2012 Presidential Election

[SoCal]

[davidhayes1956]

And electing Romney is like backing up women's rights into the ice age. (Sorry, no caricature of Romney to share.)

[SoCal]

Thanks for providing proof of Romney's desire to "back up women's rights to the ice age."

Probably because"

IT'S NOT TRUE

[Mistermoonlight]

My prediction: Mitt Romney lost the election today.

With the selection of Paul Ryan as a running mate he just cast aside the majority of voters over 50 years of age who are not rich, including most of the Baby Boomers.

Ryan wants to privatize Medicare.

The only thing he could have done better, for Democrats, would be to have choosen Sarah Palin.

There's still time for that, Mitt.

[SoCal]

I couldn't disagree more, Moon.

No one votes for vice-president. It's the man at the top of the ticket who wins or loses the election.

If the vice-presidential nominee mattered that much, then:



explain this moron.

[Mistermoonlight]

How could you not love a guy who said this:



"[David] Axelrod really wanted me to do this on teleprompter -- but I told him I'm much better when I wing it. I know these evenings run long, so I'm going to be brief. Talk about the audacity of hope. President Obama does send his greetings, though. He can't be here tonight -- because he's busy getting ready for Easter. He thinks it's about him."
--Joe Biden, at the 2009 Gridiron dinner

He had me at 'Axelrod.'

[Aeryn]

I just saw Romney's running mate. Did he just get out of junior high?

[Mistermoonlight]

A friend about my age who works at the library introduced me to her 20-year old daughter who had just joined the Army the other day, and afterwards I looked at her and said 'when did 20-year-olds start looking thirteen?' and she laughed and said 'I know, I know.'

[SoCal]

No you two....

When everyone else starts looking younger,


It just means [glow=red,2,300]YOU'RE GETTING OLD![/glow]

[SoCal]

Aug 11, 2012 20:06:20 GMT -5 Mistermoonlight said:

How could you not love a guy who said this:



"[David] Axelrod really wanted me to do this on teleprompter -- but I told him I'm much better when I wing it. I know these evenings run long, so I'm going to be brief. Talk about the audacity of hope. President Obama does send his greetings, though. He can't be here tonight -- because he's busy getting ready for Easter. He thinks it's about him."
--Joe Biden, at the 2009 Gridiron dinner

He had me at 'Axelrod.'

Joe Biden is an un-certified moron:

"When the stock market crashed, Franklin D. Roosevelt got on the television and didn't just talk about the, you know, the princes of greed. He said, 'Look, here's what happened." –Joe Biden, apparently unaware that FDR wasn't president when the stock market crashed in 1929 and that only experimental TV sets were in use at that time, interview with Katie Couric, Sept. 22, 2008

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, referring to Barack Obama at the beginning of the 2008 Democratic primary campaign, Jan. 31, 2007

"If we do everything right, if we do it with absolute certainty, there's still a 30% chance we're going to get it wrong." --Joe Biden, speaking to members of the House Democratic caucus who were gathered in Williamsburg, Va., for their annual retreat, Feb. 6, 2009

[davidhayes1956]

Aug 11, 2012 14:07:46 GMT -5 SoCal said:

Thanks for providing proof of Romney's desire to "back up women's rights to the ice age."

Probably because"

IT'S NOT TRUE

Speaking of not true, if those posters were true, then the United States has never repaid a dime of any money borrowed. Total the two and it is less than the current national debt, so if that's all the debt we ever incurred and still have it all, then we are a deadbeat nation that never repaid anything. And that doesn't even account for the value of today's dollar versus when the other presidents were in office. We had debts like making the Louisiana purchase and buying Alaska and making other land acquisitions.

I love hearing this current talk about how Obama shouldn't have spent money to try to restore the economy ... and since we can't try it both ways, we don't know where we would be today without the bail outs. I think about a family that suddenly had multiple family members come down with severe medical needs. Would anyone suggest that the parents maintain their budget by not incurring medical costs. Their family members may die, but certainly don't burden the family with medical debts. The same thing is true with the economy crisis and what Obama should have done. He bailed out the car companies and kept them in business and helped people working in the industry keep those jobs. In return, the treasury got revenues that they never expected from the companies they saved. No one knows where we would be today without some of the programs. Sure, some didn't work, but what Romney proposes is what's been tried again and again and again and it resulted in rich people getting richer than ever before and the economy tanking.

[Mistermoonlight]

Aug 11, 2012 20:52:46 GMT -5 SoCal said:

No you two....

When everyone else starts looking younger,


It just means [glow=red,2,300]YOU'RE GETTING OLD![/glow]

My body may age, but I pray that I'll never get 'old.'

'Odd' is fine, that would just be a continuation of things-- old is not.

My parents thought of themselves as old, and so they were.

Yet I've met 80-year-olds who were just as young as anyone. They saw awe and wonder in the world, along with all of the horrible things that exist. They continued to learn. Didn't shut themselves down and let the world become smaller and close around them. Instead they became more expansive, tolerant, and open.

The artist Salvador Dali said in his later years "I do not take drugs. I am drugs."

For me, creativity is the guiding force. If I ever lose that, then I will be old.

If you catch me talking about how everything today sucks and how much better things were 'back in the good old days' please give me a sharp thump on the head.

[SoCal]

[SoCal]

General Electric, America's largest corporation, made $14,200,000,000 in profits in 2010 and paid $0 in taxes -- that's right, zero dollars in taxes.

At the same time, C.E.O. Jeffrey Immelt saw his own compensation double. Now GE is expected to ask 15,000 of their unionized workers to make major concessions in wages and benefits.

Adding insult to injury, Mr. Immelt is chair of President Obama’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness. That's wrong. Mr. Immelt should not lead the administration's effort to create jobs.

Immelt also sent the x-ray division to China.

Thanks Prez Obama

[Aeryn]

Aug 11, 2012 21:26:59 GMT -5 Mistermoonlight said:

Aug 11, 2012 20:52:46 GMT -5 SoCal said:

No you two....

When everyone else starts looking younger,


It just means [glow=red,2,300]YOU'RE GETTING OLD![/glow]

My body may age, but I pray that I'll never get 'old.'

'Odd' is fine, that would just be a continuation of things-- old is not.

My parents thought of themselves as old, and so they were.

Yet I've met 80-year-olds who were just as young as anyone. They saw awe and wonder in the world, along with all of the horrible things that exist. They continued to learn. Didn't shut themselves down and let the world become smaller and close around them. Instead they became more expansive, tolerant, and open.

The artist Salvador Dali said in his later years "I do not take drugs. I am drugs."

For me, creativity is the guiding force. If I ever lose that, then I will be old.

If you catch me talking about how everything today sucks and how much better things were 'back in the good old days' please give me a sharp thump on the head.

I'd thump you on the head anyway.

However, it's quite true that if you THINK you're old, chances are you'll act old.

I don't act old. And I look pretty good, what with the occasional purging, chain smoking, and over exercising.

Let's face it...I'm hot.

[Mistermoonlight]

Aug 11, 2012 21:56:38 GMT -5 SoCal said:

General Electric, America's largest corporation, made $14,200,000,000 in profits in 2010 and paid $0 in taxes -- that's right, zero dollars in taxes.

At the same time, C.E.O. Jeffrey Immelt saw his own compensation double. Now GE is expected to ask 15,000 of their unionized workers to make major concessions in wages and benefits.

Adding insult to injury, Mr. Immelt is chair of President Obama’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness. That's wrong. Mr. Immelt should not lead the administration's effort to create jobs.

Immelt also sent the x-ray division to China.

Thanks Prez Obama

By the way, in addition to being a member of President Obama's 'kitchen cabinet' of unofficial advisors. Immelt is a Republican and has announced that he plans to vote for Mitt Romney: www.businessinsider.com/jeff-immelt-supporting-romney-2012-3

I'm guessing Romney is not too excited about that endorsement.

Makes a lot more sense when one knows the rest of the story, and that the words used in your post originate from Democrat Russ Feingold's email calling for Immelt's ouster, specifically in regard to the facts you mentioned.

To give proper attribution, the story first broke here on March 30th: www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/post/russ-feingold-jeffrey-immelt-must-go/2011/03/03/AFKsvB3B_blog.html

[Mistermoonlight]

Aug 11, 2012 22:49:13 GMT -5 Aeryn said:

Aug 11, 2012 21:26:59 GMT -5 Mistermoonlight said:

My body may age, but I pray that I'll never get 'old.'

'Odd' is fine, that would just be a continuation of things-- old is not.

My parents thought of themselves as old, and so they were.

Yet I've met 80-year-olds who were just as young as anyone. They saw awe and wonder in the world, along with all of the horrible things that exist. They continued to learn. Didn't shut themselves down and let the world become smaller and close around them. Instead they became more expansive, tolerant, and open.

The artist Salvador Dali said in his later years "I do not take drugs. I am drugs."

For me, creativity is the guiding force. If I ever lose that, then I will be old.

If you catch me talking about how everything today sucks and how much better things were 'back in the good old days' please give me a sharp thump on the head.

I'd thump you on the head anyway.

However, it's quite true that if you THINK you're old, chances are you'll act old.

I don't act old. And I look pretty good, what with the occasional purging, chain smoking, and over exercising.

Let's face it...I'm hot.

Yes, we've heard you complain about the heat before.

I think if neither of us ever uses the phrase 'by cracky' we'll be ok.

Oops, I just did.

[SoCal]

[KyleEl]

I'm not happy about Romney's choice. At least he didn't choose a moron, like John McCain, Daddy Bush and Dick Cheney did.

But Ryan wants to privatize Medicare, and we can't have someone who thinks that way so close to the Oval Office.

The insurance companies, like advertisers on TV and radio, have no use for old people. That's why government should be in charge of old people's insurance.

The insurance companies also have no use for the disabled.

[SoCal]

August 13, 2012 at 2:32 pm
Treasury: U.S. to lose $25 billion on auto bailout
By David Shepardson
Detroit News Washington Bureau
Comments
Washington -The Treasury Department says in a new report the government expects to lose more than $25 billion on the $85 billion auto bailout. That's 15 percent higher than its previous forecast.

In a monthly report sent to Congress on Friday, the Obama administration boosted its forecast of expected losses by more than $3.3 billion to almost $25.1 billion, up from $21.7 billion in the last quarterly update.

The report may still underestimate the losses. The report covers predicted losses through May 31, when GM's stock price was $22.20 a share.

On Monday, GM stock was trading down 6 cents, or 0.2 percent, to $20.49. At that price, the government would lose another $850 million on its GM bailout.

The government still holds 500 million shares of GM stock and needs to sell them for about $53 each to recover its entire $49.5 billion bailout.

Treasury spokesman Matt Anderson said the costs were still far less than some predicted.

"The auto industry rescue helped save more than one million jobs throughout our nation's industrial heartland and is expected to cost far less than many had feared during the height of the crisis," Anderson said.

The Obama administration initially estimated it would lose $44 billion on the bailout but reduced the forecast to $30 billion in December 2009.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has decried the losses on the auto bailout and insisted that forcing GM and Chrysler Group LLC to go through bankruptcy first would have saved taxpayers money.

But President George W. Bush — who gave the automakers and their finance arms about $25 billion in his final weeks in office in bailout funds — said there wasn't time.

Taxpayers incurred a $1.3 billion loss on the $12.5 billion bailout of Chrysler.

The Treasury also has put on hold an initial public offering initially planned for last year in Ally Financial Inc. because of market weakness. The government holds a 74 percent majority stake in the Detroit auto finance company as part of its $17.2 billion bailout and has recovered $5.7 billion.

GM CEO Dan Akerson told employees at a town hall meeting Thursday that the company was working to take actions to boost the automaker's sagging price.

[e-mail]


From The Detroit News: www.detroitnews.com/article/20120813/AUTO01/208130392#ixzz23SFkYQBn

[SoCal]

Aug 13, 2012 12:54:05 GMT -5 KyleEl said:

I'm not happy about Romney's choice. At least he didn't choose a moron, like John McCain, Daddy Bush and Dick Cheney did.

But Ryan wants to privatize Medicare, and we can't have someone who thinks that way so close to the Oval Office.

The insurance companies, like advertisers on TV and radio, have no use for old people. That's why government should be in charge of old people's insurance.

The insurance companies also have no use for the disabled.

Hey, kiddo, Dick Cheney WAS Vice-President. He WAS chosen. He DID NOT choose himself.

[KyleEl]

Aug 13, 2012 14:09:24 GMT -5 SoCal said:

Aug 13, 2012 12:54:05 GMT -5 KyleEl said:

I'm not happy about Romney's choice. At least he didn't choose a moron, like John McCain, Daddy Bush and Dick Cheney did.

But Ryan wants to privatize Medicare, and we can't have someone who thinks that way so close to the Oval Office.

The insurance companies, like advertisers on TV and radio, have no use for old people. That's why government should be in charge of old people's insurance.

The insurance companies also have no use for the disabled.

Hey, kiddo, Dick Cheney WAS Vice-President. He WAS chosen. He DID NOT choose himself.

Some people have no sense of humor.

[Mistermoonlight]

For what it's worth, I got a big laugh out of that post, Kyle, even if you did leave out Karl Rove.

And it's true, Dick Cheney did not choose himself.That was Haliburton.




I love this guy. He's got a great sense of humor. And a huge heart and big brain.

[AntiArbitrator]

Aug 13, 2012 17:38:30 GMT -5 Mistermoonlight said:

For what it's worth, I got a big laugh out of that post, Kyle, even if you did leave out Karl Rove.

And it's true, Dick Cheney did not choose himself.That was Haliburton.




I love this guy. He's got a great sense of humor. And a huge heart and big brain.

I am starting with this last post and reading the timeline in reverse.

I have to say this clip was hilarious. I always look for the humor.

[SoCal]

Aug 13, 2012 14:13:08 GMT -5 KyleEl said:

Aug 13, 2012 14:09:24 GMT -5 SoCal said:

Hey, kiddo, Dick Cheney WAS Vice-President. He WAS chosen. He DID NOT choose himself.

Some people have no sense of humor.

I DO have a sense of humor....a terrific sense of humor.

Some people just get pissy when they've made a mistake and it's pointed out to them.

[SoCal]

Some liberal democrats just LOVE Paul Ryan:

[Mistermoonlight]

Aug 13, 2012 18:20:28 GMT -5 AntiArbitrator said:

Aug 13, 2012 17:38:30 GMT -5 Mistermoonlight said:

For what it's worth, I got a big laugh out of that post, Kyle, even if you did leave out Karl Rove.

And it's true, Dick Cheney did not choose himself.That was Haliburton.




I love this guy. He's got a great sense of humor. And a huge heart and big brain.

I am starting with this last post and reading the timeline in reverse.

I have to say this clip was hilarious. I always look for the humor.

We'll be looking forward to seeing your assessment of where the funny is.

[davidhayes1956]

Considering some of my other posts, this may seem strange coming from me. Most of my posts are about being honest about who we are as a country. If we believe in taking care of disadvantaged Americans, then we need to put that belief into our budget and have revenues to support it. If we believe that each individual after 18 is responsible for supporting himself and under 18 his/her parents are responsible and the government stays out of it, then that should be reflected.

The source of this post is seeing all these things about millionaires that only pay 15% in taxes, the same as middle class people. The thing is, a person that only makes $10,000.00 a year has a hard time surviving if 15% of that is taken from them ... but it is likely that the 15% wouldn't be of the $10,000.00 ... it would be of the amount after personal, spouse and children deductions. Still, any dollar amount taken compromises that family's ability to pay for food and shelter. To keep this simple, I'll take the minimum taxable income I'm talking about to $50,000.00.

Should a family earning a $50,000.00 taxable income pay the same rate as a family earning $1,000,000.00? the key is "SAME RATE." They don't pay the same taxes if they pay the same rate. At 15%, the first family pays $7500.00. The second pays $150,000.00. Does the second floor use any more of the resources of the US than the first family? They might use less because they pay for things outright that the first family might get help from a federal program to pay for. So, even a flat rate tax may not be fair. Maybe our taxes should be a FLAT FEE rather that a flat rate or progressive rate. If the individual share of the cost of running the US government is $10,000.00 per adult in America, then maybe that is what we should pay. Because some families can't pay that much and feed and shelter that family, then there should be some gradiation up to the point that a person can afford it. That would mean that everyone who can pay, pay more so that the amounts of money needed ca be raised. But an account could be kept so that those that fall short at times can pay more later to cover how much they fell short if they ever start earning enough to pay more than the flat amount. But once a person reaches their share of the amount that is their share, they shouldn't be required to pay more. If a person chooses to pay more or gets special help from the government that they can pay for, that's fine. People complain when rich people get special treatment by police or the courts or any other government agency, but, if they pay 20 times the dollar amount that everyone else pays, doesn't that rate any better service? If we paid 20 times a much for a meal out, wouldn't we expect it to be a better meal ... not a "happy" meal?

My step son always had the philosophy that, as long as I earned more money than he did, I should pay for his meals. As soon as his earnings surpassed mine, he changed his mind.

It always bothered me that head hunters used to have a sliding RATE scale for their fees based upon the salary for the job they got you. It was something like 10% for $10,000.00, 11% for $11,000.00,... 30% for $30,000.00. If it was 10% period, the head hunter would have gotten $1000.00 for $10,000.00 and $3000.00 for $30,000.00 (instead of $9,000.00 for $30,000.00). The amount earned goes up without the rate having to change. Changing the rate is just greedy. It knocks out the drive to get a higher paying job. It gets to the point that you can't afford to get a better paying job. Taxes can have the same effect.

[SoCal]

[Mistermoonlight]

Note: these are all my own ideas. None are copied or pasted from other sources, except the quotes from President John F. Kennedy.

There are few things in American political history that will ever transcend this moment. Our first African American President dancing with his wife at the inauguration.

Although they do exist, there are few moments in our political history more important than this.



Little did he know of the craziness to come, from the insanity of the 'birthers' to the idealogues created by the Ailes Brothers, their Obama Hate Machine, and Fox News. All that has served to prove is that racism is very much alive and working even into the 21st century, even though we thought we'd dealt with it long ago.

And the scary thing is that we have changed from a nation that debates ideas on their merit, and is not afraid to make independent choices, to one of followers who mindlessly repeat what others have told them to believe in order to get ratings points on their media outlets.

The idea to get rid of the middle happened long ago, for it's much easier to make a decision between two sides if there is no problematic mid-point for people to reach their own conclusions. There's no easy way to predict which way those folks will go, since they vote with their hearts and not along the lines of party politics. They are dangerous.

This progression is even easier to see in the days of the internet, where people pass along articles to others that have been sent to them without bothering to check the facts, simply because the item fits their worldview.

Let's not challenge that, by all means. Because new ideas and the admission that one could be wrong signal weakness. And we can't win if we're weak, right? Because much like a football game, it's all about winning, no matter the cost.

Except to one's soul.

This is a good man, and I'm not afraid to say it.

Because how often do you get to say that?



"What do our opponents mean when they apply to us the label “Liberal?” If by “Liberal” they mean, as they want people to believe, someone who is soft in his policies abroad, who is against local government, and who is unconcerned with the taxpayer’s dollar, then the record of this party and its members demonstrate that we are not that kind of “Liberal.”

But if by a “Liberal” they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people — their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties — someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a “Liberal,” then I’m proud to say I’m a “Liberal.”

--President John F. Kennedy, Sept 14th, 1960.