Does Mitt Romney want to be President? Where is the fire in the belly?

If he did he would have had more than 3 campaign events in swing states in the past 7 days. He is averaging 1 campaign event a day since the convention - this is his only job. He sends his rejected VP candidates to the swing states like Marco Rubio in Ohio yesterday. Where was Mitt? He was in California, a deep Blue state.

Finally Willard finds the courage to tell the truth for once;

Romney's parents did pay for his boarding school, his college, his graduate school and his first home.

He got closer to the truth in another clip. "There's a perception that all of you were born with a silver spoon. You know, you never had to earn anything and so forth," Romney said to the donors. "Frankly, I was born with a silver spoon, which is the greatest gift you can have -- which is to get born in America."

No @!$%# Sherlock!

That candid video provides true insight into the true Romney. Remember our conversation on how I was starting to pity Romney? I have to take those remarks back.

P.S. Informative post there AM.

Mr. Romney... .I'm Voting for President Obama.... I paid my FAIR taxes...

Now let's see that you paid yours.... RELEASE THOSE DARN TAXES RETURNS.

Half of that 47% are Seniors

Romney's family was on welfare. Okay?

In 1966, the director Jifi Menzel made a wonderful quiet and sardonic comedy called Closely Watched Trains. By 2016, I expect someone to have written a sardonic treatise on the Romney campaign titled Closely Watched Train Wrecks.

This ‘alien’ pundit says that the race for the White House is over. Good news for Progressives to be sure but there is still a ton of money out there and the SuperPacs are just not going to give it back. Suppressing the vote will not be enough to save Romney but along with a till full of cash it may well be enough to hold the House by a large majority and possible take the Senate. Conservative pundits are leaving Romney and so will the money as the other two branches of government are still in play. So Liberals, put the popcorn away, all that money is being loaded on a freight train and it will be coming down the track with a full head of steam.

Good Morning Pat:

It's good to see you are all over this story. Romney will never be President.

That sound you hear is R-money's election chances going up in flames, AND all of the rightwing nutjobs heads exploding while attempting to defend, deflect, and marginalize...in one giant spontaneous combustion.

Thank you, Mother Jones

Bill in Fairfax -- Senior citizens play victim? Working people play victim? Hardly.

EDUCATE yourself Bill. ROMNEY should also educate himself on the 47%.

For what it's worth, this division of "makers" and "takers" isn't true. Among the Americans who paid no federal income taxes in 2011, 61 percent paid payroll taxes — which means they have jobs and, when you account for both sides of the payroll tax, they paid 15.3 percent of their income in taxes, which is higher than the 13.9 percent that Romney paid. Another 22 percent were elderly.

Part of the reason so many Americans don't pay federal income taxes is that Republicans have passed a series of very large tax cuts that wiped out the income-tax liability for many Americans. That's why, when you look at graphs of the percent of Americans who don't pay income taxes, you see huge jumps after Ronald Reagan's 1986 tax reform and George W. Bush's 2001 and 2003 tax cuts. So whenever you hear that half of Americans don't pay federal income taxes, remember: Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush helped build that. (You also see a jump after the financial crisis begins in 2008, but we can expect that to be mostly temporary.)

Some of those tax cuts for the poor were there to make the tax cuts for the rich more politically palatable. "Do you think we wanted to include a welfare payment to people who don't pay taxes and call it a tax cut?" A top Bush administration official once asked me. "No. But that's what we needed to do to get it done."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/wp/2012/09/17/romneys-theory-of-the-taker-class-and-why-it-matters/?hpid=z2

Republicans passed these TAX CUTS that allow some to not pay INCOME TAX. (Never mind they pay other taxes.)

Then Republicans PLAY VICTIM by claiming these people are freeloading off of them.

So explain to me, if there is so much welfare going to the red states and they are Romney's base, then why when he calls for cutting welfare is it a racist dog whistle?

It's not so much racist as it is ironic. His base is too ignorant to realize their own candidate will hamstring them. No wonder the GOP loves cutting education.

No wonder the GOP loves cutting education

Just ask Ricky Santorum, he'll tell ya; "We'll never have the elite smart people on our side"! lol

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=rick%20santorum&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&sqi=2&ved=0CCIQqQIwAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fvideo.msnbc.msn.com%2Fmartin-bashir%2F49065421&ei=VnZYUPCCMKbm0QHJrYCgDw&usg=AFQjCNHa3SHbTJMX9NK0r6y5S8FC8zyluw

After watching football this weekend and last night, I'm willing to vote for whichever candidate promises to bring back the regular NFL referees and send the replacement officials packing. ;-)

Next up, we have a secretly taped video of Mitt Romney stating the bleeding obvious- the 47% of people who don't pay federal income taxes, who live on government subsistence, will vote for Obama no matter what.

"no joe", you have just made the same mistake that Mr. Romney made...assuming that the 47% who don't pay income taxes are all just leeches...fattened, bloated lay-abouts suckling at the teat of this nation.

It is not so.

How many of that 47% pay a federal payroll tax (see also: JOB CREATOR)? How many are elderly (see also: RETIRED)? How many are people earning less that $20,000 per year (see also: POOR)?

Here's a hint...

www.taxpolicycenter.org/taxtopics/federal-taxes-households.cfm

NoJoe: "Next up, we have a secretly taped video of Mitt Romney stating the bleeding obvious- the 47% of people who don't pay federal income taxes, who live on government subsistence, will vote for Obama no matter what."

My mother who passed away this summer was in that 47% who don't pay federal income taxes. As her power of attorney for the last two years of her life, I checked with both my own tax preparer and with the IRS to make sure that was correct. The "government subsistence" she was living on - Social Security and Medicare - was HER OWN MONEY that she had paid into for over 40 years. Beyond that, she had a small pension and her life savings, which were dwindling fast because Social Security and Medicare didn't even begin to cover her expenses. She couldn't work, because she was 80 years old, legally blind, confined to a wheelchair from a stroke and a bad fall resulting in a broken hip, and she was in the early stages of dementia.

So just how much tax should she have been paying, anyway? As much as Mitt Romney, perhaps more?

Oh and guess what? She wouldn't have voted for Obama if her life depended on it.

Romney doesn't want to do anything about anything it appears. Just like McConnell and Boehner and the rest of the do-nothing Republicans.

They have no answers to anything, except drop a bomb or two. And ridicule the rest of America.

Romney has no capacity for intellectual thought, no vision, no anything. The only thing he has is money, which he made off the backs of working Americans.

Think Progress:

Mother Jones is out with a new video from a high-dollar fundraiser for Mitt Romney in which Romney says he believes a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is “unthinkable” and that his policy will be to “kick the can down the the field and hope that ultimately, somehow, something will happen and resolve it.”

So you agree that the racist charge concerning welfare was a complete lie?

Not the Newt Gingrich comment.

However, the best part about that "47% map" is when you overlay it with a map showing education levels (although the result shouldn't be shocking). Hey look! Those same lowest 10 "47%" states have the lowest high school graduation rates and the highest level of welfare. So if we were to also examine income per capita and teen pregnancy and so forth, I bet we wouldn't find another correlation...

Ron, so true.

Romney writes off everybody as irresponsible - all those military, seniors, students working poor and families.

No nuance. We're just all Ayn Rand moochers, in Romney's elitest view.

ROMNEY, the man who would be KING.

Send me your sick, your old, your poor, and I'll throw them under the BUS. What right do these worthless non-productive people have to live in a Society where only the RICH have the right and deserve the right to run this Country. "The people be damned, let them eat cake."

Let's take our Society back a hundred years, where the were only two classes of people. The RICH AND THE POOR. Now that made sense. The Rich, the thinkers and producers and deserving, and the POOR, the workers, the uneducated and usually the wrong COLOR.

Is that the Society that you invision for AMERICA? If so, than by all means vote for Romney. The most egotistical, narsisstic candidate I've ever seen. He makes Donald Trump look humble.

Vote all these Repug clowns out and take back the House and Senate.

OBAMA IN 2012.

Mitt. Now might be the time to call it quits before you ruin your image, and the image of the GOP, any more.

Good morning to you as well Ron.

These Republicans of today are despicable. And that goes for the politicians and pundits, who have lied to the American people for decades and created this huge division in America.

It was supposed to happen like this. Just not on tape for the world to hear.

Hey Frank, I'm with you. These referees are awful. Somebody's gonna get hurt pretty bad, because the players are figuring out what they can get away with. Saw a couple of late QB hits in the Lions-49ers game on Sunday that weren't called.

Can't believe with all that NFL money, they can't get this thing done.

why with such a rotten candidate according to all of you folks, why oh why, isn't Obama running away with this?

Maybe because Obama doesn't "shoot first, and aim later".

Can't believe with all that NFL money, they can't get this thing done.

Ironic. You hate unions, but when it comes to football we gotta cater to the unions. Such a hypocrite. LOL!

And nobody on the left see a revenue issue that almost half the population don't pay any federal income tax. How do you expect the Federal Government to deliver their services.

And before the list of taxes the 47% do pay, understand none of them go to the Federal Government

Medicare = Just breaking even to pay for current seniors

SS = Already in red paying current seniors

Sales / Excise Tax / Fees = State Revenue

Gas Tax = Transportation Fund

Meanwhile the Administration has created a brand new entitlement that is a massive expansion of Medicaid. The same program that is taking from poor children and giving to seniors to pay for nursing homes.

If you don't broaden the tax base how will you pay for all?

Tax the rich at Clinton rates....not enough, so lets bump it up to 50% or 60%. Still not enough.

The Buffet rule as written...$5B (but actually also calls for the elimination of the ATM so its a revenue loser).

Is Clinton said "Its Arithmetic".

Let's just forget about the 47% for a second and move on to the part where Romney also told his donors that the campaign was only using Ann Romney ""sparingly…so that people don't get tired of her".

In fact, let's forget politics entirely for a second. What kind of a MAN says something like that about his own wife?

Awfully tough words from a candidate who doesn't pay taxes either.

Job1: Willard Romney message to the American People is, Screw You.

Willard Romney message to my aunt is, Screw You.

Obama/Biden 2012

Mitt Romney says 47% of the people who support Barack Obama pay no income taxes--whopper of a lie. Well, Mr. Mitt, did you pay income taxes? Romney has released one year, incomplete at that, of his tax returns; another he promises will come soon. But what about the income taxes for 2008? 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000 and all the way back to 12 years which his father believed should be released. We are supposed to take Romney's word that he paid taxes but he never says "income taxes". Trust him? Trust a man who holds nearly a majority of the American people at arms length, with disdain and disrespect.

Romney called a hasty press conference last night. His word salad said almost nothing about his May 17th remarks, his answers to questions were deflection at best and nonsensical at worst. Romney's presser was double down on his remarks, just as he doubled down on stupid last week as we learned of Chris Stevens and 3 other American deaths. Based on Mitt's previous double down, in one to two days, we can expect Mitt Romney to walk backward. Walking backward is how Romney would govern. Mitt Romney is not ready for prime time, not presidential, not a leader.

And nobody on the left see a revenue issue that almost half the population don't pay any federal income tax.

And nobody on the right sees a revenue issue with a $5 trillion tax cut that Mitt Romney proposes.

xabre, you do understand the difference between public unions and private unions, right?

White Collar Auto How goes it? White Sox got the Tigers yesterday. I think its two games now. I'm still not going to say anything yet. But its starting to start to look good.

White Collar Auto How goes it? White Sox got the Tigers yesterday. I think its two games now. I'm still not going to say anything yet. But its starting to start to look good.

Whoever wins the AL Central still won't make it out of the ALDS.

If a wealthy person like Romney is able to legally avoid paying federal or state taxes altogether, like Governor Reagan did in 1971, it means that the rest of us taxpaying Americans are going to have to pick up the slack and shoulder the extra burden of supporting our troops, keeping our military strong, paying for veterans benefits, funding the war in Afghanistan, etc.

So go do the arithmetic. Up Romney's tax rate (and his peers) to 50%, 60% or 70% and its still not enough. When the left claims the Bush tax cuts are the biggest driver of the deficit how come you never mention that the Obama plan is to keep most of those rates? Romney is going to cut spending, what is Obama going to do? All we have so far is the end of the war in Afghanistan, which he has botched as much as Bush.

Tell me what else on the table? Cuts to providers of Medicare? How do you think that will work out? Call me when Congress actually rejects the "doc fix".

Frank "Grimey" Grimes, Springfield, USA

After watching football this weekend and last night, I'm willing to vote for whichever candidate promises to bring back the regular NFL referees and send the replacement officials packing. ;-)

here here! That is something i can completely agree with. bucs giants officiating was pitiful, as was last nights game... Way to build consensus Grimey!

Romney is going to cut spending, what is Obama going to do?

Obama cuts the deficit by over $400 billion in his 2013 budget proposal. By let's not talk about that.

Hey smitty, I'll say it for you. The Tigers are done. It has been a very disappointing season season here. Good luck in the playoffs!

Now we need to get ready for some Lions-Bears showdowns!

Joe in Albany, with this quote from de Tocqueville you are admittng that the United states is no longer a democracy (of course, one could argue it NEVER was!)! I agree, as it currently stands, the United States is an Oligarchy, run by the top 1% for the benefit of the top .01%. It certainly doesn't benefit me and my family or friends, especially the teachers, firemen, policemen, and soldiers in our family, whose livelihoods are being gutted by Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan's policies of appeasement for the .01%. You might call it a corporatocracy, which most accurately implies the fascist intent of the "Milton Friedman free marketeers". In other words, I've got mine, now screw you!

“A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world's greatest civilizations has been 200 years.”
― Alexis de Tocqueville

What is truly amazing to me is that people like Bill in VA; no joe (well, I guess that's not so amazing); WCA; have the audacity to come on here and DEFEND the buffoon Mitt. There is no defense for this man. Unless you have your head completely buried in the sand you know this man isn't fit to lead a boy scout troup - much less a country.

Grow up and admit you've chosen not badly, but pathetically. You've chosen someone most of us wouldn't even call a man. The spoiled child you've decided to run for office has no use for anyone - unless he can actually USE them.

Obama/Biden 2012

In fact, lots of Republicans out there must be scratching their heads this morning trying to figure out what all the fuss is about.

What they should be scratching their heads about is just what Romney alluded to later. He gave up on 47% - fine! He'll get the 1% with his tax cuts for the rich. Romney himself said that he needs to get the people in the middle. How?

I am not part of that 47% that Romney detests so much. I pay more in taxes than Romney does, percentage-wise. I have never had to take advantage of government handouts. I don't hate Romney because he is rich. But it will be a cold day in hell before I vote for Mitt Romney. Why?

Until they can answer that question Republicans will not have my vote. Until Republicans can run a candidate with some integrity and sense instead of the clown posse that they put up this year with the saddest clown of all winning the brass ring as the presidential candidate they will not get my vote. Until they realize that much of that 47% that they claim doesn't pay taxes doesn't make enough to pay taxes because of failed Republican policies they won't get my vote. Unless and until they stop doing things to America and start doing things for America Republicans will not get my vote!

Alan J --

So explain to me, if there is so much welfare going to the red states and they are Romney's base, then why when he calls for cutting welfare is it a racist dog whistle?

Because that's how he intends it. As a matter of fact, this is the way he turns poor whites against blacks. He rants and raves and talks about welfare queens, which conjures up a certain image, and they're too foolish to realize he's really talking bout them.

I'm not usually a big fan of Bill Maher, but this is pretty instructive video about how it works --

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdfU7CetRKU

Watch it and then see what you think. The poorest state in the Union is also the most conservative.

And there's MUCH more than a tinge of racism about this.

Wishbone --

xabre, you do understand the difference between public unions and private unions, right?

I assume that xabre does not because he seems to be more liberal than not, and I certainly don't, so why don't you explain it to me before I go off to my day job where I deal with both.

Because I'd hate to make a horrible mistake by thinking that people are the same regardless of who employs them, and whether they have unions or not.

You're just another kind of bigot.

We all know someone who's working their butts off to make it and falls into this category.

For example -- If you know a single mother with a couple of kids who has a mortgage and works as a secretary, she's one of those 47%. Files single/head of household, three deductions, mortgage interest, maybe makes $30-35K plus child support.

She isn't lazy. She probably doesn't sleep much, either.

Fairfax Bill:

The guardians of the people's right to know are shocked, shocked I say, that Romney acknowledged there are some folks out there who will probably never vote for him. And the reason those folks won't vote for him is because their vision of America includes a degree of dependency on government that Romney opposes. Good grief, who knew?

Very lame attempt at damage control there, Bill. Mitt Romney said that 47% of all Americans are parasites who want the government to take care of them and won't take responsibility for their own lives.

And FYI: I've never taken a dime of government money, not even for college loans. I got a couple small scholarships and loans from Dad (as Romney recommended everyone ought to do). I've been lucky, but a lot of people have had less luck. However, I do have to admit that I am dependent on government for many things, such as roads and highways, ensuring the safety of food and drugs, clean air, etc. Even Mitt Romney is dependent on government for benefits such as those.

It's ironic that among those 47% of people who don't pay federal income taxes are many Republicans, who will probably vote for Romney despite his contempt for them.

Unbelievable, Undefenseable, and Unamerican.

Mitt Romney has really outdone himself this time. Apparently not satisifed with verbally attacking our US Embassy workers (who were still under physical attack), Romney has decided to attack almost half of America, telling them he is not worried about "those people" who "pay no income tax".

He insults almost half of the country - claiming that just becasue they pay no income tax they have no personal responsiiblity, won't take care of themselves, and are "victims" dependent on government.

As mentioned above in many other posts, the 47% who don't pay income tax are made up of seniors, the working poor, college students, and many others. Romney publically proclaims that it is not his job "to worry about those people".

We have a man running for President who verbally attacks Americans while they are under fire, then admits that if elected he will not worry about almost half of our fellow Americans.

How could anyone possibly excuse Romney's actions? Bill from Fairfax and Joe in Albany have no problems with defending Romney's divisive words, while NJNB does the usual deflection.

They are all three missing the point entirely. Romney is not making a call for personal responsibility or arguing that we have created an "entitlement society". Romney is doing what Republicans constantly accuse President Obama of doing - dividing the country.

Romney is not only admitting that almost half of the country will not vote for him, he is also admitting that he doesn't care and if elected will not worry about "those people". That has to be the most blatantly divisive statement I have ever heard a presidential candidate make.

The job of the President of the United States of America is to worry about ALL Americans - whether they voted for you or not, whether they pay taxes or not, whether they are Republicans or Democrats, rich or poor - it doesn't matter.

How can you possibly agree with or defend Romney's statements and still call yourself an American?

We're finally getting to know the greaselly weasel. Not a moment too soon, too.

No-one will mention that a majority of the states that lean on welfare, food stamps, SSI, Medicaid are RED STATES.. YES RED.. 9 out of 10 red states agree, we hate the government but love the GOP..

Its sad, that he defends himself and then lies about it. Whats even worse, is there are people who will defend this kind of crap because its the American way.

As it turns out, it is red states that are overwhelmingly the Welfare Queen States. Yes, that's right. Red States — the ones governed by folks who think government is too big and spending needs to be cut — are a net drain on the economy, taking in more federal spending than they pay out in federal taxes. They talk a good game, but stick Blue States with the bill.

Take a look at the difference between federal spending on any given state and the federal taxes received from that state. We measure the difference as a dollar amount: Federal Spending per Dollar of Federal Taxes. A figure of $1.00 means that particular state received as much as it paid in to the federal government. Anything over a dollar means the state received more than it paid; anything less than $1.00 means the state paid more in taxes than it received in services. The higher the figure, the more a given state is a welfare queen.

Read more: http://articles.businessinsider.com/2011-08-18/politics/30039546_1_blue-states-federal-taxes-red-states#ixzz26pUrIdcl

Of the twenty worst states, 16 are either Republican dominated or conservative states. Let's go through the top twenty.

• New Mexico: $2.03
• Mississippi: $2.02 R
• Alaska: $1.84 R
• Louisiana: $1.78 R
• West Virginia: $1.76 R
• North Dakota: $1.68 R
• Alabama: $1.66 R
• South Dakota: $1.53 R
• Kentucky: $1.51 R
• Virginia: $1.51 R
• Montana: $1.47 R
• Hawaii: $1.44
• Maine: $1.41
• Arkansas: $1.41 R
• Oklahoma: $1.36 R
• South Carolina: $1.35 R
• Missouri: $1.32 R
• Maryland: $1.30
• Tennessee: $1.27 R
• Idaho: $1.21 R

I'm not saying, just saying.. The GOP are to blame for Americas ills.. Just as much as religion is!

What is truly amazing to me is that people like Bill in VA; no joe (well, I guess that's not so amazing); WCA; have the audacity to come on here and DEFEND the buffoon Mitt. There is no defense for this man. Unless you have your head completely buried in the sand you know this man isn't fit to lead a boy scout troup - much less a country.

True, we should support a guy who thinks we're doing as well as can be expected. A man who wants more people on government assistance and actually spends taxpayer money to advertise the fact. I man who spends $1T more than is taken in for every year of his Administration and cannot come up with one program to cut (not even a cowboy poetry competition). You think this man is a good steward of your tax dollars? A man who sent 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan and will bring them home in 2014 having achieved nothing. A man who claims he will defend Social Security while at the same time cutting the funding for the program. A man who calls for teacher evaluation and promotion of the best, but remains silent while a union strikes against his policies. A man who is simply looking for re-election and hoping to borrow enough money to finish his term before the house of cards comes crashing down. The only goal of Obama's re-election is to be re-elected.

Good Morning all my beautiful, first read liberals I'm late to the party because my computer is freezing. Soon I will down load the software which will enable me to participate in all the fun.

Memo: Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Brooke Brower

Since "MYTH" Romney and the RepubliCOns love sequel like the ones in "Fast & Furious" why don't have Mark Halperin and John Heilemann write a sequel to Game Change entiled Game Over.

It's become clearer why Romney doesn't give details on just how he intends on fixing the economy, when every time he opens his mouth, he sticks his silver foot in it...

Romney has proven that he has no idea just what it takes to make an average living, to get up every day and go out and work for a pay check, to pay a mortgage send your kids to school and feed them... He was born rich and never had to work a day in his life... He's had thing done for him all his life... Now if he can only get someone to speak for him, he'll have a shot at being president...

Matt L, you nailed it:

Awfully tough words from a candidate who doesn't pay taxes either. Mitt Romney refuses to release more than 1 1/2 years of tax returns because, as he says, Democrats will find things to criticize him for in it. The returns he has showed us prove he only pays about 14% of his income in taxes.

And yet, he denigrates people who work in retail stores, nursing homes, day cares, restaurants, factories, and farms because they aren't contributing enough in taxes to reducing the deficit?

Paying taxes is not the only to contribute to society, although it would be nice if Romney paid more. I really think Mitt has no respect for the value of work. His values are totally skewered.

This is chump change compared to what is going on in the middle east right now. The middle east is what is going to blow a hole in Obama's re-election bid.

BTW, U.S. debt per person today $53,000

U.S. debt per person when Obama took office $31,000

per person, every man, woman, child. every 90 year old grandma, every homeless person, every struggling poverty class worker. THAT IS SCARY!

Harley Chic

NBC: Romney's brutal last three weeks.

Do not dismay Hardley a Chic, I have basically taken the week off to change my POV and become a RWNJ. News of success or failure to be reported this coming Monday.

I'll bet you anything that after 8 years of Obama we'll be in WAY better shape ...

Dork,

The point is that you can't make that arguement after 3.8 years. BTW, I'm not willing to risk my future on what an idiot would bet.

Sorry, i do not accept food stamps for collateral on a wager.

But you won't deny the fact that 8 out of the top 10 states for the "47%" are red, and one more is a swing state?

Wow.....what a man/woman.

It's a man, baby!

The debt is what i'm talking about, not deficit. For every $100 you send in for taxes, $48 goes to pay off interest. That is unmanagable, it is like going to a payday loan office, only worse...

FR:

Once again, Romney today isn’t campaigning in a battleground state; instead, he’s raising money. Get this: Romney’s last event in a battleground state was on Friday in Ohio, and it was just a single event. Compare that to Obama’s two rallies yesterday in Ohio (in Cincinnati and Columbus).

It's obvious that Romney's strategy doesn't depend much on traditional campaign rallies. Romney is depending on two things: enough dirty money from crazy billionaires to pay for TV ads that will bury the public in an avalanche of lies, and stopping minorities from voting by any means Republicans can get away with.

telling wealthy donors that “47%” of the country “who are dependent on government” and “who believe they are victims” will vote for Obama no matter what.

I have news for you, dude. Everyone is dependent on the government, including you. It's just that there are two kinds of people - people who understand that there is a worthwhile purpose to government and people who are too stupid to understand how necessary the government is in their lives, and how hard everyone's life would be without the government.

That's why you have morons who snicker and go on about how "government can do not good" and talk about how inefficient government is, completely failing to realize that most of the inefficiency of the US government comes from private industry - we outsource so many functions, of course our government is inefficient. We are paying for a hefty profit.

And that's excluding all the giveaways to the people who "yes, you did build that."

Maybe dangerfield can enlighten us, since the Libbies here seem to think it's in the bag, why with such a rotten candidate according to all of you folks, why oh why, isn't Obama running away with this?

I have asked that too WCA but Dangerfield has an equally good point with why Romney isnt in the lead. I do believe it's Media bias and lacke of vetting of Obama still. But dont ask me, I am just 'taking the path of least resistance because I am weak and a coward' .

Still with that said, Obama has a dismal record and won't run on it. Defend Romney? He's the challanger, but tell my left of castro crowd how much research did you do into your canidate. And its 4 years later. Hypocrisies yes.

My take on the video comments - Romney has written off 47% of the voters. While that may be acceptable politically, stupid but acceptable politically, it seems as if he has also given up on them as Americans. In so many words he labels them as liabilities; failing to even acknowledge their humanity. Instead they are merely takers and people to be villified for being on the government dole. In his mind they are people who have not worked and who care not to work or take responsibility for themselves. Obviously the right winger sees no fault in Romney's rationale and is actually feeling a rapturous delight that Romney has in their mind "Told it like it is." However, theirs is a completely false narrative. For one, all of those 47% are not on the dole or receiving government assistance. In addition I would be hard pressed to believe that even those receiving help believe they are not taking responsibility for themselves or their family as they work to make ends meet.

Does the working poor father working minimum wage under reduced hours not accept responsibility for his family? Is his service sector job or construction job or fill in the blank job not counted as a responsible occupation? Does the working poor single mom not accept responsibility when she sacrifices by working perhaps two jobs to provide for her children? Does the unemployed person through fault of a struggling economy not accept responsibility when they continue to look for work, borrow against their 401k or spend their emergency funds to stay afloat in the meantime?

As stated before, some that don't pay federal income tax are the elderly or the working poor or those in the shrinking middle class that don't make enough to pay taxes. However some of these folks also pay state taxes, sales taxes, payroll taxes, property taxes.

In my case, I pay roughly $7500 in payroll taxes, my wife $4000 in payroll, property, city county, school taxes close to $4500, no state taxes, and a 8.5% sales tax (combo state and local rate.) In addtion to this I am fortunate to make enough to pay federal income taxes in the low four figures.

In Romney's narrative, despite my post graduate degree and hard work for nearly 18 years in my profession, because of my economic and political beliefs I have not taken responsibility in my life. I believe that government plays a role in ensuring that there is a safety net and a helping hand for those that need temporary help to get back on their feet. Because I approve of social security, medicare and medicaid in lieu of bank bailouts and tax cuts for those that don't need them, Romney doesn't care about me.

Sorry Mr. Presidential candidate but you must care about all Americans to earn this job.

re #1.43: Claims that "SS = Already in red paying current seniors"

This statement is patently FALSE. While there are some issues making it necessary to redefine how much and what income level pays into the SS retirement fund, the claim above just shows ignorance of how government is financed and operates.

FROM: www.talkleft.com/story/2012/4/24/101422/577 Warning, this is a NUANCED argument, and requires looking at BOTH SIDES of the issue (which should be a debate so we all can solve the problem)

Kevin Drum writes:

I'm going to annoy a few of my fellow lefties and say that we should stop getting bent out of shape when people respond to the Trustees report by saying that Social Security is "going bankrupt" or "running dry" or some similar formulation. There's a hyperlegalistic sense in which this isn't accurate, but honestly, it would be a helluva dramatic event if the trust fund ran out of money and Social Security suddenly had to slash benefits by 25% in 2033 (see chart above). Referring to this as "bankruptcy" isn't all that big a rhetorical stretch, and everyone on both left and right should put away their fainting couches, ditch all the tired excuses, and get to work on a fix that would involve — say it in unison, folks! — a very modest and phased-in cut in benefits combined with a very modest and phased-in increase in taxes.

(Emphasis supplied.) Actually it is more than a "rhetorical stretch." It's a lie. And not for "hyperlegalistic" reasons. Let me explain why I think so on the flip.

Yes, bankruptcy and insolvency are "helluva dramatic event[s]." But sovereign nations who control their own currency don't go bankrupt or insolvent in the way the phrase is used with regard to Social Security.

How would Social Security become "insolvent" or go "bankrupt?" It can't in the true sense of the word. It can't in the governmental sense of the word either.

What Drum describes are choices for the government. Choices the government has with EVERY SINGLE PROGRAM it runs. Oh by the way, that includes the military. It includes Medicare. It includes funding for student loans for colleges. It includes enforcing the environmental laws.

It is a lie to say Social Security is "going bankrupt" or "insolvent" anymore than to say the military is going bankrupt. (Bold added by me)

Now, if Social Security is to be treated as a traditional pension fund, well then, let's be honest about THAT. But then let's also be honest about the deficits that tax cuts for the rich and military spending have caused. But no one talks about "bankruptcy" and "insolvency" when tax cuts are discussed. EVER.

So if the 47% who support Obama pay no taxes and the 47% who support Mitt are going to have their taxes reduced if he gets elected - sounds like the business genius might have to rethink his math.

A report released yesterday showed no evidence that reducing taxes on the wealthy trickled down to improve the economy - another reason to rethink your math, Mitt.

It seems clear that Mr. Romney if elected is going to ignore the vast majority and represent the gazillionaires who are funding his campaign.

I pay my fair share to Uncle Sam every year and consider it a privilege; voting for Obama a necessity.

Watch it and then see what you think. The poorest state in the Union is also the most conservative.

And there's MUCH more than a tinge of racism about this.

OK, I watched it. Yes the people interviewed were racist. Now, how is a statement about cutting welfare a dog whistle when as the majority here are pointing out it will affect many more white people that black people? Are you saying that the white people are too dumb to know that their welfare will be cut?

ahhhhh nothing like the smell of burnt toast in the morning.

obama 2012

Harley Chic

Sorry, i do not accept food stamps for collateral on a wager.

Look Chica,

You need more than food stamps for all the collateral damage you do by swallowing all the lies "MYTH" Romney tells. Haven't you heard "MYTH" Romney's Game is over?

When the debate times come President Obama and the networks will probably cancel them because there will be an empty chair. That'd be "MYTH" Romney!!!

4 more 4 44

Obama/Biden 2012

Alan NJ snarks:

True, we should support a guy who thinks we're doing as well as can be expected. A man who wants more people on government assistance and actually spends taxpayer money to advertise the fact.

President Obama never said he "wants" more people on government assistance. You're lying.

CAIRO (AP) — Al-Qaida's branch in North Africa on Tuesday called for attacks on U.S. diplomats and an escalation of protests against an anti-Islam video that was produced in the United States and triggered a wave of demonstrations and riots in the Middle East and beyond.

link - http://news.yahoo.com/al-qaida-threatens-attacks-us-diplomats-091835292.html

The blood of 4 Americans is on your hands Mr. President, please do something to step up security on our citizens serving abroad!

"Osama's dead, GM is alive" doesn't sit too well with these radicals!

Claims that "SS = Already in red paying current seniors"

This statement is patently FALSE. While there are some issues making it necessary to redefine how much and what income level pays into the SS retirement fund, the claim above just shows ignorance of how government is financed and operates.

I say ignorance right back at you. I did not say the trust fund was bankrupt (although there is no trust fund). What I said was that "Already in the red paying current seniors".

Some senior Democrats are claiming that Social Security does not contribute "one penny" to the federal deficit. That’s not true. The fact is, the federal government had to borrow $37 billion last year to finance Social Security, and will need to borrow more this year. The red ink is projected to total well over half a trillion dollars in the coming decade.

President Barack Obama was closer to the mark than some of his Democratic allies when he said that Social Security is "not the huge contributor to the deficit that [Medicare and Medicaid] are." That’s correct: Medicare and Medicaid consume more borrowed funds than Social Security, and their costs are growing more rapidly. But Obama’s own budget director, Jacob Lew, was misleading when he wrote recently that "Social Security benefits are entirely self-financing." That’s not true, except in a very narrow, legalistic sense, and doesn’t change the fact that Social Security is now a small but growing drain on the government’s finances.

http://www.factcheck.org/2011/02/democrats-deny-social-securitys-red-ink/

So, when I say that those of the 47% who pay Social Security are not financing the Federal Government I am 100% correct as their taxes are immediately used to pay current seniors.

So I would say you are the one who is ignorant. Explain to me why the President claimed that SS checks may not go out unless we can borrow more? (which he claimed during the debt ceiling debate) If the money is there and available up to 2037 then there should be no need to borrow anything right?

President Obama never said he "wants" more people on government assistance. You're lying.

But his administration has spent taxpayer dollars to advertise the eligibility of food stamps, correct? Why would they do this if they did not want an increase in recipients?

you're on fire Bev!

u go girl :)

The point is that you can't make that arguement after 3.8 years. BTW, I'm not willing to risk my future on what an idiot would bet.

Sure he can. It's trivial to make the argument that after 3.8 years, we don't have 10%+ unemployment, a frozen banking system, a stock market in free fall, and a country about to go off the cliff.

This is all so obvious, it barely needs mentioning, except to people who are too daft to see the obvious.

But then if they already understood how re-instating Bush's policies is a recipe for disaster, they would already be a liberal.

But his administration has spent taxpayer dollars to advertise the eligibility of food stamps, correct? Why would they do this if they did not want an increase in recipients?

So that they can keep people from going without food? Isn't that the whole purpose of food stamps?

Would you prefer that they let people who have a right to be fed starve? Why is this even an issue?

So, when I say that those of the 47% who pay Social Security are not financing the Federal Government I am 100% correct as their taxes are immediately used to pay current seniors.

Are you aware of what the term "fungible" means? Please look it up.

Americans: Obama's America has had a brutal last 3.8 YEARS.

... the numbers for Bush's last three months. Between October and November, 597,000 jobs were lost; between November and December, 681,000 were lost; and between December and January, 741,000 were lost.

August 30, 2012 -- The private sector created, on average, about 157,000 jobs a month in the past 29 months — a pace somewhat faster than population growth.

DJIA Dec 1, 2008 8149

DJIA Sep 17, 2012 13545

Dec. 29, 2008 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. corporate earnings fell for a sixth-straight quarter, the longest streak in at least 20 years, as consumer spending on automobiles, homes and retailers collapsed.

Jul 31, 2012 (Bloomberg) -- Profits for companies in the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index have grown for 10 straight quarters, helping to power the index to a more than twofold increase since March 2009.

Actually, things have been much better for the last 3.8 years. The years before that were brutal, however. Why in the hell would you want to bring that back?

NO APOLOGY AS Mitt "R-money" INSULTS ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY AND SOCIAL SECURITY RECIPIENTS

All right, there are 47 percent who are with him (Obama), who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you name it. That that's an entitlement. And the government should give it to them. And they will vote for this president no matter what," Romney said.

TYPES OF INCOME THAT ARE NOT SUBJECT TO FEDERAL INCOME TAXES- WHO ARE THE "47%"?

1) Active duty military- 1,468,364 million "entitled victims" and their freeloading families....

2) Social Security recipients- 62,000,000 million "entitled victims". Lazy bastards....back to work!

3) Disabled Americans - 13,981,000 "entitled victims" including children with severe disabilities. (Scum!)

4) Survivors receiving life insurance payouts- (slackards!)

5) Rich Republicans- who can derive their income from the following non-tax paying sources:

-give up to $13,000 gifts to each of their heirs

-sale of principal residences

-first $3,000 worth of capital losses

-municipal bond interest

But these non-taxpaying Republicans aren't "entitled victims". They're "entitled donors". Obama 2012

no joe, no bo, nj

We know your retired and don't pay tax so you are part of the people he talked about that relies on government.

RIGHT!!!!

HYPOCRITICAL MORE AND MORE EVERY MINUTE

Mitt Robmey wants to be President yet shows such contempt for the Middle Class and those that are disadvantaged????

Who are these freeloaders? Is it the Iraq war veteran who goes to the V.A.? Is it the student getting a loan to go to college? Is it the retiree on Social Security or Medicare?

No thanks. I'd rather not have America be one big Country Club catering to the rich only!!!

Are you aware of what the term "fungible" means? Please look it up.

Yes I am. Bit similar to federal funding of Planned Parenthood and them guaranteeing that no taxpayer money is used for abortion?

Dennis, Columbus, Ohio

Does Mitt Romney want to be President? Where is the fire in the belly?

... the fire is a little lower and behind him at the moment.

Or at least it should be. SOMEONE needs to light a fire under his a$$ or he's done.

Alan

I would argue that those red staters don't perceive THEIR entitlements to be entitlements. It is truly a perception deal. They are entitled to THEIR welfare; but not the other, less deserving, system abusing folks,...

Here, look at this article and tell me otherwise:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/12/us/even-critics-of-safety-net-increasingly-depend-on-it.html?pagewanted=all&_moc.semityn.www

We all know there are none so blind as those who will not see. How's your vision these days, Alan? Not quite 20/20, eh?

Good Luck on November 6th. I see Bill seems to be the only one carrying the water this morning,...he's actually applying lipstick to this pig and I do believe he'll be conducting singing lessons soon.

Bwwwwwwwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Good Luck, too, therefore, you BETCHA!

So that they can keep people from going without food? Isn't that the whole purpose of food stamps?

Would you prefer that they let people who have a right to be fed starve? Why is this even an issue?

And its good to know that people who are starving and without food are still able to see the Government Food Stamps commercials on the basic cable channels they run on.

But then if they already understood how re-instating Bush's policies is a recipe for disaster, they would already be a liberal.

So if Bushes policies are bad (and they are) and Obama's poilcies are similar and his suck (Keynesian?) tell me why vote for either canidate? Liberalism is bad, just like neo conservativism. Byron, the country is ailing, the current president has dont little to nothing to alleviate it and you guys come in daily saying he's saved the world. He hasn't saved anything. Romney lies sure but you dolts truly believe Obama is a silver tongue. That is why you guys are cultist. Whats the difference between Jim Jones and Obama really? Liberals want 1984, I want 1783.

And its good to know that people who are starving and without food are still able to see the Government Food Stamps commercials on the basic cable channels they run on.

its useless Alan, we live in a society that no longer has personal responsibility. Just wait till they defend how basic cable is now a basic necessity.

I want welfare to help people, not create a voting bloc. How dangerous.

A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent
form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that
voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public
treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who
promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every
democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always
followed by a dictatorship."

Response to #1.102: The SS trust fund is invested in Treasury bills, and all of them can't be redeemed at the same time as you may need a payout. Your question is disingenuine at best-yes, in 2037 the SS Trust fund SHOULD not need to borrow, but because of policies enacted by Saint Ronnie and his free markleteers, it will need to be "fixed".

FROM:penigma.blogspot.com/2011/03/who-spent-social-security-trust-fund.html

So..........where is the money, and who spent it? Having spent it, why the hell do they think it is acceptable to simply say, so sad, too bad, and for the government not to pay it back?

Lets take a look at when the money started being spent. That would take us back to George H.W. Bush. It continued under the next president, Bill Clinton; but to his credit, Clinton presided over a booming economy, and handed over a surplus to the Shrub, George 'Dubya' Bush. And that appears to be where the spending went nuts, blowing the balance of the Social Security money with his wars and most of all, with his ill-conceived tax cuts ---- the ones that benefit the wealthy very few, so very, very much more than anyone else.

So lets take a look at the money, the missing money, and who paid in that money. Because the people who paid in that money to Social Security have every right to be angry, and to demand that the money be repaid rather than be told they are out of luck.

"Despite these promises, President Bush has been raiding the trust fund since he took office," Smith said, "and he no longer tries to conceal what he has done. In an effort to muster support for his privatization proposal, he has been openly admitting to the raiding of the fund."

"There may be 'no trust' when it comes to Bush's handling of Social Security money," Smith argued, "but there most certainly is a trust fund. That fund is empty today because President Bush has used the money to pay for tax cuts, the war in Iraq, and many other programs. So, instead of trying to blame the baby boomers for Social Security's current problems, Bush should stop spending Social Security money on other programs and repay the money he has already spent."

Let that spending of the Social Security Trust Fund become part of the George W. Bush failed presidential legacy. Let the Boomers take the lead in condemning him to history; I'm sure we won't be the last, or the only ones to do so. And Tea Partiers, like Rand Paul? Be on notice, about that missing money? Better start coming up with ways to pay it back, not change the goal posts on us.

BTW, U.S. debt per person today $53,000

U.S. debt per person when Obama took office $31,000

Are you counting the two wars and the unfunded mandate? Keeping them off the books till Obama came into office doesn't mean that the debt doesn't have to be paid.

per person, every man, woman, child. every 90 year old grandma, every homeless person, every struggling poverty class worker. THAT IS SCARY!

Of course it is scary. You know what is scarier? Adding 5 trillion to the debt like Romney wants to do.

The Republicans have never been good at either math or accounting, that is why they somehow seem convinced that Romney/Ryan's plan of adding 5 trillion of debt is somehow a Good Thing.

And then, of course, you have this jewel of wisdom from Vice President Chaney:

( From http://www.ontheissues.org/2004/Dick_Cheney_Budget_+_Economy.htm )

Former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill was told "deficits don't matter" when he warned of a looming fiscal crisis.

O'Neill, fired in a shakeup of Bush's economic team in December 2002, raised objections to a new round of tax cuts and said the president balked at his more aggressive plan to combat corporate crime after a string of accounting scandals because of opposition from "the corporate crowd," a key constituency.

O'Neill said he tried to warn Vice President Dick Cheney that growing budget deficits-expected to top $500 billion this fiscal year alone-posed a threat to the economy. Cheney cut him off. "You know, Paul, Reagan proved deficits don't matter," he said, according to excerpts. Cheney continued: "We won the midterms (congressional elections). This is our due." A month later, Cheney told the Treasury secretary he was fired.

It's fascinating how deficits are always a big problem - whenever a Democrat is in office, but the same deficits are OK when a Republican is in office.

It's sad how you people don't even realize your own hypocrisy.

Nice post MkeMike. Thanks for listing the 47% Romney and the rest of the Republicans like to trash.

Ignorant Republicans will be the downfall of their Party.

I would argue that those red staters don't perceive THEIR entitlements to be entitlements. It is truly a perception deal. They are entitled to THEIR welfare; but not the other, less deserving, system abusing folks,...

So you do think white people are too dumb to understand its their welfare? If you don't then there is no racist dog whistle and that was a phony accusation.

Are you counting the two wars and the unfunded mandate? Keeping them off the books till Obama came into office doesn't mean that the debt doesn't have to be paid.

The wars and Medicare D were not kept of the debt. The wars were kept off-budget so that the deficit would look smaller but the money still had to be borrowed and there added to the debt.

Post 1.20 "So explain to me, if there is so much welfare going to the red states and they are Romney's base, then why when he calls for cutting welfare is it a racist dog whistle?"

I honestly can't recall Romney being called racist for wanting to cut funding to welfare programs. However, it's definitely not unusual for conservatives to castigate all those who receive government assistance as being part of a non-white minority race, which in itself is very racist.

Bill, Fairfax VA 1.4,
You must be dizzy! You spin and spin more than a Whirling Dirvish. Don't like facts, spin baby spin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So if Bushes policies are bad (and they are) and Obama's poilcies are similar and his suck (Keynesian?) tell me why vote for either canidate? Liberalism is bad, just like neo conservativism. Byron, the country is ailing, the current president has dont little to nothing to alleviate it and you guys come in daily saying he's saved the world. He hasn't saved anything. Romney lies sure but you dolts truly believe Obama is a silver tongue. That is why you guys are cultist. Whats the difference between Jim Jones and Obama really? Liberals want 1984, I want 1783.

If you really think "the current president has dont little to nothing to alleviate" it, then you don't really have a say.

If you are, by now, incapable of enumerating the things that Obama has done to save the economy, then you have no right to be heard. This has been explained to you ad infinitum. You seem to have some sort of mental block against understanding the simplest, most obvious facts.

Sure, if you ignore the reality, then we must appear like cultists. But that is on you, not on us.

TeaTards are in denial here. Just go out and buy some more guns to make your insecure selves feel better .... LOL

(P.S. here's hoping that Mitt Robmey takes the stinking Tea Party down with him!!)

Response to #1.102: The SS trust fund is invested in Treasury bills, and all of them can't be redeemed at the same time as you may need a payout. Your question is disingenuine at best-yes, in 2037 the SS Trust fund SHOULD not need to borrow, but because of policies enacted by Saint Ronnie and his free markleteers, it will need to be "fixed".

So, you do agree there is no trust fund, only paper accounting. Now you say it needs to be fixed. Great, we have a current deficit of $1T. We have 10,000 new retirees into SS and Medicare every day. We have a President who claims that we don't have to raise taxes on those earning less than 250K (family) or 200K (individual). What is your proposal to fix it?

And BTW I agree that GWB is responsible for starting the problem but the current Administration has been no better.

Sirie-

I was going to respond to your post about the deficit by asking which candidate's plan had a more realistic chance of reducing the deficit:

1) The Romney plan that cuts taxes, increases military spending, and relies on undetermined tax reform and spending cuts.

2) The Obama plan that increases revenue and decreases spending.

Then you posted a link to a news article about Al Quada calling for increased attacks and protests in retaliation for an anti-Isalm video, and somehow turned that into a disgraceful attack on President Obama:

The blood of 4 Americans is on your hands Mr. President, please do something to step up security on our citizens serving abroad!

Your preferred candidate, Mitt Romney, verbally attacked "our citizens serving abroad" while they were still physically under attack by an angry Egyptian mob in an attempt to score cheap political points.

You would prefer to blame our President instead of the terrorists who committed the violent acts? It sounds like Romney is indeed the candidate for you......

Ask yourself this, of the 47% who pay no Federal income tax, how many are also Republicans? Almost half?

Ask yourself this, of the 47% who pay no Federal income tax, how many are also Republicans? Almost half?

Anna Molly linked a map earlier in this thread.

its useless Alan, we live in a society that no longer has personal responsibility. Just wait till they defend how basic cable is now a basic necessity.

Really? A republican talks about taking responsibility? The same group of people who go "I got mine and the infrastructure that I used to get it can now go to heck." Give me a break.

Dear Mr. Romney,

I am a 62 year old white male. I am an independent. I have been married to the same woman for 32 years and I have a beautiful daughter with one Master's Degree and she is working on her second Master's Degree. I am intelligent and can think for myself. I have been working since I was 12 years old, and I'm still working. I pay for my own food, health care and shelter. I do not regard myself as a victim. I do not regard myself as entitled to anything I have not earned or paid for through a lifetime of work. I pay my taxes, at 34%, not 15%. I do not have any off-shore bank accounts.

I am the 47% who will proudly stand by the President.

You're not-so-cleverly coded message to your $50,000 a plate donors can be easily decoded. What you are saying to them is, "The lazy, black, welfare entitlement crowd are going to vote for their black welfare President no matter what. I need good, god-fearing, wealthy white people like you ($50,000 dollar a plate donors) to overcome that 47%, welfare deadbeat base vote in order to become YOUR President." Funny, I don't see myself in that description, do you?

Well, Mr. Romney, I'd like to thank you for your bluntness and honesty. You said you'd start giving us "details" this week and so you have. You've shown us your strategy for gaining the White House and you've shown us your true heart. Thank you.

I'm sorry to tell you, you won't be occupying the White House. Tell Ann she can stop thinking of herself in terms of "The First Lady", and stop interviewing decorators, it's not going to happen. I guess she'll just have to buy herself a new Cadillac as a consolation for her disappointment. The two of you can plan a vacation to the Caymans and Switzerland to visit your money. I'm sure that will help to ease the disappointment you must be feeling and will feel after your humiliating defeat in November.

It's really very sad, all that money, all that ambition, all those hopes and dreams you and the LDS church had for the first Mormon President and it can't buy you the one thing you want most in this world. The White House.

It must suck to be you.

Sincerely,

Skip Nicholson, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

PS. Obama/Biden 2012

Oh, and PPS ...love the pink flamingo's gang.

Alan, NJ

Sorry but the "cowboy poetry funding" is a straw man. Your belief that Obama wants to see more people on government assistance is not true - please provide a quote. Yes he has asked to extend unemployment benefits but he wants to do this to make sure people do not get worse, lose a house, not be able to pay their bills. He is not extending the benefits to ensure dependency. Come now Alan you don't believe that do you?

To speak to your other points raised. Yes Afganistan is a mess and we should have left after OBL was dealt with. Yes the surge in Afganistan has not mattered, wasteful and no purpose in the immediate future. To stay and not do dual or training mission with our supposed allies defeats the purpose for being there. Yes when we leave, I give it 6 to 9 months before Karzai's corrupt govt. falls.

Obama's SS payroll tax holiday should end, it hurts the program and is not worth the extra $20 to $40 bucks. Spending must be dealt with but at this turning point in our economy massive deficits unfortunately should only be curbed gradually with more income and less spending. Even your guy Romney admits he can't cut spending too drastically or it will hurt the economy. Unfortunately he thinks that modest spending cuts are $500 billion a year.

Although far from perfect I chose Obama. Despite my concern over the Afgan build up, the NDAA, the Patriot Act extensions, the Libyan conflict, the Bush/Obama tax cuts and the SS payroll tax holiday. Quick note, Obama should not interfere with a local strike, if he would the right wingers would cry about a government takeover. Instead, as he correctly sits on the sidelines they scream about inaction. Hypocritical, no?

edit

Man after that list do you understand how bad Romney has to be for it to be such a clear choice. I still stand for Obama to be re-elected because the other guy is not competent to serve.

Obama is not a good candidate! Liberals and their media elite new line is "Romney is not a good candidate. They speak in unison with a single forked tongue.

Obama has failed:
1. The economy
2. Foreign affairs
3. Israel
4.God of Issac
5. Mexicans

If you really think "the current president has dont little to nothing to alleviate" it, then you don't really have a say.

If you are, by now, incapable of enumerating the things that Obama has done to save the economy, then you have no right to be heard. This has been explained to you ad infinitum. You seem to have some sort of mental block against understanding the simplest, most obvious facts.

Sure, if you ignore the reality, then we must appear like cultists. But that is on you, not on us

you cant explain it, it has not been explained ad infinitum, its been excused ad naseum. For the record deficits under a republican are no more or less exceptable than under a democrat one.

800Bil went where? to keep the unemployment under 11%, 15%, 50%? There is no proof of that but you guys lock step say the same thing day in day out. 8+% unemployment and that is ok? Its actually higher but you ignore the most common of sense. keep defending the indefensible.

then you have no right to be heard.

wow shocked. You have no right to be heard if you dont drink the kool aid. Yes those that dont agree with Obama or his failed policies are Zombies. What an asisine belief you have. I'll give an example of wet behind the ears this guy is. Obama got a Peace Prize because he wasn't Bush. Other than that, he has done nothing to usher in Peace anywhere. He can't even get along with Republicans. He fails to work with Congress for the good of the nation. COMPROMISE DUMMIES! neither side will get soley what they want nor should they

The same group of people who go "I got mine and the infrastructure that I used to get it can now go to heck."

get over that. Roads were private funds before the gov came around. Victory Highway, Lincoln Highway way before the USDOT. RR's OWNED the Gov but were private entities. Don't fool yourself.

you conveniently ignore this

A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent
form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that
voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public
treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who
promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every
democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always
followed by a dictatorship."

Good day

Well Anna Molly, you certainly don't wear desperation well. It's been a tough few months for you hasn't it?

Now you are calling me a bigot. That is rich. You who seems to see racism in everything lately. You know, some would say that is just another kind of bigot, AM.

And come on now, you surely know the difference between public and private unions, don't ya AM? Why don't you explain to xabre who pays public union employees and who negotiates for those who are doing the paying?

Mitt Romney demonstrated the true problem with Republicans. They truly do believe that the only people voting for Democrats are also the exact same 47% of people who paid no federal income tax last year. What the Republicans fail to realize is that the majority of those who paid no federal taxes fall into one of a few groups; they may be retired and their income consists of Social Security and some retirement funds, they are people whose income falls below the threshold for paying taxes, or they may be very wealthy, yet have offsetting deductions which reduce taxable income (like dancing horses.)

Other than the last group, what is not understood is why anyone WOULD vote Republican. The modern Republican party has gone to such extremes that effectively they have decided that the only group that matters are the ones who will give them money to help them get reelected.

While President Obama is trying to do what is best for ALL Americans, Mitt Romney and the Republican party truly have a policy which treats half of the country as if it should just go off and DIE. The Republican cuts to Medicare and Medicaid are just the beginning. If you liked the feudalism of the dark ages, just vote Republican.

# 1 130 So, you do agree there is no trust fund, only paper accounting

NO, I do not agree. There IS a trust fund (2.2 Trillion in fact), holding Treasury bills backed with the full faith and credit of the United States is EXACTLY the same thing as your pension or 401 k fund. If EVERY person required payout TODAY, not all of you woudl get full payout. On one hand, you act as if you understand government related investing, but on the other hand, you pretend not to so you can obfuscate the facts in order to fit your narrative.

Ansd, what would I do to fix it? it is simple, increase the cap on SS to $250, 000 or $1,000,000 (from $108,000) of earned income as Senataor Bernie Sanders has a bill (s. 1558) sitting in comittee. this makes SS solvent until 2075.

strengthensocialsecurity.org/media/blog/2011/sanders%E2%80%99-bill-s-1558-guarantees-social-security-for-75-years

Absolutely hilarious! Obama's lib lemmings think that Romney committed a big boner that will kill his election chances. In reality, he simply told the truth; eveything he said is fact. 47% do not pay income tax, many of them are sucking at the federal government teat, and they will vote blindly for the man most responsible for their being able to live at the public trough. Where's the controversy?

Grover Dorkquist: Your contention that seniors will not vote for Romney is the stupidest thing I've heard lately. A major percentage of the Tea Party are senior citizens. Additionally, a whole bunch of us built a comfortable life through hard work, and resent the hell out of Obama's giveaway programs for deadbeats.

A republican talks about taking responsibility?

this statement irks me due to the simple arrogance. I dont speak of responsibility as a republican, I dont speak of responsibility as a democrat. I speak as an American. Americans are responsible. Its not a simple democrat or repub, con or liberal issue. Both sides display irresponsibility.

@YellowDog

The poetry competition was simply an example of how this Administration cannot cut anything. It's often said, it takes Republicans to raise taxes and democrats to cut entitlements. Even after the failed deal with Bohner, there was nothing to stop Obama from proposing some cuts from that deal. Imagine the political gain if he showed leadership and said "For the good of the country I am still going ahead with cuts that I believe are necessary for the fiscal good of the country". But no, he is simply a political animal. As to the expansion of food stamps, why is his Administration advertising on TV and Radio if they do not want to increase the number of beneficiaries? To say the timing is suspect, just like the amnesty to the DREAMers, is too cute.

I think we are both in the same boat in that we have an Establishment party with two wings, neither of which are desirable. I did a quiz over the weekend to find out which candidate is closest to my opinions and Gary Johnson was the winner. Romney was second but Obama was closest on domestic issues.

On the Chicago strike, what the school board is proposing is the same policies promoted by Arnie Duncan. Is it politically embarrassing to the President, you bet. That's why he is silent on the issue because its lose-lose for him. Now do you think if it was Romney that the media would be so quiet on this issue?

Alan you are being absolutely ridiculous today.

You are entitled to your harsh criticism but seriously you cannot be that biased.

First you try to detract from this debate by bringing up the Chicago strikers that are completely unrelated in terms of the PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION . (Education is an important issue I am specifically relating the Chcago strike to the current election). Then you come up with a laundry list of your problems with the president which is comprised of a bunch of issues that the Republican ideas do not solve, like the war.

You also seem to go on complaining about the people who don't pay taxes, blaming the Democrats, when it was Republican tax cutting policies that allowed these entitlements. To fix this issue you are telling us to vote against Barack Obama and elect those who's clearest message is more tax cuts? All of this to fix our deficit? I can make ZERO sense of that. Who cares if Republicans cut programs if they start wars? Wars do not reduce the deficit. Please clarify to me how Mitt Romney, and his pro war/pro defense rhetoric, will get us to a better fiscal situation, I don't see it.

I have heard some of your personal positions, and many of them are reasonable. What I cannot accept is how you present is as if the Republicans are for them and the Democrats are against them. A little balance would be nice.

NO, I do not agree. There IS a trust fund (2.2 Trillion in fact), holding Treasury bills backed with the full faith and credit of the United States is EXACTLY the same thing as your pension or 401 k fund. If EVERY person required payout TODAY, not all of you woudl get full payout. On one hand, you act as if you understand government related investing, but on the other hand, you pretend not to so you can obfuscate the facts in order to fit your narrative.

What are you talking about? My 401(k) rises and falls based on the value of the assets. If a company in my 401(k) fails then the asset is worth nothing. Similarly, when a call is made on a treasury and there is no money to redeem it how is the holder to be paid? Currently when a treasury matures it is rolled over, in other words the Government borrows the money again. But what happens in the case where the government can borrow no more, as in the debt crisis or what is happening to Southern Europe right now. The asset becomes worthless. We are running $1T deficit right now. As these treasuries are required to meet the needs of retirees where is the money going to come from?

It is pretty scary and a shame Romney is even in position to possibly be President. The President is supposed to represent the interests of ALL Americans. Not just the wealthy.

Alan, as Akeem said, you are being ridiculous today. It appears both of us know that the SS fund needs to be fixed in order to pay out 100% benefits after 2030. One way to fix it is through S 1558 as I referred to above. Most economists agree with Sanders et al on that idea, and in effect it is politics NOT economics which get in the way of fixing SS. Also, lest others get confused, the United States as a soverign nation which prints it's own currency and is the currency of trade for over 120 countries IS NOT EVER GOING TO BE LIKE SOUTHERN EUROPE.

FROM: thehill.com/opinion/op-ed/103365-comparisons-between-us-greece-are-overblown

The Greek fiscal crisis has often been cited by deficit hawks in the United States as a warning of what will happen here if we do not correct our profligate ways. This makes about as much sense as holding up Bernie Madoff’s fund as a warning for bad things happening to TIAA-CREF.....

While there are many grounds for complaining about both the budgetary process and outcomes, it is silly to build on analogies with Greece that simply don’t fit. Our short-term deficit is overwhelmingly a story of an economy that was badly weakened by the collapse of the housing bubble. The deficit is making up for the enormous loss of private sector demand. If we could simply snap our fingers and make the deficit disappear, we would be rewarded with a weaker economy and higher unemployment....

Over the long-term, the deficit horror stories are driven almost entirely by projections of exploding health care cost growth. If per person healthcare costs were comparable to those in any other wealthy country we would be looking at enormous budget surpluses, not deficits....

The Greek tragedy might be a compelling story of corruption and sorrows, but it tells us nothing about the U.S. budget situation. We would be better off worrying about our own problems.

Hey Akeem

I bring up the Chicago strike because it is politically embarrassing for the President. That's just a bit of nose tweeking.

As to you other points, I agree it was the Bush tax cuts that created the 47%. His tax cuts were extremely progressive. What I am arguing is that Obama wants to keep the majority of these tax cuts but offers no cuts to pay for them. How is that any different from Bush? Romney wants to cut tax rates but will also remove exemptions to make the change revenue neutral. The TPC has an analysis that if everything is on the table this approach will come out to around 40B short from current revenues, but it is hoped that will be made up through economic growth. In addition Romney offers to cut government spending. Now do I think this believable? Actually I think both approaches are economic fantasy but the idea of reforming the tax code is appealing more than the status quo. It's not much but it is something.

On the idea of war with Iran, I think whoever is President is going to make that call. As one pundit put it, as much as you complain about the cost of a war, what is the economic cost of Iran getting the bomb. This is a theocracy that has called for the end to Israel, and their President does not sound rational to me. Now, I am no fan of Israel, but if I was an Israeli, I would take the threat very seriously, and it was a word Dick Cheney threw around with no justification, but it is an extensional threat.

It's beginning to look like maybe Governor Romney is really an President Obama plant. Could he do any more to mess up his own campaign?

S 1558

Wow, didn't see that solution from Bernie Sanders. Out of the Box thinking. Tax the rich an extra 6%. Doesn't even offer a lockbox or any asset back securities so that the current congress can simply spend this excess as well.

As I say, you tax the rich at 99% and it isn't enough to keep this government going.

Usually, Greatest Hits is a good thing. With Wrongme, they are self inflicted.

LOL at the 53% President! Good luck with the way it is going for ya, Willard!

Wait until the debates. Obama is going to pull away like a Ferrari from Anne's therapy horse.

Alan

sadly, given the HISTORY, any time a Republican injects the Welfare disdain,...it is code - like I just illustrated for you,...the recipients of 'entitlements' ALWAYS think the disdain is for those 'others' - NEVER themselves.

The only welfare abuser I ever knew personally worked for me at my last job. She always had a man with an income in her house; three kids, three dads, one or two in prison at a time. On welfare at all times. She would bitch and cuss about the black welfare queens. She was white as the driven snow. And NEVER, not one time did she think she was part of the problem. PERCEPTION is such an interesting concept in the uneducated mind. And Mitt blows that dog whistle every chance he gets. You pretending not to hear it or see it, does NOT make it less true!

Alan - I don't know anything about Gary Johnson, but if he is your guy, so be it. Seriously, I'm glad you have found a candidate who you can support. I never would vote 3rd party because not sure one will ever win, frankly none have run that I could support. However, maybe we do need a strong candidate or some type of platform that gets people to make the Big two work together out of a fear of losing votes.

Despite the ire I may get from my fellow liberals, Chicago teachers need to settle already. Get back to work and start earning your paychecks. The strike is giving organized labor a black eye. This should have been dealt with before school. The teacher's union better review the terms and accept them today. Observation, I glanced the cable news shows the other day, MSNBC speaking all about the Romney Video, Fox still rolling footage of the burning embassy in Libya, CNN keeping them honest about the teacher's strike. It seems each network is only reporting on one of the major stories of the last week.

This strike is being taken about as favorably as OWS to the general public. While both may have had legitimate complaints and issues, to the everyday Joe/Jane they see them as radical.

#1.149: Actually I think both approaches are economic fantasy but the idea of reforming the tax code is appealing more than the status quo. It's not much but it is something.

Alan, this is something which I agree with you. Reforming the tax code should happen and probably never will regardless of what each candidate/party does. My major concern is if they do away with the tax credit for property taxes on mortgages that they also do away with calling investment income capital gains taxed at 15% and up that tax to 25% or simply tax everything at the rate which the taxpayer falls. (i.e.if you are in the 35% bracket, then ALL of your income (earned AND cap gains) gets taxed at that bracket)

#1,151 Doesn't even offer a lockbox or any asset back securities so that the current congress can simply spend this excess as well.

Now you have me laughing! When Gore offered up the lockbox approach in 2000 where were you then? I voted for Gore based on his understanding of government economics NOT on any other issue. The lies told to the public about Al Gore during that election make Mitt Rmoneys lies seem "amatuerish".

I have to leave the discussion to go to a clients and fix their computers. Unbeknownst to most of you righties, most lefties have jobs and work and pay taxes too!

@JoAnne in PA

*sigh* I hate to nitpick, but funds you receive from Social Security and Medicare are NOT your own money paid back to you. Social Security and Medicare are a 'pay it forward' structure, in that your payments go directly to those receiving that money now, and when you receive it, it will be paid by your children. It is not like a 401k where you pay into it, have your own funds there, and receive them back later.

It may seem like a trivial distinction, but it directly feeds that notion of entitlement for those social programs and the money paid out from them.

I honestly can't recall Romney being called racist for wanting to cut funding to welfare programs. However, it's definitely not unusual for conservatives to castigate all those who receive government assistance as being part of a non-white minority race, which in itself is very racist.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-08-31/romney-campaign-mutes-the-racial-dog-whistles-for-tampa.html

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HY7sGbg3LQc

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/22/1122929/-AP-hints-that-Romney-could-be-race-baiting-in-continued-welfare-nbsp-lies

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0912/80677.html

First, I will openly state I few that many of those who are on welfare and denounce it are too dumb to understand that it will have a drastic effect on their lives.

The war on Iran, I understand your argument but I do not agree with it. I do not think that cost is worth it. 10 years ago my opinion would differ, but given our own financial condition I think the days of playing super hero against hypothetical events are over.

As far as the Chicago strike, I think that is a useless claim to hold against the President. His opponent, with all his flip flops, has many more instances of the same. Where his previous record and policies do not align with what he claims now. He also chooses not to talk about it

On the taxes, I just do not think the Republicans are being as generous as you claim. I feel that they will simply not go through with a majority of the deductions they claim. The idea that they all favor separating capital gains income from regular income already shows how genuine they are when it comes to a fair tax system. I think the progressive marginal tax system is the best there is. I can explain it but my reasons would be a short essay.

I think my big issue is given how much of an impact it would be, to support a candidate for such a plan EVERY tax deduction that will be eliminated should be stated. I can't take Mitt as his word that he may look in to the possibility of potentially cutting municipal bond interest if it is necessary.

I think E.T. said it best . . . "OOUUCH!"

Talk about the candidate who opens mouth and inserts foot...REPEATEDLY!

Poor Wong Way Womney!

While I disagree with the premise of the arguments made here, I can certainly understand the Democrats using the (admittedly) poorly worded staterment made to a Republican group. It's perfect fodder to drop on an uninformed public and it'll sway a few more votes. To that I say mission accomplished.

As to the statement made, I certainly can see what he meant and why he presented it that way to group he thought was in his camp. Romney clearly was illuding to the strength of the President's base and the extremely unlikely chance that they might switch their vote for him. That's why he indicated that the intended audience was the gap between the two parties- the independent voters. As to the 47% not paying federal income taxes, he's correct. As to the President's followers depending (and liking to depend) on government- that's where the problem arises. He was feeding red meat to a friendly audience and got nicked. I think it's no different than the President espousing elitism, racism, sexism, etc. to a friendly crowd of his own. Mind you that the President has Chris Matthews doing just that daily on TV so his platform is seen by more people.

Do I think that Romney has distain for the poor- no. Do I think Romney is out to get the poor- no. Purely rhetoric for an election and spin by both parties as needed. All I can offer is God help us no matter who's elected.

To give you one sign of hope for the future, one of my young children was able to have a rational discussion about the election and the different perspectives on government size, taxation, personal responsibility, and what is best for the country. She noted why is it ok for the government to take more away from working people and give it to the poor. I explained that a safety net is a good thing, but there are limits to how much you have to pay and when it makes you want to work less (noting studies). Using the example of $100- if you earn $20 you'll need that to live, so you can't afford to pay more than say $2-3 in taxes. If you make $50, then you are asked to pay more to help those below you/for you if you need it later and support the cost of government, so you might pay $20 and so forth based on what you make. At some point you cross those lines where you are asked to pay more because you make more. If you cross that line, say $60 is where it jumps from 30% to 40% and you get a raise from $59 to $60, then many people will start to realize that they were better paying the $17.70 for the $59(take home = $41.30) earned than the $24 for making $60(take home = $36). They'll decide that they'd rather work a bit less and have more to take home- that's taxation limiting interest in working harder. A kid can get that, why not politicians??

Is this the best MSNBC can do?

Printing more and more headlines that have nothing to do with news or the issues, and just trying to attack Romney every minute of every day, by not reporting the news???

What about the entire Muslim world going up in flames right now despite Obama's outreach to Muslims?

What about Afghanistan slipping away and falling slowly into the hands of the Taliban?

What about Iran getting close to a nuclear bomb while Obama is busy going to celebrity fund raisers?

WHAT ABOUT THE ECONOMY???

.

Is that all you have MSNBC?

Is that all you've got?

.

OBAMA HAS FAILED!

TIME TO KICK HIM OUT!

Romney is living on the government dime too. He's paying less than 15% in income tax while the Middle Class is paying 25%. That's 10% welfare from the hard working in this country to the rich.

The tax rates are WAAAYYYY too low for the upper 3% in the country. In the 50s and 60s, the tax rate was as high as 90% on income. AND THE RICH DID OK DURING THOSE TIMES TOO. Why do they need to squeeze even more equity out of the country? Don't they have enough? Their moral compass is broke.

This scare mongering about the debt and huge government started as soon as Obama was elected. Part of their plan (which included obstructing the government) to make sure he was a 1 term president. Is the government any bigger now than it was? NO. They have laid off tens of thousands who now don't have any disposable income to buy goods and services in our economy. The rich get richer and the idiot right christian concervatives keep pushing for more of the same.

@Clara

Watch the movie Freakanomics. They discuss the thesis of paying High School kids money to improve their grades. They follow a white kid and a black kid (nothing to do with race) to see if the incentives work. After the first week the white kid has given up. His grades fall back to D's and E's and he has some cockamamie idea about joining the marines (as if they would even accept him). At the same time he has all the comforts, x-box, cell phone etc. He has a life of welfare before him because he is unemployable. On the other hand the black kid succeeds, pulls his grades up, takes pride in his success. So personally, I don't see it a racial issue I see it as a math issue because there is too much money going out and not enough coming in. Now I can argue with Yellow, Ahkeem and FZknew as to where taxes end and cuts start but I've had enough of dog whistles and racism.

The guy is right those 47% probably wont vote for him why should they progressive/communists offer to take care of them for votes .Like Heroin addicts they keep coming back. The progressive/communists get to destroy this once great country even further. Theres no self respect. We should go back to the days of making it uncomfortable and embarrassing for people to use goverment services. Ben Franklin had a brilliant quote “I am for doing good to the poor, but...I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it. I observed that the more public provisions were made for the poor, the less they provided for themselves, and of course became poorer. And, on the contrary, the less was done for them, the more they did for themselves, and became richer.” Another good one “Sloth makes all things difficult, but industry all easy; and he that riseth late must trot all day, and shall scarce overtake his business at night; while laziness travels so slowly, that poverty soon overtakes him.” Why are countries like Russia, North Korea, China still behind? because of communism. That being said we do need to do better a better job of bringing jobs back to the United States from China. We may see that now with China's recent problems with their economy. The communists rulers are doing a delicate balance of trying to control thier population and are slowly losing control. Now China is ramping up anti-Japan furor as a diversion to the people and thier problems. We need to build things here again get some manufacturing back especially in rural areas get people out of the poison of the big city. Not everyone is suited to going to college like our great dear leader wants. Romney is right hes not going to get votes from people that want free stuff.

Joe your example doesn't work and shows you how many are ignorant in our tax code. Barring any deductions or special rules EVERYONE is taxed the SAME on EVERY DOLLAR earned.

in your example lets use rates of 30% and 40% and like you said 50 dollars is where you pay taxes. When you get that promotion to 60 dollars your first 59 is taxed the same (30%) only your 1dollar you make to get to 60 will be taxed at 40%. This would lead to a total tax liability of 18.1 dollars with take home pay of 41.9. This is an efective tax rate of 30.1666%. In your scenario your tax rate increased by .2 of a percent.

you are always better of making the next dollar in a marginal system.

@YellowDog Gary Johnson was the result of quiz. Living in NJ my vote is actually irrelevant.

@Ahkeem

First, I will openly state I few that many of those who are on welfare and denounce it are too dumb to understand that it will have a drastic effect on their lives.

No Comment (but probably true)

The war on Iran, I understand your argument but I do not agree with it. I do not think that cost is worth it. 10 years ago my opinion would differ, but given our own financial condition I think the days of playing super hero against hypothetical events are over.

I don't think the next President will be given a choice. However, if Romney is elected Iran might think twice because he is more bellicose.

As far as the Chicago strike, I think that is a useless claim to hold against the President. His opponent, with all his flip flops, has many more instances of the same. Where his previous record and policies do not align with what he claims now. He also chooses not to talk about it

Come on. This is Democrats fighting Democrats. Republicans should be pulling the President into the mud on this one. That's politics.

On the taxes, I just do not think the Republicans are being as generous as you claim. I feel that they will simply not go through with a majority of the deductions they claim. The idea that they all favor separating capital gains income from regular income already shows how genuine they are when it comes to a fair tax system. I think the progressive marginal tax system is the best there is. I can explain it but my reasons would be a short essay.

What? <sarcasm> I am shocked that you think cutting the tax rate is the easy part and removing deductions is so hard </sarcasm>

I think my big issue is given how much of an impact it would be, to support a candidate for such a plan EVERY tax deduction that will be eliminated should be stated. I can't take Mitt as his word that he may look in to the possibility of potentially cutting municipal bond interest if it is necessary.

Don't hold your breath.

And??????????? Anybody want to tell me what was incorrect about what he said? He simply noted that the tax system is not fair and when 47% don't pay income tax they are uncaring about the benefits of lower taxes for both the consumer and businesses. There was no disdain in what he said. He said that Obama stresses to his constituents that they are victims and even though they don't pay income tax they are still victims of the wealthy. Romney basically said that although Romney's policies will help ALL Americans this group doesn't understand or see how it will benefit them since you can't lower income taxes on those already not paying income taxes.

But while on the topic let's look at what Obama said in Pennsylvania in 2008 when he said "those who cling to their guns and religion and have antipathy for those not like them". Where Romney was not CRITICIZING those who don't pay income taxes in the Obama examples there was CLEAR disdain and criticism for those who don't agree with Obama.

THAT is the difference: Romney wants to help ALL Americans - Obama only wants to help those that support his reelection.

Is it too early to publish my wish list for the President's second term?

I think not.

NUMBER ONE: (and this is the big one) A constitutional amendment overturning Citizens United and all it's little siblings.

NUMBER TWO: Re-institution of the Fairness Doctrine in Broadcasting. Buh-bye Rush, Ann, Glenn, et al

NUMBER THREE: Election reform. Eliminate the Electoral College and rely on the popular vote.

NUMBER FOUR: Election reform. No private financing of national elections. All national elections will be funded with public funds and will be strictly regulated with spending limitations.

NUMBER FIVE: Complete and comprehensive investigation of voter suppression efforts nationwide.

NUMBER SIX: Removal of Justice Scalia from the Supreme Court for blatant conflicts of interest and unethical behavior.

NUMBER SEVEN: Close all loopholes for the wealthy 1%. No tax breaks for hiding their wealth off-shore. TAX IT ALL AT 34% just like the rest of us.

NUMBER EIGHT: No tax breaks for outsourcing American Jobs. Tax breaks only for bringing those jobs home.

NUMBER NINE: Close Quantanamo and all other military bases outside the US unless specifically requested and subsidized by the host country.

NUMBER TEN: Cut Military Spending by 10% and close 1/3 of all US military bases in the Continental 48 states.

Folks, number ten is a big one. We have been mislead by the Military-Industrial-Complex. We don't need another tank, we don't need another aircraft carrier, we don't need another missile. We have the best military in the world and we'll be FINE for the next 15-20 years. The real threat comes from Cyber-space and that's where our investment should be, not in more hardware. All that money can be used to pay off the Chinese and make Social Security and Medicare solvent.

Ok, that should keep the President busy for the next four years and anything left undone can be completed by the H. Clinton/Castro administration.

Obama/Biden 2012

Republicans must have located the dumbest piece of crap they could find and ran him for president because he has money.

Just goes to show, money can't buy class.

I'm so angry at those words that Mitt Robme used, AND the fact that his hate-filled followers are using even MORE hate speech now that Romney has insulted HALF of the entire United States voting population!

What a scum sucker!

That right you piece of crap Mitt Robme, spare the apologies because nothing you can say could ever fix "stupid".

Robmehood is not fit to be President, he would be a "PIMP" for the 1% !!!!!!!!!!!!

Mitt is a Loser and Losers don't Win !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Really MSNBC???

You're asking Romney about Libya?

Notice how MSNBC is trying to blame Romney for Libya, as if his comments are what's wrong with everything going on around the Muslim world.

As if his statements are the big news, when the whole Muslim world is going up in flames!

I'm surprise MSNBC hasn't already tried to blame Romney for ALL of Obama's failures!

But they are printing headline after headline in order to draw attention away from Obama's failed policies.

Excuse me, but who is the president right now?

On whose watch was the American ambassador to Libya killed? On Obama's watch!

.

Where are the articles asking what Obama's policy is in the Middle East?

What is Obama's policy in Afghanistan? Except retreat and surrender?

AND WHAT ABOUT OBAMA'S ECONOMIC POLICIES???

.

OBAMA HAS FAILED!

TIME TO KICK HIM OUT!

Alan, NJ

President Obama never said he "wants" more people on government assistance. You're lying.

But his administration has spent taxpayer dollars to advertise the eligibility of food stamps, correct? Why would they do this if they did not want an increase in recipients?

ALL administrations inform the public about programs intended to assist people who need the help. Not just food stamps, but also services provided to "moochers" who've had their homes destroyed in floods or hurricanes or encounter other adversities through no fault of their own. You're just trying to weasel out of admitting you were promoting Mitt Romney's lie that President Obama is trying to promote a culture of dependency to get people to vote for him. No matter how you package it, it's still a dirty lie.

So let's look at Skip's list:

#1: Eliminate freedom of speech

#2: Eliminate freedom of speech

#3: Nullify the Constitution

#4: Eliminate freedom of speech

#5: I have no problem with #5 and if we had a Justice Department that believed in Justice they would start with voter suppression in Pennsylvania by the Black Panthers

#6: Doesn't want three branches of government. Eliminate the third branch of the Supreme Court. If it doesn't agree with the Executive Branch it should be removed.

#7: Doesn't believe in the Legislative Branch because THAT is their job. The House has already proposed a similar law but the Senate are not even allowed to discuss it. If you don't like the current tax code, and I don't either, then contact your Senators.

#8: Same answer as #7

#9: Doesn't believe in the Legislative Branch because THAT is their job. If you don't like the current military budget and process then contact your Senators.

#10: Same answer as #9

Interesting: Didn't Obama say he was going to do all these? Just another example of failure by the Obama administration.

Mith Romney, who is a billionaire, yet hides his money in overseas accounts and pays a 13% tax rates has any right to judge others!!! ...what about those people who don't pay their fair share of tax and don't let us see their tax returns?
You can shoot yourself in the foot. You can put your foot in your mouth, it takes a special talent to put your foot in your mouth, and THEN shoot yourself in the foot!
My tax rate is higher than Mr. Romney's. The freeloaders I really despise are the multi-millionaires who refuse to contribute their fair share. Show us your tax returns, Mr. Romney. What other President have we had recently who was born on third base and thought he had hit a triple? I guess this guy is a lot like that guy. How'd that work-out? I think it's Mr. Romney who is dependent on the government. He depends on government policies to be able to do what he does: make money from the work of others and not have to pay fair taxes on it. If he didn't live in the U.S., he probably wouldn't be where he is and have what he has.
As a matter of fact, we all depend on the government. Any civilized society does.
The final nail in the coffin of the Romney campaign. To me, it was the tone of his voice that said it all. Who would want a "leader" like that?

Alan -- You're wrong about Romney and Iran. In fact Romney has shown himself to be weak and malleable.

Romney is apparently prepared to delegate to Netanyahu the decision to start a conflict that the United States military believes is, at best, premature......

To be sure, Israel is a special ally, but that does not entitle it to make the decision on matters where United States interest and power are inextricably and centrally engaged. It is inconceivable that the United States would permit another ally dependent on American funds and American defense systems to take such a decision unilaterally. It is also inconceivable that we would permit another foreign government to intervene directly and forcefully in our political process to garner popular support for its policies over the objections of the administration.

http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/13/israeli-fallout/

The only bigger idiots than Romney are the morons who want him to lead the country.

The Kocheads said money can buy an Election, as of now the Koch's are dumping 600 Million on Robmehood !!!!!!!!!!!

I really don't know the point of posting anything that tries to make sense on First Read, but here we go:

The biase in the article shows when the 'Clint Eastwood stunt' is portrayed as a negative.

I agree that Romney has put his foot in it several times. The Clint Eastwood speech, however, only helped Romney and did not hurt him. Do you think your average American even watches these conventions? No. Only radical heads and obsessive politicos do.

Clint Eastwood made the Republican national convention memorable. The Democratic one was also well done. But realy, if Eastwood's speech was convincing, people will vote for Romney. They aren't going to think, "Oh, well, Romney was upstaged by a supporter. Boy I better go vote against him." Seriously.

Who doesn't pay taxes: making $20k or less, senior citizens on SS, military fighting our wars. We are all victims according to Romney. We all want the government to take care of us because we just do not want to work, according to Romney.

Anybody else sick of hearing this BS? I work for a living - have for over 40 years. I can never pay my taxes so I have to do it monthly because I do not have any savings, benefits at work, etc.. I work for staunch Republicans - after 10 years working for them I only get one week vacation, no health care, raise maybe if I am lucky every 3 years and then it is just $0.50 more an hour and no 401k. I am old so just happy to have a job - but..........I also am their accountant and know exactly how much they make and it is a significant amount of money. Every year I ask for a $1.00 an hour raise and/or an additional one week vacation. They laugh at me. Yet when I do get a review I walk on water. Also I work over 9 hours a day and they only work 4 hours a day. So who is lazy??????????

Obama/Biden 2012

Willard wants to be president for only half the country!!! Good luck trying to be the US president that way.

Every time he speaks he puts his foot in his mouth and tries to back track an excuse..but never admits he's always WRONG!

Those tax extensions he got for the 2011 tax year should be expired by now..where's your tax returns Willard?

WHAT!!!!! A presidential candidate actually tells the truth. Imagine that, and the libbies can not stand it. Who would have thought that half the country would prefer lies over truth.

Romney/Ryan 2012

JoAnne in PA

Let's just forget about the 47% for a second and move on to the part where Romney also told his donors that the campaign was only using Ann Romney ""sparingly…so that people don't get tired of her".

In fact, let's forget politics entirely for a second. What kind of a MAN says something like that about his own wife?

Nice stretch there. I am sure what he meant was she didn't have to be on 24/7 otherwise people would get to the point where they didn't pay attention. Much like I do to either sides' TV ads now.

Only NBC would post such a biased BS article like this. When Romney wins this Nov. one of the first things he should do is to BAN BIASED NEWS ORGS. from all his State of the Union addresses ect...

Alan, NJ --

OK, I watched it. Yes the people interviewed were racist. Now, how is a statement about cutting welfare a dog whistle when as the majority here are pointing out it will affect many more white people that black people? Are you saying that the white people are too dumb to know that their welfare will be cut?

STOP THE PRESSES. Today's headline -- "White people are dumb, too."

Just asking that question goes to show where YOUR head is at.

Yes, white people are dumb, too.

But the main point is that Romney's comments are WAY off base. A very big chunk of that 47 percent actually does vote for him. And he has just shown them his utter contempt.

7.62x39mm --

When Romney wins this Nov. one of the first things he should do is to BAN BIASED NEWS ORGS. from all his State of the Union addresses ect...

But then, there will be NOBODY there, and especially not Fox.

THE “ELEGANTLY STATED” VERSION OF Mitt “R-money’s” REMARKS:

"There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the President Obama no matter what. All right, there are 47 percent who are with him, 1.5 million who are the deadbeat families of active duty military and pay no federal income taxes, 62 million who are Social Security recipients that have worked their whole life, and now want a “free ride” in retirement, 14 million with disabilities who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are somehow victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for their pathetic disabled lives, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you name it. That's an entitlement. And they foolishly hope that people should in some way, help them. And they will vote for Obama no matter what.”

Romney added: "My job is not to worry about those people. I'll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their shiftless, worthless, lives. What I have to do is convince the 5-10 percent of people who are wealthy like me, that are also selfish, that look at voting one way or the other depending upon, in some cases, emotion, whether they like Mitt Romney or not. Getting those emotional voters to vote GOP, getting them scared and selfish, is what this campaign is about."

“I happen to believe instead in a corporate welfare society, where my contributors, pursuing their insatiable greed, are able to employ others at Chinese labor rates of .33/day, hide their wealth overseas, and make themselves fabulously rich so that they can continue to contribute to my campaigns."

A snowball ten feet away from the sun has a better chance then MITT THE TWITT WILLARD has to be elected president.

OBAMA 2012... easy win..even McCain had a better chance with that other twitt!

Definition of irony: Romney putting down the 47% who don't pay federal income taxes...Wouldn't it be a pisser to find out that Romney, like 7000 other millionaires, is part of the 47% who don't pay federal income taxes??????

For someone who has a Masters in Business Administration from Harvard University, Romney would and should know what keeping the words "federal income" out of "I paid taxes" means.

Romney has been lying by omission to all of us for years now but some people have not been able to figure that out. Sad, very sad.

Obama 2012/Romney 1040

Willard Romney message to the American People is, Screw You.

No, it's "Get up off the couch, get a hair cut, pull up your pants, take out your piercings and go look for a job."

The problem is most people don't want to hear that.

Has it occurred to anyone that the people in the middle east who hate the Americans, do so because of what we have? They hate us for our excess. Our Levi's, our iPhones and plasma TVs. They hate us because we are successful. Global class warfare. They can't stand that we have so much and they have so little. They believe they are the chosen ones because of their religion, so they are intolerant of us even though all they talk about is tolerance...

Sorry, I forget who I'm talking about now...Radical muslims in the middle east or American liberals.

howaboutthis-2165675

YOU DON'T FIT MITT, IT'S TIME TO QUIT

It would make a great bumber sticker!

Uhhh...if the other 53% know it to be true, I don't see what the problem is for Mitt. In fact my guess is that even half the 47% would admit that to be true.

Redhead Ranting

No, it's "Get up off the couch, get a hair cut, pull up your pants, take out your piercings and go look for a job."

Please say that to my 92-year old grandmather who after working for over 70 years joined the "47% Club" who don't pay federal income tax - BECAUSE SHE RETIRED!

I guess in your book, she's lazy huh?

@ anna....It's pretty sad that you're correct in reguards to my post, however; no news org. should be allowed to report on a national level without proper integrity as they are no better then the worthless tabloids.

Mike in SA

Uhhh...if the other 53% know it to be true, I don't see what the problem is for Mitt. In fact my guess is that even half the 47% would admit that to be true.

hey, your parents or grandparents retired yet? If yes, tell them to get off their lazy azzes and go back to work and start paying fed. income taxes because Mitt don't like that.

Romney's brutal last three weeks

I disagree, as a long time poster, last week was bad for Obama, and none of his conspicuous supporters show their faces to defend Obama, in his disgracefully handled Meddle East Crisis. This is why is so important for the Obama worshiper, to come up with something like this video, so they can attach fiercely. This video in most part is the truth, but edited his remarks, it sound different. Obama need more of this to take away the news from , his failure to bring the economy back, his failure in Middle East , his failure in his energy policies, his failure to increase the GDP, his failure to bring more jobs , his failure to a transparent administration and his achievement to have a more divided country, his achievement to have the highest level of welfare recipients, his achievement to have the highest level of poverty, his achievement to have reduce out average income in three thousand dollars, his achievement to breaking the record of 6 trillion of debt in less than four years.

End with this insanity. Vote Romney /Ryan 1012

7.62x39mm

BAN BIASED NEWS ORGS

another U.S. Constitution waiving hypocrite. While you at it, why don't do make Christianity the only legal religion and make sure that women become 2nd class citizens as well.

Baylie - How do you figure?

No, I don't think your grandma is lazy. However, my grandma is 94 and still pays taxes. I suppose she's just a blood sucking, racist, greedy, scumbag like Romney, right?

I do think there are plenty of people in this country who are lazy. And if you think everyone who could be working isn't because they can't find a job your are sorely wrong. There are plenty of entry level jobs out there, they just don't pay as much as the government for doing nothing.

@Harley Chic

NBC: Romney's brutal last three weeks.

Americans: Obama's America has had a brutal last 3.8 YEARS.

ROFLMFAO!

I guess (1) Dubya left us BILLIONS AND BILLIONS in the positive when he was done ruining running the country, and (2), Republicans, I am sure, have done EVERYTHING in their power to help out the current administration, starting with eliminating the tax breaks for the filthy rich... right?

Please... do not stop posting on this site. I need to read more of your stupidity. Seriously... don't stop!

Everything Romney said was correct and truthful! Way too many people are on the dole - and a lot of them are just fine with that!! Maybe if a little shame was attached to being on the dole like it used to be, people that should get off their a**es would.

Flat tax, no write-off's, no deductions. EVERYONE then truly pays their fair share!!

THE PROBLEM WITH SOCIALISM IS THAT EVENTUALLY YOUR RUN OUT OF OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY TO SPEND

Romney's problem is that he has no filter in his head that stops him from saying the stupid things that bubble up through the thick black tar of his sub-conscious. That is why he failed miserably in the GOP debates against a pathetic crowd of crackpots, cranks, and losers, and that is why he will be flattened by President Obama in the presidential debates.

"I'm Mitt Romney, and yes, Wolf, that is also my first name." —Mitt Romney, at the beginning of a November 2011 Republican presidential debate, getting his own name wrong (his first name is ''Willard,'' and his middle name is "Milton", or as he seems to prefer, ''Mitt'')

"I'll tell you what; ten thousand bucks? $10,000 dollar bet?" —Mitt Romney, attempting to make a wager with Rick Perry during a Republican presidential debate to settle a disagreement about health care (December 2011)

President Obama in November! He is clearly our only rational choice!

More video just released of Romney discussing foreign policy matters:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/decision2012/mitt-romney-palestinians-have-no-interest-whatsoever-in-establishing-peace/2012/09/18/5e185a12-0183-11e2-b260-32f4a8db9b7e_story.html?hpid=z2

@Pragmatic

I actually have 2 leeches that I am actually considering sending out to work.

Amazing... and here I thought I was being a good parent. Thanks Mittwit, I now realize the error of my ways and that I was actually contributing to our country's problems.

Pragmatic-3918582

No, it's "Get up off the couch, get a hair cut, pull up your pants, take out your piercings and go look for a job."

My daughter is 1 year old. She's too young to work. But thanks for calling my daughter a parasite.

Where did you read that I called your one year old daughter a parasite? She is not included in that 47%. Good thing you don't have to take a test to qualify to vote. Sheesh.

Pragmatic, you are hardly pragmatic. You fall into this hatefulness without even considering what stupidity you are spewing. I will give you a pass because you have a one year old daughter and I suspect you haven't slept for over a year. I also suspect you might be a little over sensitive being a new mom and all. It's okay, the novelty wears off in a few years and you'll wake up.

@HopefulAmerican

OH MY GOD!!!! Socialism in America!?!?!?! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

I guess we all have to agree with the Republicans so we are not called socialists. Oh wait. Nevermind... I really don't care about the opinions of Faux News, let along one from a person whose opinions I can get from a TV channel.

I find it funny how Obama's open mic comment about needing patience and having more flexibility to the Russians gets barely a passing mention by the media. However, when Mitt speaks the TRUTH that all the HARD WORKING AMERICANS paying for the LAZY HANDOUT EXPECTORS already knew, it's a firestorm. Obama is going to ruin this country. He will go down as one of, if not THE, worst presidents in history. His solution has been to throw more money at the problem, as evidenced by the latest move the Federal Reserve to spend 40 BILLION a month on bonds. Yeah, that's going to work.

No. The problem is the policies currently in place. The only way to change the policies is to change the president. Thank GOD he can only serve four more years, but I fear by then it will be too late.

Redhead Ranting

No, I don't think your grandma is lazy. However, my grandma is 94 and still pays taxes. I suppose she's just a blood sucking, racist, greedy, scumbag like Romney, right?

pay WHAT taxes? If she doesn't work, she pays no federeal income tax, and according to Romney she's a leech on gov tit.

paying sales, payroll, realestate, excise, and other taxes don't count because 100% of Americans pay some kind of tax.

You either agree with Romney's statement or you don't. There is nothing in between because in between is what Romney says depending what audience he speeks to at the time.

@RedheadRanting

However, my grandma is 94 and still pays taxes. I suppose she's just a blood sucking, racist, greedy, scumbag like Romney, right?

One... Good for your grandmother. She is still a functioning, working member of society and DEFINITELY not in the 47%. Assuming of course that she does work and you are not trying to yank our chains.

Two... Who told you Romney paid taxes? We have not been able to verify this since he is too much of a coward to release his returns.

Part of the 47% who depend on the government Mr. Mitt are the soldiers who lost part of their bodies while defending this nation, including the top .01%. A clear insult to 47% of the nation. People work hard while trying to save money, paying for medicare, social security, and paying taxes on daily items. It is easy to say things like that, when you come from a family that has a lot of money. There are people that don't want government help, but have no choice, because the government in charge a couple of years ago, did not do the job: Airlines and banks deregulated, careless lending and packaging of home loans, little to no oversight of wall street, jobs shipped overseas, and turning a blind eye on those Chief Executive Officers that let their company go down the drain while collecting millions of the 47% of voters that you don't care about.

Where did you read that I called your one year old daughter a parasite? She is not included in that 47%. Good thing you don't have to take a test to qualify to vote. Sheesh

How stupid can be those people to come up with that comment . I know , they are Obama voters

These revelations by Romney are but a first round. I really doubt the consequences will cost Him any substantial amount of votes. Some, but not substantial. White, American seniors are, by far and away the largest recipients of Citizen Government aid. Even so, these old bigoted fools (most of 'em) haven't enough education and sense to believe or think, Romney was talking about them, and will of course vote for Him. Actually, Romneys dirty little spiel should surprise no one. The basis of His words is classic "republicanism". Has been since the inception of that party, and will be until it is finally killed. Republicanism governing a "representative democracy" is as out of place and unfitting as a drunken Chimp serving the food line at a Baptist homecoming. Course, in defense of the ape, the republicans would blame the Baptists for not being able to meet the required standards of collective etiquette set by the Chimp, and the Baptists would believe them. The country is populated with many "curious, and I mean CURIOUS" people.

Part of the reason so many Americans don't pay federal income taxes is that Republicans have passed a series of very large tax cuts that wiped out the income-tax liability for many Americans.

Excuse me, but the central feature of both the Reagan and Bush era tax reforms was the reduction in marginal tax RATES. Lower marginal tax rates result in a reduced tax liability, but they do not drive anyone's tax liability to zero. The reason 47% of Americans can pay no federal income taxes is because they take advantage of a range of tax deductions, exemptions and credits that are so large as to push their taxable income all the way down to zero -- or even a negative number that results in a refund to the "taxpayer." In particular, a plethora of tax credits such as the Clinton era Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit as well as Obama's Making Work Pay credit have resulted in a dramatic rise since 1990 in the percentage of Americans who pay no federal income taxes. In fact, in 2010 the combined budgetary cost of basic and refundable tax credits reached $224 billion.

So when you hear that almost half the country doesn't pay federal income taxes, remember that Clinton and Obama built that.

http://taxfoundation.org/article/tax-equity-and-growth-nonpayers

This is why Romney thinks 47% of us Americans are lazy and want entitlement.

He HAS NEVER PAID INTO FICA you know that contribution that comes out of a middle class Americans check each week. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Insurance_Contributions_Act_tax

Even self employed Workers. He made his Fortune off of Investments not actual work. Its easy to call someone lazy when money makes money for you. And really easy when you Rob Peter To Invest in Paul.

If he had Paid into FICA for years he would understand that it is not WELFARE its insurance. Two way different things. Thanks for opening your mouth Mitt. Hows that Toe Jam taste. Truth be told we need a Strong middle class.

What I would like to see is some Bonds created like during WWII. AKA war bonds. Ones that are earmarked strictly for infrastructure here at home. Republicans would call this Socialism. Yet those bonds where bought during WWII due to American Pride. Lets reawaken the sleeping GIANT.

@lray

Correction... Bush ALREADY took care of ruining the country. President Obama is only cleaning up that mess left behind by republicans. Of course, narrowminded that you are, you actually believe that enough time has passed since that mess was created and that we need to have someone else there.

Enter Willard.... A guy who could not care less about anyone below his level. A notorious JOB DESTROYER, JOB OUTSOURCER and LIAR.

Romney, no need for promises, just vote for him and you'll see what he does. Sure, that works for those of you who only watch Faux News. For the rest of us, socialists, the choice is clear.

Hopeful American

Everything Romney said was correct and truthful! Way too many people are on the dole - and a lot of them are just fine with that!!

You are right! There are so many soldiers who do not pay federal income tax on some or all of their gross incomes because their pay is for service in a combat zone.

WOW, they are true American "deadbeats." Do these soldiers think that they can sacrifice their lives, their families, their health AND be included in the 47% who don't pay federal income tax? WOW, I am so glad that Romney does not care about them!

Now, Mr. Romney should release his income taxes to show the 47%-ers how federal income taxpaying really looks like!

Obama 2012/Romney 1040

Oliverb, doesn't it bother you that obama payed big bucks to his lawyers to have most all his records sealed?. Don't you wonder why obama provided a forged birth certificate that was made with photoshop, and the forgery verified by his lawyer Cathreen M Hill during a New Jersey court hearing. Is obama trying to keep us from seeing his college application forms becouse he may have applied as a foriegn student???. There's a lot more questions about obama then there are about Mitt Romney.

Mr. Mitt are the soldiers who lost part of their bodies while defending this nation, including the top .01%. A clear insult to 47% of the nation.

More than 3000 soldiers died in Afghanistan under Obama's watch , that is even worst.

The problem is that Americans can handle the truth of what Mitt say's. To all you Obama lovers on this panel , your problem is that when someone speaks the truth about people on Government assistance already the dogs are out to attack. It's true people in this country will vote for Obama because they do not want to give up their freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee stuff. Welcome to the welfare state people !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lazy Americans who do not want to work, would rather have the Government take care of them.

oliverb

One... Good for your grandmother. She is still a functioning, working member of society and DEFINITELY not in the 47%. Assuming of course that she does work and you are not trying to yank our chains.

RedheadRanting is yanking our chains because her 94-year-old granmother does not work and if she does, it's so little that she won't qualify to pay federal income tax.

RedheadRanting is quick to make fun of others but she's the one who doesn't know what she's talking about. She apparently thinks that "paying taxes" = to paying federal income tax and vice versa.

There is a reason why Romney will not say these words: I pay FEDERAL INCOME taxes.

Obama has failed:
1. The economy
2. Foreign affairs
3. Israel
4.God of Issac
5. Mexicans

1. The economy is far better than under Bush when 800K a month were losing jobs and Dow was at 7900.

2. Obama, unlike the last 2 republican presidents hasn't invaded anyone. I'd call that a plus.

3. You assume most Americans demand our president back Israel in whatever they wish. You are mistaken. Even a large percentage of Israeli's oppose attacking Iran why should we support it?

4. I'm not Jewish.

5. You critisize Obama for allowing some mexican children to remain in this country for a few years but give Romney a free pass on his plan to bring in 1.25 million from China and India to fill high tech jobs and remove the cap on H1B visa's which would undercut our unemployed tech workers job opportunities and wages. Obama's plan might threaten a few working at McDonalds, Romney's would destroy wages in one of the few area's American's can still achieve a decent wage.

7.62x39mm

Oliverb, doesn't it bother you that obama payed big bucks to his lawyers to have most all his records sealed?.

proof please.

BTW, you don't need pay to get your transcripts sealed. They're just sealed.

The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, commonly known as FERPA, is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. Students have specific, protected rights regarding the release of such records and FERPA requires that institutions adhere strictly to these guidelines. Therefore, it is imperative that the faculty and staff have a working knowledge of FERPA guidelines before releasing educational records.

How do we fix the revenue problem? Let's STOP rewarding outsourcing companies with tax breaks, and offer those tax breaks to companies that bring jobs INTO the USA. It makes much more sense to create taxpayers than eliminate them....... but then again my cat could distinguish this. As long as we have the rich and powerful controlling the tax code, there will be a calling to tap the rich and powerfuls pocketbooks to fill the revenue gap. That's simple economics...... or more so LOGIC.

Alan, NJ

And nobody on the left see a revenue issue that almost half the population don't pay any federal income tax. How do you expect the Federal Government to deliver their services.

And before the list of taxes the 47% do pay, understand none of them go to the Federal Government

Medicare = Just breaking even to pay for current seniors

SS = Already in red paying current seniors

Sales / Excise Tax / Fees = State Revenue

Gas Tax = Transportation Fund

Meanwhile the Administration has created a brand new entitlement that is a massive expansion of Medicaid. The same program that is taking from poor children and giving to seniors to pay for nursing homes.

If you don't broaden the tax base how will you pay for all?

Tax the rich at Clinton rates....not enough, so lets bump it up to 50% or 60%. Still not enough.

The Buffet rule as written...$5B (but actually also calls for the elimination of the ATM so its a revenue loser).

Is Clinton said "Its Arithmetic".

What mindless drivel.

If we could start positively reinforcing companies/people who actually create jobs, instead of buying into a mantra that jobs are created by giving people money; our country might return to better times. It's called pay-for-performance, and often used in our society today....... just not in the tax code. Hmmm.... this would not bode well for vulture capitalists like Bain & friends I suppose.

The right has painted this rosy picture that if you give all the wealth to us ...... we will do what is best with it. This has been proven untrue as we have deported wealth (or stashed it away overseas... Mitt..... ahem) and imported poverty through this belief. It's been a thirty year experiment, culminating in disaster in 2008.

If you go to fair and balanced, Fox News, they will explain to you the DEMOCRATS in the red states are the ones on welfare. Not the republicans. Honest! Heard it with my own ears.

7.62x39mmOliverb, doesn't it bother you that obama payed big bucks to his lawyers to have most all his records sealed?.

You know you're running out of material when...............

Reasons I won't vote for Romney, 1st is that his own state is solid blue, that alone tells me something about his leadership abilities. Next he has failed in every attempt at foreign policy. He looks down on almost 1/2 the country, and finally his campaign is a mess, very poorly run and disorganized, his own party is telling him they want more details and what he needs to do to win, but he ignores them and does things his way. That is a reflection of how he would run this country.

It's understanding that makes it possible for people like us to tolerate a person like yourself. Mitt it ain't going to happen for ya. go take a long day off. next thing we will see is Mitt standing on the next stump waving a gun in one hand, touting in the other hand a bible from mexico, and drop-kicking a wounded vet in a wheel chair off the stage. Of course, to the roaring crowd of GOP fanatics!

MkeMike

TYPES OF INCOME THAT ARE NOT SUBJECT TO FEDERAL INCOME TAXES- WHO ARE THE "47%"?

1) Active duty military- 1,468,364 million "entitled victims" and their freeloading families....

2) Social Security recipients- 62,000,000 million "entitled victims". Lazy bastards....back to work!

You don't know what you are talking about when it comes to taxation. Social security is taxed! Just ask my mother-in-law, and my father. Social security now only allows a portion as non taxable. They use insurance figures for longevity which is based off living to 100 years old. They then figure your contributed portion and divide it over your life span (based on living to 100) and that is non taxable. THE REST IS TAXABLE. In fact since most don't live to 100 years old, they get screwed by the Gov't. Federal law also requires my pension to do this. This change in the law happened under Bill Clinton and when the Democrats controlled congress during his first 2 years in office.

Further, Active military personnel do pay income tax. Only those who are in a war zone get it tax free. I know this because my son is in the army and has served in Iraq.

I wish people on this site would quit saying things they know nothing about! All it does is show that they have no credibility and will make anything up to support their guy!

Backhouse,

You say the 47% pay payroll taxes, true, but what you neglect to say is when they file their tax returns,they get a refund. Hence no taxes.And to all the rest of your lib friends, this will have no effect on Romney's election, because he is giving facts. No matter how you spin it, and as Obama said, they won't vote for me, because they hang onto their guns and bibles.

Why are you dems concerned about Romneys taxes, and aren't concerned about obama submitting a forged birth certificate??? It would seem dems have a warped sense of priorities.

Hey Grover- In response to your comment , the real problem is that those 47 % who don't pay any taxes need to pay their fare share buddy.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What's so sad is that this "secret, spy mission, grandson to Carter (WTF?) tape" has all the liberals up in arms. Romney stands by what he says. It isn't popular but being a leader often means doing something because it's right not because everyone likes it.

What is so sad about this is that none of you are asking why our President, secretary of state and the UN ambassador are all saying the death of four Americans was caused by some poorly made, and horribly marketed movie (it was out there for months and no one noticed it). These people died because we didn't protect them because they were in a part of the world where they hate us. Obama and his administration failed so unbelievably and yet the liberals and MSM don't raise an eyebrow. You are astounded by a statement Romney says, one he has been campaigning on for what, a year?

Seriously, you all really buy this stuff?

The truth hurts you libs. You are not use to hearing it at a presidential level so you spin, spin, spin to fit your intelect and continue stroking each other with repeated copy & paste BS from other MSM spin sites. This MSNBC tabloid website is a perfect fit for you honey booboo fans.

STOP THE USA FROM BECOMING A WELFARE 3rd WORLD NATION!!

ROMNEY/RYAN 2012!!

Though the Republicans will do everything they can to rig the election, just like the good old days of 2000, there is no reason on earth to vote for this clueless, heartless spoiled child Romney unless you are a wealthy, white, religious fundamentalist male, or someone who has successfully remained married to one of these. None. Zero.

If you don't match that description, but are so foolish, racist, or cynical that you'd vote for a squashed possum over Obama, please write us all an essay on how wonderful this country was under our last spoiled child president, George Dubya Bush, 2000-2008. A lot of us don't care to relive that kind of magic, but you explain why Princess Mitzi Von Romney and the necrophiliac-looking Ryan are going to make everything all sunshine and flowers.

While you're at it, could you please dig up Mitzi's old tax returns, assuming he had to pay anything?

The "convention kick" obama got , evaporated as fast as it was formed. Most people not only approved, but cheered Romney's comments about the Muslim riots and murders. The overwhelming majority of voters agree with him. Hardly anyone agrees with you liberal dog brain idiots that print this column and on this site, thank goodness. You are obvious total manure brain idiots and morons.

If you want to vote for a President that doesn't care about almost half of the Americans in this country then vote for that B word, Romney. Fools! If you don't believe that this country is trying to be bought and run by big corporations and businesses these words should prove it is true!

Pigeon,,

And those of us paying 21% in the middle think that Romney and the top 1% need to pay their fair share. We can't hide our wealth in Swiss bank accounts and pay only 14% on top of that.

Talk about much ado about nothing at all. I'd hazard to guess 80% of the anti-Romney posters didn't even listen to how his remarks were delivered, yes tone does matter. Unlike Odumbo who displayed his racist, arrogant, condescending contempt for Christian Whites in his "they cling to their Bibles and guns" comment of 4 years ago, Romey delivered an analysis of the electorate. He was not the least bit disparaging of their condition in life, he did not call them lazy, he didn't infer they were any particular race. Furthermore, its rather curious why everyone on the left sat on this story for weeks. Could it be Odumbo is sucking in the polls and needed some desperate attack to stem the bleeding? Why yes as a matter of fact, Odumbo dropped about 5-7 point in the past week. Yet according to MSNBC, it's Romney who had a rough go of it. The state run media outlets (NBC, CBS, ABC) are doing a yeoman's job of trotting out the official Odumbo media releases.

From the article and link Bill in Fairfax cited:

Looks like Republicans doubled down, especially under Reagan and BUSH.

Bolding is mine for emphasis.

Causes of the Growth in Nonpayers

In the modern era, the percentage of nonpayers began to climb significantly after the Tax Reform Act of 1986, which increased the value of the standard deduction and nearly doubled the size of the personal exemption. Indeed, between 1986 and 1989, the personal exemption for singles grew from $1,080 to $2,000, and for married couples it grew from $2,160 to $4,000. As a result, the percentage of filers who became nonpayers jumped from 18.5 percent to 20.5 percent.

In the 25 years since then, the percentage of nonpayers has doubled thanks to the expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the enactment of a plethora of new credits, such as the child credit and the more recent Making Work Pay Credit. With respect to the EITC, the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 increased number of taxpayers qualifying for the EITC as well as the value of the credit.[8] By 1995, the percentage of nonpayers reached 24.5 percent, nearly 29 million tax filers.

This growth accelerated following the enactment of the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997, which created a $500 per child tax credit for families earning less than $110,000.[9] By 2000, the number of nonpayers topped 32.5 million, or 25.2 percent of all filers.

The child credit was then expanded by the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 which increased the child credit at a graduated rate from $600 in 2001 to $1,000 in 2010. The Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 then more rapidly increased this amount to $1,000 for 2003 and 2004. The $1,000 credit was further extended from 2005 through 2010 by the Working Families Tax Relief Act. The EITC was also subsequently expanded multiple times throughout the late 1990s and 2000s.

These changes boosted the number of nonpayers dramatically during that period. Between 2000 and 2006, the number of nonpayers grew by 13 million, or 40 percent, from 32.5 million to 45.6 million. In 2006, more than one-third of all Americans who filed a tax return paid no income taxes after benefiting from their credits and deductions.

More recently, the new tax credits introduced in 2008 and 2009 by both the Bush and Obama administrations in response to the recession have accelerated the growth in nonpayers. These include the Making-Work Pay credit, the American Opportunity tax credit for education expenses, the first time homebuyer credit, and the alternative motor vehicle credit.

These new credits boosted the number of nonpayers by another 28 percent, nearly 13 million, between 2006 and 2010–thus increasing the percentage of nonpayers from one in three tax filers to more than two in five.

http://taxfoundation.org/article/tax-equity-and-growth-nonpayers

How can anyone justify what mittwitt said is in the slightest correct.

Do you really think 47% of the country are lazy bums and want government handouts as robme would state?

Al -- Some are taxed on their Social Security. Most are not. FYI from the IRS

IRS Tax Tip 2011-26, February 07, 2011

The Social Security benefits you received in 2010 may be taxable. You should receive a Form SSA-1099 which will show the total amount of your benefits. The information provided on this statement along with the following seven facts from the IRS will help you determine whether or not your benefits are taxable.

1. How much – if any – of your Social Security benefits are taxable depends on your total income and marital status.
2. Generally, if Social Security benefits were your only income for 2010, your benefits are not taxable and you probably do not need to file a federal income tax return.
3. If you received income from other sources, your benefits will not be taxed unless your modified adjusted gross income is more than the base amount for your filing status.
4. Your taxable benefits and modified adjusted gross income are figured on a worksheet in the Form 1040A or Form 1040 Instruction booklet.
5. You can do the following quick computation to determine whether some of your benefits may be taxable:

   • First, add one-half of the total Social Security benefits you received to all your other income, including any tax exempt interest and other exclusions from income.

   • Then, compare this total to the base amount for your filing status. If the total is more than your base amount, some of your benefits may be taxable.
6. The 2010 base amounts are:

   • $32,000 for married couples filing jointly.

   • $25,000 for single, head of household, qualifying widow/widower with a dependent child, or married individuals filing separately who did not live with their spouses at any time during the year.
   • $0 for married persons filing separately who lived together during the year.
7. For additional information on the taxability of Social Security benefits, see IRS Publication 915, Social Security and Equivalent Railroad Retirement Benefits. Publication 915 is available on this website or by calling 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676).

http://www.irs.gov/uac/Are-Your-Social-Security-Benefits-Taxable%3F

Al-524682

You don't know what you are talking about when it comes to taxation. Social security is taxed!

false.

You will have to pay federal taxes on your Social Security benefits if you file a federal tax return as an individual and your total income is more than $25,000. If you file a joint return, you will have to pay taxes if you and your spouse have a total income of more than $32,000.

So if you make less than $25k as single (or $32k if joint), you pay no INCOME tax.

Now, how many seniors get a SS check for more than $2083 a month?

http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/493/~/paying-income-tax-on-social-security-benefits

education does not hurt so there is no reason for ignorance.

Dont_carry_it_all

I guess we think alike ;)

It is amazing how hard some people fight finding out facts for themselves and rely on others to do it for themm.

This election has me so uninspired - what a yawner. I wonder how much of my disinterest stems from all the bickering at places like Newsvine? As a Moderate (when it comes to voting) - the only thing this election has done is swing me to not even bother to vote for President. I'll vote on local issues only.

Can Harley Chick make just one post without being a victim?

Spider is mad; his post had more than 8 words in it.

Feisty quoted that Mitt said being born in the USA was the equivalent of being born with a Silver Spoon in his mouth. About 10 years ago I told a bunch of conservatives that being born in the USA was like winning the Lottery - they jumped all over my ass for that comment...I'm so confused...LMAO.

Isn't it funny how this video of Romney, which is months old, surfaced just when Obama was looking like a foreign policy moron. Was he holding this card to his chest for just such an occasion?

Granted, Romney does not sound too warm and fuzzy, but his statements are more flat than threatening (as in Newt Gingrich of 1995). There are no guarantees with Romney, but then neither are there with Obama for that matter. What exactly has Obama done for the needy 47% other than sign the sequester set to go off at the end of this year and cut things the needy need? When you follow his moves, he is not generous with the 47%. So far, I'd say the two break about even as to the 47%. But as to foreign policy, Obama has been a complete disaster, worse than Jimmy Carter in 1979. Romney is as yet unknown as to foreign policy. So when you weigh each candidate on the scale, who do you choose? The movie 2016 shows Obama as cold to Americans, even poor ones. This video makes Romney look cold...so which ice cube do you pick?

Ballie -- Ugh! Maddening isn't it?

Typical Republican. This man is a pig and a moron.

Someone go to the kitchen and get me a fork. It's time to stick it in the Romney/Ryan campaign because it is done. Interestingly our Republican US senatorial candidate has already denounced what Mr. Romney said.

Man you have to watch what you say no matter the setting. Think before you speak, e-mail or any way you communicate. What you say or do will be held against you in the court of public opinion.

From a poor person's point of view it is darned if you do darned if you don't. Both candidates offer nothing to the poor. They do not offer the poor anything because sadly the poor do not vote. American culture has trained the poor to feel the walk of shame so they hang their head and stay home on election day. The poor, sick and the weak have been clearly told that they are the Stateless Untermenchen. The poor have not been treated well since Lindon B. Johnson. Sadly Obama did not fix this state of affairs. He only made it worse by delegitamizing American poor by only considering you poor if you are from one of the official third world countries. Obama does not like American poor people either. Obama wants revenge for his people which Obama feels more akin to. Denish D'Souza shows this clearly in the movie 2016. Denish has a similar background to Obama so he is in a position to comment here. Denish grow up in India so he knows how those people view Americans. This is a must see film before election day. And it is still in theaters.

Ranting Red Thing - Pissing on 47% of the population is a pretty dangerous thing to do, wouldn't you agree? In spite of his obvious disgust for this portion of the population, don't you think he should have been smart enough to know that we live in a world where anyone in the public eye has a chance of having their words or their boobs put out out there for all to see or hear? I would guess that some of you right-wing wackos on this thread are part of that 47%. Why doesn't it offend you that Romney calls you "those people"? In spite of your best Mary Tyler Moore impression, you appear to be a bit nutty and definitely a racist.

Wow - made it to the bottom of the seed..... is that the Titanic over there???

Anyway, Romney's true face came out. Unless your in the 1% "club" your screwed, because they want you uneducated to work in their sweat shops for whatever wages they think you need to survive on.

As one of the 47% that receives money from the government do to military retirement and VA disablity.... Romney f%^K you and your elite 1% - you love this country so much, you won't serve her, you won't invest in her future and you ship her jobs overseas..... so again F$%k you.

You folks can say whatever you want about Citizen Romney, but you've got to admire his flexibility.

After all, it's difficult enough to get your foot all the way up to your mouth, let alone distend your jaw enough to allow the foot to fit in.

Ron Indiana

The real loon here is Mitt Romney. You say it doesn't matter what he believes (and I would argue an off-the-cuff comment to a roomful of wealthy supporters would be the most honest statement we have heard from him so far).

Romney and his cronies have this attitude where they blame the victims of their profit-making business ventures (vulture capitalism) for the problems this country faces. They export jobs and take their profits and leave few good jobs behind.

Low wage jobs add to the profits of their employers who frequently believe they are entitled to everything they earn while depriving their workers of a living wage. Can you say Walmart doesn't make enough money to pay its employees a bit more so they don't have to depend on tax breaks for the working poor to make ends meet?

Many of the government aid given to the elderly, the poor, and the working class only adds to the money that the rich can make selling them goods and services. That Romney and his rich buddies choose to ignore this positive economic effect, which yields higher sales and profits for them, illustrates how entitled the rich feel. They say government doesn't help them. They say they pay more than their fair share of taxes despite now having the lowest rate they have paid in their entire lives.

They are greedy people who feel entitled to all they have and want more. Worse, they want to blame those who have little when they get a tax break from the government. Who was it that put this economy in the ditch?

It wasn't the poor. It was the rich who placed their bets (from their excessive trickle down tax cut wealth ) on a booming housing market and stock market before the bubble burst.

Romney/Ryan is the biggest current threat to the future of America.

Obama/Biden 2012

Say goodnight, Mitt.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3xsDv6yCnY

http://sandrarose.com/2012/09/mitt-romney-defends-video-referred-to-blacks-and-hispanics-as-the-47-percent/

Say goodnight...

so now both sides have stuff they have said behind closed doors that doesn't look good. Now what? I voted for Mr Obama in 08 I have one question for him. His net worth is up to 11.8 mill so why does he need all this money what happened to practice what you preach. why isn't half or more going charitys or why isn't he giving it to the goverment to help us. How can you ask others to do something you aren't willingto do yourself. But yet people are still cheering him along like he is some middle class american. His childeren get driven to a private school, his family goes on trips all over the world and he hangs out with the rich. So how is he a middle class american guy? he's not and why are we paying for the trips and the driver when he has the cash to do it? IF you can't practice what you preach then how do your words mean anything. Hope and change! yea right

Kim - What's with the "thing" is that the best you can do to personally criticize me? As for my Mary Tyler Moore impression, as a Minnesotan I will take that as a compliment. Seriously, if you are going to criticize my picture at least have the courage to post your own.

Pssst - you do know you look really desperate when you go after my appearance?

As for Romney being more careful about speaking in private. You are right, we live in a gotcha culture because people like you have nothing better to do than troll these threads and cut people down for their ideas and success. When that makes you look stupid you go after their appearance. Of course only the Republicans need to worry about speaking candidly in private. Dems get a huge pass, even when talking to the Russians.

Why doesn't it offend me that Romney refers to me as one of "those people"? I didn't hear him do that but if he did it doesn't offend me because very few things do anymore. You offend me because you are just another lemming who knows nothing about the damage that is being done to this country by Obama. Your blind support of him is astounding and shocking.

Now, show me where I am a racist. That I take offense to. So let's see you back it up.

so i have read through most of the above and one person came close to my question but i want to ask it anyway.

my question is predicated on the understanding that what romney said can be considered a gaffe. i personally do not think so but for purposes of this question i will stipulate to that.

please let me know if you think this romney gaffe is on par with "President Obama's 2008 comments that some frustrated voters cling to religion and guns." or more so when he was plotting this "as he told President Dmitri A. Medvedev of Russia that he would have “more flexibility” to negotiate on the delicate issue of missile defense after the November election"

i look forward to some civil responses.

Joe in Albany

Romney nailed Barry’s voters and will now be punished by the MSM and Professional Left for daring to speak the truth.

Not a all Joe. We applaud Willard for finally letting us know which Americans "it's not his job" to be concerned about as President of the United States.

"When they show you who they are...believe them!"

Romney this, Obama that, lib this, con that - rearranging deck furniture on the Titanic. Being anonymous is better than booze for bringing out the muscles. Sheep on steroids. These politicians (unwittingly) teach by example. Mean spirited, hypocritical, lazy & yes, entitled. One person texted that service personnel do pay taxes. NOT if they are overseas. For instance, participating in one or two of the prefabricated, illegal wars of the last 2 generations. BTW, if 47% of the country doesn't pay taxes, I would think the other 53% would be a tad miffed about funding every stupid conflict since Korea (pucker & submit, victim). How come 53% of the voters didn't get righteously outraged when Donald Rumsfeld admitted to losing a couple trillion - 2 days before 9/11/01. (Ooohh, there ya go bringing up the past again...) The problems we got - here - now, didn't just magically appear out of Obamas hat. To the enlightened individual who posted the following; "Get up off the couch, get a hair cut, pull up your pants, take out your piercings and go look for a job.." If your children don't live up to your expectations, take it up with them, or the podunk who made them think they were entitled to jack. "The rest of the world hates us because of what we have...". No. Some countries hate us because we meddle in their affairs, assassinate their leaders & steal their resources, well, most of the japanese around Okinawa way, say they hate us because all american servicemen do is rape their daughters & roll over their crops.

How many posers (sp -5) posters here stood up for their community to get a resolution against the patriot act passed? And how many depend on this oxymoron of acronyms & the TSA to protect them? How many of you fine Americans petitioned your state gov't. to have NOTA (none of the above) placed on the ballot? "Governments are instituted to secure the rights of the individual", says so in the Declaration of Independence. Ask anyone who has attended one of those 'state of the art' , U.S. built schools in Iraq (don't ask an american - they don't teach that radical, left-wing, blasphemy here no more). Mainstream America will get the gov't. it deserves - a mean spirited, greedy, carny-huckster, who will preach the peace and place bets on which country your children die in. A medicated, hypocritical, soft-in-the-middle, spread-bottom that hasn't done an honest days work (tendonitis from writing checks is not 'honest work' - I've had to buck hay for 10 cents a bail to get my daily bread). The republic is dead & gone. The empire is imploding from apathy and this election is just another fabricated drama for those who think that "after the last river is polluted and the last buffalo is killed" they can eat their money. United We Stand - yeah, right. Looks good on a T-shirt.

I wish Obama were as "Left wing" and "Socialist" as some on the Right (and left) fantasize or pretend (one of his heros is Ronald Reagan, fer Crisake).

Never the less, concerning the latest faux issue concerning who does or who doesn't feel "entitled" how's this for people not paying taxes/getting handouts from the government and feeling entitled:

The true cost of the bank bailout

September 3, 2010

We all know about TARP, the Troubled Asset Relief Program, which spent $700 billion in taxpayers' money to bail out banks after the financial crisis. That money was scrutinized by Congress and the media.

But it turns out that that $700 billion is just a small part of a much larger pool of money that has gone into propping up our nation's financial system. And most of that taxpayer money hasn't had much public scrutiny at all.

According to a team at Bloomberg News, at one point last year the U.S. had lent, spent or guaranteed as much as $12.8 trillion to rescue the economy. The Bloomberg reporters have been following that money. Alison Stewart spoke with one, Bob Ivry, to talk about the true cost to the taxpayer of the Wall Street bailout.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/need-to-know/economy/the-true-cost-of-the-bank-bailout/3309/

26 Fourtune 500 Companies that Haven't Paid Tax in 4 Years

Submitted by Eclectablog on Sep 18, 2012

With Mitt Romney bloviating about how half the country are tax cheats that feel "entitled" to things like food and healthcare and housing, I got to thinking about who else in the USA doesn't pay taxes. Then I remembered a report by the Citizens for Tax Justice (pdf) that came out earlier this year. It was a report that showed 26 Fortune 500 companies — PROFITABLE Fortune 500 companies, I should add — that paid no taxes or actually got a rebate every year since 2008.

There they are on the right. Look at that list. General Electric. Mattel. Corning. Con-way. Boeing. A plethora of energy companies. Every one of them profitable and every one of them paying less than 0% taxes in the years 2008-2011…

http://www.opposingviews.com/i/politics/speaking-not-paying-taxes-entitlement-how-about-26-fortune-500-corporations-haven-t-paid

The 'Dirty 30' Are the Top U.S. Companies That Managed to Pay No Taxes

Feb 22, 2012 7:05 PM EST

Obama's new plan would push down the corporate tax rate and close loopholes. From GE to Verizon, these are the companies that'd be hit hardest by a tougher policy.

"Corporations are people, my friend," Mitt Romney famously said last summer while speaking at the Iowa State Fair.

If only corporations paid taxes on their profits, as people must.

Even Romney, with his offshore accounts in the Cayman Islands, paid nearly $3 million in taxes on the $21.7 million he made in 2010.

In contrast, there are those U.S.-based multinationals that Citizens for Tax Justice dubbed the "Dirty 30": behemoths that collectively earned tens of billions in profits between 2008 and 2010 but paid no taxes during that three-year period. These companies "so deftly exploited carve outs and loopholes in the tax code that all but one of them enjoyed a negative tax rate"—that is, they received money back from the U.S. Treasury…

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/02/22/the-dirty-30-are-the-top-u-s-companies-that-managed-to-pay-no-taxes.html

Grazing Subsidy: $500 Million or More a Year

Americans may be paying nearly $ 1 billion annually in taxes to subsidize cattle grazing on federal public lands across the West, a new study shows.

In "Assessing the Full Cost of the Federal Grazing Program," Rockefeller Fellow Karyn Moskowitz and Bureau of Land Management economist Chuck Romaniello document the vast subsidies that support livestock grazing on public lands by 23,600 federal permittees in the western United States.

"Taking into account the many direct and indirect federal expenditures that benefit or compensate for impacts of livestock grazing on federal lands, the full cost of the federal grazing program to the U.S. Treasury is likely to approximate $500 million annually," Moskowitz and Romaniello note in their report. "Considering the many other indirect costs . . . due to resource damage and impaired opportunities for recreation and other non-commercial land uses, the full cost to the U.S. public could approach $ 1 billion annually."

The study was commissioned by the Center for Biological Diversity in conjunction with Western Watersheds Project and other conservation groups representing the National Public Lands Grazing Campaign.

Romaniello, an agricultural economist for the BLM in Colorado, said range management programs administered by the BLM and U.S. Forest Service are "just the tip of the iceberg."

"Numerous programs both in and outside the two agencies also bear costs related to the grazing program," he said.

Among these costs are compensation or mitigation for damages to public resources, wildlife, watersheds and human health by livestock on public lands.

The NPLGC groups commissioned the study to get an objective, updated summary of the costs to the public -- and harm to the environment -- of the federal livestock grazing program.

The NPLGC seeks to end the federal subsidy system through a federal buyout program that would compensate ranchers who voluntarily relinquish their public lands grazing permits. The plan is endorsed by more than 120 groups nationwide and supported by many ranchers.

The NPLGC proposal would compensate federal grazing permittees at $ 175 per animal unit month, or AUM, a rate four times market value. Public lands ranching west of the Mississippi River produces less than 3 percent of America's beef…

http://www.westernwatersheds.org/watmess/watmess_2002/2002html_fall/article2.htm

Red Virginia,

1500 Americans have died in Afghanistan under Obama's watch and 600 under Bush for a total of 2121 (iCasualties.org). It was a very easy fact to find. I am surprised you are so loose with your "facts" about something as serious as dead American soldiers.

4200 Americans died in Iraq under Bush's watch and we still have not located those darn WMD's. Obama ordered that war ended and almost 9 months later, Iraq is still going forward. Those Republican claims of looming disaster have not come true.

I hope you remember the promise Bush made to Afghanistan when he ordered the invasion, that we (USA) will leave it a better place than we found it. Obama is trying to make that happen and it is a difficult task. The trust we need to negotiate in the world is based on what we say and do. When the US promises something, we better try to make it happen, or people and governments will not trust us.

@ Grover Dorkquist:

Whats it called when you take from the poor and give to the rich? Theft??

Sorry buddy, nobody takes from the poor! They don't pay a fraction of their own way much less have anything taken from them. Oh, I suppose a libbie like you would have them not even paying into Social Security, Medicare or Sales Tax.

Romney's had three 'bad' weeks simply because the media is pushing a firestorm of bad press to paint Romney down.

What I'm really getting sick of is the complete absolute lack of any criticism from the media of anything related to Obama or his administration. Its so biased its sickening. They'll give him a pass on anything and if he screws up they'll go to great lengths to try to try to return the public's view to their pearly unspoiled image of him. They don't investigate or even attempt to validate critically anything he or his administration says. Yet with Romney they'll dig in to every little corner and twist stories to paint a picture of the 'evil uncaring Romney'.

That's right, call the Waaambulance and keep trying to work the refs. The Romney campaign is now a rolling calamity, in the words of CONSERVATIVE columnist Peggy Noonan.

Of course the biggest problem is that Conservatives are just so desperately out of touch with the American mainstream...ain't no cure for that.

I guess that ,according to Romney ,he wold discount any support fromthe late President R.Reagan,who as Governor of California ,in the early 1970's payed no taxes and the other iffy one President R.Nixon ,who payed less taxes Than a sometimes unemployed,but still payed payroll taxes,me. I have news for him .Don't count on my vote either!.