Tag: Republicans

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democrats Medicare Politics

Rick Perry Loses Support Since His Recent Social Security Gaffe

A new Poll conducted by PPP shows President Obama extending his lead over Republican Rick Perry. According to the results, the lead is now in the double figures, and is the direct result of Rick Perry’s recent claims that Social Security is a Ponzi scheme. PPP reports;

Only 20% of voters agree with Perry that Social Security is a Ponzi scheme to 70% who dissent from that statement.  Democrats (4/87) and independents (20/69) are pretty universal in their disagreement with Perry and even Republicans (39/49) don’t stand with him on this one. When it comes to the possibility of actually ending Social Security voters are even more unanimous – 82% oppose taking that step to only 10% who would be supportive of it.  If Perry ends up as the Republican nominee and Democrats can effectively convince the electorate that he does want to end Social Security it could be an extremely damaging issue for him.

Since bringing up the Ponzi scheme claim at the MSNBC Republican debate earlier this month, Rick Perry has already begun his campaign to distance himself from that remark. But could it already be too late? Is the damage already done? If these poll numbers hold up over the next few months, expect the Republican elites to start moving away from Perry, and back to Romney.

My prediction for the general election? It will be President Obama and Vice President Biden, going against Mitt Romney and Tim Pawlenty.

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Barack Obama Politics

President Obama To Republicans – Put Country First

After detailing his plan to get Americans back to work in a joint session last Thursday, President Obama sent his proposal to Congress to officially begin the process.  The bill will cost $447 billion dollars, and will include infrastructure spending and tax cuts to small businesses and middle class workers.

The President held a press conference in the Rose Garden of the White House today, where he was surrounded by middle class workers like Teachers, Police Officers and Construction workers – the type of workers the President said the bill will support. He repeated his call to Congress to “pass the bill now,” saying “this is a bill that will put people back to work all across the country.”

Mr. Obama also addressed the Republicans in Congress, and asked for them to put country ahead of party, saying, “The only thing that’s stopping it is politics. We can’t afford these same political games… Let’s get something done. Let’s put this country back to work.”

Republicans on the other hand are already paving the way to put up a fight against the President’s jobs bill. House Speaker John Boehner hinted at various spending bills enacted in the previous Democratic controlled congress, suggesting the additional spending may be an issue for Republicans. He said;

“The record of the economic proposals enacted during the last Congress necessitates careful examination of the president’s latest plan as well as consideration of alternative measures that may more effectively support private-sector job creation,” Boehner said. “It is my hope that we will be able to work together to put in place the best ideas of both parties and help put Americans back to work.”

President Obama has said the $447 billion jobs bill will be paid for through various ways, including;

  • — A limit on itemized deductions and certain exemptions for individuals who earn over $200,000 and families earning over $250,000. That limitation would raise roughly $400 billion over 10 years.
  • — Treat carried interest — that’s the interest earned by investment fund managers — as ordinary income, rather than taxing it at the capital gains rate. That would raise $18 billion.
  • — Policy changes to a number of oil and gas provisions, revoking their special status, which collectively raise $40 billion.
  • — A change to the corporate jet depreciation rule so that corporate jets are depreciated over seven years, like commercial jets, rather than five years. That raises $3 billion.

If the past is any indication, expect Republicans to fight this jobs bill with everything they have. Keeping Americans unemployed is their main priority – just another case of party over country.

Categories
Barack Obama job creation Politics

Go Wide Mr. President, Go Wide!

I have to admit, these days I’m looking for a reason to re-elect our incumbent president in 2012.  I can no longer hide my disappointment at his not taking the wheel and steering this sinking ship over to more shallow waters. Why fight so hard and valiantly to become the first African-American president of – what we’re told – is the most rich, the most powerful, the most  influential nation in the world only to constantly cave-in with a whimper once confronted with your opposition’s…opposition?

And Mr. President – with all due respect – f**k those bi-partisan pipe dreams! Groveling is not a good look for my president. The public no longer needs that to be one of your goals any longer, anyway. And if another of your actual goals is to appear stymied in making any real, substantial policy changes because those mean old republicans keep bullying you and taking your lunch money… well, again, not a good look.

You’re on the stump now across the country campaigning on those grounds and its sounds more like you’re looking for pity rather than re-appointment. The thing with trying to appear as ” the adult in the room”, is that you get loads of obstinacy when the adolescents in the room with you, have no respect for your authority in the first place. However, that mustn’t  stop you from laying down the law. It never stopped my Mom, a single mother of five big-ass kids.

If you’d just concern yourself with blowing your own horn on all you’ve accomplished thus far; Bin Laden, a great start to a future of healthcare reform, being stalwart against the GOP on their insistence to not raise the debt ceiling and their personal vendetta against Social Security and Medicare, a successful auto industry bailout, aggressive moderator to the conflicts in the Middle East, International Kumbayah Ambassador… look, you don’t need me to tell you what you’ve done.

If your true agenda is to be the beacon of  ‘Change’, as you touted yourself to be and – we went for – back in your glory days in 2007, you’d better go for it now,  with no damn regrets.  Don’t give credence to my naysayer associates on Facebook who say you’re a pawn for someone else’s political agenda (ie: Robert Redford’s Bill McKay in The Candidate  (1972), remember?).

Hopefully your initiative to present a master plan for (what I wish to be!) an actual Jobs Bill (wouldn’t that be grand!) that could realistically be implemented ASAP – despite the expected stonewalling from the party on the right – will jumpstart your mojo with a “TOUCHDOWN!” tonight.

Just remember to go wide Mr. President.

 

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Featured

Republicans Have Better Things To Do During Job Creation Speech

Apparently, getting Americans back to work is not something these Republicans are all for. In fact, during the upcoming joint session of Congress speech the President will make on Thursday, where jobs creation for middle class America is the one and only topic, various Republican congressmen have already stated that they have better things to do.

A few days ago, Joe Walsh, the people-elected Republican from Illinois made public his decision to be more productive during the speech. He intends to hold a meeting with small businesses in Illinois, a move that will result in zero job creations, as Mr. Joe cannot implement any policy decisions or job creation ideas gained from his gathering. He is after all, just a fraction of a bigger body in Congress that must vote and approve these ideas, then the President must sign them into law. So Joe acting like a one man army, is just for show.

Then we heard about Jim DeMint, the Republican Senator from South Carolina and another people-elected Republican who said he wants to proofread the President’s speech first. In an interview with ABC News, DeMint said;

“If he sent a written proposal over first, I would go hear him explain it, but frankly right now I’m so frustrated I don’t think I’m going to go.”

And now, we’re hearing about Paul Broun, once again – a people-elected Representative from Georgia. Of these three elected officials so far, Broun will be the most productive. During the President’s speech, Mr. Broun plans to stay in his office across the street from where the President will be making his address. And to keep himself occupied while the President lays out his plan to get Americans back to work, the people-elected Broun will be tweeting. Yes, he will be sitting at his desk, criticizing the President on Twitter!

People elected these fools to office for one reason: work together and come up with ways to make this nation a shining beacon on the hill. To make America the lighthouse of the world, like we believe we are. But in order for America to live up to our fullest potential, we must, must meet the needs of our people. Right now the people need jobs, and any idea on how to create these jobs, regardless of which political side of the aisle it comes from, should be listened to, discussed, and immediately put into effect if job creation is the outcome.

But instead of welcoming a new idea or ideas on how to get America back to work and improve our economy, these Republicans will be doing what essentially amounts to wasting time. And nothing against Twitter, but how many jobs should we expect from Mr. Broun’s twitter account during the President’s jobs plan?

Meanwhile, our tax dollars pay the salaries and other benefits these politicians adore, like health care.

That my friend, is our tax dollars at work!

Categories
Barack Obama Politics

Approval Rating For President Obama Falls To New Lows

Some bleak news on an even more bleak rainy September day. Various polls now show the President’s approval ratings are on a decline. Bad news for the President and the Democrats, as Americans – frustrated with an economy that is intentionally kept in the doldrums by congressional Republicans – blame the incumbent party.

That poll showed the president’s approval ratings skidding to 44%, with even worse marks for his handling of the economy and his overall leadership. An ABC News/Washington Post poll had similar marks, putting the president’s approval rating at 43% while a Politico/George Washington University poll has him at 45%.

The new numbers caused Democratic pollster Peter Hart to conclude, “Obama is no longer the favorite to win reelection.”

With the election still over a year away, the new polls seem to  point to Republicans getting their wish to make this President a one term president. President Obama gets another chance to increase his numbers on Thursday when he presents his plan to create jobs. Although Republicans are expected to go against any plan the president provides, conventional wisdom would suggest that the bigger his plan, the more it will be supported by the people.

Republicans will do their best to make sure this support does not happen. Bet on it….

Categories
Health Care Healthcare Repeal

Man Dies From Toothache. Thanks G.O.P.!

We often brag that we are the most powerful nation on earth. But are we also the most selfish and uncaring when it comes to our own citizens? Why is it apparently acceptable by some if our next door neighbor dies for something as trivial as a lack of healthcare or more specifically as in this case, dental care?

According to NBC affiliate WLWT, Kyle Willis‘ wisdom tooth started hurting two weeks ago. When dentists told him it needed to be pulled, he decided to forgo the procedure, because he was unemployed and had no health insurance.

When his face started swelling and his head began to ache, Willis went to the emergency room, where he received prescriptions for antibiotics and pain medications. Willis couldn’t afford both, so he chose the pain medications.

The tooth infection spread, causing his brain to swell. He died Tuesday.

We must be better than this.

We send our troops overseas to “free” other nations, and to teach these nations how  “civilized” people should live. We want those nations to be able to live like us. We ask international governments to provide for their people by building schools, roads and hospitals among other things, and we expect the leaders of these nations to do these things, because in our minds, these are the basic and necessary needs of any citizenry.

But when it comes to our own there’s obviously a different standard, as our own citizens without healthcare  die because they can’t afford pain medication and antibiotics.

Meanwhile, Republicans are still promising to repeal what they call, “Obamacare” – President Obama’s healthcare reform plan which would offer basic healthcare coverage to over 30 million Americans who presently have none. To congressional Republicans, this is a terrible thing for the leader of our nation to do. What would these Republicans have to say to Kyle Willis’ family? Oh, never-mind that question, Republicans consider Kyle’s death as the natural order of things, you know, eliminating the weak. Only the strong survives!

We must be better than this…

Categories
democrats God Politics

Right Wing Says Hurricane Irene Was God Trying To Change Government

Chuck Pierce, head of the right winged Religious group Global Harvest Ministries, has a message for Americans, primarily those working for the Government in Washington. God sent Irene to change the government.

Mr. Pierce wrote about a message he claimed he got from God back in July. The message, according to Chuck went something like this;

‘Watch Washington, D.C., for there will come upon the place a physical storm. This storm will be a sign. This sign is necessary and cannot be prevented. This physical storm will rest down and when the storm descends – the scroll for the government of this land will be unlocked.

‘I will unwind a structure that has gotten intertwined with the enemy’s plans. I will reinstitute law in this land that has been removed. I am sending angels in at My command based upon the revelation that is being spoken now, and from those angelic hosts, a land and its governments will be changed.'”

We can only assume that the enemy mentioned in Chuck’s piece is Barack Obama.

But why would God use a Hurricane – which killed up to 40 people so far – to send a political message about changing the government, especially since Mr. Obama and the Democrats have been the ones doing the work for the less fortunate. In this economy, they have tried to provide unemployment checks to the unemployed. They have tried instituting health care for the middle class and poor alike and among the many other things they have done to help the people, Mr. Obama and the Democrats have tried to provide for Education and the EPA, which in itself, guarantees a better life through cleaner air, clean water and a safer environment.

Republicans have been against the President and the Democrats every step of the way. So why would God want to change Mr. Obama and the Democrats when they are the ones seemingly doing His will?

Or maybe, Mr. Chuck confused the message. If God had a political preference, wouldn’t He want to change those who have decided against helping the less fortunate, like Congressional Republicans?

Categories
democrats George Bush Politics

Poll Find Americans Blame Bush and The Republicans For The Economy

A new Poll released Thursday by The Associated Press/GFK found Americans placed the blame for the bad economy squarely on the backs of George Bush and the congressional Republicans. And rightly so. Under his watch, America went from a surplus to a deficit, mainly because of his trillion dollars tax cuts, engaging in two wars and his nonsensical medicare part D.

This is now the numbers from the poll breaks down:

  • Blames George Bush for the state of the economy? – 51% say it’s Bush’s fault.
  • Blames Republicans for the state of the economy? – 44% say Congressional Republicans are to be blame.
  • Blames Democrats for the state of the economy? –36% say it’s Congressional Democrats fault
  • Blames President Obama for the state of the economy? – 31% say it’s President Obama’s fault.
And even with this poll, it is amazing that Republicans are still trying to take the country back to the Bush years. What’s even more amazing is there are Americans out there who claim to love this country, but are willing to vote Republican in 2012.
That’s mind-boggling!
Categories
Barack Obama CNN Politics

Fareed Zakaria Spoke The Truth. Liberals Cry Foul

For whatever reason, this story is big today, with both Liberals and Conservatives joining together and speaking as one voice. I, a self-prescribed liberal, beg to differ with the majority, and I’m taking Fareed Zakaria’s side on this one.

What’s all the fuss about?

On his CNN show, Fareed Zakaria said these words: ” I think liberals need to grow up!” He was referring to the criticism Liberals have hauled on President Obama over the last few weeks, in response to his compromising with Republicans to keep the nation from going into default. Zakaria points out that Liberals seem to think the President’s soaring speeches alone are enough to pass legislation. And also, that because President Obama finds himself compromising with the Republicans, he is to be blamed for the way Washington works.

Both sides of the political spectrum apparently disagree with Fareed. The Conservative Newsbusters said, “Maybe this “recurring liberal fantasy” was fostered by folks like Zakaria that presented Barack Obama to the American people as a messiah. If the public has a Hollywood-like view of this president, it’s because the media put him on a pedestal like nobody before him.”

And the liberal leaning site Crooks And Liars said;

No, Liberals aren’t upset that he doesn’t make more heartwarming speeches. Liberals are upset that Obama’s tactics to negotiate in the conditions Zakaria describes is to start out giving the other side more than 50% of what they want and move further to the right from there. But that’s a much harder position to defend, so Chait and Zakaria create a strawman to make liberals look unreasonable. Further, there is no indication–as Zakaria asserts–that Americans are concerned with jobs AND deficit spending. Americans care about their jobs and the economy vis a vis whether they’ll have a job in the foreseeable future.

And even Mediaite started their piece about the story by saying, “Hey, Fareed, so’s yer face!”

Well, sometimes the truth hurts. No one is expecting a full endorsement to everything this president does, but what these Liberals don’t understand is that the constant beating up on the president when it’s unwarranted serves one purpose only – it legitimizes the daily criticism from the Conservatives, whether they be true or not. President Obama is not a one-man team, and the Constitution did not grant him the authority to make policies. Those powers are given to Congress, and right now, that Congress is divided with one side determined to go against everything the President is for.

So preach on Fareed, someone has to point out to these Liberals that what they’re doing amounts to shooting themselves in the foot.

Categories
democrats Politics Wisconsin

Republicans Stole The Wisconsin Recall Elections… Again!

Election night in Wisconsin, and the big story is not that Democrats won two of the six senate seats held by Republicans. Yes, that in itself is an amazing achievement. All the elections were held in historically Republican controlled counties, and throughout the 80 plus years recall elections were held in the state, only 20 have been successful. So to have two successes in one night is amazing.

But what’s even more amazing about the recall elections held last night was the results from a place in District 8 called Waukesha county and the behind-the-scenes workings of a particular county clerk in Waukesha called Kathy Nickolaus.

As the polls closed and results started coming in, Republicans breathed a collective sigh of relief when the first three counties stayed in their control – R. Cowles maintained his seat in district 2, S. Harsdorf kept the Republican seat in district 10 and L. Olsen kept Republicans in power in district 14.

By this time, hours after the polling closed, the remaining three races in the recall elections were led by the Democratic challengers. Keep in mind, that Democrats needed to win a total of three seats to regain control of the Senate and stop Scott Walker’s future corporate policies from being implemented.

The next election results showed that two seats would go to Democrats.  J. Schelling in district 32 and J. King in district 18 both defeated the Republican incumbents. Then all eyes turned to district 8 where the Democratic challenger S. Pasch was leading the Republican 52% to 48%. This was the last race to be decided for the night, and things were looking good for the Democrat. But remember Waukesha county and the particular county clerk name Kathy Nickolaus? Waukesha county is in District 8, and at the time when the Democrat challenger Pasch was leading, only one of eleven precincts in Waukesha county had reported their results.

Why is Waukesha county so important in these elections?

Kathy Nickolous, the county clerk responsible for, among other things, maintaining the integrity and accuracy of the votes in the elections, is a Republican with questionable morals.

Remember the election for the Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice a few months ago between Republican David Prosser and his Democratic challenger JoAnn Kloppenberg? In that election, Mrs. Kloppenberg was leading and predicted to be the winner. Then miraculously, after all votes were counted, Kathy Nickolous “found” an additional 12000 votes in her computer. Those additional votes were all that Prosser needed to move ahead. He was later declared the winner.

Which brings us back to last night’s election.

When the election in all the other districts were decided, Waukesha county still only had one precinct reporting a total of 600 votes, with a little over 400 going to the Republican, Mrs A. Darling. Television pundits began questioning why Kathy Nickolous was not reporting the other precincts. On the Ed Show on MSNBC, questions were being asked suggesting that another “Prosser” moment may be happening in Waukesha, and calls for a possible investigation into the county clerk were being echoed on different news networks.

Then suddenly, hours after the polls had closed, results from 9 precincts in Waukesha county came in – a total of 12,000 votes, putting the Republican in the lead 53% to 47%. When Kathy Nickolous reported the final precinct numbers, District 8 was called a win for the Republican.

Final results, A. Darling 54%, S. Pasch 48%.

Yes, an amazing night in Wisconsin indeed, but for all the wrong reasons.

Categories
New Jersey Politics

O.M.G – Chris Christie Defends A Muslim, Don’t Tell The Republicans!

His mouth got him in trouble again, this time, for actually speaking the truth. The Republican governor of New Jersey Chris Christie, went against what has come to be the norm in the Republican party these days – bashing Muslims.

Sohail Mohammed, a lawyer who successfully defended other Muslims wrongfully detained by the Bush Administration after the September 11th attacks, was recently appointed to the judicial bench in New Jersey. Naturally, like is customary these days with the Republican party, the attacks against Sohail began, with some even suggesting that if the Muslim becomes a judge, he will introduce Sharia Law in New Jersey.

Christie had heard enough. He stepped to the podium and defended his appointee, in the process, knocking down the insane accusations the Republicans have unfairly heaped on all Muslims, and officially putting an end to any speculation that he would run for president in 2012 – Republicans will never vote for him now, especially after Christie’s very reasonable, truthful comments made in defense of Sohail Mohammed, and the verbal whipping he put on members of his own party.

Categories
Politics taxes

I.R.S – 1400 Millionaires Paid Zero Taxes in 2009

If the family struggling to put food on the table, or keep a roof over their heads make a mistake on their tax returns and is audited, the taxman will bring out the army to make sure that family pays all the taxes they owe. But if you’re a millionaire, you could get away with paying nothing, while your income reflects six or more digits.

A new report issued by the IRS shows that over 1400 people who earned more than 1 million dollars in 2009,  paid zero in taxes. Credit this effort to keep the rich happy to two things;

  1. The raping of the tax system through tax loopholes set up to primarily pacify the greedy;
  2. A lobbying group voted into Congress by the American people. This group of lobbyists is called the Republican Party.

But let’s not forget the Republican’s claim, that providing the rich with more tax cuts in the form of Corporate loopholes and welfare, is the only way to create jobs. With this ideology, no one would have expected the unemployment rate to balloon to 10.2% in 2009 and now stands at 9.2%

It is time that Americans and Republicans face the truth – extra tax cuts and tax loopholes that benefits the rich does nothing for everyday middle-class America, and the Bush Administration supports this conclusion when massive trillion-dollar tax cuts were given to the wealthiest people in America, resulting in 700,000 people a month losing their jobs at the end of his term.

At a time when middle class America is being asked to give up the shirts off their backs to keep the economy from falling into total destruction, the millionaires and billionaires in this country should at least be asked to pay something back. Maybe not 90% like they paid in the 1950’s, or the 50% they paid under the Reagan administration. But having millionaires pay zero in taxes should be unheard of, especially in this economic crisis.

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