Campaign 2012: Presidential and other election news

[Shortline Bus]

In other political news in US Senate, former WWE Wrestling Co-Owner and Wife of Vince McMahon wins the GOP Primary for the open US senate seat in Connecticut. Why they holding a state primary in middle of August when some people are on vaction is another story!

 

The seat is of course open by retirement of Joe Lieberman who was once Al Gore VP pick in the now infamous 2000 Presidential elections. McMahon's challenger is Congressmen Chris Murphy. Notice in pic below Vince McMahon being abesent?

reactions?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.nydailyne...ticle-1.1136432

[Grand Concourse]

Does it matter if he's there? I mean it'd be nice to show support, but I don't see it as a big deal...

[mark1447]

Mitt Romney: Slash Amtrak, PBS Funding, But Defense Cuts And Middle Class Tax Cuts Off The Table

 

In an interview with Fortune Magazine that was published on Wednesday morning, Mitt Romney gave a bit more detail than normal about how he would fulfill his promise to get the nation on track towards fiscal balance.

 

But the proposals he laid out largely ducked the so-called "painful" choices that experts insist must be made, and seemed to be drawn from rosy assumptions about the immediate political and economic future. At one point, Romney was asked to respond to a Tax Policy Center analysis that concluded he would need to take away tax benefits that primarily help the middle class if he wanted his broader proposals to be deficit neutral.

 

"They made garbage assumptions and they reached a garbage conclusion," he responded, noting that he has never called for reducing the deductions middle-income taxpayers enjoy on home mortgage interest, charitable giving and health care coverage (he would eliminate them for the rich).

 

But that only further highlighted his campaign's unwillingness to put out a detailed plan of its own. And it raised again the question of how his overall tax plan -- which extends the Bush tax cuts, reduces individual rates by 20 percent, eliminates taxes on investment income for middle- and lower income taxpayers, repeals the alternative minimum tax and gets rid of the estate tax -- wouldn't balloon the deficit.

 

Romney's campaign has insisted that they can trim federal spending enough to achieve fiscal balance, but in the Fortune interview, the items Romney pinpointed appeared to be low-hanging fruit.

 

Romney identified subsidies for Amtrak, PBS, the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities as things he would eliminate. The government spends $444 million a year on the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (the parent organization of PBS); Amtrak received $1.56 billion in federal funding in 2010, with $1.3 billion in stimulus funds; while the National Endowment of the Arts lists the current level of federal funding at approximately $146 million.

 

Romney said he would block grant Medicaid and send programs like housing vouchers and food stamps back to the states. This, he argued, would save the federal government "approximately $100 billion a year within four years" (the House GOP budget claims to save $771 billion over 10 years). It would also mean dramatic cuts to each of these programs, as states are already dealing with major budget shortfalls.

 

Romney also told Fortune that he would reduce the number of federal programs by 10 percent through attrition, while tying the compensation of federal workers to that in the private sector. "That saves about $47 billion a year, by the way," he said.

 

Read More: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/15/mitt-romney-tax-cuts_n_1778429.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular

[Orion VII 4 Life]

I'm a proud conservative, and if I could vote Romney would be getting my vote. Anyone but Obama. But, Amtrak should remain the way it is under government control with ample government funding, that's the way it's been working out for a while now and that's the way it should be IMO, however we are in a tough economic situation right now, and privatizing our rail system might be a good way to save the taxpayers lots of money. As long as a company can provide the SAME (or similar) service and operate a safe and efficient system, and we're in a bad economic situation (which we are), it can most definitely work out. I don't want that to happen, but like I said, it can work, and I do not want the Obama in office for another 4 years.

 

Think of it this way guys, cut Amtrak, or have an out-of-control government controlled by the UN and NATO, fighting wars without the approval of Congress, and the death of our great Constitution.

[Grand Concourse]

Yeah much as I don't really care for PBS and Amtrak, there are other items that should get their fundings slashed especially the useless UN and maybe NATO.

 

All the UN does is cause a nightmare on Manhattan everytime they have their meetings and the one nation, one vote really pisses me off. You mean to tell me some tiny nation in Africa is equal to the US? If it was proportionate to how much each nation funds the UN (like I last remember reading 22-25% from the US and thus should = to 25% of the overall voting), then that would be different. What's to stop a bunch of those small nations from ganging up on the US and allies with their greater numbers? And what's with diplomats and their attitude like they can park wherever they feel like? Countries like Egypt were big offenders for traffic violations. If Romney was smart, he'd pull fundings to deadbeat nations for the total amount owed to NYC and that would offset the red ink we face here.

[Orion VII 4 Life]

Yeah much as I don't really care for PBS and Amtrak, there are other items that should get their fundings slashed especially the useless UN and maybe NATO.

 

All the UN does is cause a nightmare on Manhattan everytime they have their meetings and the one nation, one vote really pisses me off. You mean to tell me some tiny nation in Africa is equal to the US? If it was proportionate to how much each nation funds the UN (like I last remember reading 22-25% from the US and thus should = to 25% of the overall voting), then that would be different. What's to stop a bunch of those small nations from ganging up on the US and allies with their greater numbers? And what's with diplomats and their attitude like they can park wherever they feel like? Countries like Egypt were big offenders for traffic violations. If Romney was smart, he'd pull fundings to deadbeat nations for the total amount owed to NYC and that would offset the red ink we face here.

 

Right on! Not only that, but the UN has scary agendas, regulations, and programs such as Agenda 21 that violate our rights yet get signed on and supported by the US. The UN wants global government, disarmed civilians, and control over the people, and we can't afford to be part of it.

[KeystoneRegional]

As much as I like some of Romney's and Ryan's ideas and plans. I am starting to dislike their overall plan and lean towards Obama.

 

However I think cutting Amtrak would be devastating to the overall passenger rail industry across American and perhaps even Canada! The Railroad passenger levels is on the rise, and there are enough evidence that growth in Railroad is possible. Especially since in China, Japan and Europe, a lot of people are still opting for Rail over Air.

 

As for PBS and other educational things, I think they should start to slowly turn to advertisement revenue instead of government funded revenue, I'd leave a transitional period followed by a grace period. For public museums, zoos, aquariums, exhibitions, e.t.c., I still think the government should fund these programs, it's a key component to education and it would be devastating to see it all go.

 

I am also annoyed on how he plans to switch Medicaid and Food Stamps to the states, I think it should stay a federal benefit, however I'd put restrictions on how many kids 1 adult can have under the Food Stamps program, each adult can only have 2 kids under this program, and a couple of 2 can have a maximum of 4 kids to qualify for the program. If anyone is found to have 5 or more, they're automatically removed from the program have have to go thru the court system in order to attempt to get qualified.

 

Instead of executing drastic and unrealistic measures, how about promoting a fair and balanced and healthy approach? Why are these candidates and incumbents so dumb enough on their plans they look like teenage boys and girls having their hormonal changes and fighting over nonsensical approaches that can either harm the government more or harm the citizens more! These Dems and Repubs better get their acts together, and really no matter how Ron Paul cuts so much, Ron Paul should've been the Republican choice either ways because he's the one with closest ties to Ronald Regan, and now they're promoting a non-Ronald Regan like guy called Paul Ryan as a Ronald Regan-esque guy, smh!

 

And for the UN and NATO, they should be kept, they are part of the "World Peace" effort and why there hasn't been another World War yet, no matter wars, sh1t happens, we gotta do what we gotta do, and have nations be at least frienemies.

[Q10 Airport]

The problem I have with Romney is this: how do we know he will keep these positions as President? He's changed so many policies since his days in Massachusetts. I'm not sure I can trust him to even follow through with his policies, given his track record of changing opinions on major issues like health care.

[Grand Concourse]

Then again, same can be said of Obama. So the only thing you can say is politicians will always pander to their base and you can only hope they at least honor some of their campaign pledges.

[Tokkemon]

However I think cutting Amtrak would be devastating to the overall passenger rail industry across American and perhaps even Canada! The Railroad passenger levels is on the rise, and there are enough evidence that growth in Railroad is possible. Especially since in China, Japan and Europe, a lot of people are still opting for Rail over Air.

 

 

There's a big difference between Japan, Europe, and America. America is many times larger than the other two geographically and far more spread out population-wise. America also doesn't have the infrastructure that these other places have because of America's car culture and inherent dependence on the automobile. Thank Henry Ford for that one. Amtrak does the best they can but with no legitimate funding for major infrastructure upgrades, they can't do much in terms of expanding rail coverage to the USA. And besides, going back to the geography thing, there are few places in America where traveling by train, even high speed rail, would be faster (or cheaper) than by air. The only corridors that this might work is the Northeast Corridor, which already has tons of train traffic, and the California coast between San Francisco and Los Angeles.

 

Notice:

 

Getting anywhere beyond the Mississippi by rail will never be cost-effective compared to air travel.

[KeystoneRegional]

There's a big difference between Japan, Europe, and America. America is many times larger than the other two geographically and far more spread out population-wise. America also doesn't have the infrastructure that these other places have because of America's car culture and inherent dependence on the automobile. Thank Henry Ford for that one. Amtrak does the best they can but with no legitimate funding for major infrastructure upgrades, they can't do much in terms of expanding rail coverage to the USA. And besides, going back to the geography thing, there are few places in America where traveling by train, even high speed rail, would be faster (or cheaper) than by air. The only corridors that this might work is the Northeast Corridor, which already has tons of train traffic, and the California coast between San Francisco and Los Angeles.

 

Notice:

 

*Refer to map in OP*

 

Getting anywhere beyond the Mississippi by rail will never be cost-effective compared to air travel.

 

 

I should probably clarify that it's meant for the Great Lakes, NorthEast, SouthEast and Pacfic Coast Region only for High Speed Rail, and as for regular rail, it's feasable for rail travel in the rest of the nation, as long as it's stations are at or very close to City Centers and there are sustainable ridership, both are true in some cases. However, still speeds need to be raised in several corridors (if not also replace tracking for higher-speeds) to get the GE Genesis locomotives running at pace instead of slowing down.

 

Truth is, Mitt Romney just doesn't get it, and the GOP made the wrong choice by not choosing Ron Paul as their candidate, when his supporters are very very loyal and not broken and the other guys (including Mitt's) are often broken and not so loyal after all.

[Grand Concourse]

I think Ron Paul might've been a good domestic president, but didn't he say it didn't matter if Iran got nukes or an operational nuclear reactor? I have to question him on the foreign policy issues.

 

As for rail travel, I do agree for densely populated areas, they could use HSR as an alternative to driving. God knows LA could lose a bunch of cars on those roads. Unfortunately, CA is broke and can't afford it. States should prioritize balancing the budget and fixing up existing infrastructure and then if the budget allows for it, HSR. If Romney could've phrased it like that instead of the usal anti-amtrak rhetoric, I think there would be less 'hate' thrown his way as well as the GOP.

[MHV9218]

2 big Problem IMO is these for Ryan.

1)2rd or 3rd youngest VP pick in US history (i think only Dan Quayle and Teddy Roosevelt were younger)

2)lack of any international affairs/foreign policy experience or military experience.

 

Yes Ryan gets out the base, but someone like Sen. Rubio could have won the Consertvative Latino Voter which is a now a huge and important voting demographic in America. IMO the Ryan is not the fisaco of Quayle or Sarah Palin but at same time, he does not add dramtically a new set of new voters either other than White Male Consertatives.

 

 

There's a way bigger issue politically, and it's his plan to deal with Medicare. I'm being nonpartisan here, I'm just saying that politically it's not gonna play well. He wants to cut off Medicare so it's essentially a $12,000 voucher given to citizens over 55, and that's it. If your cancer requires $25,000 drugs, that's out of your pocket. And that's already very unpopular with many American seniors, since Medicare is key to them, and they don't want to have to pay extra for their supposedly free healthcare just cause they got sicker. And the state that's filled with swing vote seniors? Florida. It's political suicide to mess with seniors' Medicare, and that's really the biggest problem Ryan's gonna face.

 

Ultra-Conservative? Wut? He may be a conservative but he's not an extremist, by any means.

 

 

He's the literal definition of an extremist. He's a Tea Partier (politically extreme). He's anti-abortion even in cases of rape, incest, even in cases where the mother will die (socially extreme). He supprts abolishing commercial income taxes and refuses to raise upper class taxes (fiscally extreme). He wants to make Medicare a voucher program (socially extreme). You can go on, I'm telling you, he is a true extremist. I'm not against extremism -- you'd call me a Radical Liberal -- but he's much further than just "Conservative" like Mitt Romney. People need to understand just how Conservative he is.

[Phantom909]

Paul Ryan`s original plan was for a voucher system to replace MediCare. he has scrapped that. He partnered with a liberal senator from Oregon, Ron Wyden. they put together a proposal on december 15, 2011. it guarantees anyone 55 or older that they will have the standard MediCare, but starting in 2022, if its passed, people will have 3 choices, they can keep the health plan they have, right now when you enter Medicare you lose your private plan, and be given a voucher to help pay for the private insurance, or they can get a voucher to help pay for a private plan that is approved by Medicare or they can just get the same Medicare plan thats in place now.

 

http://budget.house.gov/uploadedfiles/wydenryan.pdf

 

of course the president and his allies in the media dont want you to know about this, i personally am not sure if the plan works, but what i am sure of is that according to the actuaries of social security and medicare, medicare could be insolvent in 2024. so obviouslly something has to be done.

 

Joe

[Orion VII 4 Life]

Truth is, Mitt Romney just doesn't get it, and the GOP made the wrong choice by not choosing Ron Paul as their candidate, when his supporters are very very loyal and not broken and the other guys (including Mitt's) are often broken and not so loyal after all.

 

I've wanted Ron Paul since day one, not only are his supporters loyal but HE is loyal to the Constitution, not supporting unconstitutional laws and regulations and completely supporting our freedom. I don't like Romney nearly as much as Ron Paul, but like I said, I'd rather have anyone in office but Obama (getting to the point where I'd even rather have Al Gore).

[Grand Concourse]

I still question why Gore didn't run again in 2004. He easily would've been better than Kerry. But ever since his 'Inconvenient truth' crap, hs has become unhinged imo.

[MHV9218]

Paul Ryan`s original plan was for a voucher system to replace MediCare. he has scrapped that. He partnered with a liberal senator from Oregon, Ron Wyden. they put together a proposal on december 15, 2011. it guarantees anyone 55 or older that they will have the standard MediCare, but starting in 2022, if its passed, people will have 3 choices, they can keep the health plan they have, right now when you enter Medicare you lose your private plan, and be given a voucher to help pay for the private insurance, or they can get a voucher to help pay for a private plan that is approved by Medicare or they can just get the same Medicare plan thats in place now.

 

http://budget.house.gov/uploadedfiles/wydenryan.pdf

 

of course the president and his allies in the media dont want you to know about this, i personally am not sure if the plan works, but what i am sure of is that according to the actuaries of social security and medicare, medicare could be insolvent in 2024. so obviouslly something has to be done.

 

Joe

 

 

He wants Medicare to become a voucher system, but he's ceded some ground on that and gone for the current plan that essentially says over-55 you get $12k (regardless of if healthcare costs go up or if you need a higher level of care because you're more sick). The fact that he promotes it by saying "don't worry, it won't happen for another ten years" should give you an idea of just how bad the plan is.

 

I've wanted Ron Paul since day one, not only are his supporters loyal but HE is loyal to the Constitution, not supporting unconstitutional laws and regulations and completely supporting our freedom. I don't like Romney nearly as much as Ron Paul, but like I said, I'd rather have anyone in office but Obama (getting to the point where I'd even rather have Al Gore).

 

 

Ron Paul is amusing and all, but he's something of a racist and his national policies are way way out there. You can't just abolish everything and hope it works tomorrow (I like his foreign policy though). I don't get the "anybody but Obama." You know Al Gore is much, much more Liberal than Obama, right? What has Obama done that makes you hate him so much?

 

I still question why Gore didn't run again in 2004. He easily would've been better than Kerry. But ever since his 'Inconvenient truth' crap, hs has become unhinged imo.

 

 

"Unhinged," you say that like he went off the deep end!

[Q10 Airport]

I've wanted Ron Paul since day one, not only are his supporters loyal but HE is loyal to the Constitution, not supporting unconstitutional laws and regulations and completely supporting our freedom. I don't like Romney nearly as much as Ron Paul, but like I said, I'd rather have anyone in office but Obama (getting to the point where I'd even rather have Al Gore).

 

 

It's not going to happen. Ever.

 

As for anyone but Obama, you would really prefer those pre-Civil War Presidents (Buchanan, Pierce, Taylor, etc.)? How about the scandals of Grant and the economic ineptitude of Carter (Let's hear it for 18% inflation!)?

[Shortline Bus]

Shifting gears as the war of the roses aka 2012 campaign is already getting negative (we have 2 1/2 to election day guys). MSNBC commentator Toure also co-host of the "Cycle"(who comments at times makes al sharpton seem like an uncle tom) basically called Mitt Romney a racist. Guys please no flame war and let us have a mature and civil reaction to this story below.

 

 

 

An MSNBC host on Thursday accused Mitt Romney of using "racial coding" and engaging in "n----rization" in his recent attacks on President Obama.

"The Cycle" co-host Touré made the statement during a segment discussing Romney's assertions in a speech in Ohio on Tuesday that Obama's presidency was "angry and desperate" and that the President should take his "campaign of division and anger and hate back to Chicago."

"That really bothered me," Touré told the show's panel. "You notice he said anger twice. He's really trying to use racial coding and access some really deep stereotypes about the angry black man. This is part of the playbook against Obama, the 'otherization' - he's not like us."

"I know it's a heavy thing, I don't say it lightly, but this is 'n----rization,'" he continued.

"You are not one of us, you are like the scary black man who we've been trained to fear."

Conservative commentator and Daily News contributor S.E. Cupp hit back at Touré's comments, saying that Romney was responding to Vice President Biden's recent claim that Republicans and Wall Street would put Americans "back in chains."

 

 

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/msnbc-host-toure-accuses-mitt-romney-race-baiting-harping-obama-anger-article-1.1138416#ixzz23q6Qm5xW

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/msnbc-host-toure-accuses-mitt-romney-race-baiting-harping-obama-anger-article-1.1138416

[Tokkemon]

It's MSNBC. What would you honestly expect?

[Phantom909]

He wants Medicare to become a voucher system, but he's ceded some ground on that and gone for the current plan that essentially says over-55 you get $12k (regardless of if healthcare costs go up or if you need a higher level of care because you're more sick). The fact that he promotes it by saying "don't worry, it won't happen for another ten years" should give you an idea of just how bad the plan is.

 

no he wants it to become solvent for future generations by giving people a choice. take a voucher to pay for insurance or stay on medicare. the voucher of 12k goes to pay the insurance, when you need to pay e medical bills, the insurance pays the bill not you. so the misnomer that youll only have 12k to pay for each years medical costs is false. again, medicare will be insolvent by 2024 if something drastic is not done. whats your solution

 

joe

[Phantom909]

Shifting gears as the war of the roses aka 2012 campaign is already getting negative (we have 2 1/2 to election day guys). MSNBC commentator Toure also co-host of the "Cycle"(who comments at times makes al sharpton seem like an uncle tom) basically called Mitt Romney a racist. Guys please no flame war and let us have a mature and civil reaction to this story below.

 

 

 

An MSNBC host on Thursday accused Mitt Romney of using "racial coding" and engaging in "n----rization" in his recent attacks on President Obama.

"The Cycle" co-host Touré made the statement during a segment discussing Romney's assertions in a speech in Ohio on Tuesday that Obama's presidency was "angry and desperate" and that the President should take his "campaign of division and anger and hate back to Chicago."

"That really bothered me," Touré told the show's panel. "You notice he said anger twice. He's really trying to use racial coding and access some really deep stereotypes about the angry black man. This is part of the playbook against Obama, the 'otherization' - he's not like us."

"I know it's a heavy thing, I don't say it lightly, but this is 'n----rization,'" he continued.

"You are not one of us, you are like the scary black man who we've been trained to fear."

Conservative commentator and Daily News contributor S.E. Cupp hit back at Touré's comments, saying that Romney was responding to Vice President Biden's recent claim that Republicans and Wall Street would put Americans "back in chains."

 

 

Read more: http://www.nydailyne...6#ixzz23q6Qm5xW

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.nydailyne...ticle-1.1138416

 

bottom line is this, like ive said before, the ones who use race card are the true racists

 

joe

[Shortline Bus]

Shifting gears guys. Here IMO a good article from Sunday (8/19/12)Washington Post showing the deepest divide in modern US History (since 1900) and probably the worst ever. Here link and feel free to comment on it.

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/big-gulf-between-parties-divisions-within/2012/08/18/f5ee15d4-e31a-11e1-ae7f-d2a13e249eb2_story.html?hpid=z1

[MHV9218]

I don't see it changing very much in the future, with the consistent stream of television misinformation and the polarization of the Republican party into the radical Tea Partiers. The constant stretch for "centrism" is hurting us too: networks report "both sides" to every story, when in reality it's often the case that one side is absolutely nuts -- yet they still get airtime. Bipartisanship is a polite word for throwing away all your beliefs to work with a bunch of idiots.

[Phantom909]

I don't see it changing very much in the future, with the consistent stream of television misinformation and the polarization of the Republican party into the radical Tea Partiers. The constant stretch for "centrism" is hurting us too: networks report "both sides" to every story, when in reality it's often the case that one side is absolutely nuts -- yet they still get airtime. Bipartisanship is a polite word for throwing away all your beliefs to work with a bunch of idiots.

 

 

and what about the radical socialists in the democratic party?

 

joe