The Not-So-Hidden Obama Agenda

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The Not-So-Hidden Obama Agenda

October 22nd, 2012 12:00 am E. J. Dionne

WASHINGTON — Everywhere you turn, President Obama is accused of not offering a clear second-term agenda. It’s not surprising that Republicans say it, but you also hear it from quarters sympathetic to the president.

But how true is the charge?

The president does lack a crisp, here’s-my-plan set of soundbites. What’s less obvious is whether this should matter to anyone. Mitt Romney’s own five-point plan sounds good, but is quite vague and, upon inspection, looks rather like five-point plans issued by earlier Republican presidential candidates. Moreover, Romney has been resolutely unspecific about his tax plans, leading to the understandable suspicion that he’s hiding something politically unsavory, either in the popular deductions he’d have to slash or in the programs he’d have to get rid of.

Obama, by contrast, has been far more straightforward about what he would do about the deficit: He wants a budget deal that includes both spending cuts and tax increases. He has put forward rather detailed deficit-reduction proposals. The centerpiece is a plan that, when combined with cuts made in 2011, would reduce the deficit by $3.8 trillion over a decade, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Obama keeps insisting (rightly) that no deal can work without new revenue, and he is upfront that he’d begin by raising taxes on Americans earning over $250,000 a year.

Some deficit hawks argue that Obama’s tax increases are not broad enough. Others are looking for steeper Medicare and Social Security cuts than Obama is willing to endorse. Many progressives, in turn, want fewer cuts and favor additional tax increases on the very wealthy. Before signing off on deeper program reductions, progressives should consider the efforts of Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), to counter all the proposals to cut tax rates. She has suggested five new, higher rates on incomes ranging from $1 million to $1 billion or more a year. The capital gains tax also needs to rise. Low levies on capital gains, the reason Romney paid so little tax on his $20.9 million income, raise problems for both fiscal balance and equity.

But these are responses to what Obama has actually proposed. To disagree with some of Obama’s specifics is to acknowledge that the specifics exist.

Some dismiss what an Obama second term might achieve by claiming that it will be mainly concerned with consolidating his first-term accomplishments. If these had been trivial, that might be a legitimate criticism. But does anyone seriously believe that implementing a massive new health insurance program that will cover an additional 30 million Americans is unimportant? Can anyone argue that translating the Dodd-Frank Wall Street reforms into workable regulations is a minor undertaking?

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Tags: 2012 campaign, Barack Obama, E.J. Dionne, Immigration, infrastructure, taxes

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

The President has articulated his vision of what is needed to strengthen the economy, create more jobs, and improve our standard of living in a comprehensive and clear way, but using a style that challenges the ability of those who prefer a simple format to understand it.
I live in Florida where we are being bombarded with TV and radio ads, flyers, road signs, car stickers and every form of advertising not only to promote Romney as a candidate, but to demonize President Obama, the man and his policies. The most poignant and, sadly, the most effective are those directed at seniors, who constitute over 1/3 of the population of the state. A plurality of seniors in Florida are now convinced that President Obama is intent on destroying MEDICARE because of the $716B savings that, ironically, may save MEDICARE from bankruptcy. The most amazing part of this issue is that they are convinced the people who plan to dismantle MEDICARE and privatize Social Security are the ones determined to save and strengthen those programs. Forget amnesia, this looks more like lobotomies at a grand scale!

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=772817213 Karen Tindle

Hello Dominick,

I live in California so we don’t see many commercials about each candidate. Do you think that the people of Florida believe these dishonest ads? Are there people that try to explain lets say to the seniors that President Obama is not the one they should worry about. I feel for you as it must sicken you to see the ads that are pure lies.

Let us hope that the truth prevails!

Karen

BDD1951

We don’t get many of those ads here in Texas either. But I spent time in Colorado this summer and Romney ads were running non stop. Very few for our President. But Co. runs political ads year round even if it’s not an election year. We just started watching cable channels except for Jeopardy, WOF. and local news.
PBS was interesting. HGTV and Food channel became our favorites.

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

We watch HGTV every day.

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

The political ads I referred to air mostly in battleground states, and Florida with its 29 electoral votes, is the big enchilada that could determine, once again, who will win or lose the election. Democrats are also airing political ads, but they are not resonating as well the as Republicans, probably because the GOP was allowed to demonize and distort facts with impunity for so long that their opinions have by now become facts in the minds of many. Our ads indicate, correctly, that the MEDICARE savings will be achieved through better control of service provider and insurance company claims, and that those elements of the healthcare system agreed to reduced billing in exchange for the increase in insurance company membership brought about as a result of the Obamacare mandate. Not to mention the savings hospitals will realize as a result of not having to provide free Republican SOCIALIST emergency medical care. The irony is that the MEDICARE savings will help keep the program solvent without reduction in benefits, that retiree benefits are being expanded, including lower RX copays, free screenings, and the elimination of the nefarious donut hole. The latter will save seniors with major medical expenses a couple of thousand dollars a year.
Believing that people who promised – in writing – that they plan to privatize SS and dismantle MEDICARE are suddenly in favor of supporting those programs takes a huge leap of faith. But as improbable as that conclusion may seem to those with an ability to think rationally, that is exactly what is happening.
Hopefully there are enough intelligent Democrats in South Florida to offset what is happening in North Florida, the Panhandle, and parts of Central Florida. I would not be surprised if similar tactics are being used in Virginia, Colorado and other states considered tossups.

FredAppell

Dominick, I don’t pay any attention to the adds in my state even those that I intend to vote for because they are laden with lies. Also it amazes me that a thirty second ad on t.v. is the only information many Americans receive on candidates and issues. Both parties are equally at fault but people really need to learn to be more engaged because their lives may depend on it.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Ralph-Lackey/100001785091603 Ralph Lackey

Livelihood maybe, “their lives” is a bit of a stretch, don’t you think?
FredAppell

I stand corrected, thank you.
http://www.facebook.com/gerald.larey Gerald Larey

When you are a senior, within reach of Medicare by about 5 years…and not enough income to afford current health insurance premiums (until Obamacare kicks in completely) and after losing it all in the recession IT IS a matter of life and/or death…I know…I am one…and there are millions just like me.

grammyjill

A lady in Mass. wrote a report on Romney as governor of her state and sent it to newspapers in the battleground states. Hopefully it will get printed and many will read it.

neece00

I live in the bible belt and we see no commercials although, I would like to think that my vote will count.

elw

It does, every vote counts
http://www.facebook.com/people/Charlie-Davenport/100001395163468 Charlie Davenport

Your vote counts in local and state elections, for US congressmen and senators. You will be amazed to learn how your local officials mismanage your money. US congressmen have a profound influence on national policy.

elw

Presidential candidates do not bother with States like ours, we will go Democratic. No toss up here. Here it is the local votes for Congressional representatives that will count most for the President. The President will get all the Electoral College votes for President that come from California, but he will also get whatever Republican congressperson or senator we send to Washington. So I am hoping, both in this State and others, many Republicans lose their seats in both the House and Senate and the President gets at least enough new Democratic seats to make it impossible for the Republicans to get the 60 vote majority they need to filibuster.
http://profile.yahoo.com/VZIHVXZSOR4LBQND2HPA3PPKUY Howard

Karen, I live in Florida. Fox News is on in practically every privately owned convenience store and barber shop. I give the truth a 40% chance — pretty good odds down here, but I am an optimist.

http://www.facebook.com/maggie.croft.92 Maggie Croft

Howard, I live in Idaho, and I’m beginning to think there is a law that says Faux news has to be on every public television excpet for the sports restaurants.

My husband’s eye doctor’s office had faux news up so loud that it gave me a headache and I was forced to listen to that dipstick, beck.

BDD1951

We’re going to miss you while you’re in the hospital. You write things so much sensibly than most of us.

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

There are plenty of Democrats on this website to keep the few Republicans that show their face in this forum honest.

neece00

But nobody says it quite like you

http://www.facebook.com/verna.pedersen.16 Verna Pedersen

I agree with all you people that Dominick Vila writes so clearly and correctly that I read these posts just so I can become more politically informed. He needs to run for office.

montanabill

Articulating a vision takes more than mouthing platitudes. Create jobs? Sure, but since the President has never created a private sector job or even worked in the private sector, what does he know about it? He certainly hasn’t learned anything about it in the last four years.
His budget plan is for increasing taxes on the rich and cutting…cutting what?
Every single analyst and anyone who can do just a little math, knows that ‘tax the rich’ dogma is simply class warfare and would do more harm than good. If the President presented a real plan for significantly cutting spending and then tied it to a legitimate tax increase plan, then he would have some credibility. But he knows his base and the mention of cutting a single dollar from a welfare, entitlement or social program would send them into apoplexy.
Remember, we now have a new healthcare program sold to help 13 million (give or take 5 or 10 million) get healthcare insurance, at the cost of more taxes, higher insurance costs and a smaller provider base for the rest of us, 370 million people.
What’s the President’s plan for saving SS and Medicare? Tax the rich. What’s the President’s plan for more jobs? Tax the rich. What’s the President’s plan for reducing the the deficit? Tax the rich. What’s the President’s plan for reducing the debt? Tax the rich. What’s the President’s plan for creating green energy? Tax the rich.

http://www.facebook.com/maggie.croft.92 Maggie Croft

Montana, you got that one right. Abstracts do not tell us the plans step by step. Five point plan? Hmmm, what are the five points?

neece00

We never did hear what the 5 point plan was
montanabill

Part one of Mitt’s plan is to achieve energy independence on this continent by 2020. America is blessed with extraordinary natural resources, and developing them will create millions of good jobs – not only in the energy industry, but also in industries like manufacturing that will benefit from more energy at lower prices. America’s economy will boom when the billions of dollars we send overseas for our oil are kept here at home instead.

Part two of the plan is trade that works for America. Mitt believes that trade can offer enormous opportunities for American businesses and workers, but only if they are given a level playing field on which they can compete and win. That is why he will work to open new markets for American goods and services, while also confronting nations like China that cheat on trade and steal American jobs.

Part three is to provide Americans with the skills to succeed through better public schools, better access to higher education, and better retraining programs that help to match unemployed workers with real-world job opportunities.

Part four is to cut the deficit, reducing the size of government and getting the national debt under control so that America remains a place where businesses want to open up shop and hire.

Finally, part five of Mitt’s plan is to champion small business. Small businesses are the engine of job creation in this country, but they will struggle to succeed if taxes and regulations are too burdensome or if a government in Washington does its best to stifle them. Mitt will pursue comprehensive tax reform that lowers tax rates for all Americans, and he will cut back on the red tape that drives up costs and discourages hiring.

I suspect you would like to have several pages of details just so you won’t be able to say, ‘there’s no details’, but these five points not only outline the plan but provide goals. However, when you remember that Obama was elected on ‘HOPE’ and “CHANGE’, a cry for more details from Romney by those who voted for Obama is a bit hypocritical. Especially when the President is still running on planks like, ‘tax the rich’, ‘community payment for birth control’ and ‘more of the same’.

grammyjill

Lets start with one: The President has already doubled our oil and gas drilling, and it ALL stays here! Two: The President has already DOUBLED our exports. Three: The President is the education guy. Romney wants to do away with the education dept. That is the dept that handles student loans and pell grants. He said that if you want to go to college get a loan from your parents. Four: The President has already reduced the deficit. Not by much yet, but since he’s had NO help from congress, he’s doing what he can. Five: The President has already given 18 tax cuts to SMALL businesses.
Face it… you got nothing. It’s already been done. And by someone who actually tells the truth!
ALLLLAMERICAN

YOUR INFORMATION IS ALLLLL WRONG!!!!!!!!!
http://www.facebook.com/joel.sorenson.9 Joel Sorenson

YOU ARE ALLLLLLLLLLL IDIOT
montanabill

Sorry grammy, the President did no such thing. Private companies on their own land increased drilling. It is a start, but not enough for energy independence. The only export Obama has doubled is jobs. Look it up.
The education guy hasn’t done one single measurable thing toward improving education. He has increased the free food kids get and throw away. You stated the exact opposite of what Romney has said. Romney has also indicated that he wants money to go toward better preparation of teachers, not buildings and administrators or union goodies.
The President has NOT reduced his own deficit by any significant amount and is on course to continue his rate of deficit for the next four years, from $16 trillion now to $20 trillion according to Office of Management and Budgets.
I’m a small businessman. Show me those fantastic tax cuts! If I could find them, I could probably do better by using cheaper paper in the copiers.
Someone who actually tells the truth…like Libya?
http://profile.yahoo.com/HFYZP2APYPP7H6PWS2ZDQRWFEQ Hillbilly

One of the people that is exporting jobs is your hero Romney. He and his partners are sending 200 American jobs from a high tech plant in Indiana to China at the end of December. The workers at the plant had to teach the Chinese who were taking their jobs or they would not get servance pay. Another fact about your hero and his partners while the Chinese was being trained the plant could not fly the American Flag like it had done since the plant opened. All Romney has said about improving in this Country is nothing. No matter who ask or how often he and Ryan are asked what are their specific plans for the Country and all they get for an answer is a run around answer, in other words they don’t answer so how can you say you know what their plans are. I have heard both of them giving speeches and answering questions and have never heard either one give a speech that says what they plan for the Country if elected nor have any of their answers said what their plans are or even if they have one. You say you are a small business owner, if you are did you let the Republicans know that you didn’t like it when they blocked a bill that would give you money instead paying the moving expenses of companies that are moving jobs overseas. A bill that was put is place when Bush 2 and Republicans were in Control that rewarded businesses for moving jobs out of the country by paying their moving expenses.
montanabill

Do a little research on FactCheck.
http://www.facebook.com/maggie.croft.92 Maggie Croft

Grammy, some of the referendem items, in my state, looks like they are going to privatize education. Romney did say they would give stipends to private schools. This is a shame. It is taking money away from the public schools. They are going to make Medicare a voucher program and that is privatizing Medicare. They want to privatize Social Security. They want to take Medicaid out of Federal hands.
they have already privatized prisons in many states.

I bet the corporations are salivating and they are already giving obscene amounts of money to their benefactor candidates.
Peoples425

1. Energy Independence – Romney says he championed coal yet closed coal plants; He has flipped his position on so many issues this one time is almost irrelevant. He has laid no plan in which to make any energy independence possible. As far as Oil goes, Production has gone up over the course of the Obama Administration (This is according to facts) as opposed to the Bush Administration where overall direction was down.

2. Trade – Mitt cracking down on cheaters in trade is like Bush cracking down on Oil companies (not happening). As we speak there is a plan in Freeport, IL where 170 jobs are being shipped to China through a company that has the employees training their replacements. Guess who’s heading this up? Bain Capital… there was another commentator who spoke of a company that is shipping them there through Indiana. Given these circumstances, expecting Mitt to toughen on China is a slim chance at best.

3. Education – How can we expect Mitt and Paul to help Americans get better access to education at all if they are looking to end, or at the very least drastically reduce Pell Grants and teachers (Look up the Wisconsin speech that Romney made). So looking at this, there’s little way that education is going to be made accessible to anyone at this point.

4. Deficit – This has got to be one of thee most argued points among the GOP, but what they don’t say is it was their policies that contributed to much of what the deficit and debt amounted to. Given this line of reasoning, what is it that policies of the past are supposed to do in order to reduce said deficit? Moving along… let’s not forget the fact that the tax reduction (additional to Bush tax cuts) does not add up with the loophole closures, not to mention the additional military funding that is not necessary.

5. Small Business – Sorry again on this one… Mitt’s policies actually do little, if anything, to help champion small business. President Obama’s policies have in fact created more small businesses in this four years than were created while Mitt was Governor of Mass.

These “details” you have listed are talking points at best and rhetoric that has been perpetuated through the GOP. What really gets me in the large part is that each and every one of these statistics and plans that are “detailed” are assuming 8-10 years of republican policy. This is actually interesting considering the last 8-10 years of republican policy has done nothing but hurt this country. If Mitt is already asking for two terms and half of someone else’s, there’s nothing wrong with giving POTUS Obama a chance to see what his policies will do considering the positive effect that he has had thus far. I have a feeling that your argument in response will include much of a disagreement of facts and I already know how that will continue. Given the details of Romney’s plan and the proven fact that he’s backed by hundreds of millions from corporations and a liar, it is simply foolish to believe that he would care about the “middle class american” and chances are very high we would end up with more debt and more in bed with China than we already are.
montanabill

Half truths, the currency of the left.
1. He shut down Salem Harbor because the emissions from the plant were tested many times and it was deemed unsafe. Oil production is up on private lands and down on government controlled lands. The latter part is the only part Obama had any hand in.
2. Sensata Technologies is run by Bain, but Romney no longer makes decisions for Bain. It is unfortunate, but jobs belong to the company that creates them. Companies exist for one reason: profit. If a company can make more profit by moving, most likely it will. That is a hard truth, but it will always be a truth.
3. Romney has said he won’t cut Pell grants. Teacher hiring/firing/pay is the province of the states and localities, not the federal government.
4. Tax Policy has revised their original position that Romney’s tax plan won’t work.
5. I suspect you may be right that Obama’s policies have created some small business. When people are out of work and out of benefits, they tend to get creative.
Peoples425

1. This is exactly what makes his claim about ‘clean coal’ humorous. Oil production is up on private lands, but down only this year on government land, but overall up on Government land during the Obama administration.
2. Sensata tech is being managed by Bain in this outsourcing move. Companies exist for actually two reasons, providing a product and/or service and making a profit to remain sustainable. Segue into the making a profit by moving, this is the case of many companies including the way that Romney managed Bain and yet claims no knowledge of benefits of moving jobs overseas. What makes this more curious though is that Romney continues to claim no active participation within Bain, yet and still collects benefits and ‘active losses’ as opposed to ‘passive losses’ that are taxed at a higher rate. So how is you are not participating, but yet collecting benefits as ‘active losses’? Sidenote: if your trust is being managed by a company that you used to run, there is likely little chance that you are going to be left out of the plans of the company.
3. Romney has said a lot of things and then said other things that contradict those previous things then contradicted himself again his claims are fairly less than credible at this point. The province of localities is affected largely by the legislation of federal government.
4. And this is supposed to make me believe that the tax plan that Romney/Ryan introduced is supposed to work now because someone changed their mind? Nothing has changed in the plan and the mathematics do not add up.
5. The policies that were referenced were the tax relief and the affordable insurance policies for small businesses that have been largely misrepresented within media.
montanabill

1. There is a large difference between an unsafe coal operation and a safe one. Oil production is not up on public land. Politfact confirms it fell 14% last year.
2. Companies do not exist to produce or provide a product that is simply the means to reach their goal of making money. Re: blind trusts. By law, you must be left out.
3. I won’t disagree that Romney has said a lot of different things if you will also agree that Obama has done his fair share as well.
Federal government legislation: Agreed and its time to scale it back.
4. I doubt that you have done the math.
5. Policies of tax relief and affordable insurance have been largely misrepresented to me, the small business owner.
Peoples425

1. Very true, however the safety regulations within coal production are stringent owed to the results of the environmental effects they have. Politifact also confirms that the number that is being quoted is cherry picked because the two years before that, the production has been up 13% and 10% therefore establishing an upward trend throughout the administration.
2. Companies exist to provide that product or service to produce profit, that is the essential causality argument. Blind trusts, you are meant to be left out, however concerning the money that has been made and lost through the trusts has been in conflict with said law as I mentioned with ‘active’ versus ‘passive’ losses.
3. True, there’s been a lot of misquotes and oversimplifications, however even Politifact acknowledges that percentage wise, Romney has been doing more of this.
Legislation: This varies and usually depends on the department in which are referenced.
4. Doubt what you will, doesn’t make it true.
20% tax break over the first term would produce a deficit hole bigger than that of the loophole closures that would fix therefore would not help any financial progress in that matter.
5. Considering I do not know what small business that you represent there is no argument that I can offer in terms of this particular subject.
montanabill

1. But down 14% last year.
2. General Accepted Accounting principles (accounting goobledy gook) dictate how income is reported, not how it actually happened.
3. I would argue that point.
4. Doesn’t make it untrue, either.
5. I own and operate 3 small and one medium sized business.
Peoples425

1. Your point isn’t validated by this remark
2. Given this logic, reported income or reported trusts doesn’t necessarily implicate that someone is or isn’t involved.
3. Apparently not considering no point has been made.
4. No, it doesn’t, but you have no evidence in either direction.
5. Sounds good. Any particular industry?
http://www.facebook.com/maggie.croft.92 Maggie Croft

There is no such thing as clean coal.
Peoples425

Which is why I made the comment that it was humorous that Mitt put the two words “clean” and “coal” together in an effort to make people think there is a such thing as clean coal.
Dave_dido

Wow, Bill, talk about mouthing platitudes! I’d say Romney takes the cake. Don’t try to squirm out of it by telling us that this is just an outline. Fact is there are no details and you know it. Romney won’t even name one tax loophole that he intends to close. And your reference to PRESIDENT Obama’s battlecries is a total nonsequitur which has nothing to do with Pres Obama’s plans back then or now.
Oh, and by the way, Romney’s 5-pt plan is almost exactly the same as was George W. Bush’s.
Now about taxing the wealthy and “class warfare”.The wealthy are paying the lowest taxes ever in the U.S.. Your people always say they want their old America back, so we’d like to give it back to them: let’s give them the same tax rates they paid back in the 50′s or 60′s or 70′s. Or would you prefer the tax rates of the 80′s or the 90′s? They were all much higher than today’s and that’s why we didn’t have the huge debt back then. Even the Republicans of that era were smart enough to know that a country needs revenue and the wealthy are the ones who hold all the wealth. You can’t raise taxes on the poor and middle class anymore because they don’t have any money- the wealthy have managed to garner it all.
Class warfare comes from social injustice. Read the Old and the New Testaments and see if the finger ever gets pointed at the poor. It doesn’t. The finger always gets pointed at the wealthy. It’s their greed and hunger for power that creates conditions that give rise to class warfare.
montanabill

I’ll give you the details of Romney’s tax loopholes when you give a list of what spending cuts Obama is promising to make to go with his tax increases.

FYI: Prior to 1862, the wealthy didn’t pay any income taxes. When the graduated income tax was put into effect, those making $10,000 (about $220,000 today) were taxed at the astounding rate of 5%. So your ‘lowest taxes’ statement is just a little off.

When the wealthy were paying higher tax rates, their contribution was only about 60% of the total. Now they are paying 70%. Wouldn’t you like everyone to go back to their ‘fair share’? When you are talking about the ‘old tax rates’, are you referring to the top tax rate or the ‘effective’ tax rate? There was a huge difference.

You are right about not raising taxes on the poor, but the middle class also got ‘tax breaks’. The reason they don’t have money is because of the economy. The rich, who don’t depend on working, are more able to cope. If you want to see more equity return, fire Obama and let the economy come back.

Suppose you explain exactly how taxing the rich more will do anything at all for the poor and middle classes?

Another FYI: The Old and New Testaments were generally written by poor people. Who do think they are going to point the finger at? There are also plenty of instances where the upper class is not maligned.
Dave_dido

Thanks for doing the research to prove my point. You had to go all the way back to 1862 to find lower tax rates for the wealthy. I didn’t think I would have to qualify my statement by saying that I was talking about taxes in modern times. You simply cannot compare the world of 1862 to todays world and I think you know that.
When you say the Scriptures were written by poor people you don’t know what you are talking about. Poor people in those days couldn’t even read or write.
I could go into all kinds of reasons why your tax facts are faulty, but it would be an exercize in futility- you’ll just come back with facts that support your ideology.
I’ll just tell you this: the U.S. now has the largest gap between rich and poor of any industrialized country in the world. That should tell you who our system favors. It started when Pres. Nixon opened China so that wealthy individuals and corporations could get slave labor. This started the middle class slide into poverty. It continued when Pres. Reagan started a movement to bust unions- more downward slide for working people. Next Pres. Clinton, a closet Republican in regard to the economy, passed NAFTA to further enrich the wealthy at the expense of workers. And here we are today with no middle class. It didn’t just happen- it was the result of a series of policies that favored the rich over the poor. There’s your class warfare for you. If Republicans were smart, they wouldn’t even use the term “class warfare” because it only reminds us what cold, calculating, greedy people the power brokers like the Koch Bros and their kind can be.
montanabill

You are both right and wrong about scriptures. Most started as verbal tales, later to be written down by scribes. But both are likely poor.
Just to put a fly in your ointment, the middle class was doing very well during most of the Clinton and Bush years.

ALLLLAMERICAN

I Guess let’s just keep the Terrorist President we already have that wants to take down our counrty!!!

http://profile.yahoo.com/HFYZP2APYPP7H6PWS2ZDQRWFEQ Hillbilly

You say that all the time. Give proof and where you got your proof from so others can check out your information and source. If you have one.
http://www.facebook.com/maggie.croft.92 Maggie Croft

Hill, Allllkkk is another whack job for the tea party. I think he is a child about 14 and not a well informed child. If he is not a child, he is a care of arrested development.
Peoples425

The accusation of President Obama being a terrorist is only validated by the continued use of forces and drones in other countries. Aside from that, this assertion is only continuing to be as foolish as the people who believe the ignorance it illustrates.

http://www.facebook.com/joel.sorenson.9 Joel Sorenson

Bill no one here needs your faux noise. Go blow your smoke up some fools ass, we are moving on without you. Cling as tightly as you like to the old gaurd but remember they are dying fast and good riddance.

the new electorate is going to be a lovely cocoa colored mish mash, in which the current version of GOP will have no traction what-so-ever. SOOO change your tune or we’ll bury you along with all the rest of the shit heads.

good bye and good riddance.

montanabill

I don’t care what color the electorate is or what sex it is, but if that electorate wants a future that offers individuals opportunity instead of one size fits all government and fitting into a predefined role, they better choose Romney.

http://profile.yahoo.com/HFYZP2APYPP7H6PWS2ZDQRWFEQ Hillbilly

Neither has Romney created jobs, mostly all he has done is ship jobs that Americans already had overseas. Romney stated himself that his company Bain was not started to create jobs but to make money a statement that he denies now but it is on tape and no way he can refute that. What health care plan covers only 13 million people, the Affordable Medical Act for your information will cover over 30 million. Montana Bill you and people like you neeed to do your own research on what Romney has done in the the past to American workers and people that aren’t rich to see what he will to the country if elected President. Romney and his family care nothing about anyone that is not worth a million or more dollars. Even his wife Anne thinks her five sons Mormon missionary work is as important and as dangerous as being in the Military and she said so on The View last week. Her statement along should show you and others how little the Romneys care about this Country and its people that are not millionaires. Do you consider yourself to be worth a million or more dollars because if you do then I understand your defending if you aren’t I don’t understand you defending one of the first people to send American jobs overseas to fatten his wallet. He must be a very miserable person because all that matters to him is money and nothing else.

montanabill

You are believing junk without looking up the record for yourself.

Jeansees

Dominick you are so right… also The womens rights issues are being obscured by the Republicans too with their new attitude of when rape should be allowed. They continue to not say a word about equal pay for women. Mormons consider women 2nd hand citizens. Their old belief of biligomy prooves that. They were and are the worse offenders of welfare abuse by telling their mistresses to go to welfare when they become pregnant. I for one do NOT want a man who believes he has to wear special underwear to be our president. Also his outsourcing history.. Listen to Mass. people and Freeport,Iowa who are loosing their jobs… While Romney and Bain make fortunes Americans are suffering with job loss and he says he is for AMERICA!!! This puppet for the Rich and GOP will do nothing to help the American people. The 47% will just wither away into worsening DEPRESSION. He hollers war, war, spend spend tax cut for the upper class… How is this going to help our economy? Will put us into a DEPRESSION!!!!!

Vote Obama/Biden 2012 and Save Medicare,SS,Middle Class, Veterans, Womens Rights!!

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1439785776 Tracey Sharp

i agree 100% i hope obama gets president again it terrifies me that romney might get in there life as we know it will change forever….i love that the president knows about having to stuggle and earn what he gets instead of getting it handed to him>>>OBAMA/BIDEN 2012

TZToronto

Odd how the older people who would benefit most from the $716 medicare savings are the ones who are most against it. That suggests that (1) they don’t understand what is really going on or (2) they might just vote against Obama even if he said he was going to spend $716 MORE on Medicare. Any guesses why? The knock against the $716 million in savings is that doctors and hospitals will receive smaller payments for their services under Obama’s plan, and that could mean that fewer doctors will accept Medicare payments. How altruistic! Let’s not cry too many tears for them. Insurers are happy, though, because they’ll have more subscribers when 30 million people are buying their plans.
lkreu

I live in PA so no Presidential commercials, thank goodness. But, I watching football on Saturday on the Big Ten channel – and they were one after another, after another. I left the room for the Romney ads or lies I should say. I really can’t wait for this to be over.

http://www.facebook.com/maggie.croft.92 Maggie Croft

I live in Idaho. We get no national political ads and few local ones. Some of our state legislators run unapposed. When I go to the polls, I am very careful. I don’t want them to find out I am voting Democrat because they might find a way to destroy my vote.

middleclasstaxpayer

Obama CANNOT strengthen Medicare by REMOVING $716 Billion for its funding. And his earnest, but FAILED attempts to add jobs has had a four year chance to work, BUT FAILS ALL TESTS!

johninPCFL

So now you’re onboard that a spending reduction (i.e. a smaller increase) is a cut? Make up your mind.
http://www.facebook.com/joel.sorenson.9 Joel Sorenson

Once again he removed nothing from medicare it is savings not robbing…god you are a thick headed idiot…if we waste less and redirect the SAVINGS into better more streamlined programs it strengthens every sector of the health care industry for the long run. Seriously get a grip and stop repeating everything RUSH says. Every time he gets called on a lie he claims to be an entertainer….but you still want to believe it’s news because it feeds your tiny contracted world view that says it’s all coming to an end. The sky is still blue and the wind still blows and it even smell nice if it hasn’t been filtered through some rightwing bible thumping wind bag. BTW nothing wrong with the Bible just the people who wave it around like a weapon.
http://profile.yahoo.com/HFYZP2APYPP7H6PWS2ZDQRWFEQ Hillbilly

No funding has been removed or will be removed . Stop drinking the tea and check it out for yourself. I did.
Peoples425

He has added several jobs and an accurate account would not be the 5 million, but somewhere in the neighborhood of the 3.6 million. Not the accuracy we would hope for, but far better than the consistent outsourcing to China that Romney has proven and his company still does and is in the process of doing so.

http://profile.yahoo.com/QZOLTTTPLTLGELEYLKM7HUJPSU Davekzy1

GOP brainwashing seems to be very effective. Sad but true!!

nobsartist

first, you must have a brain to wash.

that eliminates republiKKKONS.

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

Obama Agenda Is Not Hidden He Working For And Looking out For ALL THE AMERICAN PEOPLE!!!!!
Peoples425

Dominick,

I have seen your posts and must applaud your continued civility in dealing with this chaotic situation known as election season in your responses. I have made some posts myself coinciding with some of your points and I respect the intellect and information that you maintain. I do hope that sense and intellect to persevere during this election season as the Republican party seems perpetuate a hostility and demonizing of those who would help a majority of the country with certain policies and ideals. Keep up the good work , information sharing and know that it is appreciated.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_X26DPAENIAFPRLT7BQFUL454UA GSP

Well said Dominik!
bcarreiro

Republicans do not acknowledge responsilibility in accountability for not embracing diversity nor equality as the main objective is to oversee as to oversight and try to write-off or rewrite history as we the people have no leverage in this world because they try to suppress our voice of choice in which reasoning with is become impossible to even shake a hand across the bargaining table and as to the point ………………….republicans only take care of themselves and do not have our best interest at the forefront of any agenda including their own.
old_blu

I have been hearing his plan, of course I don’t get most of my news from Fox News or from Rush Limbuger.

Not long left~~~~~~~~~Obama/Biden 2012

neece00

I am with you old_blu, I watch PBS, CNN or MSNBC. Rush makes my skin crawl!

http://www.facebook.com/maggie.croft.92 Maggie Croft

neeceoo and Old Blu, If the commentators on faux news speak for the Republican Party, then the Republican party is the party of hate.

old_blu

That’s pretty easy to tell just from the far right wingers that come on here, and rant in a public forum.

nobsartist

I think that all you have to do is look at what the republiKKKON obstructionists have blocked and filibustered and you can easily see what his plan is for the future.

A future WITHOUT republiKKKONs is what would be best for America.

Perhaps the entire koch family can catch incurable cancer and save us the trouble of……

grammyjill

At least one of them is under investagation.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_KOPKDFAUQPIIRAFI3HEXNMSHLQ Ed

“Suspicous that he is hiding something unsavory”? His wife made it very clear “If we told you, you wlould use it against us.”!

FredAppell

In other words, it isn’t going to be popular with most of Americans. If it is so good and makes so much sense than why not explain it before the elections?

neece00

Do you think it has to do with his tax returns? The ones we are still waiting to see.

FredAppell

That’s a good point but not what I was referring to. He wants to unseat an incumbent president but he doesn’t offer any specifics. That is what Ann Romney was referring to when she was on the view. His economic plan keeps changing in accordance to who he is speaking to. Inconsistency usually translates to lies or hidden truths.

neece00

Yes, you are right. During that interview, I thought the interesting fact she brought up was that she and did not want him to run again and yet he did it anyway. In other words, he completely dismisses his wife’s thoughts or fears and ran anyway.
FredAppell

That my friend is narcissism. This is a man who has more money and power than most of us will ever have. He has nothing to lose or gain by being POTUS. It is all about Mitt and believe me he has so much money that no amount of legislation by liberals is ever going to change things. It is nearly impossible for that kind of insane wealth to ever be wiped out.
nobsartist

willard has no power.
FredAppell

In a perfect world maybe but reality is that people with his wealth and status have always held the power. I thought that the OWS movement would have changed that scenario but some people didn’t understand the message and we are back to square one.
http://profile.yahoo.com/HFYZP2APYPP7H6PWS2ZDQRWFEQ Hillbilly

Fred, he is planning on making more money if elected, by the simple act of cutting the taxes that he and other rich pay if he has a Congress that will go along with him.
FredAppell

Keep telling it like it is Hillbilly. Maybe enough people will wake up and vote with their conscience. Obama scares the hell out of these people! If what you say comes comes true than we could be headed to new gilded age and you nor I will be any part of their grand vision.

grammyjill

Cause NO ONE would vote for him!

nobsartist

I dont think Americans would vote for someone in business with the RED CHINESE ARMY.

http://profile.yahoo.com/RDMZFBTC2V65J2QJE6LTMJM5GE sarahg

I think the most pertinent, compelling, pressing problem in that article can be found in the second to the last sentence: that the president, and congress by extension, must address and eliminate the increasing income inequality in this country and the devastating but advancing road blocks to upward mobility which cause it. This strikes at the heart of a core American value and a defining feature of this country. For me, all other ails, all other problems in this country can be found in what or, more aptly, who causes this problem. It’s my feeling that arguably the most pressing issue of our day is breaking the back of that most unsavory relationship that exists between a shadow society of astronomically wealthy elites and our elected representatives in government, a relationship that represents a Herculean conflict of interest, to say the least. This is probably one of the most destructive, crushing alignments to middle class mobility in this society–and none of our leaders are even talking about that.
http://www.facebook.com/sandy.radcliffe.31 Sandy Radcliffe

Tagg Romney’s Company Misled Reporters About Its Relationship With Ponzi Scheme–Linked Firm Lee Fang on October 12, 2012 – 8:10 PM ET
The private equity firm run by Tagg Romney—Mitt’s eldest son, misled reporters last year about its involvement with a company run by men accused of taking part in a multibillion-dollar Ponzi scheme.
Last year, I reported that Tagg had formed a business partnership with several North Carolina investors who are still facing a lawsuit for receiving bonus pay for selling CDs as part of the $8 billion Stanford Financial Group Ponzi scheme.
In a nutshell, Tagg helped these investors form a company—called Solamere Advisors, a nod to Tagg’s firm Solamere Capital—shortly after their boss, Allen Stanford, was caught by law enforcement for his elaborate Ponzi fraud.
When I interviewed him in Las Vegas, Tagg told me that his associates were “cleared” of any wrongdoing associated with the Stanford Ponzi scheme. Court documents directly contradict Tagg and show that the lawsuit has not been dismissed.

The New York Times followed up on my story with its own report and confirmed that Tagg’s business partners received incentive pay for selling bunk Stanford CDs. They wrote about one Stanford victim, a local Charlotte businessman and philanthropist named Herman Stone. Stone was pressured by Brandon Phillips, an executive working now for Tagg’s firm, into putting $2 million into a fraudulent Stanford CD and lost everything.
Solamere Capital attempted to distance itself from the story by claiming that their business was not actually connected to the Ponzi-tainted firm, Solamere Advisors. In a statement to ABC News, they claimed that their managers, not Solamere Capital itself, were involved (emphasis added):
“It is inaccurate to suggest that Solamere Capital made an investment in this firm [Solamere Advisors]. Solamere Capital was approached to invest in a new wealth management firm being launched by these three individuals. After extensive due diligence, Solamere Capital decided not to invest because the business was at an early stage and did not meet our investment criteria. However, Spencer Zwick, Tagg Romney and Eric Scheuermann each own a minority stake in the business as individual investors.”
However, Solamere Capital’s statement, provided to ABC News, is false. Disclosures from the Securities and Exchange Commission show that Tagg’s company indeed maintains ties with the Ponzi-linked firm, Solamere Advisors.
The claim that Solamere Group didn’t invest directly in Solamere Advisors, the firm employing former Stanford employees, appears to have been an attempt to shield Mitt Romney. Mitt invested about $10 million into Tagg’s Solamere Capital venture, which would suggest Mitt has a direct financial relationship with folks involved in a Ponzi scheme. That’s because Solamere Capital pools together investment money to co-invest in other companies

Is this why ROB-ME won’t show his Tax Records??? Bernie Maddoff

ALLLLAMERICAN

Blah Blah Blah —-Who cares!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

At least he’s not a Terrorist!!!!!!!!! and helping the Terrorist take over our Country!!!!

ALLLLAMERICAN

OR at least he doesn’t kill everyone that knows the real Romney like obama has donw with his Gay Lovers in Chicago from his Gaaaaay Bath House

nobsartist

not only are you an idiot, but you are also allfullofshit.
http://www.facebook.com/joel.sorenson.9 Joel Sorenson

OH YES WE KNOW ..you have incontrovertable PROOF of all this wrong doing…it’s all in the new and exhaustivly researched film obama’s america 2016….it’s a stunning work of rightwing scholorship…blah blah blah…good lord you are a moron…do you realize that every presidential election comes to a head in the last few months and some nut job publishes a book or movie and all the radicals on each side flock to the latest PROOF that says they’ve been right all along…I think I am going to start gathering conspiracy theories for the next election now…Obama’s going to win this one and I am going to figure out the top 3 dem candidates for the next one and write a big expose on all of them…just make up a bunch of crap and quote a bunch of BS sorces and sell it to you and your moron posse then donate the funds to a local chairity…yep sounds like a plan…I’ll get right on it. I’m gonna call it something like The Socialist manifesto 2016..look for it on shelves around sept 2016.

grammyjill

Need any help? I have a good imagination.

nobsartist

so the President is a terrorist?

you are allfullofshit.

grammyjill

He writes from his room in the nut ward.

nobsartist

willard the rat is hiding his tax returns because he is in business with the RED CHINESE ARMY. You see in China, the ARMY owns all industry. When you open a manufacturing company in China, your majority partner is the ARMY. When willard the rat moves manufacturing companies to China, his partner is the RED CHINESE ARMY.

willard is also hiding money in the Bank of China. they lie to the IRS all the time.

Mccain figured it out, thats why he picked an idiot like palin over the Cranbrook/Harvard educated willard.

liars run in the family. you should meet willards brother and sister.

elw

I see the agendas of the two candidates in simpler terms that really do not need clarification. The President speaks of what we need to take us into the future. He talks about alternative energy, access to health care for all, and a reversal of the policies that are pushing the wealth of the Country to a few people at the top. Romney’s are even simpler to see; he wants to return to the past and strengthen those policies that funnel the wealth of the Country to a few and repeal any that have been providing protection to women, children, minorities and the Middle-class. We have already tried Romney’s policies and they have failed every time. I have already voted and my vote went to man whose policies will help me the most and that will be better for my children and grandchildren, President Obama.

http://profile.yahoo.com/PMVMZMDLRQL3TRK5RNOHJVZPHU stoptheinsanity

elw, I have already voted as well. My vote went to the candidate who speaks the truth, has done a lot for our country despite the obstructionism of the Republican congress, has specific economic plans that will help our country to witness a continuing uptick in job increases, education, women’s rights, standing up for the middle class, etc. I can proudly say that, once again, my absentee ballot has gone to President Obama for four more years!!! Obama/Biden 2012!!! Get out and vote Americans for going forward and not returning to the failed trickle-down policies of the failed George Bush administration that Romney wants to resurrect.

peteserb

Romney’s policies are only vague if you want the entire policy on a two minute sound bite. Obam’s had 4 years and still hasn’t given a policy statement on anything. Does he favor the muslim brotherhood? is he really in favor of socialism? Why does he constantly denigrate this nation. What was his policy on “Fast and Furious”? Etc, etc ad nauseum.

HajjaRomi

I converted to Islam over 30 years ago. Only God knows who is truly Muslim, but the first thing you have to do when you decide to become a Muslim is to acknowledge God, and His Prophet.

Barack Obama says he is not a Muslim, and according to everything I know about Islam, that is enough. He is not.

Also, the fact that he is willing to kill innocent men, women and children from drones, AS IS ROMNEY, is one more proof that the man has NO kind of just god in his life whatsoever.

And as for denigrating this nation, Romney does that, too, when he denigrates the man whom this country elected as President. And when he tells him, “You’ll get your turn.” What a crummy thing to say to the President!
old_blu

Speaking of denigrating. “There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. All right, there are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you-name-it. … My job is not to worry about those people. I’ll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives.” -Mitt Romney, in leaked comments from a fundraiser in May 2012

ALLLLAMERICAN

That’s RIGHT!!!!!!!

There’s nothing you can say, preach, teach, explain or do to change their minds!!!

They don’t listen or care!!!!!!!!

grammyjill

I care very much. That’s why I am Voting For OBAMA!!!

janvier25

If that is what you think is important on this day of the last debate, two weeks before the election, you really need to switch away from Fox News.
grammyjill

It doesn’t matter what he thinks about the muslim brotherhood. They are in charge in Libya and he HAS to work with them. Who knows they might actually fix the problems there. He has never said anything about socialism. He has NEVER denigrated this nation. Stop listening to Fox! And as soon as he heard about Fast & Furious he shut it down. What else?

http://profile.yahoo.com/F5QLSLTSOLU6X6FABSW67KUOVE Melva

The poor people think Mitt Rommey will help them; Not true. We work for minumin wage and we are barely living. The last administration left some of us with a bowl in one hamd and a spoon in the other.
ObozoMustGo

If you voted for Obozo in 2008 and have not been completely swooned over by his mesmorizing lies, you may want to consider some basic facts. Hat tip to J. Matt Barber from Godfather Politics.

An Open Letter to Obozo Supporters

Did you vote for Barack Obama in 2008? A lot of people did – obviously.

What a time. There’s still room for improvement, but what a testimony to just how far we as a nation have come in terms of racial harmony, tolerance and diversity.

Only decades earlier a man like Barack Obama – a black man – couldn’t even drink from the same water fountain as a white man, let alone become president of the United States. A hundred years prior to that, and he may well have been counted another man’s property.

On Nov. 4, 2008, millions gathered at the ballot box to prove, once and for all, that, in large measure, we as a nation have healed from our disgraceful, self-inflicted wounds of racial abuse, bias and division.

That we could elect an African-American to lead the free world is indeed a very good thing.

We just happened to elect the wrong African-American.

In life, we sometimes find that the idea of a thing is far better than the thing itself. As a boy, I once ordered, from a comic book, a pair of X-ray glasses that promised to allow me to see the bones beneath my hand (my motives were a bit more ignoble). The two weeks it took for the glasses to arrive seemed like an eternity.

Once they did arrive, I ripped into the package and put them on, darting my head to-and-fro. It’s difficult to express my level of disappointment. As I quickly discovered, the glasses merely formed a halo effect around objects, creating the illusion of transparency. I felt embarrassed. I got took.

Barack Obama’s presidency has been a halo effect. Like I did so many years ago, in 2008 America fell victim to false advertising. As the past four years have demonstrated beyond any serious debate, the idea of President Obama was far better than the reality of President Obama. We were promised the world. We were promised transparency; but we were sold an illusion. We got took.

Indeed, during the 2008 campaign, a then-Sen. Barack Obama promised us that, if elected, we would look back upon the moment he took office and “tell our children that this was the moment when we began to provide care for the sick and good jobs to the jobless; this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal; this was the moment when we ended a war and secured our nation and restored our image as the last, best hope on earth.”

That was the idea of President Obama. That was what many good, well-meaning people voted for. That was the hope offered and the change promised.

That was not what we got.

Though it’s certainly not a comprehensive analysis, during the second presidential debate, Mitt Romney, in response to Mr. Obama’s attempts to gloss over his mounting leadership failures, summarized a few of the big ones. While addressing an audience member who, perhaps like you, voted for Obama in 2008, Romney observed, in part, the following:

I think you know better. I think you know that these last four years haven’t been so good as the president just described and that you don’t feel like you’re confident that the next four years are going to be much better either. …

He said that, by now, we’d have unemployment at 5.4 percent. The difference between where it is and 5.4 percent is 9 million Americans without work. …

He said he would have, by now, put forward a plan to reform Medicare and Social Security, because he pointed out they’re on the road to bankruptcy. He would reform them. He’d get that done. He hasn’t even made a proposal on either one.

He said in his first year he’d put out an immigration plan that would deal with our immigration challenges. Didn’t even file it.

This is a president who has not been able to do what he said he’d do. He said that he’d cut in half the deficit. He hasn’t done that either. In fact, he doubled it.

He said that by now middle-income families would have a reduction in their health insurance premiums by $2,500 a year. It’s gone up by $2,500 a year. And if Obamacare is … implemented fully, it’ll be another $2,500. …

The middle class is getting crushed under the policies of a president who has not understood what it takes to get the economy working again. … [T]he number of people who are still looking for work is still 23 million Americans.

There are more people in poverty, one out of six people in poverty.

How about food stamps? When he took office, 32 million people were on food stamps. Today, 47 million people are on food stamps. How about the growth of the economy? It’s growing more slowly this year than last year – and more slowly last year than the year before. …

The president has tried, but his policies haven’t worked.

Recently, my wife and I attended an outdoor festival in central Virginia. Although the event was not political, there were people from both the Obama and Romney camps handing out campaign stickers and other items. I suspect that if a poll were taken, liberals out-numbered conservatives by about two-to-one.

That’s why I was so taken aback. Although we saw dozens of people wearing Romney stickers, we only saw one man wearing an Obama sticker.

We walked up to a fellow with a gray pony tail, John Lennon glasses and Birkenstocks. He was wearing a Romney sticker.

“Mind if I ask why you’re voting for Mitt Romney?” I asked. “I assume you are.”

His reply – and these were his words, not mine – was short and to the point: “Because I refuse to be that stupid twice.”

Changing one’s mind doesn’t always reveal a tendency toward indecision. Sometimes, changing one’s mind reveals a tendency toward wisdom.
——————————————————

See… you can change your mind and still be proud of your decision in 2008. It’s just time for a change again.

Have a nice day!

“I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that’s a storybook, man.” –Joe Biden on Barack Obama

grammyjill

I agree with Joe! Won’t vote for that lieing idiot!

TheOldNorthChurch

After four years of this President one thing is Crystal Clear, he is not capable of setting a concise agenda to move America forward, and his ego did not permit him to hire the people for his Administration who are capable of doing it. We have not seen a budget proposal that matches his talking points because he does not believe them himself.

Time to Let Him Go!

johninPCFL

Other than the budget the GOP rejected.

TheOldNorthChurch

Untrue – Senate Obama 2012 Budget Vote 99-0

johninPCFL

So the GOP didn’t reject the president’s budget? I think you’re confused.

TheOldNorthChurch

GOP, Democrat and Independent Senators voted to reject the Obama 2012 Budget. A similar effort was rejected in the House 414-0. These are the facts and they are undisputed.
johninPCFL

OK, so the GOP in fact DID reject the President’s budget. Glad we’re clear on that.
TheOldNorthChurch

Ok, so did the entire Congress reject the President’s Budget. Glad we are clear on that. Or do you believe it is correct to only state a partial fact and call it the whole fact?
johninPCFL

Another little piece of the puzzle, by the way, was that they didn’t consider the President’s budget. The vote was on WHETHER to consider the President’s budget. The GOP made it clear that the House would not pass it, and the Senate GOP would filibuster it.

So, yes, the GOP decided not to review the President’s budget (which included $4T in spending reductions).
TheOldNorthChurch

John here in lies the problem. Bill Clinton had Newt Gingrich in charge of the House and still was able to complete an agenda for the good of the country that was acceptable to both Parties. Why can’t this President do the same?
johninPCFL

Primarily because the teabaggers decided on 1/20/2009 that nothing this President could possibly do would ever be in the Country’s interest. Therefore, no matter what the President proposed, even if it was exactly the same as positions the GOP had previously espoused (like the insurance mandate, or any of the other 193 GOP amendments that went into the ACA) it was to be unanimously opposed. This President can’t do the same because John Boehner is no Newt Gingrich, and today’s teabaggers are not the reasoned conservatives of old.
http://www.facebook.com/maggie.croft.92 Maggie Croft

Old North Church (What church believes in bearing false witness?) should probably note that people on this board look up facts.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_L7JFRDSEN2XFYWJZ3BOTQFGKS4 mk4524

And with Mitch McConnell saying that his number one priority was to make sure that Obama would be a one term president how could anyone be capable of moving an agenda forward. It wasn’t Obama’s ego as much as it was McConnell’s ego that brought everything to a standstill. If we use your logic, it would be a good time to figure out a way of getting McConnell out of the Senate.

TheOldNorthChurch

McConnell made his remarks in an interview that appeared in the National Journal on Oct. 23, 2010 — nearly two years after Obama was elected president. The interview took place on the eve the of the midterm elections.

When did the Rest of the Senate take up this charge as well? They defeated the Obama Budget for 2012 99 to o.

grammyjill

I saw Mitch on tv saying this the day after Obama took office. I remember that because I’m still mad at him for not even letting Obama have a chance to try to help us. Since then there have been more fifabusters by republicans than ever in history. And everthing else has gotten a straight out NO!

http://www.facebook.com/maggie.croft.92 Maggie Croft

That is my recollection, too.

nobsartist

wrong again churchy. jesus hates liars.
http://www.facebook.com/maggie.croft.92 Maggie Croft

Check again. I watched that interview.

TheOldNorthChurch

Rechecked this as reported by the Washington Post Fact checker. It is correct. The Washington Post has given 4 Pinocchio’s to all of the following statements:
— President Obama, interview on CBS’ “60 Minutes,” recorded on Sept. 12, 2012, and aired on Sept. 23
— Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), on the Senate floor, Sept. 21, 2012
— Peter J. Boyer, writing in Newsweek, Sept. 10, 2012

All three statements were lies according to the Washington Post. Posted by Glenn Kessler at 06:00 AM ET, 09/25/2012

A1011a

In an uncertain world, no man empowerd to lead the nation can offer a clear unchangable plan. That man must and should play it by ear, changing direction in response to conditions at the moment. We should only want a sincere person with a good intellect, and it seems to me that we have that person at this time, and I would add that I believe, one who also takes advice from his wife when it seems reasonable for our society. No man in his position can govern with out any possibility of error. One who makes no errors, probably is doing nothing. One who seeks to make large changes in our nation’s quality of life, naturally runs the risk of errors, and I accept that, wishing him/her and all of us well!

http://www.facebook.com/joel.sorenson.9 Joel Sorenson

That’s another problem with a pig headed cowboy asshole like mitt. his money has made it possible for him to go through life without ever being disappointed or having to wonder if he made the right choice…just force your will on every situation and no matter what happens buy your way out and claim you were right.

Extreamly dangerous forign policy…ask GWB

http://profile.yahoo.com/HSV5QR6GUB5JDIH6K2ZDFYSTDY howard

Is it all he would do??? What is he goint to do with the rest of his time during his second term??? Turn pro, and play full schedule on PGA Tour!!!

grammyjill

Do you ever get a day off? Do you do something to relieve the stress on your day off?

http://profile.yahoo.com/YS2TEKIDWOLQH6FLUOQCFTLZSE Robert

I VOTED TODAY, THATS ALL THAT MATTERS NOW, OBAMA NEEDS A HIGH VOTER TURNOUT. THE POLL IN HOUSTON WERE PACKED TODAY. ALOT OF YOUNG FIRST TIME VOTERS, THATS WHAT WE NEED TO WON……

curious11

Texas is Romney’s! Romney loves America, that’s why people will make him our next president!

grammyjill

You are not looking hard enough. Alot of people there hate Rick Perry and will not vote for anyone of his party.
HajjaRomi

I love America, too, and I’m voting for Jill Stein of the Green Party.

http://www.facebook.com/joel.sorenson.9 Joel Sorenson

I would love to see a third party candidate do well…but this one is a two horse race please cast your vote for the only horse that is running for the people…Obama Biden 2012

http://www.facebook.com/joel.sorenson.9 Joel Sorenson

go to bainport dot com…check out what your lover is doing to his workers there…forcing them to train their chinese replacements or they get fired without severance pay…this in spite of the FACT that the american workers produced record profits last year. Mitt is shipping it to China technology and all. US jobs …gone..US technology bartered away for more profit…oh yeah he LOOOOOVES America

http://profile.yahoo.com/YS2TEKIDWOLQH6FLUOQCFTLZSE Robert

Look at what Oboma has done for those who need it, Willard wants to more and more those who don,t need it. The middle class the lower class and underclass yes we for got than. Those who will never come up locked in to generations of proverty, with romney’s five point plan will remain locked in. Oh what is his five point plan, he thinks we’re stupid. I guest some of us are.
dljones

Tonight is the debate of saving our country from infinite ruins. Obama’s infliction of another devastating economy by taxing the rich is his semaphore. He will worm, squirm and deflect ineptness into a succession of “accomplishments.” Thus, it will be another redundant rope a dope affair hence defending the reality of failure. Intelligent voters see a demonstrated socialist that failed to lead by spending our next generations earnings.
Ika Musume

He has had enough time to do something positive for our country and the only positive thing he actually did ( and it didn’t benefit the Americans ) was to let the children that came here as illegals with their parents to stay, and work, but he should have added the parents had to leave our country in order for the children to be granted permission to stay and work or go to school. He made his own decision because he knew it would not pass by a vote in Congress, so do you want another four years of someone that goes behind you back and does what he wants as President? I don’t think so, so let’s vote him out once and for all. I voted this morning for Romney and I hope he gets the majority of the votes from people that now know Obama did something for the illegals, and nothing for us.

curious11

Mitt Romney loves America… it’s as simple as that!

HajjaRomi

He SAYS loves it, but he won’t show us his tax returns to prove it. He hides his money in offshore accounts in Switzerland and the Cayman Islands, and his Bain Company outsources jobs to China. Some love!

http://www.facebook.com/maggie.croft.92 Maggie Croft

Yes, he loves America so much, he wants to pay his fair share to support the government.

grammyjill

Mitt Romney loves Mitt Romney and money. That’s all.
http://profile.yahoo.com/HFYZP2APYPP7H6PWS2ZDQRWFEQ Hillbilly

Mitt Romney loves Mitt Romney and money and nothing else. If Romney loves America why is he and his partners shipping 200 American jobs to China at the end of Dec.? Why was the American flag not allowed to be flown at the plant while the American workers ( who would have been fired and gotten no severance pay if they hadn’t)trained the Chinese to do their jobs even through it had so every day the Plant was opened from day 1?

http://www.facebook.com/maggie.croft.92 Maggie Croft

Mitt Romney loves America? He says he cares about 100% of Americans. He cares so much he ships their jobs to China where he can get workers for $1.00/hour. Ask those people who were asked to train Chinese workers to do their jobs prior to the plant being closed. I bet Romney loses sleep over their plight, don’t you?

http://profile.yahoo.com/HFYZP2APYPP7H6PWS2ZDQRWFEQ Hillbilly

You seem to forget one important fact that President Obama has been blocked from doing many things to improve this Country in all ways by the party of no that has been helped by a stupid rule in the Senate that says that a bill will have to have a majority of 60 votes instead what everyone else considers a majority 51, which was passed when Bush 2 was President and was unfortunely a Democrat idea. Also because so many voters believed the lies that the Republicans told about working to improve the jobs situation and put the Republicans in charge of the House of Representatives. The Republicans forgot about their jobs promise before they were sworn in office and instead declared war on women and their health concerns, and other things that did nothing to help the Country and brought the Country to the brink of being unable to take care of the Country bills. If a President has people like Mitchell and Boehmner making statements before he has even taken the oath of office saying their number one thing is to make sure he is a one term President then that tells you that that party,Republican, will not do anything that will help the Country and 99% of it citizens.

curious11

How appropriate for the third presidential debate to be held at Boca Raton, Florida! Literally “Boca Raton” means the mouth of a rat… And Obama is the biggest lying rat ever!
http://www.facebook.com/verna.pedersen.16 Verna Pedersen

I agree with all the people who have posted comments regarding you, Dominick Vila. I don’t know you either, but I am so impressed at your clear, concise explanations. I get on this site often just to become more politically informed by you. Thank you!
ALLLLAMERICAN

Heeeeyyyyyy all you LIBS!!!!!!!!

Don’t EVEN bother to watch the debate tonight!

You miswell continues to watch some of your other lib channels.

You already know who you’re voting for ——

You already know you want another 4-years just the same—-

It doesn’t matter what anybody else says, or tries to educate you,
you’re NOT going to listen!!!!!

grammyjill

I’m going to watch it cause I need a good laugh. Ought to be great fun watching Romney put his foot in his mouth over and over.

janvier25

We know what the President would like to do. What he hasn’t detailed is how he will get it done if the Republicans retain control of the House.
http://profile.yahoo.com/QXUFSMTKTK3UCL3ZFPJPONXAVM mac macey

On the button again Domo’.
ALLLLAMERICAN

Allllll I want is a TERROIST PRESIDENT!!!!!!!!!

I don’t care about the REAL FACTS—

I

WANT

A

TERRORIST

PRESIDENT

to bring our Counrty down!!!!!!!!!!
lana ward

Romney can finish what he started in the last debate if he has duct tape to put over Scheiffer’s yap, if he pulls a Crowley
tavias51

I agree with everything you’ve written, Mr. Dionne. Thank you for your fair assessment of an Obama Administration second term!!!
http://profile.yahoo.com/HFYZP2APYPP7H6PWS2ZDQRWFEQ Hillbilly

Every time I hear or see Romney’s name I remember a statement he made during the Republican primaries. He was asked by someone what was his plans for the Country if elected and his reply was”If you knew that, you won’t vote for me.” That statement made up my mind if it hadn’t been made up already that if Romney became the Presidential candidate for the Republican Party no way would I vote for him and would try to let others know about that statement because it scared me then and still scares me. If his plans are such that no one would vote for him if they knew them, why will people vote for him and Ryan without knowing what their true plans for the Country are? That makes no sense, you don’t buy a house, a car a horse, an elephant and a lot of things sight unseen so why would you vote for two people that won’t tell what their plans are for your Country? Please don’t base your vote on political party, race, and promises that most of us know won’t or can’t be kept but on facts and on the way the person has acted in the past to see how they will do things in the future. Vote not on Party lines but for the one that will did their best to improve the economic future of the Country and will work with both parties in Congress(if they will work with him) to keep this Country on the road to Recovery. For me those people are President Obama and Vice President Biden. As a senior citizen Romney and Ryan scare me because of what their plans seems to be for Social Security and Medicare and Romney’s statement made during the Republican primaries.
If he won’t tell what his plans for the Country are before the election how can anyone believe anything says about anything else? What is Romney Hiding? What is so bad about his plans for the Country that he knows he won’t be elected if they are known before the election? Remember his statement “If you knew that, you won’t vote for me” when casting your vote.

ALLLLAMERICAN

Because HILLBILLY—–HE’S TAKING ALLLLL YOUR FOOD STAMPS AWAY AND YOUR GOING TO HAVE TO WORK!!!!!!!!!

Once a Hillbilly —ALWAYS A HILLBILLY

HajjaRomi

He also really wants to send his sons to war in Af-Pak. (Not!)

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