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Haraz N. Ghanbari / AP
President Barack Obama honors 2012 National Association of Police Organizations TOP COPS award winners, Saturday, May 12, 2012, while speaking at a Rose Garden ceremony at the White House in Washington.
President Barack Obama is casting Mitt Romney as a greedy, job-killing corporate titan with little concern for the working class in a new, multi-pronged effort that seeks to undermine the central rationale for his Republican rival's candidacy: his business credentials.
At the center of the push — the president's most forceful attempt yet to sully Romney before the November election — is a biting new TV ad airing Monday that recounts through interviews with former workers the restructuring, and ultimate demise, of a Kansas City, Mo., steel mill under the Republican's private equity firm.
"They made as much money off of it as they could. And they closed it down," says Joe Soptic, a steelworker for 30 years. Jack Cobb, who also worked in the industry for three decades, adds: "It was like a vampire. They came in and sucked the life out of us."
The ad, at the unusual length of 2 minutes, will run in five battleground states: Iowa, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Colorado. The campaign declined to describe the size of the ad buy though it's in the middle of running a $25 million, month-long ad campaign in nine states. A longer version of the ad was being posted online Monday.
Recommended: Dems, GOP using popular bills to hurt other party
The commercial will be coupled with a series of events Obama's campaign is holding this week in Florida, Missouri, Iowa, Nevada and North Carolina to highlight Romney's role at Bain Capital, a company he co-founded.
It's unclear whether Obama, himself, will criticize his Republican rival on the subject when the president appears at events in New York on Monday or whether he'll leave the skewering to campaign surrogates as he prepares to meet with foreign leaders during the G-8 and NATO summits later this week.
Also this week, Vice President Joe Biden holds two days of events in Ohio, where he's expected to discuss Romney's role as a corporate buyout specialist.
The Romney campaign did not comment on the ad early Monday. The former Massachusetts governor was spending the day in Boston, with no public events scheduled, after delivering a commencement speech in Virginia on Saturday.
Romney has accused Obama of attacking free enterprise and called the criticism of his business background an attempt by Democrats to distract voters from the president's record.
Both candidates were entering a new week in the campaign seeking to shift the focus back to voters' No. 1 issue, the economy, from social issues that dominated after the president announced his support for gay marriage.
The two campaigns contend that in a nation where unemployment is hovering around 8 percent, voters will choose between Obama and Romney based on economic arguments. Obama is trying to convince voters to stick with him as he heralds an economic rebound, as sluggish as it is. Romney counters that Obama has had enough time, and only he — with his deep background in business — knows how to jumpstart the nation's job market.
Obama, hosting his first campaign rally earlier this month in Columbus, Ohio, gave a preview of the new line of attack, saying Romney had "drawn the wrong lessons" from his business experience at the helm of Bain.
"He doesn't seem to understand that maximizing profits by whatever means necessary — whether through layoffs or outsourcing or tax avoidance or union-busting — might not always be good for the average American or for the American economy," Obama said then.
Romney, a multimillionaire, left Bain in 1999 to run the Salt Lake City Olympic Games but maintained a financial interest in the company after departing. He has said that his firm had a strong overall track record, creating jobs in prominent companies like Staples and Sports Authority, while acknowledging that some companies Bain invested in were unsuccessful.
Obama's new ad, which reprises criticism leveled at Romney during the Republican primaries, focuses on one of those unsuccessful companies, GST Steel.
Bain was the majority shareholder in GST Steel beginning in 1993. The company eventually filed for bankruptcy in 2001, a period in which the U.S. steel industry was roiled by a flood of cheap steel imports. About 750 workers lost their jobs, and were left without any health benefits and reduced pensions. The federal government was forced to infuse $44 million into the company's underfunded pension plan.
Bain received $12 million on its $8 million initial investment and at least $4.5 million in consulting fees, according to a January report by Reuters.
The commercial shows interviews with former workers at the Kansas City plant who said Bain's role led to job losses and slashed benefits. It intersperses their claims with clips of Romney promoting his business background and empathizing with the jobless during campaign events. There also are images of a closed factory, run-down buildings and a road sign that says "Dead End."
"Bain Capital walked away with a lot of money that they made off this plant. We view Mitt Romney as a job destroyer," said steel worker John Wiseman.
David Axelrod, a senior adviser to Obama's campaign, said Romney wants to "create the illusion that somehow his experience equips him to lead the economy but there's nothing about the record that would support that."
"His central premise is that he's an economic wizard who can really get this economy moving and if that's the only claim he is making for this office, that's a premise worth examining," Axelrod said.
Leave a Comment:
Good, he should undercut Romney's position on everything.
If you want to know what we are in for if Romney is elected, watch Wall St. He is Gordon Gecko and greed may be good, but not for government.
Romney will be revealed to be a sociopath with no humanity and no concern for anyone but himself. His business experience includes exploiting struggling businesses to rip out their remaining assets for a profit to him and his associates. From a young age, he has never had a sense of participating in a company that make or build anything, or that adds to society. When he's not bullying others, he's looking for ways to leave them dead or dying in the market place.
What a hero for the right. So proud. So proud of another rat. Ya gotta love the Romney apologists. But what does he think about you, conservatives?
He doesn't know you, doesn't care about you, won't lift a finger to help you. Get a clue . . . he loved his dog, and yet he tied him to the roof of the car. He gathered a group of friends to gang up on a fellow student. What chance do you think you'll have with him making decisions that impact your life? Get a clue.
That's all obama can do....sling mud. He has absolutely nothing positive to run his campaign on. You think obama cares about the middle class??? All he cares about is himself and all the power he can grab. Get rid of him before he destroys the US.
Romney should take the high road and ignore all the mud. Make obama look like the fool he is. All these distractions from the real issues that obama hopes no one notices. The fact is, the US is in much worse shape now than 4 years ago!
@Bill-Austin
Romney is such a sociopath that when his employees daughter went missing he paid for the search party and hired private investigators to find her.
Obama's the one that won't get grandma out of Kenya....
Has Obama kept any of his promises that he campaigned on?
....Gitmo....unemployment below 8%....housing market....Iraq....changing the way Washington works....unemployment below 8%....uniting both parties "to get things done"....
But that's okay, dems, go ahead and re-elect a president who has literally done NOTHING to help our country.
Romney's position????
What ARE Romney's postions??? He has flipped on virtually everything...
I forgot. He's an Etch-A-Sketch.
Bill - We, I hope you are both correct. Romney needs to be a heartless bastard that will rip the wanton waste like a true corporate Gordon Gecko raider right out of our goverment. The few remaining assets and tax payers will flurish.
If Romney can get this done I couldn't give a $hit if he knows me......... and my dog rides outside the car and likes it!
Puh-lease: Republicans flip flop whereas Democrats "evolve." Case in point, Obama's new pandering effort to the gay/lesbian electorate.
Ah the Romney "magic" campaign. He never says how he'll do anything. He just says that "poof" suddenly there will be jobs and the economy will improve.
Where are the details Romney.
It's a matter of fact that Obama has kept 177 campaign promises to date. (www.politifact.com).
Obama never promised unemployment below 8%. The wars are closing down. Republicans won't allow Gitmo to be closed. Republicans decided before Obama was sworn in to obstruct everything he was going to do. How was he supposed to unite under those conditions.
Romney is not the man for the job.
He is what he is he cant run from it he can't hide it. He's quick to criticize and quick to condemn but he has no standing as a leader only as a obstructionist. He is a part of the problem not the solution and he has no intent on helping anyone but himself and his rich friends.This is exactly why he never moved in the polls and why he had such a hard time gathering support. Certainly there are the uneducated and people who don't understand but i don't believe enough to elect him
Eric,
Where were the details with Obama when he ran? He ran on hope and change, but never gave any details on any of it. He talked against Hillary's health care idea, then implemented it himself. He promised immigration reform, then didn't push it through. Obama and the democrats are as guilty as the republicans for the lack of bills getting through, so don't push it all on the republicans. This student loan fiasco is a great example. Both parties come up with a plan, Obama tells them to not let politics get in the way, then he tells the republicans he'll veto their plan out the door. You also can't bring up what 'promises' Obama has fulfilled because Romney hasn't been president, so that's apples and oranges.
Those of us that don't like Obama have reasons to not like Obama has president, since he's already had three years. There are quite a few of us that did vote for Obama, and then watched while he destroyed the 'hope' and then gave us the 'change' that is destroying the country. So I have plenty of reasons, which I've listed multiple times here, not to like Obama.
As far as Romney not being the man for the job, he's definitely not all I want, but he's a hell of a lot more of what I want than Obama is.
Obama isn't the man for the job.
Obama's business credentials are...
The same kind of credentials that earned Obama the Nobel Peace Prize?
"Obama Seeks to Undercut Romney's record on jobs"
President Obama doesn't have to "seek to undercut Romney's record on jobs." Romney's record in the state of Massachusetts where he was governor speaks for itself. They ranked 47 out of 50 in the country as the worst for job creation. Louisiana being the 50th. Romney actually made the job situation worst in Massachusetts.
This is only one of his failures and explains why he continues to try and keep americans pre-occupied with the false accusation and deceptive attacks on President Obama. Romney's inability to tell the truth, his inability to relate the middle class/poor (only the rich) and flip flops and back flips continues to remind us that he is not a suitable or trustworthy candidate for POTUS.
What is 1 good thing BHO has done for this country.??
In 2008 it was "hope & Change"
Ever since it's been "Debt & Blame"
Do your homework Guylittle. Try googling the 244 accomplishments of President Obama. More than any other President in history (in his first two years no less). These attack dog tactics and false accusations have been incited by the GOP's very hateful ideology and pledge to "make sure Obama is a one term President" and has resinated with the politically ignorant, easily swayed and those who refuse to fact check. Barack Obama bringing hope and change, you better believe it.
Were sill waiting to hear what Obama's business credentials are so we know how Obama is qualified to talk about other peoples business credentials.
How many companies has Obama Owned or Ran?
How many employees has Obama's business's had?
How many budgets has Obama's business's balanced?
How many Payrolls has Obama's business's been responsible to pay?
You wouldn't take medical advice from a Violist, why would you take Business advice from someone who has never run a business, or even gone to school for it.
Even in Obama's chosen profession of being a Lawyer he's a failure which is why he is a "community organizer".
Obama's chosen Profession is being a Lawyer.
Show us evidence that Obama was ever a successful Lawyer.
Just 1 good thing, BW. Just 1.
Romney only wants to drive the Republican inflation train. Republican economic policy has wrecked our economy - and - the inflation train is stalling. Better free up more 'investment capital' and try to get that inflation engine fired up.
Romney has only 'participated' in creating jobs - he did not actually create any himself. Why should Romney get credit for what the managers on the ground accomplished?
Romney's record at Bain is only that he understands how to speculate, create inflation, create debt, and skim off profit. Romney has not demonstrated he can do anything else.
I gave you a reference for 244 good things Guylittle. Will you even check. Can you handle the truth?
"Obama destroyed the country".........
Then explain why the economy has grown each and every quarter since he was sworn in. (GDP graph).
What destroyed the country was the policies of the Republican party "Starve the Beast". Started under Reagan and pushed to fruition by Bush, it got us into this financial crisis and deep recession.
http://zfacts.com/p/318.html
...Obama pulled off the history making FLIPPITY FLOP...
GoJo:
Here on Newsvine, when referring to Obama's countless changes of position on issues, they are not called "flip-flops" but rather "evolution".
BW
Those "accomplishments" that you're trying to pawn include things that every president has done or would do. Go ahead and post the list. Some of the things are comical. The list might as well include "didn't spill his milk" because it's just that ridiculous. I could give you a couple hundred things that Charles Manson has "accomplished" in his "term". Just because someone "accomplishes something doesn't mean it's good for the country and it certainly doesn't mean that it's a noteworthy bragging point. My son took out the trash, he might consider it an "accomplishment" the rest of the world would say it was task that's part of his duties and he better darn well do it.
Rewarding the less than mediocre job that barack has done is equivalent to giving everyone a trophy just because they participated and even though they finished dead last. Here's something else he's done more than any other president...play golf! Yeah I know, it's just because he's soooo efficient that he's got more time for things like golf right? I'm sure he's good for something but as a president he's useless.
Barack Obama saved the entire auto industry in the United States. Romney could not even save a small steel mill in the Midwest.
Obama held BP accountable for the Mocondo blowout in the Gulf without using government handouts. Romney saved the Salt Lake City Olympics relying on government handouts.
Somehow I just can't see that Staples is on the same scale as General Motors.
Staples = retail jobs
General Motors = manufacturing jobs
Staples = selling goods manufactured in China
General Motors = manufacturing goods in the USA
See the differences?
Nerm TARP was signed into law October 8, 2008 by President Bush. You are entitled to your opinion, not your own facts.
I'm interested in Obama's accomplishments and his plan "forward", not do much in his take on his opponent. Maybe Obama knows he has no chance running on his record and plans.
Bush "starved the beast" by running up $4 billion in new debt? LOL
"sdpaulson
Bill - We, I hope you are both correct. Romney needs to be a heartless bastard that will rip the wanton waste like a true corporate Gordon Gecko raider right out of our goverment. The few remaining assets and tax payers will flurish.
If Romney can get this done I couldn't give a $hit if he knows me......... and my dog rides outside the car and likes it!"
I think my question to you would be this...what happens if YOU are NOT one of the few to survive ? And...in this nation..why would there be only a few...I was under the impression that our constitution was for us all..not just a few. IS this country to be run now by those who value wealthy only? Have to wonder just what happens when there is no one left to buy the trash that the wealthy , including Romney, hand out daily now.
I guess Obama saved Ford Motor Company as well, of wait they didn't take the government handouts. I wouldn't buy a car from Government Motors or Chrysler (Fiat). I guess GM and Chrysler are the entire U.S. auto industry.
Let's see is my life better now than 4 years ago? NO it's not!!! I made more money in 1995 than 2010 or 2011.
Romney is clearly the better person to run the country.
Obama's plan forward is to begin rebuilding the middle class. Address debt - student debt - foreclosures. Address wages - income disparity. Address the deficits and debt - retain the safety net for the middle class - end the favoritism towards the unproductive wealthy.
Romney's plan is to double down on the failed Republican policies of the past - to restart the inflation train. Romney wants to follow the Republican recipe for disaster.
- lower taxes for the wealthy to free up capital for investment
- reduce regulations to spur investment
- end unions - Right to Work - lower costs of labor and increase productivity
- encourage private sector borrowing to create artificial demand.
Here is how the Republican inflation train operates
more capital (money) = speculation = inflation = debt = more money (capital)
Rinse, spin, repeat.
That is why our dollar has been devalued over the last 30 years. That is why our public and private debt has increased dramatically over the last 30 years.
Romney simply wants to continue wrecking our economy. It's good Republican politics.
We can't. He currently doesn't even have a license to practice law. Wonder why?
https://www.iardc.org
Do a search for Barack and Michelle. Neither one has a current license. Why???
wow! have i got alot to say, first to Fool's gold, just love that picture of your profile. that tells me all i wanted to know about obama! then, John, NOBAMA! never truer words spoken. imagine running on the same platform from 4 years ago. that picture/sign says it all. banarama feels by smearing Romney and using smut and suppositions against Romney will increase his chances of reelection. he's slipped on too many banana peels. i'm glad the VP is coming out of the closet about banarama, his 4 year old campaign promises he is now, forced to deal with and tell us he really didn't mean it. time to go, just say no to OBAMA! in November.
I'll retire and take my cash to Costa Rico
Ford didn't require federal assistance.
The steel mills are held back by the EPA.
Mine Safety Agency oversees all offshore oil field activities (Exploration & Production).
GM will build a plant in China.
Harley Davidson will build a plant in India.
David Noah,
He got himself elected President of The United States. That sir is an accomplishment; must be. Everyone is going to spend what a Billion dollars to get the job?
By the way and this is for everyone. How do any of us benefit what both of these parties are spending on this election? I mean all this money spent and I never hear of any benefits to the states, communities, or anyone but insiders making money off all this. Disgusting and a pox on both parties.
@sdpaulson -- Moving to Costa Rica allows you to escape the Republican inflation engine - but - you will still pay taxes to the good ol' US of A.
At least until you revoke your citizenship - the 'cut and run' strategy for the wealthy.
Barack Obama has not had a valid law license since 1991, and Michelle since 1989.
??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Check the above link (post 1.31) which is the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Committee. It's the official arm of lawyer discipline in Illinois. Do a search for lawyers not currently authorized to practice law.
The tax burden on the US economy is lower today than it was when Barack Obama was inaugurated as President. That's a fact.
-----------------------------
Romney has a record as a government executive. Governor Romney balanced the MA budget by -
- raising $500 million in ‘fees’,
- receiving an additional $1.3 billion from windfall capital gains taxes enacted before his election,
- raised $180 million in sales taxes (including applying sales tax to internet sales),
- closed $300 million of tax 'loopholes' (for a net tax increase),
- cut state distributions to cities by $700 million (transfer of taxing from state to city),
- made $900 million of cuts to state government.
Romney's budget record shows he used increased tax revenue more than spending cuts to balance the budget. (Three time more tax increases than spending cuts.) If he does the same as President, he will be transferring Federal services to states (requiring states to raise taxes to pay for unfunded mandates). At the same time Romney will be increasing revenue to Federal government through fees, closing loopholes and ending deductions, and probably increasing capital gains taxes.
Romney's budget record as governor of MA simply shows he applied fuzzy accounting to raise tax revenue and avoid major cuts to state programs.
Correction to 1.37: The dates I mentioned is when they were admitted. Barack surrendered his in 2008 and Michelle in 1993. Why did he surrender his law license the same year he ran for President???
@John-2032532 -- TARP - Toxic Asset Relief Program. TARP was specifically enacted to buy mortgage backed securities to stabilize the derivative market. Bush's Sec. of Treasury, Hank Paulson, redirected those authorized funds to bailout banks with loans - which was not part of the TARP legislation. Barack Obama redirected the interest received from those phony loans to underwriting the GM bankruptcy - which was not part of the TARP legislation.
Bush = break the rules to bailout banks and protect the wealthy
Obama = break the rules to bailout manufacturers and protect middle class jobs
See the difference?
Response to #1.39
The Bushes set him up?
Here is what Mr. Obama wants to move "Forward" with to do the "same" things he promised in 2008:
And here are samples of his supporters who know nothing about politics but they sure like his "Change":
Guess the only thing left is attack the opponent and promise more "Obama Bucks":
Here’s the rundown on Mitt Romney’s devastating record as CEO of Bain Capital, a tenure marked by bankruptcies, bailouts, and mass layoffs — all while Romney and his partners raked in billions of dollars in profits for the firm and Romney himself amassed a quarter-billion dollar fortune.
Romney’s Bain Capital Caused Mass Layoffs, Sent Jobs Overseas
Thousands of Americans were laid off by Bain Capital at companies it purchased, managed, and, at least a quarter of the time, drove into bankruptcy.
Was it just last week, or was it two weeks ago that Libtards were attacking Mitt Romney on what WAS SUPPOSED TO BE NEGATIVE CAMPAIGN TACTICS ???? LOL !!!
Let the truth be known, we are 6 months away from the election and Obama has started slinging the mud ! He attacks early, he attacks often and he distorts reality for political purposes .... it is all Obama can do !!
Let the games begin .... unfortunately, I am NOT talking about the Olympics. It is politics, Chicago style !!!
That's a charming vision for the country. Tell us Nerm, what exactly has Obama been up to since January 2009?
We're so sure Congress let Obama use TARP fund illegally? nerm, please......you're humiliating yourself again.
GST Steel was shut down in 2001. Romney left Bain in 1999, long before the plant closing, to run Winter Olympics.
However, there was a political power-player serving as a director of Bain at the time of the company's bankruptcy and layoffs--Jonathan Lavine. Lavine joined Bain in 1993. He is currently Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer. He is also a major bundler for Barack Obama, raising between $100-200k for the his reelection. While we don't know the specific role Lavine had in decisions regarding the bankrupt company, he certainly had more influence than someone who had left Bain two years before.
Perhaps Obama should use some of Lavine's donations to help the steelworkers featured in his ad.
Not at all surprising the distortion, lies, and ignorance coming from the leftylibdem crowd.
@John-2032532 -- Let's see
- Obama lowered taxes - on the middle class. Republicans continued tax cuts for the wealthy.
- Obama used ACA to cut Medicare. Republicans failed to cut the budget and whine about the sequester.
- Obama faced natural disasters using FEMA. Eric Cantor wanted to cut FEMA funding.
- Obama opened markets with trade agreements to increase offshore sales of American manufactured goods. Republicans continued to support tax incentives to offshore jobs.
- Obama ventured public money on new technology and markets and has lost money on some of those ventures. Republicans simply handed out money as subsidies for nothing in return.
- Obama protected state rights in Nebraska and exerted his Constitutional authority for foreign affairs by rejecting the Keystone XL pipeline proposal. Republicans attempted to override the Constitution and circumvent the rights of Nebraska.
(BTW, Keystone XL is being built right now in Oklahoma and Canada - it was not even slowed down.)
Somehow Barack Obama's record - even with the failures - looks more attractive than the Republican record.
*Obama is the one who extended the Bush tax cuts on the wealthy
*Obama cut medicare $500 million for seniors, are you proud of that?
*Obama lost billions on Solyndra and others, that's a good thing?
*Obama canceled Keystone, another good thing?
Thanks for making all my points. I doubt Obama will be calling you for campaign advice....LOL
@John-2032532 -- Republicans ignore the record - to achieve their number one priority - to make it appear that Obama has failed. Barack Obama does have a record of accomplishments.
The Republicans only have a record of obstruction and empTEA politics.
You overwhelmingly confirmed that empTEA record, once again.
You claim Obama - one and done.
You clearly demonstrate that under Republican leadership(?) we are all done.
Really? You need business credentials to know when you're being ripped off?
There is only one thing we really need to know, is the Ryan Plan good for America? Is the privatization of Medicare good for America? Is turning our Social Security over to Wall Street good for America? Which candidate supports the Ryan Plan...vote accordingly!
"Shipping Off Jobs to China, India, and Mexico....this one is for you, from 2003:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPh-qGcYruw
Thank you Senator, for paying attention to this.
Doc we're gunna put you down as a maybe for Romney then OK?
Oh yeah... that's BO's MO... not "this is how I would have created jobs (if I hadn't been busy bankrupting the country, and taking over the health care, energy, and manufacturing sectors"...) but sling mud and hope it sticks... what a loser Obama is...
Oh you must have been too worked up over the equal rights things Obama did last week to have seen his ads on saving 1,000,000 jobs alone with the auto bailout, or creating 26 straight months of private sector jobs growth while losing 300,000 public sector jobs.
Obama can run on his record, the question is can Mitt?
FU: You have GOT to be kidding? Were you awake during the Republican primaries to see Romney's mud slinging campaigns? Have you never listened to BullyBoy Romney as he describes how bad everyone else is, what an awful job Obama has done (without one example or fact since he is talking to the paranoid and ignorant)? And how he tries to explain away every bad act he has ever committed. I'm sure his explanation for shutting down that steel firm in Kansas City will be that he was freeing them from their jobs so that could seek other, less gainful employment so they wouldn't have to pay as much in tax! Romney is a liar
You guys will never convince the right of anything other than Obama being the devil. Save your keystrokes because these people stick and go right back to the one conservative website left in existence.
There is only one “proven” track record here and they’ll be blinded by hate too much to see it.
David Axelrod, a senior adviser to Obama's campaign, said Romney wants to "create the illusion that somehow his experience equips him to lead the economy but there's nothing about the record that would support that."
ROFL! As if Obama's experience as a community organizer somehow better equips him to lead the economy. Axelrod is a tool. As a result of misguided policies how many businesses have been forced into bankruptcy in the Obama economy?
fool’s gold - definition: Something that you are very attracted to that you later find is not worth very much
If Obama's policies are misguided why has the economy grown (GDP) each and every quarter since he was sworn in.
Europe tried the "just cutting" approach and they are in a double dip. The winner here was stimulus. That's why we aren't in a double dip.
There was no "government take over" of anything. Talk about Republican lies.
Obama saved the auto industry and Romney would have stood around and watched it fail. Enough said.
J.Scott,
Just like non-liberals will never convince the left that Obama isn't a god? To claim that Obama has been great for this nation is ignorance at it's best. That doesn't come from reading just conservative websites either. It comes from reading MSM, left, and right news sites and making up my own mind.
If Obama's policies are misguided why has the economy grown (GDP) each and every quarter since he was sworn in.
The economic growth rate is currently about 2%, that is pathetic by any standard. For a healthy economy, just to keep up with population growth, the economy should be growing at about 4%. If we were truly in a recovery one would expect a surge in the economic growth beyond 4% in order to move us closer to normalcy. That isn't happening.
Europe tried the "just cutting" approach and they are in a double dip. The winner here was stimulus. That's why we aren't in a double dip.
Stimulus? Only 1/3 of the stimulus bill actually went towards creating jobs and to this end, it failed miserably. The remainder of the bill was just a pork-fest for Obama's political cronies.
There was no "government take over" of anything. Talk about Republican lies.
Obamacare? The auto industry? Potentially, student loans? Yeah, all lies.
Obama saved the auto industry and Romney would have stood around and watched it fail. Enough said.
You do know that Obama did this with TARP funds that Bush left for him at the end of his term? As for Romney thinking that the government shouldn't have interfered, I tend to agree. We will never know what the outcome would have been taking that approach. That being said, why was a government bailout of the auto industry that may not have been necessary a good thing, but bailing out the banks which was clearly necessary, such a bad thing? You liberals need to be more consistant in your arguements.
The damage done by the "starve the beast" policies of Republicans caused the deepest recession since the depression. If we could achieve 4% growth we would. As it is, we are doing better than Europe.
The stimulus was successful at saving and creating over 3 million jobs. The GDP growth itself says it was successful. You didn't talk at all about the failure of the UK's "just cut and don't raise revenues" policies that mirror what Republicans want to do. In short, just cutting will stall the economy like a cheap Ford Pinto.
Look at the fact checks, there was no "government takeover" of anything.
Most economist agree that the "let it all fail" approach would have led us into a depression, not a deep recession. You don't have to try jumping off a cliff to know that it would be a bad thing.
Eric
The debt is greater than the GDP, even my 10 year old said "so we don't even make as much money as we owe? How can anyone live like that?" 10 years old! But barack is so wise and knowing that he's apparently the only human who's ever figured out how to permanently grow something while not making as much as you owe. If the barack administration were building widgets they would tell their investors; "it actually costs us $0.10 more per unit than we sell them for but trust us...we'll make it up in volume." The sick part is that because it's barack saying it you guys would believe it.
AlexM-3929653
I'm not saying that Obama has been the be all and end all or the Messiah and I certainly don't fully agree with all that has been done by his administration. I do have strong opinions that the GOP have stymied this country with their lack of cooperation on everything in the name of filibustering and I'll be damned if I let this country continue on economic tactics that have proven to be wrong. Trickledown economics are not working. The tax breaks should be for corporations that keep jobs here the ones that outsource should be penalized.
Obama did something! Right or wrong something had to be done to prevent a catastrophic event from happening to the American economy. That my friend was due to Bush’s tax and economic policies and not one but two prolonged senseless wars. The war on Al-Qaida should’ve been over in a month.
The GOP has been hijacked by radicals and the best candidate they can toss up there is Mitt Romney? That says a lot about the shape of the party and I prefer to stick with the one whom, right or wrong, will do what he thinks is good for the country. Every time the GOP loses the presidency they kick and scream and throw fits until they get the office back. Clinton and now Obama? It’ll never end.
Republicans take care of their front yards while Dems watch out for the neighborhood, clichés exist for a reason.
J.Scott
That goes both ways my brother. Show me a single post on the Vine by a liberal over the past month that has criticized the great barack for anything. I've never seen any group so brainwashed as to think that someone could do absolutely nothing wrong. Thus the "messiah" label and justifiably so. I'm fighting against him, I don't care who it's for.
You need to become a bit more worldly sir. There are hundreds of conservative sites that people who are really informed go to. There are also many, many objective sites that lay out unbiased facts and let people decide. The really informed people frequent those. But your obvious hatred and vendetta against Fox is so misplaced because if it were true why would "we" be on an MSNBC site? Why would we be reading stories and participating? Considering that Fox is number 1 month after month and year after year by your thought process that must mean that just too many people are brainwashed huh? Or maybe it means that you're in the minority and you can't stomach the fact that many people like to know more than one side of a story. An informed person explores for answers from multiple sources, but according to your posts NBC must be the only source of information eh?
There are three sides to every story J. yours, mine, and the truth. The smartest people are the ones who seek the truth upon their own efforts. Most conservative/libertarianism that I know get their information from multiple sources and Fox is just the big media outlet. If you want the nuts and bolts about a story nobody should go to any of the huge network sites.
But to my point; show me some criticism of barack by you or yours.
What else can Obama do? Can he talk about his record on the Healthcare bill, Stimulus, $5 trillion in new debt, his lack of leadership skills dealing with Congress?
The only method available is smoke and mirror distractions, 4-corner stall defense to run out the clock and hope and pray Europe's meltdown occurs in December 2012..
The damage done by the "starve the beast" policies of Republicans caused the deepest recession since the depression.
So austerity caused the subprime mortgage crisis? Who would have thought?
The stimulus was successful at saving and creating over 3 million jobs.
You do know that "saved" jobs are impossible to quantify and because of this (at least until this President) were never used as a legitimate measure of the success of a jobs bill?
When Obama took office the unemployment rate was 7.6%. He promised that if his stimulus bill were passed the rate would never exceed 8%. It has not been lower than 8% since, so even by his own standards the bill was a failure. Add to this the fact that the U3 unemployment rate is a grossly inadequate metric in a recession as it does not account for those who are chronically unemployed and guess what? If you were to add these people back in, the current rate of unemployment would be in excess of 10%. Before you point out that we used this same metric under other administrations, bear in mind that when Bush left office the average period of time for unemployment was only 10-15 weeks. Under Obama, it is now approaching a full year.
You didn't talk at all about the failure of the UK's "just cut and don't raise revenues"...
You're right, I didn't. You originally pointed to all of Europe and their austerity measures, so let's start there. How much time did France and Greece give austerity before the liberals threw up their hands and said "well that's not working. Back to taxing the rich and spending like there's no tomorrow"? Certainly, not long enough for the measures to have had their desired effect.
Let me point out to you now, that if you've been paying attention to the market today you've noticed that it's tanking. Part of the reason for this is because of fears of a Greek default. Why? Because of their abandonment of austerity. In this case at least, it's as if they're cutting off their nose to spite their face.
In the case of France, what is their plan? Oh yeah, they're going to tax the rich at a rate of 75%. How do you think that's going to work out for them? Already applications for citizenship in the UK have risen as the rich French make plans to abandon their native country. Apparently the austerity in the UK is something that they find attractive. My take? If I were a country, I'd rather have some taxes than no taxes.
Bush cut taxes and went to war with the mantra, "deficits don't matter". That's how we got into this mess.
Most of the spending that Obama has done is a result of the reduced revenues and the wars.
Obama at least tried on health care. Republicans have no plans for health care. The stimulus worked hence the growth in GDP, and he's tried many many more times than Republicans have at reaching across the aisle. Heck, we even found out that Republicans decided on the course of total obstruction before Obama was even sworn in.
The smoke and mirrors is coming from Romney who can't clearly articulate a plan for fixing the economy and jobs, he just says he's going to without any details.
Europe is entering a double dip from policies that Republicans like. The "just cutting" approach without raising any revenues has stalled their economy. Proof that those policies won't work and will fail.
J.
Both parties have been hi-jacked by radicals, and I've absolutely sounded radical in many of my posts as I know you have too. It's a division caused by people at the top not taking leadership roles but taking blaming roles. If barack were truly the leader he and you guys proclaim he is, he should have led and not tried to pin you against me or "us against them".
Also, the bush tax cuts had nothing to do with the near collapse. It's been a culmination of years and years that brought us to that point. The tipping point or the proverbial straw that broke it was the housing crises and the banks being forced by democrat legislature to give everyone who wanted one a loan. Then the govnt. (liberals, proven) didn't want to regulate the banks and the banks created the junk investments because they didn't want to get stuck. Those are undeniable truths and can be confirmed by multiple easy to find sources.
The other issue is that we aren't making anything here anymore. You want to blame corporations for doing things overseas. The truth of the matter is they have done nothing wrong or illegal. There has got to be something put into place to protect American jobs here in this country but the honest truth is we can not compete on pricing and 90% of people look at pricing. So what's the answer? Tariffs? Maybe. Lower corporate tax rates so corporations will stay here like you said? I'll buy that. How about higher sales tax rates on items made over seas to help level the playing field? I'd buy that too. The problem is that like it or not (and I hate it) we're in a global economy and we used to be able to claim how great "made in USA" was. In some area's it's still that way but I have yet to have any problems with my Samsung TV or HTC phones etc. I hate foreign owned cars but I'm in a massive minority in this country. So what's the answer? You think barack is the answer? No, and Romney isn't going to be much better but there's no competition when understanding business and that's what we need right now.
The real problem is the political system in general. Here's a question; you've touched on it, I've touched on it. Why haven't we heard anything from barack since he ran for president about initiating a large tariff on imports? How about making it a privilege for other countries to sell their items in the US? They would have to pay to play...huge amounts. Never hear that mentioned, and for that matter I don't hear that talked about by any candidates. BUT the issue now is that China is quickly owning us and if we tried something like that they could simply hold the threat over our heads of cashing in our bonds on the world market sending us into financial oblivion.
So again, what's the answer? This crap has been going on since the early 70's but instead of working to fix it, both sides just keep it chugging along. Barack had a chance and has failed, it's time to rotate because sooner or later maybe we'll find a politician worth a shi$, but I doubt it.
Maybe you're not looking for Romney's plan. You're welcome.
http://www.mittromney.com/jobs
You cannot ask yourselves if you are better off than you were 4 years ago, the question has to be are you better off than you would have been if McCain/Palin would have won? The answer is obvious to any honest American. The answer is yes, I am better off because the American business models is set for a lot of success right now and manufacturing is beginning a big come back.
Bill
That's ridiculous! My answer to that question would be "NO" because my crystal ball told me that McCain would have opened up a new national lottery and I would have won 250 million dollars last year in it.
See how stupid that sounds? You can't predict the hypothetical future/past. Silly is about the only word for what you said.
The last I saw, Romney's economic plan did not reduce the deficit.
I guess you actually have to read it to understand it.
GDP 1.0% in 2007 under GW Bush...GDP -0.0% in 2008 under GW Bush. Figures taken from the World Bank web site...or is the World Bank to liberal for you?
article for you, Ol-Doc,
"Senate Democrats are Committed to Change: The Bush-McCain Legacy Of Deregulation and Laissez-Faire,
Free-Market Economics Crippling our Economy"
fact sheet:
http://dpc.senate.gov/dpcdoc.cfm?doc_name=fs-110-2-166
GDP 1.0% in 2007 under GW Bush...GDP -0.0% in 2008 under GW Bush.
So, Doc, what's your point? I think that everybody would agree that this is when the housing bubble burst and is the lowest point of the recession. The fact is, when you are supposedly "recovering " from a recession, you need to generate better than average economic growth numbers, otherwise the best you can do is maintain the status quo. In the case of our current so-called recovery we aren't even able to achieve even "average" numbers. Pointing to numbers in the midst of the recession as a defense for our current anemic growth rate just doesn't wash. Are we supposed to be happy that the best we can do is 2%? At this rate and accounting for population growth, we are actually moving in reverse.
SI
I think many have noticed that Obama's attempts to attack Romney are repeats that just go around in circles, and hoping that this time they'll get a different result than the last time. The latest rehash is a dredging up of Bain, and just like the last time, the attacks are filled with inaccuracies and distortions with a few outright lies thrown in.
Obama has virtually nothing of substance to attack Romney with respect to the economy and jobs which is why he mainly stays on the strategy of divisiveness.
Obama is a dismal failure as a president and there was even an AP article that alluded to world dissatisfaction with him. However, most of them still thought he was a nice guy.
It is no wonder the seeds of alarm and even panic are gnawing at the ineptocrats. I expect their future attacks on Romney to be increasingly vile and irrational as evident by their failed attempts to recall the high school antics of a teenager nearly a half century ago. Antics that the supposed victim's family said never happened. How desperate is that?
P.S. for those that thing Romney would favor Wall St., they should pay attention because Wall St. never had such a chummy crony as Obama.
VC firms like bain don't invest in early stage companies when the opportunity to create jobs is real. These parasites invest in more mature companies work with the senior executives to run up the company's debt and raid their pension funds to take our all the profits and bonuses they can then file for bankruptcy and move on to the next company to pillage from.
To say these VC's create jobs is like saying willard was a war hero because he ran away to France and hid during the Vietnam war...
You are wrong. I worked at a startup that Bain invested in. 87 million first round, more the second round. They took it private to try to keep it going. The original executive management spent too much money too quickly. We had ski jets, boats , pizza and free lunches most days, fancy coffee and all the soda and juice you could drink. Helicopters for the CEO. When Bain took over that all stopped. The company did shed jobs including mine. I knew the risks in working for a startup. The company was sold to AT and T. A lot of people still have jobs.
Tennessee: Name the Obama lies. Good luck, just more talking point BS from the right. Romney on the other hand, well that's a very long list. The term pathological liar is apt.
Better yet, go to politifact.com and check Obama's statement record against Romney and tell me who the bigger liar is.
Bain and Mitt Romney were essentially garbage collectors, raiding companies for profit. America has never elected a businessman as president. And for those of you who keep parroting Obama cant run on his record...good luck with that. I would suggest conservatives would be better off coming to the table as partners for the good of America, yet all we have seen is obstructionism that somehow is now the president's fault. That's like blaming the hens for getting eaten by the fox...a ridiculous assumption.
You cannot no matter how hard you try separate CAUSE from EFFECT. The nation and by proxy the world was brought to a FINANCIAL COLLAPSE by the previous administration's CONSERVATIVE IDEOLOGY and policies. Yet somehow Obama is expected to perform miracles WITH NO HELP AND NOTHING BUT OBSTRUCTION from conservatives.
If you love this country you must give this president what he needs to set the country on a steady course of growth. HOWS ALL THAT AUSTERITY STUFF WORKING FOR YOU now that you can see its effects? Precisely why the conservative argument didn't work then nor will it work now.
Obama 2012
70+ Seats for Dems in the Senate (Kill the Filabuster)
Control of the House
ScottWilk, you are truly clueless, aren't you. Bain may not have been able to preserve jobs in EVERY company they invested in, but overall they created many more new jobs than they lost. I think the people at Staples, Domino's Pizza, Sports Authority, Brookstone, Sealy and Steel Dynamics would disagree vehemently with your statements. Steel Dynamics is the ONLY independent U.S. company since the 1960's to produce steel on a large scale thanks to Bain. Their competitors in the industry have outsourced or off-shored a lot of their jobs while Steel Dynamics is putting Americans to work.
You should really get yourself educated before spouting off on subjects you know nothing about.
I agree Eric. Obama is a huge liar.
I can't believe you guys are actually having pissing matches about who's a liar between two big politicians. Read yourselves. If you can go to sleep at night seriously believing what you've written you need to be deprogrammed.
My candidate is more honest, no my candidate is more honest, no your candidate is a liar, no mine doesn't lie nearly as much as your lying candidate does. WOW!
From politifact.com.
Statements rated true or mostly true: Obama 47% to Romney 32%
Statements rated false or "pants on fire lies": Obama 16.5% to Romney 24.6%
Romney is winning the liars sweepstakes !!!
Wow Eric
Well, it looks like you can pee the farthest when it comes to posting a senseless and ridiculously non scientific study about who lied more. This is sad at best. Seriously dude, how far back did they go? Did they count when barack lived in Kenya or when he studied in school? I'll bet they didn't because no one can even prove he went to school. Did they count the dirtly little fibs that Romney told his wife about checking out the hot ass on the desk clerk at the Waldorf? Come to think of it do they count fibs? I mean, what's their definition of a fib vs. a lie. Is a lie when barack say's he didn't even know Jeremiah Writes stance on things or that Risco was just someone who he met years before or are those not the lies they're concerned with?
What about the severity of the lie? What is the "control" they used in determining the damage that one lie vs. another lie would do? Did they survey those affected by the lie to determine a strength or value factor and then did they calculate that into the weight of that lie, then if they did, have they published their data for verification from third parties?
Moral of this story is that you deserve every bit of ridicule you get for posting anything about a lie study. "pants of fire lies" huh? Pretty much gives me all the info I need about the legitimacy of that study/farce.
The right loves to claim Obama can't run on the economy. Under obama the GDP has grown each and every quarter. The DOW was approximately 8000 at the end of Bush's term. Now it's approximately 13000. Yeah, sure, Obama better not run on those numbers. ROFL!
Fed Up-2683606, who bankrupted the country? Aren't you embarrassed by how stupid you sound?
I want to know what year Bain Capital under Romney hired Rush Limbaugh.
Boy, I can't wait until Romney is elected President! Time to get rid of that lib Obummer, and restore prosperity and sanity to America.
Keep thinking that and you'll be on the unemployment line... Just like Bush did in his 8 years...Let's start more wars and give tax breaks without anyway to pay for it... You talk big about the debt but care little how to fix it..Big talk no action should be the republicans saying.
This should be a no brainer for President Obama. All he has to do is show them the shattered lives, lost jobs and homelessness that Corporate Raider Willard M. Romney left behind as he bought up and then sold off thousands of businesses and hundreds of thousands of jobs.
Bain Captial anyone?
If you want the USA to go the same way, be my guest and vote for Corporate Raider Willard M. Romney. If you want jobs, if you want to heal the shattered lives left behind by Corporate Raider Willard M. Romney, then vote for President Obama because President Obama defends the Disabled, Seniors, Women and yes, Even Christians who are not Fundamentalist.
If it were not for the Obstructionist Republican'ts we would have very good jobs bills. Also if you want jobs back, when you vote for President Obama, Vote too for Democrats and lets send the Grand Obstructionist Party packing with the greatest loss they ever suffered in all time. I would love to see the senate with 75 Democrats and the House with 380 Democrats. If that happened then you will have very good jobs bills. By the way, in 2009 the Democrats only had 58 with 1 solid Independent and then Joe Lieberman. Need I say more? And the republican'ts claim the Democrats had the super majority. How can they do this when Republican Joe voted with them most of the time!!!
And thats my opinion.
Magnum - well said.
The jobs Obama's 'job' bill would have created were blue collar union jobs. Show me one job bill where he gave a crap about the average working american regardless of color, location, and political party. Yea, it doesn't exist.
Romney " restore prosperity and sanity to america"
Apparently you haven't done your homework. Romney is not for shared sacrifice. The budget he submitted was reviewed by many economist who say Romney's budget is a rich mans dream and the middle class' nightmare. Thank goodness your not a women because he doesn't support equal pay for women. Romney thinks "corporations are people too." Romney should be told that corporations are not people but gay people are. Not to mention the reporter that overheard Romney when he spoke to all of the billionaires in West Palm Beach promising to cut vital programs from the middle class and poor once he is in the white house. He also supports the Ryan plan that WILL end medicare as we know it.
So I say to you, "you can't wait until what." Hopefully your not on medicare, not a women, not gay, not middle class or poor and not a college student. If your Rich than I totally understand why "you can't wait." Other than that, you would be your own worst enemy.
Risky strategy considering the President's record. Worked in 2008, but now the President has a record.
And Obama's record stinks!
Yup, 3 straight years of GDP growth and the DOW has doubled. No way he can run on that record! The Republican fantasy world is hilariously disconnected from reality....
Romney is right to be talking about job creation considering the unemployment rate, but his record in the private sector is one of job destruction. As Politico detailed, Romney’s company, Bain Capital, was in the business of buying up distressed companies, slashing them to bits, and then selling them off, resulting in lots of job losses:
– In 1992, the firm acquired American Pad & Paper. By 1999, the year Romney left Bain, two American plants were closed, 385 jobs had been cut and the company was $392 million in debt. The next year, Ampad was forced into bankruptcy.
– Bain Capital and Goldman Sachs bought Dade International for about $450 million in 1994. The firm quickly fired or relocated at least 900 workers. Over the next several years, it sunk increasingly into debt and laid off 1,000 workers. In 2002 — after Romney had left Bain — it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
– A 1997 buyout of LIVE Entertainment for $150 million resulted in 40 layoffs, roughly one in four of the company’s 166 workers. The job cuts affected all aspects of the company, from production and acquisition to legal and public relations.
– In 1997, Bain bought a stake in DDI Corp., a maker of electronic circuit boards. Three years later, Bain took the company public and collected a $36 million payout. But by August 2003, the company filed for bankruptcy protection, laying off more than 2,100 workers.
22 percent of the money Bain Capital raised from 1987 to 1995 was invested in five businesses — Stage Stores, American Pad & Paper, GS Indusries, Dade, and Details. These five made Bain $578 million in profit, even as all five eventually went bankrupt.
As the New York Post’s Josh Koshman wrote, “there’s little question made a fortune from businesses he helped destroy.” Travis Waldron noted today that Romney’s company also boosted its profits — and thus enriched Romney — by abusing offshore tax havens.
By Pat Garofalo
Obama has bankrupted this country and millions been out work ever since he took office I dont see how anyone could vote for him.
That is a flat out lie! Foxnewsbot it would seem.
Can you read a graph, Joe? I understand if you can't. It requires some modest skills. Also, does the truth trouble you? It does for those on the right with predetermined agendas. I'll understand if that's also a problem for you.
If you view a graph of the 2000-2012 period of job destruction and growth, you'll see the truth. Jobs took a dive all during the Bush era and the momentum carried into the first year of Obama's presidency. And then it turns around, and UP, dramatically. Your BS doesn't hold up, my friend.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, the Republican/Romney approach --- let the companies go bankrupt, focus only on the deficit has proven to be a total disaster in Great Britain and other places that have tried it over the past century, including post 1929. IT NEVER WORKS. The Obama/Fed approach of making money easy to get and focusing on jobs is what works. The slow pace is a direct result of Bush's complete failure to pay for his wars.
Joe - wake up.
Joe you're having a nightmare....in the twilight zenophobic zone...come back..come back...!!!
Joe 66
You must be corrected on this. The republican Bush administration left this country in the worst economic disaster this country has been in in over 44 years. Economist after economist said it would take years to get us out of the mess the republicans left this country in. They also expected us to be in a depression by now because of it.
When Bush left office we were losing 750,000 jobs a month (the unemployment rate went up to over 9% just a few months after the republicans left office). President Obama has dropped that number down to under 300,000 jobs per month.
Republicans will ALWAYS be responsible for creating the current mess that we are in. President Obama is now responsible for trying to clean up the disaster they left for him. He IS doing just that.
Your entitled to your own opinion but not your own facts.
BW...even Axelrod knows that running against Bush is a losing proposition. Didn't you get the DNC memo?
John 2032532
Whose running against Bush. I stated a fact. The Bush/Cheyney (a republican administration) IS responsible for creating the crisis that we are still suffering from. That will ALWAYS be a fact and will never change. Example: If you rented out your home and someone moved in and destroyed it and left it in disastrous condition and another renter moved in and began fixing it up but because it was in such bad condition some things took more effort, time and money to fix, your telling me the second renter is responsible for the mess. ABSOLUTELY NOT. You don't just blame it on the new renter merely because he now lives in the home.
The state of our economy IS A REPUBLICAN CREATED MESS AND WILL ALWAYS BE. Obama IS moving this country forward in spite of the hate being incited and false accusations.
BW....If you want to discuss history, then actually discuss the facts. The economy tanked after the real estate bubble burst. We all know that. The Carter and Clinton Admin. and Barney Frank created the housing bubble via the Community Reinvestment Act. Look it up. History is funny. It never actually changes. Nice try.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122298982558700341.html
John-2032532
I wanted to discuss just what I stated. The current state of our economy IS A REPUBLICAN CREATED MESS AND WILL ALWAYS BE. Bush/Cheyney (a republican administration) left this country in the worst economic disaster in over 44 years. Bill Clinton left a surplus. Bush took over and left us in a recession headed for a depression. It took them eight years to create this disaster and it will probably take another eight years to clean their mess up.
You can continue to try to spin it or change the subject but THATS A FACT. Nice try.
Did "evolve" really mean "greed may be good but not for government"? Is it a joke? Politicians and their backers are the greediest bunch in the world. Anyway, I felt that I must ask what Obama did in his life other than trying to hide the proof of his greed for free schooling, lies, and material objects? Overall, I am tired of this political drivel and must give credit to Romney for sticking to wanting to win one of the worst jobs on this planet. Good luck.
Its an ego thing dude. Don't believe he wants it to do good for a minute.
You have to be something of a narcissist to want to run for President of the United States. Everyone who has ever run for President was an egomaniac to some extent.
I believe Obama paid his student loans.... I believe he did exactly what he said he would when elected, bring this country back, even though it would be a long and costly process to replace what Bush did. And Material objects?? Lets look at Obama's "material objects" compared to Romney's. THIS IS A NO CONTEST. You have picked the wrong subjects. Want to try for round 2?
And in addition to what Debby said this whole thing about the definition of marriage IS NOT THE QUESTION!!!! THE QUESTION IS ABOUT EQUAL RIGHTS. Got it. Most of us could give a rats 'patutey' what some one else does in their bedroom, but I don't think any of us would stand in the way of being able to conduct legal affairs on behalf of a life partner.
Stop buying the lie. Its not about marriage between a man and a woman its about EQUAL CIVIL RIGHTS.
Obama 2012
Just compare Job records, that should clear things up.
Obama/Biden 2012
Tell us about Obamas job record.
First month he inheritied an astounding 750,000 jobs LOST.
Has now presided over 26 straight months of private sector job growth...
Is it enough, no. But then corporations are using this recession to drive down the cost of labor and our historically low taxes to hoard profit.
Joe 66 you watch way to much Fox news and sadly believe it....
Same reason "Dancing With the Stars" is a ratings hit. You'll never go broke catering to the lowest common denominator. Easier than having to think.
Fox news is the only hate radio on TV for "conservatives". That is the reason it's ratings are reasonably high - there are plenty of angry, misled haters and fox plays right into their fear and irrational hatred. It is very clear that fox news viewers are separated from reality. Hannity is an absolute mess for Pete's sake. Anytime I hear anybody quote Hannity, I know they are a right wing whacko.
Obama has destroyed millions of jobs, Romney has created them....using his own money, not taxpayers' money like Obama did and failed.
Even Rupert Murdoch asserts that Fox New is NOT a news channel.. REAL News channels have to prove what they report on... Fox doesn't because it is classified as an Entertainment channel... That way they can lie through their teeth without being challenged by FTC...
Fox News, the only "news" channel to go all the way to the Supreme Court to defend their right to lie.
Obviously fair and balanced......
Obama be careful, people that live in glass houses should not throw stones, especially on issue of creating jobs or other economic achievements. Now if you want to address your record of divisiveness's and ineptness blast away for you really have been successful. One and out! Nobama in 2012!
Tired: You listen to fox WAY too much. Obama was given an economy in ruin from the Bush/Cheney regime and not only saved us from bankruptcy but actually started creating jobs. How many MILLION jobs have been created since Obama took office? And that was in spite of the obstruction of the Republicans who voted against legislation to help small business and who, in the states, fired tens of thousands of teachers, police, firefighters and others who serve and protect, all so they could put more money in their own pockets and pilfer from the rest of us. As for divisiveness and ineptitude, why that would be the wholly owned domain of the GOP. Sorry, but your false impressions are just too tired for the intelligent people who actually read.
Tennesssee - Fox is the only station on TV spewing the nonsense parroted above. But in all fairness, perhaps you're right, the clown probably got that hogwash from Limbaugh.
The Fox stinks rhetoric is so tired and played. Can't you get something original, clever or at least half way intelligent to combat Obama's 46% approval rating, 80% that believe the jobs situation is getting worse, per today's MSNBC poll or the 70% that believe the country is on the wrong track?
If this is the best Obama has, then what chance does he or Senate Dems really have in Nov.?
All you have to do is look at California to understand where liberal policies lead, and Obama is leading the entire country down that disastrous road. If you are too blind to see it, you WILL pay the price. People who pay taxes will be paying more. People who are living off the rest of us will be receiving less every month. All or our collective money will be going to pay the interest on the MASSIVE DEBT that Obama has saddled us with.
Yes California is obviously such a failure. They only have the highest GDP of any state in the country. They're only the home of endless innovation in Silicon Valley and endless imagination in Hollywood, entertaining and improving the lives of millions in America and around the world.
Please God, don't let the other states go down that road.
GOP-wonderful Job in Michigan!!! Where democracy is just an option!!!
What was Mittens' job creation record during is ONE term as governor in Mass? 47th in the nation. Not much to brag about there, either.
You can't blame Romney for that. It was the legislature that was 85% controlled by Democrats that made Massachusetts unattractive for businesses. They're still doing it now. High taxes, high cost of living, over-regulation, all have kept companies, and jobs, away. Massachusetts is losing more and more of its recent college graduates. The young talent coming into the workforce is moving to more job-friendly states. They don't want to stay in Massachusetts and watch their hard-earned money being squandered by stupid liberal politicians.
That's why large companies like Fidelity are moving more and more of their operations and jobs out of Massachusetts to neighboring states. What made Romney a great governor for Massachusetts was being able to get ANYTHING positive done given the choke-hold the Democrats have on things there.
If it weren't for Romney, Massachusetts would look like a mini-California heading for bankruptcy. As it is, Obama's mini-me, Gov. DUHval Patrick, has destroyed much of what Romney had done to control spending. Patrick has even ruined the health care system by making it easier for people to qualify for state-funded health care instead of sticking with their private insurance. As a result, there are many times the number of people on the system than it was initially designed for, thus consuming a bigger and bigger portion of the state budget each year. Just the opposite effect is was designed to have. That's what happens when Democrats get involved. They find more ways to spend other people's money than you can ever imagine.
They don't call it DEM controlled Taxachusetts for nothing.
The anti-christ (Mitt) is a bully. This is now fact. And what is it that bullies do? Start wars.
Romney called Russia "our geopolitical enemy number one." "Russia, this is, without question, our number one geopolitical foe. They - they fight every cause for the world's worst actors," said Romney
After his career at Bain Capital where he helped outsource American jobs to China, Romney has now accused China of “cheating” and "stealing American jobs". He warned China that if he is in the White House, there will be consequences for unfair trade, “Unless China changes its ways.
Romney supported the invasion of Iraq and the "troop surge". Romney has expressed support for an eventual reduction in military presence in Iraq but has strongly opposed a timetable for withdrawal.
In a June 2007 New Hampshire Republican debate, Romney was asked if he agreed "that the use of tactical nuclear weapons, potentially, would be possible if that were the only way to stop Iran from developing a nuclear bomb?" Governor Romney responded that "You don't take options off the table, but what you do is stand back and say, 'What's going on here?
The President does have a record, being sworn into office while we were bleeding 750,000 jobs a month.
Do all you republicans think we can't remember back to the last 4 years of Bush's presidency? Seriously?
Romney a vulture capitalist, that hid most of his money off shore, and makes 56k a day off of the jobs and pensions of 1,000's of American workers.
Who also thinks the Ryan plan is marvelous, even though it gives more tax breaks for wealthy, and takes away safety nets for the poor, working poor, elderly and children! Oh and adds to the DEBT!
The ads are right on!!!
Obama/Biden 2012
Prove Romney has hidden accounts.
Romney.
Obama has not hidden his past. That is a crazy right wing theory. Romney does hide his money overseas, he has admitted as much.
Hey, TN Rebel-Ask about his birth certificate. I hear he was born in Kenya, but nobody knows it yet! Ask em if they can prove he was born in the US. You and I are the only 2 that know, so keep it under your hat.
Just as soon as Romney can prove he was not born in Mexico... Lets see the long form...
I would simply like to see Obama's college records. Why are those being hidden from public view ? Did Obama ever have any basic courses in accounting or finance ? If he did, he might know something about budgets and ACTUALLY PAYING FOR THINGS. Did he take courses that might reveal a leftist political ideology ?
Did he receive funding as a foreign exchange student ? Would that reveal fraud in an application ?? How did he get into some of these colleges while doing a lot of alcohol and drugs (per Obama in his book) during his last 2 years of "high" school ???
These are all fairly simple questions that could be resolved by release of his college transcripts.
He has acknowledged having overseas accounts. He has not hidden them and he has paid appropriate taxes.
Maybe Romney will get in their and combine some of these Unnecessary taxpayer Dollar killing Social programs, Shrink the Federal Monster the Libs have created and start getting out of the Red?
NOBAMA2012
Obama promised change, and he kept that promise!!! He changed from man to a woman!! I would rather have someone who will work on creating jobs and fixing our countries energy problems, then someone who only cares about legalizing gay marriage, so he can divorce Michelle, and marry Joe Biden. How many votes would he win by marrying a gay white man? A black man who leaves his wife and kids, to marry a gay white man, really can't help it. He was born gay, and should be given that right to be with who he wants!!! Boy do I sound like a Democrat!!
Ken ~ You ARE being sarcastic, right?!
Citizen wrote: "Shrink the Federal Monster the Libs have created"
Dude: recent history does not support this theory. Under W, an additional 950,000 government jobs were added to the already bloated ranks of government employment (930,000 private sector jobs lost in 8 years of Bush). Under Obama, the number of government jobs goes down each month and we have seen increased private sector jobs 26 months in a row. Check the monthly job reports if you don't believe me - they are available around the 4th of each month.
Considering Romney intends to follow Bush's lead, the choice is clear. Take your pick. I like Obama's record when compared to Bush.
Shouldn't be hard to do considering Romney has no record on jobs unless you want to call getting rid of them a record...OBAMA 2012
Name one job that Obama is responsible for creating. Do not tell me the auto industry. In the end they went through a managed bancruptcy just as Romney said they should. It is private business that creates jobs. Not government.
You bought Romney's argument hook line and sinker?
Without the bail out there were no (private) funds available to manage a bankrupcy.
The companies would have been liquidated piece by piece ala Bain.
Lulu:
He created a job for Michelle as first lady. And over 150,000,000 jobs for all of us who are WORKING to get him out of office--now that's success.
LuLu98 I have some land in Florida that I need to sell and you look like the perfect person!!!
Lulu: Would you like to make a gentlemen's bet? I say that Romney loses his home state of Michigan because of his position on the auto industry. Not everyone is as gullible as you.
Michigan is a union state. Michigan is in a self-inuced funk due to past greed every time union contracts came up for renewal. More and more demands opened the door of competition wider and wider for foreign competition.
Most new auto manufacturing facilities in this country are now being built in RIGHT-TO-WORK states where unions do not presently hold a stangulation of power. Unions are why unemployment is high in Michigan and Detroit is but a shell of its former self.
Dude, the only gullible act I did was to vote for Obama. I won't be gullible this time. Pissoffperson, you bought all the hope and change crap. The country is getting worse, not better under Obama. And now the hypocrit has his hand out to Blackstone, another venture group.. I also worked for a company that Bain invested in. It was a startup. The management team spent too much and the company was going under. Financing from Bain kept jobs going, not all of them including mine. The company was sold to AT and T. Many people did keep their jobs. So all of you flapping, get some real experience with venture groups. Not all companies survive for so many different reasons. Companies ate in business to make money. If you think otherwise, you belong working for the government.
This is a very simple problem to understand in my opinion. Look at all the companies that Bain Capital managed.
Add up all the jobs in all the all the companies at the time Bain took an active management role.
Add up all the jobs at all the companies when Bain left an active management role.
Voila! You then know the answer to: does Mitt Romney know how to create jobs or not?
Well, let's see the result.
May I point out that these jobs existed, before Bain took over these companies.
Romney taking credit for the recovery of the auto industry really shows that he will lie about anything! He said he would not have bailed them out. Without the government's money, the auto industry could not have done a managed bankruptcy. It would have gone under! Now the taxpayer's are making money on the auto industry, because they still own shares. The way that President Obama handled this, has made it a win win for everyone! Obama 2012!!!
Oh now people are getting upset that peope are against Romney and coming out with ads against him to hurt him, Most everything in these ads Romney had already done to himself we are just refreshing everyone's minds.
ranmarie
A poll came out showing that Obama was 8 points behind Romney. Not unexpected as more and more people learn the damage Obama's never ending, ever growing dept crisis that pushed the debt ceiling to $16.7 trillion is doing. And you want to know who the teacher is that is informing the people about the dangers of raising the debt ceiling. Yep you guessed it, Obama.
In his speech on the Senate floor about the damage raising the debt ceiling was doing to our economy and the people of this country, one has to ask why did Obama keeps asking to have the debt ceiling raised? You can read that speech as I will be posting it a little later. Try reading it, you might lean why Obama will never recover our economy with his policies in his own words.
Rasmussen has Romney up by +4, Politico by +1. Every other poll has President Obama in the lead. No +8 polls, except AP, which has Obama up +8.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/us/general_election_romney_vs_obama-1171.html
Reagan raised the debt ceiling 18 times, George W. Bush seven times. Imagine the country today if Republicans had actually worked with Obama to fix the country like Democrats worked with Reagan. Obama admitted that, as Senator, he had been wrong to oppose raising the debt ceiling. Be nice to see Romney ever admit any mistakes, other than attacking gays in high school.
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2011/jul/26/barack-obama/obama-says-reagan-raised-debt-ceiling-18-times-geo/
These ads are true, that is more then I can say about the GOP super Pac’s, their ads are fill of nothing but half truths and lies
Really? You're kidding aren't you? Guess I better vote Democrat. Thanks for opening my eyes.
Unfortunately, the first amendment protects SuperPACs right to completely lie. Here in Florida, Karl Rove's SuperPAC keeps running lies against Bill Nelson. They keep repeating the lie about Obama taking $500 billion from Medicare, in order to scare the elderly. Even Romney keeps saying it, knowing it's not true.
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2011/jun/16/mitt-romney/500-billion-medicare-obamacare-romney-says/
Obviously, one can go to Politifact, Snopes, Factcheck or other sites to check the truth, but how many lazy voters just believe everything they see on TV? We need to keep fighting the smears and repeating the truth.
That's exactly what Republicans rely on, their lazy, religious nuts, knuckle dragging, political whackos etc, will not bother to check and see who is telling the truth, hell they can convince 1,000's of the stupid people to support them, even though they are getting screwed by em at the same time. If you're not wealthy, and support any Republican, P.T. Barnum said it best" There's a sucker born every minute".
Obama/Biden 2012
Hugh,
Mr. Soros would be so proud of you .... why you got most of the talking points down in one little paragraph.
"A sucker born every minute ....." Why that would be voting for a candidate who sells himself on the vagueness of "hope and change" while only having 2 years in the U.S. Senate and 0 years actually running a business !!! That would be like saying "The united States of America is the greatest country in the world .............. and we're 'gonna change it " He's changed it for sure .... more debt, unemployment still very high and a political divisiveness unlike anything ever seen in my lifetine ...... all under Obama !
What a joke Obama is. 0 privates sector job growth in his first 3 years and now brags that Summer and Holiday hirings are a sign of his job growth in the past 4 years.
The only thing Obama has managed to grow is the debt with his never ending, ever growing debt crisis that pushed the debt ceiling to $16.7 trillion.
As Obama stated on the Senate floor in a speech on March 16, 2006, raising the debt ceiling put our economy and our nation at risk. He's proved that to be true with 46% of our population living in are at the edge of poverty and an even greater percentage on some form of government assistance.
Zero? Please state your source. As of January 2012, private sector growth had grown by 3 million in the last 22 months. Since January, we have continued to see private sector gains every month. It's now been over two years of consecutive job growth. Compare that with the economy President Obama inherited, when we shed (lost) 750,000 jobs per month.
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2012/jan/25/barack-obama/have-private-sector-jobs-grown-22-months-best-annu/
What Happened - This first sentence you posted is just wrong on so many levels:
"What a joke Obama is. 0 privates sector job growth in his first 3 years and now brags that Summer and Holiday hirings are a sign of his job growth in the past 4 years."
We have seen private sector job creation for the past 26 consecutive months. Considering the disaster he inherited, that's pretty good, but a whole let better than the fallacy of zero jobs created. Secondly, President Obama does anything but brag when he gets a positive jobs report. He also has not been President for four years, so get your head out of the fox news propoganda machine and come back to Earth.
See? Another typical Republican response (What happened?) by a clueless one. Doesn't have any idea what she is talking about, but heard it on FUX News and they told her to repeat it often enough until she believes it. The reason a large percentage of people are on the edge of poverty is they are suffering the after effects of 8 years of Republican "trickle down" (like pee on your leg) economics. It's OK honey, when Obama is reelected, you can go back and finish high school.
So Hugh, you quickly resort to a PERSONAL ATTACK on another with a different opinion ?
So we should vote for "trickle up poverty" ? I mean, do the math genius .... our country cannot continue to spend more than it takes in without national bankruptcy and the related total fiscal chaos that would ensue !
That would be like "$hitting on the ceiling" ..... sooner or later, it has to come down !
Libs get very frustrated very fast. There is no Obama record to run on. There is only Jedi mind trickery, smoke, mirrors and diversion three-card monte games. The polls are all tightening up and the libs are in full panic mode with six months to go. The Obamabots will be running around with their hair on fire by July 4th. It's actually amusing.
Keep lying, righties. Funny how your "facts" aren't considered facts anywhere else other than Fox-land and Rush-land. Pretty pathetic when your party's whole strategy is just to keep repeating lies and slander until the simple-minded accept them as truth. That's right, don't bother to go to an independent fact-checking site, your false world-view might shatter.
Mitt Romney is a nice guy. He will hold your coat at the opera when you have to go to the bathroom. If he likes you, he might buy you some snacks at intermission and even do a few stiff turns to amuse you. Obama doesn't even know what opera is, but would be happy to go and have his friend hold your coat and buy snacks. That is the difference between the two, and I hope it comes up in the debates later this year. Romney has been to way more operas than Obama. Once Obama learns about them, though, he will have private operas at the white house and make other Americans pay for the musicians and snacks.
If your gay and have long hair he'll have his friends forcibly hold you down while he cuts your hair. And then when asked about the incident he'll laugh about it. So thoughtful.
If your a dog he'll strap you to the top of his car until you poop all over yourself. And when the poops runs down the back of the car he'll laugh about it. What a caring person.
If he's taking over your company he'll fire you. And then laugh about how he likes to fire people. You got to just love this guy.
Yes, I really hope they point out the differences in the debates.
You will regret the day Obama was re-elected...and I believe he will be...tossing this country and the world into the abyss. He has NO plan for correcting the upward course of the deficit trajectory. Instead, each time he opens his mouth, it rises higher and higher. Go look up the numbers. More and more people will be eating from federally-provided dinner plates over the next four years. AND...I absolutely guarantee that if someone asked what percent of O's and R's personal income went to charity, R's would higher by at least double.
In reality, this is one of the least important Presidential elections of our lifetime. It's a slightly left incumbent vs a slightly right challenger. The economy is already improving and will continue to improve under either President. Obama inherited possibly the worst economic and foreign disasters in our nation's history, but things are getting better. Make no mistake: this was a Depression, not a recession, and we got through it.
In my opinion, the country would be better under Obama, since he would continue to expand civil rights and Constitutional protections. Romney would likely try to return us to the 1950s, when not everyone had equal protections under the law. But really, the country will probably be fine whoever wins. Obama already did the heavy lifting his first term, and neither candidate is extreme or radical.
Clotho - interesting take, and perhaps not far off, but I would suggest that you may be underestimating the potential damage of a Mitt Romney presidency. I base this on his statements during the primaries, which would indicate:
1. Heavy de-regulation of banking, industry, etc
2. Paul Ryan budget support
3. Massive tax breaks for the rich
4. Increased military spending and a strong likelihood of war with Iran
5. Stopping all progress on health care reform
6. Dumping the debt and side effects of his policy on the middle class
That's right off the top of my head.
Upset...you seem to think Romney has the economic touch and acumen of Obama.
I can see WH Opera Night just as long as Moochell gets to pick out the snacks it doesn't conflict with Hip Hop Night.