2012 U.S. Presidential Election

[Beskar]

Great rebuttal. Really cranking out those well thought out thesis sentences.

At least he is always appreciative of your thought-provoking posts and criticisms of him.

[rvg]

Did you know our muslin-Kenyan-Indonesian-not-president NOBAMA was secretly gay married to a Pakistani? Neither did I, until I watched this helpful video. Thank you WND! O-loser Nobama Obomber is a sausage-stuffing secret gayzor Muslim America-hater.

But at least he didn't murder Jonbenet Ramsey.

[Major Robert Dump]

Pretending this is a shoe-in for Obama is a good way for the Dems to shoot themselves in the foot. Romney is no McCain. They will need to put down the bongs and go vote. This seems unlikely since they ae all so poor they cannot even afford ID cards, much less gas.

[ICantSpellDawg]

Pretending this is a shoe-in for Obama is a good way for the Dems to shoot themselves in the foot. Romney is no McCain. They will need to put down the bongs and go vote. This seems unlikely since they ae all so poor they cannot even afford ID cards, much less gas.

I love it, let them keep thinking that Romney and Ryan are un-electable. No matter who we put up, when the opposition vilifies you, they can never fathom why anyone would vote for you, yet we've held the Presidency for the past 20 out of 32 years. Ryan is one of the most likable and articulate members of Congress, hands down. Mitt Romney is one of the most moderate candidates in modern history. Republicans are making the right choices this year and, while worried about a 6-8 average poll point deficit at this point, I know that they don't tell the future. Barack Obama has done a terrible job governing this country, has a nightmarish vision for it's future and Americans can see it. Enough? that remains to be seen.

[HopAlongBunny]

ICantSpellDawg is correct.

If the Democrats once again underestimate how much snake-oil the public will buy, they could well get hammered.

The question is: can Obama re-ignite the enthusiasm of his first campaign? Does he have the credibility?

Healthcare was a huge achievement; do people realize that? If they do...are they willing to overlook the lack of adjustment to min.wage, the preservation of Guantanamo, his inability to deliver on needed adjustments to the tax code...etc. Republican policy, all the way back to Reagan has delivered anemic economic performance and debt; Democrats, election after election fail to make them pay for their record.

[Lemur]

I love it, let them keep thinking that Romney and Ryan are un-electable.

The opposition will always declare you to be an un-electable baby-killer. What should be more worrisome is the Republicans' reaction. (Admittedly, this is inside-the-beltway stuff.)

In more than three dozen interviews with Republican strategists and campaign operatives — old hands and rising next-generation conservatives alike — the most common reactions to Ryan ranged from gnawing apprehension to hair-on-fire anger that Romney has practically ceded the election.

It is not that the public professions of excitement about the Ryan selection are totally insincere. It is that many of the most optimistic Republican operatives will privately acknowledge that their views are being shaped more by fingers-crossed hope than by a hard-headed appraisal of what’s most likely to happen.

And the more pessimistic strategists don’t even feign good cheer: They think the Ryan pick is a disaster for the GOP. Many of these people don’t care that much about Romney — they always felt he faced an improbable path to victory — but are worried that Ryan’s vocal views about overhauling Medicare will be a millstone for other GOP candidates in critical House and Senate races. [...]

“Very not helpful down ballot — very,” said one top Republican consultant.

“This is the day the music died,” one Republican operative involved in 2012 races said after the rollout. The operative said that every House candidate now is racing to get ahead of this issue.

Another strategist emailed midway through Romney and Ryan’s first joint event Saturday: “The good news is that this ticket now has a vision. The bad news is that vision is basically just a chart of numbers used to justify policies that are extremely unpopular.”

[Graphic]

“The good news is that this ticket now has a vision. The bad news is that vision is basically just a chart of numbers used to justify policies that are extremely unpopular.”

Pretty much.

Come to terms with four more years. It will happen.

[Xiahou]

The opposition will always declare you to be an un-electable baby-killer. What should be more worrisome is the Republicans' reaction. (Admittedly, this is inside-the-beltway stuff.)

I suspect these are the same "GOP insiders" who, during the Bush years, joked that reformers like Ryan would lead the GOP back to a minority party. They probably forgot what happened in 2006... and again in 2008. These anonymous operatives are only concerned with one thing- getting in power. Ideas for reform- you know, actually helping the country, mean nothing to them. They want to get the reins of power and hold onto them as long as they can and get kickbacks from their patrons. I would much rather see the Romney/Ryan ticket stand for something and lose than win by spewing a bunch of hopey changey nonsense and doing nothing to change our fiscal trajectory.

Make no mistake, our entitlement programs -as currently constituted- are unsustainable. Change needs to happen. Obama has made it worse by taking half a trillion dollars from Medicare so he could try to make his healthcare plan look less expensive than it is. Ignoring the problem is not a solution.

If Obama is going to claim Ryan's proposals are too extreme- what are his solutions? He's completely ignored the suggestions of his own deficit commission. Despite their best efforts to paint them as otherwise, Ryan's plan was quite measured...

"But Ryan's budget plan is far from radical.

His proposed spending and revenue levels are above historic averages. His Medicare reform has strong bipartisan support. His tax reform plan is similar to one proposed by Obama's own bipartisan debt reduction commission.

Ryan's budget, which passed the House last March, would set the federal government on course to spend an average of 20% of GDP over the next decade. That's slightly higher than the post-World War II average of 19.8%.

His tax plan would produce revenues averaging 18.3% of GDP. That, too, is somewhat higher than the 17.7% post-war average. What's more, Ryan's plan would set tax and spending rates higher than every Democratic president before Obama.

By this measure, what's radical is Obama's tax and spending plans.

His last budget, issued in February, would set federal spending over the next decade at 22.5% of GDP, on average, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

For context, federal spending reached or exceeded that level in only seven years out of the past 65 — and three of those were under Obama."

Many on the right have said that Ryan's plans don't go as far as they need to. Maybe not- but we've go to start somewhere.

[Centurion1]

The opposition will always declare you to be an un-electable baby-killer. What should be more worrisome is the Republicans' reaction. (Admittedly, this is inside-the-beltway stuff.)

In more than three dozen interviews with Republican strategists and campaign operatives — old hands and rising next-generation conservatives alike — the most common reactions to Ryan ranged from gnawing apprehension to hair-on-fire anger that Romney has practically ceded the election.

It is not that the public professions of excitement about the Ryan selection are totally insincere. It is that many of the most optimistic Republican operatives will privately acknowledge that their views are being shaped more by fingers-crossed hope than by a hard-headed appraisal of what’s most likely to happen.

And the more pessimistic strategists don’t even feign good cheer: They think the Ryan pick is a disaster for the GOP. Many of these people don’t care that much about Romney — they always felt he faced an improbable path to victory — but are worried that Ryan’s vocal views about overhauling Medicare will be a millstone for other GOP candidates in critical House and Senate races. [...]

“Very not helpful down ballot — very,” said one top Republican consultant.

“This is the day the music died,” one Republican operative involved in 2012 races said after the rollout. The operative said that every House candidate now is racing to get ahead of this issue.

Another strategist emailed midway through Romney and Ryan’s first joint event Saturday: “The good news is that this ticket now has a vision. The bad news is that vision is basically just a chart of numbers used to justify policies that are extremely unpopular.”

I do work in the campaign circuit within the beltway and hear all this crap. These people are the unemployed or spited scrubs with no skill that couldn't get hired by anybody. I'm personally in an 80k position for about 40k so god knows you dont have to be smart to work these campaign jobs. I work for a congressional campaign but if you havent been hired by the romney campaign or some other campaign your a loser. Also from everyone i have talked to within the gop there's a very positive and healthy buzz about ryan.

basically before anyone asks i know these people arent likely to be employed or very good at their jobs because it serves everyones and everyones campaigns within the gop for the romney ryan ticket to win.

[Major Robert Dump]

I do work in the campaign circuit within the beltway and hear all this crap. These people are the unemployed or spited scrubs with no skill that couldn't get hired by anybody. I'm personally in an 80k position for about 40k so god knows you dont have to be smart to work these campaign jobs. I work for a congressional campaign but if you havent been hired by the romney campaign or some other campaign your a loser. Also from everyone i have talked to within the gop there's a very positive and healthy buzz about ryan.

basically before anyone asks i know these people arent likely to be employed or very good at their jobs because it serves everyones and everyones campaigns within the gop for the romney ryan ticket to win.

Centurion,

Since you are a Washington Insider now,
I was wondering if you could tell what are the best airport/rest stop bathrooms to cruise for closeted congressmen.
It's for research

[Centurion1]

Centurion,

Since you are a Washington Insider now,
I was wondering if you could tell what are the best airport/rest stop bathrooms to cruise for closeted congressmen.
It's for research

Any Texas BBQ place that's where all the red blooded Gay bashing southerners hang out plus strike and panzer are
Most likely to be there. Oh and obviously Ronald Reagan that's where I get my strange

[Major Robert Dump]

Any Texas BBQ place that's where all the red blooded Gay bashing southerners hang out plus strike and panzer are
Most likely to be there. Oh and obviously Ronald Reagan that's where I get my strange

Cool. Any chance you could also score me some tit pics of Nancy Pelosi or Barney Frank?
It's for research

[a completely inoffensive name]

At least he is always appreciative of your thought-provoking posts and criticisms of him.

The sad part is that you don't need your response to him be thought provoking, just a thought.

[a completely inoffensive name]

Well it looks like Ryan couldn't come to terms with Ayn Rand's atheism after all.
http://www.nationalreview.com/articl...d-robert-costa

“I reject her philosophy,” Ryan says firmly. “It’s an atheist philosophy. It reduces human interactions down to mere contracts and it is antithetical to my worldview. If somebody is going to try to paste a person’s view on epistemology to me, then give me Thomas Aquinas,” who believed that man needs divine help in the pursuit of knowledge. “Don’t give me Ayn Rand,” he says.

Political posturing or a devout man? Either way, I can't wait until someone who has read Thomas can chime in with some relevant quotes that Ryan may or may not be living up to.

[Major Robert Dump]

I don't believe this guy. Not only is he an evil Theocon, but he's also giving the good Saint a bad name.

Although come to think of it, he is Catholic isn't he? How wierd is that, a Mormon and a Catholic running for the Republican ticket. This would have made people laugh until they died if went back in time to the '80s and tried to tell them what the 2012 elections were going to be like.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Time travel would be the ultimate solution for our political system

As far as their religions go, if they were Democrats it would be a HUGE issue.

[Kralizec]

Is a mormon-catholic ticket a weirder combination than mormon-protestant?

Shame about the Romney/Ryan 2012 ticket. I was hoping for Limbaugh/Kony 2012.

[ICantSpellDawg]

Well it looks like Ryan couldn't come to terms with Ayn Rand's atheism after all.
http://www.nationalreview.com/articl...d-robert-costa





Political posturing or a devout man? Either way, I can't wait until someone who has read Thomas can chime in with some relevant quotes that Ryan may or may not be living up to.

Why is is so hard for people to understand that you are able to have multiple sources, some conflicting, as part of your understanding of the world? He appreciated Ayn Rands understanding of the nature and mechanics of human interaction and drive. He also rejects the mechanism as the purpose and accepts a theological underpinning for the reasons why we should do certain things and not others. I share the basics of his understanding of the world. I believe that self interest drives man, I believe that man is driven to engage in all sorts of activities and by harnessing this natural drive rather than hindering it, we can go further. Where we go and why, however is determined by a completely different set of understandings.

EDIT: i'm just guessing, but this is why most of my views are very different from one another and appear at first (maybe at last) to be conflicting.

[Xiahou]

Well it looks like Ryan couldn't come to terms with Ayn Rand's atheism after all.

When are people going to acknowledge that there's more to libertarianism than Ayn Rand and her atheism? Look up Isabel Paterson, for example.

[Furunculus]

Well it looks like Ryan couldn't come to terms with Ayn Rand's atheism after all.
http://www.nationalreview.com/articl...d-robert-costa
[/COLOR]

on the subject of Ryan's Randianism, and whether it indicates any inconsistency:

http://www.economist.com/blogs/democ...ans-randianism

[drone]

Political posturing or a devout man? Either way, I can't wait until someone who has read Thomas can chime in with some relevant quotes that Ryan may or may not be living up to.

There is really only one way to tell. Check his Bioshock cheevos for Little Sister Savior.

Although come to think of it, he is Catholic isn't he? How wierd is that, a Mormon and a Catholic running for the Republican ticket. This would have made people laugh until they died if went back in time to the '80s and tried to tell them what the 2012 elections were going to be like.

And going up against the African-American (muslim/communist) incumbent. My grandmother would've have a stroke in the voting booth.

[rvg]

And going up against the African-American (muslim/communist) incumbent...

From Kenya.

[drone]

From Kenya.

And possibly homosexual.

[Lemur]

This is kinda interesting, and relevant (not just to this election cycle, either):

I asked [in a survey] about the number of recessions the US experienced in the last 50 years. To a degree, their responses confirmed my hunch. The actual number of recessions the US has experienced in the last 50 years is about eight: one in 1960s, two in the 1970s, two in the 1980s, one in the 1990s, and two in the 2000s. However, about 70% answered between zero and five, and 26% picked between zero and two. Only about 20% chose the correct range, which was 6 to 10. This misperception may help us understand why voters throw out incumbent presidents during downturns. When the economy happens to experience a downturn in an election year—as it did in 1980 and 2008—they see it as an unusual event with ominous implications, not realizing that recessions regularly occur. As a result, they may more often vote against the incumbent party.

[Lemur]

The internet is for porn, but also for this: Romney whiteboard.

[Beskar]

Romney is a pretty good artist, except for the hairy fire-engine.

[rvg]

Romney is a pretty good artist, except for the hairy fire-engine.

But Obama sleeps with unicorns.

[Lemur]

But Obama sleeps with unicorns.

I was waiting for an excuse to resurrect my Sexy Obama Unicorn library:

[Major Robert Dump]

HA I never saw the one with the baby angels, thanks!

[a completely inoffensive name]

When are people going to acknowledge that there's more to libertarianism than Ayn Rand and her atheism? Look up Isabel Paterson, for example.

The man name dropped Ayn Rand a lot when asked about his philosophy. I'm not trying to pigeon hole libertarians under one woman, I am trying to point out that his "identity" is fake on a scale comparable to Romney. The man spent 14 years in Congress and only became the Tea Party model when the Tea Party became a thing.

The only consistent people in Congress these days are the bonafide extremists, Ron Paul on the right and Bernie Sanders on the left.

[Lemur]

Wow, whether you agree or not, this is a fine piece of classical rhetoric and style. (Epic simile, anyone?) As I writer, I am impressed.

[Paul Ryan] is, in some ways, a pellucidly bright plant bred in the conservative movement's hydroponic greenhouse. Barely exposed to natural light, these young fertile saplings are fed with a constant drip of Koch money, sprayed with anti-liberal pesticides and brought eventually into the political marketplace [...] He has no life or experience outside the greenhouse — which is why he glows with its certainties. Most important, he has that quintessential characteristic of the modern conservative — total denial of the recent past. Ryan was instrumental and supportive of the most fiscally reckless administration in modern times. He gave us a massive new unfunded entitlement, two off-budget wars and was key to ensuring that the Bowles-Simpson plan was dead-on-arrival. This alleged fire-fighter — whose credentials are perceived as impeccable in Washington — just quit being an arsonist. [...]

On the Republican side, we now have a debt-reduction plan that actually cuts tax rates for the very rich along with everyone else, vastly increases defense spending, and "balances" the entire thing on gutting care for the old, the poor and the sick (the Medicaid proposal is truly Darwinian) and ending loopholes (which Ryan refuses to specify). I'm all for ending loopholes but even then, we wouldn't get a balanced budget for three decades because of all the defense spending and tax cutting.

This isn't conservatism. It's rightist theology. In a fiscal emergency, the Republicans are proposing not clear remedies but ideological fantasies that were already disproven in 1990. They have learned nothing. And the immense damage they inflicted on this country's fiscal health in the last decade would be nothing compared to what would come under a Ryan-Romney administration.

Because it compounds the errors that came before it.