined net worth of the bottom 60% or that they are paying the lowest tax rates in our history? 400 people that amassed enormous wealth not through hard work but continuing to buy politicians or getting kindred spirits like Romney who will drive rates for them ever lower. 400 people worth more than the 185 million poorest. They are increasing their percentage of wealth at an accelerated rate while middle class incomes plummet. How can anyone claim a man like Romney who's never paid over 14% in taxes need a break?

In 2009, the total net worth of the Forbes 400 was $1.27 trillion.

The best information now available shows that in 2009 the bottom 60% (yes, now it's 60%, not 50%) of U.S. households owned only 2.3% of total U.S. wealth.

Total U.S. household net worth -- rich, middle class and poor combined -- at the time the Forbes list came out was $53.15 trillion. So the bottom 60% of households possessed just $1.22 trillion of that $53.15 trillion, less than the Forbes 400.

What Rick doesn't say is that the Bush administration spent 3/4 of it's time on Iraq and Afg. spending a total bill of 3 trillion, and Bush tax cuts that only widened the deficit, it didn't prevent the severe economic collapse we experienced. Tax breaks are suppose to solve everything, so the Republicans try hard to sell everyone on.

Yes and make sure we cut all entitlements according to Ryan, food pantries across the country already cannot keep food stocked, watch the low income and poor flood into our neighborhoods in desperation. In the last 5 years they have increased begging off the interstate exits, just wait until Romney-Ryan cut entitlements, but the military will do just fine.

Ryan's entitlements should include the cushy retirements of Congress across the board not to mention their elite health care they receive on top of their bi-weekly retirement checks after FIVE years of being a Congressman. These are the real entitlements since we, the tax payers, provide the funding for these parasites. Why hasn't the public zeroed in on this and made it a priority to pro-rate Congressional retirement benefits according to years served or actually getting elected? Congress provides nothing to our GDP but detracts and takes as much as they can from our economy from earmarks to the "just say no" group of bobble heads. We the people should demand the reduction of entitlements start with Congress and they should not receive one dime until the age of 67 years of age!

SunsetCliffs #19:

Ooooooooo!!!! That is soooo good!!!! (These Repulsicans need to be kicked in the butt and kicked out of D.C.)

Thanks!

Rove, Koch Brothers Call it Quits in Pennsylvania

Music to my ears.

#c69551846

This woman has a lot to say about women's roles in the Mormon Church. I promise this is a really good read.
Way Romney has no problem with lying. This is the Mormon's way of life and to keep everyone under his control. Now I understand more about Princes Ann, she really doesn't know any better.

Brigham Young’s Great-Great-Granddaughter on Mormonism and Mitt Romney (The Daily Beast) 8/7/2012:

Sorry the first link didn't work, hopefully this one will.

Rove, Koch Brothers Call it Quits in Pennsylvania.

Music to my ears.

#c69551846

AMAR, MY BODY, MY UTERUS, MY BEDROOM, MY DECISIONS. Not the Federal Government and their Womb Police, get it, tough if you don't, and oh who will care for those "Human Lives" Don't thump the bible at me, the bible is silent on the issue of abortion and I do not belong to my Husband and My Father did not own me, Old testament.

Obama 2012

Nobody care what you do in your bedroom, Ms Skyparot (although it must be kinky with that name) as long as you don't ask the taxpayer to pay for your abortion or kid...too simple really.

Rick: Talking out of both sides of your mouth again. CHOICE is the issue, not abortion. Solid sex education is the mainstay of fewer abortions, but the evangelistas of your repub/Tparty are totally against education, believing in myths as they do. Promote science-based sex education in your school.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/obamas-and-bushs-effect-on-the-deficit-in-one-graph/2011/07/25/gIQAELOrYI_blog.html

Ryan's budget wouldn't balance anything until 2040, all baloney and blather.

Obama 2012

Oh, I love the party of perverts, baby killers, and do nothings and it is not Republicans I am talking about.

Yes, Dee, sadly you are.

Dorry Dee and Diane...but those that yell the loudest are usually the ones that have something to hide...so if you are calling the kettle black...well, I'm just saying...Republicans are the peverts...Most of the wife cheating and public restroom perversions have been republicans...just go back and look at the last 3 years of your Congressmen...the party that calls itself lilly white is the worst of all. You guys make me split my gut in laughter at your perversion. Sad people...all of you sickoes

Lyin' Paul Ryan in 2012....you must be kidding!

Robme/Lyin.

Glad to see RMK advocates for the murder of people overseas who are no threat to us. Good job, sociopath. Hope you enjoy losing the election because libertarians like me will NEVER vote for your neocon candidates. You choose who we say next time, or you lose again, and again, and again until your Party is destroyed and we replace it.

We're the reason McCain lose, we'll be the reason Romney loses...how many have to lose before you get it?

Aside from providing jobs to Americans most of the benefits of the military are provided to other nations. Since WWII, our soldiers have died needlessly fighting the wars of other countries. In some cases we're being attacked by those we once considered allies. The Afghan "Freedom" fighters come to mind.