Today's edition of quick hits:
* U.S. troops in Afghanistan have been ordered to "significantly scale back operations with Afghan military and police forces after a spike in fratricidal 'insider attacks' that has seriously undermined U.S. trust in their local allies." The decision is "linked to concerns that American field troops have become more vulnerable to attacks because of Muslim outrage over a controversial anti-Islam video."
* The entirety of Mitt Romney's "47 percent" remarks, first reported by Mother Jones' David Corn, is now available. The first part is included below; the second is online here.
* The Obama campaign put out a video this afternoon, showing regular folks' responses to the clip. Not surprisingly, people weren't impressed with the Republican candidate's comments.
* The Obama campaign also criticized Romney for his intention to ignore the Middle East peace process, saying the comments prove he's "not ready for prime time ... and that's a pretty big test to fail if you are trying to be commander-in-chief."
* Libya: "The White House on Tuesday explicitly left open the possibility that last week's dramatic attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, which left four Americans including U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens dead, was a preplanned attack."
* Putin apparently isn't a USAID fan: "Russia has ordered the United States to end its financial support for a wide range of pro-democracy groups, human rights organizations and other civil society programs operating in the country, in an aggressive step by the Kremlin to halt what it has come to view as thinly veiled American meddling in the country's internal affairs."
* Chicago: "Chicago could be closing in on an end to its first teacher strike in 25 years. The Chicago Teachers Union's roughly 800 delegates were convening at a union hall near Chinatown to discuss and review the latest contract proposal, according to The Chicago Tribune."
* Oh my: "Fox's Charles Payne refers to Social Security disability benefits as 'the crazy check.'"
* And Clint Eastwood had these insightful thoughts on his recent political debate with an empty chair: "If somebody's dumb enough to ask me to go to a political convention and say something, they're gonna have to take what they get."
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
Leave a Comment:
Today also marks the anniversary of the legendary Jimi Hendrix's death,, one of the 27.
Why no mention of the Supreme Court decision in PA today? Was interested in hearing Steve's take on it.
Freddie
There is a post further down on the blog.
I must be blind, because the only recent post I see about voter ID is from yesterday, nothing about the ruling today.
Romney and Ryan are trying to sidestep the fact that when Romney was talking about that lazy, shiftless, irresponsible 47%, he was talking about the 47% of voters who were at the time supporting Obama. It's a sore point, because I'm an Obama supporter and I'm paying a higher tax rate than Romney is.
That is true Kathleen, and the fact is Romney will probably not get many of their votes anyway. What he said was stupid, but in my opinion it will not change many people's choice in November.
As for the tax rate, the loopholes that Romney and the vast majority of the wealthy use are legal which means they were put into law by OUR Congress.
Skip, I think you aren't recognizing that a lot of people don't like to be insulted by the guy who is seeking their vote. Now, some people need to be insulted more than once, but between now and 11/6 they're gonna get insulted more than once (h/t to Boss Jim Gettys). Romney is nowhere near finished making a repulsive ass out of himself, and his loss is going to be spectacular -- he may not even manage to win the Confederate states.
Hells..
I do recognize that fact, but as I said the ones insulted were going to vote for Obama anyway - at least the vast majority of them. And the Romney voters will probably NOT change their vote because of this - in my opinion.
No, you keep referring to that 47% as "them", and as a monolithic bloc. Kathleen's point is that she's an Obama voter who paid income taxes (and at a higher rate than Romney). So am I. The 47% who pay no income taxes are NOT all Obama voters. There are plenty of senior citizens and working poor who are Romney supporters, but they may not be his supporters for long. Even the racist Romney supporters may decide they'd rather go with the black guy who doesn't hold them in contempt.
Point taken Hells...
String together all the "off the cuff" insults, Rmoney is going to be seen in the true light of who he really is. Out of touch with every day Americans.
He is truly repulsive.
I'm going to give the Republicans a little credit. Didn't a couple of them say in public that this is part of the platform, that the welfare system should shrink, and gosh didn't those irresponsible people deserve it after all?
I can take a fair fight. If the GOP admits that this is who they are, then good! Some clarity!
Politifact and FactCheck have both done articles on this and both have pointed out the fallacy of Romney's assertions. I preferred the FactCheck one;
http://factcheck.org/2012/09/dependency-and-romneys-47-percenters/
State income tax and federal income tax...
Romney was talking about federal, but there are states that have no state income tax so if you live in proverty and don't work, you still pay taxes on EVERYTHING that is bought.
For example, if you live in Tennessee and are on welfare and food stamps, when you go to the grocery store, you pay huge amounts in taxes back to the state. So, the state of TN is giving and then taking back. If you live in say, Massachusetts where they have a state income tax, only luxury items are taxed.
How many red states don't have a state income tax so they can still tax the $hit out of the poor?
Globalove....please tell the American tax payers exactly what percentage TN recipients of WELFARE and FOOD STAMPS pay when they go to a grocery store and cash-in their food stamps. Thank you. It is ZERO. But it costs the rest of us a hell of a lot!!
Mike, you are a reminder that the best thing that I did was to leave the state of Georgia....
Mike in goergia:
Actually, I didn't know for sure, so I looked it up. IT'S THE HIGHEST IN ALL 50 STATES
Tennessee has the highest combined state and local sales tax rate of any state, the Tax Foundation reported today.
The 7 percent state sales tax rate in Tennessee, combined with an average 2.45 percent local sales tax rate across the state, boosts the Volunteer State's sales tax rate to the highest among the 50 states with an average tax levy on purchases of 9.45 percent.
If you live in TN and go to the store and spend $50. in food stamps, you will pay $4.72 in tax....BACK TO THE STATE!
All I'm saying is if the state says they give X in food stamps, do they account for what they get back?
Okay it hurts me clarify a GOP rant, but if I collect fifty dollars in Food Stamps and go to the grocery store to buy food, if Tennesse is charging tax on my purchase, then, then no, I didn't pay the sales tax the USDA paid it. The state has simply diverted 9.45% from Federal food stamp funds to General Fund through my purchase. Kind of like how a significant portion of Federal expense for the Earned Income Credit doesn't go to the working poor, but gets siphoned off by JacksonHewitt, H&R Block, and their bank partners.
"The White House on Tuesday explicitly left open the possibility that last week's dramatic attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, which left four Americans including U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens dead, was a preplanned attack."
Good point. Totally counters what Benen said.
Oops...this didn't pick up my total post somehow.
I added that since the pretty well armed attackers that killed the Ambassador knew of the safe house and attacked said safe house tends to lean towards preplanned. And the fact that the attack - as well as the various protests happened on 9/11 is more than a coincidence to me. The crappy Youtube video was out for a few weeks before the protests/attack occured.
Here's the thing: Romney apparently gave this speech when Obama's support was at 47%, and by coincidence that matches the percentage of people who apparently don't pay federal income tax. So he simply decided that they must be the exact same people. You know, they're both 47%.
He's wrong. He himself has the lead among the elderly, who are among the biggest beneficiaries. I doubt very much that Obama's supporters are MORE likely to receive federal entitlements than Romney's supporters. I can tell you for a fact that many of Obama's supporters DO pay federal income taxes. I pay a higher rate than Romney does, for that matter.
Is there any verification of this alleged "threat to release Romney's Tax Returns" by the source of this video?
http://www.businessinsider.com/romney-fundraising-video-leak-2012-9
I'm curious, because the article strikes me as extremely spurious, and is being posted on Facebook by a usually reliable source.
Lisbeth Salander, is that you?
“He’s not ready for prime time. He’s saying in private to a bunch of high-end donors something that’s completely contrary to what he’s saying in public. That’s not the U.S. position and that’s not the Israeli position. He’s playing with fire. And that’s a pretty big test to fail if you are trying to be commander-in-chief.”
Actually, it's the only correct thing that Romney has said in a long time.
Anybody believes that there is such a thing a a Middle East peace proces, believes in Santa Claus. Netanyahu of all people certainly doesn't believe in peace.
I believe the point is that public statements on Foreign policy issues have consequences. And someone with the stature that Romney now has, should be more careful about what he says in this regard.
If Romney were to be President, his comments could proven to be very damaging to mid east relations.
I agree with you about the peace process, but a man who has a 50/50 chance of being POTUS should not be making theses kinds of statements.
Mitt should at least be pretending there is hope of a Middle East peace, his base demands it, and you know how he is about
brown-nosingcatering to his base.Wow! Interesting to see Carter IV on television tonight (dyed hair and all) trying to wring something out of Romney. Folks: Here is what should decide your vote in November:
Do you currently have a job or do you know someone who would like to work?
Yes.....vote Romney.
No......vote Obama.
Yes, I have a job and I will be voting for Obama. Why in the world would I vote for Romney?
Shaines....why would you vote for Romney? Because you have a conscious. Pure and simple.
Yet more proof wingnuts didn't get their share of logic cells.
I have a job ... and according to all the graphs and charts everyone is posting out there ... I qualify for the tax increase that Obama wants to give ... and you know what ... I'm well educated, have a terrific job, am self made and believe I have an opportunity to give back, to help those that didn't have the chances that I did.
I am the daughter of a college educated, military general, who provided me the opportunity to live around the world, experience amazing things and never forget my humble beginnings.
Two generations of success in this family and I will proudly cast my ballot for President Obama come November ...
You can believe what you want ... but NEVER EVER believe that you're right on this one ...
Lisa.."humble beginnings"?...."two generations of success"? You use these words virtually back-to-back. Which words do you mean??
So tell me Mike,are you the one Georgia resident that actually pays federal income tax?
Mike, why would having a conscience cause me to vote for someone as two-faced as Romney?
Mike....you said, "because you have a conscious". A conscious what? (I think you meant "conscience"). Conscience has nothing to do with voting for someone like Romney, who lies whenever he can and hides the truth the rest of the time.
Perhaps you should be conscious before trolling :) Wakey, wakey.
Those on the right certainly seem to be 100% convinced that all they need to be is Ideologically Sound/Theologically Correct.
RE: * Oh my: "Fox's Charles Payne refers to Social Security disability benefits as 'the crazy check.'"
My mother is on SS Disability, she has diagnosed Schizophrenia. She was signed up between the dates mentioned. It was so hard for her to accept her status in life because of people like this calling the last way out for her "the crazy check".
Just because someone fits that statistic and gets one of those checks does not mean they are cheating the system. Using a term like that has effects, especially on people who are mentally ill.
Its this kind of BS that has the potential to make people like my mother stop doing all the things that are keeping them healthy and off the streets.
OK...I officially love Eastwood again.
Kathleen, Skip, Hells,
My God, people, don't you get it??!! THE 47% ARE NOT WORKING!! They are COLLECTING your taxes, exactly like the non-working do everyday in Greece, or Spain, or....et al. There is no one left to collect from!! Did you grow up in Russia or China, perhaps? Who will pay for this? $16 TRILLION of debt (a number that any human cannot fathom....yes, even you, Kathleen, Skip, Hells)....and it keep growing. Please write the Treasury Dept. your check today.
How fu king stupid are you? You buffoons have been given plenty of opportunity what that number 47 means and you refuse to do it. Why is the ignorance gravity field so strong with wingnuts?
As for the debt, you voted for the people who brought it to us. When are you going to say you're sorry? Here's a reading assignment for you:
PolitiFact | Viral Facebook post says Barack Obama has lowest spending record of any recent president
Off the Charts Blog | Center on Budget and Policy Priorities | What’s Driving Projected Debt?
Economic Downturn and Bush Policies Continue to Drive Large Projected Deficits — Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
CHART: Spending, Taxes, And Deficits Are All Lower Today Than When Obama Took Office | ThinkProgress
How the Deficit Got This Big - NYTimes.com
Sources of the Budget Deficit - NYTimes.com
The Truth About Federal Spending
MarketWatch Column On Obama's Spending Restraint Stands Up To Attacks | Media Matters for America
Obama spending binge never happened - Rex Nutting - MarketWatch
The myth of Obama's spending binge - The Plum Line - The Washington Post
Obama Presided Over a Tax Revenue Drought, Not a Spending Binge | Crooks and Liars
Who's to Blame for the Deficit Numbers?
Bush-Era Tax Cuts Projected As Largest Contributor To Public Debt [CHART]
Mitt Romney Debt Speech Ignores Key Facts
Right-Wing Media Ignore Bush Effect On Debt To Suggest Obama Criticism Is Hypocrisy | Media Matters for America
Despite Being Warned, Right-Wing Media Buy Into The "BS" Claims About Obama's Spending Record | Media Matters for America
Simply Orthogonal to the Facts
My brother didn't pay any federal income tax in 2011 ... do you know why? Because he was stationed in Afghanistan for the entire year and his wages are low enough to avoid tax for spending a year of his life, away from his family to stand up for a fight a war that I can almost guarantee you have forgotten even exists ... when was the last time you posted one of these rants in support of the fighting soldiers that Romney wants to create more of ?!?!?
Mike,
Some of that 47% ARE WORKING, they just don't make enough to pay taxes. OK?
Also, there are what, 40% of Rmoney voters that do not pay income tax. skip is correct, they hardly have enough from theor jobs and can;t pay more income tax. They pay other taxes. HaddieNuff posted the Fact Check debunking the so called fact that you are asserting as gospel because Rmoney said it.
here: #3.8

Someday you will need help. Most of the 47% ARE working. Many get very low wages, many work in service jobs or community service organizations, some are teachers, veterans, handicapped, retired. Most pay other types of taxes and at a higher percentage rate than Romney. Will Romney give up the pension [large pension] he will get after only a few years in Congress? Can you get a pension after working only 6, 8, 10 years? Can you get a free "cadillac" health insurance policy? Why doesn't Romney give that up? In the video, Romney also makes it clear and proves that he knows that trickle down does not happen. If we all had benefitted or will benefit from trickle down, it would be easy to get the 47% to vote for him. Romney's words on this video are also very different from Obama's words said in the 2008 campaign about rural Pennsylvanians. "...They cling..." is certainly not the right description, though rural people do tend to turn to personal interests and the Bible when times are hard; HOWEVER, Obama also said we must reach out and include those people, persuade them they can help us change things, and get them engaged again. People need to know that the 47% figure is meaningless if not disaggregated and that Romney's disdain is mean spirited and shameful.
Bush inherited no wars and no deficit. He did not pay for the wars; he turned them into a huge deficit, and then added to it with a tax cut. The facts of what Obama inherited are verifiable -- in the last few months of Bush's presidency: The most severe contraction of the economy in over 30 years; hundreds of thousands of jobs lost; unemployment 10%; stock market down to about 6,000 --down 500 points one day and 500 more points the next day; a banking empire collapsing [Bush gave a bailout of which millions were used for CEO bonuses]. The country was heading into a true depression. Now unemployment is 8% and slowly going down; the stock market has doubled; the auto industry is strong and paying back the loans. The recovery, though slow, is a recovery -- which was not the case in 2008. Romney would go back to doing what Bush did. On "Meet the Press" last week, Romney said he would not balance the budget in four years -- "Oh, no. I will balance the budget by the end of my second term." WHAT?!!! Obama was being villified for not fixing everything within two years , but Romney is to get eight?!!
You can keep saying it, but that doesn't make it true.
What is really scary is that sheep like you katleen are gullible enough to believe the line of BS the reps have been shoving down your throats for decades, but despite all the FACTS being shown you you desperately refuse to open your eyes because now the excuse is theres a Black man in office and of course He can't lead us out of this mess that his white forerunners led us into! He's to aloof(code-uppity) to get his points across to congress! (has it has always been the white mans worst nightmare is an educated Black! What you think the current state of our educational system is an accident/
So Romney does not believe in free stuff. How about the bailout to Wall Street during the 2008 crisis at the expense of Main Street? How about the fact that JP Morgan got Bear Stearns for "free"?
How about the pension he will get after only a few years in Washington D.C. Can any of us get a pension after only 4,6,8 years of working? How about his free "Cadillac" health insurance? How about the loopholes that allow him to avoid taxes with offshore accounts? How about almost $2,000,000 in income from one investment source and only $52,000 in taxes [about 2%]. That is almost no taxes. Even 13% to 15% is less than most of us pay. I'll bet he pays no taxes on much of his riches pouring in.
Ah, but Mittsywittsy is not just entitled, he is ENTITLED!
What I find most troublesome about Mitt Romney's 47% statement isn't that he thinks this way, which really was no surprise, but in his response that "I'm speaking off-the-cuff in response to a question, and Im sure Í could state it more clearly and in a more effective way than I did in a setting like that." -- this is yet another example of Mitt Romney's lack of skill in understanding that when he speaks, the whole world is listening, not just the people sitting across the table. He has repeatedly shown a lack of tact and diplomacy throughout his campaign. Economic policy and political philosophy disputes aside, this is a fundamental skill our next president needs. If the man can't speak "off the cuff" without insulting half his constituents while campaigning, I fear for the faux pas that occur to set back US diplomacy were he to win office. And yes, Mitt even though you realistically recognize that you won't convince this large block of citizens to vote for you.... they would STILL be your constituents were you to be elected.
Okay, so who did Mitt lie to then, to the American people or to his rich backers?
Personal viewpoint. My former husband returned to his job at the engineering firm of PBS&J in 2008 after having surgery to remove colon cancer. He was 63 and had worked with the company for 10+ years. Within 2 months, he was told he was being let go because there was not enough work. In the four years since, he was the ONLY person let go (proving age and illness were the real reasons for this). So he ended up losing his house through short sale, and his Soc. Sec. check was not enough to pay for lodging, food and health insurance. With no place to go, I invited him to share my home. He pays for food for us, and I pay for everything else from my pension. Because his income is so low, he is not required to pay taxes. We all pay into Social Security, and it is NOT an "entitlement." It is earned. But Romney thinks he is just a victim who wants to live off the government. What an arrogant "entitled" jerk HE is.
SoShallGal: So both of you are not working? That is fine. Things happen, people get disabled, etc. Although I will remind you that disability is NOT what SS was intended to pay for originally. SS payroll deductions generally did not go toward disability. The SS program is something that the government eventually expanded to include disability....without any funding from the SS contributors!!! Romney does not think your ex-husband is a leech....but Romney also doesn't think that your ex-husband deserves a dime from a "disability" fund that your ex-husband never paid a dime into!!
There's a whole lot of people that need to know that those programs ARE viewed by many, many GOPTP as entitlements to be cut.
The bottom line to them (GOP) is those folks in lower incomes need to pay more tax and get less in their SS and pay more for Medicare.
It's not just Rmoney, they have always hated SS and Medicare. They've been trying to get rid of them for many years, they just never come out and say it (until lately), they say "reform, privatize, fix".
Mike, dear Mike, you are really getting tiresome. From what do you make your leap to "disability"? That word does not appear in SoShall's post. You have "a tendency to shoot first" and skip aiming entirely.
Some trolls are unusually aggressively in their conscienceless malice.
I read the transcript of Romney's remarks at that leaked fundraiser. All too often political campaigns and the reporting on those campaigns focuses on 10 second sound bites that can be easily digested by America's low attention span ears. But on this tape is something incredible. Something that takes more than 10 seconds to digest.
Romney talks about foreign policy. It's not stump speech stuff. It's real detail and real thoughts about Iran. About Palestine. Stuff about what America's foreign policy stance should look like and why. Romney speaks about foreign policy on this tape with amazing candor and it is well worth delving into.
Romney pretty much ignored foreign policy during his convention. He has consistently side-stepped any kind of detail about just about everything with the press. Well, here he is. Romney tells it straight to his rich buddies.
Frankly, I am horrified by Romney's foreign policy ideas. I find him to be undiplomatic, insensitive, and frankly dangerous. But at least here we have a real window into the real Romney. Not some advisor whispering what to say in his ear. Not a prepared stump speech. I still don't trust him. I still find him smarmy.
Frankly the entire USA is HORRIFIED by Obama's foreign policy. Please look at the facts....all nations surveyed have a WORSE opinion of the United States than they did in January 2009 when Obama was inaguarated. Pray tell, what has Obama accomplished with the rest of the world in FOUR very....long....years?
Mike, you need to stop speaking for other people. You start out saying the nations have a worse opinion of the US than they did on 1/20/09. There is no citing of source of that thing you say as if it were a fact. Show us and I am sure you will say look it up yourself. THEN you tell others to tell you what he's accomplished in 4 years.
Well, as CIC, he followed up on Bush policy, were you then against Bush policy, or now? The Iraq War is over. Bin Laden is dead, many AQ dead. Just read a little bit that are really AMERICAN accomplishments in the last 3.5 years with Obama being opposed since 2010 by Congress. THAT should sink in to folks. Congress was totally against American recovery.
Don't you even care about America? You would vote for some guy who is for hiding in quiet rooms and won't show his f' in tax returns. And we are supposed to trust a job off shoring specialist and tax cutting specialist to "tell after the election" what his budget and foreign policy is. All the while he goes around stating Russia is our enemy and England can't get the Olympics right in time or some b.s.
There's no way in hell I'm voting for that guy and the guy the Nuns call his budget (which is nearly identical to Rmoney's) immoral.
Just look at some of the links Disgusted posts.
Mike ... you need to stop screaming and speaking for people who you do not represent. I am a US citizen and I do not agree with a single thing that you've written on this blog ... that's ok ... that's your right. But please stop putting me into a bucket where you have no right to speak for me ... I am pleased that our President was able to go back out and rebuild bridges with the rest of the world. Bridges that were built on respect ... not on bullying ... we have anti-bully laws here in the US, perhaps it's time we started paying attention to them (you too ;-).
The Georgian jackass will have to re-submit his assignment. Because here, to get credit, you must show your work. No evidence-free assertions are accepted here in the real universe. No supporting evidence ==> get the following grade:
FAIL
Now off you go, jackass. You've got work to do.
PS: Your search will be in vain, jackass. Because I have the international studies to show that the U.S. is still held in higher regard now than when Bush left office. Don't believe me? Try me.
Mike, seeing how you overstate the number of people you are so sure side with your opinion, isn't it possible that you've managed to overstate your own horror of Obama in general?
Perhaps a little more rational maturity and a touch less drama queen? Some of us have tired of children playing at politics.
"Don't you even care about America?"
I realized years ago that such people only care about the repressive abomination they want the US to be.
Watch a debate on Romney's 47% speech on CNN today and the commentator said that there were plans for Romney to "massage" the situation in the next few days. Thats like trying to heal a decapitation by rubbing the stump just how does this jackass think he's going to smooth this out? The ignorance never seizes to amaze me !!
T. King.....did you actually see the whole clip?....because it was not recorded today, but many months ago. Or did you just see what the CNN "commentator" that you count on for your "NEWS" decided to give you?
Who'd the Jackass?......and, by the way, the correct term is "ceases to amaze me". I guess you must have had a seizure or must have attended Chicago schools.
Looks like the dumb jackass from Georgia can't resist running around hijacking threads with posts that make no relevant point.
He's a believer, Dis. The Farce is strong with this one.
Bless Mikey's little heart. He's just as smart as he can be.
If your from the South, you know what that means.
Wow! I'm (pleasantly) surprised the grammar nazis didn't jump all over my use of your for you're.
I always try to use correct spelling and grammar, but I inevitably fail (and more frequently than I would like). I let it go, both in myself and others, even the trollish folks.
On top of not knowing what a dirty bomb is he is stating he will negotiate with terrorists.
For Woolard this is a no win scenario. Just keep digging the hole deeper. I have no doubt he won't stop until he reaches China! Oops he's already there!
Rachel, I need to correct a comment you made on your show this evening. Gov. Romney never said he paid less than 13% Federal Income Tax. Rather, he said that he never paid less than 13% taxes during any one year. [Please go back and read/revisit his answer to the reporter's question.] This declaration does not mean that he always paid at least 13% Federal Income Tax. More clearly than ever in light of the discussions provoked by his comments to high-rolling donors, it is possible to pay no Federal Income Tax and still pay significant taxes.
I would suggest that perhaps when Romney said ha always paid at least 13% in taxes each year, he was both telling the truth and not answering the question if he had paid less than 13% Federal Income Tax during any year during the past 10 years. Quite frankly, I am surprised that his response was not more critically reviewed by press and others.
Please, please. Go back and review Gov. Romney's response to the reporter's question about his tax payments.
Meg, it took me a while to understand what you are trying to say. I'm going to try restating it.
Mitt Romney says that he has paid at least 13% each year that he paid taxes.
However , with out releasing returns we don't know if he paid any taxes for 9 out of the last ten years.
Thanks for hearing that weasel statement!
I believe that Romney may be hiding more than not paying very much in taxes during the past 10 years. Some of his 2010 deductions are questionable, such as considering upkeep for a horse a business loss, and he had to change his residency on his taxes in order to run for office in Massachusetts. I am sorely tempted to fill out the form referenced here:
http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/How-Do-You-Report-Suspected-Tax-Fraud-Activity%3F
Do you think reporting Mitt Romney will result in an audit?
Uh oh, this was supposed to be a reply, not a new post.
Interesting! All this talk about foreign policy experience! One would surmise from this diatribe that Mr. Obama's "deep" experience as a community organizer in Chicago, and as a short-term senator from Illinois must have uniquely qualified the man as an "EXPERT" in foreign policy. HARDLY, HAR, HAR!
Hey mike in Georgia, but the President currently in office has 3 years and 9 months experience in foreign policy as CIC and the highest level in the Executive Branch in the U.S.A. Rmoney does not have any foreign experience, except an LDS mission to Paris during the Vietnam War at an age when we ended up losing 58,193 lives there. Obama was about 10 at that time.
http://obamaachievements.org/list
Also, we can only take Rmoney's word for it that he has paid no less than 13%, so maybe if we could see a few more returns, we might know.
Meg....you are right. Continue to tell it like it is so the country can understand. Unfortunately, MSNBC (and almost all media outlets) have a vested interested in how the election turns out.
What other media outlets, Mike?
//CAUTION: RANT AHEAD//
Liberals, do you ever hear any national outlet shoved in your face as "liberal-bias media" other than MSNBC? You'd think the right could come up with at least ONE other national outlet if our media is all that biased. I never hear any other being mentioned...wonder why that is? Oh, they try NPR, but I horse laugh them out of the room. From a liberal stand-point, it's NQF (not quite Fox). Oh, noooooo, sez NPR, we are
fair and balanced...objective and reasonable.Clear Channel Communications and Rupert's News Corps have affiliates, subsidiaries, and a diversity of holdings all over the nation and globe. And oh, I am FORCED to listen to FOX propaganda garbage in my doctors office, at the garage where I get tires, and in my STATE GOVERNMENT OFFICES. Oh, noooooo, sez the people who decide what Im forced to watch, we're just giving the long lines of waiting people something to do.
Nothing but conservative Talk Radio in Alabama where they gleefully bash liberalism unless you go over to the God channels where they gleefully bash liberalism. Oh, noooooooo, sez the christians, we don't hate liberals, we just hate their sin. //gag//
You buy cable, Fox is free with your basic subscription, why is MSNBC part of the higher priced subscriptions in many areas? To keep poorer people from hearing alternate views? Oh, noooooooo, sez the corporations, we would never unduly influence our loyal customers that way.
Come on, conservatives, what other "liberal bias media" can you point to...or is having even one place where alternate view points are discussed horrifying to you and must be stopped, like Air America was, like NPR used to be before the Bush Administration infiltrated it, back when Christian radio actually was christian. Now the right wants SOPA to regulate the Internet, where the last bastion of progressivism has a voice? Oh, noooooo, sez the moral right, regulating the Internet is to protect The Family.
The same excuses have been used over and over again to cover every single GOP effort to gut this nation for profit. Those excuses are not viable any longer. We've heard them too often. They've been used too much.
Liberals, it's far past time to ask the spewers of habit forming talking points what else they know. Should prove to be a quick conversation.
Wait, my head is spinning. Did Mike just agree with something that was critical of Romney?
Woolard is going to have to get his silver shoe horn to get out of this one!
It is a mistake to play that ridiculous video on every channel. It does not help the Obama campaign and I honestly would not be surprised it were conceived by the Romney camp. The anonymity and perspective in the video appear unethical and the content is completely consistent with the line of the Romney campaign. It echoes of complaints of class warfare by the right and it is identical in form the the welfare queen fiction of the Reagan administration. The idea that liberals are dependent upon the government has existed long before Romney. A damning video would be of Romney saying how wealthy he is going to make his closest supporters or talking about the realities of his proposed policies.
I think that's part of it.