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Almost four years to the day after President Barack Obama picked him as his running mate, Vice President Joe Biden spoke to supporters at a fundraiser for the president in Bridgehampton on Friday afternoon.
The fundraiser was held at the Ocean Avenue home of Ellen Chesler and Matthew Mallow. Mr. Biden was joined by his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, and their granddaughter, Finnegan Biden. Other prominent guests included the actor Nathan Lane, musician James Taylor, U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Frank Lautenberg, and U.S. Representative Tim Bishop.
About 300 people attended the outdoor event, according to a campaign official. Tickets ranged in price from $500 for youth to $10,000.
Mr. Biden, who was introduced by his wife, spoke on a range of issues, focusing mainly on the economy, jobs and the challenge of... more
The fundraiser was held at the Ocean Avenue home of Ellen Chesler and Matthew Mallow. Mr. Biden was joined by his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, and their granddaughter, Finnegan Biden. Other prominent guests included the actor Nathan Lane, musician James Taylor, U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Frank Lautenberg, and U.S. Representative Tim Bishop.
About 300 people attended the outdoor event, according to a campaign official. Tickets ranged in price from $500 for youth to $10,000.
Mr. Biden, who was introduced by his wife, spoke on a range of issues, focusing mainly on the economy, jobs and the challenge of... more
And if everyone notes...look at the article that is listed after on MORE ARTICLES "Bishop On Defense After Claims Of Unethical Campaign Solicitations"....if the two of these combined articles from a liberal paper like 27 east don't convince you of the men Obama,Biden and Bishop are you'll never know.
"Romney added to the traditional Republican weakness among female voters when he chose Ryan, whose other major claim to fame as a hardcore conservative is his uncompromising stance on abortion. Ryan's history here is similar to his history on budget cuts: he made himself famous by going further than other pols were willing to go.
He co-sponsored legislation with Todd Akin (who is about as popular with women right now ...more as flesh-eating streptococcus) called the "Sanctity of Human Life Act," which would have given a human fertilized egg "all the legal and constitutional attributes and privileges of personhood." (I imagine that before Akin's gaffe, the next planned bill would have stripped those same fertilized eggs of Miranda rights). Moreover, Ryan supported the notorious "Let Women Die Act," which would have refused women access to abortion even if her life is in danger."
What a guy!!!
all we need do is read the words of the right on this site.
Obama will rip Romney a new one when they debate. It's time to put the fluff and the rhetoric and hair dye away. Fact vs. fantasy.
It's over. It was over sometime last fall for Mr. Paul in case you didn't notice.
Well that's for damn sure.
Is he still here, does anyone know?
Will the traffic be nuts some place if he is still here?
Wonder if he had time to get in a round of golf at Shinnecock or the National? Or take a swim at the Bathing Corporation? Nah, probably not!
Here ya go-
"When it comes to which party is better for the economy, Republicans talk the talk, but it's Democrats who deliver the goods according to an unusual 80-year study of the impact presidents have on growth, personal wealth, the stock market and even 401ks.
The bottom line, according to Bulls, Bears and the Ballot Box: Of the five ...more best economic presidents since Herbert Hoover, only one is ...more a Republican. The paydirt finding: $100,000 invested during the 40 years Republicans had the White House would be worth $126,027. The same amount invested in the stock market during the Democrat's 40 years would be $3,912,210.
"Our book is a myth buster," said financial planner Bob Deitrick who co-authored Bulls, Bears with CPA and educator Lew Goldfarb.
Goldfarb blamed the conventional wisdom that Republican presidents are better economic managers on the inability of Democrats to tell their story. "Democrats stand on their message so poorly," he said. "Republicans, on the other hand, win the salesmanship merit badge every single year."
The duo stumbled on their conclusions while working on a different issue. Researching the impact of politics on stock market trends, Deitrick realized that in the last 80 years, Democrats and Republicans have held the White House 40 years each, minus President Obama's term. They came up with a ranking system based on stock market returns, personal income, economic growth and business prosperity.
The best period was during the Kennedy-Johnson years, the worst Herbert Hoover, who presided over the Great Depression. In order, the rankings are: JFK/LBJ, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Bill Clinton, Dwight Eisenhower, Harry Truman, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Jimmy Carter, Richard Nixon/Gerald Ford, George W. Bush, and Hoover. Carter was the only Democrat in the bottom half of the list."
I think my next read will be "Confessions of an Economic Hitman" by John Perkins. Seems like the same M.O. here in America during the last thirty years...
He was elected president.As usual,the far right will try to diminish that because it is still livid about him being elected.It shows the disrespect for the office and for the president personally.
As for the article I cited,I can also cite two other studies that came to the same conclusions.,all supported by economists.But you'll just fall back on the usual talking points.I don't expect fact-challenged people to rise above the level of your above post.If ...more you expect Romney and Ryan to actually get us out of this mess-especially when Ryan was so instrumental in assuring that we stay here,it is you who is delusional.
The republicans have obstructed every attempt at passing a jobs bill,as well as using filibusters to gut financial reform and consumer protections.
The party of no had laid out their first priority-Mitch McConnel stated it after the 2010 election.
They don't care about jobs,they want to get back in power to serve corporations and the rich at the expense of everyone else.
"As hurrican Isaac headed toward New Orleans, a storm of a different kind was brewing at the Republican Convention this afternoon. Around 4pm Tampa time, Puerto Rican Republican party functionary Zoraida Fonalledas took the stage to give her report. The floor was already a bit lively, with the energy of southern racists and nativists chomping at the bit for something (or someone) to rail against.
When ...more Ms. Fonalledas began to speak, her Spanish accent prompted simultaneous chants to burst forth of "USA, USA!" and then, "Get them out!" Some of the biggest offenders were those in the Texas delegation. It was obvious from the Lone Star button-down shirts and straw cowboy hats the Hank Williams Jr. wannabes sported. They shouted her down vigorously for nearly a full minute as she stood in shocked silence. Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Preibus had to come to the microphone and scold the offending delegates.
He asked the floor to give Ms. Fonalledas the respect she deserved as the Puerto Rican delegate to give her report while she stood behind him looking confused, saddened, and angry all at once. She maintained her composure in the face of blatant racism, and it's a wonder that she and her fellow Republicans can continue to support a party platform that is so filled to the brim with people who show their disdain for anyone non-white.
It doesn't matter that the GOP trotted out Mia Love, Artur Davis, Nikky Haley, Marco Rubio, and other minority politicians during the televised event. The fact remains that a group of thuggish jackasses thought it would be fun to taunt and shout down a Republican delegate representative from Puerto Rico because she talked with a Spanish accent.
This is what the Republican party is, folks. It isn't about taking back the country from some horrible secret Muslim/socialist/communist dictator. Nope. It's about taking the country back 100 years to a time when immigrants had no rights, when women were still stuck in the kitchen with a baby on the hip and one in the belly. They've already gotten a head start on pregnancy out in Arizona, where Governor Jan Brewer signed a bill into law stating that pregnancy begins two weeks before conception, making it even more difficult for a woman to obtain abortion, if necessary.
The GOP, as much as it wants you to believe, doesn't give a damn about jobs. The president offered a comprehensive jobs bill which was firmly shot down in Congress. And yet, they're blaming him for high unemployment.
It doesn't matter that Rick Santorum's daddy came over from Italy on a ship named "Providence." It doesn't matter that Mia Love, an African-American from Utah, skewed Martin Luther King Jr.'s words to fit an anti-woman, anti-minority, anti-working class platform. It doesn't matter that Artur Davis decided to switch from the Democratic party to the Republican party. None of that matters.
What matters is the fact that in one minute at the Republican Convention, the GOP's adherents showed their true colors, and it wasn't a pretty sight."
The video is appalling.
"Tampa, Florida (CNN) – Two people were removed from the Republican National Convention Tuesday after they threw nuts at an African-American CNN camera operator and said, “This is how we feed animals.”
Multiple witnesses observed the exchange and RNC security and police immediately removed the two people from the Tampa Bay Times Forum.
The convention released a statement saying, “Two attendees tonight exhibited deplorable behavior. Their ...more conduct was inexcusable and unacceptable. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated."
CNN also acknowledged the incident, saying, "CNN can confirm there was an incident directed at an employee inside the Tampa Bay Times Forum earlier this afternoon. CNN worked with convention officials to address this matter and will have no further comment.”
The convention began its first full session on Tuesday after being delayed a day by what was then Tropical Storm Isaac. It continues through Thursday when Mitt Romney is expected to accept the party’s nomination as its presidential candidate."
The republican party is the party of racists.
everyone already knows.
When American colonists declared independence from England in 1776, they also freed themselves from control by English corporations that extracted their wealth and dominated trade. After fighting a revolution to end this exploitation, our country's founders retained ...more a healthy fear of corporate power and wisely limited corporations exclusively to a business role. Corporations were forbidden from attempting to influence elections, public policy, and other realms of civic society.
Initially, the privilege of incorporation was granted selectively to enable activities that benefited the public, such as construction of roads or canals. Enabling shareholders to profit was seen as a means to that end.
The states also imposed conditions (some of which remain on the books, though unused) like these:
* Corporate charters (licenses to exist) were granted for a limited time and could be revoked promptly for violating laws.
* Corporations could engage only in activities necessary to fulfill their chartered purpose.
* Corporations could not own stock in other corporations nor own any property that was not essential to fulfilling their chartered purpose.
* Corporations were often terminated if they exceeded their authority or caused public harm.
* Owners and managers were responsible for criminal acts committed on the job.
* Corporations could not make any political or charitable contributions nor spend money to influence law-making.
For 100 years after the American Revolution, legislators maintained tight controll of the corporate chartering process. Because of widespread public opposition, early legislators granted very few corporate charters, and only after debate. Citizens governed corporations by detailing operating conditions not just in charters but also in state constitutions and state laws. Incorporated businesses were prohibited from taking any action that legislators did not specifically allow.
One of the most severe blows to citizen authority arose out of the 1886 Supreme Court case of Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad. Though the court did not make a ruling on the question of "corporate personhood," thanks to misleading notes of a clerk, the decision subsequently was used as precedent to hold that a corporation was a "natural person."
From that point on, the 14th Amendment, enacted to protect rights of freed slaves, ...more was used routinely to grant corporations constitutional "personhood." Justices have since struck down hundreds of local, state and federal laws enacted to protect people from corporate harm based on this illegitimate premise. Armed with these "rights," corporations increased control over resources, jobs, commerce, politicians, even judges and the law.
A United States Congressional committee concluded in 1941, "The principal instrument of the concentration of economic power and wealth has been the corporate charter with unlimited power...."
Then you try too convice us a ...more fetus isn't a human being in one of your crazy posts. What is a pregnant woman carrying in her stomach? An alien? Phil even a three year old can tell you a pregnant woman has a baby in her stomach. Every religion Muslims, Christians, Hindus, and Jews all agree abortion is wrong and flys in the face of common human morality. But no Phil us Americans are smarter than cultures that have been around thousands of years. This country is headed for the toilet with these stupid, low moral, liberal ideas. Wake up !!!
Look at history,cheif-whenever there were depressions/recessions,there was massive stimulus spending.
I took biology many years ago, but as I recall sentience begins somewhere between 24 - 30 weeks. Before that, you could culture the same zygote/blastocele in a petri dish just like bacteria, or even algae. There comes a point where that culture in a lab can't survive ...more without a womb, and has no chance of becoming a human being.
If it goes beyond the effective range of "Plan B", it should only be done if a full term would be a threat to the health or life of the mother. Remember guys, it's not your body and unless you've passed a bowling ball through your colon lately, you have no idea what a woman feels during birth.
Just my opinion...
Anyone want to call Canada? I need to short, and drive down the price of a security...
Conspiracy theories have run rampant with Obama’s mystery regarding his origin of birth. Most of the questions were started under his own Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, during the Democratic Primaries. Called, “Birthers” by the liberal news media as a means to discredit them, these people eventually succeeded in pushing Obama to release his long form birth certificate only to find out through an investigation of the Maricopa Police Department that ...more the document was a fake.
Was Obama's mother a United States citizen?
He basically threatened to put a gun to his own company's head, so the FDIC would forgive the millions in debt he owed to the failed Bank of New Englandt. It was your basic Kobyashi Maru, and the FDIC made out better if they forgave the debt, than if they allowed him to pay out the millions in cash on hand as bonuses. Bain should have gone under in 1992, but ...more there was a provision that allowed Romney to use rewarding failure, with what liquidity the company had on hand. He used the provisiion which allowed the rewarding of failure, as a tactical weapon.
This is the guy you want to vote for? What the **** kind of drugs warped your mind?
Obama may not be spectacular, but he's better than this vulture.
You dolt...
Mitt Romney’s Bain still got paid, even when its acquisitions were floundering.
"In a typical private-equity fragging, Bain put up a mere $18 million to acquire KB Toys and got big banks to finance the remaining $302 million it needed. Less than a year and a half after the purchase, Bain decided to give itself a gift known as a 'dividend recapitalization.' The firm induced KB Toys to redeem $121 million ...more in stock and take out more than $66 million in bank loans – $83 million of which went directly into the pockets of Bain's owners and investors, including Romney. 'The dividend recap is like borrowing someone else's credit card to take out a cash advance, and then leaving them to pay it off,' says Heather Slavkin Corzo, who monitors private equity takeovers as the senior legal policy adviser for the AFL-CIO."
2. Was he charged with a crime?
If the answer is no and no then he is merely taking advantage of the screwed up laws and tax codes we have in place. His lawyers and tax advisors seem to have earned their pay.
Me, I've got other plans.
~ Thomas Paine
"You didn't build that."
And trying to defend that horrible dishonest statement is what is going to bring down this evil empire.
"If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help. There was a great teacher somewhere in your life. Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive. Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you’ve got a business – you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen. The Internet didn’t get invented on ...more its own. Government research created the Internet so that all the companies could make money off the Internet."
—President Barack Obama[9]
His statement was based on a statement that Elizabeth Warren made on the same subject-
"I hear all this, you know, ‘Well, this is class warfare, this is whatever. No. There is nobody in this country who got rich on his own — nobody.You built a factory out there? Good for you. But I want to be clear. You moved your goods to market on the roads the rest of us paid for. You hired workers the rest of us paid to educate. You were safe in your factory because of police-forces and fire-forces that the rest of us paid for. You didn’t have to worry that marauding bands would come and seize everything at your factory — and hire someone to protect against this — because of the work the rest of us did. Now look, you built a factory and it turned into something terrific, or a great idea. God bless — keep a big hunk of it. But part of the underlying social contract is, you take a hunk of that and pay forward for the next kid who comes along."
As usual,the radical right will do anything to discredit Obama.
We already know why.
The greater your wealth,
The greater your debt to society.
So much fear, and so much anger in you joe. As I recall, those are the dark emotions which lead to hate. Even Carl Sagan wrote in Contact the above belief via the character S.R. Hadden. What you unfortunately fail to realize is that it shouldn't be as hard as you describe. What this country has become, and it's departure from it's Egalitarian roots is what gave cause for those "110 hour work ...more weeks". It's more than sad, it's R.O.M.A. all over again.
"I've had a long time to make enemies, doctor. So many governments, business interests, even religious leaders that would like to see me depart this Earth. I'll grant them their wish soon enough. But before I do, I wish to make a small contribution. A final gesture of good will to the people of this little planet who have given—from whom I have taken—so much."
~ S.R. Hadden, "Contact" (Carl Sagan)
GET OFF MY LAWN!
I like Eastwood,but he made a fool of himself and cost the republican party whatever little credibility it had
.
look at my avatar-gandpa simpson,with the caption
"Old Man Yells At Chair"
did they know they were making a prediction?
Anyone can factcheck the misinformation Joe and BF are spewing by going to factcheck (dot) org and looking it up.
Or hey can follow these lemmings over the sea cliff.
By Barack's own memoirs he was a terrible student, so how does a bad student go to Columbia and then to Harvard? Some have said he is listed as a foreign exchange student. Others have said that it was Khalid Abdullah Tariq al-Mansour, a Muslim lawyer and a black nationalist, who recommended Barack for admission to Harvard in 1988.
It's in the link at factcheck,if you actually read it you would know.
But,you'd rather kep up the birther stuff.
Birther =racist.
The face of the new republican party.
He reveals his racism in his above post.
Not that we couldn't tell before.
Personally I dont care if he received stratight D's. I care that his promises have all been empty and undelivered. Poltifact has been keeping track of his so called promises since 2008. If I went through life with that track record I would be considered a pathological liar.
(page 1 of ten from Politifact)
" Extend child tax credits and marriage-penalty fixes
Will extend aspects of the Bush tax cuts such as child credit expansions and changes to marriage bonuses and penalties.
>> More
Create an Advanced Manufacturing Fund to invest in peer-reviewed manufacturing processes
"Will create an Advanced Manufacturing Fund to identify and invest in the most compelling advanced manufacturing strategies. The ...more Fund will have a peer-review selection and award process based on the Michigan 21st Century Jobs Fund, a state-level initiative that has awarded over $125 million to Michigan businesses with the most innovative proposals to create new products and new jobs in the state."
>> More
Create an international tax haven watch list
Create an international tax haven watch list of countries that do not share information returns with the United States.
>> More
Increase minority access to capital
"Strengthen Small Business Administration programs that provide capital to minority-owned businesses, support outreach programs that help minority business owners apply for loans, and work to encourage the growth and capacity of minority firms."
>> More
Require economic justification for tax changes
Adopt the economic substance doctrine, a policy that states that tax changes must have significant economic justification, as a federal law.
>> More
Implement "Women Owned Business" contracting program
"Will implement the Women Owned Business contracting program that was signed into law by President Bill Clinton, but has yet to be implemented by the Bush Administration." The program seeks to get more women-owned businesses to compete for federal contracts.
>> More
Change standards for determining broadband access
Will direct the Federal Communications Commission to "provide an accurate map of broadband availability using a true definition of broadband instead of the current 200 kbs standard and an assessment of obstacles to fuller broadband penetration."
>> More
Create a consumer-friendly credit card rating system
"The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will assess the degree to which credit cards meet consumer-friendly standards … (such as) the underwriting standards used to issue the card, the card's interest rate spread between the introductory rate and the maximum rate allowed, and transaction fees. ... Credit card companies will be required to display the rating on all application and contract materials, enabling consumers to quickly understand all of the major provisions of a credit card without having to rely exclusively on fine print in lengthy documents."
>> More
Establish a credit card bill of rights
The credit card bill of rights would "ban unilateral changes ... apply interest rate increases only to future debt ... prohibit interest on fees ... prohibit 'universal defaults' (whereby a credit card raises its rates because the consumer was late paying a different creditor ... require prompt and fair crediting of cardholder payments."
>> More
Expand loan programs for small businesses
Expand "the Small Business Administration's loan and micro-loan programs which provide start-up and long-term financing that small firms cannot receive through normal channels."
>> More
Extend the Bush tax cuts for lower incomes
Extend the Bush tax cuts for those making less than $250,000 (couples) or $200,000 (single)
>> More
Extend and index the 2007 Alternative Minimum Tax patch
Extend and index the temporary fix to the Alternative Minimum Tax that was passed in 2007
>> More
Close the "doughnut hole" in Medicare prescription drug plan
"Barack Obama wants to close the 'doughnut hole' in the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Program that limits benefits for seniors with more than $2,250 but less than $5,100 in annual drug costs. Approximately 4 million seniors hit the doughnut hole in 2006, paying full price for drugs while also paying drug plan premiums."
>> More
Expand the Senior Corps volunteer program
Expand "the Senior Corps program, which connects individuals over the age of 55 to local volunteer opportunities, and work to provide additional security, including assistance with retirement and family-related costs, to seniors who participate in public service."
>> More
Require insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditions
Require insurance companies "to cover pre-existing conditions so all Americans, regardless of their health status or history, can get comprehensive benefits at fair and stable premiums."
>> More
Give tax credits to those who need help to pay health premiums
"Income-based sliding scale tax credits will be provided for people and families who need it."
>> More
Require large employers to contribute to a national health plan
"Large employers that do not offer meaningful coverage or make a meaningful contribution to the cost of quality health coverage for their employees will be required to contribute a percentage of payroll toward the costs of the national plan. Small businesses will be exempt from this requirement."
>> More
Require children to have health insurance coverage
"Require that all children have health care coverage. Barack Obama and Joe Biden will expand the number of options for young adults to get coverage by allowing young people up to age 25 to continue coverage through their parents' plans."
>> More
Expand eligibility for Medicaid
"Expand eligibility for the Medicaid and SCHIP programs and ensure that these programs continue to serve their critical safety net function."
>> More
Expand eligibility for State Children's Health Insurance Fund (SCHIP)
"Expand eligibility for the Medicaid and SCHIP programs and ensure that these programs continue to serve their critical safety net function."
>> More
Page 2 of 10-
"Require health plans to disclose how much of the premium goes to patient care
"Require health plans to disclose the percentage of premiums that actually goes to paying for patient care as opposed to administrative costs."
>> More
Establish an independent health institute to provide accurate and objective information
"Establish an independent institute to guide reviews and research on comparative effectiveness to provide accurate and objective information."
>> More
Implement and fund proven health intervention programs
Implement and fund "evidence-based interventions, such as patient navigator programs." A patient navigator is someone specifically designated to guide patients and their families through the complexities of the health care system.
>> More
In non-competitive markets, force insurers to pay out a reasonable share of their premiums for patient care
In markets where the insurance business is not competitive, "force insurers to pay out a reasonable share of their premiums for patient care instead of keeping exorbitant amounts for profits and administration."
>> More
Eliminate the higher subsidies to Medicare Advantage plans
"Eliminate the excessive subsidies to Medicare Advantage plans and pay them the same amount it would cost to treat the same patients under regular Medicare."
>> More
Expand funding to train primary care providers and public health practitioners
"Expand funding—including loan repayment, adequate reimbursement, grants for training curricula, and infrastructure support to improve working conditions— to ensure a strong workforce that will champion prevention and public health activities."
>> More
Increase funding to expand community based prevention programs
"Increase funding to expand community based preventive interventions to help Americans make better choices to improve their health."
>> More
Reinstate executive order to hire an additional 100,000 federal employees with disabilities within five years.
"Obama will reinstate Executive Order No. 13173 which President Clinton issued just before he left office. Executive Order No. 13173 failed to achieve its mandate of hiring an additional 100,000 federal employees with disabilities within five years. Obama will issue this executive order early in his first term and designate a senior White House official to assure that all federal departments and agencies meet the mandate."
>> More
Set goals and timetables for implementing Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act
"Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act requires the federal government and employers who are federal contractors to 'take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities.' Yet, affirmative action in employment for adults with disabilities is not enforced with goals and timetables like the affirmative action requirements for people of color and women found in Executive Order No. 11246 and its progeny. As a result, affirmative action under the Rehabilitation Act is largely ineffective. Barack Obama will direct his Secretary of Labor to make changes to the regulations implementing Section 503 so that they more closely resemble those implementing Executive Order No. 11246."
>> More
Create a best practices list for private businesses in accommodating workers with disabilities
"As president, Barack Obama will direct his Secretary of Labor, the Labor Department's Office of Disability Employment Policy, and its Job Accommodation Network to bring together employers, employer associations, human resources professionals, disability advocates, service providers, and the labor movement to identify, promote, and disseminate best practices in accommodating workers with disabilities."
>> More
Launch educational initiative for employers on tax benefits of hiring employees with disabilities
"The tax code already contains several provisions designed to encourage employers to hire employees with disabilities, including the Disabled Access Tax Credit, a Tax Deduction for Architectural and Transportation Barrier Removal, and the Work Opportunity Tax Credit. Yet, very few employers actually take advantage of these credits. Barack Obama and Joe Biden will launch an aggressive effort to educate employers about these tax benefits so that more employers use them to hire greater numbers of employees with disabilities."
>> More
Increase the Veterans Administration budget to recruit and retain more mental health professionals
Increase "the VA budget to recruit and retain more mental health professionals."
>> More
Expand Veterans Centers in rural areas
Expand "Vet Centers in rural areas so that veterans and their families can get the care they need where they live."
>> More
Fully fund the Veterans Administration
Fully fund "the VA so it has all the resources it needs to serve the veterans who need it, when they need it."
>> More
Assure that the Veterans Administration budget is prepared as 'must-pass' legislation
"Obama will meet early in the budgeting process each year with congressional leaders and the nation's leading Veterans' Service Organizations (VSOs) to ensure the VA budget is always given 'must-pass' status."
>> More
Expand the Veterans Administration's number of "centers of excellence" in specialty care
Expand the number of "centers of excellence for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), PTSD, vision impairment, prosthetics, spinal cord injury, aging, women's health and other specialized rehabilitative care."
>> More
Expand housing vouchers program for homeless veterans
"Expand proven homeless veteran housing vouchers to assist those already on the streets."
>> More
Launch a supportive services-housing program for veterans to prevent homelessness
"Launch an innovative supportive services-housing program to prevent at-risk veterans and veteran families from falling into homelessness in the first place."
>> More
Appoint a special adviser to the president on violence against women
"This advisor will ensure that his agenda is coordinated across federal agencies and fully addresses prevention, programs, and the legal aspects of gender based violence."
>> More
Fully fund the Violence Against Women Act
Provide "funds to help communities, nonprofit organizations and police combat domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking."
>> More
want the other 8 pages of promises kept?
Ten pages of accomplishments.
The right LIES when they say he accomplished nothing.
it seems your statement of "60% not kept" is just more innaccuracies that the right uses.
more lies from the right.
"Our scorecard shows Obama kept 37 percent of his promises. He brought the war in Iraq to a close and finally achieved the Democratic dream of a universal health care program. When the United States had Osama bin Laden in its sights, Obama issued the order to kill.
Sixteen percent are rated Promise ...more Broken, often because they hit a brick wall in Congress. Global warming legislation passed the House but died in the Senate. He didn't even push for comprehensive immigration reform. His program to help homeowners facing foreclosure didn't even meet its own benchmarks. (PolitiFact rates campaign promises based on outcomes, not intentions.)
With four months left in Obama's term, PolitiFact has rated Obama's remaining promises Compromise (14 percent), Stalled (10 percent) or In the Works (22 percent)."
pretty far from 60 % not kept.
try to get your facts straight;we know it's hard when your blinded by hatred.
The Obameter Scorecard
PolitiFact is tracking 508 promises made by Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential campaign. Here's the tally so far:
Promise Kept: 190 (37 percent)
Compromise: 72 (14 percent)
Promise Broken: 83 (16 percent)
Stalled: 49 (10 percent)
In the Works: 112 (22 percent)
Not yet rated: 2 (0 percent)
Note: Percentages don't add up to 100 because of rounding.
Top ...more 10 Promises Broken (so far)
1Create a foreclosure prevention fund for homeowners.
What happened? Obama created a fund, but it failed to meet its own benchmarks for helping homeowners. A special inspector general deemed the program "a colossal failure."
2 Repeal the Bush tax cuts for higher incomes.
What happened? In 2010, Obama agreed to a deal with Republicans to extend the current tax rates for another two years. Obama will get another shot at keeping this promise if he wins re-election.
3 Close the Guantanamo Bay Detention Center.
What happened? Obama has consistently said he wants the facility closed, but he hasn't found a way to get Congress to agree. Guantanamo Bay remains open.
4 Create cap-and-trade system with interim goals to reduce global warming.
What happened? A bill for cap-and-trade passed the U.S. House of Representatives in 2009, but the Senate wouldn't bite. Now Republicans control Congress, and it's considered dead.
5 Sign the Employee Free Choice Act, making it easier for workers to unionize.
What happened? This didn't get done when Democrats controlled Congress, and now it looks as if it won't get done at all, thanks to Republican opposition.
6 Allow imported prescription drugs.
What happened? The White House dropped this pledge as it lured drugmakers to get on board with the president's health care law. The promise hasn't been heard from since.
7 Sign the Freedom of Choice Act.
What happened? Candidate Obama said one of the first things he wanted to do was sign abortion rights legislation. President Obama said he had other priorities and wanted to tamp down anger surrounding the issue.
8 Create a public option health plan for a new National Health Insurance Exchange.
What happened? Congress rejected the idea for a public health insurance option open to everyone. Obama downplayed the fact that it was left out of the final version of the health care law.
9 Introduce a comprehensive immigration bill in the first year.
What happened? Obama said he would introduce legislation that included a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants. But other priorities — health care and financial regulation — seemed to run out the clock.
10 Bring Democrats and Republicans together to pass an agenda.
What happened? On matters large and small, partisanship is worse than ever.
Top 10 Promises Kept (so far)
1 End the use of torture.
What happened? Obama said he would stop the torture of terror suspects, and human rights experts say he did.
2 Seek verifiable reductions in nuclear stockpiles.
What happened? In 2010, the Senate ratified a new START treaty for the United States and Russia to verify reductions in nuclear weapons.
3 Create new financial regulations.
What happened? Obama signed a massive overhaul of financial regulations in 2010. It included a new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to look out for the little guy.
4 Sign a "universal" health care bill.
What happened? Republicans may hate the individual mandate, but it allows Obama to make a credible case that the health care law will lead to universal coverage.
5 Extend the Bush tax cuts for lower incomes.
What happened? A rare compromise with Republicans at the end of 2010 left in place current tax rates for middle-class Americans. What happens when they expire in 2013 is the great unknown.
6 Fully fund the Veterans Administration.
What happened? It doesn't get much attention, but Obama kept his promises on veterans, sending more money and resources to programs that serve them.
7 Direct military leaders to end war in Iraq.
What happened? Obama did as he said, bringing the Iraq war to its conclusion. A Promise Kept for a huge campaign issue.
8 Repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.
What happened? The policy that stopped gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military ended in 2011.
9 Raise fuel economy standards.
What happened? Obama won increases for the required miles-per-gallon in cars, reducing oil consumption and carbon emissions.
10 We will kill bin Laden.
What happened? On the campaign trail, Obama said the United States would go after Osama bin Laden if it got the chance. When U.S. forces found the terrorist in Pakistan, they took him out.
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looks like the biggest roadblock to keeping promises is the republicans.
2. Cut the unemployment rate
3. Balance the budget
4. Help the middle income (median family income down almost 10%)
5. Help the middle income (gas prices have doubled)
6. GDP growth rate
7 His ability to lead and reconcile the house and senate.
All failures. His NOTABLE accomplishments in 4 years. The killing of Bin Laden
Most of what you want to see is available.His school records are the property of the school,not his to release.
That's obvious to any moron with half a brain (and kids in school)
The facts are verifiable.But we know facts have no place in your mind.
Barack Obama is not legally a U.S. natural-born citizen according to the law on the books at the time of his birth, which falls between "December 24, 1952 to November 13, 1986.
Presidential office requires a natural-born citizen if the child was not born to two U.S. citizen parents, which of course is what exempts John McCain though he was born in the Panama Canal. US Law very clearly stipulates: ...more ".If only one parent was a U.S. citizen at the time of your birth, that parent must have resided in the United States for at least ten years, at least five of which had to be after the age of 16." Barack Obama's father was not a U.S. citizen and Obama's mother was only 18 when Obama was born, which means though she had been a U.S. citizen for 10 years, (or citizen perhaps because of Hawaii being a territory) the mother fails the test for being so for at least 5 years **prior to** Barack Obama's birth, but *after* age 16. It doesn't matter *after*.
In essence, she was not old enough to qualify her son for automatic U.S. citizenship. At most, there were only 2 years elapsed since his mother turned 16 at the time of Barack Obama's birth when she was 18 in Hawaii. His mother would have needed to have been 16+5= 21 years old, at the time of Barack Obama's birth for him to have been a natural-born citizen. As aforementioned, she was a young college student at the time and was not. Barack Obama was already 3 years old at that time his mother would have needed to have waited to have him as the only U.S. Citizen parent. Obama instead should have been naturalized, but even then, that would still disqualify him from holding the office.
Naturalized citizens are ineligible to hold the office of President.
Though Barack Obama was sent back to Hawaii at age 10, all the other info does not matter because his mother is the one who needed to have been a U.S. citizen for 10 years prior to his birth on August 4, 1961, with 5 of those years being after age 16. Further, Obama may have had to have remained in the country for some time to protect any citizenship he would have had, rather than living in
Indonesia
Obama was born in Hawaii in 1961. Hawaii was a state then. Therefore, he was born "in" the United States of America, and is a citizen.
Period.
End of discussion.
Assuming the language you have above is accurate, it does not apply to someone born "in" the USA.
His parents could have been from Mars or Uranus . . .
This is what repulcans have devolved into.
His mother was born in Wichita, Kansas by the way, and Hawaii was a state at the time of his birth, so via the Fourteenth Amendment he was born on American soil. Check out the story over at Snopes if you can take it. You know what the wonderful ...more thing about science is? It's true whether you believe it, or not...
"Thanks for playing,Grasping At Straws!
"I think a nation's greatness depends to a real extent on how well-spoken it's citzens are. Good things develop out of a populace that really knows how to use language, and use it well."
"As a language deteriorates-becomes less eloquent, less metaphorical, less salient, less poignant-a curious deadening of the human spirit comes in."
"America has shifted from being ...more a country with a great love of feedom and creativity-in constant altercation with those other Americans who wanted rule and order-into a country that's now much more interested in power. And power, I can promise you, is not interested in metaphor. Metaphor is antagonistic to power because it pushes you to think in more poetic, and contradictory ways. Power demands a unilinear approach. Power does not welcome poetic concepts."
~Norman Mailer
You just keep hammering it home.
I don't have to wish it,it's fact.
Divisiveness and hate have been practiced by the right since before Obama won the election,when the tea party took over the republican pary and began dictating policy to them.
Looks like Norman Mailer was right.
Thanks bigfresh...
The rhetoric of the right,sunce Obama became president,has been to disrespect,denounce and Belittle him;they question his patriotism,along with anyone who doesn't agree with them (like what ...more cappie said to Mets Fan just becaus Mets fan made the observation that the republican party he was part of was taken over by people like capie and BF.
They are the new republicans-hateful and spiteful,but cap and BF are the epitomy of what the republican party has become.Even republicans recognise what they are,and it disgusts them.
Close Gitmo
Stop Iraq and Afgan wars
Cut the debt in half
Cut unemployment
Which one has he been successful in?
48 million on public assistance a record Mr obama good job.
MR Z I know its all Bush's fault he hasnt been in office for 4 years but its his fault. your a clown
Ten pages of accomplishments on Politifact.
As opposed o right wing propaganda from cheif-spew.
He got OBL.
Bush said that he didn't think about him all that much.
OBL killed 3,000 Americans and Bush didn't think about him all that much.In fact,he stopped looking for him.
Unfortunately you are too obtuse to wrap your mind around what the cost of the "crash" is, and it's long term effects which include the bills coming due on an unfunded war, tax cuts at the worst possible time, and using the Social Security coffers to help pay for those tax cuts. Bush's legacy simply drags on, and we can't unspend what that adminstration did to put us in hock.
Who do you think pushed Clinton, and Congress? Unelected power brokers. Bankers had been trying to repeal Glass-Steagall for DECADES. Congress blinked and abolished Glass-Steagall on Clinton's watch, but he did have the choice not to sign it. CONGRESS has to pass a bill, before it gets to the President's desk though a possible veto is the POTUS' responsibility.
Like ...more I said, I read BOOKS so get off your high horse with this internet parrot puckey. I am classically educated, just so you know.
Of course,that was after the attacks of 9/11,which he was warned about before they happened.
"U.S. intelligence officials warned President Bush weeks before the Sept. 11 attacks that Osama bin Laden's terrorist network might hijack American planes, but White House officials stressed the threat was not specific. "
but the warnings were specific enough for the FBI to note that
"The revelation came as legislators demanded ...more an explanation after an FBI memo alluding to ignored warning signs about Sept. 11 emerged. Two months before the hijackings, FBI agents in Phoenix reported their suspicions about Arab students at a Phoenix flight school, and directly referred to the possibility of a connection to bin Laden.
In a memo from the Phoenix FBI to headquarters, the agents recommended an urgent nationwide review of flight schools "for any information that supports Phoenix's suspicions" of a terrorist connection. The memo reportedly cited Osama bin Laden by name. "
Bush ignored what the FBI told his administration.
Months before 9/11.
He was busy clearing brush at his ranch in Texas,and looking for a way to go to war with Saddam Hussein.
No wonder the RNC didn't want him or any of his former administration to talk at the convention.
But over 2/3 of RMoney's foreign policy advisors are from the Bush administration.We can surmist that if RMoney is elected,we'll have a foreign policy similar to what Bush had.
Be prepared to invest.
Invest your children in war.
Mr Z continue taking excerpts ...more from the internet and posting, and someday someone here will be fooled by you and your nonsense.
My view is not "liberal". If I am anything, it would be Egalitarian, or Teddy Roosevelt style progressive. Knowledge is power. It's a currency that people can't steal from you. All the "hand outs" you describe have increased for good reason. A small group of a******s who thought they knew better than a generation who survived the Great Depression went back to the ways that caused it. Would you prefer good, formerly hard working people out living on the streets?
When I post something, it's not just "from the internet". It's from literature, periodicals, or the digitized version thereof. The Norman Mailer? I transcribed that from a Playboy interview. Y'know, the nudie magazine made of paper everyone reads for the articles.
I engage in hard work, and ingenuity every day. I also engage in problem solving every day. Sanitation is a tough business, and so is the majority of our staff. As far as the fact that they only tackle the guy with the ball, I'll tuck it and run every time. Just don't be surprised when I juke, stick, move, and shed your attempt to tackle me. I mostly played defense in high school, and this is my root philosophy:
"If they can't score, they can't win."
"My religion is just Ayn Rand's philosophy with ceremony, and ritual added."
~ Anton LaVey, founder of the Church of Satan
"I grew up reading Ayn Rand and it taught me quite a bit about who I am, and what my value systems are, and what my beliefs are. It's inspired me so much that it's required reading in my office for all my interns and staff."
~ Paul Ryan
Listen only an pseudo-intellectual, ...more self important, self aggrandizing, bloviating blowhard would subject ANY reader to a 75 page rant about ANY subject. However, Galt's speech in "Atlas Shrugged" is just that. 75 pages.
Jesus Christ didn't even crack two pages when he delivered the "Sermon on the Mount". You figure it out.
Who does that sound like.
My philosophy, in essence, is the concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason as his only absolute.
Here's mine, and yes I did "coin" this:
The greater your fortune,
The greater your wealth,
The greater your debt to society.
Which do you find less "bloviating"? And, by the way, how is Hilton Head?
Just think of the attacks on you like it's football.
They only tackle the guy with the ball ;)
Unemployment over 9%, gas prices doubled, family median house hold income down almost 10%, 16 trillion in debt, almost a 1 trillion dollar defecit, more people on food stamps and dependent upon the GVt than ever before. ...more We need to turn this country around and getting it running the right way.
Alan Greenspan, Ayn Rand, Robert Rubin, Tiimothy Geithner, David X. Li, Ben Bernanke, William Jefferson Clinton, George W. Bush, Timothy Blankfein, Robert Khuzami, Richard "Dick" Fuld, Joe Cassano, Angelo Mozzilo, Drexel Burnham Lambert, Charles Keating, Jamie Dimon, Phil Gramm, Wendy Lee Gramm , Jim Leach, Thomas J. Bliley, Walter Lukken, Kenneth Lay, Jeffery Skilling, Andrew Fastow, Bernard Ebbers, Scott Sullivan, ...more David Myers, Buford Yates, Arthur Andersen (accounting firm), Gary Gensler, et al., et al., et al.
If the republicans would stop playing games and participate in governing we would be in mich better shape.
HUD Secretary Andrew Cuomo, Barney Frank, Chris Dodd
"...et al., et al., et al."
One poster features an image of the president in prayer with the headline, “Prophecy Fulfilled.”
:-(
It is an unelected banking cartel. Had been since day one on Jekyll Island. Woodrow Wilson expressed a significant amount of regret due to signing the Federal Reserve Act ex post facto.
They caused the Great Depression by debauching the currency, creating market euphoria, then constricting the money supply by about thirty percent. Sounds somewhat familiar, doesn't it? To top it all off, every titan off industry, ...more close associate thereof, and the members of the Reserve board at the time ALL liquidated their assets just before the crash, came away unscathed and used their 14th Amendment "unlimited charters" to buy up most of the country "on the cheap".
How constitutional, or American is that? The answer is IT'S NOT. Not even close to how the Founders laid down our corporate system. They maintained a very watchful eye on corporations via state governments, and did not allow them to have as much power as, or a level that exceeded their authority. Please, please, PLEASE pick up a history book, and recycle Levin's.
WOW.
Try asset bubbles as easily 75% of the reason for printed cash, and 20% the ego of men like Greenspan and his cohorts thinking they could manage a fiat currency economy,. and make it successful through "modern technology", though 2000 years of modern history prove they FAIL every time.
Including this latest attempt.
WOW, indeed.
The President who was Donald Regan's puppet, raised the Social Security tax, and spent every dime of that extra cash on defecit spending, leaving us with the highest debt to GDP ratio since World War II? The same ratio that crept up a little more during the elder Bush's term due to the war in the Persian Gulf?
Sure, he's member of the "fiscal conservatve" elite...
The guy is a borderline hack, who even had the audacity to state that, and I quote: "Marriage does not civilize men. Women do. This point is even evident in the gay community: ...more it helps to explain why lesbians are generally much better than male homosexuals in sustaining long-term relationships. The reason that society privileges marriage and gives it a special legal status is because marriage is the only known incubator for the raising of children."
It really just doesn't get any more socially backward, or regressive than that.
He has conservative and even deeper traditional social values becuase of his India upbringing and this comes through in his writing and conclusions, but it's far from conspiracy theorist in my opinion and it certainly doesn't make his views, backward or regressive.
D'Souza is a conspiracy theorist worthy of his following of tin-foil hat wearing zombies.
I SAY! Here is the truth of what went on MR Z
Bill Clinton’s Democratic Convention speech tonight will no doubt be loaded with references to his great economic achievements as president, plus warnings that a vote for Mitt Romney will be a vote to return to the economic disaster of the Bush ...more era.
In other words, Clinton won’t mention a whole bunch of inconvenient facts — about what brought the prosperity of the 1990s, and how he himself helped put America on the path to the 2008 financial crisis.
He’ll tell us that a vote for President Obama will bring back the glory days of the 1990s — but those days weren’t so great until Republicans won control of Congress in the 1994 elections. That’s when Clinton turned right, and joined the GOP to put a hold on spending and lower taxes — allowing the technology boom to sustain the US economy through the Clinton years.
It’s an absurd distortion of reality that the Bush-era tax cuts or spending on Iraq were even remotely responsible for the 2008 banking collapse and the Great Recession — though both claims are now core to the left’s talking points in defense of President Obama’s failures as president (and largely unchallenged by a sympathetic media).
Yet the reality of what caused the banking collapse has the fingerprints of tonight’s keynote speaker all over it. Consider two Bubba boo-boos that trace straight to the housing bubble and the 2008 financial crisis.
The first is his obsession with pushing homeownership to new highs via government coercion. The second is his unleashing of Wall Street risk-taking.
Clinton charged his Housing secretaries, Henry Cisneros and Andrew Cuomo, with driving homeownership rates up to about 70 percent of households from around 64 percent in the early ’90s.
How did they do this? Through rigorous enforcement of housing mandates such as theCommunity Reinvestment Act, and by prodding mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to make loans to people with lower credit scores (and to buy loans that had been made by banks and, later, “innovators” like Countrywide).
The Housing Department was Fannie and Freddie’s top regulator — and under Cuomo the mortgage giants were forced to start ramping up programs to issue more subprime loans to the riskiest of borrowers.
We know how that turned out: Fannie and Freddie help stoke a housing bubble that actually made homeownership less affordable unless borrowers took out ever-more-risky loans. Eventually, both agencies imploded (along with the housing market); bailing them out since 2008 has already cost taxpayers more than $100 billion.
(And, yes, Bush continued Clinton’s policies — but did try to rein in Fannie and Freddie in his later years, before the meltdown. But Democratic barons in Congress like Rep. Barney Frank balked at stopping the train before the wreck.)
You can also blame Clinton for helping usher in an era of wild risk-taking that led to the 2008 banking debacle. As president, he put the final nail in the coffin of the Depression-era Glass-Steagall Act — which for decades had separated Wall Street risk-taking activities from traditional commercial banking, such as taking deposits and small-business lending.
To be sure, ending Glass-Steagall was a bipartisan folly, but Clinton was fully on board. He killed it at the advice of then-Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin — a Goldman Sachs alum who went to work for the biggest beneficiary of Glass-Steagall’s demise, mega bank Citigroup.
Citigroup soon took risk-taking to new levels, obliging other banks to follow its lead — and in the end it crashed and burned like the rest of the banking business. (Indeed, Citigroup’s taxpayer bailout was far more generous than its rivals’, because the size of its risk-taking gone bad was far more dangerous to the financial system.)
So, yes, Bush deserves some blame for what happened in 2008 and the Great Recession. He left in place much of what his predecessor had done — but the crisis had nothing to do with tax cuts or Iraq.
Keep that in mind when Bill Clinton offers up his distorted alternate view of reality tonight.
Men including Rubin, Geithner, and Greenspan felt that they could successfully create, and run a fiat currnecy economy. Y'know, the same type Germany created in the post WW I Weimar Republic.
They believed that through modern technology (computerization) it could be run effectively and proceeded to print a s***load of money. In 1986, the worth of M2 (money supply) was approximately 2.2 quadrillion dollars. By 1998, the Fed had printed ...more enough money that M2 reached approximately 4.6 quadrillion dollars. As of the most recent figures, M2 now stands at over 10 quadrillion dollars, and will easily break 11 quadrillion in the next couple of years. Greenspan printed more money in his 20 year tenure as Chairman of the Federal Reserve, than was created in the previous 60 YEARS, and the pace has accelerated since Bernanke took over.
Maybe Clinton was on board, and maybe Congress did blink, but "The Maestro", his hubris, and the hubris of his cohorts are what destroyed this economy. They were the best "snake oil salesmen" of all time. If you want to foolishly play "party politics", and lay blame on political parties you and those who are fooled like you will book our funeral.
When it comes down to it, the Almighty Dollar rules. AND, those who control, and create it are the ones who have destroyed this country's prosperity. Maybe most, not all, of the politicians followed (Brooksley Born was BLACKBALLED for being right), but in the end it was THEM, the Fed who sent us all to h**l in a handbasket.
He destroyed the GOP.
"We're all in this together", works alot better than "you'e on your own".
All the republicans have to offer is the bitterness and lies we saw at the convention and we continue to see here.
If the republicans are saying Romney can fix everything,they are lying.
But then,they did say that they ween't going to let fact checkers interefere with their campaign.
that's one truth they told.
Facts have no place in the republican campaign.
kind of like here.
Factcheck.org on Clintons speech-
"CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Former President Bill Clinton’s stem-winding nomination speech was a fact-checker’s nightmare: lots of effort required to run down his many statistics and factual claims, producing little for us to write about.
Republicans will find plenty of Clinton’s scorching opinions objectionable. But with few exceptions, we found his stats checked out."
You don't recognise the substance of his speech because the republicans couldn't offer any of their own.
More of the modern republican party revealing its true face.
and its ugliness.
GM and Chrysler are strong again,and creating jobs in states where republican governors are trying to take credit for it.
We're safer since Bin Laden is dead,along with a few dozen other al Quida leaders..
The stimulus saved orr created jobs-something the republicans have yet to do.(But they did manage to declare a war on women)
Obama passed healthcare reform that increased the numbers of insured;now more people have access to healthcare.(by he way,I just ...more got my check from United Healthcare,the portion of my premiums not spent on delivering healthcare,as per the ACA)
Are we better off?
Yes.
If none of the above was done,we would certainly be worse off.Like President Clinton said-no president could have repaired the amount of damage done by the last administration in four years.
Clinton was not "disbarred". His license to practice law was suspended for only five years. Not only that, he was never impeached. He completed his full term as President of the United States.
He never "made a turn right" as someone here posited, he knows how to reach across the aisle. That's something not only the GOP should learn how to do, I recommend it to you as well.
The stimulus did not meet most of Obama’s own goals. That’s called a failure. We’re almost $6 trillion worse off in debt and have fewer people employed than when Obama took office.
I'll ask again, especially to the haters and the delusional. How are you going to feel when Obama loses?
Yep.
GM is building cars again.
Romney would have let them go under and put millions more out of work.
He said so in an op-ed he wrote..
Obama got Bin Laden.
Like he said he would.
A campaign promise KEPT.
-John Kerry.
I posted two pages above.
Here -have someone read this to you-
Campaign promises kept-
(page 1 of ten from Politifact)
" Extend child tax credits and marriage-penalty fixes
Will extend aspects of the Bush tax cuts such as child credit expansions and changes to marriage bonuses and penalties.
>> More
Create an Advanced Manufacturing Fund to invest in peer-reviewed manufacturing processes
"Will ...more create an Advanced Manufacturing Fund to identify and invest in the most compelling advanced manufacturing strategies. The ...more Fund will have a peer-review selection and award process based on the Michigan 21st Century Jobs Fund, a state-level initiative that has awarded over $125 million to Michigan businesses with the most innovative proposals to create new products and new jobs in the state."
>> More
Create an international tax haven watch list
Create an international tax haven watch list of countries that do not share information returns with the United States.
>> More
Increase minority access to capital
"Strengthen Small Business Administration programs that provide capital to minority-owned businesses, support outreach programs that help minority business owners apply for loans, and work to encourage the growth and capacity of minority firms."
>> More
Require economic justification for tax changes
Adopt the economic substance doctrine, a policy that states that tax changes must have significant economic justification, as a federal law.
>> More
Implement "Women Owned Business" contracting program
"Will implement the Women Owned Business contracting program that was signed into law by President Bill Clinton, but has yet to be implemented by the Bush Administration." The program seeks to get more women-owned businesses to compete for federal contracts.
>> More
Change standards for determining broadband access
Will direct the Federal Communications Commission to "provide an accurate map of broadband availability using a true definition of broadband instead of the current 200 kbs standard and an assessment of obstacles to fuller broadband penetration."
>> More
Create a consumer-friendly credit card rating system
"The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will assess the degree to which credit cards meet consumer-friendly standards … (such as) the underwriting standards used to issue the card, the card's interest rate spread between the introductory rate and the maximum rate allowed, and transaction fees. ... Credit card companies will be required to display the rating on all application and contract materials, enabling consumers to quickly understand all of the major provisions of a credit card without having to rely exclusively on fine print in lengthy documents."
>> More
Establish a credit card bill of rights
The credit card bill of rights would "ban unilateral changes ... apply interest rate increases only to future debt ... prohibit interest on fees ... prohibit 'universal defaults' (whereby a credit card raises its rates because the consumer was late paying a different creditor ... require prompt and fair crediting of cardholder payments."
>> More
Expand loan programs for small businesses
Expand "the Small Business Administration's loan and micro-loan programs which provide start-up and long-term financing that small firms cannot receive through normal channels."
>> More
Extend the Bush tax cuts for lower incomes
Extend the Bush tax cuts for those making less than $250,000 (couples) or $200,000 (single)
>> More
Extend and index the 2007 Alternative Minimum Tax patch
Extend and index the temporary fix to the Alternative Minimum Tax that was passed in 2007
>> More
Close the "doughnut hole" in Medicare prescription drug plan
"Barack Obama wants to close the 'doughnut hole' in the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Program that limits benefits for seniors with more than $2,250 but less than $5,100 in annual drug costs. Approximately 4 million seniors hit the doughnut hole in 2006, paying full price for drugs while also paying drug plan premiums."
>> More
Expand the Senior Corps volunteer program
Expand "the Senior Corps program, which connects individuals over the age of 55 to local volunteer opportunities, and work to provide additional security, including assistance with retirement and family-related costs, to seniors who participate in public service."
>> More
Require insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditions
Require insurance companies "to cover pre-existing conditions so all Americans, regardless of their health status or history, can get comprehensive benefits at fair and stable premiums."
>> More
Give tax credits to those who need help to pay health premiums
"Income-based sliding scale tax credits will be provided for people and families who need it."
>> More
Require large employers to contribute to a national health plan
"Large employers that do not offer meaningful coverage or make a meaningful contribution to the cost of quality health coverage for their employees will be required to contribute a percentage of payroll toward the costs of the national plan. Small businesses will be exempt from this requirement."
>> More
Require children to have health insurance coverage
"Require that all children have health care coverage. Barack Obama and Joe Biden will expand the number of options for young adults to get coverage by allowing young people up to age 25 to continue coverage through their parents' plans."
>> More
Expand eligibility for Medicaid
"Expand eligibility for the Medicaid and SCHIP programs and ensure that these programs continue to serve their critical safety net function."
>> More
Expand eligibility for State Children's Health Insurance Fund (SCHIP)
"Expand eligibility for the Medicaid and SCHIP programs and ensure that these programs continue to serve their critical safety net function."
>> More
Page 2 of 10-
"Require health plans to disclose how much of the premium goes to patient care
"Require health plans to disclose the percentage of premiums that actually goes to paying for patient care as opposed to administrative costs."
>> More
Establish an independent health institute to provide accurate and objective information
"Establish an independent institute to guide reviews and research on comparative effectiveness to provide accurate and objective information."
>> More
Implement and fund proven health intervention programs
Implement and fund "evidence-based interventions, such as patient navigator programs." A patient navigator is someone specifically designated to guide patients and their families through the complexities of the health care system.
>> More
In non-competitive markets, force insurers to pay out a reasonable share of their premiums for patient care
In markets where the insurance business is not competitive, "force insurers to pay out a reasonable share of their premiums for patient care instead of keeping exorbitant amounts for profits and administration."
>> More
Eliminate the higher subsidies to Medicare Advantage plans
"Eliminate the excessive subsidies to Medicare Advantage plans and pay them the same amount it would cost to treat the same patients under regular Medicare."
>> More
Expand funding to train primary care providers and public health practitioners
"Expand funding—including loan repayment, adequate reimbursement, grants for training curricula, and infrastructure support to improve working conditions— to ensure a strong workforce that will champion prevention and public health activities."
>> More
Increase funding to expand community based prevention programs
"Increase funding to expand community based preventive interventions to help Americans make better choices to improve their health."
>> More
Reinstate executive order to hire an additional 100,000 federal employees with disabilities within five years.
"Obama will reinstate Executive Order No. 13173 which President Clinton issued just before he left office. Executive Order No. 13173 failed to achieve its mandate of hiring an additional 100,000 federal employees with disabilities within five years. Obama will issue this executive order early in his first term and designate a senior White House official to assure that all federal departments and agencies meet the mandate."
>> More
Set goals and timetables for implementing Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act
"Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act requires the federal government and employers who are federal contractors to 'take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities.' Yet, affirmative action in employment for adults with disabilities is not enforced with goals and timetables like the affirmative action requirements for people of color and women found in Executive Order No. 11246 and its progeny. As a result, affirmative action under the Rehabilitation Act is largely ineffective. Barack Obama will direct his Secretary of Labor to make changes to the regulations implementing Section 503 so that they more closely resemble those implementing Executive Order No. 11246."
>> More
Create a best practices list for private businesses in accommodating workers with disabilities
"As president, Barack Obama will direct his Secretary of Labor, the Labor Department's Office of Disability Employment Policy, and its Job Accommodation Network to bring together employers, employer associations, human resources professionals, disability advocates, service providers, and the labor movement to identify, promote, and disseminate best practices in accommodating workers with disabilities."
>> More
Launch educational initiative for employers on tax benefits of hiring employees with disabilities
"The tax code already contains several provisions designed to encourage employers to hire employees with disabilities, including the Disabled Access Tax Credit, a Tax Deduction for Architectural and Transportation Barrier Removal, and the Work Opportunity Tax Credit. Yet, very few employers actually take advantage of these credits. Barack Obama and Joe Biden will launch an aggressive effort to educate employers about these tax benefits so that more employers use them to hire greater numbers of employees with disabilities."
>> More
Increase the Veterans Administration budget to recruit and retain more mental health professionals
Increase "the VA budget to recruit and retain more mental health professionals."
>> More
Expand Veterans Centers in rural areas
Expand "Vet Centers in rural areas so that veterans and their families can get the care they need where they live."
>> More
Fully fund the Veterans Administration
Fully fund "the VA so it has all the resources it needs to serve the veterans who need it, when they need it."
>> More
Assure that the Veterans Administration budget is prepared as 'must-pass' legislation
"Obama will meet early in the budgeting process each year with congressional leaders and the nation's leading Veterans' Service Organizations (VSOs) to ensure the VA budget is always given 'must-pass' status."
>> More
Expand the Veterans Administration's number of "centers of excellence" in specialty care
Expand the number of "centers of excellence for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), PTSD, vision impairment, prosthetics, spinal cord injury, aging, women's health and other specialized rehabilitative care."
>> More
Expand housing vouchers program for homeless veterans
"Expand proven homeless veteran housing vouchers to assist those already on the streets."
>> More
Launch a supportive services-housing program for veterans to prevent homelessness
"Launch an innovative supportive services-housing program to prevent at-risk veterans and veteran families from falling into homelessness in the first place."
>> More
Appoint a special adviser to the president on violence against women
"This advisor will ensure that his agenda is coordinated across federal agencies and fully addresses prevention, programs, and the legal aspects of gender based violence."
>> More
Fully fund the Violence Against Women Act
Provide "funds to help communities, nonprofit organizations and police combat domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking."
>> More
want the other 8 pages of promises kept?
Like Reply Report as inappropriateBy philathome (3164), Southampton on Sep 3, 12 8:11 AM
The republicans irresponsibly refused to participate in governing.
TEN pages of promises kept.
If that's 37% of all his promises,it's a hell of a lot.
Think about what he could have accomplished if the republicans didn't obstruct.
But then the republicans' first priority was to make him a one-term president.
The leader of their party in the senate said so.
I guess jbs were further down on their list.
They filibustered instead.
and they think the democrats are their worst enemy.
Do you ever listen to yourselves?
Oh wait. No they didn't. I was just kidding.
Carry on wasting bandwidth between the same 4 or 5 people....
~ Former Preisdent Bill Clinton, in regard to Romney over Healthcare Reform
Arithmetic.
If there's a major disaster, Romney will reassure you there is "assistance out there", and if you lose your home you can just go there and dial 211...
company compliance or anything that the government provides?
You'll do it all yourself?
Isn't that the way the right spun President Obama's statement?
They did it all themselves-without help from anyone?
I just want to make sure that everyone knows what "doing it all yourself" means.
It means having the infrastructure that everyone contributed to that enables you to build a business.
He hates bailouts, unless they're for him. If you don't believe that, check out the FDIC documents that were made public via the FOIA.
Yeah, this is the guy we want running our country...
Clinton was not impeached nor was he disbarred.
Don't let facts get in the way of your ranting. But then again you exemplify the best the Republican Party has to offer...
And,like you pointed out,Clinton was found not guilty.
This is just the latest far right wing witch hunt.
Last time I checked, he was far better than Jimmy Carter at negotiating...
Remember it takes 2 to tango...
Not to mention the character of the new republican party,as demonstrated here.
The Republicans have been pretty top notch at not running their campaign in a non "fact check" manner.
When it comes to Romney, bailouts are only good if he receives them, if you want to simplify things...
Twitter
Eva Longoria: Romney and I don't need tax breaks
23
Comments (103)
By MACKENZIE WEINGER |
9/6/12 8:40 PM EDT
Actress Eva Longoria doesn't need to take a break — a tax break, that is.
“Mitt Romney would raise taxes on middle-class families to cut his own — and mine. And that's not who we ...more are as a nation, and let me tell you why: because the Eva Longoria who worked at Wendy's flipping burgers — she needed a tax break. But the Eva Longoria who works on movie sets does not."
Obvioulsy, she was not born into Hollywood...
It makes them look foolish.
That still doesn't qualify him to speak for the American people.Especially given that his rant was incoherent.
You were the one who said
"None of these people has any place in getting involved in politics. None of them live in the shoes that normal people live in day in and day out. Part of their fantasy appears to be that normal people care about their opinion. "
With that statement,Clint Eastwood would be one of those who
"has any place in getting involved in politics."
because ...more
"None of them live in the shoes that normal people live in day in and day out."
You said that
"Part of their fantasy appears to be that normal people care about their opinion. "
Do you stand by your words,or are you applying a double standard because Clint Eastwood mad a fool of himself on behalf of your candidate?
you just support that ridiculous notion.
I was pointing out how delusional you are.
But you took the opportunity to once again prove my point about the bitterness,anger and hatred from your side.
thanks for that.
And I did.
Once again,you keep proving what I've said about how the republicans have no concience;you attacked me after I admited a mistake,deal with my response to your inconsiderate response.
You've proven that your not worth even conversing with.
You showed that you are not interested in discussion,your interested in being what you called me.
And you accomplished that.
The jobs report was out and we only created about 90k jobs this month. Sounds good right? At least how Obama spins it. The report also said 400k people are no longer looking for work because they can't find a good job. We are now at a 30 year record of people who have given up looking for work a record previously held by Jimmy Carter! Not to mention the population in the US grows by 125k a ...more month so basically we can't even provide jobs for a growing population .Many people now think that we have actually lost jobs in the Obama administration due to the fact the labor dept is incorrectly calculating people who dropped from the labor force. This president is also responsible for the highest number on food stamps and public assistance in our history! He is doing a hell of a job
It's weak,but imagine,if you will,how many jobs we couls add if the republicans would participate in governing and stop obstructing.
We're adding jobs without the republicans help.
They don't care about the Ameican people,all they care about is getting back in power.
But then,making president Obama a one-term president is the first priority of the republicans,according to Mitch McConnel.
He pulled ads from Wisconsin,Michigan and Pennsylvania.
Factcheck had a field day with RMony and Lyin' Ryan.
Fairly well informed, yes.
Fanatic? Not really.
All I can say is only a complete, and total idiot would think you can fix 30 years of damage, in less than four.
I see you didn't name them,so it is you who is under suspicion of lying.
Here's the entire factcheck article on Ryan's speech.
"Ryan’s VP Spin
Posted on August 30, 2012 , Updated on Aug. 30, 2012
TAMPA, Fla. — Paul Ryan’s acceptance speech at the Republican convention contained several false claims and misleading statements. ...more Delegates cheered as the vice presidential nominee:
Accused President Obama’s health care law of funneling money away from Medicare “at the expense of the elderly.” In fact, Medicare’s chief actuary says the law “substantially improves” the system’s finances, and Ryan himself has embraced the same savings.
Accused Obama of doing “exactly nothing” about recommendations of a bipartisan deficit commission — which Ryan himself helped scuttle.
Claimed the American people were “cut out” of stimulus spending. Actually, more than a quarter of all stimulus dollars went for tax relief for workers.
Faulted Obama for failing to deliver a 2008 campaign promise to keep a Wisconsin plant open. It closed less than a month before Obama took office.
Blamed Obama for the loss of a AAA credit rating for the U.S. Actually, Standard & Poor’s blamed the downgrade on the uncompromising stands of both Republicans and Democrats.
And when he wasn’t attacking Obama, Ryan was puffing up the record of his running mate, Mitt Romney, on taxes and unemployment.
Note to Readers
Our deputy managing editor, Robert Farley, is on the scene in Tampa at the convention center. This story was written with the help of the entire staff, based in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. Next week, we will dispatch our managing editor, Lori Robertson, to Charlotte, N.C., for the Democratic convention. We intend to vet the major speeches at both conventions for factual accuracy, applying the same standards to both.
Taking Money from Medicare?
Ryan continued the campaign’s false line of attack that Obama had “funneled” money out of Medicare to pay for the federal health care law “at the expense of the elderly.” But that’s contradicted by Medicare’s chief actuary, in a statement at the end of the most recent report of the system’s trustees (our emphasis added):
Medicare Actuary, April 23, 2012: [Obama's] Affordable Care Act makes important changes to the Medicare program and substantially improves its financial outlook …
Medicare’s money isn’t being taken away. The Affordable Care Act calls for slowing the growth in spending, a move that — if successful — would keep the hospital insurance trust fund solvent for longer than if the reductions didn’t happen.
Ryan himself proposed keeping most of these same spending cuts in his most recent “Path to Prosperity” budget. Yet, Ryan criticized Obama’s cuts as “the biggest, coldest power play of all” and suggested seniors would suffer as a result.
Ryan, Aug. 29: And the biggest, coldest power play of all in Obamacare came at the expense of the elderly. … [T]hey just took it all away from Medicare, $716 billion funneled out of Medicare by President Obama.
The Affordable Care Act calls for a $716 billion reduction in the future growth of Medicare spending over 10 years, with most of that — about $415 billion — coming from a reduction in the future growth of payments to hospitals through Medicare Part A. And Medicare Part A’s trust fund, as we’ve explained before, is in trouble financially. It’s set to be insolvent in 2024, even with these spending cuts. Without them, the trust fund wouldn’t be able to fully pay projected benefits in 2016, the Medicare trustees estimate.
Deficit Commission
Ryan accused Obama of doing “exactly nothing” about recommendations from a bipartisan presidential commission to reduce the deficit. But Ryan himself was among a minority of commission members whose opposition scuttled the plan and prevented it from being sent automatically to Congress for action.
Ryan: He created a new bipartisan debt commission. They came back with an urgent report. He thanks them, sent them on their way, and then did exactly nothing. Republicans stepped up with good-faith reforms and solutions equal to the problems. How did the president respond? By doing nothing — nothing except to dodge and demagogue the issue.
The National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform’s report proposed deep spending cuts in both domestic and military spending, and an overhaul of the tax code that would have lowered rates but raised revenues — all in an attempt to slow the growth of government by $4 trillion over 10 years.
Many Republicans, including Ryan, opposed the military cuts and new tax revenue, while many Democrats opposed changes to Social Security that included raising the full retirement age.
The 18-member commission needed a super majority of 14 votes in order to bring the report to a vote in Congress. But it received the support of just 11 members. Seven members, including Ryan, opposed it, thus blocking congressional action.
In a statement on the final report, Ryan said he “could not support the plan in its entirety,” but said some elements of it were “worthy of further pursuit.”
Ryan opposed the commission’s approach to paying for lower federal income tax rates by taxing capital gains and dividends as ordinary income (see footnote on page 29). In his own latest budget plan, Ryan proposed to keep the current capital gains tax rate, arguing that to do otherwise “could precipitate a flight of capital away from job-creating businesses.”
Like Ryan, Obama thanked the commission in a Dec. 3, 2010, statement that promised to “study closely” its proposals for possible inclusion in his own budget plans. Nine months later, Obama submitted a deficit reduction plan to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction that was designed to reduce the deficit by $3.6 trillion over 10 years through a package of spending cuts and tax hikes.
Obama and House Speaker John Boehner, a Republican, tried to work out a so-called “Grand Bargain” that would have reduced the deficit through a mix of tax hikes and spending cuts — and even changes to Social Security. The New York Times reported that the Grand Bargain would have raised the retirement age and changed the formula for calculating benefits. But, as the Times reported, the deal fell through as members of Boehner’s caucus objected to raising taxes.
In short, both Ryan and Obama have proposed deficit-reduction plans — and each opposed the other’s plan.
Stimulus Deceit
Ryan falsely claimed that the stimulus failed to help taxpayers and that it “cut out” the American people. Actually, more than 25 percent of stimulus dollars went to provide tax relief for workers.
Ryan: [The stimulus] cost $831 billion. The largest one-time expenditure ever by our federal government. … You, the American people of this country, were cut out of the deal.
The nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation calculated that about $230 billion of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provided tax relief. Much of that money, about $116 billion, funded the Making Work Pay tax credit for workers. In 2009 and 2010, the credit gave up to $400 to individuals earning up to $75,000, and gave up to $800 to couples earning up to $150,000.
Janesville Plant Closing
Ryan cited the closing of a GM plant in his hometown of Janesville, Wis., as evidence of Obama’s failing to deliver on promises made in the 2008 presidential campaign. But as it happens, the plant closed before Obama even took office.
Ryan: My own state voted for President Obama. When he talked about change, many people liked the sound of it, especially in Janesville, where we were about to lose a major factory.
A lot of guys I went to high school with worked at that GM plant. Right there at that plant, candidate Obama said: “I believe that if our government is there to support you, this plant will be here for another hundred years.” That’s what he said in 2008.
Well, as it turned out, that plant didn’t last another year. It is locked up and empty to this day. And that’s how it is in so many towns today, where the recovery that was promised is nowhere in sight.
Here’s what Obama told workers during a campaign stop at the struggling GM plant in Janesville back in 2008:
Obama, Feb. 13, 2008: And I believe that if our government is there to support you, and give you the assistance you need to re-tool and make this transition, that this plant will be here for another hundred years. The question is not whether a clean energy economy is in our future, it’s where it will thrive. I want it to thrive …
It’s true that the plant didn’t last another year, as Ryan said. In fact, the Business Journal in Milwaukee wrote that the assembly plant shut down on Dec. 23, 2008, at the tail end of the Bush administration, a victim of the financial crisis and dwindling demand for the SUVs produced at the plant. That’s nearly one month before Obama was sworn into office.
About 100 workers were kept on in 2009 to finish a truck order and help shut down the plant, according to the Associated Press.
‘Downgraded America’
Ryan faulted Obama for a credit downgrade for which Ryan’s own party shares equal responsibility. Ryan said that “a presidency that began with such anticipation now comes to such a disappointing close,” adding:
Ryan, Aug. 29: [Obama's presidency] began with a perfect AAA credit rating for the United States; it ends with the downgraded America.
Ryan refers to the decision of Standard & Poor’s, the credit rating agency, to downgrade its score for U.S. Treasury obligations from AAA to AA+ on Aug. 5, 2011. That took place just four days after Congress voted to raise the federal debt ceiling, following lengthy negotiations in which House Republicans sought to force concessions from Obama and Senate Democrats as the price for raising the ceiling and averting the first default on Treasury debt payments in U.S. history.
In its report, Standard & Poor’s blamed both Republicans and Democrats for failing to come to agreement on spending cuts or revenue increases sufficient to reduce U.S. deficits significantly. It said:
S&P, Aug. 5, 2011: The political brinksmanship of recent months highlights what we see as America’s governance and policymaking becoming less stable, less effective, and less predictable than what we previously believed. The statutory debt ceiling and the threat of default have become political bargaining chips in the debate over fiscal policy. …
Republicans and Democrats have only been able to agree to relatively modest savings on discretionary spending while delegating to the Select Committee [of Congress] decisions on more comprehensive measures. It appears that for now, new revenues have dropped down on the menu of policy options.
Ryan, of course, is among those Republicans opposed to any “new revenues” from tax increases.
Puffing Up Romney’s Record
Running through Romney’s credentials, Ryan boasted about Romney’s fiscal and jobs record as governor of Massachusetts. But there’s a bit less there than Ryan lets on.
Ryan: He was the Republican governor of a state where almost nine in 10 legislators are Democrats, and yet he balanced the budget without raising taxes. Unemployment went down, household incomes went up, and Massachusetts, under Gov. Mitt Romney, saw its credit rating upgraded.
It’s true that Romney balanced the state budget every year — as Massachusetts’ Constitution requires — and Romney never raised personal income taxes. But as we have noted whenever this claim has arisen — which has been frequently — Romney did hike government fees by hundreds of millions of dollars, and he also closed loopholes on some corporate taxes.
Ryan also said that under Romney, “unemployment went down.” That’s true. According to unemployment data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate in Massachusetts went from 5.6 percent when Romney took office in January 2003 to 4.6 percent when he left office in January 2007.
But when considered in light of an improving national economy, Romney’s record on unemployment is a bit less impressive. Massachusetts’ unemployment rate was slightly lower than the national rate when Romney took office, and it was roughly the same as the national rate when he left.
– Robert Farley, with Brooks Jackson, Eugene Kiely, Lori Robertson and Ben Finley
Update, Aug. 30: A Ryan spokesman argues that the GM plant technically remained on “standby” status, meaning it was possible that the company might resume production there. But as a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel story noted nearly a year ago, “no one seems to be counting on that.”
Romney avoided the "lies told by Paul Ryan" but gave no details on his policies,and he spun the facts on several issues-
Romney’s Big Night
Posted on August 31, 2012 , Corrected on Sept. 4, 2012
TAMPA, Fla. — In a speech heavy on anecdotal history but short on policy details, Mitt Romney avoided major falsehoods in making his case to the American public while accepting the presidential ...more nomination at the Republican National Convention.
Even a key Democratic strategist, Bill Burton, a former press secretary for President Obama, tweeted shortly after the speech ended: “Romney actually avoided almost all of the lies from Ryan’s speech.” That was a reference to Rep. Paul Ryan’s address the night before, which we found to contain a number of false and misleading claims.
In Romney’s case, we found a few bits of exaggeration and puffery. He exaggerated the loss in family income that has occurred under Obama, for example, including 13 months of losses that actually occurred before the president took office. And he made a back-handed accusation that Obama has raised taxes on middle-class taxpayers, when in fact the president has lobbied for and signed several temporary reductions.
Likewise, we found some misleading claims from convention speakers who preceded Romney on the final day of the GOP convention. For example, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich repeated the bogus claim that Obama has “gutted” the welfare overhaul law, when all he has done is allow states to seek flexibility to experiment with applying the law’s work requirement.
And we even caught a mistake by actor/director Clint Eastwood, who put in a surprise appearance but wasn’t fully briefed on the proper way to spin statistics about unemployment.
Note to Readers
Our deputy managing editor, Robert Farley, is on the scene in Tampa at the convention center. This story was written with the help of the entire staff, based in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. Next week, we will dispatch our managing editor, Lori Robertson, to Charlotte, N.C., for the Democratic convention. We intend to vet the major speeches at both conventions for factual accuracy, applying the same standards to both.
Middle Class ‘Crushed’
One section in particular drew our attention. Romney declared that “this Obama economy has crushed the middle class,” and rattled off some horrible-sounding statistics. But we found some of them to be exaggerated or in need of added context.
Romney: In the richest country in the history of the world, this Obama economy has crushed the middle class. Family income has fallen by $4,000, but health insurance premiums are higher, food prices are higher, utility bills are higher, and gasoline prices have doubled. Today more Americans wake up in poverty than ever before. Nearly one out of six Americans is living in poverty. Look around you. These are not strangers. These are our brothers and sisters, our fellow Americans.
Family income: Family income has not fallen by $4,000 under Obama, as Romney implied. That figure comes from a study by Sentier Research, and while most of the drop occurred after the president took office in January 2009, some of it (the study didn’t say exactly how much) occurred in the 13 months before that.
The study measured the drop in family income starting in December 2007, when the recession officially started, and ending in June 2012. The study noted that income has fallen more since the economic recovery officially began (in June 2009) than during the recession itself.
Poverty: It’s true that “more Americans wake up in poverty than ever before,” as Romney said. But it’s also true that there are more Americans, period.
The poverty rate — that is, the percentage of all Americans in poverty — is nowhere near a record, even for the relatively brief historical period since 1959, when the government first started measuring poverty.
The raw number of individuals in poverty in 2010 was 46.2 million, according to the most recent Census figures. And the poverty rate went up that year to 15.1 percent — the highest since 1993. But as Census noted, that “was 7.3 percentage points lower than the poverty rate in 1959, the first year for which poverty estimates are available.” Furthermore, Census noted that the number in poverty had increased for four consecutive years, so the rise started well before Obama took office.
Gasoline: Romney said “gasoline prices have doubled” since Obama took office. That’s correct, but only because gasoline prices were unusually depressed when Obama was inaugurated due to the recession and financial crisis.
The average price for regular gasoline was $3.78 last week, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, a bit more than double the $1.84 average on the week Obama was sworn in. But the average exceeded $4 a gallon for seven weeks during the summer of 2008, and it has never reached $4 under Obama.
Premiums: Romney said that “health insurance premiums are higher” under Obama. But premiums have been going up for years. Experts say the federal health care law was responsible for only a small part of the recent hike in employer-based plans.
The average cost of an employer-sponsored family insurance plan went up 9 percent from 2010 to 2011, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation’s annual survey. Several independent experts told us that rising medical costs were still the main culprit. The health care law, they said, was responsible for 1 point to 3 points of that 9-point increase.
And the reason for that is improved coverage. Insurance companies are required under the law to include free preventive care, coverage for adult children up to age 26, coverage for children regardless of preexisting conditions, and an increase in annual limits.
Rising premiums are nothing new. Between 2001 and 2011, family premiums for employer-sponsored plans went up 113 percent. Year to year the size of the change in premiums has varied, but it has always been in one direction: up.
Food: Romney said “food prices are higher” under Obama, and that’s also true, though not by a lot. The index measuring the average consumer price of all food and beverages (including restaurant meals) stood just 6.2 percent higher last month than it was when Obama took office, according to figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Another Middle-Class Falsehood
Romney said “unlike President Obama, I will not raise taxes on the middle class.” But Obama has not raised taxes on middle-income taxpayers, and, in fact, he has targeted tax cuts and credits to benefit them.
Among the president’s major tax cuts and credits:
Making Work Pay Tax Credit. For two years, 2009 and again in 2010, the stimulus law provided up to $400 to individuals earning up to $75,000, and up to $800 to couples earning up to $150,000.
Payroll tax cut. When the Making Work Pay credit expired, Obama successfully pushed Congress to cut the employee portion of the Social Security payroll tax in 2011 from 6.2 percent to 4.2 percent. The tax is applied to the first $110,100 of wages, and it resulted in an annual maximum savings of $2,200. The tax cut was extended through 2012.
American Opportunity Tax Credit. Also part of the stimulus, this is a college tuition tax credit. It modified and expanded the existing Hope Credit. It was intended for two years, but was extended through 2012. The full credit of $2,500 is available for individuals earning $80,000 or less and families earning $160,000 or less. The Hope Credit maximum was $1,800 in 2008.
The Republican nominee did not explain what he meant by his remarks. But some Republicans have claimed that the president’s health care law amounts to a tax on the middle class, because it imposes a penalty on those who do not buy health insurance. But, as we have written before, those arguments are overstated.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated that about 3 million taxpayers earning less than $120,000 will pay an average penalty of $667 by 2016.
Tax Exaggeration
Kerry Healey, who served as Romney’s lieutenant governor, boasted that Romney “cut taxes 19 times” as governor. But tax rates remained unchanged under Romney, and Club for Growth, a conservative anti-tax group, called his tax record “mixed,” because he raised hundreds of millions of dollars by increasing fees and closing loopholes in the corporate tax structure.
The Romney campaign’s list of 19 tax cuts includes some business tax cuts and a host of relatively minor cuts and credits — including a couple of two-day sales-tax holidays, which Club for Growth dismissed as “gimmicky.” The list also includes such things as a “fire safety tax deduction,” a “motion picture tax credit” and a “historic rehabilitation tax credit.”
In its white paper on Romney, Club for Growth singled out two tax cuts for praise: legislation he signed to prevent state residents from having to pay $275 million in retroactive capital gains taxes, and another bill that provided property tax relief for seniors.
But Club for Growth called his record “mixed” because of the new revenue he raised. As we have written before, Romney in his first year raised fees by more than $400 million, and generated another $150 million by closing loopholes.
Welfare Law ‘Gutted’
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich dutifully repeated a meritless Romney claim, asserting that Obama “gutted” the 1990s’ welfare overhaul, and accusing him of “waiving” the law’s work requirement.
Gingrich: Tragically, President Obama gutted this achievement [welfare reform]. …Obama’s waiving of the work requirements in welfare reform is just one example of his direct repudiation of President Reagan’s values.
Gingrich didn’t elaborate or supply evidence of how Obama’s actions “gutted” the law. Gingrich would have been particularly qualified to do so — if there was substance to the accusation — since it was he who pushed the welfare bill through Congress when he was speaker and Bill Clinton was president. The fact is, Obama has simply allowed state governors to seek waivers from the law’s requirements if they can propose a more effective way to move people from welfare to work, and show that they can produce that result. Nothing has been waived yet.
And as we’ve noted, states have persistently fallen far short of achieving the law’s goal of putting at least half of recipients in jobs or job training. When Obama took office, only 29 percent of cash assistance recipients nationally were complying with the work requirement, and that had not changed as of the most recent figures.
Women-Filled Administration?
Jane Edmonds, former secretary of Massachusetts’ Department of Workforce Development, cherry-picked statistics to make Romney’s record on appointing women to government positions look better than it is. She wrongly said that the percentage of women in senior-level government jobs went up under Romney, but the figure actually declined slightly.
Edmonds: One area where he made a positive difference is in improving the representation of women in senior positions in Massachusetts State Government. Before Gov. Romney took office in 2003, women were significantly underrepresented among top roles in government, with 52 percent of the population but just 30 percent of the jobs.
Over the next two and a half years, 42 percent of the new appointments made by Governor Romney were women.
Edmonds’ figures are correct, and they are touted on the website of MassGAP (Massachusetts Government Appointments Project), a bipartisan coalition of women’s groups created in 2002 to increase the number of women appointed to top government positions. As Edmonds said, women made up 52 percent of the state’s population, but in September 2002, they held only 30 percent of top government positions. And 42 percent of Romney’s appointments — 14 of 33 appointments — were women during his first two and a half years as governor. But then the percentage of women being appointed to these jobs slipped, according to a 2007 study by MassGAP and the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy at the University of Massachusetts Boston.
Over Romney’s entire tenure as governor, the percentage of female appointments was 31 percent. And overall, the percentage of women in senior-level government positions declined slightly, to 27.6 percent, according to the study.
The study said the MassGAP effort showed “promising” impact with the high percentage of Romney’s early appointments, but the later appointments didn’t show “a continued commitment to the selection of women for high-level posts.” The gains for women between 2002 and 2006 “were elusive,” the study said. “[W]omen at the end of the Romney administration did not hold a higher percentage of senior-level positions than when he took office.”
Make My Mistake
And we don’t want to ignore Clint Eastwood — who, unlike Obama, was not invisible at the convention.
Eastwood mistakenly said that 23 million Americans are “unemployed.” Actually, the figure is a little more than half that — 12.8 million in July, according to the most recent figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Eastwood didn’t phrase things as artfully as most other convention speakers. The often-used 23 million figure also includes 8.2 million who are employed in part-time jobs but say they are seeking full-time work, the so-called “under-employed.” And it also includes another 2.5 million who say they would like a job and would take one, but haven’t looked for one in the last four weeks.
We hate to nit-pick one of our favorite actor/directors, who is not all that used to the ways politicians inflate numbers without actually saying something false. (He could have said 23 million who “need work” or “are suffering from lack of jobs” and not been technically wrong.)
But then, Eastwood was mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea, Calif., and so he knows something of politics. And other film stars have gone on to run for even higher office. To which we say: Go ahead, make our day.
– Robert Farley, with Eugene Kiely, Lori Robertson, Ben Finley and Brooks Jackson
Correction, Sept. 4: Our original story gave figures for the price of regular gasoline that were a few cents too high, both for the start of the Obama administration and for the week prior to the GOP convention. We also said incorrectly that the average price of regular gasoline had exceeded $4 per gallon for eight weeks, rather than seven, during 2008. The data to which we linked in that story were for an average for “all grades” of gasoline, not regular.
Please, entertain us...
Some of Romney's own people are saying that the election is lost.
Maybe that's why he went boating after the RNC.
Campaigning after being shown to have lied outright can't be easy.
But like they said,they won't let facts get in their way.
Phil: Factchecker has proven your boy Bubba, the impeached former president lied again, this time at the Demokrat convention.
How in the world does the Demokrat Party have criminals like Clinton and the second worst President ,after Obama, Jimmy Carter as spokesmen endorsing Barry Soetoro for a second term?
Would you ...more ever vote Republican, for any reason?
Our Clinton Nightmare
Posted on September 6, 2012
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Former President Bill Clinton’s stem-winding nomination speech was a fact-checker’s nightmare: lots of effort required to run down his many statistics and factual claims, producing little for us to write about.
Republicans will find plenty of Clinton’s scorching opinions objectionable. But with few exceptions, we found ...more his stats checked out
Did you get that?
Here it is again-
Republicans will find plenty of Clinton’s scorching opinions objectionable. But with few exceptions, we found his stats checked out
one more time-
we found his stats checked out
what he said was accurate.
RThe republicans can't be bothered with facts.
They said so
Technically, those stats are true, but Clinton is measuring presidential tenure purely from inauguration to inauguration. For He’s taking jobs numbers from January 1981 to January 1985 to measure Reagan’s first term. Only one problem with this: by this standard, Barack Obama is the second-worst private jobs creator of the last half-century (George W. Bush is first, ...more but still created far more net jobs than Obama overall, putting Obama dead last if you include state and federal jobs in the statistic). Which is why our unemployment rate is terrible.
Someone was kind enough to compile eight reasons why Reagan was not a good president:
1. Reagan cut taxes for the Rich, increased taxes on the Middle Class -
Ronald Reagan is loved by conservatives and was loved by big business throughout his presidency and there's a reason for it. When Reagan came into office in January ...more of 1981, the top tax rate was 70%, but when he left office in 1989 the top tax rate was down to only 28%. As Reagan gave the breaks to all his rich friends, there was a lack of revenue coming into the federal government. In order to bring money back into the government, Reagan was forced to raise taxes eleven times throughout his time in office. One example was when he signed into law the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982. Reagan raised taxes seven of the eight years he was in office and the tax increases were felt hardest by the lower and middle class.
2. Tripling the National Debt -
As Reagan cut taxes for the wealthy, the government was left with less money to spend. When Reagan came into office the national debt was $900 billion, by the time he left the national debt had tripled to $2.8 trillion.
3. Iran/Contra -
In 1986, a group of Americans were being held hostage by a terrorist group with ties to Iran. In an attempt to free the hostages, Ronald Reagan secretly sold arms and money to Iran. Much of the money that was received from the trade went to fund the Nicaragua Contra rebels who were in a war with the Sandinista government of Nicaragua. When the scandal broke in the Untied States it became the biggest story in the country, Reagan tried to down play what happened, but never fully recovered.
4. Reagan funded Terrorists -
The attacks on 9/11 by al-Qaeda and Osama Bin Laden brought new attention to international terrorism. All of a sudden, Americans coast to coast wore their American flag pins, ate their freedom fries and couldn't wait to go to war with anyone who looked like a Muslim. What Americans didn't realize was that the same group that attacked the United States on 9/11 was funded by Ronald Reagan in the 1980s. Prepping for a possible war with the Soviet Union, Ronald Reagan spent billions of dollars funding the Islamist mujahidin Freedom Fighters in Afghanistan. With billions of American dollars, weapons and training coming their way, the Taliban and Osama Bin Laden took everything they were given and gave it back to the United States over a decade later in the worst possible way imaginable.
5. Unemployment issues -
When Ronald Reagan came into office 1981, unemployment was at 7.5%. After Reagan cut taxes for the wealthy, he began raising taxes on the middle and lower class. Corporations started to ship more jobs out of the United States while hiring cheap foreign labor in order to make a bigger profit. While corporations made billions, Americans across the country lost their jobs. As 1982 came to a close, unemployment was nearly 11%. Unemployment began to drop as the years went on, but the jobs that were created were low paying and barely helped people make ends meet. The middle and lower class had their wages nearly frozen as the top earners saw dramatic increases in salary.
6. Ignoring AIDS -
By the time the 1980s came around, AIDS had become one of the most frightening things to happen to the country in recent memory. No one understood what AIDS and HIV really was and when people don't understand something, they become scared of it. The fear of the unknown was sweeping across the country and Americans needed a leader to speak out about this horrible virus, that leader never came. Instead of grabbing the bull by the horns and taking charge, Reagan kept quiet. Reagan couldn't say the words AIDS or HIV until seven years into his presidency, a leader not so much.
7. Reagan gave amnesty to 3 million Undocumented Immigrants -
In today's GOP, the idea of any immigrant staying in the United States whether they are legal or illegal isn't something that conservatives embrace. What might shock them is that in 1982 Ronald Reagan gave nearly 3 million undocumented workers amnesty. The biggest reason for undocumented workers coming to the United States is because corporations hire them at a cheaper rate than they would an American citizen. All the laws that would have cracked down on companies who hire undocumented workers were, of course, removed from the bill.
8. His attack on Unions and the Middle Class - The Republican war on unions and the middle class has been heating up in states like Wisconsin and Ohio, but it has been going on for a long time. Unions are formed to give a united voice to the workers in an attempt to create fairness between the corporations and their employees. On August 3rd, 1981, PATCO (Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization) went on strike in an effort to get better pay and safer working conditions. Two days later, taking the side of business, Ronald Reagan fired 11,345 workers for not returning to work.
If you actually knew your history, you'd be aware the WORST President to hold office was really Benjamin Franklin Pierce. whose bigoted nature probably did the most to facilitate the onset of the Civil War. The "second worst president" would probably have to be Andrew Johnson who stated, and ...more I quote: "This is a country for white men, and by God, as long as I am President, it shall be a government for white men.". Or maybe you recall Warren G. Harding, and his "Ohio Gang"?
Do yourself a favor. Take all that loot you've earned because you think you're so smart by creating a few jobs, and seriously earn yourself an education.