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In any presidential election in which there's an incumbent, there's a larger fight about whether the race is a "referendum" or a "choice." In 2012, Mitt Romney obviously wanted it to be a referendum -- if you're not satisfied with the status quo, replace President Obama with a generic Republican. The tack helps explain why the GOP candidate has been so vague on so many issues.
As of this morning, Romney's strategy has been thrown out the window. Paul Ryan wrote a right-wing budget plan, which redistributes wealth from the bottom up, and which guarantees voters will be presented with a very clear choice in the fall, not a referendum.
Indeed, it's not unreasonable to think the entire election dynamic will be turned on its ear -- voters will be asked to vote, not on Obama, but on the far-right Romney-Ryan vision.
And what is the vision crafted by a man who credits Ayn Rand for his involvement in politics? It's one in which Medicare would be replaced with a voucher scheme; Social Security would be privatized; taxes would be cut even more for the very wealthy; and Washington would "take food from poor children, make it harder for low-income students to get a college degree, and squeeze funding for research, education, and infrastructure."
What's more, the Ryan plan does not reduce the debt, either.
This has always been less of a budget plan and more of a right-wing fantasy. As of this morning, Romney not only endorses this right-wing vision, he owns it -- and in the process, he's presented the electorate with a dramatic choice, not a referendum.
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Of course this is a choice. Fiscal responsibility vs. emotional appeals.
I actually agree with you this time Shooter. Fiscal responsibility for We the People or emotional appeals from the 1% crying that they just "aren't rich enough"!!
Shooter exactly how is Romney vapor policies, or Ryan's Budget. Fiscal Responsibility. When neither of them actually does anything to help the budget. Or get us out of this economic mess we are in?
All this GOP Fiscal Responsibility. Is a bunch of poppycock! The fact is. There hasn't been a Rep President. That has actually balanced the Budget in 30 years. The only Modern day President to do so. Was Clinton. And he was a Democrat. The GOP has been blowing Fiscal Responsibility smoke up the bases collective butts for years.
yes...DO go back and look at Ryan's 'voting' on policies when the GOP was in power...not too much 'fiscal responsibility' there...He only was 'concerned' when the Dems won. Uh huh...a man of 'values'..
Go to hell, Pooper. We're tired of your daily marking of the hydrant. Especially when you're such a bloody wanker. But thanks for your daily demonstration of who The Enemy is. Too bad my ancestors didn't get rid of more of your traitor ancestors 150 years ago.
Hahahahahahahahahaha... Mr. Mitty (aka The Blank) shoots himself in the foot again:
Deficits and debt result of W and his complicit Republican Congresses. You want links? I got your links. With lots of nice pretty pictures!:
- Economic Downturn and Bush Policies Continue to Drive Large Projected Deficits
- What’s Driving Projected Debt?
- How the Deficit Got This Big
- MarketWatch Column On Obama's Spending Restraint Stands Up To Attacks
- Obama Presided Over a Tax Revenue Drought, Not a Spending Binge
one of the immediate effects on the gotp base seems to be a willingness to reveal an unbelievable amount of arrogance
to wit: governor vaginal probe completed his introduction of romney by comparing himself to patrick henry and thomas jefferson (saying that because he now holds the position they once had, he was the proof of the american dream)
apparently forcing romney to abandon any connection he might still have to a soul is the last move in their game of "risk"
The Ryan/Romney plan. Medicare privatized Social Security privatized Medicaid turned into a block grant from the fed. government.Trillions in tax cut's for the already wealthy."Obamacare'(s)"repealed.Gee what more could we ask for.Instead of a bureaucrat making decision's about our health, it will be a shareholder.They tell us that people over 55 yrs'of age or older are already retired will not be affected.Yeah Right,as soon as the Ryan/Romney plan is enacted they'll start on the program's that affect the people 55 or older and those already retired.Oh boy I ca'nt wait to get my medicare coupon.
Oh yes I forgot to mention the extra $12,800 dollar's per year for medicare coverage that a married couple will have to pay under the Ryan/Romney budget.
And what could possibly go wrong with turning trillions and trillions of cash into the hands of Wall Street who would now be managing over 200 million personal retirement programs. Trust us!
My sister's company did! She was slated to retire in 2009, now she will have to work until she is in her late 70's to get back what her company lost on her retirement account "playing" the stock market!!
My job does too. I am forced into the stock market, but I am responsible for "picking" my stocks, high yield, low yield, whatever.
The stock market is a internationally legalized gambling casino and I have never wanted anything to do with it, maybe because long-term stability is exactly what the stock market is not about.
The stock market is for people who have the time and inclination to play with numbers, research stocks, and build a diversified portfolio (keywords from my retirement pamphlets).
Lets just hpe that there are enogh folks realizing this and they vote to save our medicare etc because social security is hight on the chopping block, the changes they want are going to make life for us retired folks awful hard.
So....you've had a lousy summer with people demanding to see your tax returns so you pick a running mate who wants to give rich 1%ter's like you more tax breaks & has even produced the paperwork (in the form of an actual budget) so that your opponents can hit you over the head with it & all the other stupid ideas it contains.....incredible........un....f#$%ing....believable.
It seems nobody here played football. What does it say when a team chooses to keep running up the middle?
Re: #4.1
I don't play football but watch.
If running up the middle is working, then you keep pounding away.
If it is not working, or the defense adjusts so that it no longer works, then you do something else - like pass.
What is your point?
The timing of this announcement is odd.
Why do this during the Olympics? Why not closer to the republican national convention to capture as much of the spotlight as possible, as McCain did with Palin?
Palin as VP announcement: Aug 29
2008 RNC: Sept 1-4
#4.3
Because the message of the Romney campaign was not working and they needed to make a change.
The thing that I wonder about is regarding the interview with Chuck Todd yesterday - where Romney stated he wanted to just talk about the issues.
Why did he say that stuff knowing that the VP announcement was today?
Romney was crying "stop hitting me! Please?" yesterday, please don't talk about his business, his imperial spouse, his nitwit sons, his toxic taxes, all the "distractions." Well, he just got his wish. We'll be happy to engage him on "the issues." Especially since 80% of Americans like Social Security and Medicare. Yes indeed, let's give our retirement to his fellow members of the cabal of vultures on Wall Street
Yes shooter Romney want's to do exactly what Bush did,that is getting tackled in the backfield so many times you end up in your own end zone.
Shooter- The Denver Broncos, in the early 80's, were the classic run up the middle team. Weak offensive line, slow running backs, utterly predictable. Run right, run left, pass, then punt. The defense knew exactly what they were going to do, as did the fans. They had a great passing quarterback (arguably the best ever, in John Elway) but they had a coach (Dan Reeves) who kept running up the middle. And kept losing.
Romney is running up the middle, and going nowhere. He just picked up a running back (Wrong Way Ryan), who prefers to run his own plays instead of Romney's. So they're going to do exactly what you imply. Go nowhere, and go home.
Actually, Romney keeps running right. Further and further right, with the predictability of a metronome. His whole campaign is turning into one big Hail Mary for the GOP.
Plus side: when they get trounced this time, they'll run a true-blue crazy in 2016, and get hammered again. Maybe that will break them of this slippery slope into racism, sexism, xenophobia, and facism.
Grasping at millstones.
But think of the campaign slogan: "Take the Money and Ryan!"
Will the discussion about the Ryan Plan take the focus off what was an increasing call for Mitt's tax returns?
Do we get to not see Ryan's tax returns as well?
Good point, NC2. Didn't Biden show his tax returns? Can we expect the same from Ryan? And if Ryan, why not Romney? Surely what's good for the VP candidate is good for the Presidential candidate.
Ryan Lizza's article in New Yorker looks quite prescient: http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012/08/06/120806fa_fact_lizza
Now everyone WILL know more about Ryan's plan that focus group's could not believe anyone would ever vote to approve!
After Mr. Obama has worked so hard for the American people,
what America DOES NOT NEED is
4 years of R&R (Romney and Ryan) !
They'll sit back and let the corporations run the counrty. :)
But you don't understand. Next week he will choose Bill Clinton and then claim that he never said a thing about Paul Ryan.
9:20 AM, and Romney walks to the podium. Introduced by Aaron Copeland's "Fanfare for the Common Man."
I suspect the irony was unintentional.
I'm watching Romney and saying over and over:
"That statement is B*&:S%$T"
"That statement is B*&:S%$T"
"That statement is B*&:S%$T"
And who picked that music!!!!!!!
Haven't yelled and scared the cat - that will probably happen when Ryan speaks.
And, did Mitt introduce Paul Ryan as the next president of the United States?
He did!
Oh, that's good for chuckle.
Yeah, and Romney came back and said he has made mistakes in the past ---- but he does not think choosing Ryan as his running mate is a mistake. Ha.
Well, the truth is that Romney exposes himself through his "slips"! There is no DOUBT in my mind that if the Ryan/Romney ticket wins, that Ryan WILL be in control and Romney will be the "puppet" dictator!
Yup - listened to Ryan, yelled and scared the cat!!
"That statement is B*&:S%$T"
"That statement is B*&:S%$T"
"That statement is B*&:S%$T"
Lies, distortions over and over and over....
OMG
Here is an interesting thing that was mentioned on Up with Chris Hayes by John Nichols:
When Paul Ryan went back to his district and held town hall meetings, he got yelled at.
Is it possible that he would not be able to win re-election in his district?
We Lie : You Decide
The part of Ryan's budget that plans to decrease medicare spending by making the co-pays so high that people will not seek care highlights the lack of compassion that can easily be a good campaign ad.
My republican friends are thrilled. They tell me that:
"It is a great selection and now we have our 'Dream Team'. Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan will stand up for the 1/10th of 1% who have been so maligned by the democrat mouthpieces of the MSM.
Together, they will fight to uphold our mottos of:
- More is never enough!
- I've got mine, f*ck you!"
Perhaps a small conspiracy theory is in order here?
Everybody with a brain in their head- and has a 2016 calendar handy- turned Mitt down?
Ryan, at only 42, can look ahead to running in 2020. . .
(feel free to email this to your crazy uncle.)
Then Mitt met a man who had no feet, and took everything not nailed down since Mitt knew the man could not chase him. He did not even need his gang to hold the man down.
Congrats to Paul Ryan, now here's what the Ryan Plan really means fi Romney/Ryan get elected.
If you were born before 1960:
"Finally we're going get rid of that terrible socialist medical plan that Obama put in place so that we can keep the government's hands off your Medicare, and we are going to dramatically reduce the Government budget, cut taxes, and expand the Defense budget. Don't worry one bit about retirement programs (Social Security/Medicare), everything will be fully funded in your lifetime. We got you covered for all those years you ignored the consequences of your selfish, irresponsible behaviors. Those poor decisions will now have absolutely no impact on your own lives, those do-nothing lazy kids will pay for your mistakes. Nothing else to see here."
If you were born after 1960:
"Thanks for your continued payments for our elderly citizens, however please remember that effective immediately your retirement programs are cancelled. You remain 100% on the hook for the current glut of retiring baby boomers who have done precious little in the way of personal planning or government policy. In fact as the majority demographic of Congress, the Baby Boomers have also held the Presidency for over 16 years, and in all this time have utterly failed to produce a working policy for their own retirement planning. So your generation will be on the hook for the retirement generation for the rest of their lives. And here's more good news, we also have massive tax break for the job creators, courtesy of your newly reduced social safety net. Carry on, we're counting on your tax contributions and compliance to make all this work."
Why they are doing this:
Turn over trillions of retirement and medicare funds to the private free market, what could possibly go wrong.
Steve, I'm in the before 60 group, but I have a thought about the after 60 group. How many of these will have the thought they they will not be able to retire and not pay into 401K plans?
How many in both groups will not retire because of fear of health-care costs and because of this, there will be less opportunities for younger workers?
Medicare for all solves a lot of problems.
yes yes yes yes yes
this has always been a choice...but now, it's obvious
You nailed it, Steve, and what a choice it is.
Dems better go medieval on these guys. The Ryan plan is a gift that keeps on giving.
Wow, guess Mitt DID pick Ryan...I was in total shock this morning and posted before thinking...sorry.
Now onto reading the The Pathway to
RuinationProsperity.Have we gotten a statement from Obama yet, or is he still unable to catch his breath.
Republicans have been opposed to Social Security and Medicare from the start. Since it would be political suicide to eliminate the programs entirely the next best thing to do would be privatize them.
I think a voucher system for healthcare will pay for a minimum of healthcare and co-pays will be tacked on above the voucher. I think healthcare will be extremely expensive with this system.
My wife has MS and I can only imagine what health-care will cost me. Why a rational middle class person would even think about a scheme like this is beyond me.
From what I've read of Ryan's plans for Medicare, it is much worse than you even imagine. For instance,he wants to tack your Medicare "voucher" to the second lowest healthcare plan premium out there. So you will have to choose a healthcare company based on price rather than on reputation and benefits or you will have to pay the "over and above" costs.
Have you ever dealt with these "cheap" healthcare insurance companies? The reason they keep their premiums so low is that they "deny payment" to almost every claim. Can you IMAGINE the hassle seniors will have to go through just to get their "Medicare Exchange" type bills paid?
Then there is the issue of having to have two separate healthcare plans, because Medicare doesn't pay for everything and the "Medicare Exchange" type companies only have to pay for what Medicare would. So will your separate healthcare plan skyrocket because the company that is supposed to pay for your Medicare Exchange benefits refuses to pay?
I've tried to understand this Medicare Exchange crap and all I can see is that I am going to get TOTALLY SCREWED when I am ready to retire if Ryan actually ever gets this plan through.
And even with everything covered the billing is a nightmare .
My wife just had her appendix out.
One week = $95,000.00
Umpteen portions of the claim denied because the emergency providers were "out of network "
Like we had a choice @ 3 in the morning .
Are you in network? No? oh OK just let her suffer excruciating pain.
Best Health Care System in the World .
oncearepublican, I totally agree with your thoughts. Ryan's plan shows no concern for the health and welfare of the American people. I just hope that the word spreads among the "pride in being ignorant" people, what a disaster Ryan's plan would be for them.
"Why a rational middle class person would even think about a scheme like this is beyond me."
The problem arises with the ninth word in your sentence. Have you seen any evidence that most Republicans supporting Romney are actually thinking? Had they been "thinking" for the past twenty years, they wouldn't have been voting against their own economic interests, and we wouldn't be in many of the messes in which we now find ourselves.
Link to Path To Prosperity
The charts on Page 6 - A Choice of Two Futures and Page 11 - Crushing Burden of Debt are deceptive.
The CBO has two scenarios that are used when they do analyses: Extended Baseline Scenario and Extended Alternative Baseline Scenario
The 2012 Long-Term Budget Outlook
Quoting from the CBO:
One big difference in the two is that the Extended Alternative Baseline Scenario continues the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts.
Projected Debt by 2037
Extended Baseline = 53
Extended Alternative Baseline = 199
The two charts I listed above display the Extended Alternative Baseline as the Current Path
THIS IS RIDICULOUS.
Everyone knows that the "Extended Alternative Baseline Scenario" is nothing short of fiscal INSANITY!!
I never knew lil'ol'Eddie Munster would ever run for vice president of the United States!
Herman must be very proud! -Kevo
As a poster on another site said this morning:
'A very fine fit, actually. Mittens can take their jobs away and Ryan will make sure they starve to death when Social Security and Medicare is killed.'
Did anyone notice the African American woman in the bleachers, behing Romney's left shoulder? She looked particularly unimpressed by the procedings up through Ryan's introduction. She disappears shortly there after, leaving a noticable space in the small assemblage behind the stage.
Who was she? What do you think happened to her?
Since Ryan is now on the ticket for VP, does that mean he's off the ballot in Wisconsin?
Is he out of Congress if they lose?
Can I do my happy dance yet?
According to the webmaster of electoralvote.com:
"Under Wisconsin law, Ryan can run for Vice President and the House at the same time, so accepting the offer has no downside and even if he loses, would make him a serious player--maybe th favorite--in 2016. Of course, running for both Vice President and Congress at the same time will open him to charges that he doesn't have much faith in his own ticket."
No idea if that's accurate or not, but if it is, we may not be rid of Ryan either way.
Oh wait, according to the Washington Post, it is accurate. Ryan's name will appear twice on the ballot in Wisconsin; once for VPOTUS and once for the House. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/what-paul-ryans-vp-pick-means-for-his-house-seat/2012/08/11/115093c6-e3a5-11e1-ae7f-d2a13e249eb2_blog.html
I was sort of hoping he would pick Michele Bachmann for the crazy ticket, but this will do.
Has anyone else noticed what a low forehead Eddie Munster has? That's because he's a perfect Republican: no frontal lobes. I'll bet his brain isn't as big as Homo Erectus.
What I've noticed about these "new Republicans" is that their brains aren't in their Homo but are definitely in their Erectus
teehee
Now that Romney has picked Ryan for his running mate, there is a clear difference between Romney/Ryan and Obama/Biden. The choice will have a dramatic impact on our future. Just wondering how many average white guys I work with will be able to see the difference?
My experience almost none . There is an islomofacistkenyancommunistN**er in the Whitehouse
sick-n-effin-tired, that's what I see too.
I'm reasonably certain that we won't get to see as much of Ryan's tax returns as we haven't seen of Mitt's. In fact, we will probably get to see much more of fewer tax returns from a lot of conservative wealthy candidates in the future.
At some point, we will be able to a massive amount of very little in the way of tax returns or, indeed, any financial information.
What is that old saying... 'less is more'?
I think with Romney and Ryan, more is less.