Romney's new South Carolina ad defending his time at Bain Capital.
Meanwhile, see who's raising money for Romney so he can pay for ads like this.
Third-party group has cash but no candidate.
President Obama seeks to merge government agencies.
Justice Department unveils the legal justification for Pres. Obama's recess appointments.
Kansas Gov. Brownback wants to end tax deductions for mortgage interest and charitable giving.
That failed Russian rocket may crash back to Earth this weekend.
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Romney's entire candidacy is based on his business background and so-called "job creation" record. When voters learn than Mitt made his fortune firing people, and that he "liked" it, they are going to have serious second thoughts about whether Mitt is qualified to lead the American economy. Mitt Romney in particular needs to cut out the elitist talking points of how the struggling masses are only out of work because they "envy" the three multi-million dollar homes and ability to speak fluent French that Mitt has. The idea that working Americans upset that they are getting stuck with a higher tax rate than Wall Street hedge fund crooks is "jealousy" is offensive. http://www.sunstateactivist.org
I saw Joe Scarborough say something telling last night. He said that 'the job of Bain was not to create jobs, but to create profit. ' Certainly they seem to have been successful at that, but Romney isn't selling himself on that basis, and I don't think the GOP will do so well if they pitch their campaign message as 'tax breaks for profit creators'.
My Irony Meter is in the red zone, y'all. Of COURSE it's the job of venture capitalists to create profit for their investors! What do you think they're in business to do? Mitt Romney was GOOD at his job - he does have that record to run on. A perfect REPUBLICAN record for a perfect REPUBLICAN candidate.
That doesn't mean he'd be a good president, but that's not what we're discussing, is it?
Like Bill Ayers was a good bomber.....
The time is ripe for a real option but first they need to have a stated platform that proves they are not going to be just more of the same. If they want to call themselves America Elect then I suggest they promise to follow the polls and let the will of the people be done.For example if the polls say a majority thinks the wealthy should be taxed at a higher rate or that corporations are not people then their party's representatives would be obligated to vote accordingly.
I know I'm not supposed to laugh, but I can't help it.
Watching the Right try to chew each others' leg off for being the "wrong" kind of capitalist is funny as heck!
So I read of a man who's grandfather was alive when Wilbur and Orville flew the first heavier-than-air craft 100 feet. His grandfather was still alive and watched on television as the first human flew into space, landed on the moon and walked out onto it. I wonder what he would think of the shuttering of NASA's manned shuttle program.
We diminish, and go into the West...
Todat is Friday the 13th!!!
"That failed Russian rocket may crash back to Earth this weekend"
This is no coincidence. It is obviously part of a George Soros inspired and funded plot.
People keep wondering why someone like Jeb Bush doesn’t run for President. Now that is a joke, when it is too apparent the American people know too well how Bush and Chenney along with their other cronies have put us into a world economic crisis and spreading hatred throughout the world. Junior Bush’s little token brother Jeb Bush is hiding like the rest of the corrupt swine and waiting for the people to forget on what they have done. Currently, these worthless dogs sneak around in behind the scenes doing their dirty deeds, you know those quiet rooms. Back in 2009, Junior Bush was traveling around to the different states preparing the Republicans for the 2010 elections, have you noticed the results of that crap yet? You should of because the Republicans are sure looking to gut America good so everything can go to these corrupt rich people and they can have their dictatorship and be the rulers of everything. This is far worse than some corrupt and greedy Pharoah.
Here is a much simpler reason from someone who knows him: JEB!?! is waiting for 2016. He does not want to take on the losing proposition of trying to unseat an incumbent. He is not stupid. Bad, but not stupid. He wants an open seat. His biggest threat then will be Marocito Rubio.
I think the Republican Presidential candidates are doing this on purpose in an attempt that President Obama will not be able to effectively use it later. But regardless, Romney is still the same piece of crap he has always been, he will do anything to become President with their hidden agenda. Romney it is time to show those income tax returns.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLWnB9FGmWE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLWnB9FGmWE
Was Romney at Bain when they cannibalized K.B. TOYS ? I got some of my Jurassic Park toys from there!
I can't get the Romney "dog on the roof" story out of my mind. I wonder,
while that poor dog was in the middle of her gastrointestinal event, what
was happening to the people in the car driving behind them?
Also, as far as Mitt's story that "she climbed up there all the time; she loved
it," think about that. Consider the logistics of a dog trying to climb onto a car.
She'd surely keep slipping off, scratching the heck out of the paint the whole time.
I've had dogs all my life and never had one willingly climb to the top of the car.
A cat yes; a dog, never. Probably what Mitt meant was, "I put her up there all
the time." From a passionate dog lover's perspective: Mitt, you are a heartless
ba*t*rd.
During last night's show, Rachel was talking about the "Envy Defense" that Romney has been using and how it comes off rather badly for him. She mentioned that coming from other people like Chris Christie that it might not come off as badly, because Christie seems to have more credibility as a middle-class kind of guy.
I my opinion it comes off just as badly or worse coming from Christie. While Romney has always been among the privileged class, if Christie had to work as hard to get himself up from the middle (as he would have us believe), he should show even more empathy for those that find themselves being held down by the institutions of money and privilege. Where Romney comes across as the guy who wouldn't offer help to the people down a well, Christie is the kind of guy that would climb the rope sent down by someone and then cut it so no one else could follow him. As if anyone else having a chance to escape diminishes him in some way.
He is a prime example of the "self-loathing Nouveau riche". They crave the acceptance from the "Old Money Class" and hate from where they came from so much that they can't stand to see others in those same circumstances make use of the same avenues (education, government assistance, etc) because they feel it takes directly from them and their accomplishments. You see it with some athletes and celebrities that get very wealthy very quickly. It has nothing to do with the money really (that's just a symbol to quantify their accomplishments), it has to do with the character flaws that make them unrepentantly selfish human beings. Though classifying them as human is generously endowing them with other admirable qualities they also fail to display on regular basis.
Bottom line, whether it comes from Romney, Christie or anyone else, a proponent of the "Envy Defense" comes across as an incredible douche-nozzle.
I am most bothered by Romney saying "I will certainly pursue repeal" of health reform, and that he intends to "transition Medicare to giving seniors subsidies to purchase health insurance, as in Paul Ryan-- dismantling of Medicare. And in Romney's plan Medicare is not guaranteed each year as Congress would determine it in the budget--can you imagine with the House Republicans how this would absolutely end Medicare as we know it.
Romney had his interview with the Washington Examiner (full Romneytranscript online washingtonexaminer.com 12/ 7/11....)
Igor Volsky at thinkprogress.org summarized it well--here's an excerpt 12/7/11:
"Mitt Romney clarified his plan to partially privatize the Medicare program during an interview with the Washington Examiner’s editorial board Wednesday morning, suggesting that he would allow Congress to vote on the amount of “premium support” credits (or vouchers) seniors receive to buy health care coverage every year. Broadly speaking, like Paul Ryan, Romney seeks to gradually privatize the Medicare program for future enrollees by shifting seniors into private coverage and issuing everyone a “voucher” with which to purchase insurance. The plan also preserves the traditional Medicare option — known as fee-for-service — and seniors would be given a choice between using their vouchers towards the existing Medicare program or private insurance.
“[L]ower income seniors will receive more generous support to ensure that they can afford coverage,” but the government’s vouchers won’t keep up with premium increases and as a result, seniors who cannot afford to pay anything above the government contribution may be stuck in cheaper and perhaps lower quality health plans that contract with lower quality providers or cover fewer expensive tests and procedures. During today’s interview, Romney reiterated that the voucher would not grow with health care spending and hinted that Congress would be responsible for approving voucher increases annually...."
WE NEED TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW THIS IS HIS PLAN AND THIS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. OBVIOUSLY HE PLANS TO END MEDICARE AS WE KNOW IT. And clearly our seniors will suffer.
I say we let the people in Congress try this approach first with their own Health Care benefits to see if they like it. Instead of giving them all the benefits they have now, they should each get paid hourly (just whenever they get in session) and $5000 a year voucher for their family healthcare
You have to respect the strategists in the GOP, if nothing else, for sending out their red herring candidates to spew out the ugly racist rhetoric, creating the "Obama's a socialist who wants his people to take our money" atmosphere for their white business champion to compete in. I just hope the American people can add up the facts, and see through the thick cloud of lies coming from the GOP media.
.
Interesting note about lies coming from the "right": they come from medias I wasn't expecting when I opened my housewife's favorite mag National Inquirer. Inside I found an article about Michelle Obama that began with "Thud! That's the sound of America's economy hitting rock bottom.", had a middle consisting of outrageous numbers I find hard to believe, and ended with a tea partier's quote, "As President Obama's poll numbers fall, it's clear the American people are fed up with his family's spending habits..."
The cover of the magazine didn't give any warning whatsoever, not even the smallest mention, of the right wing message inside. It just hits you like "BAM oh by the way..." And they have the nerve to accuse certain movie-makers and other entertainment of inserting Left messages.
M Marie: Yes, it would be nice, but in my humble opinion, it ain't gonna happen unless the media, you and I start yelling, screaming, ranting and acting like the Republicans about the truth until those watching Fox begin to think that maybe something stinks. I'm not sure that any of us have that kind of tenacity.
I cannot understand that the media (CNN, NBC, CBS, ABC, local, newsprint, etc, etc) don't stand up and state simply "That is not accurate. How do you explain the fact that -----------? I would greatly appreciate a bit more neutrality in the media and a lot more demanding of the truth. When people begin to see that the main stream media are calling their lies into question they actually may begin to wonder what else is a lie.
It is nice to have a comfortable nook to express your opinions knowing that others on that site will generally agree with you, but in the media that is available for everyone (who can really reach the poor, the lower middle class and the rest of the population) with the realities a bit more often, we could see some sense coming into the frothing, hate-filled citizens that have bought the Republican mis-direction.
Well, we could hope anyway.
Thank you for replying, gramapoetmn.
I expect to see the lies from right-wing medias. I know that many people who vote watch the news. But the sad truth is that a large number of women don't watch political news; they simply vote for whoever their husband convinces them to vote for. I know people like this. This sneaky article spoke to those women, using the bandwagon persuasion. And I've noticed something about men/women who believe whatever so-called experts tell them to believe: they need to be constantly reminded, which is why medias like FOX is a neverending fountain of lies.
Someone was ranting the other day about Maddow's "complaining about FOX news" becoming redundant, and I explained that it was a dirty job trying to keep up with the BS factory that is that fake news channel. It's difficult trying not to look like the very evil you're fighting against. This is probably why "CNN, NBC, CBS, ABC, local, newsprint, etc, etc" has to simply and calmly put the truth out there, and hope the people are willing to fact-check.
What is up with the MSM's especially MSNBC's war against Rep Paul. They either ignore his second place win or keep repeating that he is "irrelevant" What do they not get that he cuts a huge swath into the anti unnecessary wars contingents in the Dems, Indes and Republicans. Most of us know he will not be elected but we also know that if he is pulled from the stage the anti unnecessary wars and a more sane US foreign policy message goes with him. Why does the MSNBC team hate him so?
Anyone else notice how during today's (Friday) weekly round up Willie Geist mentioned Romney's win and every placement with the exception of Rep Paul's second place win. Did not even mention this. MSNBC has a war against Rep Paul. The MSNBC pundit class have a war against Rep Ron Paul. Now don't get me wrong would never ever vote for Rep Paul based on domestic issues. But why the MSNBC crew do not get that his anti war based on false claims stances unites Democrats, Independents and Republicans against unnecessary wars based on lies. He has huge support amongst the military. Yet Chris Mattews, Ed, Lawrence O Donnell, Al Sharpton continue to rip him up. They really have a war against him. Here are a few of their comments last night during their coverage of the outcome of the New Hampshire results.
Lawrence O'Donnell " nothing Ron Paul can do that is relevant" "I just don't count him. A joke. A srew up."
Chris Matthews: " If the second place is taken by Rep Paul blah blah(those words Chris's words) who cares"
Al Sharpton: "discounts" Ron Paul "whacky"
Bob Shrum "irrelevant"
Cause it is easier to run against a candidate with dog-@!$%# on his shoe that likes to fire people than it it a crazy-old uncle that sometimes make sense.
stknmov true, but when the crazy-old uncle doesn't make sense, he really is out on the limb.
The media really doesn't "hate" Ron Paul - it's just that he has been running in every election for as long as many of us can remember, with the same message and hasn't ever hit the "big time" as he has now. So, in fact, for all that time he has been essentially irrelevant. It is sometimes difficult to see a different result than what the past has shown us.
His lilbertarian ideas of shutting down most of the federal government ignores the issues that obviously cross state lines. His belief that corporations will help the citizens is patently false. He is living in a dream that is not functional in the technological world. That makes him outdated and strange in many ways.
What is worrisome about that is that his base of 17 to 29 year olds really have no idea of what the subsequent facts will bring. We live in a world that isolationalism cannot work because there is too much commerce between countries. Because we live in a world in which a country on the other side of the earth can launch a missile that takes out New York, his platform to turn most decisions over to the states cannot provide for our safety. His plan to turn Social Security and Medicare into state plans simply isn't reasonable.
He may be a very nice, old uncle, but personally I wouldn't like to see him in a position in which he can initiate his ideas.
This is my opinion, but I will defer to those more knowledgeable than me for a better explanation.
Chris Matthews stepped out of line last night and had Bob Baer on to discuss the latest killing of another Iranian scientist. Former CIA Bob Baer said it was "Israel" But who believes that the US was not involved. No one believes Secretary of State Clinton when she says the US was not involved in this act of war. Seymour Hersh has been writing about this covert and illegal war against Iran since 2008
Rachel you really need to have Seymour Hersh on to discuss Iran. You are way overdue to have him on. Or Flynt and Hillary Leverett. Scott Ritter did write an incredible book called "Target Iran" around 8 years ago. yeah yeah we know you did challenge Bill Kristol, Frum, Gaffney and a few other warmongers before the invasion but you did not play hardball. Time to do it on this push for a military confrontation with Iran. You are way over due in this department
July 07, 2008
Annals of National Security
Preparing the Battlefield
ANNALS OF NATIONAL SECURITY about the Bush Administration’s escalation of clandestine military operations against Iran and the Congressional oversight of such activities. Last year, at a request from president Bush, Congress agreed to provide up to four hundred million dollars for a major escalation of clandestine military operations against Iran…
by Seymour M. Hersh
Read more http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/bios/seymour_m_hersh/search?contributo...
Jun 06, 2011
Annals of National Security
Iran and the Bomb
ANNALS OF NATIONAL SECURITY about whether Iran’s nuclear program is being exaggerated. Is Iran actively trying to develop nuclear weapons? Members of the Obama Administration often talk as if this were a foregone conclusion, as did their predecessors under George W. Bush. There’s a large body of evidence, however, including…
by Seymour M. Hersh
I'm posting this because it's interesting, not because it's cute.
http://www.terradaily.com/reports/LSU_professor_discovers_world_tiniest_vertebrate_999.html
But it is cute.
Enough Already,The 1% separated themselves out by insisting they were the "job creators"and entitled to every tax break they could think of,buy or steal.Now complain that the system they have built cannot withstand criticism from Newt Gingrich, NEWT GINGRICH!?!? if Newt Gingrich can pull down your house of cards you need sturdier cards!
They just do not get that when the peasants cannot access capital capitalism does not work. Oh and by the way capitalism is not mentioned in the constitution.
So, according to the Republicans, government does not create jobs. That is not its intended constitutional role. The wealthiest, or top 1% of Americans, are the legitimate job creators. OK, then why are the Republicans not blaming the 1% for not creating enough jobs for the past three years? Why are the Republicans giving the 1% a free pass? Are the extremely wealthy actual job creators or not?
Important articles about Iran up at RACE FOR IRAN, MONDOWEISS and FOREIGN POLICY
False Flag
A series of CIA memos describes how Israeli Mossad agents posed as American spies to recruit members of the terrorist organization Jundallah to fight their covert war against Iran.
BY MARK PERRY | JANUARY 13, 2012
Buried deep in the archives of America's intelligence services are a series of memos, written during the last years of President George W. Bush's administration, that describe how Israeli Mossad officers recruited operatives belonging to the terrorist group Jundallah by passing themselves off as American agents. According to two U.S. intelligence officials, the Israelis, flush with American dollars and toting U.S. passports, posed as CIA officers in recruiting Jundallah operatives -- what is commonly referred to as a "false flag" operation.
Hmmm, I have a theory. My theory is that no secretive organization would have search-able memos unless they wanted to either cover their own a...es or they wanted said memos to be found and mislead the finder.
If I whisper in your ear a secret I either know you will keep it secret or I know you are a blabbermouth and I want to use you for "plausible denial" reasons.
The Obama-seeks-to-streamline-agencies story reminds us of yet another distinction between running businesses and running the Government:
In Government, "plagiarism" is okay! A good idea is a good idea, and swiping one from the opposition merely shows that you're willing to look at good ideas from all sides.
(I don't mean that sarcastically.)
Businesses, on the other hand, work to keep their "intellectual property" locked up tight for as long as they can.
Newt Gingrich very publicly coordinates with his SuperPac.
The most famous quote of this election cycle!
"PUT THE DOG ON THE ROOF. IF HE DIES IN THE COLD...THAT'S ONE LESS MOUTH TO FEED." -- Mitt Zombie
The Huffington Post has a video interspersing Mittens's speeches with "The Sound of Music", so that we learn what a few of Romney's favorite things are.
Occupy DC January 17th