Not afraid of the PAC money. Not afraid of the suppression efforts. The moment Romney opened his mouth last night, he lost the race. Obama wins by three percentage points and by about 70 to 80 electoral college points.
It’s not so much the Obama post-convention bounce, but the lack of a bounce for Romney which was reminiscent of Kerry in 04.
And then there is the photo of Romney leaving his presser last night, smirking like he’d just laid off a whole factory.
Yeah, I know there are almost two months to the election. Debates. Lots of ads. I’m calling it now.
93 comments
Comments feed for this article
September 12, 2012 at 6:20 pm
Yup
You’re assuming a free election. That can no longer be safely assumed in America.
September 12, 2012 at 6:25 pm
Donald
I found this link on Rose Welsh’s coffee shop blog today
Barak Obama, SURRENDER MONKEY
http://www.noquarterusa.net/blog/71830/barack-obama-surrender-monkey-2/
September 12, 2012 at 6:40 pm
HUUFC
If obummer wins expect another trillion dollar plus defcit each year. Think that’s a problem? 20 trillion plus when he leaves office. Then will you be a little worried? I am very worried now. Oh add the 2.7 trillion in social security trust funds borrowed by the federal government to that total.
September 12, 2012 at 7:33 pm
Matt
Washington Post:
“Mitt Romney is specific about how much he will cut income tax rates for every American: by one-fifth. But he is vague about how he’ll pay for this, though he insists he can cut rates without losing revenue.
The danger is a repeat of 2001 and 2003, when President Bush and Congress enacted tax cuts that plunged the nation into debt. Mr. Romney says he can prevent a repeat by closing loopholes. But the “loopholes” that cost the Treasury most are deductions and other provisions that Americans have become rather attached to — for example, measures that promote homeownership, charitable giving and employer-provided health insurance. …
Mr. Feldstein showed that the Romney math might work if you strip all households with taxable income of $100,000 or more of every dollar of deduction for charitable giving, state and local income tax and mortgage interest. Does Mr. Romney favor such a plan?”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/tell-us-mr-romney-how-youd-cut-taxes-but-not-lose-revenue/2012/09/11/69cadac8-fc20-11e1-b153-218509a954e1_story.html
September 13, 2012 at 8:59 am
Eric Kirk
Barrring a major October Surprise, I just don’t see how Romney can pull it out. The spread continues to increase.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2012/09/is_it_real.php?ref=fpblg
September 13, 2012 at 9:40 am
Mitch
October surprise, race card, voter suppression, fraudulent results.
Rove is good at back-door negotiations with America’s enemies and may well be able to schedule crises on demand.
Rove is also good at finding the few American counties that need disruption on election day, and making it hard for people to vote.
Paranoid? Maybe. It’s definitely helpful that Romney is the biggest schmuck to run for President in my memory, but I thought that about Saint Reagan when he ran for the Presidency. A GE spokesmodel? Against a sitting President who commanded nuclear subs? Oh, come on.
September 13, 2012 at 11:02 am
Eric Kirk
I know these things can happen Mitch, but every Presidential race since 1984 I have watched the trends and made predictions based upon my general impression. I have been right about the popular vote every time with two exceptions. I expected Dukakis to win in 1988 (made my prediction in late August when he was still in double-digit lead) and Bush to win in 2000. But I called Mondale even before the conventions, and Kerry during his own convention. Clinton in 96 was easy of course. I think I called that one in like July. And I think I called Obama a couple of weeks before the crash that would have made it easy – I’ll have to check as it’s probably documented in this very blog.
I don’t think the suppression efforts will be enough. Fraud I can’t predict. I think anyone who can be impacted by the race card is already set to vote against him.
I’m looking at the trend all year, the lack of a Romney post-convention bounce, the lack of an impact of the jobs report on Obama’s bounce (which tells me that independent voters have been paying attention), the scarcity of undecided voters, the debates, and the haplessness of Romney’s handlers. A shake-up now is too late, and the public in battleground states have already been blitzed with super-PAC odds.
Of course, I could wait until October to call it. But I try to call races earlier. The Romney performance and subsequent flailing was the pivotal moment.
September 13, 2012 at 11:11 am
suzy blah blah
I know there are almost two months to the election. Debates. Lots of ads. I’m calling it now.
-suzy called it in mid-June.
September 13, 2012 at 12:51 pm
Joe Blow
Don’t forget little ol’ me – I called it BEFORE it ever got started.
September 13, 2012 at 1:15 pm
Mitch
Eric,
I hope you’re right. I can’t wrap my head around what a Romney administration would mean. Have you seen this? It says what I feel:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/09/12/1131002/-New-Meme-Romney-Smirking-at-America-s-Horrifying-Misfortunes
September 13, 2012 at 1:18 pm
Not A Native
Gee, you sure have a lot of confidence in polling trends. Hope you’re correct.
September 13, 2012 at 2:52 pm
tra
According to Fox “News,” not only did Obama apologize to the murderers, now he’s thanking them as well!
“Obama Calls Libyan President to Thank Him After US Ambassador Murdered.”
http://nation.foxnews.com/egypt/2012/09/13/obama-calls-libyan-president-thank-him-after-us-ambassador-murdered
Ladies and gentlemen, I believe the shark has been jumped. Repeat: the shark has been jumped. That’s all for today…please make your way to the exits, and don’t forget to stop by our gift shop on the way out.
September 13, 2012 at 10:06 pm
pathetic actually
fox news can’t even get their stories straight. although the printed headline on their website does say “Obama Calls Libyan President to Thank Him After US Ambassador Murdered,” the news anchor in the video says obama called the libyan pres to thank him for his condolences subsequent to the attack. so what?
is there a discount available at the gift shop?
September 14, 2012 at 6:51 am
longwind
I agree Eric, for another reason: Bernanke has timed his latest currency depreciation to take effect in, wait for it, early November! Unemployment should tick down in the last weeks of the election. Don’t forget, the only concrete measure we have for the skill of Fed chairs is their ability to get incumbent presidents re-elected. Bernanke has lots to prove, and he’s proving it. I’m buying gold (and voting for Obama).
September 14, 2012 at 7:15 am
moviedad
Yuppers to “Yup,” most enlightened comment on this subject.
September 14, 2012 at 8:20 am
HUUFC
Clinton, Reagan, Dukakis, Fox News, race card, voter suppression, free elections, Bernanke, Romney.
Barack Obama is President, how’s he doing? How are events going in the world today? How is the deficit, and the debt? How are gasoline prices? How is the teacher strike in CHICAGO going? What about his past record as President gives any indication he will do anything different in his next term? Hoew will that turn out?
September 14, 2012 at 9:39 am
Plain Jane
I’m pleased that the fed has finally decided to do something about high unemployment. You’d almost think that wasn’t one of their prime objectives or something.
What do you think will happen to oil prices if President Romney (or Israel) attacks Iran and a million barrels of oil per day are taken off the market, HUUFC? Saber rattling drives up the price of oil futures, but its so much easier to just blame the Democrat in the White House than think about the consequences of threatening or attacking one of the world’s largest oil producers. Have you ever asked yourself how much danger there would be from Iran if Reagan hadn’t committed treason and sold them weapons to use against Iraq, if Bush I hadn’t tricked Saddam into invading Kuwait (April Glaspie told him the US would not intervene) and if Bush II hadn’t neutered Iraq which was an effective counter to Iranian influence in the region with his war for profit? No? I didn’t think so.
September 14, 2012 at 10:57 am
HUUFC
Romney, Reagan, GHW Bush, GW Bush are not President. Barack Obama is President. Let’s go to Las Vegas!
September 14, 2012 at 11:15 am
Joe Blow
All you cheerleaders might want to read this:
Ron Paul: Country Should Panic Over Fed’s Decision
September 14, 2012 at 11:37 am
Donald Trump
I called this election the day Obama was born in Kenya. All facts pointed to it, but I am the only one smart enough to get it right.
Further, I am a self-made man, unlike others who started life with significant advantages from their fathers, like Obama.
September 14, 2012 at 11:53 am
HUUFC
On GMA, Good Morning America this morning, (otherwise know as the Obama cheerleading show), they carefully explained that while
the fed has tried this twice before and it didn’t work, this time it will be done differently. The fed will buy $40 billion in bonds each month and continue indefinitely until unemployment goes down. WHAT! With printed money. This can’t end well.
September 14, 2012 at 11:56 am
Plain Jane
Huffy is nonresponsive to the questions asked. His cognitive dissonance must have kicked in and made him revert to idiotic talking points.
When trying to decide the right course of action, I find it helpful to look at the motives of the principal players. That Romney is supported by the oil industry should make people wonder if he is being so hawkish toward Iran with their million barrels of oil a day because if it was taken off the market by either war or embargo, the already obscene profits for the oil industry will skyrocket at the expense of ordinary people.
September 14, 2012 at 2:19 pm
Fred Mangels
“This can’t end well.”
I read something the other day that included comments by finance guru, Jim Rogers. He’s saying no matter who wins the election the shit is going to hit the fan real soon. Printing money and such- the die has already been cast. A worldwide financial collapse like never seen before.
I like Jim Rogers, but don’t know much about his record in forecasting stuff. He’s not the only one saying this, though. I hope they’re wrong.
September 14, 2012 at 3:27 pm
Eric Kirk
The sky is always falling, especially before an election.
September 14, 2012 at 4:42 pm
Olivia
I’m cautiously optimistic. Romney really did look like Richard Nixon the morning after the Libya attack. His behavior was disgraceful.
September 14, 2012 at 9:42 pm
Plain Jane
A thoughtful and informative essay about Mitt and Bibi’s motivations for their hysteria over Iran.
http://keller.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/12/mitt-and-bibi-diplomacy-as-demolition-derby/
September 14, 2012 at 11:03 pm
ED Denson
While I respect your prognostic abilities, Eric, I am basing my cautious optomism on the NYT pollster,Nate Silver, of FiveThirtyEight. He has had Obama’s chances in the high 70%s for a while now. Worth a Google if you don’t know his work. Of course Mitt could pull off the debates and improve his standings, but more likely he will expose himself even more as someone who mistakes words for plans and deeds.
September 15, 2012 at 11:49 am
Dave Kirby
I would expect as it becomes more apparent that Mitt isn’t going anywhere that money will shift to the House and Senate races. Has anyone seen in projections as to the races for congress?
September 15, 2012 at 1:31 pm
Eric Kirk
Ed – I have his blog in my links column – Five Thirty-Eight.
Dave – The projections are all over the map.
September 15, 2012 at 2:41 pm
bob
without fraud, even the american people aren’t so stupid as to vote for mitty.
September 15, 2012 at 3:46 pm
Ann
Don’t underestimate the stupidity of Americans. It’s looking pretty good now, but the Mideast situation could reverse that. I’m thankful that Obama is president during this crisis; Romney would be sending troops.
September 15, 2012 at 5:45 pm
steak n eggs
I agree eric. But I think that the margin will be higher. Te only thing that could potentially save Mitt from a butt kicking would an increase in anti american protests by arabs.
I think a good presential race is important, we find out their weaknesses before they get elected
September 15, 2012 at 8:17 pm
HUUFC
Really now, nobody knows what Romney would do, but we do know what obummer has done, not much, not much at all.
September 15, 2012 at 8:27 pm
Olivia
Romney surrounds himself with neo-con hawks. He talks aggression & his views on international relations are the same as George W Bush’s. If he is elected, he’ll start another war, probably with Iran. He certainly would be sending troops to Syria. He frequently has said he would increase military spending. He’s clearly a war monger.
September 16, 2012 at 5:55 am
Mitch
For what it’s worth, HUUFC: he’s provided a substantial tax break to the middle class via reducing the FICA tax, he’s arranged that people with preexisting conditions can get health insurance, he’s integrated the military, he’s wound down the Iraq war, and he’s killed Osama bin Laden.
Need more? http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/magazine/march_april_2012/features/obamas_top_50_accomplishments035755.php
He’s failed to completely repair the damage his predecessor inflicted on the economy, because he’s had too few allies in Congress. You can’t get blood from a rock. And yes, he folded to the banksters, because he didn’t want his entire administration to be shut down within a few weeks. He’s not Superman.
September 16, 2012 at 9:36 am
Eric Kirk
Saved the auto industry. Revived multi-lateral foreign policy. Turned an important corner on marriage equality.
September 16, 2012 at 9:52 am
Eric Kirk
Nate Silver says all eyes should be on Wisconsin, where the polling has been quiet.
http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/15/sept-15-waiting-on-wisconsin/#more-34585
September 16, 2012 at 12:22 pm
moviedad
What I want to know is if “Terry Jones” is supporting Romney?
September 18, 2012 at 5:44 am
Plain Jane
Doesn’t sound like David Brooks is supporting Romney any more.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/18/opinion/brooks-thurston-howell-romney.html?_r=1&hp
Romney’s excuse is that his smear of 47% of Americans “wasn’t elegantly stated” as he desperately spun without apologizing; but, being Romney – he doubled down and said that the 47% of Americans who think of themselves as victims and pay no taxes are Obama supporters. Brooks demolishes that lie as well.
I have already heard from a few former Romney supporters who are now just not going to vote for president. They know how little they pay in taxes, even if they won’t admit it on the internet, and how much they receive in benefits and they know Romney called them dependent victims. OOPS!
September 18, 2012 at 7:11 am
bolithio
Like I have been saying the whole time – the strategy to win against republicans is to follow them around with tape recorders – especially at their high end fund raisers. The GOP will always be their own worst enemy.
September 18, 2012 at 7:22 am
Mitch
As pessimistic as I am, even I can’t see Romney winning after this latest round of demonstrating contempt for anyone who is not already “all set.”
Which, pessimistic as I am, leaves me wondering what truly evil shit the Romney campaign will be generating over the next two months. Romney has demonstrated himself to be a man absolutely without principles, empathy, or even the normal human ability to predict the impact of his remarks on others (London Olympics, anyone?) A lot of ultra-wealthy people hate the idea of a second Obama term, and the SCROTUM has given them unlimited playing room. It will be an interesting two months.
September 18, 2012 at 7:56 am
Eric Kirk
75 percent of the superPAC money is against Obama, according to Rachel Maddow. I’m not saying things can’t happen.
September 18, 2012 at 7:59 am
bolithio
While Im sure coverage of markets is important, I question the ability to “buy” elections – especially after Meg Whitmans defeat. Showing people more images/commercials of someone they already don’t really like isnt going to change their minds.
September 18, 2012 at 8:07 am
Eric Kirk
I do too. And huge buys were made in August which generated no dividends. Romney’s PACs have pulled out of Michigan and Pennsylvania. The math is getting more difficult for him.
September 18, 2012 at 8:36 am
Eric Kirk
September 18, 2012 at 10:20 am
tra
I have learned, over the years, that I am not always able to tell which events and revelations will have a major effect on a candidate’s standing, and which will not.
That being said, I do think Romney’s going to take a real hit on this one. It reveals either a severely cynical and utterly dismissive attitude toward half the voters, or a craven willingness to pander to those who do hold such an attitude. Either way, not good.
I expect Obama is going to clobber him with this in the debates, and Obama’s campaign is going to make full use of this in their ads. I’m sure the Romney campaign will come up with some clever lines to try to deflect the criticism, but as far as the basic problem of trying to spin these extreme red-meat-to-the-Republican-base remarks into something that are palatable for undecided voters… well, that is not going to be an easy task.
Probably Romney’s best hope is that some event or some severe misstep by Obama will come along to overshadow this story soon, before it has a chance to percolate through to those who aren’t paying close attention to the race. But Obama doesn’t seem prone to severe missteps, and the time is quickly running out for either an Obama stumble, or an outside event, to come along and radically change the narrative.
Meanwhile, with Obama leading in the polls, Romney’s campaign will have to take more risks, in an increasingly desperate attempt to shake things up and try to get some traction. But that only increases the chance that Romney, will trip himself up, yet again.
So I don’t know whether Romney’s goose is cooked yet — but it does seem to have plucked itself and jumped into hot water.
September 18, 2012 at 10:50 am
Mitch
bolithio,
I don’t think the Romney campaign has a snowball’s chance in hell of causing more people to like Romney. Not at all. That means their only remaining (legal) strategy is to bring Obama down.
September 18, 2012 at 12:33 pm
tra
If your parents weren’t wealthy, and couldn’t put you through expensive private school, college and law school and pay for your first home, as Mitt’s parents did, then you just did a piss-poor job of choosing your parents.
And then there’s the people who insist on getting old, despite all the evidence that old people don’t earn as much and have higher medical bills.
And we’re supposed to help them in their old age, just because they helped us when we were children? Next you’ll be telling me we should care for injured, sick and poor people, too.
September 18, 2012 at 4:34 pm
Plain Jane
If your parents couldn’t pay for prep school, an ivy league college education, buy you a house and hit their friends up for a great job for you, why should you do anything for them? If they could do all that, they don’t need any help. Putting the elderly on ice floes when they stop being makers and become takers is just good sense.
September 18, 2012 at 4:54 pm
Dave Kirby
As i have said before 6 months ago the presidency was there for the taking by the reeps. I really felt we were going to see a series of one termers. But a number of factors have come into play that may well lead to Obama’s re-election. Perhaps the biggest blunder was running a man whose job history was in finance. A representative of the group who damn near took down the country and the world through greed and manipulation. The Tea Party turned out to be a liability that poisoned the republican brand among all but the grover norquist crowd.The haters,birthers and racists convinced the reeps that all they had to do was bad mouth Obama without telling us what they would do differently. I suspect Barack will slice and dice mitt in the debates and finish the job. It seems that mitt can’t go a week without inserting a Florshiem in his mouth.
September 18, 2012 at 6:52 pm
Plain Jane
I was disappointed that the media virtually ignored Romney’s admission after the convention in his interview with Bret Baier that the reason he didn’t mention the wars or the soldiers, just “strengthening the military” is because he talked about what he thinks is important. “Strengthening the military” of course, means pouring always more money into the pockets of his biggest sponsors while soldiers exhaust themselves physically and mentally with multiple tours and their families need food stamps to survive.
September 19, 2012 at 10:00 am
Ernie Branscomb
Dave Kirby said: “It seems that mitt can’t go a week without inserting a Florshiem in his mouth “
Bruno Maglis actually…
As a child I used to watch black ants and red ants when they built their nests too close to each other. They would battle each other for territory. I was not so much interested in which ant won the war, but how they battled each other. I have about the same level of interest in politics. I probably see more than the average political zealot because I watch the battle with impartial interest.
It has been interesting to me to watch the Republican primaries. I became apparent to me early on that Romney was not all that popular with the Republican on the street, but there seemed to be some higher power that wanted Romney to rise to the top. If you follow the story back just a bit you will find that as another republican rose up past Romney he was taken out by the media, and more specifically Carl Rove. Not one time did I see Rove criticize Romney in any damaging manner. My suspicions all along is that Romney was the darling of the ultra-wealthy. He was the one that could keep their offshore investments healthy, because he engaged in the same offshore investment in his own business dealings.
The Democrats seem to be in paralysis over knowing that if they bite the hand of the ultra-wealthy too hard, they will slap back. Even tough Obama gave us health care that we can’t afford, he didn’t return jobs to America, which I feel would have been more important. I’m not against health care. It’s just that I felt that it had a better chance of succeeding if we had gotten some prosperity first.
No party is going to help us as long as the wealthy control what we think. It sickens me to see how easy it is to have media tell us what to think and do. How do we break the chains of oppression when we are busy at each others political throats?
September 19, 2012 at 10:18 am
Violet
Some of what you say is true, Ernie, but I get tired of Obama being blamed for not getting enough done. The Republicans announced as soon as he was elected that they would obstruct any legislation presented by him or his party. That’s one reason jobs aren’t coming back quickly, though it is much better than when he took office. The jobs bill was killed by the Republicans. It was more important to prevent Obama winning another election than improving the lot of Americans.
September 19, 2012 at 10:26 am
Eric Kirk
To paraphrase Chris Rock, “Some people aren’t going to vote for Obama because he can’t get anything done. That’s like saying ‘he failed to cure cancer so I’m voting for the cancer.’”
Ernie – on the upside, we’re almost into the phase of health care reform which might actually stimulate the economy because it’s going to require some spending to make the infrastructure changes – both public and private. And by all auditor accounts including the CBO Republicans used to love to cite, the reform is actually going to reduce the deficit.
And remember, in terms of the private sector, the jobs have increased every month for the past two years. Nearly all of the losses over the past year have been public sector jobs, primarily due to cutbacks made necessary by staunch opposition to any tax increases. If housing starts are up as the latest reports suggest, then it’s really been the cutbacks which have been the biggest drag on the economy, second only to the catch-up effect of the trade agreements.
It does unfortunately look like the biggest demographic to suffer is the male with only a high school education. We are running out of things for them to do as we become an “information” and high tech-based economy. Maybe some of these men will have to move out of the country – I really don’t know.
September 19, 2012 at 12:07 pm
Joe Blow
Eric says, “I really don’t know.” That is without a doubt, the truth. For two guys that are so sure they are logical and clear-thinkers, it is quite amazing to see how shackled you are to your beliefs and how that clouds your vision. While Romney (Ernie) may be the darling of the ultra-wealthy, it is Obama that can get their looting done for them. The fact is they’ve almost got the job done. Once the American people realize the betrayal you might well wish low-class uneducated men had left the country, Eric. By the way the deficit is a red herring and always has been. It’s used to go after monies they normally can’t get their hands on. As far as so-called health care reform, that’s nothing more than a tool to facilitate the looting. You spend all your time talking about the political nonsense while Obama solidifies his power to arrest and imprison Americans indefinitely without trial or charges. This in preparation to protect the ultra rich when all hell brakes loose and the police won’t or can’t protect them. For your information, that should help you understand what’s going to happen.
September 19, 2012 at 12:46 pm
Mitch
That’s right, Eric. Obama’s desire to turn America fascist on behalf of the 1% has been obvious since his days as a community organizer. It was a brilliant ploy to get Thurston Howell running against him, so that he’d look like he was on the people’s side. Rosebud!! ROSEBUD!!!
September 19, 2012 at 1:08 pm
Ernie's Place
Joe, you are right, there is a whole lot that I just don’t understand. Are you out to make everything change? Or are you just happy that you are smarter than the rest of us?
September 19, 2012 at 1:10 pm
Eric Kirk
Thurston Howell was at least likeable!
September 19, 2012 at 1:17 pm
Ernie's Place
I always take notice when Carl Rove says something. If Romney says something he has to “approve of this ad”. Carl Rove can say anything that he freakin’ want’s to, with absolutely no accountability. It’s like he has his hand up Romney’s ass.
Which makes me wonder, who’s yanking Obama’s strings, because he seems to be not saying what he really feels. Why doesn’t he take the gloves off on foreign trade. There is hardly a country in the world that we don’t have a trade deficit with. Worst of all China.
September 19, 2012 at 1:31 pm
Eric Kirk
What would the world be like without Stephen Colber?
http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/09/colbert-romney-47-percent.php?ref=fpnewsfeed
September 19, 2012 at 2:56 pm
Thorstein Veblen
Ernie, Obama has been taking China to the woodshed on a pretty regular basis, on a variety of trade issues. Just has the good sense to not crow about kicking the ass of our biggest creditor.
September 19, 2012 at 3:06 pm
Joe Blow
Eric Kirk just keeps right on rolling along. You keep stroking him Mich, he seems to like it.
September 19, 2012 at 3:14 pm
Joe Blow
What can I say, Ernie? What I want and what I can do is irrelevant. What I know is something else. The fact that chose to share some things with people like you and Eric has a whole lot to do with how “really” smart I am.
I often compare people like you, Mitch and Eric to the guy that got shot in the heart but his brain hasn’t figured out he already DEAD. Reality happens to be a hard, cold and very powerful bullet.
September 19, 2012 at 3:17 pm
Olivia
Gee, Joe Blow, you’re a very bitter person.
September 19, 2012 at 3:31 pm
Mitch
Let me second Eric’s comment about Stephen Colbert. If you haven’t clicked Eric’s 1:31 link to view the Colbert video, you’re missing a treat. It’s probably the best I’ve ever seen from Colbert, and his takedown of the White House Press Corpse at the correspondents’ dinner remains one of my favorite videos ever.
September 19, 2012 at 3:35 pm
Joe Blow
Olivia = God. Reason for war – judging by your own standards. The next thing you’ll know is that your read my mind. Where’s the bitterness in what I said? Whoops, its the little gods that don’t get inline that make me bitter, angry and hateful. Sorry.
September 19, 2012 at 3:39 pm
Joe Blow
Hey Ernie, its not that there “is a whole lot that you don’t understand.” It’s that “lot” that you don’t want to understand that gets you into trouble. But then, I’m a bitter person, so what do I know?
September 19, 2012 at 5:07 pm
suzy blah blah
-hey Joe, i don’t think she’s really being judgmental in the bad sense of the word. I think she’s just asking for a pinch of sugar to make the medicine go down. Suzy likes my medicine straight but some folks aren’t used to the (fill in the blank) truth.
September 19, 2012 at 5:35 pm
Olivia
Your truth is not necessarily my truth. Many issues are nuanced and civil discourse is what I prefer.
September 19, 2012 at 6:43 pm
suzy blah blah
-your truth, that Joe is “very bitter” is not too nuanced or civil.
September 19, 2012 at 6:47 pm
Bolithio
I dont buy this “wheres our jobs!?” BS. How can a president deliver jobs? Jobs are not created by presidents. Especially not now when we hardly tax our society and god near ALL of money is held buy so few. The only people who can ‘create’ jobs are the people who can afford to pay for them.
September 19, 2012 at 7:36 pm
Dave Kirby
Bo…these guys who talk about “where are the jobs” are the same folks who say that government has no role to play in job creation when their guy is in office.
September 19, 2012 at 7:41 pm
Plain Jane
If Romney had a consistent bone in his body he would have called on his big donor “job creators” to start creating jobs and opening their wallets to pay better wages so the “lazy” wouldn’t have a valid excuse for being unemployed and not paying taxes.
September 19, 2012 at 10:26 pm
johnnkirk
Eric… Why did you give a link to a site that mirrors Comedy central? If you like Colbert you should always use the link to his site, so that he gets the hits.
http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/419186/september-18-2012/mitt-romney-s-secret-video
September 19, 2012 at 11:48 pm
johnnkirk
@Joe Blow. Do You honestly believe that Romney would do LESS looting??? Holy crap! Taking things over, tearing them apart, and looting everything in sight is the only “job” skill he has.
Health care reform a tool for looting? That would be funny if it weren’t so pathetically sad. The whole reason we needed (and need more still) reform was because the private douche bags who own our health care were “looting” us blind. The only reason they got away with it for so long is because Americans are so shallow & myopic. Most people didn’t care or notice unless/until they got sick or wounded, then they would scream “Holy F#@%! This is bullsh!t !” I think when it got to $10,000 per finger & the guy who lost 3 in a shop accident could only afford to have 1 put back most other people started to see it too.
Saying that the 2 parties are “all the same!” is akin to people joking about crappy beer tasting like warm piss. It’s funny and silly… until you are forced to drink warm piss for 8 years.
September 20, 2012 at 12:34 am
johnnkirk
@Joe Blow. I read your “why we should panic” link. That was funny as hell.
Oh no! They might increase the rate of inflation to higher than the return on wealthy peoples accounts! Oh dear! You mean their wealth will be devalued slightly by the same mechanism that prevents peasants from acquiring it? How cheerfully ironic. Maybe they should have just paid some taxes for their wars.
Yes there’s an element of risk involved, but the “problem” has been around since the 1800′s. It was made much, much worse on August 15, 1971. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, ask Eric about the “hidden” meaning in “The Wizard of OZ.”
Hint: All we need to do is click our silver shoes 3 times.
September 20, 2012 at 7:26 am
Eric Kirk
John, it’s where I found it. I doubt Colbert is lacking for hits this week.
It looks like things are going better for Democrats in the Senate races.
http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/09/senate-looking-up-for-democrats-gop-not-giving-up.php?ref=fpblg
September 20, 2012 at 9:34 am
Joe Blow
The success of the looting depends upon apologist like Eric Kirk that refuse to face reality. Romney would be too direct; everyone would know exactly what he is doing. Obama on the other hand has most everyone fooled. He’s a Ronald Reagan Republican (what he does) while he has most everyone believing he’s a Progressive Liberal (what he says). It takes Obama to finish the looting. People still believe in him. It isn’t that Romney couldn’t do it, it’s that the people wouldn’t let him. Watch what happens in Chicago when the city goes bankrupt.
September 20, 2012 at 9:41 am
Joe Blow
Ernie, US trade deficits specially to China serve their purpose for propping up the dollar – keeping it viable. What should scare everyone is the fact that China is NOT using dollars to buy oil.
September 21, 2012 at 5:42 am
Bolithio
Am I the only liberal who finds these religious fanatics in the mid-east to be ridiculously sensitive and reactionary?
I have empathy for the suffering of people, but I have no apologies for these lunatic murders in the muslim world. When will the greater population of muslims stand up against these freaks?
September 21, 2012 at 5:59 am
Plain Jane
Paul Krugman’s column today on what the GOP really thinks about We the people” is a must read.
And surprisingly Mike Gerson at WaPo is piling on Romney too.
September 21, 2012 at 10:47 am
Joe Blow
Bolithio, is that comment a classic pot calling the kettle black? Your lunatic murderers are their lunatic murderers. It isn’t like they don’t have good reason, you know? – NO, I guess you wouldn’t.
September 21, 2012 at 11:04 am
Joe Blow
To prove my point: Obama officials’ spin on Benghazi attack mirrors Bin Laden raid untruths- Excerpt:
September 21, 2012 at 11:06 am
Bolithio
My lunatic murderers? WTF are you talking about Joe? Your the one who fits the idiom time and time again.
BTW, Joe, Im not sure what drives your ethics, but in my world view being offended is not a good reason for murdering random (or any) people. Seriously Joe?
September 21, 2012 at 11:30 am
Bolithio
meh, thats BS. I for one haven’t ignored the injustices of past wars. Nor do I see the link how because violence was inflicted more should be inflicted. Not to mention that blowing up random people doesn’t effect that fact that a movie was made. I dont believe this highly excitable crowed of violent zealots have any rational justification for their actions. And that view isnt about self-affirmation or arrogance. I know thats hard for you to believe, Joe, being so righteous and self affirming yourself (at least your internet identity).
September 21, 2012 at 12:33 pm
johnnkirk
@Bolithio. No you’re not. Although, like S.R. I think the Islamic ‘ditto heads’ who did it were manipulated by A-holes who knew what they were doing.
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-september-18-2012/salman-rushdie
September 21, 2012 at 6:09 pm
Eric Kirk
Am I the only liberal who finds these religious fanatics in the mid-east to be ridiculously sensitive and reactionary?
There was a great story on NPR tonight about Syrian activists trying to tell the rest of the Arab world, “Hey, you’re upset about a movie? We have a government here blowing up mosques every day with worshippers inside. How about a demonstration or two for us?”
September 21, 2012 at 6:47 pm
Dave Kirby
Joe B… You getting any sleep these days?
September 21, 2012 at 7:22 pm
Joe Blow
I guess none of you simpletons know what the “pot calling the kettle black means.” Read Greenswalds quote above Kirk. He answers that question. Maybe you two wouldn’t look quite so stupid in your crass assumptions.
September 22, 2012 at 1:26 pm
Plain Jane
And then there are the ordinary Libyans who are storming the strongholds of militias and condemning the murder of our ambassador and others.
September 22, 2012 at 1:28 pm
Plain Jane
http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/21/14018495-protesting-libyans-storm-militant-compound-in-backlash-against-armed-groups?lite
September 28, 2012 at 8:42 pm
JK
Hey Joe, the difference is when liberals find out about things there is a backlash. All this shows is that Obama is not as liberal as we would like. Saying that trying to re-frame the perception of a tragic event is the same as blatantly lying in order to perpetrate an epic ongoing disaster [Iraq war] is pathetic.
BTW- The world is only black & white to simpletons…
September 28, 2012 at 8:52 pm
JK
A woman in a hot air balloon realized she was lost. She lowered her altitude and spotted a man in a boat below. She shouted to him, “Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago, but I don’t know where I am.”
The man consulted his portable GPS and replied, “You’re in a hot air balloon, approximately 30 feet above ground elevation of 2,346 feet above sea level. You are at 31 degrees, 14.97 minutes north latitude and 100 degrees, 49.09 minutes west longitude.
She rolled her eyes and said, “You must be an Obama Democrat.”
“I am,” replied the man. “How did you know?”
“Well,” answered the balloonist, “everything you told me is technically correct but I have no idea what to do with your information, and I’m still lost. Frankly, you’ve not been much help to me.”
The man smiled and responded, “You must be a Republican.”
“I am,” replied the balloonist. “How did you know?”
“Well,” said the man, “you don’t know where you are — or where you are going. You’ve risen to where you are due to a large quantity of hot air. You made a promise you have no idea how to keep, and you expect me to solve your problem. You’re in exactly the same position you were in before we met, but somehow, now it’s my fault.”
—-I thought you might like this Eric.