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Saturday, March 3, 2012 | 2:02 a.m.
Toward the end of the Bush administration, I wrote that Republicans would not occupy the White House for a generation due to the failures of that administration. It would be hard for American voters to forgive Republicans for the misguided foreign policies that caused wars that lasted 10 years, the lapses in education achievement, the increased poverty in America, a shrinking middle-class and the deep recession caused by poor economic decisions during Bush’s tenure.
Based on the quality of those seeking the Republican Party’s nomination for president, it’s obvious the smart Republican candidates stayed home. The extreme positions that each candidate has had to support to pander to the various factions of the party, and the tearing down of each other’s character, will make it impossible for any of them to defeat President Barack Obama in November. Who knows how long it will take to unite the Tea Partyers with the religious extremists, the hawkish neocons with social conservatives and the libertarians with anybody?
The statistical makeup of Congress will provide the only political drama of the fall. Republicans should prepare themselves for four more years of Obama and eight years of Hillary Clinton. If they are still a viable political party in 2024, who knows if an electable candidate can emerge from the mess they have turned the party into?
The author of, "The GOP Has A Long Road To Recovery" is correct in his political prognostication. Barack Obama will be easily reelected to the Oval Office. But, be assured a Republican will emerge from the depths of where the conservatives have fallen. History proves this. Jimmy Carter, probably the most ham-handed Democratic President in American history basically launched back to back landslide victories for Ronald Reagan. Even after eight years of Reagan in the White House, the ill-fated, unavailing, and insignificant decisions that the Carter administration left behind were still not healed enough among the populace to elect a Democrat to the White House. This could only be true when a politically muffled, George H. Bush was elected President. After all this, the Clinton's emerged. Be patient Republicans, your time will come again. Just not in the immediate future.
Nice try Phil. Obama has had almost 3 1/2 years to turn our economy around and hasn't as 12 to 15 million people are still either out of work or under-employed, he's added over one trillion dollars to our debt each year(a Presidential record), added yet another entitlement we can't afford, presented budgets that no one takes seriously(even the democratic-led senate voted it down 97-0) and his anti-business/pro-occupy position along with his projection of our country as a second class nation to that of Europe(see 30 second clip below) has turned-away independent voters in droves. The recent polls in Nevada and swing states show Obama in big trouble, and for good reason. He's failed to reduce our debt & deficit spending, failed to create an environment for job growth, he's anti-business and has promoted class warfare which is dividing us as a nation at a time when we need to pull together. Americans made a mistake voting for the liberal Obama in 2008 and they know it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iFAzd1Fl...
Nevada poll:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/blogs/ralston...
UsaToday Swing state poll:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/st...
Toward the end of the Obama administration, I am writing thatDemocrats will not occupy the White House for a generation due to the failures of the Obama administration. It would be hard for American voters to forgive Democrats for the misguided foreign policies that caused wars to contue and new wars, the lapses in education achievement, the increased poverty in America with 50 on food stamps, a shrinking middle-class and the deep recession caused by poor economic decisions during Obama's tenure. Then there is the payola squandered Stimulus, the inept Dodd-Frank, and worst of all Obamacare
The letter writer dreams his own fantasies. President Obama has doubled down on the short comings during the Bush years, and his ideologies and political rants are the curse of America.
The only way that Obama will win in November is because America has reached the tipping point for dependence on liberal handouts which the recipients will convert into votes for the Annointed One. With half of America's wage earners paying zero income taxes, the nation is in trouble. None of those individuals pays their fair share and Obama says nothing about this despicable situation. Obama is a poor leader. His policies are counterproductive. His energy policy is a good example of ineptness and counter productiveness. Obama is his worst enemy. For America's sake Obama must be defeated in November.
Nor have I understood why they must get this discussion going on; enemy O against supporters O. On any day or week that has not changed. No one seems to think it's GOP, no they think it's us and them. Two sides as if they are thinking two countries inside of one. The flood of writing is still growing by the day.
If it were Clinton in 2008, as it should have been, you would be right about 8 years for her. But it was Obama. Obama MAY squeak out a win in 2012. But after another 4 of him, American voters will think the current crop of GOP hopefuls walk on water and the GOP will establish residency in the White House for a long time to come.
Carmine A. DiFazio
Phil did you miss the news: gasoline going to $5 a gallon, 20% underemployment, barely 2% GDP growth, $16 trillion debt, Afgan war is out of control with partners shooting one another, Iran is building a nuke, failing Obamacare, Inept Dodd-Frank, Secret prisons and Gitmo still operating, trampling of personal liberties.
It is a regrettable truth that by significantly increasing the dependency that people have on Federal Government handouts Obama may get re-elected.
Obama has made everything free for those that chose to not contribute their fair share to society. Everything from Abortion Pills to forgiving student loans, to free cell phones.
For Obama this is a spider web that sucks in people temporarily down on their situation - not a safety net
For those that do not feel a need contribute back to the society that is housing them, feeding them, providing, obamacare, can only vote for Obama or lose their entitlements
Accommodation - A few of the multiple safety net programs:
Unemployment checks
Housing Vouchers
Assistance for Needy Families
Food Stamps
Supplemental nutrition Program
Medicaid and Medicare part D
Child health insurance
Free day after abortion pills
School Breakfast and Lunch
Earned Income Tax Credit
Supplemental Security Income
Pell Grants
Student loan forgiveness
Head Start
Energy Assistance
There is only one question to ask Obama - what does Obama want to accomplish over the next four years? - Over the next four years that Obama demands he needs; and that conservatives and independents should vote him in to do.
Obama's 2012 Taxin' Campaign
Cuz Obama demands we "Stop complainin'. Stop grumblin'. Stop cryin'." -- and Start Taxin'
And Biden says Start Taxin' -- "Its a big Fin' Deal"
Good Morning Future! I see that gas went up to $5.00 per gallon from the $4.25 per gallon you posted yesterday. Please explain how a pill taken the morning after sex would cause an "abortion"? The woman taking said pill WOULD HAVE NO IDEA IF SHE WAS PREGNANT OR NOT. Let's call the pill what it is: morning after contraceptive. Iran was working on a bomb well before Obama took office. I guess unemployment checks are evil too, unless you happen to be receiving one. I never drew one cent of unemployment funds in my life, but I don't begrudge the money going to folks who need it. I have never used the programs/benefits you cite, but some folks actually need them. Why so bitter?
"It is a migriane headache and a moonscape of disorder, confusion, no principles and whose major identification is based upon lies."
Here is Obama back in 2009 lying about cutting our deficit in half by the end of his first term. The deficit went from $500 billion in 2008 under Bush to $1.3 trillion under Obama this year, more than doubling our nation's debt, not cutting it by half as he committed to doing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaQUU2ZL6...
The letter writer's comments and those that support and oppose his comments are the largest indicator of what is wrong in America.
Former President Bush had already seen the dot com bomb, 9/11 and the war in Afghanistan, when decisions were made to invade Iraq. Given all that a more prudent President would have either raised taxes, cut spending in other areas or both, so the debt and deficit didn't explode.
President Obama then came into office. He saw a crumbling economy, large deficits and a large debt. Liberal D's, who after a long time in the wilderness had control of Congress wanted to pass alot of expensive legislation that they hadn't been able to pass in the past. President Obama should have done some of what our former President did not do. He should have put health care reform on the back burner, and concentrated on a total income tax reform package, eliminating the loopholes and deductions and ensuring that every American with an income pays income taxes on a progressive scale. The costs of the bailouts of the banks, GM and Chrysler should have been at least partially offset with spending cuts in other areas, including defense and higher taxes on everyone. Reforms to Medicare and SS should have been offered that left current recipients and those close to entering with the same benefits but changed the programs for future recipients... not a complete overhaul but a recognition that some changes are necessary. The stimulus should have been better administered and been more directed toward jobs in the private sector and less toward saving raises and benefits in the public sector.
Those that argue the Bush was a poor President in many ways are right. Those that argue that Obama has been a poor President in many ways are right. And THAT, in a nutshell is the problem. 12 years of poor leadership economically and nothing good on the horizon, from either R's or D's.
If whoever occupies the White House from 2012 to 2016 does not honestly and forcefully attack the debt and deficits and lead Congress to make some real tough and painful decisions, Americans are going to look up one day and ask .... how did we stupidly argue over which party was worse while our entire economy and way of life just crumbled away?
Michael
Why is so hard for so many people to see and admit two simple facts that are so destructive to each one of us?
For 8 years, former President Bush and Congress bought stuff, and paid for it by printing money out of thin air and borrowing from China.
For an additional almost 4 years now, President Obama and Congress have bought stuff, and paid for it by printing money out of thin air and borrowing from China.
It's not rocket science folks, and it is destructive to our economy and our nation. Are we ever going to say... STOP!
Michael
Wow talk about uninformed!
73 says ". Please explain how a pill taken the morning after sex would cause an "abortion"? "
It called RU486 look it up to find out how it works. The Obamacare mandate will force the free unlimited supply of the pill for those that need unprotected sex.
Dennis,
See my comment after yours and then 'try' to answer that question. We couldn't solve the problem with printing and borrowing money under Bush. Unless Obama is a magician and he's not, that strategy won't work for him either.
Michael
73 just so you know: RU 486 (mifepristone) is approved for use under Bill Clinton for up to the 49th day of pregnancy, or about 7 weeks.
If a pregnancy is confirmed a woman 2 doses of medication. First, she is given one dose of mifepristone, a synthetic steroid, which causes a fertilized egg to be unable to remain attached to the lining of the uterus. The second pill misoprostol, which causes uterine contractions, is taken 2 days later and terminates pregnancy anywhere from 6 hours to one week later.
Obama has said these pills must be free
Mr. Ventura you may be absolutely correct about the Republicans winning any future Presidental elections.The damage done by former President George W. Bush And Vice President Dick Cheney will take time to fix.This former administration started 2 wars,a spiraling out of control recession with the loss of millions of jobs.And left a mess with no easy fix for President Obama. If Sen.John MCcain would have won the election, we would be facing the same problems. A mess is a mess no matter who's in office.
Simmons: can't you learn how to spell? Argentia? What is that? Some Socialistic paradise? As for the worst president ever, it was the peanut farmer, Jimmy Carter, hands down. His clone, Comrade Osama Obama, is not far behind. dipstick: I'm still waiting for you to put your tax returns on-line so we can all see if you are paying your "fair share." I won't hold my breath because I have the sneaking suspicion you are of the parasitic class, not of the productive class, and you are green with envy over those who are more intelligent, resourceful, self-confident and self-reliant then you.
Enjoyed the letter, Mr. Ventura, and I agree with your estimation.
As some other commenters have pointed out, for some stupid reason, the most rabid Tea/Republican Partiers out there all point out Obama this, Obama that stuff. But the real situation that is politically going on right now is that the modern day Republican Party is ideologically painting themselves into a corner. With absolutely no way out.
Their road to recovery, as it stands right now, is not only long, but it's winding, festooned with tank traps, nails/tacks, rockslides/avalanche zones and everything else you can think of just a few inches shorter than the possibility of a zombie apocalypse.
These obstacles are not caused by the other side of the fence.
It's their own fault.
Nobody to blame but yourselves for the ultra right wing extreme and radical over reach agenda that preaches more on rigid thought purity uncompromising mixed with outright blind unadulterated hate. First it's alternative lifestylers, then it's Hispanics (don't matter if they're here legally or not, they just group them all together to fearmonger other voters), and now to the latest target: Women and their reproductive abilities as well as restricting their health accessibility. Just HATE all of them in order to bang a drum that gets people howling with the very same hate. Fearmonger, warmonger, hatemonger, whatever...just monger them to death to get them to fall in line with their stupid beliefs.
It's not going to end.
The Tea/Republican Party has lost their soul.
They have lost their heart.
It's now infected their brain too.
They lost their minds.
Even when their own conservative pundits point this out astutely to them, they disregard it.
They have put the people in running the wards out of a job and keep them locked up. The asylum psycho inmates are out and in charge now.
Putting aside President Obama's accomplishments, "bin Laden dead, GM alive", among others, one must come to grips that the Republican Party ha pissed off Blacks, Hispanics, Gays and Lesbians and now 98% OF ALL WOMEN!!!!! At some point you must realize that Rick Santorum is 100% unelectable and his attacks on Romney have taken their toll and reduced Romney to a bumbling idiot at times, i.e. "the height of trees."
Let's be serious, the Republican Party is on life support and when the plug is pulled in November even Jesus may not be able to raise them from the dead.
GOP-RIP.
Freeman, It took former President George w. Bush 8 years to turn a surplus in the billions into a deficit in the trillions. With 2 wars raging and no end in site,as his term ended.How does anyone expect Any President(Obama) to turn things around in just 3 years and a few months.
"President Obama's accomplishments, "bin Laden dead, GM alive", among others."
Wow, what a long list.......notice how liberals don't even mention Obamacare? Notice how democrats running for office don't mention Obamacare? That should be an indication to you that Obamacare is the democrat's albatross that they can't run and hide from. Did anyone notice yesterday a finding that shows cost estimates for a key portion of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul law have ballooned by $111 billion from last year's budget?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/c...
Sam,
Obama is not leading. He has chosen to not address the biggest drivers of our **future** debt which is entitlements. The link below is a chart showing the cost to fight terrorism is $159 billion in 2011. Entitlement costs(Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and other mandatory programs) is $2.4 trillion. The costs of these two budget line items don't even compare. And folks out there reading these comments **never** hear liberal democrats talk about entitlement reform. It's why many feel that liberals, including Occupiers, want to see America become a socialist country. Obama and liberals will not address our nation's financial problems.
Chart: Annual Spending 2011
http://www.heritage.org/budgetchartbook/...
Hey Moo, quit ragging on Obama and start worrying about who is left to vote for Romney other than Mormons.
Dennis,
It is a problem that Conservatives resist raising taxes. It is a problem that Progressives resist cutting spending. Both must be done. One of the two will not do it.
Former President Bush did not lead in this area. President Obama does not lead in this area. Until someone actually leads in this area, we are going nowhere.
It would be great if President Obama would lead in this area, but instead he's done what Bush did... try to keep Americans happy with more spending, more debt and more deficits... and it's working... which is the saddest part of all.
Michael
Tanner- What's worse than a President who has chosen not to lead for 4 years? The problems we saw 4 years ago remain; high joblessness, debt, deficit spending and now we have a President threatening our individual and religious freedoms. He's adding to our nation's problems.
Phil Ventura tells it like it is.
Let's face it, in the 2000 election Bush lost the popular vote by a half million to Al Gore. Only 570 disputed votes in Florida and a Supreme Court led by Scalia saved W's electoral college bacon.
Then in the 2004 race against John Kerry, the incumbent Bush barely won the electoral vote to get a second term.
Fact is, President Obama's six-million vote margin of victory in 2008 is double what Bush won by in TWO presidential elections. Hilariously, Bush claimed he had a "mandate" from voters after his slimmest-of-margin 2004 re-election.
What does it mean? That the GOP was very, very lucky to have won any presidential election since the elder Bush's victory in 1988.
With 55, California is the big ace in the hole for electoral college votes. New York joins California in the D column meaning Democrats have a head start going into a presidential race, despite the GOP's advantage in Texas.
Mitt Romney has landslide loser written all over his robotic face. No way the former vulture capitalist beats the president.
This country cannot be lead from the far left or the far right. We are not headed in the right direction and I fear no matter who wins the White House, we will still be stuck with a congress beholded to rich and powerful lobbyists.
Dennis,
I'm not going to scream like a stuck pig if the wealthy have their taxes raised or the military cuts are made. However, when I look at deficit spending of over 1 trillion dollars per year and a debt of over 15 trillion dollars, I KNOW that much more than that needs to be done, on taxes and spending. And we have to start somewhere but we cannot be satisified with a 'start'. Our situation is too dire for that.
Michael
Given the childish nature of conservative discourse and the American public in general I am less sanguine about whether President Obama will be re-elected. H.L. Mencken had something to say about this:
"Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public." The word "intelligence" might originally have been "taste" but the meaning remains.
Reasonable people with reasonable solutions like those promoted by wtplv above need to be encouraged. If you disagree and have a better solution, then propose it. What is Obama's proposal to add jobs or improve the economy ? All I hear is to tax the "rich", tax banks and tax oil companies. Given all these taxes combined doesn't add up to a few days of interest on our debt, even if Obama got everything he wanted it would have little effect on our deficit and a major negative effect on our economy.
Obama's proposal is to increase our debt to $22 trillion dollars in 10 years. Any idea what the interest on this debt will do ?
Obama has cut Medicare by $500 billion and has not proposed any plan to fix the collapse forecasted by the non-partisan actuary. Obama has not proposed any plan to fix the Social Security collapse also forecasted.
So, it appears we have a president with no plans to fix our problems but is doing all he can to paint demons to the electorate.
Please note while Warren Buffet has proposed an increase in taxes for the "rich", he himself is not paying the taxes he currently owes. In addition, when he dies, he made sure not one dime of his billions will go to taxes, but rather to the Bill/Melinda Gates Foundation. So, if Buffet REALLY believes he and others should pay more in taxes, why is he doing everything possible not to ?
Puhleez, folks. Exactly what does it matter if the Rs win or fall apart and never win? What does it matter if the Ds, win or lose? If either wins, the nation loses.
Y'all are treating this like a high school sports event. The division into rabid partisan cheering sections pulling against each other rather than working with each other means that we, as a whole, have lost.
Yes put your gold to foundations so no one can tax it away.
...remarkable, once again. Leric Goodman said it...rabid. Phil Ventura writes a cogent, articulate letter about very serious problems within one of this nation's major political parties and the young turk trolls hijack it and turn into an anti-liberal, anti-obama screed. Honestly, the mania is tiresome. Cut out the Redbull.
In any case, I appreciate Phil Ventura's optimism, even if I'm more cautious. I do hope we get four more years of Obama. But if he wins, rabid, sore-loser-conservatives will recruit even more pitbulls to escalate the obstruction. If he loses, we hand what's left of America over to the corporations that are intent on stripping every last dollar out of its workers. The stakes are high.
Yet another reason the dog-on-roof RINO flip-flopper will lose to President Obama.
Posted now at REDSTATE by conservative blogger Eric Erickson:
BREAKING - Mitt Romney Urged Obama to Embrace the Individual Mandate
http://redstate.com/
"Yet another reason the dog-on-roof RINO flip-flopper will lose to President Obama."
Romney has pledged in this campaign to rescind Obamacare. Whether he previously supported is immaterial. We know Obama won't rescind it.
Keep in mind, Obama flip-flopped on reducing the yearly deficit by half. He's actually increased it by 2 1/2 times.
It's fairly obvious that the Obama haters haven't got a clue about the economy or gas pricing. We were on the edge of another great depression which took several years to recover from. The recession Reagan dealt with wasn't nearly as bad and that one also took several years to to rebound. As far as gas prices anyone with half a brain knows the Wall St. speculators are driving the cost up because of the unstable sitiuation in the middle east especially Iran.
Mr. Ventura is correct in his assessment of the GOP/Tea Party. Their ideology concerning voters rights, women's health issues, fictitious Sharia laws, and a host of other social issues has conservatives like Charles Krauthammer, George Will, Peggy Noonan and others scratching their heads asking, "Have these people gone collectively insane?" When the GOP/Tea Party and several GOP governors took control in November of 2010 almost everyone expected them to act on jobs. What the people got was an over reaching of extremists which I believe most Americans won't forget this coming November. The party insanity has them standing in a circular firing squad which I noted back in December of 2009: http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/dec...
Here's a clip of Obama calling Bush unpatriotic for adding trillions to the debt.
Obama will have added $4 trillion dollars to the nation's debt in 4 years what Bush added in 8 years. Liberal Presidents like Obama don't have a clue how to reign in our debt and deficit spending. It's not in a liberal's DNA.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyLmru6no...
The change we need is to get four people out of power. They set the tone and the agenda. Reid, Bohner, Pelosi and McConnel. They have been a disaster for the country and have done everything possible to drive the wedge between partys
ladygaga - "Vernos AGAIN shows that he was a complete fake when he said he "worked on Wall Street" with this idiotic comment:"
I know that Wall St. thieves sucked $16 trillion out of the American economy, Reagan didn't have that. I know insider trading ran amok when Reagan was in office. I know unemployment wasn't as bad. I know 1,500 savings and loans collapsed from greed. I know Reagan and Bush the Elder attempted to cut taxes and raised them contrare to right wing BS. I know when Bush the Lesser cut taxes it added to the catastrophy we are now dealing with.
The GOP/Tea Party is committing political suicide and you blind faithful followers are heading into the abyss with them.
jldour - "The change we need is to get four people out of power. They set the tone and the agenda. Reid, Bohner, Pelosi and McConnel."
Add "back stabbing I want Boehner's job" Eric Cantor to that list.
Vernos- No one takes your Occupy BS seriously.
The Republican/ tea party is disconnected from the reality of certain defeat next fall. Olympia Snows retirement from Maine is another dagger in the corpse of the conservative movement. Along with Bob Kerrey now running for Ben Nelson's seat in Nebraska and Shelley Berkeley taking Heller out next fall ensures the Senate staying in the Democrats column. And thanks to the radical extremism in the Republican presidential field Obama is going to cruise to another term. Well as for the house not looking to good either for the Republican/ tea party, Expect a lot of frustration and anger from the right wing commentators.
When the right wing Titanic starts going under next fall it would be a smart move to avoid the usual right wing trouble makers as they will be trying to bring the rest of us down with them.
Bush is the only President in history that took this country into debt to give the wealthiest people a tax cut. Bush borrowed money from the Chinese Communists to pay for those tax reductions and got the biggest recession in 70 years.
Bush loves the Commies if they can help him serve the wealthy. The Chinese financial system also works better for the Country because the thieves are put in jail and not rewarded with corporate management bonuses...and Bush always follows God's will first!
The Iraq War was the SECOND most expensive war in history, about 1/2 the cost of World War II in 2011 dollars ($4 trillion) - and all for one third world country. It destroyed the economy and retirement security. In return, Bush got a new Bible quote each day with the War Report, Pentagon officers leafing through the Bible to give Bush Sunday School Lesson, paid for by the taxpayers and the military.
The Iraq and Afghanistan war debts are still piling up interest. The millionaires and billionaires proliferated under Bush. The underprivileged got the war debt, war interest and dead children.
The GOP needs a burial, not a recovery.
Homophobia: Reason no. 845 on why the GOP and their 18th-century, flat-earth views will soon be dumped on the smoldering ash heap of history.
Ken Mehlman was chairman of the Republican National Committee from 2005 to 2007. He also happens to be gay. Mehlman came out of the closet a few years ago and recently stated his deep regret for taking part in the right-wing's Christian jihad against gays and lesbians.
***
Ken Mehlman: 'I Am Sorry' For Helping Bush Exploit Anti-Gay Sentiment, 'I Wish I Had Spoken Out'
Former RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman has issued what may be his first public apology for his role in fomenting anti-gay sentiment during President George W. Bush's 2004 re-election bid.
http://thinkprogress.org/
George W Bush will be a gift that will keep on giving for Democrats. As for the generation of Americans who lived through the worst economic performance since Hoover no one will forget the disaster of the Jr Bush court appointed presidency.
As for what old jimbo keeps carping about who the liar is please refer to his comment history from January 8, 2012 you will see who was caught lying repeatedly.
Hopelessly one-sided Mr. Schillmoeller wants you to believe that only 3 Democrats raised more than $39,000 from Fannie and Freddie and cites a link which debunks his own argument in the process.
The link Mr. Schillmoeller cites is from OpenSecrets, which says that it's calculations:
"...include contributions to lawmakers' leadership PACs and candidate committees from the floundering companies' PACs and employees. Current members of Congress have received a total of $4.8 million from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, with Democrats collecting 57 percent of that."
A few facts:
1. At least two Republicans received more than $39,000, even if you're strictly looking at individual contributions. Mr. Schillmoeller is either ignorant or misleading when he omits Dick Shelby and Tom Davis, who earned a combined $118,500 from individual contributions.
2. Democrats collected barely more than half of the total contributions, 57%.
3. If you add in the money sent to PACs, it suddenly makes Mr. Schillmoeller's argument look extremely silly and poorly reasoned:
Bob Bennett, Republican: $107,999.00
Spencer Bachus, Republican: $103,300.00
Roy Blunt, Republican: $96,950.00
Christopher Bond, Republican: $95,400.00
Dick Shelby, Republican: $80,000.00
Tom Davis, Republican: $75,499.00
John Boehner, Republican: $67,750.00
Tom Reynolds, Republican: $62,200.00
Deborah Price, Republican: $55,500.00
Johnny Isakson, Republican: $49,200.00
Eric Cantor, Republican: $48,500.00
Mike Crapo, Republican: $47,250.00
Mitch McConnell, Republican: $41,000.00
Who are #7, 11 and 13 on that list? They're the current GOP leadership in the House and Senate. And all of those figures above Mr. Schillmoeller's $39,000 threshold.
4. The figures Mr. Schillmoeller cites are from Individual contributions. This includes contributions from people employed by Fannie/Freddie. Their PERSONAL contributions are calculated as contributions "from" Fannie/Freddie. If Joe the Janitor donates $20 to Obama's campaign, Mr. Schillmoeller thinks that came from Fannie/Freddie, not Joe the Janitor, while election law defines that as a personal contribution.
5. If contributions from Fannie and Freddie are evidence of corruption, then Mr. Schillmoeller needs to call on the leadership of his party to resign immediately.
Seems like the intelligent republican pundits are conceding that they won't be occupying the White House this fall.
I don't think Romney could have lived at the White House anyway. The trees aren't the right height.
Is Romney for the Blunt amendment today?
Clinton / Pelosi 2016
Having Pelosi on the ticket would have the same effect as when the RNC put Palin with McCain. It would guarantee people would vote for the Republican or not vote at all. It would be a grave disservice to Hillary, who deserves the White House.
Willie Tanner: "Seems like the intelligent republican pundits are conceding that they won't be occupying the White House this fall."
Only way they occupy the WH is if they follow the example set by Occupy Wall Street. Then again, the 70+ year-old retirees that make up the Teabag Party couldn't maneuver their free government-provided electric wheelchairs through a tent city. Plus they hate to miss Monday night bridge at their Medicare-funded nursing home.
The changing demographics of the country will see to it that the current war-mongering, plutocratic , hateful, and bigoted GOP is destroyed and a much saner and more tolerant one takes its place in the coming years.
Last night Bill Maher concluded his "New Rules" segment with comments that not only do Republicans live in a bubble where they can not receive data from the outside, but so do the Democrats. He is now saying that Democrats are just as blind as Republicans because they refuse to see how Obama might lose.
His comments were ironic given who was on his panel. Two of them were simply gushing over how bad the Republican candidates are and saying it would be impossible for Obama to lose.
It's not that Maher is any kind of political prophet, but when he is concerned enough to make a $1M contribution to Obama's super-PAC you have to take note.
In the end I think it will be high gas prices that get Obama voted out of office as this is something people feel the pain every week when they buy gas. Trillion of debt is future number they don't have to deal with, $5 gas you got their attention and wallets! We know Obama's energy man Chu wants our gas prices to be at prices near "the levels in Europe" Wow they talk about Bush being a go it alone guy, Obama has that spot now.
More republican idiocy in the run up to Election Day:
Boss Hog Limbaugh has caved and made an apology for his idiotic slut comment. Despite his well-documented history of drug addiction, Limbaugh knows which side of the bread is buttered and no doubt realized that his lucrative GOP propaganda gig was in serious jeopardy.
More democrat idiocy in the run up to Election Day:
Ed Schultz caved and made an apology on May 26th 2011 for calling Ingraham a "right-wing slut".
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/26...
Big difference in apologies, RefNV. Looking at it face value, I'd say you're right. But you aren't.
Mr. Schultz immediately apologized on air, to Ms. Ingraham by phone and took himself off air for one full week.
Mr. Limbaugh's apology was just hot air.
His apology did not come immediately. He said what he said. Then the next day, he doubled down with other inappropriate remarks. Then FOR A THIRD STRAIGHT DAY, he kept up the volatile vitriole.
Now, here it's the fourth day, he comes forth and apologizes. But the apology is lame. He states he made an ill attempt at humor. Not sure if anyone sees this, but with stuff like "feminazi" and "slut" and "we want to see video tapes" and other crap utterly demeaning to women, that sure don't sound like humor to me. That's just evil spiteful stuff that shows his true regard for women. No wonder he's currently in his fourth marriage (with no children).
Mr. Limbaugh makes a living pee'ing people off. He did that.
And, every indication shows that he understands he went too far. Because he has a conscience? Because he wants to uphold standards and ethics pertaining to radio announcers? NO! He only came forward because he got hit hard in the wallet. Sponsors pulled out of his show and smacked him with removing money. And more sponsors will leave soon.
THAT'S why he's apologizing. Not because he feels remorse. He's frantically performing damage control right now.
Mr. Limbaugh makes a living doing this junk. AND HE MAKES MILLIONS. Why should he stop?
The only thing that would make him stop is if women collectively get so mad that, when they have chance encounters with him on the street, they all go over and repeatedly kick him hard in the groin.
But then again, that might not work neither. He probably will like it.
Face it, right wingnuts. He's in charge of the Tea/Republican Party. He's a nasty ornery old bastard and you have welcomed him as your leader.
And, mark my words, I already know the majority of women in America have taken notice of this too. Don't matter what side of the political aisle, they are mad. And they will show their anger in voting booths in November 2012.
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Colin,
If your liberal interpretation of two people apologizes leads you to conclude that each apologize is somehow different even though each called a female a slu* then more power to you.
The Republican party is at a crossroad and like the Whig party of the 1850s they need to to make a decision as to the future of there party. Either continue to be guided by conservative radicals down the dead end road and the dung heap of history or do they return to there roots in classical liberalism and forward into the future.
Rush Limbaugh is a dream come true for Obama.
Mike,
The Whig Party is coming back, take a look at the Modern Whig Party of America. We expect to bring in the remaining moderates of both major parties of today as well as many independents.
Big difference, RefNV.
One was quick and voluntary (Mr. Schultz).
The other one was forced out (Mr. Limbaugh).
Another thing is what happened with Mr. Schultz is in the past. He put it behind him and moved on.
This thing with Mr. Limbaugh is the here and now, and he clearly didn't want to let it go. Until he was forced to.
Kind of hard to walk back comments regarding a relentless, unwarranted and savage attack on Miss Fluke for a total of THREE DAYS IN A ROW. What he said was vile, despicable and downright nasty.
And it's very transparent how all indications show he was actually reluctant in his apology. Even his apology seemed to give a lame excuse for what he said.
Pure and simple, it was money that drove him to come out with it. Sponsors backed out of his show. And they are continuing to walk away from it. And he knows this is digging deep into his pockets. He's totally in damage control right now.
But that's okay, you spin it however you want, RefNV. That's pretty much what the right wing does. They don't have any message or solution for anything, but they sure can come up with the rhetoric and always seem more interested in arguing than coming up with any idea worth a damn on anything.
People clearly do not like this ultra conservative agenda being pounded out there all the time. It's radical. It's extreme. It's kooky. It's over-the-top. All indications show people are sick and tired of it.
But I for one encourage it to continue without stop.
Because the louder it gets, the further and further down into irrelevance they sink. RIP, Tea/Republicans. You are doing this to yourself. Don't be surprised if you end up unpopular at least for a few generations or so.
Jimbo
By now you should have figured out that your opinion is absolutely worthless to me. I posted your comment history from Jan 8, 2012 for other commentators to make up there own mind as to your lack of integrity.
And once again the Republican party is being driven down a dead end road by the likes of Jim Reid, sal Russo, ( Jim Reid's boss) and rush limbo and at the end of that road is the dung heap of history.
Boftx
I am aware and recognize that the modern Whig party of America has become a real and legitimate choice for modern day moderates. Maybe in the near future we will see a Whig party option on the ballot? A option that I personally would consider vote worthy.
I really think too many Americans are arguing over something that should be secondary until we solve our financial problems.
Right now, we need to re-write our tax code, tax everyone more, address entitlement reform and defense spending, adopt an 'all in' energy strategy, exit the wars, really start addressing the duplication, waste and fraud found in government, and find a way to publically finance campaigns so we can limit lobbying influence.
Once we do all that, we can fight over whether Progressivism or Conservatism is the best path to follow.
Michael
Mike,
Currently we are running a handful of local and Congressional candidates for this November in a few states (although none in Nevada yet.) We don't anticipate having a national campaign until 2016, with our goal being 2020 for a full fledged run at the White House.
We are concentrating on starting at the bottom first. For us, patience is a virtue. :)
The real problem is overcoming the mindset that there can be only two major parties. I think this is a result of the Civil War and indicates that the polarization created then has never gone away. I think an argument can be made that just as the Cold War extended WWII, our current political environment is an extension of the Civil War.
Michael,
I agree with what you say, but it is meaningless unless we address our why we have lost our manufacturing base. And to do that, we must address our trade imbalance and the WTO.
Phil......GREAT LETTER!!! 100% RIGHT ON.
YES, I wrote the same thing, several years ago,
after the Bush/republican party destroyed our
economy.
The republican party is DOA.
The republican party went off the deep end.
And this current batch of republican clowns,
with Willard Romney driving the clown car, is
more extreme than ever.
YES, it will be many years, if ever, that crazy
republicans step into the White House again.
Our great President Obama will easily be
re-elected.
AND YES, we Democrats will keep the Senate and
take back the House.
FOUR MORE YEARS FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA!!!
No party, in history, has ever been this heartless
and crazy than this current group of republican
lunatics.
Thank you President Obama, for showing Americans
what real adult leadership really is.
President Obama will go down in history as one of
the all time best presidents.
"Big difference, RefNV. One was quick and voluntary (Mr. Schultz).The other one was forced out (Mr. Limbaugh)."
Ed Schultz was forced to apologize by MSNBC. It wasn't his conscious that decided he should apologize. He was then suspended but I'm sure you'll claim he suspended himself.
Nice try Colin.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/reli...
Phil...
Nail on the head.
You are 100% correct.
Same ol' drivel from the same ol' horse's patooties in response.
Didn't bother to read 99% of it, because I know exactly what it'll say.
The latest Rush Limbaugh faux pas crystallizes the level of insanity and inanity of the right. They've devolved into a Hate Group full of loonies.
It's becoming painfully obvious that a large percentage of humankind has not evolved fast enough to keep up in the 21st century. Technological advancements have allowed them to propagate, but their brains are not up to the task. In fact, the technology has allowed them to be manipulated so very much easier than in the past; fish in a barrel, so to speak.
It's actually a bit frightening, if one takes a moment to ponder it.
Like I said before, RefNV, nice spin on it you're doing there.
Still, there is a big difference there between those inappropriate comments by two different pundits.
And the difference is so glaring you can drive a bulldozer through it, with room to spare.
Mr. Schultz said one thing. He was called on the carpet for it. And he IMMEDIATELY realized he made a mistake and stepped forward, apologized, not only on air to his viewers, but also to the person he said it about (by phone).
You may be right about MSNBC suspending him. I'll give you that. But, from every indication shown, Mr. Schultz agreed with this suspension.
Mr. Limbaugh, however, is an entirely different boat.
He attacked that woman for a total of THREE DAYS STRAIGHT. And it was constant, savage, brutal, misogynistic in nature, and without stop, relentless. It was totally uncaring and uncalled for. AND HE KNEW IT.
Has he been suspended from on air? NO. Because he makes them money. LOTS of money. They dare not take him off and lose revenue.
Did he voluntarily give an apology? NO. Every indication shows he was forced to due to sponsors pulling away from his show. And they are continuing to do so.
Did his apology sound genuine? NO. In his apology he said it was an ill attempt at humor. I definitely wasn't raised and brought up in a cave, and that type of attack, calling women "feminazi's" and "sluts" and "prostitutes" is just not something you do in normal conversations, not to mention on the radio air waves where millions will witness it. Not only Democrats, but Republicans as well are calling him out for it.
Big difference in trying to compare these two instances. They were both wrong on both pundits' parts, but to compare them as one and the same is done only to pursue some right wing nut agenda.
Nice spin there, RefNV. Yet again. No matter how you spin it, there is one thing that is very, very clear: The right wing hate just drips from Mr. Rush Limbaugh. Will this episode tone him down? NO. I guarantee it will embolden him to further rhetorical lows not based on facts, but on knee jerk pure unadulterated right wing hate.
But there is a light at the end of the tunnel for all the rational people out here.
Mr. Limbaugh, the titular head of the Tea/Republican Party, has energized the women in America.
They WILL be at the voting booths in November 2012.
The Tea/Republican Party will be lucky to even get someone elected into power as Dogcatcher General of America.
"He attacked that woman for a total of THREE DAYS STRAIGHT. And it was constant, savage, brutal, misogynistic in nature, and without stop, relentless."
Can you give us some Rush quotes for those three days Colin?
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In this age of advanced learning and cultural leaps and bounds that have taken men to the moon and eradicated numerous ills and liberated millions from poverty and ignorance, don't you feel blessed that we have such high standards for our media personalities to live by, standards that encourage individualism and progress to engender the best to develop further and better understandings of our world?
Rush Limbaugh, captain of decency, master of civility, leader of conservative thought, and Republican Spokesperson Extraordinaire...
I personally could care less what Rush. L called someone, slut, bimbo, who cares, right of free speech, right? I mean just read Fosimmons posts for cry' out loud! The hatred spew name calling he dribbles gets printed every day, where is the outcry from the Liberals on that?
Fosimmons doesn't have 15 million "dittoheads", just us flunkies.
Simmons is funny, down-to-Earth, considerate and compassionate. He sees both sides and pokes fun.
Rush is a spitting hate monger, thriving in the business of mass destruction. His sense of self-righteousness knows no bounds.
If you really can't tell the difference, ask someone you trust.