Valerie Jarrett, the Truth. Give us all a break.

The only truth Valerie Jarrett has brought to DC is Chicago style politics.

“At the time, it was not the most popular decision but our president does what he believes is right."

Wouldn't disagree with that at all. He does what HE thinks is right based on his ideology. Watching the Democrats play the emotion card this election is making me sick. I wish politicians would run on their record and look ahead for solutions. Most people are worried about the debt which is plainly ignored by democrats. Most independents will not vote for Obama this election, including myself.

Exactly what record is Romney running on? The one in Massachusetts as governor when he championed Romneycare and signed it into law. When as governor, he was pro-choice?

The Swami has now spoken and the Godless Party of Food Stamps won't like what the Swami has to say:

http://therealrevo.com/blog/?p=83033

Ah, just like Romney.,Evade the question and attack the poor, nice going.

Again, Romney is all over the place on the choice issue.

What a horrendous jobs report this morning. We now have the lowest workforce participation in over 30 years, with men at the lowest participation since 1948. The President's campaign reelection slogan is deceptive advertising -- we're moving backward, not "forward." Clint's right -- when someone is not working out, you fire him and hire someone else, you don't renew the contract.

We don't know what his stance is. When he gets in office, will he change again?

Name one person in this country who doesn't change their position on an issue within their lifetime...including Obama. It is funny how you can sit on here and post about both sides working together and compromising...but if someone changes their stance on something, all of a sudden they are a flip-flopper (unless they are a democrat). I really hope you don't consider yourself an independent because you are far from it.

It is a fact that Romney has chaged his views. So has every other person alive. I never denied that.

I do consider myself an Independent. I've actaully voted for Republicans!

Please Obamians wake up! 16 plus trillion!!Another 4 years and 20plus trillion!!Our country can't support a debt that huge.When's the last time you tried to count that high!Suppose China and Japan decide to call in that debt.That reason alone calls for a new team that will try to save us from the disaster about to strike.Use your head!Wake up!

Valerie is a screwball. Seems to be a lot that hang with Obama

To all those amateur economists who wanted government to reduce spending during the Great Recession, remember Herbert Hoover and his laissez-faire approach to the Depression? Probably not since it would entail understanding history. Now is the time for government to borrow at ultra cheap interest rates and spend on repairing our national infrastructure whilst the economy heals from 8 years of unfunded wars and tax cuts and the deregulation of the financial industry.

Only a truly delusional person would want to bring the economic knuckleheads of the Bush years back in power at this critical time in our recovery.

As the result of 8 years of republican mismanagement of the US economy, homeowners have lost a total of $6.4 trillion of wealth since 2007. Only simpletons would think this amount of wealth could be recreated in 4 years. Americans will not be fooled again by those offering fairy dust as an economic plan.

Jobs,healthcare,money(savings,401 etc.)will have absolutley no value after six more trillion of debt!The only thing thatwill matter at that point is the correct directions to the soup line.Ask yourself what your credit holders would do or say to you when you are overextended and broke.At that point you are scrambling for a buck and not one to be found!This is the state of the union and Obama wants to spend more of what we don't have.He tried and failed.One third of the 16 trillion was under his term.We need someone who knows how to run money and it's not him.He sure can spend it though.

Locally involved.I thought that's what politicos are suppose to do.Whatever we want!

QE1,QE2,QE3,that is some real phony pumping up of the economy.Once the FED is done what is Obamas next trick.

Piccadily I fully agree.Czars,I thought that use to be a Russian thing.

If anyone attended the DNC convention, did they find this in their gift basket?

http://therealrevo.com/blog/?p=83127

Valerie is right. Republicans will tell lies, distortions, change voting laws -- anything to win. For four years, Paul Ryan has been working hard to ensure America is in decline.

Did you know that Paul Ryan and 15 other Republican leaders met in Washington, DC., on the night of President Obama's inauguration in January 2009, to begin plotting Obama's political demise? It's true and you can read about it here:

http://articles.nydailynews.com/2012-08-26/news/33389618_1_mitt-romney-george-romney-evan-vucci

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/25/robert-draper-anti-obama-campaign_n_1452899.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0E_lQoYbPc

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr/26/democrats-gop-plot-obstruct-obama

Romney-Ryan: Working AGAINST America!

Why would anyone want to return to the same failed policies of George Bush and expect a different result? He says he will repeal the Affordable Health Care Act his first day in office. Immediately millions of people will be uninsured, health insurance companies will not insure people with pre-existing conditions. Health insurance companies will jack up their premiums. Health care costs will skyrocket. There will be nothing in place to prevent it.

V. Scheurich -- A very rude link, and just another reason why so many women have turned against the Republcan party.

Back to the issue at hand: The Economy.

Obama hasn’t “fixed” the economy, but he sure has made it better. The country did not fall from a major recession into a depression. The debt still needs to be addressed, but you sure can’t argue that many of the other economic indicators and situations are not in better shape than they were four years ago (housing, jobs, banks, auto industry, etc.).

And given the world situation, the U.S. has managed to stay above the fray. For example, the gross domestic product (GDP) is a primary indicator to gauge a country's economic health. According to CNN Money the 2012 GDP’s of major world economies are:

US: $15.6 (it was $14.0 in 2007)
China: $8.0
Japan: $6.0
Germany: $3.5
France: $2.7
U.K.: $2.5
Brazil: $2.4
Italy: $2.1
Russia: $2.0
Canada: $1.8

These are some facts and issues that liberals just can not come to realize.

http://www.ontheissues.org/Domestic/Barack_Obama_Civil_Rights.htm

Four ways Barack Obama is using the United Nations to destroy America: http://moonbattery.com/?p=7683

The 21st. Century despot that he is: http://www.americanthinker.com/2012/02/barack_obama_in_the_footsteps_of_twentieth_century_despots.html

His voting record: http://www.issues2000.org/senate/barack_obama.htm

As for the posters above who think that Valerie Jarrett is some kind of saint or economist........you are sadly mistaken. She is a Marxist and here is proof:

Solyndra was all Valerie Jarrett: http://beforeitsnews.com/story/1108/679/Did_Valerie_Jarrett_Push_Corrupt_Solyndra_Loan_Deal.html

Valerie Jarrett - The radical: http://dancingczars.wordpress.com/2011/09/11/valerie-jarretts-radicalism/comment-page-1/#comment-39391

(continued):

Valerie Jarrett's father-in-law was a communist:
http://gulagbound.com/16775/valerie-jarrett%e2%80%99s-father-in-law-was-a-communist-%e2%80%93-worked-with-obama-mentor-frank-marshall-davis/

The Slum Lord: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-kjEMcBol4
http://gulagbound.com/19447/barack-obama-and-valerie-jarrett-brought-together-by-fickle-fate-or-something-more/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+GulagBound+%28GulagBound.com%29&utm_content=My+Yahoo

Jarrett's father-in-law, Vernon Jarrett, defended Chicago's oppressed proletariat with none other than Frank Marshall Davis, a Communist Party USA member who
mentored a young Barack Obama in Hawaii;

Jarrett's maternal grandfather, Robert Taylor, the first African American head of the
infamous Chicago Housing Authority, appears in a 1944 report by the Special Committee on Un-American Activities;

Perhaps with a kick-start from her Chicago-renowned father-in-law, Jarrett's 20-year career in Chicago's political machine included a stint as Mayor Richard Daley's deputy chief of staff, as well as any number of major jobs in the area of urban housing and development; In Chicago, Jarrett oversaw the management and development of huge housing projects -- most of which were ultimately seized by federal authorities and shut down because of their deplorable, squalid, and unlivable conditions;

continued:

In November 2008, Judicial Watch obtained documents linking Jarrett to several housing projects operated by Chicago slumlord Antoin "Tony" Rezko, who was convicted on 16 of 24 counts of corruption in 2008;
In August 2009, Jarrett introduced the radical Marxist "Green Jobs Czar" Van Jones as someone "we were so
delighted to be able to recruit...into the White House." Jones was forced to resign one month later;

Jarrett's name was widely floated as a top candidate to fill Obama's vacated U.S. Senate seat. Former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich allegedly offered to appoint Jarrett in exchange for a top Obama administration post.

http://weaselzippers.us/2012/07/11/top-obama-adviser-valerie-jarrett-shows-she-has-line-of-credit-with-bank-in-bermuda/

What America is going to get when and if The President gets another 4 years.

E-mail him and ask him if it is true because it is. You will not get an answer to your question. This has all been fact checked and is true.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wIfI2whjiM

If you have a few minutes!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTDZyMzNuyw&feature=player_embedded

If you want to gain insight into Paul Ryan, remember he claims Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged" has been a big influence on his life view. If you haven't read the book, you can go to Wikipedia for a pretty good bio on Rand and a synopsis of the book. Quite an eye opener!

First of all, why should you be concerned about fact checking when your candidates say they sure aren't. Secondly, Dick Morris?!!?

Valerie Jarrett would you please explain to us why this is happening please without the liberal spin attached to your answer!

http://weaselzippers.us/2012/09/08/obamanomics-173k-new-food-stamp-recipients-vs-96k-new-jobs/

I know all about Ryan and find that he is a supporter of the Tea Party fiscal sanity and small government. Case closed. Something that liberals do not understand so there is no conversation here.

@v. - austerity is not fiscal sanity, it's insanity. And, amusing that the Tea Party supports a european program! LOL.

.Figures that the main stream media that they will NOT report in fear of shedding a bad light on the Presidents policies and Marxist leaning agenda:

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/09/08/Real-Unemployment-Now-19

getreal-Please wake up.If we the people(which is suppose to be the goverment)can endlessly print money then why this gigantic deficit.Why not just print faster and pay it off.Obamas ideas are to continue the artificial float(QE1,2,3).What happens when it's payment time.Are you foolish enough to think noboby has to pay the piper.

Yeah, that's right, V., it's the media. You're right. Everyone else is either blind or wrong. You should be leading every intelligence agency there is. We need your omniscience.feel better?

Barbara Glakus-Please do this math,15.6 GDP but 16.5 debt.Think,2007 GDP of 14 trillion-debt 10 trillion.Which situation would you prefer?

@ Dean - With your logic, what would you rather prefer, the 14 trillion in debt under the last admin or the SURPLUS from the admin prior to that! No, we have not forgotten how that was squandered. So let's see, the last admin therefore added OVER $14 trillion in debt. Obama, not so much. And let's not forget the 9% drop in GDP in 2008 - the greatest in over 50 years. Selective amnesia and selective facts die in the hands of context and reality.

Of course, anyone would prefer a lower debt, but more so we'd prefer never to have to have been in debt! Due to the structural economic crises created by the last admin, there is but only one thing the gov't can do when the private sector cannot - and that is spend.

You want austerity? Well, here's an article on what austerity as brought to the eurozone. Austerity does not work. Period. Economics 101.

The Economist: http://econ.st/RTtg42
Time may be working against the euro. Uncertainty and austerity are deepening Europe’s economic plight. The euro zone looks to be back in recession. Unemployment is at a record high. Surveys of consumers and business activity make dismal reading—and the malaise has spread to Germany http://econ.st/RTtg42

Here are the job numbers the media is not reporting about the August job numbers that just came out. This is what the media is telling you...and it's true. "The unemployment rate dropped from 8.3% to 8.1%. 96,000 jobs created in August."

Here are numbers they are NOT telling you:

1) 368,000 people STOPPED looking for work in August. Meaning they CANNOT be counted as unemployed. These people have no more unemployment benefits to claim and have realized there are zero jobs out there for them. If you were to re-calculate those numbers and include the people who are no longer looking for work, the unemployment rate would be 12%. This number does not include the UNDEREMPLOYED, or the people who have stopped looking for work over the past 3 years; that number would be an astonishing 23%.

2) 69% of men are working. Meaning 31% are not. The lowest % of working men since the 1940's.

3) The number of employed Americans is at the lowest number in the past 31 years. An incredible number considering there are more people now in the USA than there were in 1981.

4) A record high of 88,921,000 Americans whom are not in the civilian labor force.

5) Manufacturers have cut the most jobs in August than at anytime in the past two years.

6) The supposed "job growth" each month is LESS THAN the number of people LEAVING the workforce every month. People leaving the work force CANNOT be counted as unemployed.
The truth is if you need a job, VOTE ROMNEY/ RYAN.

No one is saying the job situation is great. I’m just saying let’s look at a wider view and make a fair comparison to what the job situation was like in the 2007/2008/2009 time period, when unemployment was about 9.3 and jobs were being lost at a rate of about 850,000 per month. You can’t get a broad perspective by looking at small slivers of statistics in a vacuum, just looking at one month or one year, for example. Sure, the employment and job situation is not good now. But is it better than 4 years ago? Definitely yes.

Go Barbara! And, lest we forget, 4 yrs ago, we lost over 9% of GDP, the most in 50 years. When you're in a hole this deep, it takes a while to climb out. As for the comment above regarding manufacturing jobs in the past 30 months are actually HIGHER than they were in 2000-2008.

No liberal bias here - this is directly from the American Manufacuring.org site - from 2008. So unless someone's got a time machine we don't know about...I'm taking this as solid:

Nov. 2000 manufacturing employment in the U.S.: 17, 202,000. -Nov. 2008 manufacturing employment in the U.S.: 13, 168,000. This means that, based on data pulled from the national Current Employment Statistics survey accessible through the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the U.S. has lost 4,034,000 manufacturing jobs since 2000, or roughly 23.5% of the entire manufacturing workforce. Since the official start of the current recession in December 2007, the U.S. has lost 604,000 manufacturing jobs. That's a decline of roughly 4.5% of the U.S. manufacturing workforce in the past 11 months.

http://www.americanmanufacturing.org/p/691

And, we all know the gov job numbers posted 30 days after the end of the month are first pass numbers... they are adjusted up to a year later. The figure changes. According to the ADP employement report, manufacturing jobs were up in August by 3,000

http://www.adpemploymentreport.com/pdf/FINAL_Report_August_12.pdf

No liberal bias here, based on 3,444 employers and 21MM emp

The truth by anyone in the Barack Obama administration? Yeah, right! They are nothing short of the worst administrations, even worse than Jimmy Carter and they all lie. As for the Chicago teacher strike, it is a set-up and here is why!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dajrq9JtYKo&feature=player_embedded

Keith Best -- Thanks for posting those figures, something I have not had time to do over the last few days. Obama is lucky that there is such despair in the job market that millions have simply dropped out; were the job market participation rate the same as when he took office, the official unemployment rate would be north of 11%. Here is also a video (if the embedding works) explaining the bit of statistical prestidigitation the President is engaging in when comparing himself to his predecessor.

<embed src='http://www.powerlineblog.com/admin/ed-assets/jw-player-plugin-for-wordpress/player/player.swf' height='326' width='580' allowscriptaccess='always' allowfullscreen='true' flashvars="&dock=false&file=http%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2FnQLreUCRYXM&gapro.accountid=UA-78703-2&gapro.height=297&gapro.trackpercentage=true&gapro.trackstarts=true&gapro.tracktime=true&gapro.visible=true&gapro.width=580&gapro.x=0&gapro.y=0&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FnQLreUCRYXM%2F0.jpg&logo=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.powerlineblog.com%2Fvideobug.png&plugins=viral-2%2Cgapro-1&skin=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.powerlineblog.com%2Fadmin%2Fwp-content%2Fplugins%2Fjw-player-plugin-for-wordpress%2Fskins%2Fglow.zip&viral.allowmenu=true&viral.bgcolor=0x333333&viral.fgcolor=0xffffff&viral.functions=embed&viral.matchplayercolors=true&viral.oncomplete=true&viral.onpause=true&logo.link=http://www.powerlineblog.com&logo.file=http://www.powerlineblog.com/videobug.png"/>;

Well that didn't work. Here's a link to the site with the video.

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2012/09/private-sector-job-growth-under-obama-what-are-the-facts.php

Valerie...........when will the Barack Obama/Hillary Clinton "Apology Tour" begin?

http://www.barenakedislam.com/2012/09/12/after-barack-hussein-obama-begs-the-arab-world-for-forgiveness-for-u-s-made-anti-islam-film-muslims-in-libya-murder-4-diplomats-and-drag-u-s-ambassdors-dead-body-through-the-streets/

Do what the Gunny says or it is PT time!

http://therealrevo.com/blog/?p=83380

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SESI19h4wDo

BREAKING NEW!

The President is now proposing to cut $129 Million from America's Embassy Security, Construction and Maintenance. Since they are all burned down and destroyed now, this should not be a problem for him. Maybe he will use the savings in construction and maintenance and buy some bullets for the Marines and embassy staff members?

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/09/14/Obama-releases-sequester-report-cuts-defense-embassy-budget

Please set aside the rhetoric for one day. Let us grieve.

Here are your top ten terror tied C.A.I.R. leaders listed with an article attached defining their involvement and support of terror:

1. Ghassan Elashi
2. Muthanna al-Hanooti
3. Abdurahman Alamoudi
4. Siraj Wahhaj
5. Randall "Ismail" Royer
6. Bassam Khafagi
7. Laura Jaghlit
8. Nihad Awad
9. Omar Ahmad
10. Nabil Sodoun

http://creepingsharia.wordpress.com/2011/10/30/rogues-gallery-of-terror-tied-cair-leaders/

http://weaselzippers.us/2011/11/17/fbi-report-shows-only-13-of-religious-hate-crimes-targeted-muslims-65-were-anti-jewish/

http://weaselzippers.us/2012/07/24/cair-demands-pentagon-drop-anti-islam-speaker/

I'll grieve and care longer than than the president did... ambassador murdered, embassies under siege and in flames, American flags burned and Islamic flags raised... Yea, Vegas baby, for a fund raiser in the VIP w/ Beyonce and J-z. Intel briefing.. no time for that. Meet w/the leader of Israel? Can't, got to do Letterman. But got time to try to schedule w/the Muslim Brotherhood leader of Egypt. Naive, ignorant and dis-engaged.

Obama:

“The United States condemns in the strongest terms this outrageous and shocking attack. We're working with the government of Libya to secure our diplomats. I've also directed my administration to increase our security at diplomatic posts around the world. And make no mistake, we will work with the Libyan government to bring to justice the killers who attacked our people.

“Since our founding, the United States has been a nation that respects all faiths. We reject all efforts to denigrate the religious beliefs of others. But there is absolutely no justification for this type of senseless violence. None. The world must stand together to unequivocally reject these brutal acts.

“No acts of terror will ever shake the resolve of this great nation, alter that character or eclipse the light of the values that we stand for. Today we mourn for more Americans who represent the very best of the United States of America. We will not waver in our commitment to see that justice is done for this terrible act. And make no mistake, justice will be done.”

Thanks for the post, Barbara. Unfortunately, when it comes to the bat s**t crazy folk, if the facts don't support their delusional world view they'll either ignore it or dismiss it. Or, my favorite tactic of theirs, just make up their own story and call it a fact!

Sheldon Adelson, Romney's uber-billionaire casino owner and financial backer, pledged to give Romney $100 million -- or "whatever it takes" -- to defeat Obama.

Do you know why???

As Bill Clinton reminded us, sometimes the answer is as simple as arithmetic. So let's do the math:

According to a new report from the Center for American Progress Action Fund, Adelson will get $2 billion in tax savings from Romney in return for his support. And it will be paid for by every taxpayer reading this blog, so pass the word QUICKLY.

If Obama wins, everyone pays their fair share of taxes...including Mr. Adelson!

Tell me...
WHICH ONE IS MORE FAIR FOR AMERICAN FAMILIES?
WHICH ONE CAN YOU AFFORD?

Americans cannot afford to live the Romney-Ryan lifestyle without having the same personal wealth.

We can DREAM...but we know that it's not reality. Romney is still dreaming.

I say if someone can afford $100MM to support a campaign, they can afford to pay an additional 2% in taxes to support America! To the uber-wealthy, stop whining and pay your taxes, that's called patriotic!

A movie version of Ayn Rand's 'Atlas Shrugged' will appear on those silver screens on October 12, 2012. I read about this some months ago, before Ryan was selected. Might be another October Surprise.

Ayn Rand's work should not be dismissed merely because of the words of partisans. People should read it for themselves.

This is what is missing today - people do not look and see for themselves. Instead, they believe what they are told, even though it comes from people who lie to them regularly, from anonymous pen-name posters, and from people they never even heard of. People too often believe things too easily, without even looking to see if maybe they weren't true, maybe they were misleading, etc.

I agree with Bob. But, I recommend reading "Atlas Shrugged" now. I might add that you should also read "Dreams from My Father" and see "2016 The Movie". Woodward's book "The Price of Politics" is also worth reading as is "The Amateur". Try to read something from both sides of the aisle and see what you agree with.
As a note, Ryan has said the "Atlas Shrugged" had a great impact on him--but he has also said that he does not agree with all of Rand's philosophy.

My personal recommendations of influential stories: "The Little Red Hen" and "The Grasshopper and the Ant". Unfortunately, I think our country is following "The Pied Piper".

Ayn Rand had issues. Review her work directly from her site - that is partisan, it's from the society supporting Ayn Rand. So I'll go with their words.

Rand advocated reason as the only means of acquiring knowledge and rejected all forms of faith and religion. She supported rational and ethical egoism, and rejected ethical altruism.

So, what do social conservatives think of her rejection of all forms of faith and religion?

Regarding her work, Atlas Shrugged, Rand described the theme as "the role of the mind in man's existence ...the demonstration of a new moral philosophy: the morality of rational self-interest."

Rand called her philosophy "Objectivism", describing its essence as "the concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life...". Rand argued for rational egoism (rational self-interest) as the guiding moral principle. She said the individual should "exist for his own sake, neither sacrificing himself to others nor sacrificing others to himself". Supporting laissez-faire, in today's world, no regs, no rules. Ask yourself, how's that working after the escapades of the last decade?

Basically, promoting selfishness, screw anyone and anything. This is the absolute antithesis of America, which is about "US" as we are a society. Again, remember, morality for Rand is all about selfishness. You cannot embrace your faith nor America's values and support Rand's philosophies. The two are diametrically opposed to each other.

I have read Rand. I do not agree with laissez faire (did so in the 80's, fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me). Laissez faire does not work. I am a dyed in the wool capitalist with an extensive background in financial services. I speak not only from an educated stance, but also from experience - Rules are needed otherwise we would have a total collapse of our economic system.

I have no axe to grind, just a rational, objective view of Rand's work, which I reject as well as a majority of the economic and ethical community.

There's that nasty word again, community.

Woman-Dems are using you as-PAWNS. This election will be decided by Catholic vote. Democratic party is NOT for your Religious freedoms.
They now support "same-sex marriages", "abortion beyond mere morning after pills"
They are on the final verge to remove any mention of a "GOD" in their platform.
Our public schools already have eliminated prayer & GOD.
How much more do you need to see the liberal agenda.?
Slowly, but surely,woman are taking the "LURE" of the Pill as a good thing.
But, hear me , that Pill lure makes you a Hypocrite to GOD's teachings. Half-Catholic is not possible.
Catholic Woman who vote Obama are "denying" most of what they stand for.
No one will ever take away your "freedom" of the pill, but that Pill argument WILL eventually take away your "Faith". Your family morals and perhaps the Catholic faith.
A modern day "Garden of Eden" is what the PILL represents. (it replaces the APPLE)
Voting Democratic for the sake of the pill should be reconsidered. Obama is against most of your Catholic beliefs. I have no doubt that ALL your religious freedom will be gone if you Deny "GOD's Given Rights". What the Govt gives you ---Will one day be taken away.
What GOD gives you , will be with you forever.
(Church, GOD and Man-woman marriages). Our children minds are corrupted to think man-man woman-woman families R-cool.
NOT WHAT THE MODERN-DEMOCRATIC PARTY will give you.
All those freebies are "LURES". Don't be caught in the Garden of Eden.
PAWNS?

Gee, did you go to Mass yesterday and leave will all this love and charity? God help you.

Do not call woman pawns as if we cannot think for ourselves. I plan on voting for Romney, but it is exactly your type of argument that makes it completely understandable to me why other women are going to vote for Obama, regardless of his economic record. Republicans who are so narrowly focused on sex and woman's health make us all want to cross the street and hide our children. I'm starting to think that these comments are made by liberal trolls intent on destroying Gov. Romney's chances of winning the election. If you are not- wise up!!

Claire: I deal with many woman who are more devout to a Party, than to "GOD".
The evil one works in many ways. I sense a weakness in all woman "who think for THEMSELVES" while NOT thinking about their "Faith in GOD".
Last election in 2008 over 60% of Catholic Woman voted for Obama.
To re-vote for what is now an obvious "non-Christian" mentality throughout the whole Democratic party leaves me wondering about "Woman".
Sandra Fluke and Carolyn Kennedy are a disgrace to What the Catholics believe.
They represent the Dem party of today. They represent the coming decline in Families under "GOD" and the morals of society.
All in the name of "Free medical care"
Substitute the "evil one for "Free medical care" or "the Pill" for Free medical care,
And you could envision "The Garden of Eden" happening right before your eyes.
Spread this to every woman organization you know because I am dead.
(Yes! woman are selling their "souls" for the sake of a temporary feeling)

The government should pay for neither Viagara or birth control. It should also rethink this program which gives debit cards for food stamps--there has always been some abuse in food stamps, but at least before the "plastic" there was some control over it. Now people are "losing" their plastic cards (euphenism for selling them) and re-applying for new ones that were "stolen". This is costing our government lots of money. No One should go hungry, but they need to go back to the old way when there were some limitations.
Can't help but remember the guy in front of me who used his food stamps and then asked for cigarettes off the shelf and paid $20 cash for them. If he could afford $20 for cigarettes he could afford food. I saw on the news yesterday that a woman had somehow parlayed her food stamp card ino $10,000 worth of plastic surgery.
We need less government-not more.

CAROL: there is coverage for Birth control Insurance, If you pay for it. Not if I pay for it. Insurance always recognized it as non-medical.
It is as affordable as "Aspirin or Advil"
What's wrong with that? The Problem is that Parents are shirking their responsiblities teaching their young to have "moral" standards.
That society will NOT be responsible for their adult "playgrounds"
Everything sounds creepy to you, as I wonder why you actually believe Democrats stand for a responsible America. A responsible America that is PAID BY THOSE who ACT RESPONSIBLY.

Just for the record, while PR may agree with me on some issues, I am not supporting his comments. And for Carol, it may surprise you to know that roads and bridges are built in Republican administrations as well as in Democrat. Certainly, from the beginning part of our government has been dedicated to our "common defense"--as it should be. No government would be called anarchy--and I don't think any of us here are supporting that.
Unfortunately, the federal government has grown out of control. The social safety net needs to operate for those who need it--but, unfortunately, as in the GM bailout which is not looking as good as the administration claims, our government's job is not to bail out companies--or banks. The regulations are paralyzing small businesses-and education.
Education needs to go back to the states and local governments. It is not "one size fits all." Both "No Child Left Behind" and "Race to the Top" are both well-intentioned programs which create more bureaucracy than results. Look at the money poured into the Dept. of Education since its inception--yet test scores are worse-not better.

Valerie Jarrett -The Truth matters?
GM status truth.: It is my business to analyze Financial statements.
So here are the facts that no one will tell you.
1)GM has special 10 year exemptions from paying any Taxes on Profits.
(Any company out of normal bankruptcy has to pay taxes on profits)
2) GM gets your tapayer dollars for every Volt sold (about $9,000 each car)
3) The Govt and states are buying Volts to support it's high price. (spending and wasting your dollars)
4) GM and obama Stole $billions from regular Mom's/Dad's bonds held in GM company. (Merely took them and tore up the bonds) Many Families lives were financially destroyed. All in the name of saving jobs.
5)GM therefore operates without paying any interest on loans , because they do not have any major loans.
6)GM operates with "Free" machinery and some labor cost because of those bonds they literally stole-money from.
7)GM will never pay of the remaining $30Bil to us taxpayers , because the unions now own half the company.
8) GM earned 6 months 2012 $3.5B and got to keep $3.5B all of it
Ford earned 6 months 2012 $8.1B and got to keep $2.4B
(difference is taxes and interest and Deprn)
GM operates with no competitors. Long-term No Auto mfg can compete when GM has no Cost controls and $25B "Free" money to burn.
The Auto industry is not back, this (could be) is the start of Public Auto industry.
And folks, If GM is not allowed to go regular bankruptcy-All of you will be forced to buy GM first.

More Truth about GM!
For those who understand Balance Sheets, GM has over $40billion dollars assigned to an asset called "Goodwill". That is to hide the real cost of depreciating the machinery & equipment they got free by "screwing" many househoilds who were depending on getting their bonds paid off.
Then , there is another $20Billion on the balance sheet labelled "intangibles".
Both of these defer the cost of operating the company. Hidden costs!.
If one took both these and expensed them-- POOF! goes any GM phantom Profits we are all told.
I reiterate, Obama and this whole NEW Liberal Party is keeping the "TRUTH" from you. But , this article is appriately titled-- TRUTH matters.
This is the GM truth.
GM should be re-filing Bankruptcy once again.
Any declaration about Chrysler is still ALVIE! It was sold for $1 to Fiat.
Now that's a job saver. (as all chryslers might soon be produced overseas)

Mitt Romney caught on tape -- Obama supporters pay no income tax, take no reponsibility for our lives? Really!? Thank you, Mr. Romney, for finally giving a glimpse of what contempt he holds us in. This man disdains the very people who are standing on the front lines defending him. He is not fit to shine their shoes.

Wow, it's silly how much I keep seeing this post pop up on the main page due to never-ending comments.

Dear people of the internet, no one has ever (or will ever) change their opinion or their vote based on the comments section of a major newspaper, much less Patch. Both sides may as well be arguing with a wall, because the other side isn't listening. Like signs in a median, volume (in terms of number, but \a good pun since it also applies to noise level) isn't the answer.

Getting attention by someone noticing and saying "wow, what a bunch of vitriol from both sides, competing to yell louder" does not lead people to spread information or comments outside that forum.

Facebook and online comments have replaced the crazy guy on the corner yelling about the end of times. It's so overwhelming and slanted that people ignore it. Did it get my attention? Yes. Did I read the original article or a single comment? No, except for yours this morning.

Long story short, I guess I find life way too short to spend the time, effort, and anger involved with yelling into the virtual void.

from The Daily Beast: "Romney to Voters: Drop Dead"

"Here was Romney raw and unplugged—sort of unscripted. With this crowd of fellow millionaires, he apparently felt free to utter what he really believes and would never dare say out in the open. He displayed a high degree of disgust for nearly half of his fellow citizens, lumping all Obama voters into a mass of shiftless moochers who don't contribute much, if anything, to society, and he indicated that he viewed the election as a battle between strivers (such as himself and the donors before him) and parasitic free-riders who lack character, fortitude, and initiative." --David Korn [Mother Jones]

Among the 47% are military serving in war zones. Of the ten states comprising people who pay no income taxes, nine are red states -- Romney voters. Every time Romney says or does something wrong, instead of saying, yes, he made a mistake, Romney supporters come back with something Obama did wrong or claim Romney's remarks were taken out of context. So predictable, and so wrong.

Kathy, I take offense to your comment about the DEMS wanting to take God out of the platform. That is right down there with the birther nonsense and does nothing but further divide us as a nation.

Careful talking about the 47%. Check out thedailybeast.com.

Says it all.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ojd13kZlCA

Does anyone know of analyses that estimate total share of tax burden including federal, state, and local? I know of the CTJ/ITEP analyses (http://www.itep.org/) and was looking to see if there were other analyses that could be compared.

There is a great deal of analysis on share of federal tax burden (where the 47% gets misused so frequently) but little on share of state and local burdens.

Mr. Campenni, I just saw other videos on youtube featuring Mr. Harris. Hah! Another tea partier trying to smear Obama. You may move others of his ilk to your way of thinking, but you've got to do better than that. Romney said it all in his remarks at the May fund raiser. Yep, out if his own mouth he let us know what he really thinks.

WOW! The Truth does matter. Thank Romney for saying the Truth. Thank him for waking this country up to reality. Thank him for letting you all know just who the "freeloaders are".
150 million tax returns filed, and 75 million had ZERO taxes. Now that's the truth.
With an estimated 10 million in Poverty, that leaves 65 mil people not even paying a Penny of their fair share to live in this country. They certainly would vote Obama, to continue Robbing the the hard working other 75 million people.
Actually this statement has awakened All of America.
Now, Romney has the uppser hand, because the 50% of America never knew the Truth. WHAT? says most of the workers--Why does my neighbor get away with living off of Government Programs while I have to work.
Maybe Romney has finally made a Point that "the freeloaders" equal many in that 47% that do not pay taxes.
Now , I see those 47% people wanting to add their State and local taxes to their Tax bills. (just so they can claim paying taxes)
Well thank you , 47%ters-- Then add Romney's state and local taxes to his Federal Tax and Oh My Gosh! His tax rates go over 30%.

Mr. Romney required that Mr. Ryan turn over to him 10 years of tax returns before selecting him as his running mate. Romney is running for the presidency and does not feel we should receive that same info from him. We need to hold him to the same standard he set for Mr. Ryan. If Obama tried something like that, I wouldn't vote for him either.

Mr. Revere, I saw both conventions. Please don't insult my intelligence or yours.

Tough to have a conversation when so many are chasing windmills but...
http://www.ctj.org/pdf/taxday2012.pdf

At least argue from a common set of data.

I don't normally carry it this way but all you people finding reason to vote again for a idiot determind to ruin us can suck it.I know all the pros and cons of obamaians and it is most definitly someone elses time to try and fix this mess we are all in together.One thing is certain,we gave obama a chance and he failed.Move over rover!

I bet you voted for Bush's second term!

Romney:

"There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. All right, there are 47 percent who are with him, 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…. These are people who pay no income tax. Forty-seven percent of Americans pay no income tax. So our message of low taxes doesn’t connect. So he’ll be out there talking about tax cuts for the rich. I mean, that’s what they sell every four years. And so my job is not to worry about those people. I’ll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives. What I have to is convince the five to ten percent in the center that are independents, that are thoughtful, that look at voting one way or the other depending upon in some cases emotion, whether they like the guy or not."

Read more celebrity gossip at: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/09/mitt-romney-stands-by-47-percent-comments-will-video-derail-his/#ixzz26qh96Emk

Mr. Romney's statement was in error. 47% takes in all kinds of people, all parties, all walks of life, including peopke who indeed will vote for him. To say the 47% who Romney claims will vote for Obama are all deadbeats who do not pay income tax is ludicrous. Are the 47% who are Romney voters all venture capitalists who have offshore bank accounts?

Mr. Revere, please refer to Nate's weblink re the 47%. And why do you have so much hatred for people you don't even know?

I love when these raving teabaggers get hooked on a comment thread and just go off the deep end. Do they really think they are persuading the few undecideds with their poorly worded rants? Most likely, people think "Do I really want to be on the same side as this lunatic?" Where is Burke Patriot? He's my fave ...

So I heard tonight that they have arrest warrants for a man in florida who might have helped promote the anti-muslim film.There goes freedom of speech out the door and I can't help but think obama had a lot to do with it.Wonder why he didn't serve warrants on the black panthers that helped him get elected with intimidation tactics in Philly.Looks for someone to blame for his weak ass.

This is probably the most appropriately titled comments site on the Internet.

"THE TRUTH MATTERS"

Romney gives a simple Fact "47% of the prople in America Do not Pay Income taxes"

It is the Truth.

Yet the complainers spin it (condemn) because he didn't explain WHY and WHO was in that percentage.

Did anybody report that This statement was made in MAY 2012 at a Private Fund raiser?. Romney did not even know that he was being secretly taped..
Now I am sure , if he did, He would have elaborated on that 47% like all of you are now asking..

@Carol - I don't think being taped ever entered Romney's mind. He was in a coven of those just like him. The caterers - well, I don't think he even noticed them. They were not worth noting. If he was actually self-aware then he would have been cognizant that the individuals serving the food and drinks, cleaning up after, etc. were (or may have been) part of that 47% he spoke of. They weren't lazy expecting people to do for them - what they were doing was every bit as hard work as what those of us that are white collar do, just different. But he spoke referencing people like the caterers as if they didn't even exist in the room. Plutocracy, Feudalism?

Most disturbingly is his lack of self awareness of this country and others not 'like' him. Multiple comments, everything from his statement that 'he didn't inherit anything' then moments later mentioning the $1M his dad left him. Stating that kids should ask their parents for loans if they can't get one from the bank. Speaking 'down', condescendingly, about the local store made cookies, of which the locals were proud of that bakery. And, the list goes on. He defined his own character by his own actions and statements, not the mainstream media. The pundits and journalists simply identified the narrative that Romney created.

If anyone is interested in Mitt's foreign policy agenda, I guess we got it. He doesn't have one.

To be a real leader, and everyone of us in our professional or personal lives have known at least one, that person must believe in something greater than himself - a passion and vision. I have yet to see that passion or vision with Mitt.

At Bain, and in creating Bain, he was a manager. He managed organizations, he managed the dissolution of organizations. Elections aren't about finding the best manager, but the best leader.

From what Romney has defined to date, he has only seem to portray the only thing he is running for is for himself. I know, I hear the words from the stumps, but they ring hollow. Actions speak so much more.

As the old saying goes: Thoughts become words. Words become Actions, Actions define Character. Character is everything.

Do not judge people by what they believe, but how they behave.

Truth often hurts but is always better than all the lies we've been told for 4 years.A big part of the 47% have been taught how to get in the handout line by their parents and become products of their enviroment.It is very true and I have witnessed it more times than most would beleive..I have seen people teach their children how to apply for and collect ssd and ssi.Some of these people were put there before the age of 18 and are still collecting 20 and 30 years later.It is mind blowing how common this is and it is a small % of the abuse of taxpayers dollars.Other people I know have been on welfare for as far back as I can remember.My point is they are perfectly capable of working but choose not too because our goverment allows it to happen.We need a Romney and Ryan to help stop this not advertise for more of the same.It might get Obama votes but is this what we want!!!I know a few women who were beautiful and energetic and got in that easy handout line and became lasy and are now overweight and when they want a night out at the club just sell foodstamps to bankroll it.Obama in reality wants more of it,Romney wants no more of it!

I find it stunning that the far right never, ever addresses the comments that are made - they just deflect onto another topic that has nothing to do with the current discussion topic - in this case, leadership.

No sense Carol carrying on any discussion with these folk - they just want to hear the sound of their own voices. Guess it adds to the chorus of other voices in their heads! LOL!

It matters not what they say - R&R has lost the election. We survived 8 years of Bush, they'll survive 8 years of Obama. As was said during the Vietnam War - America, Love it or Leave it!

GOP corruption starts with Romney & Ryan and lies they've told us about their who they will serve and who they won't. Lies of "omission", such as hidden budget cuts, are equal to lies of "commission", such as telling the rich one thing and the rest of America another.

They're up to his necks in The Lying Game. What they say is all part of the larger GOP strategy. Believe me, Ryan "takes direction" in order to "stay on" the Republican message. He must "sing the GOP song" to be a GOP candidate.

All across the nation, millionaires are backing these liars. They want full control in order to create the final divide between rich and poor. "Us and them".

Their misjudgment? A lot of that 47% they despise is part of working America; students working their way through college, single moms restarting their lives with their first job since high school and truly poor mothers, working while the kids are at school, just to buy fuel oil for this winter and food for the day.

These are proud Americans. Romney has just stolen their pride, their will power and more...their dignity.

Men like Romney, Ryan and Republican candidates for Congress have no place in the seats of government (at any level) making decisions for "all Americans". They only have experience with the "jet set" and their "country club" members. That's okay, if you're running for Prom Queen, but the responsibilities here are far reaching and their vision does not include all Americans, as we've just found out.

LOL! There they go again! Not addressing the most recent discussion and trying to find another topic they think they can win!

Cheryl and others, must see video: Romney's mom talking about his dad. If only Mitt remembered his roots, things may have turned out differently. Mitt's not his dad.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DgB3WASwXA&feature=related

The truth matters, Valerie?
How about the fact that it is now being reported the the administration (via State Department) was warned two days before the riots. The problem is not the video but concerns about the "Blind Sheik"...........they want him released. Sure, the video may tick them off--but the real issue is terrorism-and the blind sheik is a terrorist still in our custory for the World Trade center bombings during the Clinton administration. The video is a red herring.

Also, Valerie, how about all the lies about Fast and Furious? One of the top DOJ officials has now resigned and another top official (Breuer) is still under investigation.

Please , ma'am, just the facts.

Some truth: One million DVDs of the movie "Dreams from my REAL Father" which tells what Gilbert says is Obama's true life story, as the son of American Communist Frank Marshall Davis, not the Kenyan Barack Obama Sr., are being mailed out for free today to Ohio alone, and the producer, Joel Gilbert, says he will mail 1 million more, state by state, until it is covered by the mainstream news media. He says Obama sold us a lie, based on him being the "multicultural ideal" the son of a Kenyan goat herder and white mother from Kansas, while in fact Obama has a deeply disturbing family story, and that his ideological ideas mirror those of US Communist party operative Davis, his real father. See what the buzz is about here: www.obamasrealfather.com

Dear locally,why do you think business/banks are sitting on all that cash?They are scared to death to invest it in this pitiful enviroment created by your lordship(not mine)Bama!Think,just think of the oppisite side of your coin.Try to see past your bias and veiw the opposition with neutral eyes just for a day.

Rk, you think Romney's not pursuing a former Secretary of State's comment that, after Palestinian elections, peace between Israel and Palestine is possible is good foreign policy? And you criticize Obama?

Rk, saw the youtube re seven MAJOR campaign lies. When Obama says that Brandeis said about transparency, "sunlight is the best disinfectant," a crawl across the screen says " Lie -- Brandeis didn't say that." Yes, Brandeis did say that, but how stupid does the poster think we are. The rest are equally silly, but that one really made me laugh. Talk about desperate!

Condeleeza Rice was not honest. Did you see that testimony? She waffled all over the place.

Truth Matters?? Here's some truth about the Obama energy plan.. Quote: .."bankrupt the coal industries" Quote: "Under my plan electricity rates will necessarily skyrocket" and gas prices too I might add. It's all right here for you to see and hear with your own eyes and ears directly from the mouth of Obama. It's been no secret, but the lemmings don't listen or don't care and the press is derelict in reporting and discussing it..

Watch and learn:
"My plan will bankrupt the coal industry.."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpTIhyMa-Nw

From the same interview:
"Under my plan electricity rates will skyrocket" and gas prices too I might add..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlTxGHn4sH4&feature=related

Locally, I'd vote for that, too. Wonder if all these people who've been ranting about it would agree.

There is a narrative I've noticed in this post (as well as others) where one side constantly refers to 'the government' as if the government is something evil.'The government' is an elected body by the citizens of this country. When you refer to the government (ie; the Congress) as some evil body, you are in effect saying that your countrymen are evil. Feel free to disagree on policy. Cite FACTS not ideological websites. Speak to those facts in a coherent manner that supports your position, Instead, we get a bunch of ranters that ignore actual hard facts and instead find other 'voices' that support irrational fears.

If you have no hard actual data that you can speak to in a civilized debate, you'd best not comment. Better for someone to think you're a fool than to open your mouth and confirm you're a fool.

Finally, getting really tired of fools calling others "lemmings' when they are obviously following their own fears. The rest of us aren't buying it.

As for the coal industry, RK, let it die. My grandparents and uncles were coal miners and no one in my family - having lived the nightmare of loved ones buried in the mountains - have no sympathy. The future of this country has always been founded on NEW, new processes, new technologies. NOT on a 100 year old industry. Move on.

Hi Carol.I know you said your done with this thread but I need to comment on your military food stamp statement.My imediate neighbor is a Marine and he told me himself that if he were to quit and enter civilian life he would need to make $120,000 a year to keep his standard of living.Not a bad lifestyle in my book.

Dear locally.As far as corporate man your right I'm not, but more importantly obama is not!

to Locally: In the past, there were not so many soldiers on food stamps. The lower enlisted were generally not family men and lived in barracks where they were fed.

Today, however, many family men are enlisting in order to have a JOB! For that reason, there are more lower enlisted in need of food stamps. I doubt a non-commissioned officer with a couple of kids needs food stamps. With six or so kids, he might--I'm not sure. I imagine it would depend on where he lives and whether or not his wife works. However, the everyday "grunt" should not need food stamps unless he has a family.

I don't know what you are talking about as far as the commissary and food stamps. I always thought the commissary was there to serve people who lived on post and had no other place to purchase groceries. Many posts are in (or used to be in) remote areas. Families and soldiers on post needed a place to purchase goods.
Certainly, the military overseas depend far more on commissaries than those here.

@Kathy - needed to look up some info on base needs for gov't aid. The base pay of most recent enlistees -- from corporals on down -- is at or below the $23,050 poverty rate for a family of four. The military, which counts housing allowances, tax advantages and bonuses in its own accounting of pay, estimates the average junior enlisted member earns about $43,000.

here's one military blog on base life: http://baseguide.com/articles/frontlines-and-food-stamps

Forget the six kids, just 2 kids puts the average grunt in the poverty cohort. To their credit, each of the services has support programs dedicated to helping families cope with financial crises. Each of the services also has established non-profit emergency relief services to provide immediate help for things like food, rent, utilities, transportation and child care.

The fact the our military branches have established services such as above does speak to the great need for assistance. While housing is paid for - none of the other overhead expenses are. One program to help especially larger families is the Family Subsistence Supplemental Allowance passed by Congress. FSSA is actually affecting the numbers of those who were getting Food Stamps.

Again, this is a problem not spoken of and the DoD is not required to keep statistics. But there is obviously a need. Further reading and understanding of the issue is needed by all of us.

Food for thought...

@Kathy - here's another blog

http://www.vamortgagecenter.com/blog/2012/05/09/why-are-so-many-military-families-on-food-stamps/

I'm always more interested in reading the comments - it's a better gauge of the pulse of the common person versus the perspective of the writer.

Another source

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/familydomestic/a/onesource.htm

Again, if the US Military is establishing programs like One Source, there must be an issue.

These men and women serve and protect our country. Yes, while some joined for employment, many joined out of a desire to serve our country, Patriotic duty. Let's not casually dismiss their needs.

Carol:
This country has always provided support for the needy.
OBAMA's own words "redistribute Wealth" make it clear ,He is not a capitalist.
Taxing the earners to "give welfare" to others is "socialism". Charities and organizations supported by the wealthy are the route to go , if you need assistance.
I give Thousands of dollars to several local charities for the needy to enjoy.

Every time the Govt takes that money from me, lessens my financial ability to do that. So , if you do not see how Obama will eventually "control you" and what you get, than so be it. His actions are going to take away our LIBERTY to choose how to enjoy the fruits of our labor. RedCross,Vets
Your Obama society is not one that gives you any opportunity to better yourself.
And I know that our local Charities have helped many get back on their feet.
Those claiming Disablity have doubled under Obama, the most in history.
If that is how you envision America future, good luck to you, as the only people left
would be the 99%.
(Oh where did the 1% go , those willing to support the Real needy?)
Is there one achievement of Obama coming close to the Romney saving our 2002 Olympics. That video says a lot about Leadership.
Romney saved this USA from major World Embarrasment.
STOCKS? BANKS CASH? Well , all that cash is Printed by the Treasury and sent to the banks. That is done for one reason --Keep interest rates at Zero.
After the Election- interest & inflation!
No matter who wins.

PR: I will attempt to get your to hold too thoughts in your head at one time. I know this is a herculean effort, but I'm up for the challenge.

Re: redistribution:

1. Taxes are redistribution of wealth
2. Capital gains tax is a redistribution of wealth since it benefits the cohort of wealthy that can afford to take advantage of that benefit in the HOPE that it'll trickle down and benefit society with reinvestment in economic growth
3. The $6 TRILLION dollars of corporate bailout money - possible through the taxes of the citizen is a redistribution of wealth to help out the corporations (yet you have problem helping out folk like you? I know, your frontal lobe is cramping, no pain no gain)
4. The $5 BILLION in farm subsidies is redistribution of wealth of citizen tax dollars to support the farming industry
5. The $13 BILLION in oil subsidies for production is redistribution of citizen tax dollars (for why, I have no idea since they consistently make the Forbes top 5 most profitable corporations)

That's just 5 of the low-hanging fruit of redistribution of wealth to help corporations. To Carol's point - that's what a society does to balance its collective interests so that all benefit.

Now, go massage those temples, Your brain may be sore. But that would mean admitting redistribution has always existed. As Obama stated in the 14 yr old comment, it's a balance and redistribution to an extent to balance all interests that benefit the country.

What of the demon-ization of the left? Seems to me (one only needs to read the derogatory comments made of the left in this discussion thread). There are obviously voices on both sides of the aisle.

Do you buy into the corporate redistribution of wealth? I think what you're saying is that safety nets are needed for life and economic challenges. It's the size of that amount that you have issue with, correct?

As to your comment on the 'disaster' of LBJ's War on Poverty - I would prefer before using such colorful characterizations that an outline of what was so bad after considering what was so good. Without the War on Poverty, it can be argued that there would not have been the skilled talent pool and consumer demand (which is oft said the engine of our economy, which I agree with per my earlier comments) to have fueled America's economic growth and dominance. Without which, none of us would be enjoying the results now.

If you examine policy making in the US, aw, heck, business! A stake in the ground is always a start, from there negotiation and tweaking begin (obviously that has a larger tail than in business) to arrive at a end product or service. Even then, the world changes and the process begins again. If anyone's ever been involved in product development, you'd know this process.

It's a process that never ends. But to say the choice to address poverty in America as disastrous would be incorrect. Not doing so would have been worse.

1) Taxes started in 1913---1% of income---Allowed by the Constituion "Congress shall have the power to TAX" ---For the "purpose to Pay BILLS of the united states"
(Our constituion does not give Congress any Power to PAY YOUR BILLS.)
It goes that The President certainly is not even mentioned to have any power to TAX nor to find Jobs for this country.
Tax system is called-- 1913 "INCOME TAX" laws. Not Income Re-distribution act.
2) Capital Gains is available to anyone who owns stocks, rental property (even a residence) or even a Homesale.
Buy yourself any stock- sell it at a gain--and you pay as low as 5% tax on Capital gains. Anyone who makes under $25,000 has Zero Capital gain rates--IT IS NOT A RICH ONLY rate.
3) $6 Trillion Corporate Bailout? No way! Maybe $600Bil , but not $6Tril.
You must be thinking about $6Trill of new Debt taken on by Obama in 4 years.
Bush=$10Tri Now it's $16Tril under Obama.
Anyway---IT WAS ALL BORROWED money--Borrowed money re-distributes nothing. Obama has yet to Pay for anything he claims to give.
That is why he wants to declare "Fair share" tax.
4) Farm Subsidies benefit ALL OF SOCIETY. All 300mil American Citizens Benefit. Corn Flakes would double without Farm subsidies.
All Foods would increase in price.
5)Oil subsidies also BENEFIT 100% of ALL 300mil American Citizens.
I am for removing those subsidies as they keep our Gasoline Prices too low.
Rmove them and we all should see $6 gas.
Stop trying to redefine "capitalism"

PR - you're facts are ridiculous - I assume they're from some dark oriface on your body that provides a closed information loop.

Total was $6T in corporate bailouts - $600B was just in TARP, there was more than just TARP. Oil subsidies are not needed. If you want to argue that then (following basic math if A=B then B=A) that subsidies to support citizens benefit all, etc. As to the bailout money, the US has MADE money on that loan (and it was a loan) on the monies that have been paid back simply because they took it in stock and the stock market is up.

No more back and forth with you. Only those who come from an educated perspective. Go back to your bunker. Better yet, find another country. Get a vasectomy, the thought of you procreating is frightening.

I am now convinced that Obama support comes from
"Suppression" of information.
It is impossible to debate any issue if the Obama supporters do not even get their own facts themselves.
Not knowing what a Form1120S or 1065 or 990 or passive activity or 501c3 or 501c6 is makes it impossible to debate any tax issues.
The current attempt to re-define our Tax system (as re-distribution of wealth) is a step toward the justification of Obama's supporters as "socialism"

No longer the Democratic party of Kennedy-- Who said "Ask NOT what your Country can do for you, But ASK WHAT YOU can do for your Country:"
Plain and clear Obama supporters are "SOCIALIST"

Equally miserable Citizens is the goal Of Socialism.
that , ladies and gentlemen is what Obama next four years represents.
Hiring Obama to rob the bank, makes these "socialist" feel good, but not one of them has their life improved.
Tax elements

Now confirmed that America was Attacked AGAIN on Sept 11, 2012
Killed 4 Americans in Libya.
The Secy of State (Clinton ) should be ashamed of herself.
The President should be ashamed.
His excuse is that he does not shoot first , without the facts.
But, do you all remember his shoot first comments against some Policemen actions.
Obama condenmed the police without knowing ANY facts.
He did this at a Press conference.
He was totally wrong and he was humiliated? OH no!
He had a beer garden sit down with the policemen.
Shooting first is a specialty of this President. It's called "MOCKERY"

LOL - watched on CSPAN myself - I prefer to make my own commentary :-)

Just like in the 00's when implementation of programs was from the right (the dems only held both branches for 2 years out of 8), the implementation from just one side is always unbalanced. The point that dems (who are not all liberal, so let's use that term, democrats) do not weigh costs and due diligence is not true. There was the $7.1T medicare donut - a policy written by the pharma industry that obviously didn't take into account costs. 2 unfunded wars and tax cuts did not take into account costs and impact on deficit. I think your comment on not giving the GoP much credit in preventing these abuses speaks to that.

As I listened to the GoP convention - and quite frankly the rhetoric over the past 5 years using words like 'communist', 'socialist', 'marxist' in describing this president, that narrative has done more to define today's GoP more than anything. Very few reasoned GoP voices have spoken out against giving the GoP the image it has today. The whole birther thing is ridiculous (as it assumes that the entire military and intelligence complex of the US was duped. I've got a bit more faith in these people than I do those making the birther accusations). Code talk about welfare, watching the laws go up in GoP states that disproportiately affects minorities and women's rights - these are actions, not just words. As you said, the GoP bites in its own way.

Active citizenship is our job.

I still find it interesting Mitt Romney will not release his income tax returns. Romney required Ryan to turn over 10 years of his tax returns while considering him as his running mate. Romney is running for the presidency and thinks 2 years of returns (one a partial return) is sufficient?

TO LOCALLY: You could leave this debate, But I will take last words.
I rebutted all 5 of your own questions.
The first on Income taxes. Why would you pass on that?
So you must have agreed with all.
Now , if Bush left $10Trill in Debts to the US. And Obama has that debt up to $16Trill, doesn't that equal 16-10=6Trill.
To suggest all of our money needed for bailouts = $6Tril is absurd.
(Our whole economy took on $6Tril more debt and you say , it all went for Bailouts)
Once past Tarp, You could not even get $1 tril more in bailouts.
If so, then correct me on Who got the $6Tril in Bailouts.
Maybe all of America should know if some secret Union Buddies were given under the table bailouts.
You see, you really do not know who I am , do you.
Yet, the favorite exit satement of a fixed-liberal "freeloader" is
To call others names and disparaging comments.

Thanks, Mike! I enjoy exchanging views with people such as yourself, too - which can be challenging at times in an online forum.
Thankfully, the blue dogs are still with the dems, I regret the loss of moderate GOP. Because conservative base is about 10 points larger than progressives, the dems have always needed to be closer to the center to win an election than the GOP. whenever either party strays too far from the center, they lose. Which is what we're seeing now.ck out the stuff on real clear politics.com. Cool site.

I think fear blinded us in the 00's, unfortunately many wanted too believe any reason to go to war and the admin wanted the war and needed us to believe. Same ploy used that got us all in vietnam.

Locally – About your last sentiment, I agree. Think the Gulf of Tonkin Affair. You’d think we’d learn from the lessons of history, but we always seem to repeat our mistakes. Learning from our historical mistakes not only applies to issues of war, but also applies issues of economics.

Thanks, Barbara! Tonkin was just out of the old hawk playbook - you know those in power knew what they were doing - they were there at the time of Tonkin. We live in an ADD society where people have become lazy in their thinking. We're back to rote teaching in our schools v teaching critical thinking skills. In business, this has become a terrible handicap having staff that just wants to "do" the job, and not think. We all pay the price when we choose to not do the heavy lifting of actual thinking.

I read blogs, I'm interested in other opinions for I learn to understand. But I do not suppose another's facts to be true, sadly not for so many others who look only for voices to reinforce their own opinions. There are actual historical facts, historical and economic. Those that think we can fix the Great Recession in less than 4 years are lacking in an education which does not need to be through formal institutions. This recession will take a good ten years. I'm not happy about it, I wasn't happy about it when it started back in 2000 when debt to HH income was $1.42 and policies were put in place further loosening credit regs when the public already could not afford it.

If our gov't then was truly interested in protecting us, this should have been a priority. Instead, an admin official serving 2003-2005 told me they didn't want a recession and 2 wars, so they punted. Punted. For that alone I think they should have been prosecuted for incompetence. Still furious.

Very disturbing story about lynching of chair with "Nobama" sign in Bull Run Park. This election campaign has revealed a level of racism in this country far worse than I thought was there. To think there are folks living right here in Virginia who think lynching our president is the answer?! My God!

Not surprised. It's Manassas. Folk I know who live there (all the people I know, but that doesn't mean all folk in Manassas) are of the same frame of mind.

Heard reports of a burning effigy and American flag also... wait, oh, that was a story from the middle east..., never mind.

Obviously RK believes burning the American flag and lynching a symbol of the first black American president is ok. Of course, one is protected by free speech, while hate speech and acts ARE NOT protected under free speech.

RK lacks a basic knowledge that there is limit to freedoms. Hmm, perhaps a terrorist sympathizer?

Mike, I don't think hanging anyone in effigy is the least bit funny. I know a family whose son was lynched in Mississippi in the '50s. So, no I don't find it amusing.

Really locally, your comment is laughable. You truly are becoming the poster boy for smug and boorish. Are you compensating? Obviously I need to explain for you.. My point is one nut case who hangs an empty chair from his tree should be given neither the attention nor the legitimacy of being an example of " a level of racism in this country far worse than I thought was there". Anymore than you or fellow posters calling tea party members "teabaggers" be an example of "a disturbing level homophobia in this country". Racism should not be used as a political calling card to "get out the vote".

The Media have been suppressing the TRUTH for 4 years.
The middle east is attacking the USA right before your eyes--BLINDED by THE MEDIA not showing you the Truth.
If most people who do not see any cable news You are not shown the "Truth" by local stations, Obama would lose in a landslide if you were given all the facts.
I believe most of you are repeating what you see on local TV. But the Truth is on cable for you to see. No commentary needed.
OBAMA has major failures on Foreign Policies. The middle east Hates the USA and they are out to KILL every American.
That is the Truth. That is why they attacked our embassey and KILLED 4 Americans and hung their own Flag on USA embassy.
Don't any of you CARE? Can't you see YOUR LIFE IS IN DANGER?
WOMAN-!! SHARIA LAW could become reality because Obama has done nothing to stop it. I only hope Romney has the time at the 1st debate to tell all of America the Truth, without media bias.

PR can't be local-there is still aluminum foil at the store ;-)

Just got back from a routine errand here in Fredericjsburg, We have an Obama/ Biden bumper sticker on our car. As we got out if the car, an older gentleman said, "That GD Obama has never done anything for veterans, All he's done is get more soldiers killed." I said I disagreed. I cited a jobs bill for veterans that was blocked from
passing the Senate by Republicans. He said, "That's a GD lie. Demicrats control the Senate." He then went on a rant. When I got back to the car, he continued by saying he didn't care about the jobs bill anyway, The GI bill was good enough for him and should be good enough for returning vets. I don't think I should be screamed at in a parking lot and folliwed into a store because I choose to display a bumper sticker. Obviously, I need to brace myself for more if the same, if not worse.

Cherly,

Thankfully, most people are not like that. And the gentleman did not seem to be very well informed if he didn’t know about how Republicans recently blocked the veteran’s jobs bill. And I would say his perception that, “Obama has never done anything for veterans. All he's done is get more soldiers killed,” is a little skewed too.

Of course, Obama never got us into a war to begin with, in the wrong country (Iraq) no less, with very little support from our allies, with no real plan for how we were going to pay for it or exit the situation. Thousands of lives were lost well before Obama came on the scene.

Obama has spent much of his energy trying to get us out of war, which has been costly in lives and dollars. He got us out of Iraq. He got Osama Bin Laden. He is in the process of getting us out of Afghanistan.

Continued.........

.... Continued...

On top of that, Obama has significantly increased funding for the department of Veteran’s affairs since he has been in office. He signed the Post-9/11 GI Bill and the Veterans Educational Improvements Act into law, which helped of things like capping tuition costs, paying for books and school housing fees, etc., for vets.

He also signed the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act into law, which help provide support for the caregivers of seriously injured veterans, helps improve services for women veterans, and helps expand services to preventing veterans from becoming homeless.

He also instituted the Returning Heroes Tax Credit, which provides an incentive for businesses to hire unemployed veterans. And there is the Wounded Warrior Tax Credit will doubles the existing tax credit for long-term unemployed veterans with service-related disabilities.

He’s done a ton for vets, but the best thing he can do for our soldiers, in my estimation, is to bring them home.

PS: Sorry I misspelled your name above, Cheryl.

Thanks, Barbara.

Barbara we the people are happy obama is your hero and we hope he still is when they are done picking up the tens of thousands of bodies that are being and are going to be created with his very weak and bad way of doing things.Iran,syria,and all the other crap going on is pretty scary to be called a bump in the road as he stated.To me one life lost is a bit more then a bump in the road.This guy gotta go!

You guys are really desperate. If Romney has specific plans, now is the time to speak up. Instead all he and you seen to do is react to every word Obama says. It's not working.

Kathy, I realize in your view we Democrats are stupid abd havevbever contributed anything to this country. Republicans have done everything right -- never made one mistake. Just curious, are you saying the two-party system is dead? Since Repubs are so omnipotent, maybe we should just declare Romney king, then his sons can rule, then their sons, etc.

Cheryl,

Go back and read what I wrote. I said I did not think we should be in Afghanistan. I'm pretty sure we would all agree that we were there before Obama. It is clear that you cannot accept any criticism at all of the current President.

I do not understand where you are coming from on the rest of your comment.
Did you read Bob Woodward's book, "The Price of Politics"? I suggest you do so.

I'm pretty sure that my views on Afghanistan are based on facts. Did you follow the decisions that were made for the surge? Do you follow anything on policy other than your class warfare views?

Kathy, I'm just tired. Do you get your info from anyplace other than Fox News? Do you read the Washington Post, New York Times, Wall Street Journal? I do. I don't cobsider myself stupid. If you don't think there isn't class warfare going on, you are not paying attention. Racism is even worse than I thought and I looked it in the face today, the lovely gentleman who ranted at me today said, " I'll never vote for a n.... No matter who he is." He then proceeded to say Obama and all of us who support him can leave the country now on our own tetms or be driven out when Romney takes
over. Well, Kathy, that's the America you're voting for. I guess the rest of us will be gone.

Kathy, I did see Obama's speech at West Point. To imply I am nit interested is insulting. As Locally commented to you earlier, it must be nice to be you and so sure you are so right about everything. There will be Mormons who will vote for Romney because he's Mormon, even if they don't agree with his policies.. That's not racist, any more than a black person voting for Obama because he is black is racist. A racist is the man who got in my face today, using the n word, and telling me this is not my country anymore. I know from comments on this thread and others, there are a lot of hateful people who have tried to co-opt God and patriotism while, at the same time, they are spinning the myth that Democrats are responsible for everything bad since the beginning of time. I love this country and, as Deval Patrick so eloquently said, it's time for Democrats to stand up for what we believe in and stop being intimidated by that lovely man I saw today.

To cheryl's comment above, as I was leaving the west falls metro this evening, I walked past a car with a bumper sticker that said Obama 2012 and I'm a Morman!

Interesting tidbit. Prince Alwaleed bin Talal al-Saud of Saudia Arabia owns 7% of News Corp, (Fox News).

No more sinister than how you view Obama!

Just google Howard Stern interviews Obama supporters in Harlem - I believe the date was Sept. 24th but it's still there and a riot! One guy actually thought Obama was a Morman and most didn't know that bin Laden was dead and many thought Obama was pro-life and against Gays and that McCain and Palin were running against him this year. Face it Obama isn't a Morman he's a moron and has done everything possibile to ruin our country and when asked what his greatest failure was instead of saying JOBS he said IMMIGRATION REFORM. Enough said!

If it makes you feel superior to resort to name calling, you have my sympathies,

If it offends you then for that I'm sorry however, it was the nicest name I could use here to describe how I really feel about what Obama has done to our country in just 4 short years. Now this offends me, and even more so those people who act blind to all that has gone down around them and is continuing to go down in our country offends me even more! We are no where near even on who's been offended more.

“If you're not a liberal at twenty you have no heart, if you're not a conservative at forty you have no brain.” Winston Churchill ...

@Deborah: Does it offend you what Bush 43 did to this country in 8 yrs? 2 unfunded wars, an unfunded donut hole in medicare (adding $7.1 Trillion in debt over 10 years) written by big pharma, deceiving about WMD (pulling the old Vietnam war excuse again), further de-reg of credit req'ts while restricting the consumer's ability to declare bankruptcy (2005) in the face that they knew that HH debt was already at 142% of discretionary income in 2001 - exacerbating the national debt by lowering tax rates (limit revenue, increase deficit, the whole trickle down theory debunked in the 80's when Reagan raised taxes 8 times and the debt ceiling over a dozen times).

I am personally offended by ignorance. Ignorance of finance and economics. It took 8 years to get into the worst recession (aka, that's why EVERY economist calls it the Great Recession as it will go down in history) since 1929. By Jan 2008 America had already lost 23% of all manufacturing jobs (americanmanufacturing.org). Job losses started Feb 2006. Production in Detroit was at a steady decline starting 2001.

It took us 15+ years to get out of the Great Depression and only then because we bailed out Europe after WWII which allowed us to boost manufacturing here at home, supporting Vets with low cost home loans and educational opportunities.

It's going to be until at least 2017 until this debt is weeded through - not 4 years. If you thought 4 years, I am highly offended at that ignorance.

Can someone please point out where in The Constitution, Artcle II, Executive Powers, job creation is mentioned? Anywhere? Nope.

Can we please stop this ridiculous discussion where either Obama or Romney have any influence whatsoever on job creation.

Romney keeps making promises but refuses to offer specifics. It is laughable. He's going to create 12 million jobs his ad says....seriously??? how??? Then he says he is going to cut the $16 trillion deficit without raising taxes??? Now that's a good one.

You guys need to stop allowing these politicians to lie to you and hold them accountable for their empty promises.

Nice economic theories, Kathy, but "trickle down economics" where we continue to cut tax rates for the wealthy and then jobs are magically created hasn't really worked out. How many jobs would Romney personally create if we cut his tax rate from 17% to say 12%? Maybe he would hire an additional gardener or maid?? Just the kind of job creation we need in this country.

Job creation is based on glabalization sweetie- not your tax bracket. Check out the wages in China and Pakistan vs what we pay here for the answers. Are all those manufacturing jobs coming back here? Don't hold your breath. We love our $5 tshirts from Walmart, don't we?

LOVE how Republicans want to shrink government....until it hits them in their pocketbook. Look no further than our VA Republicans frantically trying to prevent the sequestration from kicking in. Guess they didn't really think it thru when they walked away from the budget negotiations last year. They forgot that VA is one of the largest state beneficiaries of this BIG, BURDENSOME gvernment that you loathe.

Smaller government equals fewer jobs by the way. Love to hear how the private sector is going to make up for the shrinking government. Do share your plans with us.

The $16 trillion that we racked up should be paid by those who were given a lower tax rate-- not by my kids and grandchildren. If you guys want to fight unwinnable wars then you better figure out a way to pay for them.

Kathy, a lot of women in Virginia are wondering -- if the Constitution is about limiting government, why do Republicans want the government so involved in our personal lives?

Seriously, Cheryl - if I wanted gov't in my vagina, I'd date a senator!

If someone wants to argue small gov't, no prob - but remember, that includes personal decisions regarding health and marriage! If you exclude those topics and feel it's okay to regulate marriage and women's medical decisions, you cannot argue small gov't.

Netanyauh addressing the UN now... See a man who is not afraid or blind or ignorant to the world as it is, not how he wishes or "dreams" it was, like Obama...

Netanyhu does not see rioting, torture, murder, burning of flags in 13 countries across 3 continents as "bumps in the road".

There is no jealousy involved here when it comes to Romney's money. As to charitable contributions, $2 million went to his church, another million to his own charity, and it's not clear where the other million went. If Romney would release his returns, then we'd all know. I jut gelieve strongly someone who runs for the
presidency sould reinvest his money in this country, not put it inmoffshore accounts to avoid taxes. I dudn't say it's illegal, just hypocritical. If he wants to talk about the 47% who don't pay federal income taxes, he needs to be included in that number.

Kathy, you may have no concern about women's rights being trampled on in Virginia. Yoy do know our attorney general circumvented the legislature and intimidated members of the Board of Health to virtually shut down clinics performing abortions. Our AG also thinks global warming does not exist and spent taxpayer money suing UVA to gain access to studies on the issue. Talk about going to far!

And George Allen in in that same anti-reproductive rights camp that our AG (Ken Cuccinelli) is in.

He supports “personhood” legislation. As Governor he issued an order that changed the state employee health benefits plan to prohibit coverage of elective abortions. Allen has a 100% rating from the National Right to Life Committee.

In 2005 he co-sponsored an unsuccessful bill proving that women seeking an abortion at 20 weeks or more after conception would be given information that the child in the womb could feel severe and extreme pain during the procedure.

He voted to prohibit any federal funding from going to organizations that operate clinics such as Planned Parenthood. He also opposed the use or importation of certain drugs such as RU-486 and worked to reverse the advancement of embryonic stem cell research.

You get the idea. Allen and Cuccinelli want to take us back to the pre-Roe v. Wade years.

Kathy, please read The Nation article at http://www.thenation.com/blog/170105/romneys-ungenerous-donations# regarding their charitable donations. Romney altered his 2011 return to match his claim he always paid at least 13%.

Oh Locally,
I admit to not being a financial wizard. I did not say that Romney was paying 2x taxes. However, I do know that corporations are taxed at something like 35%. So, the corporation is paying 35% on its profits. Therefore, the profit is already being paid to the government at the tune of 35%. Then, if you sell your stock which has doubled and is worth $2000, you may capital gains tax on $1000---but your profit would have been greater if the corporation was not paying 35% on its profits.,
Therefore, your profits are being tax twiced. Once at the corporate level and once on the personal income level. Is this really that hard?
I'm pretty sure that Romney has contributed to charities beyond the Mormon church-but I really don't care.

Kathy, read The Nation article and you'll see exactly where Romney's charitable donations went.

Kathy - run through that again. I own stock. I own a business. My business is taxed separate from any capital gains I make on any stock in a company. Capital gains are NEW money not yet taxed. Capital gains are the result of the incremental value the market places on perceived value of a company. It is the new money that is taxed, nothing is taxed twice.

Individuals pay capital gains tax on stock if stock rises due to the market - not whether or not the company is profitable. Company profit is one variable that plays into stock price. Stock price is determined by the market - not the company. The company may ASK for a given price, but the market determines the price. The company doesn't pay the difference between the initial value and your sell value, the trading markets do. Company profits do not pay the investor the difference. The incremental gain on a company's stock value is in ADDITION to it's initial value, therefore it is new money and has not yet been taxed. Your logic is tortuous.

And, pls name one corporation that is actually paying 35%. Tax bracket and effective tax rate are two totally different things (like manufacturers retail price and the actual retail price you pay),

Check out http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/2012/08/investigating-mitt-romney-offshore-accounts

Check out http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/the-federal-bailout-that-saved-mitt-romney-20120829. No bailout of GM, but Bain -- you betcha! !

"The Truth Matters"
Valerie, please tell us why the White House did not tell us the truth about Libya?
Why did it claim the movie was the reason for the attack?
Why did Susan Rice go on all the Sunday talk shows and tell us it was a spontaneous attack?
Why didn't it tell us for two weeks that Al Queda was involved?
Yes, Valerie, the truth does matter.

I think locally she is full of him or her self.Sort of like someone else we know(obama)!

Kathy- if company profitability was the sole determinant of stock price, we would have had the stock bubble of 1999. You have no business, finance, economics or anything else in experience to bring to th table. You constantly pivot to off topic subjects whenever you can no longer prove your point. (ie: Obama creating more government jobs fairy tale).

I'd love to have a discussion and learn something, but as I said, you bring nothing, no facts, no data, nada. Only an opinion based on some story you heard but can't prove.

Kathy,

I see you quickly changed the subject away from Romney’s taxes.

But regardless, instead of politicians choosing to show a united front, here we go again with SOME of them blaming Obama for the Libyan mob attacks against the embassy. And who just happens to be leading this charge? Mitt Romney and the Chairman of the Republican Party, Reince Priebus. Surprise, surprise.

Barbara,
The subject of this article is "The Truth Matters".
Do you not think that the Libyan attack is very significant?
Have you read the details of this attack? It was not a mob attack. It was orchestrated. Al Queda was involved. Almost all the media -and-even the White House is now acknowledging this.
It is also being acknowledged that the White House knew within 24 hours--and yet for 9 days it was denied.
Did you see the CNN reports on this? They reported on Stevens' journal which indicated he was fearful. They reported this a few days ago. While the ethics of the securing of the journal by CNN is questionable, no one is denying its accuracy.

Romney's taxes have been released. There is no arguing that he is an extremely wealthy man. However, he paid his taxes. Yes, they were manipulated and he did not claim all charitable contributions so that he would pay a higher tax rate. What is wrong with that. Your mad because he paid more than he owed. He has come out quite publicly saying that he wants to get rid of loopholes and lower everyone's tax rate. What else is to say?

The truth matters and the White House is lying about LIbya. Why?

The reason Republicans won't win is because they have allowed nutjobs like Rush, Glenn Beck, etc to define them. They have lost all credibility with the "normal" voters. Nuts will always hang out with other nuts, of course.

So now we have a new conspiracy theory about the attack on our Libyan embassy. Let me guess, Obama knew about this impending terrorist attack and did nothing....because........what would be the motive for him to not act??? Anyone?

Does Obama secretly like al Qaeda? Would an attack on our embassy help him win reelection? Seriously? Have you guys lost all your marbles?

Diplomacy requires a careful, measured response--as a LEADER (Mitt, take notes now) you don't go running your mouth about an incident UNTIL YOU HAVE THE FACTS. Get that? UNTIL YOU HAVE THE FACTS.

Libya is a country we are trying to stabilize and strengthen relations with in an area of the world that is quite anti-American. Why should anyone from the US run their mouth about it being a terrorist attack before they know for sure?

Those guys that killed our people are toast--if not already. We take care of our own but we do it in a diplomatic way.

Nice try...surely you guys can do better than this garbage.

Yes, the truth matters. Romney lied abut his taxes and had to manipulate them to match his lie. He has flip-flopped time and again over major issues. This man revealed his true character in that fund-raising tape. He holds half of our citizens in contempt. Bain Capital had to be bailed out on his watch, yet he hypocritically decried bailing out the auto industry. Romney needs to identify loopholes he will close if elected. Don't hold your breath on that one.

Cheryl,
Romney did not lie. He made the decision to not claim all his charitable deductions in order to support something that he had said earlier. He had said that he paid no lower than 14% and, because of his charitable deductions, his tax rate would have fallen to 13 something %. So, he made a decision to keep his word. Is that what you call a lie?

Janet, The Libyan issue is a very serious one. For almost two weeks the White House blamed the video when it was clear that it was not a mob assault. The video was a red herring. There is video of the assault which shows no mob--only people with rpg's.

I have neither seen nor heard reports of a conspiracy theory to attack the embassy. Where did you hear that one?
CNN did report that Stevens was fearful. That does not indicate a conspiracy theory.
The gaffe here is not Romney's. The White House lied. They could have said simply that they weren't sure, but instead they first said it was a result of the video, then it was an opportunist attack, and, now , finally they are admitting that it was a terrorist attack.
As far as "careful measured responses", what do you think of Obama's announcement of bin Laden's death and the leaks from the White House on that issue? A Pakistani doctor who helped us is in dire straits, as a result of these leaks. No telling how much actionable intelligence was lost as a result of Obama's victory lap.

Kathy, did you read the two articles I cited yesterday?

Cheryl,
I read the Nation article and I understand what the writer is saying. However, I have no problem with it.
I am not a Mormon. I know a handful of Mormons and I admire every one of them. I admire their commitment to their church and their service to it. I will also admit that I find the religion a little "different".
I also know that my family gives generously to church. It is the biggest recipient of our charitable donations. The church, in turn, uses the money to support local organizations that feed people and provide emergency assistance. From time to time, the church houses the homeless on cold nights. Of course, some of the money is naturally used to support the church itself. That is important to us.
The church could not exist without donations. I assume the Mormon church is the same.
I just don't see the problem here.

For the record, here are some of President Obama's charitable contributions when he was not running for national office:
This information is from Kessler's column in the Washington Post:
2005: $77,315 to charity out of income of $1.66 million (4.6 percent)

2004: $2,500 out of $207,647 (1.2 percent)

2003: $3,400 out of $238,327 (1.4 percent)

2002: $1,050 out of $259,394 (0.4 percent

Oh, for the love of all that's decent, will you please shut this thread down? It's been 335 comments since it's been on topic and it's been clogging the front page comment feed for three weeks. Enough! Or give us an option to block comments from a particular article. I'm overdosing on righteousness and indignation.

:-) @ Uncle Smartypants. I may just add that in the private sector, when a worker fails to do his job, he gets fired! He does not get an extension and asks to carry forward with his plans for another set of years. If fact, if he is allowed to do that, it is destined to fail because the course will NOT change - it is just forward with the same.
Sometimes change is good people - it's not about democrats or republicans, it is about common sense.

So, did you vote for George W. Bush to serve another term?

Kathy, my main point here is that the big lie is Romney portraying himsef as the knight who came riding in and saved Bain Capital. His leadership was disastrous and required a bailout.

Kathy, I hope you also believe the pinocchio, concerning Romney and his campaign. The 14-year-old audio clip Romney's team dug up of Obama talking about redistribution got 4 pinocchios. I could give you many more, as could you. I know what goes on in political campaigns and so do you, so don't insult my intelligence by portraying Romney as something he isn't.

I always laugh when I hear about redistribution from the right. Just about every repub state takes in more in gov't assistance than they contribute in taxes - that's redistribution. Giving tax money in the form of billions in subsidies to corporations - that's redistribution. But they don't talk about that.

Sorta like when the right screams 'small gov't'! But has no problem with gov't deciding on women's health decisions by enacting legislation that in effect is monitoring every pregnancy to assure the 'right' outcome is achieved.

What facts?