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Memo Pad

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Question Time: What Did Mitt Romney Learn During His Travels Abroad?

August 3rd, 2012 1:40 am Joe Conason

Mitt Romney visits the Western Wall in Jerusalem

Now that Mitt Romney has returned home from his entertaining sojourn overseas, perhaps someone will ask him a few pertinent (and impertinent) questions about the countries he visited. While visiting England, Israel, and Poland, the Republican candidate delivered remarks on their economic and health systems that could – if subjected to factual analysis – serve to educate American voters and conceivably even the ill-informed Romney himself.

Question: You and Mrs. Romney attended the colorful opening ceremonies of the Summer Olympics in London. During those festivities you must have noticed that noisy, enthusiastic tribute to the National Health Service – which featured dancing doctors and nurses who serve in Britain’s government-operated, publicly-financed, absolutely mandatory system of universal care. Does the continuing existence of this entity mean that the United Kingdom is “socialist”?

Followup: OK, why do you suppose the British people are so enamored of this obviously oppressive system that they celebrated its existence before a worldwide audience estimated at a billion viewers?

Question: In Poland, you delivered a speech on that country’s valiant struggle for freedom against the central economic controls that had stifled growth under Communism. Did you realize that the Polish Ministry of Health controls all health care services, with a National Health Fund that serves as the system’s single payer — with mandatory universal coverage funded by contributions collected from every employed citizen?

Followup: Measured by the Republican definition of “socialism” — a term routinely used by your party’s elected officials and commentators to describe the Affordable Care Act — do the above facts mean that Poland is still a damned socialist country?

Question: While entertaining campaign donors in Israel, you mentioned that health care costs are “completely out of control” in the United States. You said, “Do you realize what health care spending is as a percentage of the GDP in Israel? Eight percent. You spend eight percent of [gross domestic product] on health care. And you’re a pretty healthy nation.”

When you praised Israel’s low-cost, high-efficiency health system,were you aware that the Jewish state has provided universal care since its founding in 1948,  with a system of nationally-funded mandatory insurance codified into law by the Knesset in 1995?  By the way, does that mean Israel – whose policies you have promised never to criticize — is in fact another damned socialist society?

Followup: Could Israel possibly owe its low per capita health care costs – not to mention its excellent results and high public satisfaction – to this freedom-killing, government-controlled system?

Extra-credit followups: Speaking of socialism, did you happen to know that our cherished ally Israel is a nation founded by socialists? And did you also know that the Jewish state’s growth rate was far higher during the decades when the government – and the Histadrut trade union federation — directly controlled most of its economy? (Don’t tell the right-wing evangelicals about any of this stuff, or they may begin to reconsider “Christian Zionism.”)



  • bcarreiro

    mitt has learned that he is his own worst enemy………and the 98% could care less about him or this article

  • dtgraham

    Question: Was it really necessary to address the Israeli Knesset as ‘my future fellow Mormons.’

    Followup: OK, but did you then have to ask them what happened to the rest of their baseball caps?

  • http://www.facebook.com/dominick.vila.1 Dominick Vila

    Judging by the comments he made overseas it is apparent that Romney is incapable of learning anything. He is an arrogant elitist accustomed to get his way and he is not going to change at this late stage in his life. What is going to doom whatever little chance he had of winning in Novembeer is not going to be foreign policy, but his tax proposal and his endorsement of Rep Ryan’s plan to privatize Social Security, dismantle MEDICARE and gut MEDICAID. Romney, and Palin’s Tea Party, overreached and they are going to pay dearly for it.

    • dtgraham

      Recent polling data would suggest that you’re right Dominick. The GOP are so far out there that it’s already beginning to take it’s toll on them.

      I’ll have to say that I’ve been very wrong on Romney so far. Tongue in cheek, but I thought by now we’d be hearing Romney saying things like, “abortion?”…”I love it.” “Gay marriage?”…”Thinking of doing it myself.” I thought he’d be racing back to the center in a way that only he could.

      I’m wondering if this is some kind of weird long game by the goopers. Over time, they want to move the goal posts so far to the right that anything even slightly to the left of Ghengis Khan, politically, will seem like Marxism. They’ve got a large slice of the (conservative) media that will assist them on that. They’ve actually been doing this for quite a while now, but the pace has really seemed to pick up in more recent times.

      I’m thinking that they’re counting on a November surprise in their amazing vote suppression tactics. They may believe that all they have to do is keep it close. We’ll see on that.

      • herbee

        you have an interesting way with words. so tell me, what exactly has obama done for america????? why isnt obama focusing on the economy and jobs and how he is going to fix things. who cares about romney’s tax returns.. or the crap about romney being a bully. dirty david axelrod and obama worked overtime on that one. and what weird long game and vote suppression tactics are you talking about…..

        • Joseph Hemphill

          all the robme scrutiny speaks volumes about his integrity ( or lack thereof ) or his honesty, or his business acumen ( suspect ) , or his beliefs ( which ever way the wind blows ) , by actions alone, robme shows himself to be an elitist, narcissistic unprincipled cultist zealot who would and will do anything to stroke his massive ego to not be a leader of free people, but to subjugate the populous to his own nefarious ends.

          • NutCutter

            Perfect description of Obama and his base. Whole lotta projection going on from the left.

          • herbee

            well I do admire the way you string your words together, but I totally disagree with you. romney is an honest decent man. I didnt notice his ego, but I sure noticed obama’s. wonder what happened to the trayvon martin thing. guess obama doesnt need it anymore. by the way, did you read that obama wants to block the military voting early in ohio?? seems they traditionally vote republican. how do you like obama’s respect for the military who make such sacrifices for their country….. obama will sue ohio if he doesnt get his way. what a fine fellow for the oval office. if that isnt ego I dont know what is….

        • http://profile.yahoo.com/OGP7XWYQI6HRNVAHIVVYWJSZGY michael

          Its people like you who think most americans suffer from amnesia! Obama came into office with this country in the tank! He has not been perfect,but i do think he has avoided a second great depression! Lets take a quick look at George W an the Cheney years, Two unnessary wars based on lies, 10,000 US soldiers dead, losing 750,000 a month, patriot act,thousands more wounded for life! Giving tax breaks to million airs an billion airs, George W was by far the worst president in my life time! He wasn’t president, he was a puppet of the neocons,I doubt if he could tie his own shoe laces. And the good news for is Mitt has surrounded himself by 70% of the same people under George W mostly neocons in addition to people like the Koch Bros and Sheldon Adelson.. Mitt will be another puppet! You vote for Mitt! I’ll stick with Obama, see i haven’t forgot those eight years under George W and Cheney. And by the way, can you tell what those two accomplish to make life better for all Americans? And not just a select few?

          • herbee

            shame on you. do you think for one minute that george bush wanted 911 to happen??? he had to take action and he did. just what do you think obama would have done….. aside from giving empty speeches. why even that fool jimmy carter would have done something even tho he hadnt a clue about foreign policy and screwed up with iran.

          • larry11

            That’s your response to Michael? (See what I did there…those capital letters I used?) Where do you get that Michael wanted 9/11 to happen? Please quote the exact sentence. F**************ck, you people are so friggin’ tedious.

          • herbee

            larry, are you eleven years old?

        • http://www.facebook.com/dominick.vila.1 Dominick Vila

          Let’s see, President Obama’s stimuus package, along with Bush’s TARP, helped prevent the economic collapse predicted by Bush in 2008, the GM and Chrysler bailout preventd the demise of the U.S. auto industry and tens of thousands of job losses, the appliance replacement and first time home buyer tax credits helped end the economic malaise that started in 2008, President Obama’s proposal to invest in infrastructure would have put thousands of Americans back to work and would have improved our competitive posture had it not been blocked by the GOP, his proposal to punish companies that outsource jobs and reward those that invest and create jobs in the USA would have ended the drainage of meaningful employment in the USA had it not been blocked by the GOP 2 weeks ago, and the list goes on. Since honesty is one of the most important attributed to look for in a president, you and everyone else should care about what Romney did during his tenure at Bain Capital and his refusal to release his tax returns. He may not be a crook, but his behavior at Bain was ruthless and his tax issue suggest, as a minimum, that even if he did not do anything illegal he was one of the famour 49% that according to the GOP have not been paying taxes and contribute to our malaise.

          • herbee

            america was built on capitalism and romney earned his money fair and square. and I am damn sure he pays his taxes, but obama will do anything, yes, anything to get re-elected. now he wants to block the military from voting early in ohio. something they always did. what do you think of that.. speaking of romney, he gave away an inheritance and went out to make his own fortune. he bought up companies in trouble and when he could, he fixed the situation and helped to create more jobs and when he couldnt people did lose their jobs, but he as well lost money. by the way, I am curious, what is your stand on israel. as you know, obama seems to have contempt for that country (the one democracy in the middle east). while speaking to sarkozy obama made unflattering remarks against netanyahu. pretty stupid of him to do that, dont you think and how about his crawling manner to medvedev for vladimir. respect for others is one of the most important attributes a president must have and I doubt that obama has that.

          • larry11

            Good grief…do you know what a capital letter is? You’d be comical if there weren’t so many ignorant morons like you out there.

          • herbee

            this isnt about my punctuation skills…………..is it?

          • http://www.facebook.com/people/Jonny-Dancer/100003939186029 Jonny Dancer

            A lot of misguided BS!

          • herbee

            thanks jonny. next time I dont want to reply to a question, I will use your comment instead.

          • http://profile.yahoo.com/WCKFUIDM5ZNNWYTIIPPVPVRHZA JohnD

            You asked “what exactly has obama done for america?” and Mr. Vila gave you a very precise rundown of only some of the President’s accomplishments. Your response is more vague, unverified talking points. Can you see the difference? Vila used facts, you use baseless vitriol. You look stupid trying to answer an educated response.

          • herbee

            romney is incapable of learning anything, he is an arrogant elitist accustomed to get his way. and you call this facts?????? pathetic.

          • herbee

            @John D: my impression of you is extremely unfavorable but I am not interested in calling you names.

          • http://profile.yahoo.com/WCKFUIDM5ZNNWYTIIPPVPVRHZA JohnD

            Obama has not attempted to “block the military from voting early in ohio” in any way, shape or form. He has attempted to expand the same privilege to all Ohio voters. Despite Romney’s abominable lies to the contrary, President Obama’s campaign filed a lawsuit a few weeks ago, asking a federal court to “restore in-person early voting for all Ohioans during the three days prior to Election Day.” You really need to do some actual investigation of events before making false claims spoon fed to you by Fox News.

          • herbee

            I googled it. you google it.

          • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000324737621 Sergio Robles

            Dumbanick, with all due respects….your a phuquen MORON!

        • kljohnsn63

          People in glass houses….? Birthers, “he’s a muslim…he’s a socialist”…. all the childish name calling that comes from the right wing, and you want to cry foul over Mitt being called a bully? Ok, seems a little hypocritical, but your perogative.
          1) “why isn’t obama focusing on the economy……?” Seems to me that is about all he has focused on while the GOP has focused on keeping gay couples from marrying and women from getting contraception. Try turning off fox news and get your information from a fair and balanced source.
          2)Who cares about Romney’s tax returns? I, for one, do. All his terrible policies aside (which are damning enough in and of themselves) I don’t want a man in the White House who’s resume includes raping weak companies and putting Americans out of work to line his own pockets while he does his best to dodge taxes rather than pay his fair share.
          3) “and what weird long game and vote suppression…..” Try turning off fox and look for fact based news.

          • herbee

            why is the obama campaign suing ohio in an effort to block early voting by the military? I don’t watch fox news (not part of my tv package) but I do watch cnn. cnn is one of the most biased news stations around, just look at roland martin bouncing up and down in his seat when he thinks a point has been scored against romney and how about the begala giggle when he talks about romney being a bully???

          • NutCutter

            ‘Who cares about Romney’s tax returns? ‘

            What a bunch of nonsense you wrote. On any form of the tax returns where do you list out the companies that you rape? Where do you list the numbers of people on those tax forms that you put out of work? Show me. Hell…show me in the tax code where you do that!

            Fair Share? There is nothing wrong with limiting your own tax liability within the tax code…no matter your social/economic standing. If he wasn’t doing this…then he would be pretty dumb. And you would like him if he paid more than he had to in taxes? BWAAAhaahaaaaa!!

            Most people don’t know the difference between an income statement and balance sheet…let alone know how to read them. I doubt most people have a real clue on tax return matters as well. You clearly fall in this category. Most of these screaming for those returns are just as worthless as you. I am fine if he never releases them.

            No matter what grandiose opinion you have of yourself…you are not smarter or know better than the IRS.

        • http://www.facebook.com/barbara.leavitt1 Barbara Leavitt

          He has tried. Republicans have blocked just about everything he has wanted to do for our country. Which has been from the very beginning their goal. Pitting Americans against one another. I WAS a life long Republican but no more. Right now there are 4 senators quitting because they are ashamed of what their party has been doing. Four Republican senators.

        • sircedrics16

          herbee , if you stop listing to fox,open your hateful eyes and ears you would know what the President has done and what he is trying to do
          for the Country.Now Congress has tried to Blocked every thing the
          President tried to do. I know that you read (if you can read)about
          the meeting the rup congressmen had planing to block any and every
          thing the President tried to do. And that is what they have done.
          So stop making statement that you know are not true. Just because
          you tell a lie about the President that does not change facts. facts are facts, so stop the HATING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

          • herbee

            by the way cnn is blaring that obama will be secretly arming the syrian rebels. er how is that secret…. and what about the white house leaks…….. if that isnt ego at its worse than I dont know what is. obama will do anything. anything to get re-elected.

          • herbee

            I thought I replied to you, but guess its not showing or got lost in the ether. anyhow, I dont listen to fox news, I watch cnn and completely disagree with most of them especially roland martin and that paul begala (the giggler). I hope that obama does not get another four years because it would be a disaster for the country. I think romney is a fine decent honest man and should be given a chance. oh yeah, and what do you think of obama intending to not allow early military voting in ohio…… thats how much he loves and respects the military who are willing to die for their country. by the way, if I dont see this comment, then I will know what this website is.

          • sircedrics16

            08/11/2012

            Herbee

            What have you been drinking, if you think Mitt Romney is a decent man you have to be HI on something.  He have off shore bank accounts so he dose not pay taxes to the Country that he say he love so much. DECENT, he refuse to submit his tax return as all other who ran for president.  I don’t know where you are getting you information from,but President Obama was not trying to stop early voting  for the Military. The President stated every one should have the same voting time. Don’t change facts because you make a false statement it does not change the fact.

          • herbee

            it may not be convenient for the military to have the same voting time so why change things. obama will do anything, no matter how low to stay in the white house. romney did submit the tax forms requested so why does he have to submit more. and what do you have against capitalism. america was founded on it. obama has millions salted away.

        • http://profile.yahoo.com/XZ6JM4XYM3WGT6XII54N6V7DR4 Sneider

          Before you talk about what Obama has done for the ecomony, ask yourself what have you done. The economy belongs to us all. It was easy for Bush to destroy the economy. You can destroy the house where you live in less than hour but it would take you months to rebild it. When you put hatred nad bias on the side you will understand what is going on in our country.

        • DurdyDawg

          Because you (well, maybe you , but) WE don’t want to replace a man who has only been accused of being a liar and a cheat for one who has been proven to be both. Tell me, why isn’t Mittens revealing his plans for the economy and how he’s going to ‘fix’ things rather than continually finding escape routes, rebutting his own words and telling us he will get to those issues once he becomes head clown????

          • herbee

            I cant wait for the debates to start. romney will talk and talk. I really dont expect much from obama.

          • DurdyDawg

            The only thing I expect from Obama is documentation of the things he’s accomplished, proof that the Rep congress stifled his progress at every intersection and set back and watch as Romney has to answer questions that he has refused to discuss up till then and if those questions don’t pertain to the interest of this Country (that is, if their fluff as they were during the Rep debates) then oust those idiots and replace them with real mediators.

    • http://www.facebook.com/elisabeth.gordon1 Elisabeth Gordon

      Dominick – I pray that you are correct, Sir.

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/RGOUPZ3JYNMPBVOHLZRCRVRD6Q ivory69690

    question when are the 98% of the ppl. see just what the anti-christ romney is leaning for ? anwser not the 98% of the ppl of the ppl. but just for the greedy bastard 2 %

  • old_blu

    He learned money only buys votes, it can not buy the love and respect of our allies.

  • jebediah123

    I know Romney is a useless self serving jerk and so do you——however, there are a lot of STUPID American voters that believe everything that Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck can throw at them. No matter that it is perfectly obvious to me and you that all major industrialized countries have some sort national health care systems, a good portion of American people believe that national health care is ABOMINAL SOCIALISM AND CREEPING COMMUNISM.

    Maybe they like the annual 15% rise in their insurance premiums. Do they understand that “OBAMACARE” is based on an original idea of the super conservative Heritage Foudation and Romney’s Massachusetts health care system?? No.

    As someone said —-”Never under estimate the stupidity of the American voter”. (Anon.)

    • daniel bostdorf

      “You can never underestimate the stupidity of the general public.”

      Scott Adams quotes (American Cartoonist, b.1957)

  • William Deutschlander

    Mitten is so smitten wth himself that nothing, nothing else matters, self centered arrogance at it’s peak.

    If Mitten truly had nothing that would be embarrassing at best, he would make his history of wealth extraction and the taxes required on that wealth extraction, available for scrutiny, just like every other candidate.

    Mitten is a pompous a-s!

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/OIWHIIHWEWBKKLVU4FQS3XQQKE Todd

    Why not just change the name from the National Memo the the Obama campaign propaganda arm? If you want, we can always brew up more of that Cool-Aid you have been drinking.

    • rustingdreams

      Todd. Instead of hurling insults, why don’t you state your opinion in a civilized manner? If it makes sense, people will listen. Your way just makes the other side dig in. Give it a try! Some compromise might even come of it.

    • sn77339

      We would like to hear from you what Mitt really meant when he praised Israel’s health care success, and why their model wouldn’t work for us.

      • DurdyDawg

        There.. Now do you understand?

        [click on pic to enlarge]

    • Joseph Hemphill

      toad, why don’t you stick to faux snooze, it seems to more in line with your limited intellect so you can be a robme bootlicker as you complain about the high cost of nascar and wwe tickets.

  • nomaster

    In looking at Willard the Rat man’s consistent show of how ignorant he really is, why do the American people select people like him for their leaders. Open mouth insert foot is not a virtue. He is gloriously wealthy and teases us poor, working folk, with every aspect of it, but is that real justification to have him as our president. He rates success as how much wealth you earned but is that really true for all? We are so content on listening to what others tell us and not seeking the real truth for ourselves, and often ending up with inefficient leaders. The idea of available health care for all is not socialist, its an attribute to our human nature as moral individuals or are we simply a self serviant few. Sometimes the bag of rats and tricks doesn’t provide the answer, or is it tricks and rats. Why do we insist on a for profit only medical industry instead of a concern for the wellness of individuals.

  • iriskern

    Romney’s arrogance is only matched by his ignorance. I would be embarrassed to have him representing the U.S. to the world.

    • http://www.facebook.com/mary.reilly.904 Mary Reilly

      Totally agree…Romney totally embarrassed himself on his trip to England, Israel and Poland…omg!!!! is that who we want representing us to the world:???? hi sooooo out of touch!

  • JSquercia

    Rachael Maddow asked what Mittens was thinking of when he saw that TRIBUTE to Britian’s TRULY Socialized Medicine

    • http://www.facebook.com/dominick.vila.1 Dominick Vila

      Oh No! They copied Romneycare!!! Seriously, I heard him take credit for the auto bailout yesterday. Romney and the Palinistas have no shame.

  • howa4x

    We are the only country in the world with a for profit health care system that is a national shame not model. We can’t even insure everyone and before the ACA between 40-50 thousand died every year due to lack of access and coverage. Romney knew that and the moderate one that was governor introduced a universal coverage system which in some part was based on Hillary care(ins exchanges) Now the ultra conservative Romney dosen’t care anymore whether people are covered of not and at the debates when that humanitarian Ron Paul said he would let people die if they didn’t have insurance, Romney stood silent and didn’t challange him. The conservatives of course were clapping. What is even more interesting is that the most conservative states are the fattest with the worst health outcomes. As their populations need more and more care their state budgets will burst. Then they will be begging the federal govt for aide. It will be more interesting if republicans are in control when they do. It will be called ideology meets reality.

    • NutCutter

      Insurance is not necessary for access to health care.

      • howa4x

        True, anyone can go to the emergency room for primary care, and if they don’t have insurance they won’t be turned away. the trouble is we the tax payers are on the hook for those costs which is the most expensive way to get care. the Public option is the most cost effecive way to deliver care like expanded medicare. We currently pay around 2.5 trillion for illness care and for that we are ranked 34th in the world in overall health of our population. We don’t have the best, just the most expensive.

        • NutCutter

          “we don’t have the best, just the most expensive’…I think you mean our education system.

          Free access to health care without the use of the emergency room has existed for quite a while through various government run clinics and/or Medicare. Maybe if the ‘poor’ abusers of the emergency room system who were qualified but not signed up or taking advantage of those existing free services were actually penalized for their abuse…it would have been greatly reduced with a little bit of time?

          One major problem with what we are being served is, once again, a large number of the people who are going to get to use it are disassociated with the actual cost. When you disassociate people with the real costs, then the costs go out of control.

          • howa4x

            No I don’t mean our educational system. I was on the Bd of a teaching hospital for 10 yrs and it’s our health care system that costs 2.5 trillion. There are 4 payers in the system, medicare for those over 65, medicaid for those under a fixed income level, this would be your very poor probably a welfare reciepient, insurance pay and private pay. There are a few clinics with expanded medicaid eligibility. The people who use the emergency room for primary care are the working poor who make too much for medicaid and are not covered by insurance. Most private doctors won’t see this population and few will take medicaid patients. Before the ACA the insurance companies were allowed to drop people for pre-existing conditions, or people they deemed high risk. Sometimes they would drop people after they had surgery and medical related was one of the major causes of personal bankrupcies. Now they are not allowed to use that practice.
            Health care cost so much because we have a for profit illness intervention system. Prior to the ACA the first 20 cents of every premium dollar went to wall st as profit and the next 45 went to runing the insurance companies. Last year the CEO of Cigna made 24 million in compensation. Now think of all those VP’s and directors. what did they make?. Think of the CEOs of all the companies and the lowest pay was 1 million dollars. Now lets talk about big Pharma. They realized a while back that they made more profit maintaining your illness than curing it. You can cure diabetes with diet and exercise, but big pharma will have you on Insullin for the rest of your life, and don’t forget the side effects that you need other drugs for. An amputation that happens with this disease , cost $150-200 thousand

            Lets take cancer for an example since the most profit by the doctors and pharma is made on this disease, because if the intensive care and the cost of the drugs. The war on cancer began with President Nixon, and since that time billions have been spent to find a cure.yet with most cancers the needle of how many were cured changed very little, but the profits of the drug companies soared. In fact the doctors don’t say you are cured rather that you went into remission. So interventions like radiation with very expensive equipment, cat scans that cost over 1 million to buy and 1,500 per visit are used extensively in this treatment. Chemo is used sometimes upwards of 5 yrs, especially with children, and don’t forget surgery. My mother died of cancer in 78 and her 1 week stay at the end of life cost $20,000 . Now think of it in todays dollars.. In fact most of the dollars spent in illness care are in the last year of a patients life. This is because we can’t have a national conversation on end of life issues with out the republicans calling them death panels.

            So this is why its so expensive. It’s not just the poor people driving up the cost of care, it’s all of us. Look around you at all the obese people you see. Now see them as potential health care expenditures for diabetes, and heart disease, and cancer. This is where the future cost factors are coming from. Think of all the people with cancer and heart disease that you know, and think of the cost to treat them.

            What do we get for all this money? To be ranked on overall health of our population 34th in the world behind Costa Rica

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Brian-Templeton/1520980869 Brian Templeton

    Mitt Romney should take a long trip to Japan. They have the lowest health care coverage per resident of any first nation status on this globe. The average lifespan there is significantly longer than here at home in the land of free enterprise health care, yet their cost per individual is only one fifth that it is here. The Japanese system is mandatory, government run and financed (i.e. socialist). Could he learn some lessons here on how to run a economical heath care system? I doubt it because there is not enough room for huge shareholder profits.

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/Y4RZ2U6A7BHLQIS2F5AEYDYI64 raymond

    If the repubs get in look out health care cost, they may lower taxs on the wealthy but look out middleclass you will be working for $8.00 hr. and paying it all to health care. The corporations and wealthy busness oweners do not need tax breaks to create jobs that is carzy economics. If a busness or corporation wants more money they invest in growing there busness if the goverment gives it to them why invest they make it on both ends it is time the American people woke up and realized the big corporations are not going to give you a dime they will take it from you and go to the bank laughing all the way. Stupid rich repulican politicians are deceving the Amearican People, you better start supporting the Unions again, this crap they are bringing in from overseas is junk.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_C3OPZSLXP74CQUTQFELMQOEBGU Festus

    Romney is like Palin with no clue as to governance. Educated folks like me & you, will not sell our voting right for a pot of pottridge. Romney is as clueless in anything to do with what it takes to rule this great Nation. Lets wait and see if the USA will continue as a vibrant world leader comes November. The world is waiting for that stupid mistake for the USA to ellect Romney as the president. Running the affairs of a Nation ( USA) of that magnitude, isnt how to manage a company? This is a man who knows little or nothing about what goes on in other part of the world as per; health , economy, defense, foreign policies, culture, welfare etc. Why cant Romney succeed BUSH, if he’s all that good ? This time around the REPUBLICANS has no clue about economy/ job creation. Sometimes, I just laugh, when the REPUBLICANS / TEA PARTY talks about economy & job. People , dont forget about what brought us into this mess, shortly after President Clinton? Give me a break!

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/65L7C73WPJXZZXAQOKB6OXY24M AZ85283

    I just wish some of this information would come out on Huffington Post and other main stream media as the GOP apologist would give us a laugh trying to “walk back” Romney’s comments. I wish the moderator of the debates would ask some of these questions and see what he says then. Romney is an arrogant rich man who feels it’s his right to be president and nobody has the right to deny him that, especially the stupid middle class. I just wonder how so many folks who like the think they are smart can actually fall for this foolishness. Apparently the deep, gut wrenching racism that white Americans have (yes even those who like to say I only disagree with Obama’s policies –sometimes the same policies Bush proposed but now they’re different) are racist to the core. People thought back in the 60′s if whites lived, worked and went to school with blacks racism would end, but sadly that is not the case. No one ever thought just how ingrained racism is as people run to elect a white man, who will cause them great personal harm. Then they will want the rest of us to help them because they didn’t know. I for one will let all of them sink and if some of them drown, oh well.

  • harrietbenjamin

    We need universal health care if we are to survive in a global universe. The countries we compete against for jobs don’t require the employer provide health care for the employee not do they have to abide by worker saftety issues or EPA rules.
    VA and Medicare are single payer health care why not make it available to all Americans? Don’t say it is because you don’t want to pay for illegials to be covered they all ready are…it is called emergency rooom health care.
    We are our own worst enemy.

  • daniel bostdorf

    The American people want factual analysis?
    Most do.

    But then again, there are some individuals who don’t. Just check out some of the anonymous sputterings of a few people who post here :-)

    There would be no Fox News or any other of these talk show demagogues on television or radio without uneducated people and “political leaders” propagandizing political agendas….made to look like “factual analysis.”

    All these media “rabble rousers” do is pander to the prejudices, emotions based on lies that feeds off the ignorance of the poorer and less-educated who in turn repeat them as “facts.”…all in the name of gaining power over their minds and their vote.

    Regarding the collective failure of the global media to ask the follow up questions Mr. Conason points out, I am reminded that the late Gore Vidal responded to a question from David Barsamian, in the August 2006 issue of The Progressive about the media that is also remarkably true today:

    “Q: When were the media better?

    Vidal: They’ve never been much good. They belong to the people who own them. But they were better, the level was higher. There used to be foreign correspondents in other countries. There’s nobody abroad now. The New York Times gave up being anything except a kind of shadow of The Wall Street Journal. The Washington Post is the court circular. What has the emperor done today? And who will be the under-assistant of the secretary of agriculture? As though these things mattered.”

    Even if the current media were capable of asking these “follow up” questions Mr. Conason lists, there is no possible way that Romney (or any of his advisors) is capable of answering.

    Unless, of course, it is “kiss my ass.!”

    • Gammaanya

      You got it buddy. Bravo.

  • daniel bostdorf

    Thank you to Mr. Conason’s “The National memo.” Finally, some reality based factual opinions.

  • daniel bostdorf

    In reponse to poster below-apology to all.

  • alansnipes

    Is our candidate learning?

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/ETBBXYQWWMXL56CNG4HC3B6VWQ Robert Gat

    Hope voters will remember Romney arogant stupidity.

  • Gammaanya

    Excuse me. Socialism is a dirty word for Republicans and some of you , because you don’t understand what Socialism means ,is or what it stands for. I keep saying that SS, Medicare , Public Ed and now ACA ARE SOCIALISTIC PROGRAMS. They were created because private sector was not willing to do anything for those who no longer can work or for whatever reason, disabled Veterans, can not work or pay for ed etc, etc. People you voted these idiots in, now you see the consequences of you gullibility. Now you are under communism – almost. Under Bush they could listen to your phone conversations etc, they can check you out, etc, etc, now they supress your vote (I am from ex communist country and my vote was never suppressed) and they asking for some ridiculous documents to prove who you are. What happened to common sense, logic and constitutional right to vote if you are legal citizens or naturalized (like me). They spinning that illegals vote – THEY DO NOT. Only by Faux News, Rushie, Hannity and other idiots saying that they do. NOT.
    Use your common sense and get educated. Robmeofmoney is a dud, idiot. Any smart businessman if offerred 10 to one offer he would jump at the chance, shake your hand and signed on dotted line. Romney and others did not have a clue what that meant. Nor some of you. It’s easy to just repeat what Faux News say and stick to it. I have ocean view property for sale in Yuma. Az. Cheap.
    People do not use God given common sense – became too lazy to think. How many people fell for the lottery scam that they won?? How can you win somethig when you never enter it any lottery???? Duh. Vote for Romney and P. Ryan is a demise of USA. Will be sold to the highest bidder.
    Did some of you EVER thought WHY the very rich donate all these millions to one man and why a man who makes 25M + wants a job that pays 400K and all this scrutiny, and dirty laundry. POWER AND GREED. The rich will get best ROI from him, and YOU will pay for it as we all do now. NOBODY INVEST money for not getting better return. Rich people do not believe in charity or even God. Money is their GOD. Sorry to say but most people vote against their selfinterest and benefit. The rich know it and they USE IT that lack of knowledge, laziness and gullibility and the wanna be trickle down to me money. It’s not going to be. Stop and THINK.THINK,THINK.
    From the whole bunch of runners for the GOP Nom they picked the weakest, most easily manipulated and desperately wanted to be POTUS IDIOT. I take Obama ANY TIME over this MUTT. He doesn’t know what he stands for, each minute is a different answer. He march to so many drummers that he lost the rythm. Go, have a salad with pepper spray for flavor – it’s delicious per Faux News bimbo.

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/Y6AZZ7QYZCD6IC6H5JVAJ5OS6I El Duran

    You are all a bunch of welfare cases that think only social programs can make you survive, I am a naturalized citizen, came from Mexico 12 years ago, with NO ENGLISH, no high school and I was washing dishes for a living. Never needed anything except the education provided by my local community college. I did struggled because of my new immigrant status I could not request government assistance, but even like that I was able to get my family trough difficult times, if it wasn’t for that and I would it got Section 8 and food stamps, I would be doing the same.

    Years later, I have a BS in Business Administration, I work for one of the main oilfield services provider in the US, and I am one of the main Buyer for the International Global Sourcing department. I do travel all over the world developing supplier for the supply chain, and I can provide a good living for my family. I can not be more sure when I say this, STRUGGLE made me try harder, and put more effort in my daily jobs, I kept moving up due to my dedication and performance, but I only did it because I knew in my heart that nothing was going to be given to me.

    Please people, let people learn to be dependent on themselves, unlimited founding for education, but please let’s limit those programs like food stamps and medicaid. WHY IN EARTH would a person that doesn’t work have better health care than me??? I wake up at 6:30 each morning, and now I am waiting for my dental benefits to restart at the beginning of the year to fix a tooth, not for a Medicaid recipient, they get ALL FREE.

    E-mail me please to answer that question.

    carluchi99@gmail dot com

    • ClydeMcWhorter

      doesn’t Mexico have Universal health care? They used to have free educaion, but dropped it a few years back. Why don’t you go back to Mexico If you hate the USA so much?

      Why doesn’t Mit Romney denounce His Mexican Citizenship? Have you denounced your Mexican citizenship??

  • herbee

    I know that obama is a useless self serving jerk and so do you and I just love the way you focus in on romney. have you heard joe biden speak by any chance or do you suddenly find that your hearing has gone when he sticks both feet down his throat. have you perchance heard any of obama’s gaffes or did you suddenly have a fade out while he was talking???? I don’t think obama is capable of learning anything and all he can do is blame george bush – over and over.

    • ClydeMcWhorter

      blam e goes where Blame goes. 2 unfunded wars of agressiom $10- $15 trillion in Debt, GW sure was to Blame for the shi* hole the USA is in.

      • herbee

        how would obama have handled 911…

  • herbee

    joe conason: and just what did obama learn in his four years in office…..

    • DurdyDawg

      He learned he can’t do a damn thing with all those T-peers and neocons in the way.. Get rid of those dildos and he’ll show you what he can do.

      • herbee

        well, I cant change your opinion and you cant change mine. but by golly, I sure hope obama loses.

        • DurdyDawg

          Then, good luck to you.

        • ClydeMcWhorter

          hope in one hand and sh** in the other, and see which one fills up first!

          • herbee

            I dont know you clever boy, why don’t you tell me. by the way your comment is hilarious.

    • ClydeMcWhorter

      1 thing he learned was you can not compromize with the GOP, The leaders will work out a deal, then will not deliver. And he learned that bending over backwards to negoiate and kiss their asses did nothing, and the Repubs are out make sure that he was a one term pres. Even if they tank the economy,

      • herbee

        if obama doesnt come back, then for sure the economy wont tank. it will improve.

  • joyscarbo

    Romney is the perverbial pig of the republican party that is dressed up with lipstick…but the fact remains that he is just a pig. Now the whole world knows exactly what kind of pig too.

    DISCLAIMER: I want to apologize to any actual pigs, hogs or swine who are offended by being compared to Willard Mitt Romney.

    Seriously…republicans need to fix their damned party. I recall when there were some very respected republican leaders who represented Americans who expressed their views along side democrats. Although their ideologies differ, they worked together to better the American people. They had intellegent debates. They won some and lost some. Those are leaders have left the party for radical necons, tea party and the religious extreme right.

  • http://www.facebook.com/fern.woodfork Fern Woodfork

    He Learned That They Don’t Like Him Any Better Overseas As They Do Here!! Only Thing He Got Going for Him Is MONEY!!

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1497214620 Billie Molder

    I would rather believe what they throw at us than vote for the most useless slug that has ever run for office. He opens his mouth and it’s a lie. If it weren’t for the Navy Seals (their efforts) his entire term in office would have been a waste. We will never crawl out of the hole that piece of scum has buried us in and he wants all power and prestige to be his. Too many unanswered questions on his side and hiring people who have openly broken the law to oversee departments in his administration is totally juvenile. He is not fit to run our country and he needs to go home…………wherever that is. If it’s Chicago…..I feel sorry for them but he a Rham out to have some really good times reliving the way they have taken our great country to the rim of a great fall.

    • ClydeMcWhorter

      Yes, I agree with you 100%! That rotten no good SOB, draft dodgeing, deserter in time of war, war criminal, and convicted criminal should should be turned over to world court and tried for war crimes, given fair trial and then hung . Along with his VP dickhead Chenney and the rest of his cabinet of convicted felons.GW has to be the worst bastard ever appointed to the presidency. 3 unfunded wars of agression, 10 -15 trillion indebt, war profiteering, hunderds of thousand civillians killed. cheney got $30,000,000.00 from halliburtan, Brown & rat “lost”over $69,000,000.00 that has never been recovered. we need to fine the greedy bastards and get back the money from, one way or another, even
      ‘
      if we need to water board them.

  • joceandre

    Mitt Romney went to Europe , He had such verbal diarrhea that not even Kaopectate and Immodium combined could not do anything for. I think when this man was born ,his formula of choice was milk of magnesia, no wonder why he is always going on himself.

  • http://www.facebook.com/fern.woodfork Fern Woodfork

    You Must be Talking About Mitt Romney I Agree Every Time He Open His Mouth A Lie Fly Out And Yes With Him And His 2% So Called Businessmen has Been Shipping Jobs Out Of The USA For A Long Time Now And Also The GOP/Tea Party American Taliban is The One Who’s Making The Mess Bush Left Behind WORST!!!! That Is The Reason Why All Of The Smart And Intelligent Will Never Vote For Mitt Romney Nor Any Of His American Taliban Members They Are Just Low Life Country And People Destroying ASSHOLES!!!

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_SCXW47YILWBQ444CKL5IGEKAPU Rev Jim

    Slick Mitt Rmoney, a pinwheel spinning in the wind.

  • larry11

    You do realize Obama is not trying block early voting, right? Riiiiight? If you paid attention and quit stuffing your ignorant face hole with Cheetos and Chik Fil A crap you’d notice that he’s trying to set the early voting period the same for eveybody, you ignorant POS>

  • larry11

    Are you willfully stupid, or just accidentally? If you’d put down your Chik Fil A hate sandwhich for a sec, you might realize that they’re jut trying to make the early voting period the same for everyone.

  • larry11

    HE IS NOT BLOCKING EARLY VOTING FOR THE MILITARY, YOU TWIT.

  • http://www.facebook.com/suzanne.levinson1 Suzanne Levinson

    Me to Romney: Kiss My Ass.

  • cmc1026

    You just keep getting dumber.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_EQ5LTH2XTZCVP7G4FGK6Z2YTJE ignore the facts

    The man is clueless and he shows it everyday. BUT, and the big BUT is, he’s dangerous to us all. And Ryan is the worst possbile person to have in the VP spot. If ou care even a little about your rights, your ability to afford to even live in this country, DO NOT VOTE FOR THESE IDIOTS. It’s the most scary situation I’ve ever seen in the USA. Get out there and vote, and especially you women, because your rights are under attack. Look at the stupid stetes like MISS, ALA, etc. and see what they do to women.