Category Archives: Elections

The Real Paul Ryan Is Bad for America

Well, I called it correctly yesterday:  Joe Biden destroyed the well packaged, but vacuous stuffed suit that was Paul Ryan last night.  People finally started to see the real Paul Ryan- shallow, callow and not ready for prime time.

Finally, someone has called Paul Ryan to task and tried to make him answer for his glib, destructive positions with real facts and force him to step out from behind the smoke and mirrors that the GOP uses to disguise the very bad impacts of their very bad ideas.

And most of these very bad ideas come directly from Paul Ryan-with an assist from Ayn Rand.

Joe Biden really took him to task like the differential DC media always fails to do…

My favorite comment came from Bill  Maher:

“9-1-1 ?  There is an old man beating a child on my TV.”

Now, I’m sure the Conservatives will start blaming Martha Raddatz, the moderator, and everyone else in the media like they normally do when someone doesn’t let them get away with their tricks and lies…

There is a great piece from Charles Pierce at Esquire.com this morning everyone should read.  Here is a brief excerpt and a link to the full article:

For years, Paul Ryan has been the shining champion of some really terrible ideas, and of a dystopian vision of the political commonwealth in which the poor starve and the elderly die ghastly, impoverished deaths, while all the essential elements of a permanent American oligarchy were put in place. This has garnered him loving notices from a lot of people who should have known better. The ideas he could explain were bad enough, but the profound ignorance he displayed on Thursday night on a number of important questions, including when and where the United States might wind up going to war next, and his blithe dismissal of any demand that he be specific about where he and his running mate are planning to take the country generally, was so positively terrifying that it calls into question Romney’s judgment for putting this unqualified greenhorn on the ticket at all. Joe Biden laughed at him? Of course, he did. The only other option was to hand him a participation ribbon and take him to Burger King for lunch.

You know what’s the difference between Sarah Palin and Paul Ryan?

Lipstick.

via Paul Ryan Debates Joe Biden – VP Debate 2012: The Real Paul Ryan Is Bad for America – Esquire.

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Mark Hamill: Romney Looks Presidential, ‘but I cannot believe a word he says’

The Force is NOT with Romney….

Luke Skywalker has come out of retirement to speak out…..

And make some very good points….

From Rawstory.com:

“I debated in high school. If you told things that weren’t true or just made things out of whole cloth, you were penalized. It’s too bad they don’t apply the same standards to presidential candidates as they do to high school students,” he told Current TV host Cenk Ugyur.

Hamill said he was worried about low-information voters, who might not be aware of Romney’s penchant for changing his positions.

“I would cast this guy as the president in a heartbeat,” he added. “He’s got the hair, he’s got the stature, he’s got the wardrobe, but I just cannot believe a word he says.”

via Mark Hamill: Romney looks presidential, ‘but I cannot believe a word he says’ | The Raw Story.

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Mendacity

Frankly, I’m pretty fed up with this election season-especially with Mitt Romney and his lies.

He is such a blatant and unashamed liar- the like of which I have never seen before outside of a used car lot…

I can’t quite believe people are letting him get away with it….

And it seems to be becoming the modus operandi of the modern Republican Party.

I can’t decide if people are not informed, lazy or just don’t care anymore….

Lying- or Mendacity-  has just become an accepted  part of our daily lives….

Made me think of this famous scene from “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”.

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Michelle Obama: Voting Rights Is ‘Movement Of Our Era’

And she is so right….

I’m old enough to remember how hard some folks fought for the right to vote.  I remember the news coverage with fire hoses and attack dogs being let loose on people who only wanted to exercise their Constitutional right to vote.  I never thought this battle would have to be re-fought in my lifetime.

The Republicans are counting on us to have a short memory of American History….

Given its current agenda and the overall demographic trends in the country, the only way the GOP can stay in power is to limit the electorate.  And they are trying desperately to do this with these Voter ID laws.

The Voter ID laws predominately impact Latino’s, Black people, the young, the elderly and other groups that have an interest in supporting the Non-Republican agenda.

And if you think everyone has a government issued Id and it’s cheap and easy to get the documentation to get one, then I suggest you step out of your Middle Class bubble…..

And remember, there is almost no documented evidence of any substantial- or in fact any- voter fraud today that would be impacted by voter ID laws.

I’m much more worried about the GOP manipulating the results via flawed technology in the voting machines and reporting process.  There is much more evidence of concern there than with Voter ID gaps.

And if you think these new laws  don’t apply to you, remember, these angry, rich, impotent, old white guys will get around to you eventually…..unless you share exactly their same self-interests.

From The Huffington Post:

Michelle Obama says protecting the right to vote has become the nation’s most important civil rights issue.

The first lady tells a gathering of black lawmakers and leaders that they owe it to those who fought and died for equal rights in the 1960s to make sure every voter can freely cast a ballot.

Her comments at an annual awards banquet for the Congressional Black Caucus come amidst a push in more than a dozen states to pass laws requiring voters to show ID at the polls. Critics say the laws unfairly harm minorities, poor people and college students – all groups that tend to vote Democratic.

Comparing it to the civil rights movement, Obama calls voting rights “the march or our time” and “the sit in of our day.”

via Michelle Obama Congressional Black Caucus Speech: Voting Rights Is ‘Movement Of Our Era’.

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Bye Bye to the Crazy Grand Dames of the GOP

How sweet it would be to be rid of Michelle Bachmann and Sarah Palin in the same year!  God knows, they have both had more than  their allocated 15  minutes of fame….

People are sick of Sarah and it looks like Fox News isn’t even going to renew her contract.  The GOP certainly didn’t want her around their convention…

And now, it looks like Michelle Bachmann has a very good chance at losing her Congressional seat….

Maybe people really are finally getting tired of mean, crazy people in Politics.

We can hope….

From Salon via Politicususa.com:

A new poll suggests that tea party darling Michele Bachmann is in serious danger of losing her House seat to Democrat Jim Graves.The poll, which was first shared with Salon, found that Bachmann now leads Graves, 48%-46%. Bachmann has gone from a 45%-41% lead with Independents to now trailing 52%-37%. The biggest indicator of how much voters have soured on Bachmann is that 57% of those surveyed gave a fair/poor job approval rating. Almost as many responded rated her as poor 35% as did excellent/good. Respondents also had cool feelings towards Rep. Bachmann as a person. Forty one percent said they had warm feelings towards Bachmann while 46% expressed cool feelings towards the incumbent Republican.After winning her 2010 bid for reelection by twelve points, her 2012 campaign is looking like a return to the norm. Bachmann first won election to the House in 2006 in a three person race by a 50%-42%-8% margin. Bachmann won another three way contest in 2008, 46%-43%-10%. Bachmann’s margin of victory in both 2006 and 2008 combined was less than her margin in the Republican wave year of 2010.Even though her popularity is on the wane in her district, Rep. Bachmann will be difficult to beat because of the massive war chest $15 million she has accumulated. Bachmann also has been heavily supported and funded by the national Republican Party. Michele Bachmann is a right wing media darling who is welcome to go on Fox News, Glenn Beck, or any other conservative media outlet and beg for dollars at any time.

via Bye Bye Crazy Eyes: Poll Finds Democrat in Position to Defeat Michele Bachmann.

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Porn Star Jenna Jameson Endorses Mitt Romney

The Family Values crowd is going to love this….

And her reasoning is actually sound for her situation….

Selfish, but sound.

I guess she is a true Republican….

Maybe she will hold a fundraiser at one of those Tampa Strip Clubs during the GOP Convention.

From CBS:

Porn star Jenna Jameson chose a familiar stage to make her endorsement for the 2012 presidential election Thursday night. At a San Francisco strip club, the former adult actress and stage performer said she was ready for a Romney presidency.

“I’m very looking forward to a Republican being back in office,” Jameson said while sipping champagne in a VIP room at Gold Club in the city’s South of Market neighborhood. “When you’re rich, you want a Republican in office.”

Jameson made the comments exclusively to a CBS SF staffer who was attending an event marking the 8th anniversary of the gentlemen’s club.

via Porn star Jenna Jameson endorses Mitt Romney | wtsp.com.

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Was Jesus Lily-White? Race and the Mormon Religion

Race, Politics and Religion….

Three of the most volatile topics in the world, and all addressed in this fascinating article by Jamie Reno in “The Daily Beast” with author Edward Blum’s thoughts on the impact of the various perceptions of Jesus’ race and appearance on the Presidential Campaigns.  Blum is the co-author of the upcoming book “The Color of Christ”, which I just pre-ordered from Amazon.com.

This particular article on race, Mormonism and how Romney and President Obama view Jesus really is worthwhile reading.  And I’ve spent enough time in Salt Lake City to know people really should take a hard look at the Mormon view on race.  Among other things…..

This is just one topic the book addresses.  I can’t wait to read the entire book on the bigger context of the perceived Color of Christ and it’s role in American history.

Here is a brief excerpt and a link to the full, fairly short article.

So what does Blum think Obama would say if he were asked if Jesus were black? And what does he think Romney would say if he were asked if Jesus were white?

“I think Obama would say that the United States is too diverse for any one color to be recognized as the color of Christ or God,” he says. “Obama has stressed that the Golden Rule is his main political lesson from Jesus. I rarely hear Romney mention the Golden Rule in his political positions.”

Blum believes Romney would have a harder time with the question of Jesus’ skin color. “The problem with this question would be intense for Romney because God has a body in Mormon theology, just as humans do,” Blum says. “God and his son Jesus are described as white by the Mormon prophets and in the paintings.”

via Was Jesus Lily-White? Author Edward Blum Discusses Race and the Mormon Religion – The Daily Beast.

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Is There Something Really Wrong with Mitt Romney?

Interesting and frightening article from Joan Walsh at Salon.com….

She goes so far as to suggest Romney is s not just insensitive, entitled and socially incompetent, but may have a personality disorder…

Hat tip to Jon Aravosis  at Americablog.com where I first saw this mentioned…

I’ll just keep watching and we can all draw our own conclusions as time goes by….

Here is an excerpt from Ms Walsh’s article and a link to the full column:

I’ve written that Romney’s many gaffes reflect his enormous sense of entitlement and lamentable lack of empathy. Surveying British Olympics logistics, he felt entitled to hold forth on its flaws harshly, because that’s the sort of thing he did at Bain Capital. Perhaps Romney thinks the British should have outsourced the Olympics. Or maybe he sees an opening for a leveraged buyout, to make it more efficient. At any rate, the guy who said, “I like to be able to fire people who provide services to me,” is a guy used to mercilessly appraising a situation and delivering a slashing verdict. He clearly feels he’s entitled to do that anywhere.

But could it be more than entitlement and an odd personal style? I’ve found myself wondering over the course of the campaign whether Romney has some kind of personality disorder, so dissociated does he occasionally seem from the well-worn routines of normal human interaction. Maybe we should be asking to see his medical records and not just his tax returns. I don’t mean to be flippant about that or insensitive to any kind of problem he may struggle with. But his struggles are our struggles; he’s running to be our president. There is something very odd about Mitt Romney.

via Joan Walsh – Salon.com.

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‘Sarah Palin’ Stripper Coming to Tampa for Republican Convention

Sadly, the Stripper look-alike is probably more qualified for public office than the original….

And let’s hear it, again, for these Republicans and their dedication to Family Values….

Hypocrites….

From The Raw Story:

Sarah Palin fans who are disappointed that the former vice presidential candidate won’t be speaking at the GOP convention in Tampa next month won’t be left hanging because her stripper look-alike will be entertaining hard-working Republicans at a local “gentleman’s club.”

WFLA learned last week that a “dead ringer” for Palin will stripping at Tampa’s Thee Doll House, only 5 miles from the the Tampa Bay Times Forum convention site.

Owners of Thee Doll House and 2001 Odyssey strip club both told the WFLA that they expect business to quadruple during the convention.

And that’s not a surprise because conservatives have a reputation for being great for the adult entertainment business.

“Hands down, the Republicans have always been our best customers,” Association of Club Executives Executive Director Angelina Spencer recently told WFAE. “We get clients from all walks of life, but for whatever reason… I have heard club owners say, ‘Boy, those Republicans really are great customers.’”

via ‘Sarah Palin’ stripper coming to Tampa for Republican convention | The Raw Story.

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John McCain: I Didn’t Pick Romney Because ‘Sarah Palin Was The Better Candidate’

With friends like this, who needs enemies?

It’s really bad when people in your own Party say an incompetent ignoramus from Alaska is a “better candidate”…

Mittens is really having a rough week….

Good!

From TalkingPointsMemo:

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) defended Mitt Romney from Democratic speculation that he passed on him as a 2008 running mate after reviewing his tax returns, saying Sarah Palin was simply the better choice at the time.

McCain called the tax claims “outrageous” and “disgraceful” in an interview with Politico Tuesday. He said he chose Palin “because we thought that Sarah Palin was the better candidate.”

via John McCain: I Didn’t Pick Romney Because ‘Sarah Palin Was The Better Candidate’ | TPM2012.

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