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Subscribe to RSSIn Florida, President Obama slammed Romney, arguing the GOP candidate's math doesn't add up. Meanwhile, a pizza parlor owner swept the president off his feet. NBC's Kristen Welker reports.
MELBOURNE, Fla. – Hours after his opponents Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan did a Sunday morning TV show blitz, President Barack Obama criticized them for not offering more specifics on how they would keep revenue stable while not raising taxes on the wealthy.
“Governor Romney and his allies tell us that we can somehow lower our deficit by spending trillions on new tax breaks for the wealthy. Listen, you’ve got to do the math because when my opponents were asked about it today, they couldn’t. It was like two plus one equals five,” Obama told a crowd of more than 3,000 in a gymnasium at the Florida Institute of Technology here.
When asked during an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press” what tax loopholes he would eliminate, Romney got no more specific than telling host David Gregory, “high income taxpayers are going to have fewer deductions and exemptions.”
On ABC News’ “This Week,” Ryan said Romney and he would consult with Congress before deciding which loopholes to cut. “We want to do this with the consent of the elected representatives of the people and figure out what loopholes should stay or go,” he said.
Of their lack of specifics, Obama said, “That’s not bold leadership, that’s bad math.”
Ever mindful of his local audience, Obama also focused heavily on Medicare, an important issue to the 17.6 percent of Florida’s population over age 65 – more than four percentage points over the national average.
He cited a new study by Harvard Professor David Cutler that found seniors who qualify for Medicare beginning in 2023 would see higher premiums over the course of their retirement under the Romney/Ryan plan, which would give seniors the option of getting a voucher to help pay for private insurance in addition to the traditional government-run program.
Cutler, one of the Obama campaign’s chief health care advisers in 2008, conducted the study on behalf of the Center for American Progress Action Fund, a liberal advocacy organization.
“Basically your profits would decline by the thousands so their profits could rise by the billions,” Obama said of the study’s conclusion.
The Romney campaign responded with a statement from spokesman Ryan Williams calling the study "discredited."
"President Obama’s latest false attacks are a sign of desperation. Only one candidate in this race has robbed today’s Medicare of $716 billion to pay for Obamacare – Barack Obama. He has done nothing to reform Medicare for the long haul and prevent it from going bankrupt, and on his watch family health care premiums have increased by nearly $2,500," the statement read in part.
In Melbourne, the president also mentioned another issue important to voters on this slice of Florida’s coast, whose economy is buoyed in part by the space industry.
“Here on the Space Coast, we started a new era of American exploration that is creating more jobs right here,” Obama said, noting the Curiosity rover that landed on Mars last month.
He warned that Republicans would stifle the research and development that his administration has encouraged.
“This is where we’ve got a choice. We could, as the House Republican budget proposes, cut back on research and technology or we can continue to be at the cutting edge because that’s what we’ve always been about,” he said.
The president is now on his way to West Palm Beach for the fourth and final stop on his two-day Sunshine State campaign swing, after which he’ll return to the White House – hopefully, he said this afternoon, in time to catch Sunday Night Football.
“We intend to be finished to get home in time for kickoff,” he told the crowd in Melbourne.
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What!! They are going to consult with Congress before deciding what loopholes to close. Congress is owned by so many different large companies and the super rich that they will be unable to decide on what loopholes to close. None will get closed so they will just borrow 5 trillion more to give tax cuts to their only constituents. The top 2 percent.
Guy .... everyone uses the same IRS tax code. You can use it too .. but obviously you are too stupid!
Why is it when people have no intelligent argument they resort to name calling.
congress is the ones who right the tax code, not the president...
Where did the trillios obama borrowed go...it didn't go to his constituents
Willie 53 ... what is your religion?? Answer so we know which cult you're talking about. I'm sorry that you are part of some Cult religion and won't tell us what it is called? We can help.
how about this for math? our debt is twice as big as the entrie budget from 1980
I think you are talking deficit not debt. Or you missed too many math classes.
Your are misleading the readers. You need to compare our debt now to the debt that we had 32 years ago taking inflation into consideration!
For example, how much did you pay for a gallon gas 32 years ago (97 cents, now it is $3.74), how much did you pay for a loaf of bread 32 years ago (16 cents, now it is $1.25), how much was the minimum wage 32 years ago ($3.15, now it is about $8.0).
Obama said in 2008 that he was going to stand up to China and then after he was elected, he found out that he could not do it. Reason, we owe the Chinese too much and are not in any position to make demands.
Now Romney is saying the same thing!!! Mr. Romney, show me your plan to stand up to China to bring jobs back to America. Unless you can show me a workable plan, you are just blowing HOT AIR like Obama did!
MTP and it's host D. Gregory pale in comparison to the old show and it's former host Russert. Gregory threw so many marshmallow soft pitches to Romney and yet even after letting him off the hook so many times. M. Romney was still unable to move either the electorate dial his way or even the truth-o-meter. And then after MTP went off his Veep candidate (Lyin) Ryan comes on he gets caught with more untruths and wait and see if you elect me answers. These two are suppose to be the presidential candidates for the GOP and yet they continue to flip-flop and lie thru their teeth. With un-specific answers and false data... Yet after all of their rhetoric and B.S is said and done. The only thing that they stand behind is that they wont't be dictated by Fact-Checkers...
Go figure, then go vote... And where are those "Taxes Mitt"???
Way TOO Funny!
With the numbers and results Obama has on his record....
Now there's some BAD MATH that does not add up!
Ya Killing Me Barack!
Bush, nobody did anything wrong? Obama, nobody did anythink wrong? No crimes?
how about this for math...we would have to sell a company the size of apple just to pay the interest on the debt, every year
Romney won't come clean on his tax returns, why should we think he and Ryan will tell us what their real plan is.
I wouldn't trust those two scum bags, as far is I could throw them.
What ever they plan only the likes of him will be the beneficiaries.
Obama/Biden-2012
yeah, cause the average American is really benefitting now with Obama in charge....NOT! Yeah, more GOVT is the answer..Its like what a Drug dealer does, he gets you hooked by giving you free stuff, but after awhile you have to pay, and pay you surely will.
you tax return idiots are just as stupid as the birthers. get a life. its the IRS job to audit romney, not yours. do you really think he's gotten away with breaking the laws, or has he been smart enough to use those laws in his advntage? do you know what your own effective tax rate actually was before you complain about his? based on IRS tax stats, there's a 75% chance that you paid lower rate...
President Unemployment probably threatened to bring back Hillary. If Bubba did not give him a stellar support speech ?
It's the same math Obama used for Obamacare. Nor have I heard how Obama plans to reduce the deficit 4 trillion and create 1 million manufacturing jobs either. He's done nothing yet, what makes you believe he will this time around.
Obama is the pot calling the kettle black.
Senior Grande,
Your ears twitch, like all those who believe the world owes them. to hear words that will justify the corruption of your soul, pero.
and what was obozo' s plan...
Ok so Obama and Biden are good at math and because of this my ex wifes medicare supplement premium has jumped 29.99%, the cost of living has also shown an increase at a minimal 5%. So doing the math O"bum"a has authorized a whooping 3.62% cola fo our seniors. If it actually occurs keep in mind the first two years of is administration the was no additional help for seniors. So ya keep doing the math.
Yeah, since we are talking math..How much was gas per Gallon when Obama took Office?...End of discussion.
Bad math Obama claims, well here's some bad math for you.
Bush added $5.1 trillion to the nationals debt in 8 years.
Obama added $5.9 trillion to the national debt in 3.75 years.
Stay the course Obama claims. You're kidding, right?
Democrats, Republicans, it doesn't matter which because they're all lying thieves. The only thing that I'm sure of is I want that fraud, Obama, out of the whitehouse.
Romney and Ryan...the dynamic douche bags. These guys are nothing more than a couple of frat bozo wannabe's who don't know jack about running a country. You know the type. Do you really want to have to call that lying weasel Ryan vice president. My choice is easy...anybody who Sean Hannity or Rush Limbaugh are for...I am voting against.
Economic advice from a lawyer with a bullhorn. You can't find Obama's thumbprint on a single thing that ever made a dime. Maybe his books...BTW what kind of egomaniac writes 2 memoires before he's 45 years old?
By the look of the post, I think Dumbama might when the election again. Whoopee, instead of 49 million on welfare, we will have 96 million on it in 4 more years. But, hey there are alot of fat people on welfare so it probably isnt that bad.
hey obozo the employees from any number of the company's romney has funded could have filled the stadium..
I hate to disappoint you again Mr. President; that is not BAD MATH that is proper procedure. They are going to meet with the representatives that we have elected to represent US and get their input on the avenues. Something you seriously don't like doing with all your excutive orders
.... Republicans say "We dont do math... and we dont do factcheck"
and the dems dont do checkbook...
Obuma's math..."I will cut the national debt in half (5 Trillion) in 4 years". Instead, he added 5 Trillion. Now that's great math!!! Obuma reminds me of the band on the Titanic that played music to calm the people as the ship sank into the water.
What's amusing is folks talk about Romney like he's been in office for 4 years?? It's Obama that has screwed up the country over the last 4 years. He's the one that has given us over 8% unemployment, an economy in the dumper and has run up more debt than any other Pres in history??
You got that ... Obama has done these things ... Romney has been just a private citizen and consequently the mess we are in is of no fault of R+R??
Blame Barry!! BO+JOE!!
You are right bashbro, Obama took 10.5% unemployment and we are now down to 8.1%. Great job President, unfortunately the right wing is so poorly educated they are too stupid to understand than 10.5%>>>>>>>8.1%.
There are two ways to lower the unemployment rate 1)add a bunch of jobs (not what happened here) 2) keep unemployment so high that people run out of benefits and end up on welfare and are no longer counted as out of work (exactly what happened here)
The unemployment rate was 7.2 when Bush left office - stop making up numbers.
I AM FOR OBAMA AS A LOYAL Democrat, but truthfully I wish both candidates just shut the hell up and rely on the voters to determine who is the bigger liar. I can clearly see that Romney-Ryan and the house and congress are owned by special interest and under no condition can they sway away from their commitments to these special interest entities as they have dam near bought the republicans for nearly a billion dollars, more than what the devil in hell would demand and as for the democrats, it would be to their best interest in trying to defeat the house and senate members, as they hold the key to Obama success or failure in his second term and Obama has clearly stated that if the GOP stands in his way he will work around them and the GOP clearly says if he is re-elected they will never work with him so here we go again the people get F.u.c.k.e.d over for four more years from gridlock and Romney and his magical job creation of 12 million positions, and by the way screw that theory, cause there are not even 12 million openings much lest jobs to fill that capacity in 12 years, so he needs to stop the BS, unless he is talking to blind, deaf and stupid people which he thinks is all the republican voters. Principles, what dam principles is he talking of? HIS, surely not the avarage American unless the average American is only considered the extremely well to do. Maybe I better demand he show me his birth certificate, cause the S.H.I.t Romney is talking can only come from an alien.
yeah, unlike the obama house being owned by the special interests like the banks, the insurance companies, and the unions. or the various social demographics to buy their vote too. news flash...they are all on the take, all owe favors to who really put them in office...