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Subscribe to RSSThe war between the Gingrich and Romney camps is escalating over the former speaker’s threats to sue TV stations that continue to air attack ads by a Romney super PAC claiming that he was "fined" $300,000 for ethics violations.
In a letter sent to TV stations in Florida and South Carolina, Stefan Passantino, national counsel to the Gingrich presidential campaign, wrote that the ads asserting that Gingrich was "fined" for violating House ethics rules are "NOT TRUE" and represent "a defamatory communication which exposes this station to potential civil liability.
"In turn, we do hereby DEMAND that your station immediately REFUSE, and if started, CEASE airing any such advertisements," continues the letter, which is dated Jan. 6. Passantino added in an email Wednesday to NBC News: “With this letter, Newt Gingrich has put Mitt Romney’s SuperPAC on notice that the free ride they have enjoyed to misstate Newt’s record are over. Discussing true facts concerning one’s record are fine, using SuperPAC funds to mislead voters will no longer be tolerated.”
In fact, Passantino asserts, the $300,000 that Gingrich paid in 1997 after a House Ethics Committee investigation was to "reimburse" the House for "some costs" of the probe – and did not constitute a fine.
But Charles Spies, a lawyer for Restore Our Future, has fired back, saying the group plans to re-air the claim that Gingrich was fined in a new round of ads in Florida in the next few days. He also told NBC News that "no station has pulled the ads" as a result of the Gingrich threat.
Read more reporting from Michael Isikoff in 'The Isikoff Files'
The letter from the Gingrich campaign "is a desperate attempt to conceal Gingrich's ethics baggage in the lead up to Florida's presidential primary election," Spies wrote in his own letter to TV station managers this week.
"Although it is understandable that Mr. Gingrich wishes that he wasn't the only Speaker of the House in history to be fined (overwhelmingly by a bipartisan Congress) $300,000 for ethics violations, that is nonetheless his baggage to live with."
Spies attached to his response letter a print-out of news stories from January 1997, many of which widely reported the $300,000 payment by Gingrich as a "fine," although usually in headlines. He also attached a print-out of a dictionary definition of the word "fine" and an assessment by PolitiFact, the fact-checking organization, concluding that Gingrich's complaints about the wording of the ads were groundless.
The dispute revolves around a two-year House Ethics Committee investigation into allegations that Gingrich improperly used a college course, funded by political donors, to promote political causes – potentially violating federal tax laws as well as House ethics rules. The probe was headed by a special counsel, James Cole, who now serves as deputy U.S. attorney general at the Justice Department.
In his letter, Passantino, the lawyer for Gingrich, quoted from the 1997 House Ethics Committee report on the matter that referred to the "appropriate sanction" for Gingrich to be a "reprimand" and a "payment reimbursing the House for some of the costs of the investigation in the amount of $300,000." (Gingrich agreed to pay the $300,000.) Passantino noted that the committee's report specifically did not use the word "fine."
In its analysis, the PolitFact looked at the broader context: The committee found that the college course that Gingrich had taught at Kennesaw State College while serving in the House was financed by donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations who were solicited to provide support with the understanding that it would be a nonpolitical, tax-exempt project.
In fact, the Ethics Committee found, the course was "actually a coordinated effort" to "help in achieving a partisan, political goal" that might not quality for tax-exempt status. (The IRS, however, never imposed any penalties.) In addition, the committee found that Gingrich's lawyers submitted letters about the course that were "inaccurate, incomplete, and unreliable"—and that Gingrich should have known this.
The full House voted overwhelmingly, 395 to 28, to adopt the Ethics Committee report and impose the $300,000 penalty.
"In the case of Gingrich's ethics fine, the Super PAC Restore Our Future has its history correct," PolitiFact concluded in its analysis. "Gingrich was fined $300,000 for ethics violations, and we rate the statement True.”
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Hey Mittens, show your income tax returns NOW
Stupid selfish pig Blingrich. Why don't you just get out now??? haven't you embarrassed yourself and your party enough???
At least Perry had the excuse of being an imbecile. What's your excuse? Spite?? What a big fat f***king cry baby!!!
Aw, poor Newty Newt. The big bad bullies are picking on him. He was doing better when he called Romney a corporate raider, which I see as true. The 'fine' is just bad tasting medicine Newt spooned up for himself a long time ago.
@moveforward: Why on earth should he produce his tax returns? He has already supplied all the financial documentation that is required, he has broken no laws. If it were the law to provide such information he would do it.
Tell you what, why don't you post your tax returns. Make them public. Can you think of any reason why you would not want to do that?
@Newtsapig: Could not agree more. The man is corrupt on every level. Thank goodness we have Mitt Romney.
That's why his Stepford wife looks like a crash test dummy. She has never heard an ounce of truth come from that guy in her whole life. He got her a lobotomy for Christmas many years ago so she just stares blankly into space. Poor woman. Newtie gets to reap what he has sown.
I wonder why anyone would pay for the investigation if there was no wrong doing found, sounds a tad fishy ..
Rhino, for one, he won't answer the questions put forth on him and where he got his money. I would be calling for his Swiss bank account records. Also, why all the call for Obama's birth certificate? He filed all the papers required of him when he registered with the elections officials in all 50 states. That wasn't enough?
Newt should stay in and fight. Fight like the dickens. Frankly, he has the right to bitch and try to call others out. Makes for fine entertainment in an otherwise dull field.
As if the GOP needs any help embarrassing itself before God, the world, and all of America. They do just fine without Newt's dubious help. Just look at Faux News.
Newt, You don't like being Clintoned do you? Karma it's a b!tch. BTW exactly why did you resign? Wasn't it over ethics violations?
Now its getting dirty. Nice.
I wonder why there weren't such vigor when the GOP & their PAC dogs were running false ads agains John Kerry and Al Gore? The best solution is to hold the PAC accountable, and liable. In addition PAC should be transparent with the law suits be on fast track.... wishful thinking?
rednawt, why hasn't obama released his transcripts from occidental college? why won't he tell where he got the money to go to harvard or his trip around the world as a poor college student? seems like your outrage is limited to rich white guys. racist.
Gingrich needs to provide his LONG FORM tax returns! Why hasn't he done this?? What is he hiding?!
I have no problem with Newt bringing down both Romney -- Bane of job creation -- and himself.
I would like to see Romney's tax returns, not to mention all of the deleted emails from his Admin as MA Gov. Fat chance
As for Gingrich, the guy is a loose canon (and I dislike him) but threatening dire consequences against the media if they run ads against him is well over the top. I can imagine under his presumptive Administration, we the people would know even less the truth about what is and has happened, and that we will all start wearing brown shirts.
Sad. But everyone in that clown car has a tarnished record. But for newt to cry bully is funny. He has more baggage than the clown trunk can hold. And that mistress of his? Wow. A troll with big bird following.
Gingrich is now and always has been and always will be a liar, a cry baby and a self promoting narcissist. Typical defense, "WAH WAH WAH" they're telling the
truthlies about me!Remember the comment he made.
'Any Ad Which Quotes What I Said On Sunday Is A Falsehood’
The GingRICH stinks of LOSER.
So it is now against the law to say things that arent true about another politician? Well that will sure shut the GOP's collective mouth.
The news medias are not running ads against him. They are doing their jobs and running the ads for Romney's corporate sponsors. The are not writing the news no more than they are writing Newts ads for him. Let the publications continue. It is up to every candidate to defend themselves and make their cases to their constitutents. They all spent two years lying about the President and forcing him to defend himself and I never saw a single one apologize and retract their statements that was calling him and misleading the public into believing the President wasn't just an illegal alien but that he was also a muslim trying to bring sharia law onto this country. At least Romney is telling the truth. A penalty is a fine period.
Obama never produced anything! Blocked access to his schooling, his place of birth, where his funding came from, and on and on and......
We need desperately to get him and his communist cronies out of the White House. He is a liar and a dupe for the communist party.
Is not any fines public record? So what is the truth? What does the record say? The good ,the bad, and the mud slingers.
Newt reasons a penalty is not a fine. He also reasons his chubbiness is not the result of the fat in potatoes since he only eats "french fries". Newt charges and collects the fares from the cab drivers lucky enough to haul him. Newt is an extraordinarily intelligent man as he so often proclaims.
After all the lies the republicans tell about the president and others he ahs the nerve to sue somebody for telling this. Actually they made a deal and the wording is vague but does not say it is a fine but it was. So if he sues and gets paid Obama may never have to work again after 2016
Poor crybaby Newt. someone please change his diaper and burp him, and then put him to bed with a bedtime story on what a whiny little bytch he is.
good thing they make depends in xxlarge for cry-baby newt
Fine with me!!
So Newt doesn't like the word "Fine" being used...
I think they should change it to "restitution" and get on with it....
bottom line, it doesn't matter what they call it, it was a fee that he had to pay as a result of misconduct.....He's just playing semantics. At the end of the day, he's still a crook.
Just air Romney's own words... His flip flops... I'm pro-choice. I'm pro-life. I'm for gay marriage. I'm not for gay marriage. I'm for health-care. I'm not for health-care. I'm not for bailing out the big auto industry. I'm all for bailing out the auto industry... And on and on...
It depends what time of the day and how much money he can make as to what his stance will be...
I might vote for Romney, I might NOT vote for Romney...
A more sinister though is that the Republicans already know Mitt will be their candidate. This is simply a early method of vetting or putting all possible hitches on the table. This way, Mitt will be able to campaign against President Obama with a tefelon coating (nothing will stick)...
I would not put this beyond the Repbulican strategists. I say this because this is not Newt against Mitt. This is done in a very apparantly coordinated approach knowing that it will not damage Mitt's candidacy. There is too far of a gap between Mitt and any close candidates. Newt knows he is a drone (taking on shots) for his party. He is far too smart, to believe other wise.
rainman-2112589, don't call other Viners racists. You're suspended for a day for violating #1 of the Code of Honor.
NewtISaPIG. everyone else, you can curse. Turn off your profanity filters here.
because Newt has never done anything wrong...
right?
The general rule of thumb for politics Newt, is if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. Well, it's past time for you to get out, you have over stayed your welcome by about 20 years. You can't stop Romney or anyone else from airing the truth about you. I can't believe that you didn't think that this wouldn't be a major issue brought to the front by your opponents. Not only were you "fined" but pressured to resign the speaker position and leave Congress. You shouldn't even be allowed to run for dog catcher, let alone President of the United States.
Hows the "Super Pac's" working out for you fools now? I hope they all stay in this 5 ring circus...makes me Smile :)
You mean the five Republican Surpeme Court Judges that passed Citizens United Ruling screwed up and it is hurting the political process? I AM SHOCKED.
I will say however that when Romney had his hard drives wiped at the office of governance that he was being terribly un-transparent and should have had a criminal investigation started to look into why he would have needed to do such a thing. He's just another corporate hack that works for the Banksters, just like Obama. Just like Gingrich, Just like Santorum.
Either vote of no confidence, or Ron Paul.
Amen to that! Disturbedlibrarian... But then look at 99% of the politicians in this country running for offices, even on the local level... They are all liars & crooks aren't they?
Mitt Romney: the Bane of job creation.
Nobody is clean here is the rest of the story on Newt
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/govt/leadership/stories/gingrich020499.htm
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/govt/leadership/stories/101198.htm
Can't wait til those who don't want to hear this collapse this post!
Mitt Romney: "I love to fire people".
Only after He takes all their wealth and whatever He can sell.
I hate politics. I despise polititians.
Guess you don't like politicians either.
obxron, let's see how i can take what you just wrote out of context like you did mitt's words
OBXRon
Mitt Romney I love
i am by no means a romney supporter but taking stuff out of context makes you look pathetic.
Poor, poor Newt. Any idiot knows that tv stations are not responsible for the content of political advertising.
They should be, I'm sick of seeing attack ads by the right-wing that are FULL OF LIES.
Exactly, Rick. On the other hand, if we made broadcasters responsible for the content of advertising (mf2012's suggestion), it would create hundreds of jobs for fact checkers, who would research whether Burger King will really make it your way, whether Sugar Frosted Flakes are Greeeaaat!, whether new cars really get the mileage claimed, whether driving an Escalade really puts you in charge of the road, whether your dog will really live longer if you feed him Iams, and every claim by a politician that he is the guy who truly represents freedom or America or family values.
As for Newt, maybe we won't call it a "fine" but refer to it as a "penalty."
Regardless, the power and influence wielded by Super PACs makes me nervous.
Actually, if they are notified that the ads are false and they continue to air them following that notification then they can be held liable. They are not liable initially, the liability would only attach once they are notified that the ads are false. At that point they do have a duty to confirm the veracity of the material.
In any case, this is a battle of semantics. According to the ethics committee report, Gingrich was not fined. In reality, it can easily be interpreted as a fine by someone who wants to see it that way. It would be interesting to see what the courts would have to say on this one since it is a case of political doublespeak being used by the ethics committee to disguise the true reason and intent of the levy against Gingrich.
Just a question, was he legally held to pay the "fee" or was it voluntary? If he was legally held to pay the "fee" it was a fine.
rednawt, you make a very good point. I agree, if it was order for him to pay that is the same as being fined.
Nice to see all the ROmneyites and democrats jumping in must be something about Newt that scares them that they ahve to attack so hard and so often - laugh my butt off should he manage to beat Rom and Oba too but then that is a possibility those on here seem to be afraid of since keep right on attacking - heres a ticket that should really scare you Newt and Paul - make more sens then Obama abd Biden or Romeny and ??
People are jumping in about Newt because... TA-DA this article is about Newt. Most of us seem to be laughing about Newt because he's complaining about what actually happened: he was fined $300,000 for an ethics violation while serving in Congress, and he doesn't want people to remember this.
I would not vote a crazy ticket like Newt/Paul for 2012. One guy is a sleaze and the other is a libertarian.
Actually Newt is correct about the ethics stuff see post #2.7 for the final word on Newt's Ethics Adventure!
First the left was attacking Palin because there was something about her that scared them. Then they attacked Allen West because there was something about him that scared them, then there was something about Cain that scared them, so they attacked him, and finally there must be something about Newt that scares them so they attack him. You wingnuts love playing the victim!
raddave...you are one of the few who are rational. ten to one you are not one of the hate filled democrats!
Do you really think that the left was afraid of Palin or Newt? Come on, Palin is a reality show character and Newt is about as close to being elected president as you are! I personally don't care for these people because I find them to be as embarrassment to the country. Afraid, no way!!
To raddave - Um, it wasn't the "left" that "attacked Newt... It was Romney. Did you even read the story?
To BinAround - raddave takes a story about one Republican bashing another Republican (the bashing based on a truthful event), then raddave blames the "left" for "attacking" Newt, and then YOU define raddave's post as "rational"? LOL!
Is that the "rationality" behind the Republican party - blame the "left" for anything and everything? ...Be "hateful" yourselves, then call the other party hateful?
Palin, Cain, Newt, etc. are all jokes.. But since the Republicans had trotted them out, no one is supposed to laugh? Sorry, but I must choose to be irrational toward that philosophy.
Your boy screwed up - he was caught being dishonest, like a LOT of other politicians of BOTH parties have been caught... Sick your head in the sand if you'd like, just don't expect the rest of us to follow suit.
It is amusing to see the right wingnuts bash the Democrats and the Media for the damage being done to their darlings by their own circular firing squad. Clearly most diehard Democrats would have killed for an opportunity to have Obama go up against Palin, Cain, Bachman, Perry, Paul, Santorum, or Gingrich. Candidates with the trunkloads of baggage these wannabees have would be easy to marginalize and would only get the support of the extremists who dominate the GOP nomination process. These folks are loud and arrogant, but they are less than 20% of the Republican party, so they represent about 8% of the total electorate. Huntsman and Romney are the only two who could mount a credible contest. Fortunately for the President, Huntsman is too sane to be allowed hear the nomination and his fellow Republicans have written the anti-Romney ads they will need in the Fall. Think of all the money they won't have to spend to create their commercials; they just need to buy the airtime. "Hey, it's not me saying Romney is a liar or a vulture capitalist; it's one of the icons of the conservative movement..."
I find it fascinating that Newt whines about negative advertising when he was one of the prime architects of slimebag campaigning.
Urban legend.
Gingrich was confrontational, while most Republicans in the House in the 80s had a go-along to get-along attitude. He has also been ideological and has strong beliefs, so like any partisan says things that go over the top. That doesn't mean he every thought elections should be personal smear campaigns, he knew they needed to be won on issues.
House Democrats are still upset over him going after Jim Wright, although Common Cause (a non-partisan group that worked with Democrats on Iran-Contra and now gets funding from George Soros) joined him on that effort.
newt says things like "'The spectator in chief shares with us his Final Four picks and then goes to Brazil to kick a soccer ball around,' Gingrich said, using one of his recent oft-repeated jabs at President Barack Obama. 'I think we need a president who actually wants to be president.'
I'm sure obama wants to be president...using the same "logic" as newt does, newt has just said something misleading and inaccurate.
and then whines about others using semantics against him? hypocrite.
Sounds like the "pot calling the kettle black" scenario, all politicians should stick to solving the mess were in and spend less time on the faults of others. The old "blame game" gets old fast.
This is going to be a long year in terms of back stabbing especially after the primaries, however, that's just politics!
Oh, Yes!!!!
Funny thing is, Huntsman has been relatively quiet and respectful. That and a dime will get you 9% of the NH vote. We all complain about attack ads, but they definitely work. You really want to stop them? Vote against anyone who uses them. Romney's PAC spends the most money on attack ads by far, and he is the front runner. We (actually you Republican primary voters; I'm a Democrat) are encouraging this behavior. He (Romney) will now shift his focus from Gingrich to Santorum because the primaries are moving into the South where ultraconservatives are more likely to vote for Santorum because of his strong social conservative beliefs. Gingrich is finished. Santorum's time to be nipping at Romney's heels begins. Then, of course, there's always Ron Paul just on the horizon to ride in about April and take the nomination because all the other hyenas have eaten each other.
Obama 2012
Newt may have invented slimeball politicking and attack ads but he will cry like a baby when attack ads come his way especially if they air the truth.
Expect Romney to go all out. 2012 may be his best chance. I think Newt thinks he can win the negative war with Romney - and he might at the cost of him the nomination. His attacks are very measured to not knock him out. At the same token, Newt may figure since Santorum is running so strong, that if the negatives took too much a toll on his chances, that him exiting is fine as long as Perry or Santorum could benefit.
Hey Newt --- Pizza Man threatened to sue people too. And just like him -- you'll be gone soon. Newt -- you're last century's news.
Whether called a fine or a penalty, the man still violated ethics rules in the opinion of the conservative House he led... Period!!
Yep, he's splitting hairs. A fine is a penalty. A good judge wouldn't let this enter discovery. If I were a TV station owner, I'd say "Go Ahead, hope you got enough money" and let him destroy his political career. The point is minutia BS. He's a brilliant debater, but that is a near trivial qualification for president. It does help get you elected. He's relying on his performance skills instead of his quality of judgement. This one is gonna get real dirty.
My GOD! I just LOVE to watch them EAT THEIR OWN! Ronny is just turning in his grave!
Obama/Biden 2012
No I think attacking Gingrich is one of those exceptions that even Ronald Reagan would approve. Ronald Reagan never had a problem attacking a Democrat.
Anyone but Obama/Biden and their communist pals in 2012!!! Their goal is to destroy this country. Obama has no real ties to this country and has no real loyalty to it. Get rid of him.
BinAround,sounds like you have BinAround the asylum too long.Take a break.
He makes broad-brush allegations about anyone he feels like, then parses tiny details and screams like a baby when it's directed at him. Now that any danger of him becoming president has receded, we can sit back and enjoy him as an absurd little martinet. Go, Newt, go!
Aren't the Dems usually beating up one another and exposing weaknesses during the primaries while the Repubs save their cash and focus on winning in November?
No the democrats have no vested interest in eliminating anyone weaker at this point. If you think the DNC is behind any of the attacks so far on candidates you would be wrong, they have every reason to save any attacks to use once a nominee is chosen.
Attacks within parties are supposed to be coming from the other side. Newt is attacking Romney on a very right wing principle so he is using a tactic that just plays into the democrats hands, its only going to annoy conservative voters so it can't help him. Which is why the republican establishment is so annoyed with Gingrich for these attacks. This also weakens Romneys only real campaign, he is running on the basis of his business experience and Gingrich has turned it into something unusable now.
As an independent, I find it kind of amusing that Gingrich and Romney are destroying each other but Romney hasn't seen anything yet. Obama has far more money behind him to run national ads attacking his business dealings for months once Romney gets the nomination.
John Conner-2055321
Don't you mean "whining" in November.
There are more than enough LIARS throughout the political spectrum to go around, the winners are the ones that fool the most voters !!!
Hope & Change.....I think not.
Hugh no class...we are sick of the hate mongering of the Democrats. Hopey change goin well for you, Hugh. you must be on welfare, unemployed, or sucking off the rest of us in some way. That is the democrat base, those on the gravy train.. vote for who will keep the train running!
And your comment is NOT straight up hate filled? WOW! I'm a democrat who did NOT vote for Obama, nor do I support him in any way shape or form. I work hard for my living, not off welfare. Think your the one thats' sucking something....
What do you mean, where does it say Democrats beat up on each other in the Article? It doesn't, but where have you been? Did you not see the the 2008 Dem primary?
And that right Jan...Obama has more money. He has George Soros (the commie) pulling his strings.
Newt is getting desperate! This lawsuit threat makes him look all the more guilty. Newt is a bitter, cruel man who walked out on wife #1 who had cancer, cheated on wife #1 and #2, and introduced legislation to put small time drug users to death. No, Newt, you will never have my vote.
Newt has to know he is finished, attacking a core conservative principle was never going to serve him well, at this point it feels like pure revenge for what Romneys camp did in Iowa to him.
You forgot, while he was married to wife #2 he was sleeping with soon to be wife #3 while going after Bill Clinton.
YOU ARE CORRECT SIR..!!
and I would like some PROOF from Newtie that he is not PRESENTLY SLEEPING with ANOTHER woman
or MAN... his pathological & serial infidelities are a DISEASE !
Section 315 of the Communications Act prohibits broadcasters from censoring political ads. In attempting to coerce broadcasters into breaking the law, the Newtster is asking for serious trouble.
Anyway, someone should stick a meat thermometer in this basted pig. He has got to be done by now.
Brucer is quite correct ~ and a station faces no exposure for running ads which may or may not contain less than credible content. A cease and desist "order" from the Gingrich campaign is toothless. If it wants relief and redress, it should seek estoppel through the courts and I strongly doubt that any judge is going to grant a restraint or injunction in a political advertising case. Few would even grant a hearing and those who do would most likely grant a motion to dismiss based on prevailing statutes and precedent.
Newt is just practicing his 1st Amendment rights by yelling "Fire" in the theater. He is also trying to obstruct the "free speech" of others. He should transfer his money to Ron Paul's campaign and bow out gracefully. Grace is not his strong suit, so he should just go away ! ABO 2012
Jim,
I had to look up estoppel. I thought it was a typo.
Estoppel in its broadest sense is a legal term referring to a series of legal and equitable[1] doctrines that preclude "a person from denying or asserting anything to the contrary of that which has, in contemplation of law, been established as the truth, either by the acts of judicial or legislative officers, or by his own deed, acts, or representations, either express or implied."[2]
Thanks Wikipedia, it's all clear now!
He was FINISHED before he entered this election cycle...
just add AIR & he is SELF- COOKING !
sorta like Rice Krispies !
Give the boot to Newt and fine him another $300,000 for his frivolous suit.
What a hoot
newt gives himself the boot
and BECKY-S's poem
makes newts toots mute.
CUTE !!
Newt needs to be neutered
You just got to love the way these politians stoop to such low levels to get a job so they dont have to work.
These commercials could be rewritten to hilarious effect. Every time the word "fine" is uttered or appears in text form therein, cover it with a cartoon of Newt screaming "IT WASN'T A FINE!!!! I'LL SUE!!!!", or show Newt furtively trying to cover over the word with his hands, a cartoon checkbook, a Tiffany lamp, etc.
Now thats' funny.
I wish we could sue every campaign to make them stop running ads with inaccurate information. That includes their PACs. Not many people have the time, resources or even the will to do their own research. And even then much of what you read comes from biased sources.
Sigh.....
And its even worse.."sound bite" ads are inevitably out of context at the very least, even if legally accurate in some vague way.
Yeah, then all of a sudden the other 'side' takes it for gosple and off we go.
Newt should consider himself lucky. There are many things Romney could call Callista that would also be true.
I call her a dead ringer for the alien hit chick in Mars Attacks.
Or a dead ringer for the blond on Absolutely Fabulous
A Stepford Wife! Kinda Scary-looking..................
Let's see now, I was "penalized $100 for a traffic infraction," not "fined $100 for speeding." What's the difference? The only people that would argue that are lawyers with too much time on their hands, and a losing argument.
Oh. I forgot. There is one other group that would argue the difference - politicians. And they would continue arguing until everyone was deaf, dead, or just flat walked away from them.
Regardless of ones political views and party persuasion, we should ALL be concerned about money in politics and the Citizens United decision!! These idiots and their supporters are burning through millions to BUY a job instead of being ELECTED to one!!
Wendy, I'm glad you put it that way, they ALL do it, to our great loss. When all of them spend more time and money to get a job, supposedly paying less than the private job they are leaving, something smells rotten in this country's kitchen.
I agree, now much will Obama spend this year reckon?
Considering the disarray within the GOP ranks, he may not need to spend any money at all. Its not all that difficult to defeat a corpse ~ and the Republican candidates are killing themselves before the electorate. No doubt it will be very difficult to be taken seriously after months of acting like sophomoric juveniles.
"If you give me an unlimited budget, I could get Jessie Jackson elected Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan."
Karl Rove
Absolutely, this has to be reigned in and soon. If the amount a candidate can spend is severly limited and the pay cut in half we'd soon see 3/4's of the present politicians "retire" or go back to the private sector. Just maybe then candidates that really care about America would have 1/2 a chance!! (wishful thinking)
It would all be a hilarious comedy if it wasn't one of our major political parties. Hey, I wonder if the repubs are going to try to ride the jobs issue this election.... they did that in 2010 and then dropped the issue like a hot potato after the election.
Remember four years ago. Same thing, just different players, on both sides. Actually, there were some of the same players, and they were all as ignorant as this current bunch.
Now this year, there is only one major player on the one side, and a bunch of "wannabes" on the other side. Too bad there is nobody out there named None Of The Above. They'd be elected in a landslide.
As it is, we, the American Taxpayer, are on the losing side of this election, all the way around, regardless of political affiliation. Maybe, one day, probably not in my lifetime, we will actually have an election where the REAL population actually votes for the President, instead of the politicians having the final say, via the "Electoral College." Also, running for office would only be six weeks, instead of the four years they do now. That way, the winner would have more time to actually do the job they are HIRED for.
I believe that would do away with a lot of this foolishness and waste of taxpayer money, and graft, and bribery, and out and out crookedness.
Well said. Your right. It does'nt matter really who wins, the American public will still be losing. Almost better off voting for Mickey Mouse.
I am not envious of Mitt's vast wealth but I would at least like to know a little more about the man who wants to be our president. Some are telling me he got super wealthy by closing down American firms and sending American jobs to China. I at least want to be in the room when taxes are being discussed...that is if he plans to ask me for my vote. As of now I still do have a vote...it might change when Mitt Comes to Town.
As I understand it Mitch's tax plan would increase taxes on people making less than $40,000 a year and ADD ANOTHER $150,000 a year to the tax cuts of George W. Bush for those making more than $1 MILLION a year. Sounds fair to the Tea Party.
You have to like all of this *attrition amongst the right-wing* ... here we have a vile & repugnant & dispicable 'ol codger Grinch who invented *Heretic Pollitics* simply because *civilty is for the weak* as the *New Ethical-Core Roadmap* for the emerging neocons ...
Well, did that thing with a beak for a snout Calista put you up to this ?
They need to save their money and stop bashing each other. They will all they got plus much more to go against the telepromernchief.
All presidents use either note cards or teleprompters. Try reading about using teleprompters, they say its more difficult to do than note cards so Bush was never able to get the hang of it and sound real. Obama has plenty of real issues you could attack on rather than sounding like a insipid, whiny child.
Gingrich is getting his revenge on Romney, Romney better be prepared for worse. Obama has far more money than any of them put together already.
Jan well hold on to your britches Mitt also uses teleprompters. In fact when he Doesn't is when he opens mouth and inserts his loafers. Things like "I love to Fire people" & my all time favorite "Corporations are people too" When he was "saving the Utah Olympics he "fired" anyone who would not lick his boots. The only problem with that was They were "Volunteers." He showed all of us just how self obsessed he Is. Good luck with that guy as the best the GOP have to offer.
The republicans do have a few non crazies but most of them were not willing to take on Obama. I honestly at this point don't see how any of them can get through the primaries without too much damage with as ugly as its getting. Mitt is completely out of touch with Americans, he proves more all the time, and he isn't going to be able to just shut up and let the others bury themselves when he goes up against Obama. If he can't get rid of that blue blood snob act, he is done, he doesn't inspire anyone.
I love how conservatives championed these SuperPACs and are now victums of them.
I'm glad that others are coming to realize this fact. It will get worse ~ and more expensive.
Obama has deep pockets with Soros, the Muslims, not to mention whatever slime supported him in Chicago!
BinAround:'REALLY? Really?!! Are you really so shallow and ignorant to be spouting the "muslim" support theory against your Commander in Chief??!! Wake up, read a freakin newspaper, and come up with some legitimate complaints about Obama's adminstration. There are plenty, even for those of us who voted for him in 2008, but this BS racist foreigner drivel has just exposed all of your kind as the uneducated sadsacks that make politics in this country a losing prospect for the educated. I hope you are a member of the 1%, because otherwise, you have been snookered into believing that Romney cares about you MUCH more than any Democrat ever will. Hope that job you have is secure, cause your god-fearing GOP candidate (insert name here) is gonna tell you how sorry he is when he has to eliminate it so "free enterprise" can flourish. "I have met the enemy, and he is us"
Whoever wins need to put spending limits in place forever on this radical way to buy into office. Lot of hungry people could be fed for a long time.
justredd64
True, but the likes of koch brothers and special interest groups just Don't care about anything But the game.
Sad country we have become.
AMEN Helping the poor is the last thing a Republican wants to do.
The statistical Middle income Family in the us in 2010 had an average income of just over $49,000.00 per year. That's average Middle Income, there are many more that make much much less.
I read a story a few months ago that with all the super pacs and fundraisers they estimated that between $3 and $4 Billion USD would be spent for the 2012 campaigns, includes President and Congress.
Just for the average Statistical Middle Income that is the equivalent of more than 61,000 Families.
SHAME!
I am starting to feel bad for Newt, as I do for all folks with so little self insight. Newt, go away. You have become the Republican Party's Michael Scott.