Month: August 2012

“Emperor” Mitt Romney Refuses To Answer Questions Of Reporters: A Sign Of Trouble In The Future Of A Secretive Presidency If Romney Wins!

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Republican Presidential nominee Mitt Romney has decided that he will not permit some reporters the right to ask questions about topics he does not like, such as Todd Akin and Abortion. He did so with a local Colorado reporter.

Mitt Romney is acting like an Emperor, decreeing what may be asked of him! Does he intend to do that in the Presidential debates in October? It is reported that he was furious and livid at the choice of the four debate moderators, and was considering refusing to attend.

Well, Mitt, go ahead—don’t answer questions of reporters you don’t want to answer! Act like you are a dictator in a third world nation! Act worse than even Richard Nixon in your attitude toward the press! Refuse to attend the Presidential debates! Go ahead, act like you are privileged, since you obviously think you are entitled to follow your own rules! Let the American people see you for the arrogant, nasty individual you really are!

Let the American people be fully aware of who you are, so that they can reject you, realizing that the likelihood of antagonism toward the press leads to secrecy in government, and corruption resulting, and the odds are very high that this will occur.

Mitt Romney has become the most insufferable candidate we have ever seen asking for support of the American people!

In 75 days, Mitt Romney can go back to private life, and be an arrogant prima donna, and we will not miss you!

The Romney-Ryan Ticket As Seen By African Americans, Hispanics-Latinos And Women: Worst Since Polling Began!

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The Mitt Romney-Paul Ryan Presidential ticket is in deep trouble, as polls demonstrate the unbelievable gap that they face gaining support among African Americans, Hispanics-Latinos, and women.

In one poll, Barack Obama leads Romney 94-0 among African Americans! Did you see that, ZERO for Romney, a stunning figure!

In one poll, Barack Obama leads Romney 63-28 among Hispanics-Latinos, a 35 point gap!

And among women, Barack Obama, in a recent poll, leads 54-39 percent, a 15 point gap!!

With absolutely ZERO support among African Americans, 35 points behind among Hispanics-Latinos, and 15 points behind among women, the Romney-Ryan ticket is on the road to total disaster, as they are also behind among labor voters, Jews, young people, moderates, Independents, and also behind Obama in all “swing” or battleground states except North Carolina, and almost even in Colorado.

Although they will win more states in the “heartland”, and therefore more electoral votes than Barry Goldwater did in 1964, they are on the way to a worst defeat than any GOP loser—Gerald Ford, George H. W. Bush, Bob Dole or John McCain–since a half century ago!

Roe V. Wade Almost 40 Years Later Still Debated, But Five Of Seven Justices In Majority Were Appointed By Republican Presidents Eisenhower And Nixon!

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In the midst of the heated debate about abortion rights, rape, Todd Akin, Mitt Romney, and the Republican Party platform which bans ALL abortions, whether rape, incest, or life of the mother, something very significant has been ignored!

The Roe V. Wade case of January 22, 1973 was decided by a 7-2 vote, with FIVE of the seven Justices in the majority being appointed by Republican Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and Richard Nixon!

That was an era when Republicans could be in the mainstream, supporting voting rights legislation by vast majorities in Congress, but now 40-50 years later, leading the charge to do everything possible to repeal the legislation, or deny many categories of voters their basic human right to vote.

That was, also, a time of mainstream Republican Justices supporting a woman’s right to privacy with her own body, exactly the opposite of what is happening 40 years later in the Republican Party!

The Republican appointments who supported Roe V. Wade in 1973 were:

William Brennan, appointed by Eisehower
Potter Stewart, appointed by Eisenhower
Chief Justice Warren Burger, appointed by Nixon
Harry Blackmun, author of the decision, appointed by Nixon
Lewis Powell, appointed by Nixon

Two Democratic appointments, William O. Douglas (appointed by Franklin D. Roosevelt), and Thurgood Marshall (appointed by Lyndon B. Johnson), joined the five Republicans, with only one Democratic appointment (Byron White, appointed by John F. Kennedy), and one Republican, (William Rehnquist, appointed by Nixon) being in the minority.

How far the Republican Party has wandered from the mainstream of American politics over the past 40-50 years, and the only answer is a sound defeat of the right wing, and bringing the GOP back to the mainstream, or else they will become part of the dustbin of history, being replaced by a centrist party that resembles the proud history of the earlier Republican Party, which understood that an alliance with religion is poisonous to tolerance and the mainstream of American politics!

A New Type Of Republican: The “Drawbridge” Republicans (Wealthy And Wishing To Deny Others Becoming Wealthy)!

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Columnist Matt Miller came up with a new term yesterday in the Washington Post for Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan—two wealthy men who wish to “raise the drawbridge” so that others have no chance to become wealthy and be successful as they have been!

Their goal is to help the wealthy, and do everything to impoverish the middle class and the poor, by withdrawing the social safety net, and even raising taxes on those classes below the wealthy while creating the greatest maldistribution of wealth in the entire history of the United States, and NOT be embarrassed or upset about that reality!

As Miller says, both Romney and Ryan lack empathy, and do not seem to care how badly they appear. So Romney defiantly refuses to release more information about his taxes, despite the tradition of multiple years being released by all other Presidential candidates. And Ryan “forgets’ to include a great inheritance in his vetting materials required under government rules about Congressional income, and for Romney, when considering him for Vice President. He acts as if being worth $7 million through inheritances is something to be kept secret, while calling for cuts in Pell Grants and Food Stamps for our children, whether of college age or of younger age and needing nutrition!

These “Drawbridge” Republicans are the most selfish, greedy, heartless Presidential team in living memory, as John McCain showed concern for illegal immigrants, and George W. Bush promoted a prescription drug plan for the elderly, and made attempts at improving education.

Romney and Ryan offer no such programs or concerns, except for themselves and their class, an absolutely disgraceful situation!

Oh, and by the way, the news is out: Paul Ryan provided NO BUMP for Romney after ten days, and even Sarah Palin four years ago provided a temporary bump for John McCain! So there is a disaster in the making for the Republican Presidential ticket in November!

Wing Nuts Of 2010, And Now Of 2012–Lost Republican Opportunities In The Senate Then, And Possibly, Now!

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The Republican Party is infamous for running wing nuts for the Senate, and as a result, lost the chance for control of the US Senate in 2010.

They ran such characters as Christine O’Donnell in Delaware; Ken Buck in Colorado; Sharron Angle in Nevada; and Joe Miller in Alaska.

The first three were so whacky that the Democrats held on to the seats, and kept control of the Senate, with Harry Reid of Nevada remaining Senate Majority Leader. Lisa Murkowski won a miraculous victory in Alaska over Tea Party favored Joe Miller, keeping that seat sane and sensible, while Republican.

At the same time, Rand Paul and Mike Lee won in Kentucky and Utah, respectively, and Marco Rubio was also backed by the Tea Party, and now Paul and Rubio are likely leaders of the party in the near future, no matter how right wing they are!

Now we have in 2012 the following: Ted Cruz in Texas, backed by the Tea Party and likely to win a Senate seat; Debbie Fischer in Nebraska, who faces former Democratic Senator and Presidential seeker Bob Kerrey, who faces a tough battle; Richard Murdock, who defeated respectable conservative Richard Lugar in Indiana; and now, Todd Akin, challenging Senator Claire McCaskell in Missouri.

With the likelihood of Cruz, Fischer, and Murdock victories for the Tea Party and the right wing of the social conservatives, the only thing that may stop GOP control of the US Senate is the Todd Akin controversy, but in theory, Akin could win that race too, and with only three or four seats gain needed to win control of the Senate for the Republicans, the future makeup of the Senate is disturbing!

It should be pointed out that the Texas and Indiana seats coming up for election are already GOP seats, so only Nebraska and maybe Missouri would be gains for the Tea Party element as things stand now! But going from Kay Bailey Hutchison and Richard Lugar to Ted Cruz and Richard Murdock is a major step backward toward further deadlock, confrontation, and paralysis in a Senate already with a terrible reputation

Republican Party Platform So Far To The Right Politically That It Cannot Appeal To Moderates And Independents!

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The Republican Party is formulating its platform a week before the Republican National Convention in Tampa next week, and it is so far to the Right politically, that it will have the effect of alienating to moderates and Independents!

The platform denies any abortions, no matter whether due to rape, incest, or life of the mother.

The platform takes a harsh stand on immigration, in line with the Arizona and Alabama laws now being sued in federal court by the Justice Department.

The platform supports strict ID voters laws, designed to suppress the votes of the young, the elderly, the poor, and minorities.

The platform supports the Ryan budget, including the privatization of Medicare and the massive tax cuts for the wealthy, while cutting Food Stamps, Pell Grants, and other programs for the middle class and the poor.

The platform refuses to accept gay rights, including gay marriage, but also rejects any recognition of civil unions, keeping gay Americans second class citizens!

These are just some of the outrageous planks in the GOP platform, and it is impossible to imagine that sane people will wish to support such a vindictive, extremist platform that would be designed to undermine the rights, freedoms, and privileges of millions of Americans!

Moderate Republicans will flee from a party they no longer recognize, and Independents will, by large margins, swing over to the Democrats, because there will be no alternative choice that is rational and reasonable!

Women Have Changed, And The Republican Party Needs To Adjust For Viability In Future!

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It is obvious that many Republicans and conservatives long for the “good old days”, back in the 1950s and earlier, when women as a group were:

Often married at a very young age, often not even a high school graduate. and subject to their husband’s whims, including difficulty being divorced if necessary.

If working, women were most likely office workers, teachers, nurses, but only until children came along.

It was thought to be unnecessary that women attend college and become professionals.

Women allowed their reproductive lives to be controlled by their husbands or fathers.

Women tended to avoid speaking up for themselves, as that was not “appropriate”, and they had little say on their existence, and had few legal rights.

How times have changed, as now women:

Marry, if at all, at much older age on average, and only when they can support themselves, if needed, and able to divorce without much trouble, if necessary.

Women attend and graduate colleges and universities at higher rate than men.

Women are a large portion of all professionals, and even in the military, politics and religion when they can overcome tradition.

Women demand control of their own reproductive lives, instead of leaving it to their husbands, boyfriends, and fathers.

Women have been able to gain totally equal legal rights, and demand what has not yet occurred, equal pay for work.

Until and when the GOP and conservatives come to grips with reality, they are doomed politically, as the vast majority of women are NOT going to live back in the 1950s anymore!

Missouri, Bellwether State, MAY Decide Senate Balance And Presidential Race In 2012

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Missouri, the “Show Me” state, is also the ultimate bellwether of all states in the past century.

Since 1904, the state has ALWAYS gone to the winner of the Presidency EXCEPT twice. In 1956, it voted for Adlai Stevenson over Dwight D. Eisenhower by about 4,000 votes, and the same vote margin occurred in 2008, with John McCain winning over Barack Obama.

Beyond the history of Missouri, the blunder of Todd Akin, the Tea Party and Republican nominee for the Senate talking about “legitimate rape”, has outraged not only his opponent, Senator Claire McCaskill and women across America, but also the Republican Establishment, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and Senator John Cornyn, head of the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee, as well as Karl Rove, head of the American Crossroads SuperPAC that is raising hundred of billions of dollars for the Republican Congressional and Presidential campaign.

However, Mitt Romney has not shown the same willingness to demand that Akin withdraw from the Senate race, and that may be because his running mate, Paul Ryan, cosponsored legislation to deny abortion to rape victims, by supporting “personhood” language that would make fetuses defined as “persons’ before birth.

Additionally, social conservatives are backing Akin, demonstrating the split in the GOP between them and the Establishment Republicans who see electoral disaster ahead.

As a result, the Akin controversy could do the following in November:

Throw the state and its ten electoral votes to Barack Obama, possibly replacing Wisconsin’s ten electoral votes, with the assumption that Paul Ryan might be able to carry his home state for the Republican ticket. It would make the path to victory for Barack Obama a lot easier.

Help Claire McCaskill to retain her Senate seat, and in so doing, improve the chances of the Senate staying in control of the Democrats.

Have an effect nationally on the percentage of the women’s vote that would go Democratic in Congressional districts, possibly affecting the balance of seats in the House of Representatives, and assisting the opportunity of the Democrats to regain control of the chamber.

So this mess could be the decisive turning point of the 2012 election cycle, even If Akin ultimately gets out of the Missouri Senate race. The damage may have been done already, and no chance to reverse the damage!

The Attack On Joe Biden By Rudy Guiliani And John McCain: Laughable!

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Former NYC Mayor Rudy Guiliani and Arizona Senator John McCain were on the attack against Vice President Joe Biden over this past weekend, making clear that Barack Obama should drop Biden from the Presidential ticket, with ridiculous statements that make them look very bad!

Guiliani made it seem that Biden was out of his mind because of recent statements, what could be called gaffes, that the Vice President has made. He made it seem that maybe Biden was too old, that he needed to be locked up, for the remainder of the campaign, and that one needed to wonder if he was qualified to become President if that were to happen during the next term.

What a ridiculous assertion, as Joe Biden is the best qualified person EVER to be Vice President, with maybe the exceptions of Lyndon B. Johnson under John F. Kennedy and Hubert Humphrey under Johnson in the 1960s, and Nelson Rockefeller under Gerald Ford in the 1970s, and the argument could be made that he has had more total experience on national issues and foreign policy issues than even those three distinguished Vice Presidents.

Could it be that Guiliani is trying to get revenge for Biden’s past statement about Guiliiani during the 2008 campaign wars, when Biden said that when one thinks of Guiliani, one thinks of September 11 and nothing else?

And, for John McCain to argue that Biden should be replaced and had looked foolish, who is he to say anything on this topic, when he burdened us with Sarah Palin for Vice President, a true embarrassment, and a woman we cannot get rid of, as she constantly issues outrageous, ridiculous utterances, as she continues to exploit gullible people who see her as a savior!

Neither Guiliani nor McCain are experts on what the Vice Presidency is all about!

Republicans In Trouble:Todd Akin and Kevin Yoder— How It Could Hurt Mitt Romney And Paul Ryan!

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The Republican Party and the Romney-Ryan campaign are reeling from two controversies that could affect not only the party fortunes in November, but also their Presidential campaign.

Republican Senate nominee and Tea Party favorite, Congressman Todd Akin, who is opposed by Senator Claire McCaskill of Missouri, declared yesterday that there was such a thing as “legitimate rape”, but that women should still bring the pregnancy through to birth, causing an uproar, which has led some to demand that the Congressman resign as the Republican Senate nominee.

At the same time, it was revealed by Politico that a group of Republican Congressmen, while in Israel on a “fact finding tour’, got drunk at the Sea of Galilee, and jumped in the water partially clothed, including aides of Eric Cantor and Kevin McCarthy, who are part of the GOP leadership in the House of Representatives. But Kansas Congressman Kevin Yoder, a freshman member, fully stripped and jumped in, and now there arr calls for him to resign, in what has been seen as a major scandal by many! Yoder also has had an incident with a police officer, who stopped him for speeding, and Yoder refused a breathalyzer test, and paid a fine.

It is not that Democratic Congressman or Senators, or other Democratic officeholders, are incapable of similar incidents, but that the Republican Party professes a “holier than thou” attitude on moral issues, and then becomes involved in such controversies.

It will be interesting to see how the extreme right view of abortion, that under no circumstances should abortion be legal in any situation, will cause a controversy for Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, now that they have declared that rape is an exception where abortion should be allowed, in reaction to the Akin controversy. It also contradicts Ryan’s public stand in his 14 years in the House of Representatives! So we shall see how this all works itself out!