The Daily Cruise

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noreply@blogger.com (ariel) — Sun, 09 Oct 2016 20:30:00 +0000

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A Strong Performance Based on Lies

noreply@blogger.com (ariel) — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 04:27:00 +0000

Upon immediate conclusion of the first Presidential debate between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, a fair assessment would suggest Mitt Romney turned in a stronger performance. Out of the gate, Romney roiled Moderator Jim Lehrer and was assertive, even animated, with a list of talking point from which he didn't stray. For his part, President Obama's disinterest was palpable and he missed or chose not to go after Romney on flagrant lies. I can't recall seeing a debate more poorly moderated than this one, which made it incumbent on Obama to jump in when Lehrer didn't. We didn't see that tonight.

What we did hear is lie after lie from Romney. Be it Medicare, tax cuts, revenue, the uninsured, pre-existing conditions, Romney's answers don't match what he said a year ago, a month ago, a day ago or even 24 hours ago. Nothing new here, Romney is a candidate who will say or be anything to get votes. It was Obama's job to go after him and he either let it slide or wasn't forceful enough.

It's little consolation to Obama supporters tonight that the President had facts on his side. He allowed Romney to skate away on lies, non answers and streams of numbers which don't add up. Expect this record to be corrected in Round Two.

Gosh, Darnit, They Don't Like Me!

noreply@blogger.com (ariel) — Sun, 23 Sep 2012 03:14:00 +0000

Williard Mitt Romney has been running for President for almost 6 years!  He 
was vanquished early in the 2008 election cycle by Senator John McCain 
but, undeterred, and knowing the Republican Party loves giving second 
chances to losers, Romney waged a comeback, and ultimately prevailed, to 
become the GOP's 2012 nominee, not because GOP Primary voters supported him, but 
because of a very weak field of flawed contenders, who were systemically 
eliminated by Romney's one great strength, big money donors.  Though Romney 
stands before us today as the GOP's Presidential nominee, that wealth of 
resources has failed, to this day, to buy him what can't be bought.  
Likability!  

By all appearances, Mitt Romney is a loving husband, father and 
grandfather.  No doubt, he's well regarded in his Mormon Church, which he 
diligently supports with time and millions of dollars in charitable 
contributions and the same is probably true with his partners at his former 
company, Bain Capital.  This is also a very very small, rarefied and 
insular world and the only one where Mitt Romney demonstrates any level of 
relatability or connectivity.  Take him out of any of these comfort zones, and 
put him with people who are not blood relatives, church members or business 
associates and Romney's awkward, unbalanced, gaffe prone, uninspired and not 
likable!  

Mitt Romney was the "frontrunner" at the start of the 2012 GOP Primary, yet 
with each state's election, the GOP base tried desperately to turn Romney 
back.  The base voters and, particularly, social conservatives, kept voting 
for anyone but Mitt.  He was able to hang on, not because of any 
groundswell of support, but lots of money.  As the money reality set in, and 
opponents dropped out, so did resignation among the GOP faithful.  It no longer 
mattered that they didn't like Romney. All that mattered was hatred of the

current President.  The obvious problem here is hatred doesn't win elections.  
A likable candidate is necessary!

Mitt Romney is a means to an end which will not happen.  He's basically 
met his financial match in Barack Obama, so money isn't enough.  With the right

candidate, we may have had a real contest on issues.  Instead, we are left with an

awkward opponent who, on paper, is good enough, and smart enough but, by gosh, no one

likes him.  And when all hopes are cast on defeating the one you hate with

someone you don't like, you're headed for defeat.  Darnit!

One Country, Two Realities

noreply@blogger.com (ariel) — Sun, 02 Sep 2012 04:05:00 +0000

The 2012 Presidential Election is little more than 60 days away and, make no mistake, Americans are living in two different worlds. Be it family gatherings, events, online activities, social networking or just talking to people every day, things known to be true are perpetually denied by others as false and there seems to be nothing you can say, or facts you can provide, which will move someone whose beliefs are flat out wrong. As long as this distorted reality bolsters a position, for or against, an already held belief, that's sufficient, nor is there any desire to know what's real or true. In essence, willful ignorance!

A Democratic Republic requires engaged citizenry and lively discourse. We have different ideas on the role of government so we either align with the party which best represents our views, or don't align at all, opting to choose each time, for each office. Regardless of how we choose, it's reasonable to expect that facts are not in dispute yet, increasingly, they are and it's gotten so bad, I almost expect to be standing in front of a red, white and blue American flag with 50 stars, while someone whispers from behind, "no, there are 10 stars." It's truly this unreal!

It also becomes fantastical when Barack Obama, is mentioned. There are so many lies and distortions believed, memorized and repeated about our 44th President, I can only imagine the volumes Snopes.com has amassed in the last 4 years. Who he is, what he is, where he was born, his faith, allegiance, what he said, what he did and didn't do, and with whom? No matter how many times the facts are laid bare, they are ignored. Nothing penetrates, nothing resonates and, hence, another reality, mostly born of hate.

This other reality goes far beyond the President and rears its head on almost any politically charged issue.and it's gotten to the point where the goal is no longer to find facts but to sow divisions. Our goal has always been the formation of a more perfect union. What happened to truths that were self-evident, instead being dismissed out of hand? That's what bound us! Can we agree on that because multiple realities will ultimately serve to tear the greatest experiment in the history of the world apart!

Raging Against Ryan's Lying

noreply@blogger.com (ariel) — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 03:58:00 +0000

It's been a week since presumptive GOP Presidential nominee Mitt Romney tapped Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan as his running mate for Vice President, and we've borne witness to a very disturbing development. Mr. Ryan has a proclivity for lying. It's a harsh assessment but the only reasonable one which can be made based on his own words and activities which directly dispute one another. Consider that on the campaign trail, Mr. Ryan doesn't miss a chance to tell supporters that President Obama has cut roughly $700 Billion from Medicare, jeopardizing this program for Seniors. In the famous Paul Ryan budget he produced as budget committee chairman in the House, Ryan cuts the same $700 Billion from Medicare. There's a huge difference on how the cut is applied. Obama takes the funds from Insurers who've been subsidized for Medicare Advantage programs, along with Hospitals and providers, in spending going forward, and applies the funds to the Affordable Health Care Act. Part of that application goes directly to closing the Prescription drug "Donut Hole" for Seniors. In the Ryan budget proposal, the $700 Billion is used for deficit reduction. We can debate which use of $700 Billion is preferable but, make no mistake, Ryan is pulling just as much money out of Medicare as Obama, yet he's telling Seniors he's not. This is a lie! Paul Ryan has raged against the Obama Stimulus since it was proposed and he voted against it. He claimed it wouldn't work and claims it didn't work. Just about every reputable economist says otherwise. This week, Ryan denied he requested stimulus cash, yet we now learn Ryan wrote various letters requesting stimulus cash, and received millions for his District. Paul Ryan was also found on the campaign trail raging against China as a currency manipulator, yet Ryan has spent his career in the House opposing bills intended to crack down on currency manipulation by China as well as unfair trade practices. Which leads us to today, and Paul Ryan raging again against President Obama for a General Motors plant in his District closing down in 2008. Barack Obama did not become President until January 20, 2009. This closure happened under George W. Bush. There can be no honest debate on the issues when one of the participants resorts to flagrant lying. Seems this is a carryover from Paul Ryan's recent activities in the House, where he's held up as this policy wonk and leader, yet walks out of Simpson Bowles. No earnest legislator would do that which puts the lie to the seriousness of Ryan. And it's this lying, just under the surface, and in plain view, about which we all have reason to Rage.

Romney's latest Etch-a Sketch: Movement Conservatism

noreply@blogger.com (ariel) — Sun, 12 Aug 2012 03:23:00 +0000

Today, with the selection of Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan as his running mate, GOP Presidential candidate Mitt Romney has completed a personal metamorphosis the likes of which we've never seen on the National stage. A man who not that long ago supported the choices of women, facilities which provided health care services for women with few options, who claimed to be more supportive of gay rights than former Senator Ted Kennedy, who backed comprehensive immigration reform, who acknowledged climate change was real and who fervently believed in the Individual Mandate as necessary to provide health insurance coverage to all the people of the state he governed, Romney has selected a running mate who affirms all of which he now opposes, giving Republicans the "Movement Conservative" ticket they have long sought, though the error of this "victory" will soon become apparent. Mitt Romney's deficiencies as a Presidential candidate are obvious and his biggest problem remains the party he represents wanted to give their nomination to literally anyone but him, and came oh so close to doing so. Since becoming the presumptive GOP nominee, it's been one gaffe after another and Romney's trailing President Obama in most National polls as well as the all important swing state battlegrounds. Just weeks before the Republican Convention, Romney made the calculated decision to go full bore with someone considered a standard bearer of movement conservatism. With the U.S.S. Wisconsin as the backdrop, Romney introduced the next President....ooops, his Vice Presidential selection, Paul Ryan. What does Congressman Ryan bring to the GOP ticket? Excitement for fiscal libertarians and social conservatives, who were already going to vote for Romney, regardless of who he chose. This excitement also comes at considerable cost. Ryan's campaigning abilities at this level are unknown. He's never run for statewide office and the Congressional district he represents is substantially filled with generations of Ryans and their friends, making him untested as a candidate outside of little Janesville, WI. Ryan is the architect of a budget plan which completely changes both Social Security and Medicare as we know them, turning the latter into a Voucher program which will cost this ticket votes among Senior Citizens. Like Romney, Ryan appears to have little or no ability to appeal to african-american or hispanic voters. The GOP, for all intents and purposes, has written off the former. They can't write off the latter and win a National election. Ryan's zero ratings with groups which advocate for women's choices and health will make it virtually impossible for this ticket to broaden its appeal to women across the board. Obama is way ahead with females and the Ryan pick will widen the gap. The Etch-a-Sketch Mitt Romney handed us today will be his last. There are no do-overs with a Vice Presidential pick. At least 1/2 a dozen candidates could have delivered more ethnic voters, more women, more seniors, more possibilities. Romney chose a Movement to which he didn't subscribe, probably still doesn't and that movement is in opposition to the beliefs of the majority and their desires for leadership and governance.

Rosengate, a shameless, unforced error!

noreply@blogger.com (ariel) — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 16:20:00 +0000

After spending 3 decades in Washington D.C., it's expected that any good political operative knows how and when (if at all), to broach a hot button issue without handing a hobbled opposition an explosive device. CNN Contributor Hillary Rosen failed the test last night and, hence, our latest political scandal about the hard work of Motherhood.

To make matters worse, and no apologies in advance for offending anyone, as a Gay woman who made the choice to adopt 2 children, thereby necessitating she work outside the home, Rosen's experience should not imply that the millions of Mothers who have stayed home temporarily, or permanently, to tend to that all important job of being a Mother, did so because they had multi-million dollar bank accounts. Many of us gave up careers, 2nd incomes and lived within scaled back means, or even frugally, because we made a determination that Motherhood was that important, and we wanted to live it and be hands on parents.

Admittedly, there are also millions of women who don't have choices, due to divorce and death, or unemployment situation, and every one of these Mothers should be commended for the very difficult task of balancing Motherhood and work. But let's not confuse this necessity with women without means choosing to have children out of wedlock, necessitating work. Making that decision, you leave yourself with no choices, and don't blame Ann Romney for that or any other Mother who chose to focus solely on marriage and motherhood.

There are many questions Mitt Romney needs to succinctly answer with regard to women and compensation, care, contraception and personal choices. All are legit and handing those questions off to his wife, or female surrogates, is not going to cut it. But backhandedly demeaning a woman who, by all accounts, appears to be a very good wife and mother hands the Romney team another a bat when they were down for the count.

A Proud Heart Humbled in Michigan

noreply@blogger.com (ariel) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 13:33:00 +0000

That Mitt Romney barely eeked out a win last night in a state he calls home, bearing trees of the right height, but gaping holes in their cover, illustrates what happens when a challenger best positioned to change the landscape, loses sight of the forest, and knocks over supporting limbs.

Macomb County, Michigan,home of the "Reagan Democrats," a natural constituency for Rick Santorum's hard work, "ground up" message, provided ample fruit for Santorum to pick off from wavering heights. Instead of focusing like a laser on the economy, Santorum went off the clear trail, ultimately, laying waste at the feet of a President Kennedy, forever revered by working class, catholic voters as an uncommon, rich man who shared their religious beliefs but stood up for all working Americans.

Rick Santorum had Michigan in his palms, and a pride filled heart allowed her to slip right out of his hands. Their is no honor before humility and Santorum's inability to remain humble in a frontrunner position is why he lost last night and the remaining brush in his path will prove insurmountable!

Tossing Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (ariel) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 01:50:00 +0000

We've all gotten that sick feeling! Your insides are flummoxed, either from illness, nerves, one too many drinks, or disgusting remarks, and off you race, or stumble, to the nearest bathroom to unload, wretch, puke, barf or vomit, all of which are grossly descriptive of a vile uncontrollable physical act. Upchuck no more, we're tossing cookies now!

So here's a pallet tossed, or dumped, at Rick Santorum for waging a political campaign which can only be described as condescending, repulsive, divisive, demeaning and entirely unworthy of contemplation or consideration.

The Separation of Church and State is absolute! Choke on that with your cookies!

The Newtering of Traditional Family Values

noreply@blogger.com (ariel) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:57:00 +0000

65% of voters who participated in the South Carolina Primary yesterday were identified as Evangelical Christians, social conservatives who comprise a significant slice of the Republican Party. For these voters, marriage, including what kind, and family takes precedence over all other issues and many of these voters will persistently vote against their own economic interests to support a candidate who espouses those values. With Newt Gingrich's victory yesterday, it's now crystal clear the candidate need not adhere to those values, just repeat them in an endless loop while lobbing bombs at anyone who has the duty and temerity to question the hypocrisy of his words and deeds.

A person close to me was diagnosed with Leukemia more than a decade ago. She learned during an initial hospitalization, that her husband was carrying on an affair, while she was trying to cope with the scariest news of her life. The marriage ended shortly after, and I instantly cut this man, who I had known for years, out of my life, and never spoke to him again. Every marriage has its problems and, sometimes, divorce is the only viable option, but you don't leave a spouse alone in a hospital, contemplating a cancer diagnosis, to cavort with someone else. It's sick, it's inhuman and Newt Gingrich has done this, not once, but twice, with 2 different wives.

Newt Gingrich's life stands in direct opposition to the values, not just of social conservatives, but most Americans. He managed the Impeachment proceedings of a President who lied about an adulterous relationship, as he was carrying on his own and railing about the President's depraved morality. He shut down the Government, admitting later, in part, because of a personal snub, throwing Washington into chaos. 84 ethics violations were charged against Newt Gingrich, as Speaker of the House, marking the first, and only time, in the history of the United States a House Speaker was reprimanded and, later fined, for ethics violations. His own party was so disgusted with unethical, tyrannical behavior THEY forced him out as Speaker.

In the years since he left Congress in shame, he setup shop in Washington and became a creature of beltway cronyism, claiming to be a Historian, or analytical advice provider when he was lobbying for special interests, particularly Freddie MAC and the health insurance industry. Gingrich has a record going back years supporting an Individual Mandate, yet lies and denies what still appears on his Health Care Initiatives web site, supporting that mandate. Gingrich has made millions saying one thing while lobbying for the only interest which ever mattered....himself!

If Newt Gingrich were a Democrat, the Republican Party would have sentenced him to Life at Rikers Island. But Newt is a smug, bomb-throwing thug who takes glee in inflicting pain, be it women, the children he left behind, the Congress he shamed and the current President he wishes, not to bloody, but to knock out!

Social conservatives are intent on joining in an unholy alliance with the Devil, because this election has nothing to do with family values and everything to do with winning with a candidate who has spent a lifetime mocking them and everything they profess to believe!

America can never be defined by Newtered values. We are so much better than this and our humanity, decency, ethics and integrity must prevail!

Santorum Runs for President as Daughter Battles Terminal Disorder

noreply@blogger.com (ariel) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 19:49:00 +0000

Now that former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum virtually tied Mitt Romney in the GOP Iowa Caucus, hard questions which were never asked of Santorum as a cellar dweller in the GOP Presidential Polls until 2 weeks ago, are about to come flying and here's mine. As a father of a young child with a terminal disorder, why is Rick Santorum, a long time champion of strong families, putting his ambition ahead of his daughter, Isabella (Bella) Santorum and what is the impact of that ambition on a wife, also caring for 6 other children, who appears to be assuming all responsibility for Bella's constant care, as Rick campaigns daily to attain the highest office?

Rick Santorum's youngest daughter "Bella," has a genetic disorder called Trisomy 18, also known as Edwards Syndrome. 90% of children with this disorder die within a year. Bella is 3 1/2 and is considered an outlier, representing 1% of children who have defied death this long. A miracle, to be sure, and my heart and prayers go out to the Santorum family. There is no cure or effective treatment, Bella's time here is limited and medical episodes are ongoing. In a Washington Post article in November (link at bottom), the Santorums had 2 such situations with Bella, when Rick "moved" the family to Iowa for 3 weeks during the summer to campaign and he told the Post about the tough decision he had to make on whether to go out and campaign or stay in the hotel and care for his daughter. More disturbing, during the Las Vegas GOP debate in October, Santorum referenced flying a red eye home afterwards as his daughter had undergone a "procedure." The procedure was an operation and it's unfathomable to me that a father would not be there for his little daughter, particularly in light of her fragility, let alone to comfort and support his wife.

No one has been a bigger defender or proponent of "Traditional Family Values" than Rick Santorum, and no one has made more public speeches or introduced more legislation to dictate those values to the American people, who often hold other views. He and wife Karen have brought 8 children into this world. They lost one within 2 hours of birth and will lose another far earlier than is right, fair or understandable. Until then, they've been blessed with Bella, who needs constant care, will have continual setbacks and worse, and my family values dictate Rick Santorum should be focused not on an unfilled desire for an elected office he will not attain but on Bella, his wife and the rest of their children.

Why isn't he?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/gop-hopeful-rick-santorum-campaigns-with-a-seriously-ill-daughter-at-home/2011/11/28/gIQAMWdHAO_story.html

And the Iowa Caucus Winner is?

noreply@blogger.com (ariel) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 14:47:00 +0000

If it's January in Iowa, temperatures should be in the teens and worse, but next Tuesday should be almost balmy with temperatures pushing 40 degrees. Not expecting a record breaking turnout, but it should be a very good showing by Hawkeye standards, which reduces the chances of a marginal candidate with many young supporters pulling an upset.

Of the various GOP candidates who have polled Nationally above 3% throughout this contest, only 1 has never surged or tanked. He's the same candidate who can't break through 30% support, but hasn't fallen below 20% either. He lacks rhythm and has no pizzazz, but he's consistent, and that's all it's going to take for Mitt Romney to win the Iowa Caucus.

In at second is the fringe candidate who is in the midst of a surge and will never completely deflate because of a diehard base of supporters. Ron Paul has the right combination of boots on the ground and ad placements to score a close second to Romney. After this result, Paul will be under relentless attack but more on that when we get to New Hampshire.

In third place, it will be Rick Santorum, who's literally been on an upward trajectory for only a week, but it doesn't matter with the boom/bust mentality of GOP Primary voters. The Social Conservatives are still desperately searching for an alternative to Romney and will raise up anyone they believe is one of them, until they realize the person is unelectable, whereby said candidate is left to fall away. For next Tuesday, Santorum will be saved.

Republicans found a tax cut they hate!

noreply@blogger.com (ariel) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 03:01:00 +0000

House Republicans killed the 2 month payroll tax cut extension passed by the Senate just days ago, and bolted Washington, leaving in their midst 160,000,000 WORKING Americans who face an average tax hike of $1000.00 for 2012, not to mention 1.5 Million Americans who will lose long term unemployment benefits on January 1, without this extension.

Why did House Republicans do it? Because they are outraged that almost half the country doesn't pay Federal *Income* Taxes. Why? Because their wages are so low, that combined with earned income tax credits and standard deductions, they are too poor to pay the income tax. And Republicans have done a damn fine job convincing their supporters that these Americans are scofflaws, slackers and worse, while refusing to acknowledge they are paying every other tax in existence. Since none of the other taxes are progressive, as a percentage of income, their bite effects the poor most.

A year after President Obama came into office he proposed, and Congress passed, a modest reduction in the PAYROLL tax, which EVERY worker pays, on their first dollar of earnings. As a percentage of income, who are the biggest beneficiaries of the payroll tax reduction? The working poor. Every employee pays the same 6.2% rate and the tax is capped at just over $100,000/year. A low wage employee who makes $20k/year pays the payroll tax on the entire $20K, whereas the high wage employee, who makes $500K, pays the tax only on the first $106K of earnings.

Without divine intervention, the former payroll tax rate will go back into effect on New Year's Day. To someone making $500K, a thousand dollars is negligible. All bills will be paid, contributions will continue to savings and investments and discretionary spending won't change but, for at least 80,000,000 Americans, that $1000.00 tax increase will mean varying degrees of pain in this still fragile economy, effecting product demand and businesses far and wide.

While House Republicans consider the Bush tax cuts, which overwhelming benefit the wealthiest Americans, sacred, pledging to retain them until death and into the afterlife, there's no such affinity for a tax cut they deem 160,000,000 working Americans don't deserve. They hate it, don't give a damn about the average worker and left town to prove it. There's an election next November. You've got your chance to do something about it. Vote them out, because that's what THEY'VE EARNED!

The Trashing of the Republican Primary

noreply@blogger.com (ariel) — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 01:51:00 +0000

We are about 6 weeks away from the Iowa Caucus, the kickoff to the 2012 Presidential race, and I keep coming back to the same question...What the hell has happened to the Grand Ole Party? Lincoln and Roosevelt can be seen shaking their storied heads from Mt. Rushmore. Eisenhower and Reagan are furiously tossing and turning in their graves. Americans, regardless of affiliation, are watching this freak show unfold in horror, wondering when it will end, and if a legitimate candidate, worthy of our highest office, will emerge from this trash heap.

Of the contenders who are registering at all in the Polls, and who have appeared in debates, there is but one who is worthy of consideration. His name is Jon Huntsman and it's my sincere hope that somehow, some way, the former Governor of Utah and Ambassador to China catches fire, because all the rest are sheer embarrassments and worse.

The choices range from Rick Santorum, pining to turn this country into the United Theocracy of America, to Michele Bachmann, a habitual liar, to Ron Paul, an almost octogenarian who would dismantle every Federal agency and program, to Rick Perry, who defines stupidity, to Herman Cain, who is using the campaign trail to book speaking engagements and sell books, to Newt Gingrich, the smug, thrice married, ethically challenged, former Speaker of the House, to Mitt Romney, a man who has no truths, principles or core beliefs.

A dumpster is no place to look for American Exceptionalism. Republicans, the hour is urgent! Clean this mess up!

Table Talk

noreply@blogger.com (ariel) — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 00:08:00 +0000

Tonight's GOP Presidential debate had a different flavor, with Charlie Rose and the WAPost's Karen Tumulty, at a Table, questioning the seated candidates, making for a less formal, more relaxed debate. And some interesting leftovers...

Michele Bachmann is sure to make headlines again, for yet another outrageous claim, that President Obama told her Medicare is going to "collapse" into Obamacare. Ms. Bachmann better have something to back up this lunacy, otherwise it's the end of her campaign. Herman Cain is claiming a well known economist is an adviser for his 9/9/9 plan, yet no one knows who this person, Rich Lowery, is except that he may be a Wealth Fund Manager. Newt Gingrich is advocating for Fed Chief Ben Bernacke, former Senator Chris Dodd and Congressman Barney Frank to be arrested for the Housing collapse. Not one candidate placed any blame at all on Banks.

Cain insists every independent analysis of his 9/9/9 plan is wrong. Prove that you're right, because you can't! Just telling us it's wrong doesn't make it so. And NO W2 worker pays 15.3% payroll tax, but half that amount with the employer picking up the other half, so Cain's claim that W2 workers would save 6% on their taxes, by paying a National Sales Tax on everything rather than the payroll tax is completely false. The 1.5% "savings" would instantly be negated by a 9% federal income tax with no standard deductions, no Earned Income Tax Credit and no Child Care credit, as well as a brand new 9% tax on food and drugs which no one pays now, The working poor would be clobbered. Speaking of 9/9/9, invert those numbers and we're left with 6/6/6....the devil in those numbers. ;-)

In attacking Romney's plan to lower Capital Gains taxes to 0% on people who make less than $200K, Gingrich admitted that people who make under $200K generally don't have Capital Gains, making Romney's plan pointless and more of the status quo...keep feeding the rich! Romney then went on to claim Obamacare effects everyone who is already insured. More lies! Like Romneycare, it addresses those who are uninsured now, so stop lying and running from your own truth!

Bachmann claimed she spent her "whole life" in the private sector. When? Before she was born again? Tax attorney for the IRS, a State Senator and now a 3 term Congresswoman is Bachmann's resume, wholly dependent on State and Federal Government.

Herman Cain thinks Alan Greenspan is an example of the kind of Federal Reserve Chairman he would install. I'm trying to think of a better reason not to support Cain than this one because Greenspan was part and parcel of the financial meltdown with his failed policies at the Federal Reserve.

Here is a much more important reason to reject Herman Cain. To date, not one Moderator has asked the question that needs to be asked. Cain is a Stage 4 Colon/ Liver cancer survivor. This awful diagnosis and his treatment occurred in 2006. He claims he's cancer free when the reality is no one with Stage 4 metastasis is. He's in remission and he's now 5 years out, which is a miracle and rare.

While there are no guarantees in life, it's all but certain a Cain Presidency would be fraught with health issues at bare minimum. More probably far worse, and it's a disservice to the American people that this issue is basically being swept under the rug or, as was the case tonight, under a table.

Orlando Unhinged

noreply@blogger.com (ariel) — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 01:05:00 +0000

Lose the EPA, close the Department of Education, wall off America, distortions, distractions and not one meaningful followup from the Fox News Moderators to non-answers, inaccurate statements, flat out falsehoods and endless ambiguities.

No debate occurred tonight in the Magic City, and we learned nothing from the GOP Presidential candidates that we didn't already know. Pure pep rally with red, white and blue pom poms and not one concrete plan to create jobs. Wax poetic about Ronald Reagan and call it a night.

And slam that door shut!

Tampa Tea!

noreply@blogger.com (ariel) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 00:09:00 +0000

So much steam from the teapot tonight, the brew evaporated into thin air! There were some really great questions in tonight's debate, and shame on Wolf Blitzer for not nailing these candidates after their non-responses, regurgitated talking points and complete evasiveness on every issue.

To a candidate, they are all advocating for Americans under a certain age (55) to opt out of both Medicare and Social Security, and you wonder why Seniors are concerned. If these plans were put in place, all the money dries up NOW to pay CURRENT beneficiaries. That's the way both programs work. Today's workers pay into both programs to fund current retirees. If we book, Seniors are sunk!

Mitt Romney wants to bring our income tax down to zero! Will Mitt be taking no salary because without any revenue collection, we can't pay him, or the VP, or a staff. WTH, just shut down the White House!

Jon Huntsman accused Rick Perry of treason because Perry said it's not possible to fence off the border. Huntsman's normally the reasonable one, yet he's accusing Perry of the same thing Perry accused Fed Chair Ben Bernacke of, yet Huntsman immediately denounced Perry as irresponsible when he leveled the loaded words!

Michele Bachmann is now only a Mother of 3? What happened to the other 2 kids, plus the 23 Fosters, most of whom she had for just a few weeks? Bachmann incessantly touted personal responsibility and private enterprise yet she and her family are almost 100% reliant on the Federal Government for their income, via salaries, faux subsidies for their unlicensed clinic and farm subsidies in another state.

Ron Paul wants to opt out of everything and, better yet, the world. He even advocates for 25 year olds opting opt of health insurance. And what happens to the uninsured 25 year old when he has a catastrophic accident and is left in a Coma? In Paul's world, Churches will magically come in, wave a wand and save this patient. Or, he'll be left to die. Full implementation of "on your own" society which, for millions, and make no mistake, will mean death.

Rick Perry's response to "executive by fiat," a Governor's order for young girls to be vaccinated for HPV, gave other contenders endless ammunition to slam him every which way and loose. Yes, there was an opt out for parents, but as Santorum pointed out, it should have been an opt in, and never should have become law without going through the legislative process.

A whole lot of the 1 million jobs created in Perry's Texas are government jobs. Very inconvenient fact for Mr. Perry and all the other GOP contenders who are hellbent on shrinking the Federal Government to varying degrees of crippled, life support assisted and non-existent. Depending on the contender, we'd be looking at additional job losses of between 3-5 Million. Where are the private sector replacements? Perry can't add either, and his D in Economics looks to have been well earned, by claiming the Federal stimulus created 0 jobs. CBO says the stimulus created/saved between 1.4 and 3.3 Million jobs. Back to school, Rick.

No real solutions offered but plenty of steam and hot air. Florida's already got plenty of both. We needed something to drink and these contenders left us gasping!

Romney vs. Perry in Simi Valley

noreply@blogger.com (ariel) — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 23:43:00 +0000

Round 1 of the GOP Presidential debate goes to the Mittens. Tonight, voters got their first look at Texas Governor Rick Perry, who came out like quick draw, doubling down on Social Security as a Ponzi scheme. It seems a stretch to believe elderly members of the Tea Party, who are reliant on this "scheme," would give their support to a candidate who would clearly end Social Security, let alone the larger appalled electorate. Of all the problems we face as a country, Social Security is probably the easiest to fix, but Perry's prescriptions for this and all which ails us is cut, defund and let the carcasses fall where they may. And how does Perry square not believing in evolution, climate change or intro to science, to believing "just enough" in medical science to mandate, by fiat, a vaccine for 12 year old girls? Pharmaceuticals lining his coffers.

Romney stood up for Social Security. He stood up for climate change too, which is also real to Jon Huntsman, but a government generated fantasy to the rest of the pack. He told a whopper of a lie in comparing his job creation record in Massachusetts to Obama's but was otherwise fairly cool, calm, collected and generally made sense, even if I didn't agree with the cures. Huntsman had a good 30 minutes by my estimation but the audience seemed unmoved. This is a man who would make a formidable general election candidate IF he could only get through the GOP Primary. After tonight, I'm convinced he can't and that's too bad for all of us.

Barring an entrance into this race by a true game changer, not a reality star who pines for Putin from afar, it's game on, Romney vs Perry for the spoils and we all better hope Mittens prevails. I harken back to another Governor of Texas, who fared pretty well by the State, actually achieving some bipartisanship in those years, before he swaggered into Washington and destroyed the economy. His name is George W. Bush. Rick Perry is no George W. Bush. He's exponentially worse.

Battle of the Crazies, Part 3

noreply@blogger.com (ariel) — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 00:57:00 +0000

There were no winners in tonight's GOP Presidential debate. The losers are much easier to identify...the American people! We are being denied all manner of reason and, frankly, sanity in the debate underway among the GOP Presidential candidates.

My America does not round up Doctors and charge them with a crime for performing a LEGAL procedure, yet Rick Santorum and Michelle Bachmann would do just that!

My America does not systematically reverse every regulation achieved over the last 20 years to protect consumers. Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul advocate precisely that.

My America demands honest accountability for a politician's record in office. Tim Pawlenty's recollection is spray tainted and Romney's is pure fantasy.

My America respects all faiths. Herman Cain is so profoundly ignorant of any but his own, I fear for free expression under the First Amendment.

My America is acutely aware of the economic challenges we face. We have an unsustainable debt, entitlement programs to reform, not enough jobs, corporations sitting on mountains of cash, and a fortunate few reaping enormous benefit from a tax code that's left the backbone of America in ruins.

All 8 candidates were asked tonight, if given a 10 to 1 ratio of spending reductions and revenue raisers to begin addressing these challenges, is this something you could support? The sound of silence was deafening, as NOT ONE would!

Until the Grand Ole Party is willing, or even able, to field a Candidate who can acknowledge anything beyond tax cuts, spending cuts and destruction of programs and services supported by the masses, I can only conclude the party is sold on carnival barkers who appeal to equally deluded gawkers.

My America is not a Circus!

The Big Squeeze

noreply@blogger.com (ariel) — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 02:42:00 +0000

It went down to the wire but after months of negotiations, hangups, walkouts and assorted brinkmanship, a deal has finally been struck to raise America's debt ceiling, thereby averting a catastrophic default on our debt. For those accustomed to All-You-Can-Eat spreads for one low price, and payable with future inches to the waistline, you may want to tighten the belt now and rethink your destination.

The Debt Deal is a big win for deficit hawks. $2.8 Trillion in spending cuts, phased in over 10 years, beginning in 2013. $1 Trillion in cuts agreed to now and another $1.8 Trillion to be determined by a "Super Congress," a committee of 12 lawmakers equally represented by both parties, by Thanksgiving. If this Committee does not come to terms by the day we carve our Turkeys, automatic, across the board spending cuts will be triggered, effecting military and domestic spending evenly, sparing Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid but NOT Medicare providers. Seniors better hope an agreement is reached. Without any entitlement reform in this Bill, including a much needed Medicare "fee for outcome" reform, lower provider reimbursement will result in providers dumping Medicare beneficiaries.

The Deal is a very disappointing for anyone interested in Reforms or closing Corporate loopholes. There are none! It's heartbreaking for everyone who fervently believes that very wealthy individuals, who have profited immensely from the Bush tax cuts, should be part of any debt solution. They aren't and neither are big Corporations, receiving tax subsidies, which 80% of the Country opposes!

For President Obama, it's a mixed bag. The urgent matter of the United States meeting its debt obligations of the past is resolved, and won't have to be revisited until after 2012, the same time the cuts begin. He can run for re-election without this monkey on his back, incurring none of the negative blow-back from the effects of spending cuts which haven't yet materialized.

On the flip side, Obama got none of the revenue raisers or entitlement reforms he and his supporters desperately wanted. If he's re-elected, those revenue raisers could come in spades on New Year's Day, 2013, by allowing the Bush Tax Cuts to expire on New Year's Eve 2012, a move that would go much further in reducing the Deficit than the cuts included in the Debt Ceiling bill. If he's defeated by any of the prospective opponents, he will have a squandered the opportunity to deal with the biggest driver of our debt over the last decade.

The markets should react well to the deal in the short term. We've averted a crisis and don't have to return to the squabbling in 3, 6 or 9 months. Unfortunately, we also don't have entitlement reforms or a Jobs bill. The economy will continue to twist and turn without both. Unemployment is now a deficit driver as the Government tallies fewer receipts for the many services it provides. It's also causing more job losses as demand for products and services in the private sector contracts.

Will this belt tightening alone choke off Economic growth? I believe it will and hoping beyond hope I'm wrong.

The Bush Tax Cuts, GOP Intransigence and Obama's Ace in the Hole

noreply@blogger.com (ariel) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 00:03:00 +0000

The biggest driver of our debt and deficit spending over the last decade was the ill-conceived tax cuts of the George W. Bush administration. They were touted as an answer for job creation after a fairly mild recession brought on by a High Tech bubble burst, yet Bush left office, after 2 terms, with the worst job creation figures on record.

To add insult to economic injury, the largesse of these tax cuts, went predominately to "job creators," the new moniker the GOP invented yesterday to confuse just who the true recipients of these tax cuts were....the rich! The "job creators" set about shipping millions of jobs overseas and banking the profits. No one noticed because of the fantastical housing bubble, where either home prices would rise forever (not), or financial institutions would be on the hook for countless toxic loans of their own creation, which many of them were even betting against, to essentially insure a financial meltdown in 2008.

Which brings us to today, with the largest debt and deficit on record because of ongoing attempts to clean up this mess, yet the Bush tax cuts live on, underlining the greatest wealth disparity since the days of Robber Barons. They continue only because of insistence, by the Republican Party, yet this same party refuses to raise our debt ceiling, to cover the costs already incurred, let alone the future costs of the cuts they demanded. The Bush tax cuts are set to expire the end of next year. If they are left to expire, as David Leonhardt pointed out in an April article in the New York Times, we could solve about 75% of the deficit problem over the next 5 years.

And herein lies President Obama's ace in the hole in negotiations with the GOP over raising the debt ceiling, as they continue to refuse revenue raisers. He can sign off on much of their proposed debt reduction and get the debt ceiling raised, preventing a default, which will stabilize financial markets in the near term. There is no GOP jobs bill and there won't be with such an agreement because the financial means won't be there to implement one. They ran on Jobs but will only be able to show losses because they insisted on maintaining tax cuts and subsidies to people and companies who aren't creating them, or sending them somewhere else.

Barack Obama will run, in part, on that feckless record and he'll win. And when he does, kiss the Bush tax cuts goodbye!

Michele Bachmann....Flake or Fluke?

noreply@blogger.com (ariel) — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 20:34:00 +0000

As Congresswoman Michele Bachmann heads to Waterloo, Iowa, to kick off her campaign to become the 2012 GOP Presidential nominee, her interview with Fox News' Chris Wallace this morning set the stage for what Bachmann will be up against with serious journalists who'll be covering Madame Tea Party's campaign.

Bachmann, now a third term Congresswoman from Minnesota, has a long history of playing fast and loose with facts, often getting them wrong, or just making them up to rile her angry base. From falsely claiming John Quincy Adams "would not rest until slavery was extinguished in the country," to wanting to hear from General David Petraeus on how to proceed in Libya, when Petraeus is not even in the chain of command on Libya, to a speech she gave to voters in New Hampshire, claiming the "Shot heard round the world" happened in the Live Free or Die State and not Massachusetts, their liberal neighbor, straight through to this morning, on Face the Nation, when she told Host Bob Schieffer President Barack Obama released "all the oil in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve," (30 Million barrels of the 730 Million barrel reserve was released), it's difficult to take Bachmann seriously when so much of what comes out of her mouth can be instantly discredited.

Though not addressing a specific instance of a Bachmann assertion gone wrong, Chris Wallace just flat out asked Bachmann on Fox News Sunday, "Are you a flake?" Bachmann seemed to take offense to the question and replied, "I think that would be insulting to say something like that because I'm a serious person." She then went on to tout her personal resume and seemed to get those basics about herself right. It's just the facts she uses to refute or discredit others where she consistently earns failing grades.

Michele Bachmann is no flake! She's attractive, well-spoken, with boundless energy and a spine of, in her words, "Titanium." Bachmann may not be an intellectual, but she is indisputably an ideologue who is happy to use fiction and falsehoods to make erroneous charges to further an extreme far right agenda, which is out of step with all but a very limited base of Tea sippers. As both a State Senator and Congresswoman, she hasn't passed any meaningful legislation, preferring to be cast as a lightening rod on cultural issues. In the comings months, her "shock" standing (virtual tie with Mitt Romney) in the first Des Moines Register poll of GOP Presidential candidates, will be exposed as nothing more than a summertime fluke!

NH/CNN GOP Presidential Debate Review

noreply@blogger.com (ariel) — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 00:26:00 +0000

7 GOP Presidential candidates came out swinging at President Obama tonight, under the backdrop of John King's latest Magic Board, complete with Videos and Tweets. The players, in front of exceedingly friendly, entirely white, audiences at St Anselms College and online, turned right, right and further right with each round of interrogation.

Unforced errors included Romney wanting to turn Afghan operations over to the Taliban, Pawlenty turning to Romney and blaming the term he coined yesterday "Obamneycare," and directed at Romney, on Obama today, Dr. Paul advocating withdrawal from the world, to huddle in our personal backyards, while shutting the hospital door to an injured illegal child, Bachmann referring to Military Brass as "Commanders in Chief," and flip flopping in 60 seconds on supporting States' rights to set their own laws on Gay Marriage, while backing a Constitutional Amendment banning them, effectively invalidating those which exist, Gingrich's plan to bring back McCarthyism and loyalty tests, and Cain's desire to discriminate against all Muslim Americans.

Winners tonight were Mitt Romney, by virtue of being the front runner on home turf and incurring no jabs from opponents, and Michele Bachmann for being highly disciplined and on message.

As the first Debate, with all major players in attendance who have declared candidacy, it was an introduction to who they are, so will skip substance until these candidates are really grilled, which they weren't tonight.

Stewart's Mea Culpa and Pitch to a Friend!

noreply@blogger.com (ariel) — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 12:20:00 +0000

Anyone who anxiously awaited what Jon Stewart would do with the Weiner story Monday night, came away severely disappointed. Crotch shots, texts, sexts, tweets, googles ... all of it right there for the Daily Show to pull out the stops, yet Jon threw up a chest shot, mumbled a few words and, faster than a New York minute, moved on.

I had visions of a grill, complete with Ball Park, Hebrew National, Nathans and Oscar Meyer Varieties, Virtual babes offering bun assortments and condiments, and Congressman Weiner wolfing down Oscar to shrieks of fawning and "Everyone loves Anthony."

To atone, Stewart, a longtime friend of Congressman Anthony Weiner, mockingly took shots at himself last night, in ever increasing proof, then "maimed" himself and finally stepped down, so John Oliver could do what Stewart couldn't, but the Daily Show audience demanded...rip Weiner!

Congressman Weiner, if you needed any confirmation on who your friends are, look no further than Stewart. He's got your back and sound advice. Take it!

At Florida State, have a Koch with a Smile

noreply@blogger.com (ariel) — Tue, 10 May 2011 23:27:00 +0000

Or a smirk, or perhaps an evil grin! That's the message from the Economics Department at one of the great Florida Public Universities, after David Rasmussen, Libertarian Dean of FSU's Department of Social Sciences, made a pact with the Devil and accepted a $1.5 Million gift from Tea Party financier Charles Koch in exchange for the Koch Foundation picking and choosing 2 like minded Professors and dictating curriculum and mandatory reading. Students will be gifted copies of Atlas Shrugged for their dutiful compliance and indoctrination.

Florida State is a Nationally Ranked, PUBLIC University!!!! It's funded, in part, by Federal and State dollars, though the latter has been cut to the bone because of a GOP State Legislature determined to do their level best to defund everything labeled Public, necessitating FSU and all other Public Universities in the State to increase Tuition and seek new sources of funding.

This fine university has been the recipient of many financial gifts over the years but NONE came with strings attached to teach and mold economic ideology, and for a measly $1.5 Million! This is craven, influence peddling at its worst and should not be tolerated by the University, Alumni or Students.

There is only one appropriate action for this storied University. Give the money back to Koch! And do it with a flashmob and a smile and watch the donations pour in!