Here's Nick Gillespie of Reason magazine on why Mitt Romney lost the 2012 presidential election.
Showing posts with label Mitt Romney. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mitt Romney. Show all posts
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Why President (insert name here) is doomed.
This is why the next president of the U.S. is going to be a miserable failure, compliments of Simon Black, of the Business Insider.
1) When the US federal government spends money, expenses are officially categorized in three different ways.
....Discretionary spending includes nearly everything we think of related to government– the US military, Air Force One, the Department of Homeland Security, TSA agents who sexually assault passengers, etc.
....Mandatory spending includes entitlements like Medicare, Social Security, VA benefits, etc. which are REQUIRED by law to be paid.
....The final category is interest on the debt. It is non-negotiable.
Mandatory spending and debt interest go out the door automatically. It’s like having your mortgage payment autodrafted from your bank account– Congress doesn’t even see the money, it’s automatically deducted.
2) With the rise of baby boomer entitlements and steady increase in overall debt levels, mandatory spending and interest payments have exploded in recent years. In fact, the Congressional Budget Office predicted in 2010 that the US government’s TOTAL revenue would be exceeded by mandatory spending and interest expense within 15-years.
That’s a scary thought. Except it happened the very next year.
3) In Fiscal Year 2011, the federal government collected $2.303 trillion in tax revenue. Interest on the debt that year totaled $454.4 billion, and mandatory spending totaled $2,025 billion. In sum, mandatory spending plus debt interest totaled $2.479 trillion… exceeding total revenue by $176.4 billion.
For Fiscal Year 2012 which just ended 37 days ago, that shortfall increased 43% to $251.8 billion.
In other words, they could cut the entirety of the Federal Government’s discretionary budget– no more military, SEC, FBI, EPA, TSA, DHS, IRS, etc.– and they would still be in the hole by a quarter of a trillion dollars.
4) Raising taxes won’t help. Since the end of World War II, tax receipts in the US have averaged 17.7% of GDP in a very tight range. The low has been 14.4% of GDP, and the high has been 20.6% of GDP.
During that period, however, tax rates have been all over the board. Individual rates have ranged from 10% to 91%. Corporate rates from 15% to 53%. Gift taxes, estate taxes, etc. have all varied. And yet, total tax revenue has stayed nearly constant at 17.7% of GDP.
It doesn’t matter how much they increase tax rates– they won’t collect any more money.
5) GDP growth prospects are tepid at best. Facing so many headwinds like quickening inflation, an enormous debt load, and debilitating regulatory burdens, the US economy is barely keeping pace with population growth.
6) The only thing registering any meaningful growth in the US is the national debt. It took over 200 years for the US government to accumulate its first trillion dollars in debt. It took just 286 days to accumulate the most recent trillion (from $15 trillion to $16 trillion).
Last month alone, the first full month of Fiscal Year 2013, the US government accumulated nearly $200 billion in new debt– 20% of the way to a fresh trillion in just 31 days.
7) Not to mention, the numbers will only continue to get worse. 10,000 people each day begin receiving mandatory entitlements. Fewer people remain behind to pay into the system. The debt keeps rising, and interest payments will continue rising.
8) Curiously, a series of polls taken by ABC News/Washington Post and NBC News/Wall Street Journal show that while 80% of Americans are concerned about the debt, roughly the same amount (78%) oppose cutbacks to mandatory entitlements like Medicare.
9) Bottom line, the US government is legally bound to spend more money on mandatory entitlements and interest than it can raise in tax revenue. It won’t make a difference how high they raise taxes, or even if they cut everything else that remains in government as we know it.
This is not a political problem, it’s a mathematical one. Facts are facts, no matter how uncomfortable they may be. Today’s election is merely a choice of who is going to captain the sinking Titanic.
I kinda like that lifeboat that's headed toward New Zealand.....
1) When the US federal government spends money, expenses are officially categorized in three different ways.
....Discretionary spending includes nearly everything we think of related to government– the US military, Air Force One, the Department of Homeland Security, TSA agents who sexually assault passengers, etc.
....Mandatory spending includes entitlements like Medicare, Social Security, VA benefits, etc. which are REQUIRED by law to be paid.
....The final category is interest on the debt. It is non-negotiable.
Mandatory spending and debt interest go out the door automatically. It’s like having your mortgage payment autodrafted from your bank account– Congress doesn’t even see the money, it’s automatically deducted.
2) With the rise of baby boomer entitlements and steady increase in overall debt levels, mandatory spending and interest payments have exploded in recent years. In fact, the Congressional Budget Office predicted in 2010 that the US government’s TOTAL revenue would be exceeded by mandatory spending and interest expense within 15-years.
That’s a scary thought. Except it happened the very next year.
3) In Fiscal Year 2011, the federal government collected $2.303 trillion in tax revenue. Interest on the debt that year totaled $454.4 billion, and mandatory spending totaled $2,025 billion. In sum, mandatory spending plus debt interest totaled $2.479 trillion… exceeding total revenue by $176.4 billion.
For Fiscal Year 2012 which just ended 37 days ago, that shortfall increased 43% to $251.8 billion.
In other words, they could cut the entirety of the Federal Government’s discretionary budget– no more military, SEC, FBI, EPA, TSA, DHS, IRS, etc.– and they would still be in the hole by a quarter of a trillion dollars.
4) Raising taxes won’t help. Since the end of World War II, tax receipts in the US have averaged 17.7% of GDP in a very tight range. The low has been 14.4% of GDP, and the high has been 20.6% of GDP.
During that period, however, tax rates have been all over the board. Individual rates have ranged from 10% to 91%. Corporate rates from 15% to 53%. Gift taxes, estate taxes, etc. have all varied. And yet, total tax revenue has stayed nearly constant at 17.7% of GDP.
It doesn’t matter how much they increase tax rates– they won’t collect any more money.
5) GDP growth prospects are tepid at best. Facing so many headwinds like quickening inflation, an enormous debt load, and debilitating regulatory burdens, the US economy is barely keeping pace with population growth.
6) The only thing registering any meaningful growth in the US is the national debt. It took over 200 years for the US government to accumulate its first trillion dollars in debt. It took just 286 days to accumulate the most recent trillion (from $15 trillion to $16 trillion).
Last month alone, the first full month of Fiscal Year 2013, the US government accumulated nearly $200 billion in new debt– 20% of the way to a fresh trillion in just 31 days.
7) Not to mention, the numbers will only continue to get worse. 10,000 people each day begin receiving mandatory entitlements. Fewer people remain behind to pay into the system. The debt keeps rising, and interest payments will continue rising.
8) Curiously, a series of polls taken by ABC News/Washington Post and NBC News/Wall Street Journal show that while 80% of Americans are concerned about the debt, roughly the same amount (78%) oppose cutbacks to mandatory entitlements like Medicare.
9) Bottom line, the US government is legally bound to spend more money on mandatory entitlements and interest than it can raise in tax revenue. It won’t make a difference how high they raise taxes, or even if they cut everything else that remains in government as we know it.
This is not a political problem, it’s a mathematical one. Facts are facts, no matter how uncomfortable they may be. Today’s election is merely a choice of who is going to captain the sinking Titanic.
I kinda like that lifeboat that's headed toward New Zealand.....
Sunday, October 14, 2012
A comparison of The Obamneys
From the "End Of The American Dream" website....Someone named Michael has put together the definitive list comparing and contrasting The Obamneys.
Some of these, from a Libertarian point of view, are horrific. In other cases, you've gotta wonder what Michael was getting worked up about. For instance, #25 is iffy. Both Obamneys slam Free Trade when addressing an audience of the economically illiterate, but often do a few things to support rational trade and exchange. #33, the abortion issue, is IMHO, best left up to mothers and doctors. #34 is nobody's business but The Boy Scouts, as long as they aren't receiving tax dollars. All in all, though, this is a good effort.
GARY JOHNSON FOR PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES !! THE ONLY WAY TO "WASTE" YOUR VOTE IS TO BE OPPOSED TO THE MESS BELOW, AND CONTINUE VOTING FOR IT !!!!
The following are 40 ways that Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are essentially the same candidate....
1. Barack Obama and Mitt Romney both supported TARP.
2. Mitt Romney supported Barack Obama's "economic stimulus" packages.
3. Mitt Romney says that Barack Obama's bailout of the auto industry was actually his idea.
4. Neither candidate supports immediately balancing the federal budget.
5. They both believe in big government and they both have a track record of being big spenders while in office.
6. Barack Obama and Mitt Romney both fully support the Federal Reserve.
7. Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are both on record as saying that the president should not question the "independence" of the Federal Reserve.
8. Barack Obama and Mitt Romney have both said that Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke did a good job during the last financial crisis.
9. Barack Obama and Mitt Romney both felt that Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke deserved to be renominated to a second term.
10. Both candidates oppose a full audit of the Federal Reserve.
11. Both candidates are on record as saying that U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has done a good job.
12. Barack Obama and Mitt Romney have both been big promoters of universal health care.
13. Mitt Romney was the one who developed the plan that Obamacare was later based upon.
14. Wall Street absolutely showers both candidates with campaign contributions.
15. Neither candidate wants to eliminate the income tax or the IRS.
16. Both candidates want to keep personal income tax rates at the exact same levels for the vast majority of Americans.
17. Both candidates are "open" to the idea of imposing a Value Added Tax on the American people.
18. Barack Obama and Mitt Romney both believe that the TSA is doing a great job.
19. Barack Obama and Mitt Romney both supported the NDAA.
20. Barack Obama and Mitt Romney both supported the renewal of the Patriot Act.
21. Barack Obama and Mitt Romney both believe that the federal government should be able to indefinitely detain American citizens that are considered to be terrorists.
22. Both candidates believe that American citizens suspected of being terrorists can be killed by the president without a trial.
23. Barack Obama has not closed Guantanamo Bay like he promised to do, and Mitt Romney actually wants to double the number of prisoners held there.
24. Both candidates support the practice of "extraordinary rendition".
25. They both support the job-killing "free trade" agenda of the global elite.
26. They both accuse each other of shipping jobs out of the country and both of them are right.
27. Both candidates are extremely soft on illegal immigration.
28. Neither candidate has any military experience. This is the first time that this has happened in a U.S. election since 1944.
29. Both candidates earned a degree from Harvard University.
30. They both believe in the theory of man-made global warming.
31. Mitt Romney has said that he will support a "cap and trade" carbon tax scheme (like the one Barack Obama wants) as long as the entire globe goes along with it.
32. Both candidates have a very long record of supporting strict gun control measures.
33. Both candidates have been pro-abortion most of their careers. Mitt Romney's "conversion" to the pro-life cause has been questioned by many. In fact, Mitt Romney has made millions on Bain Capital's investment in a company called "Stericycle" that incinerates aborted babies collected from family planning clinics.
34. Barack Obama and Mitt Romney both believe that the Boy Scout ban on openly gay troop leaders is wrong.
35. They both believe that a "two state solution" will bring lasting peace between the Palestinians and Israel.
36. Both candidates have a history of nominating extremely liberal judges.
37. Like Barack Obama, Mitt Romney also plans to add "signing statements" to bills when he signs them into law.
38. They both have a horrible record when it comes to job creation.
39. Both candidates believe that the president has the power to take the country to war without getting the approval of the U.S. Congress.
40. Both candidates plan to continue running up more government debt even though the U.S. government is already 16 trillion dollars in debt.
Some of these, from a Libertarian point of view, are horrific. In other cases, you've gotta wonder what Michael was getting worked up about. For instance, #25 is iffy. Both Obamneys slam Free Trade when addressing an audience of the economically illiterate, but often do a few things to support rational trade and exchange. #33, the abortion issue, is IMHO, best left up to mothers and doctors. #34 is nobody's business but The Boy Scouts, as long as they aren't receiving tax dollars. All in all, though, this is a good effort.
GARY JOHNSON FOR PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES !! THE ONLY WAY TO "WASTE" YOUR VOTE IS TO BE OPPOSED TO THE MESS BELOW, AND CONTINUE VOTING FOR IT !!!!
The following are 40 ways that Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are essentially the same candidate....
1. Barack Obama and Mitt Romney both supported TARP.
2. Mitt Romney supported Barack Obama's "economic stimulus" packages.
3. Mitt Romney says that Barack Obama's bailout of the auto industry was actually his idea.
4. Neither candidate supports immediately balancing the federal budget.
5. They both believe in big government and they both have a track record of being big spenders while in office.
6. Barack Obama and Mitt Romney both fully support the Federal Reserve.
7. Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are both on record as saying that the president should not question the "independence" of the Federal Reserve.
8. Barack Obama and Mitt Romney have both said that Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke did a good job during the last financial crisis.
9. Barack Obama and Mitt Romney both felt that Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke deserved to be renominated to a second term.
10. Both candidates oppose a full audit of the Federal Reserve.
11. Both candidates are on record as saying that U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has done a good job.
12. Barack Obama and Mitt Romney have both been big promoters of universal health care.
13. Mitt Romney was the one who developed the plan that Obamacare was later based upon.
14. Wall Street absolutely showers both candidates with campaign contributions.
15. Neither candidate wants to eliminate the income tax or the IRS.
16. Both candidates want to keep personal income tax rates at the exact same levels for the vast majority of Americans.
17. Both candidates are "open" to the idea of imposing a Value Added Tax on the American people.
18. Barack Obama and Mitt Romney both believe that the TSA is doing a great job.
19. Barack Obama and Mitt Romney both supported the NDAA.
20. Barack Obama and Mitt Romney both supported the renewal of the Patriot Act.
21. Barack Obama and Mitt Romney both believe that the federal government should be able to indefinitely detain American citizens that are considered to be terrorists.
22. Both candidates believe that American citizens suspected of being terrorists can be killed by the president without a trial.
23. Barack Obama has not closed Guantanamo Bay like he promised to do, and Mitt Romney actually wants to double the number of prisoners held there.
24. Both candidates support the practice of "extraordinary rendition".
25. They both support the job-killing "free trade" agenda of the global elite.
26. They both accuse each other of shipping jobs out of the country and both of them are right.
27. Both candidates are extremely soft on illegal immigration.
28. Neither candidate has any military experience. This is the first time that this has happened in a U.S. election since 1944.
29. Both candidates earned a degree from Harvard University.
30. They both believe in the theory of man-made global warming.
31. Mitt Romney has said that he will support a "cap and trade" carbon tax scheme (like the one Barack Obama wants) as long as the entire globe goes along with it.
32. Both candidates have a very long record of supporting strict gun control measures.
33. Both candidates have been pro-abortion most of their careers. Mitt Romney's "conversion" to the pro-life cause has been questioned by many. In fact, Mitt Romney has made millions on Bain Capital's investment in a company called "Stericycle" that incinerates aborted babies collected from family planning clinics.
34. Barack Obama and Mitt Romney both believe that the Boy Scout ban on openly gay troop leaders is wrong.
35. They both believe that a "two state solution" will bring lasting peace between the Palestinians and Israel.
36. Both candidates have a history of nominating extremely liberal judges.
37. Like Barack Obama, Mitt Romney also plans to add "signing statements" to bills when he signs them into law.
38. They both have a horrible record when it comes to job creation.
39. Both candidates believe that the president has the power to take the country to war without getting the approval of the U.S. Congress.
40. Both candidates plan to continue running up more government debt even though the U.S. government is already 16 trillion dollars in debt.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Ouch.
Yeah, Romney's budget is goofy. He's not going to cut any branches of government. He could be a civil liberties disaster. But these cartoons are funny.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
How Mitt Romney will really harm the middle class
Almost every day of his life, George Mason University Economics professor Don Boudreaux writes a letter to the editor. He's been doing this for years in a vain attempt to correct economic misinformation.
Here's a recent corrective that Boudreaux sent to The Wall Street Journal, explaining that the John The Baptist Of ObamaCare is just as goofy as the founder of ObamaCare:
John Taylor is correct that Mitt Romney’s economic policies are less likely to thwart growth than are those of Pres. Obama (“The Romney Cure for Obama-Induced Economic Ills,” Oct. 4). The bar, alas, is low. Because entrepreneurs and investors aren’t keen to produce and take risks when the president threatens them with higher tax rates, saddles them with crushing regulations, and scolds them for allegedly being selfish, ungrateful, predatory, and (to boot!) not especially important to economic growth anyway, entrepreneurs and investors respond by producing less and taking fewer risks.
Mitt Romney does seem to be less hostile than is Barack Obama to entrepreneurship, commerce, and private investment.
Get ready people.... Get ready. Here comes the patented Don Boudreaux Karate Kid Crane Kick ! THIS IS GONNA HURT !!!
But contrary to Mr. Taylor’s claim, Mr. Romney’s trade proposals are not clearly better than are the president’s. Mr. Taylor writes that “Mr. Romney intends to move ahead on trade agreements and create global enterprise zones to remove barriers to trade.” That would be grand. Yet what we hear most loudly about trade from Mr. Romney isn’t about freeing trade; it’s about restricting it. Mr. Romney repeatedly boasts that he’ll raise taxes on Americans who buy imports from China.
So rather than making a principled case for removing barriers, Mr. Romney’s singular trade obsession seems to be to raise barriers and thereby make trade less free.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Professor of Economics
George Mason University
Fairfax, VA 22030
John Taylor, consider yourself bitch-slapped. Please offend us no more in that way. Boudreaux WILL come back.
The Mason Nation logo at the top came from the George Mason University bookstore site. My arch-nemesis, Dr. Ralph, was good enough to get me one of the shirts, which I wear often. You know you're a political geek when you wear your favorite university shirt because of the economics department, not the football or basketball team !!
Here's a recent corrective that Boudreaux sent to The Wall Street Journal, explaining that the John The Baptist Of ObamaCare is just as goofy as the founder of ObamaCare:
John Taylor is correct that Mitt Romney’s economic policies are less likely to thwart growth than are those of Pres. Obama (“The Romney Cure for Obama-Induced Economic Ills,” Oct. 4). The bar, alas, is low. Because entrepreneurs and investors aren’t keen to produce and take risks when the president threatens them with higher tax rates, saddles them with crushing regulations, and scolds them for allegedly being selfish, ungrateful, predatory, and (to boot!) not especially important to economic growth anyway, entrepreneurs and investors respond by producing less and taking fewer risks.
Mitt Romney does seem to be less hostile than is Barack Obama to entrepreneurship, commerce, and private investment.
Get ready people.... Get ready. Here comes the patented Don Boudreaux Karate Kid Crane Kick ! THIS IS GONNA HURT !!!
But contrary to Mr. Taylor’s claim, Mr. Romney’s trade proposals are not clearly better than are the president’s. Mr. Taylor writes that “Mr. Romney intends to move ahead on trade agreements and create global enterprise zones to remove barriers to trade.” That would be grand. Yet what we hear most loudly about trade from Mr. Romney isn’t about freeing trade; it’s about restricting it. Mr. Romney repeatedly boasts that he’ll raise taxes on Americans who buy imports from China.
So rather than making a principled case for removing barriers, Mr. Romney’s singular trade obsession seems to be to raise barriers and thereby make trade less free.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Professor of Economics
George Mason University
Fairfax, VA 22030
John Taylor, consider yourself bitch-slapped. Please offend us no more in that way. Boudreaux WILL come back.
The Mason Nation logo at the top came from the George Mason University bookstore site. My arch-nemesis, Dr. Ralph, was good enough to get me one of the shirts, which I wear often. You know you're a political geek when you wear your favorite university shirt because of the economics department, not the football or basketball team !!
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Why There's No Point In Watching Tonight's "Debate"
Barack Obama and Mitt Romney will have a conversation tonight about who is best qualified to lead our collective plunge over the cliff.
The following remedies for our economic situation will not be on the table. They are considered “outside the mainstream” and “extremist".
Unfortunately, the only way to escape a 16 trillion dollar debt is to go outside the mainstream.
You will not hear a serious discussion about the following:
1) Cutting government spending. Both men have budgets that actually increase spending into infinity. The Romney/Ryan plan slows down the rate of growth just a tad, but the spending still increases. What makes all of these plans laughable is that no Congress can limit the thievery of a future Congress. Imagine the current group of legislators taking, say, Jimmy Carter’s 2012 spending goals seriously.
2) Ending the Drug War. There are one million government employees who rely on this idiotic conflict for a paycheck.
.
3) Ending the Fed. Both Romney and Obama know that the only way to keep their contributors happy and content at the government trough is for Ben Bernanke to keep printing cheaper and cheaper money. We are due for a massive inflationary leap in the next few years. These higher prices will be blamed on greedy corporations.
4) Shrinking the military. Our military spending equals that of the next 17 to 20 countries, depending on how you do the math. Most of those countries are our friends, BTW. We’ve been in South Korea since the late 1940’s. Ditto for Europe. We never send them a bill for defense. (Also, we have no business going to the Middle East to spread the gospel of “free and fair elections” when f***ing Oklahoma won’t allow Gary Johnson on the ballot. What a farce.)
5) Bringing Hillary back to the house. What makes anyone think that Bill Clinton’s wife is any more qualified to intervene in the Arab-Israeli conflict than, say, Sarah Palin’s husband???
6) Privatizing Social Security. The system is now running in the red. To mention that fact is political suicide. Unless you’re Gary Johnson.
7) School Choice. 70% of the Chicago schoolteachers who went on strike send their own kids to schools not run by the Chicago schoolteachers. How do you think it would work out if the government assigned you a grocery store?
There are other obvious topics that these two guys won’t touch, and that a Libertarian candidate would bring into the discussion.
I used to drunk-blog these things, but tonight I don’t think I’ll bother. A real debate would include parties besides those which got us into this mess.
The following remedies for our economic situation will not be on the table. They are considered “outside the mainstream” and “extremist".
Unfortunately, the only way to escape a 16 trillion dollar debt is to go outside the mainstream.
You will not hear a serious discussion about the following:
1) Cutting government spending. Both men have budgets that actually increase spending into infinity. The Romney/Ryan plan slows down the rate of growth just a tad, but the spending still increases. What makes all of these plans laughable is that no Congress can limit the thievery of a future Congress. Imagine the current group of legislators taking, say, Jimmy Carter’s 2012 spending goals seriously.
2) Ending the Drug War. There are one million government employees who rely on this idiotic conflict for a paycheck.
.
3) Ending the Fed. Both Romney and Obama know that the only way to keep their contributors happy and content at the government trough is for Ben Bernanke to keep printing cheaper and cheaper money. We are due for a massive inflationary leap in the next few years. These higher prices will be blamed on greedy corporations.
4) Shrinking the military. Our military spending equals that of the next 17 to 20 countries, depending on how you do the math. Most of those countries are our friends, BTW. We’ve been in South Korea since the late 1940’s. Ditto for Europe. We never send them a bill for defense. (Also, we have no business going to the Middle East to spread the gospel of “free and fair elections” when f***ing Oklahoma won’t allow Gary Johnson on the ballot. What a farce.)
5) Bringing Hillary back to the house. What makes anyone think that Bill Clinton’s wife is any more qualified to intervene in the Arab-Israeli conflict than, say, Sarah Palin’s husband???
6) Privatizing Social Security. The system is now running in the red. To mention that fact is political suicide. Unless you’re Gary Johnson.
7) School Choice. 70% of the Chicago schoolteachers who went on strike send their own kids to schools not run by the Chicago schoolteachers. How do you think it would work out if the government assigned you a grocery store?
There are other obvious topics that these two guys won’t touch, and that a Libertarian candidate would bring into the discussion.
I used to drunk-blog these things, but tonight I don’t think I’ll bother. A real debate would include parties besides those which got us into this mess.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Why Isn't Mitt Romney doing better?
Why isn't Mitt Romney doing better?
You can go here and see a very small sample of the hand-wringing about Mitt's distressing polling numbers.
Think about it. A blind dachshund with 3 legs should be outrunning Barack Obama in this thing.
Barack Obama used your money to purchase about 675,000 vehicles, and then destroyed them. Cash For Clunkers. (He should've been impeached for this, BTW.)
His foreign policy is in total shambles.
His Fed Director is about to print a 3rd batch of money, since the first two batches didn't work. (Swear to God, that's what they're saying.)
The results he achieved with a 700 billion dollar stimulus were worse than the scary numbers he used to terrify us into a 700 billion dollar stimulus bill.
We're 16 trillion dollars in debt. Most people who own a computer, and who give a crap, are aware of that number. Obama went on Letterman acting as if he wasn't sure of it. Sheesh....
So why isn't Romney doing better????
Let's assume that you want America to do well. Let's assume that you've read a few economics books that deal with some "predictive" theory, theories that have proven themselves over time. (This rules out the comedy team of Keynes and Krugman.) Let's assume that you really are a member of that endangered species known as Small Government Republicans. Would you be excited about this guy?
The Mitt/Paul Ryan budget doesn't get us out of deficit spending for a freakin' decade. Go here to read a Reason Magazine summary of the thing. And remember....no congress can restrain a future congress's spending. When Obama/Mitt/Ryan talk about achieving balanced budgets over a _____ year period, instead of now, today, this very minute, they're blowing smoke. Seriously. Can you imagine the current bunch of yahoos restraining spending because of Gerald Ford's long-term budget scenario? The only cuts that matter are the ones made NOW.
Mitt Romney hasn't proposed shutting down a single cabinet-level position and department. Not energy, not education, and not commerce. No serious candidate who wants to get us out of the hole we're in would dream of letting those money pits remain open.
Mitt Romney hasn't talked about closing any military bases. We've got more military than the next 16 or 17 countries combined.
Mitt Romney, like Obama, is a Drug Warrior. We could end the Drug War tomorrow and eliminate one million government jobs, from Drug Czar all the way down to 3rd level torturer.
Mitt Romney opposes gay marriage. If you're 16 trillion in debt, you shouldn't have time to oppose gay marriage.
Mitt Romney is talking about "getting tough" with the Chinese. Mitt, here's how you get tough with the Chinese. If the Chinese government starts subsidizing tires, we should buy those cheaper Chinese tires until the Chinese people riot. Ditto for anything else China makes. Hell, if California made Nancy Pelosi mow yards to help subsidize California wine and make it cheaper than anyone else's, I'd probalby buy more California wine.
That, IMHO, is why Mitt Romney isn't doing very well right now. And this election ought to be a slam dunk.
So if you live in a "Red" state, one that's probably going to go for Romney anyway, no matter what, then there's no reason to vote for Romney or Obama. It's a wasted vote. You should vote for the only small-government, anti-drug war, pro-civil liberties candidate on the ballot. Gary Johnson. He's pledged to submit a budget that's 43% smaller immediately. If you're not sending that message about what you support and what you oppose, then you're part of the problem.
And if you live in a "Blue" state, one that's probably going to go for the other Obamney anyway, no matter what, then there's no reason to vote for either of the Obamneys. It's a wasted vote. You should vote for the only small-government, anti-drug war, pro-civil liberties candidate on the ballot. Gary Johnson. He's pledged to submit a budget that's 43% smaller immediately. If you're not sending that message about what you support and what you oppose, then you're part of the problem.
(Go here to read the fine print.)
You can go here and see a very small sample of the hand-wringing about Mitt's distressing polling numbers.
Think about it. A blind dachshund with 3 legs should be outrunning Barack Obama in this thing.
We've got a president who has racked up more months of 8% unemployment than the previous 11 combined.
His foreign policy is in total shambles.
His Fed Director is about to print a 3rd batch of money, since the first two batches didn't work. (Swear to God, that's what they're saying.)
The results he achieved with a 700 billion dollar stimulus were worse than the scary numbers he used to terrify us into a 700 billion dollar stimulus bill.
We're 16 trillion dollars in debt. Most people who own a computer, and who give a crap, are aware of that number. Obama went on Letterman acting as if he wasn't sure of it. Sheesh....
So why isn't Romney doing better????
Let's assume that you want America to do well. Let's assume that you've read a few economics books that deal with some "predictive" theory, theories that have proven themselves over time. (This rules out the comedy team of Keynes and Krugman.) Let's assume that you really are a member of that endangered species known as Small Government Republicans. Would you be excited about this guy?
The Mitt/Paul Ryan budget doesn't get us out of deficit spending for a freakin' decade. Go here to read a Reason Magazine summary of the thing. And remember....no congress can restrain a future congress's spending. When Obama/Mitt/Ryan talk about achieving balanced budgets over a _____ year period, instead of now, today, this very minute, they're blowing smoke. Seriously. Can you imagine the current bunch of yahoos restraining spending because of Gerald Ford's long-term budget scenario? The only cuts that matter are the ones made NOW.
Mitt Romney hasn't proposed shutting down a single cabinet-level position and department. Not energy, not education, and not commerce. No serious candidate who wants to get us out of the hole we're in would dream of letting those money pits remain open.
Mitt Romney hasn't talked about closing any military bases. We've got more military than the next 16 or 17 countries combined.
Mitt Romney, like Obama, is a Drug Warrior. We could end the Drug War tomorrow and eliminate one million government jobs, from Drug Czar all the way down to 3rd level torturer.
Mitt Romney opposes gay marriage. If you're 16 trillion in debt, you shouldn't have time to oppose gay marriage.
Mitt Romney is talking about "getting tough" with the Chinese. Mitt, here's how you get tough with the Chinese. If the Chinese government starts subsidizing tires, we should buy those cheaper Chinese tires until the Chinese people riot. Ditto for anything else China makes. Hell, if California made Nancy Pelosi mow yards to help subsidize California wine and make it cheaper than anyone else's, I'd probalby buy more California wine.
That, IMHO, is why Mitt Romney isn't doing very well right now. And this election ought to be a slam dunk.
So if you live in a "Red" state, one that's probably going to go for Romney anyway, no matter what, then there's no reason to vote for Romney or Obama. It's a wasted vote. You should vote for the only small-government, anti-drug war, pro-civil liberties candidate on the ballot. Gary Johnson. He's pledged to submit a budget that's 43% smaller immediately. If you're not sending that message about what you support and what you oppose, then you're part of the problem.
And if you live in a "Blue" state, one that's probably going to go for the other Obamney anyway, no matter what, then there's no reason to vote for either of the Obamneys. It's a wasted vote. You should vote for the only small-government, anti-drug war, pro-civil liberties candidate on the ballot. Gary Johnson. He's pledged to submit a budget that's 43% smaller immediately. If you're not sending that message about what you support and what you oppose, then you're part of the problem.
(Go here to read the fine print.)
Monday, September 17, 2012
You Didn't Build That - The Dance Mix !!!
Greatness !!
The same guy supposedly did this one about the other Obamney -
The same guy supposedly did this one about the other Obamney -
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Which candidate would never eat your dog?
David Huckabee, son of Arkansas governor and former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, once hung a dog and then slit its throat. The governor had to pull some strings to make the story go away.
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney once put his dog in a carrier, strapped it to the roof of his car, and drove 12 hours to Canada.
According to his book "Dreams From My Father", our current Commander-In-Chief, Democrat Barack Obama once ATE a dog. (Hit the link. Please. Then imagine The Teleprompter Jesus sitting down to a meal of Fido and French Fries.)
Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson, in his last debate appearance as a Republican, quipped that "My next-door neighbor’s two dogs have created more shovel-ready jobs than this president."
So let's be honest here....based on these anecdotes, which candidate would you trust with your dog?
My vote goes to Gary Johnson !!
He would never, ever eat your dog.
The picture of Obama's lunch came from here.
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney once put his dog in a carrier, strapped it to the roof of his car, and drove 12 hours to Canada.
According to his book "Dreams From My Father", our current Commander-In-Chief, Democrat Barack Obama once ATE a dog. (Hit the link. Please. Then imagine The Teleprompter Jesus sitting down to a meal of Fido and French Fries.)
Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson, in his last debate appearance as a Republican, quipped that "My next-door neighbor’s two dogs have created more shovel-ready jobs than this president."
So let's be honest here....based on these anecdotes, which candidate would you trust with your dog?
My vote goes to Gary Johnson !!
He would never, ever eat your dog.
The picture of Obama's lunch came from here.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
On Rootgate
Semi-Libertarian sports handicapper Wayne Allyn Root has managed to stick his foot in it again.
Drop in on Hammer Of Truth for details.
Go here to read Root's obligatory backpedaling.
I know about a dozen Libertarians who are headed to the National Convention (in Vegas, BTW) with pitchforks and torches.
Drop in on Hammer Of Truth for details.
I think the important thing now is to make sure Obama is not elected,and that means in my mind, I would love for a libertarian like Gary Johnson the two term governor of New Mexico would actually get elected President, but I think we all know that’s not going to happen so therefore it’s got to be Romney there is no choice.Root is a fun guy, a nice guy. John Spivey and I once spent a pleasant evening someplace in Austin drinking most of the free beer that Root had iced down in his bathtub. He's still shaking off the Republicanism, but I'd rather have him inside the tent pissing out than outside the tent pissing in (to quote LBJ out of context).
Go here to read Root's obligatory backpedaling.
I know about a dozen Libertarians who are headed to the National Convention (in Vegas, BTW) with pitchforks and torches.
Friday, March 9, 2012
Schadenfreude from Perry de Havilland
One of my libertarian heroes from England has made some sharp comments about the Republican party.
Here's Perry de Havilland of Samizdata:
I hope that candidate will be former New Mexico governor Gary Johnson !!!!
Please remember, the only way you can "waste" your vote is to support the political status quo, and we've got 16 trillion dollars worth of status quo to dig our way out of. Unless you folks start supporting 2nd-party candidates, it ain't gonna happen.
Here's Perry de Havilland of Samizdata:
I see that Mitt Romney, a big government Republican statist who partially nationalised healthcare in his state and gave Obama the opening for more grandiose Federal healthcare nationalisation, is closing in on the Republican nomination.No, no, no, no, no. There is no need for anyone to stay home, Mr. de Havilland. The Libertarian Party will be on the ballot, running someone as an alternative to the Obamneys.
Well so much for the influence of the Tea Party. If Romney wins, I can only hope Obama wipes the floor with him for exactly the same reasons I was delighted McCain was defeated... and do not see Romney as any less loathsome than McCain, so I am all for the Greater Evil winning again.
And I hope a large number of Tea Party figures make it clear they will be staying home next election day if Romney gets the nod.
I hope that candidate will be former New Mexico governor Gary Johnson !!!!
Please remember, the only way you can "waste" your vote is to support the political status quo, and we've got 16 trillion dollars worth of status quo to dig our way out of. Unless you folks start supporting 2nd-party candidates, it ain't gonna happen.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Republican primary preferences by age group
The Mainstream Media often seems perplexed by the college kids voting for Ron Paul.
Why do they vote for Ron Paul?
Because he as always advocated a smaller government and a stable money supply.
Why is that attractive to college students?
Because they will be the true "producers" who will have to work overtime to clean up their parents' mess.
It really is that simple.
Why do they vote for Ron Paul?
Because he as always advocated a smaller government and a stable money supply.
Why is that attractive to college students?
Because they will be the true "producers" who will have to work overtime to clean up their parents' mess.
It really is that simple.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Liveblogging the Meet The Press debate
I had sworn off of this, but Tivo changed channels for me during breakfast....
Here's what's going on during the Meet The Press Republican debate.
David Gregory, in order to prove that Meet The Press and the Republican Party are both hip and groovy, announces that some of the questions will come from Facebook. Perhaps from the city of Farmville.
Michelle Bachmann is no longer present as the Sarah Palin surrogate, and this is good.
FIRST QUESTION: Why does Mitt Romney stink?
Gingrich: Romney is timid, and he wants to grow up to be Barack Obama. He is BarackLite. When he makes love, he pretends to be Obama.
Romney: I'm proud of being the John The Baptist for ObamaCare. I also believe that I created jobs as governor, unlike New Mexico governor Gary Johnson who claims that he created NO jobs as governor. I have no freakin' clue about the true role of government in the economy.
Santorum: Romney didn't want to run again as governor of Massachusetts. He didn't fight. I did the right thing, and fought until I got my ass kicked by a Democrat.
Gingrich: Romney ran the red light. He talked too long !
Romney: Ted Kennedy made me do it.
Ron Paul: The question should be about the issues, not Mitt. However, Mitt did endorse the single payer system, the TARP bailouts, the Fed printing money for their friends. Romney hasn't challenged the idea of a U.S. Overseas Empire. That's what we should be talking about. Not whether Mitt and his Magical Mormon Underwear can defeat Obama.
Perry: Well I'm the one who can 1) reinvigorate the Tea Party, 2) defeat Obama and 3) ummmm...Ooops !
SECOND QUESTION: How will you tell Americans that your spending cuts you are going to cause pain?
Huntsman: Back to Mitt Romney... He criticized me for putting my country first.
Romney: Huntsman went to work for Obama. If you look closely at the older versions of Mormon doctrine, black men can't enter the highest levels of Mormon heaven. As a Mormon, Huntsman should know that, and be ashamed.
Huntsman: Ok, ok, ok, I would tell Americans that I embrace the Paul Ryan plan. It takes a pitifully small amount of money out of the budget during the next 10 years.
David Gregory: In the name of the prophet Lehi, PLEASE give me 3 programs you would cut....
Huntsman: Social Security and Medicare? Maybe? But I'm not going to touch Defense.
Santorum: Means testing on Social Security. Food Stamps. Medicaid. Give it all back to the states. Give 'em a time limit. Including Social Security. If you ain't dead within 20 years, you get no more money.
Gingrich: I taught history at the college level for years, and I'm going to lull you to sleep without answering the question. These are not the droids you are looking for. I'm going to improve the government, not cut it.
Perry: I'm going to get it right this time !! Commerce, Energy, and Education !!!
The crowd goes totally wild.
Break for advertisements.
SECOND QUESTION CONTINUED:
Santorum: People think that they should have the same plan that Congress has. They have a choice. (I'm finding myself liking Santorum on this one.)
David Gregory: Grover Norquist has gotten some Congressmen to sign a pledge for No More Taxes. Warren Buffett thinks the rich can pay more.
This is where I go stark, raving mad, and I'm going to skip Romney's response on this one. Warren Buffett has made his billions, and NOW he wants EVERYONE ELSE to pay more in taxes. His Berkeshire Hathaway group has been in a two-year lawsuit against Washington to avoid paying an extra billion or so in taxes.
Warren Buffett is a hypocritical old fraud.
Huntsman: The loopholes make our entire tax system silly. We don't govern, we sell exceptions to the tax code. (My words, not his.)
Gingrich: I worked with Tip O'Neill. I worked with Bill Clinton. You have to do that to get things done.
Romney: We didn't just work with Democrats, we were totally immersed in them in Massachusetts. We developed relationships with them. We did it so long that we now refer to ourselves in the plural. We, we, we.
David Gregory: Dr. Paul, why is your legislative record so poor? Why aren't your bills passed?
Ron Paul: This shows how out of touch Congress is with the American people. (Paul hits this one out of the park online and live, something like 3 times per week.) Shit, can you imagine Congress voting against any bill that cuts spending?
Santorum: Ron Paul has never accomplished anything, never done anything, he's never successfully worked with anybody. But if he's Commander In Chief, he's going to bring our troops back home to defend the U.S. !! Can you believe that ???? We need somebody to maintain the status quo !!!
Ron Paul: Changing foreign policy mistakes that go back to Woodrow Freakin' Wilson takes time. We can't be all things to all countries. Yeah, it takes a while. In the meantime, let's audit the Fed !!
Santorum: I've tuned Rick Santorum out. He's doing talking points. I Will do better on his next question.
Huntsman: I will do better than Obama by demonstrating trust. Democrats will trust me because, after all, I spent the last 3 years representing one.
Perry: I would buck my party by talking about their spending levels. We need a part-time Congress, which implies that only millionaires could afford to serve in Congress.
Rick Perry just showed the world that he is stark raving mad.
Advertising break.
David Gregory: Let's bring in some newspaper and TV people to help with the questions.
Newspaper guy: Home heating oil is $4.00 a gallon. Congress is cutting the subsidy. Whatcha gonna do?
Huntsman: I feel your pain. He'll break up the oil distribution monopoly. (Why not drill, baby, drill? Or crank up that Keystone pipeline?)
Ron Paul: Subsidies are bad policy. On energy, we should de-regulate. 50% of the transaction is the monetary unit. When you create money out of thin air, prices go up. If you subsidize somebody and print money to do it, prices go up.
Romney: What we don't need is a Federal Government saying we're going to solve all problems for all people. Give these issues to the states.
TV Guy: Romney, you once said that the gay community needs more support from Republicans, according to a GLBT periodical. Whatcha gonna do now?
Romney: I oppose same-sex marriage. But I don't discriminate against them. And yet in death, we live.
Santorum: I think gays and lesbians should be treated with respect and dignity. But no marriage or adoption rights. And yet in death, we live.
Newspaper Guy: Are right to work laws a federal issue?
Perry: Only because of existing federal laws. It shouldn't be a federal issue. I'm not anti-union, I'm pro-job. If you want to grow jobs, pass right to work legislation. Education, Energy, and Commerce.
Romney: Carpenters union makes them better carpenters. But lets talk about the pure, undiluted evil of government unions - they should have the same salaries and bennies as the private sector.
Santorum: I would support Federal Right to Work legislation. I've worked with unions.
Another break. I wish they'd gotten Ron Paul going on the unions.
THIRD QUESTION: Jobs, jobs, jobs.
Gingrich: The long term answer to the oil problem is to make supply and demand work for us, not against us. Flood the market with the commodity that is scarce.
Romney: Obama didn't cause the problem, but Lord Have Mercy, he made it worse. Obama is anti-business. (And he oughta say that Obama's current improving jobs record is only due to the size of the workforce shrinking. People are just giving up, and those people don't get counted.)
Newspaper guy: What about out of state power plants polluting New Hampshire?
Romney: I don't know this specific regulation. We've got to find a way to keep the air clean. (In economics, this is called an externality. My transaction with party #1 does harm to party #2. There are also positive externalities, BTW.)
Gingrich: My Environmental Solutions Agency would be better than the EPA, despite having the loathsome buzzword "Solutions" in the title. Much well-deserved ridicule directed at EPA.
TV Guy: Is Obama a Patriot? Is he evil?
Perry: Obama is a f***ing Socialist.
Santorum: When I voted for the prescription drug benefit, it was not the act of a f***ing Socialist. It was a way to require people to have health savings accounts. No irony intended.
TV Guy: Is healthcare a right?
Ron Paul: Entitlements are not rights. You have a right to your rights, liberty, and the fruits of your labor. There are no "group" rights. One group is not entitled to take something from someone else.
Newspaper Guy: NH motto is "Live Free or Die".
Huntsman: "Live Free or Die" is an awesome motto. New Hampshire wants a leader who will unify. Huntsman, by use of his word leader, shows that he doesn't understand the NH motto. We don't need leaders, we need people to maintain the infrastructure and secure the borders and interfere in disputes. Huntsman as a "leader" would betray that ideal.
Advertising break.
David Gregory: Let's scattershoot for a while.
Santorum: Russia and Korea have nukes, but Iran is a Theocracy. "They think the next life is better than this one." That is scary. We can't treat them like normal people. Therefore, they are different. Santorum's extreme Catholicism kinda leaves him exposed on this one, right?
Gingrich: Concerning my attacks on Romney, Mitt Romney and his firm Bain Capital, committed acts of Capitalism. There is nothing lower than committing acts of Capitalism. I want Romney to admit that is his former staff running the anti-Gingrich PAC.
Romney: I can't direct ads of a PAC. It's illegal. Everything in those ads is true.
Romney vs Gingrich spat ensues. They're both silly people. They both love Big Government, and their records show it. That's why it's so easy for them to dredge up stuff like this.
Gingrich: We've going to make a movie about Romney committing acts of Capitalism.
Santorum: It doesn't take a village. It takes a family. Obama has a secular ideology.
Ron Paul: If president, I will continue to preach liberty. Sound money. National Defense. Defend Liberty and Liberty !!
Yet another ad break. I had no idea that a debate would cost this much. I'm getting hungry, as this project has disrupted breakfast.
I am, however, 100% live. Had to slow down to catch some stuff, but fast-forwarded through the ads.
So far, Ron Paul is winning. Why? Because he's right.
What the hell? I was going to completely finish this liveblog on time, and the TV just cut it off, just like that? No closing statements? No nothing, just The End?
Time to scramble some eggs.
Enough of the political crap. It's a nice day. Hope y'all have a good one !!!
Here's what's going on during the Meet The Press Republican debate.
David Gregory, in order to prove that Meet The Press and the Republican Party are both hip and groovy, announces that some of the questions will come from Facebook. Perhaps from the city of Farmville.
Michelle Bachmann is no longer present as the Sarah Palin surrogate, and this is good.
FIRST QUESTION: Why does Mitt Romney stink?
Gingrich: Romney is timid, and he wants to grow up to be Barack Obama. He is BarackLite. When he makes love, he pretends to be Obama.
Romney: I'm proud of being the John The Baptist for ObamaCare. I also believe that I created jobs as governor, unlike New Mexico governor Gary Johnson who claims that he created NO jobs as governor. I have no freakin' clue about the true role of government in the economy.
Santorum: Romney didn't want to run again as governor of Massachusetts. He didn't fight. I did the right thing, and fought until I got my ass kicked by a Democrat.
Gingrich: Romney ran the red light. He talked too long !
Romney: Ted Kennedy made me do it.
Ron Paul: The question should be about the issues, not Mitt. However, Mitt did endorse the single payer system, the TARP bailouts, the Fed printing money for their friends. Romney hasn't challenged the idea of a U.S. Overseas Empire. That's what we should be talking about. Not whether Mitt and his Magical Mormon Underwear can defeat Obama.
Perry: Well I'm the one who can 1) reinvigorate the Tea Party, 2) defeat Obama and 3) ummmm...Ooops !
SECOND QUESTION: How will you tell Americans that your spending cuts you are going to cause pain?
Huntsman: Back to Mitt Romney... He criticized me for putting my country first.
Romney: Huntsman went to work for Obama. If you look closely at the older versions of Mormon doctrine, black men can't enter the highest levels of Mormon heaven. As a Mormon, Huntsman should know that, and be ashamed.
Huntsman: Ok, ok, ok, I would tell Americans that I embrace the Paul Ryan plan. It takes a pitifully small amount of money out of the budget during the next 10 years.
David Gregory: In the name of the prophet Lehi, PLEASE give me 3 programs you would cut....
Huntsman: Social Security and Medicare? Maybe? But I'm not going to touch Defense.
Santorum: Means testing on Social Security. Food Stamps. Medicaid. Give it all back to the states. Give 'em a time limit. Including Social Security. If you ain't dead within 20 years, you get no more money.
Gingrich: I taught history at the college level for years, and I'm going to lull you to sleep without answering the question. These are not the droids you are looking for. I'm going to improve the government, not cut it.
Perry: I'm going to get it right this time !! Commerce, Energy, and Education !!!
The crowd goes totally wild.
Break for advertisements.
SECOND QUESTION CONTINUED:
Santorum: People think that they should have the same plan that Congress has. They have a choice. (I'm finding myself liking Santorum on this one.)
David Gregory: Grover Norquist has gotten some Congressmen to sign a pledge for No More Taxes. Warren Buffett thinks the rich can pay more.
This is where I go stark, raving mad, and I'm going to skip Romney's response on this one. Warren Buffett has made his billions, and NOW he wants EVERYONE ELSE to pay more in taxes. His Berkeshire Hathaway group has been in a two-year lawsuit against Washington to avoid paying an extra billion or so in taxes.
Warren Buffett is a hypocritical old fraud.
Huntsman: The loopholes make our entire tax system silly. We don't govern, we sell exceptions to the tax code. (My words, not his.)
Gingrich: I worked with Tip O'Neill. I worked with Bill Clinton. You have to do that to get things done.
Romney: We didn't just work with Democrats, we were totally immersed in them in Massachusetts. We developed relationships with them. We did it so long that we now refer to ourselves in the plural. We, we, we.
David Gregory: Dr. Paul, why is your legislative record so poor? Why aren't your bills passed?
Ron Paul: This shows how out of touch Congress is with the American people. (Paul hits this one out of the park online and live, something like 3 times per week.) Shit, can you imagine Congress voting against any bill that cuts spending?
Santorum: Ron Paul has never accomplished anything, never done anything, he's never successfully worked with anybody. But if he's Commander In Chief, he's going to bring our troops back home to defend the U.S. !! Can you believe that ???? We need somebody to maintain the status quo !!!
Ron Paul: Changing foreign policy mistakes that go back to Woodrow Freakin' Wilson takes time. We can't be all things to all countries. Yeah, it takes a while. In the meantime, let's audit the Fed !!
Santorum: I've tuned Rick Santorum out. He's doing talking points. I Will do better on his next question.
Huntsman: I will do better than Obama by demonstrating trust. Democrats will trust me because, after all, I spent the last 3 years representing one.
Perry: I would buck my party by talking about their spending levels. We need a part-time Congress, which implies that only millionaires could afford to serve in Congress.
Rick Perry just showed the world that he is stark raving mad.
Advertising break.
David Gregory: Let's bring in some newspaper and TV people to help with the questions.
Newspaper guy: Home heating oil is $4.00 a gallon. Congress is cutting the subsidy. Whatcha gonna do?
Huntsman: I feel your pain. He'll break up the oil distribution monopoly. (Why not drill, baby, drill? Or crank up that Keystone pipeline?)
Ron Paul: Subsidies are bad policy. On energy, we should de-regulate. 50% of the transaction is the monetary unit. When you create money out of thin air, prices go up. If you subsidize somebody and print money to do it, prices go up.
Romney: What we don't need is a Federal Government saying we're going to solve all problems for all people. Give these issues to the states.
TV Guy: Romney, you once said that the gay community needs more support from Republicans, according to a GLBT periodical. Whatcha gonna do now?
Romney: I oppose same-sex marriage. But I don't discriminate against them. And yet in death, we live.
Santorum: I think gays and lesbians should be treated with respect and dignity. But no marriage or adoption rights. And yet in death, we live.
Newspaper Guy: Are right to work laws a federal issue?
Perry: Only because of existing federal laws. It shouldn't be a federal issue. I'm not anti-union, I'm pro-job. If you want to grow jobs, pass right to work legislation. Education, Energy, and Commerce.
Romney: Carpenters union makes them better carpenters. But lets talk about the pure, undiluted evil of government unions - they should have the same salaries and bennies as the private sector.
Santorum: I would support Federal Right to Work legislation. I've worked with unions.
Another break. I wish they'd gotten Ron Paul going on the unions.
THIRD QUESTION: Jobs, jobs, jobs.
Gingrich: The long term answer to the oil problem is to make supply and demand work for us, not against us. Flood the market with the commodity that is scarce.
Romney: Obama didn't cause the problem, but Lord Have Mercy, he made it worse. Obama is anti-business. (And he oughta say that Obama's current improving jobs record is only due to the size of the workforce shrinking. People are just giving up, and those people don't get counted.)
Newspaper guy: What about out of state power plants polluting New Hampshire?
Romney: I don't know this specific regulation. We've got to find a way to keep the air clean. (In economics, this is called an externality. My transaction with party #1 does harm to party #2. There are also positive externalities, BTW.)
Gingrich: My Environmental Solutions Agency would be better than the EPA, despite having the loathsome buzzword "Solutions" in the title. Much well-deserved ridicule directed at EPA.
TV Guy: Is Obama a Patriot? Is he evil?
Perry: Obama is a f***ing Socialist.
Santorum: When I voted for the prescription drug benefit, it was not the act of a f***ing Socialist. It was a way to require people to have health savings accounts. No irony intended.
TV Guy: Is healthcare a right?
Ron Paul: Entitlements are not rights. You have a right to your rights, liberty, and the fruits of your labor. There are no "group" rights. One group is not entitled to take something from someone else.
Newspaper Guy: NH motto is "Live Free or Die".
Huntsman: "Live Free or Die" is an awesome motto. New Hampshire wants a leader who will unify. Huntsman, by use of his word leader, shows that he doesn't understand the NH motto. We don't need leaders, we need people to maintain the infrastructure and secure the borders and interfere in disputes. Huntsman as a "leader" would betray that ideal.
Advertising break.
David Gregory: Let's scattershoot for a while.
Santorum: Russia and Korea have nukes, but Iran is a Theocracy. "They think the next life is better than this one." That is scary. We can't treat them like normal people. Therefore, they are different. Santorum's extreme Catholicism kinda leaves him exposed on this one, right?
Gingrich: Concerning my attacks on Romney, Mitt Romney and his firm Bain Capital, committed acts of Capitalism. There is nothing lower than committing acts of Capitalism. I want Romney to admit that is his former staff running the anti-Gingrich PAC.
Romney: I can't direct ads of a PAC. It's illegal. Everything in those ads is true.
Romney vs Gingrich spat ensues. They're both silly people. They both love Big Government, and their records show it. That's why it's so easy for them to dredge up stuff like this.
Gingrich: We've going to make a movie about Romney committing acts of Capitalism.
Santorum: It doesn't take a village. It takes a family. Obama has a secular ideology.
Ron Paul: If president, I will continue to preach liberty. Sound money. National Defense. Defend Liberty and Liberty !!
Yet another ad break. I had no idea that a debate would cost this much. I'm getting hungry, as this project has disrupted breakfast.
I am, however, 100% live. Had to slow down to catch some stuff, but fast-forwarded through the ads.
So far, Ron Paul is winning. Why? Because he's right.
What the hell? I was going to completely finish this liveblog on time, and the TV just cut it off, just like that? No closing statements? No nothing, just The End?
Time to scramble some eggs.
Enough of the political crap. It's a nice day. Hope y'all have a good one !!!
Thursday, January 5, 2012
A Libertarian in Republican Clothing
Interesting things are happening in the Republican and Democrat party.
Someone didn't get all the memos and emails, and it's creating some turmoil.
This raises an interesting hypothetical question....
You can apply the Ron Paul filter to almost any social or economic issue - gay marriage, ending the drug war, ending the Fed, reducing our debt, eliminating needless cabinet-level positions and departments, privatizing our disaster of a school system, legalizing gambling, bringing the troops home to defend our borders, ending aid to dictators, and on and on and on.
You'll find a gaggle of faux opponents from both halves of the Congressional aisle on one side of the issue, and you'll see Ron Paul, Rand Paul, and former New Mexico governor Gary Johnson on the other side. Daddy Paul and Gary Johnson have a higher ACLU rating than anyone else running for president, and this includes the Obamessiah. National Journal ranks Paul as one of the most economically conservative congressmen, but then declares that his votes on foreign policy (giving money to dictators, going overseas to blow shit up, etc.) aren't conservative enough for him to be considered an economic conservative !!!
The Libertarians want to leave people alone.
Therefore, they are extremists. Go figure that one out.
The pics came from Libertarian Reddit.
Someone didn't get all the memos and emails, and it's creating some turmoil.
This raises an interesting hypothetical question....
You can apply the Ron Paul filter to almost any social or economic issue - gay marriage, ending the drug war, ending the Fed, reducing our debt, eliminating needless cabinet-level positions and departments, privatizing our disaster of a school system, legalizing gambling, bringing the troops home to defend our borders, ending aid to dictators, and on and on and on.
You'll find a gaggle of faux opponents from both halves of the Congressional aisle on one side of the issue, and you'll see Ron Paul, Rand Paul, and former New Mexico governor Gary Johnson on the other side. Daddy Paul and Gary Johnson have a higher ACLU rating than anyone else running for president, and this includes the Obamessiah. National Journal ranks Paul as one of the most economically conservative congressmen, but then declares that his votes on foreign policy (giving money to dictators, going overseas to blow shit up, etc.) aren't conservative enough for him to be considered an economic conservative !!!
The Libertarians want to leave people alone.
Therefore, they are extremists. Go figure that one out.
The pics came from Libertarian Reddit.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
LateBlogging the Republican Debate. September 7, 2011 - total failure at pretending to be interested
If it weren't for Ron Paul, I wouldn't be doing this.
I usually liveblog interesting debates. This one won't be interesting. I didn't even get home in time to liveblog the thing. Thank you, Tivo.
Ok, here we go.
Mitt Romney and Rick Perry just finished a little argument over who created the most jobs as governor. Perry claims that Michael Freakin' Dukakis created more jobs as Massachusetts governor than Romney did. Romney claims that George W. Bush created more jobs as Texas governor than Perry did.
Who gives a rip? You know who isn't here at this debate? Former New Mexico governor Gary Johnson. He's wasn't invited to this thing because he's a libertarian-ish sort. Johnson claims (truthfully) that he didn't create a single job as New Mexico governor. He just got the government out of the way and let the private sector take care of it. Can you imagine anyone at MSNBC letting that cat out of the bag to run around on this stage, making a mockery of the proceedings?
The MSNBC moderators (and the rest of the lamestream media) ought to show how many government employees were on the payroll before and after the Romney and Perry administrations. That's what matters.
Michele Bachmann just ripped ObamaCare a new one.
Brian Williams just asked Ron Paul how the world would survive without government regulations. Ron Paul just gave a somewhat rambling answer, but got to the point.... we don't need the government to do it. "But who would keep the airplanes from dropping out of the sky?" Paul shoulda said "follow the Canadian model and privatize it. Canadian Air Traffic Controllers don't fall asleep on the job." But he just said, essentially, let the Free Market handle it.
Why is there an airplane hanging over the audience?
MSNBC, like most left-wing organizations, is having a hard time making things work properly. They can't coordinate their video clips with the debate moderators' questions.
The debate moderators are trying to hang the Massachusetts RomneyCare model on Mitt Romney (where it belongs). Romney is dodging the question, and talking about what he would do in the future.
These people are talking about jobs as if they're the goal of a business. Jobs are not the goal. They are a by-product. Lordy.
Michele Bachmann is claiming that she's the only person with the legislative experience to repeal ObamaCare.
Gingrich is trying to get some party unity going, claiming that all of his brothers in pork are against ObamaCare, and he's not going to put up with MSDNC trying to get Republicans fighting with each other.
Herman Cain, after multiple appearances on Stossel, Freedomwatch, and debates that I've seen, finally cut loose a rip on ObamaCare that I could agree with.
God help me. Rick Santorum just answered a trick question on welfare, using words that I could have possibly written. I think the entire world, after the last 3 years, is now leaning Libertarian.
Bachmann says that "energy" is one of the greatest opportunities for job creation that we have. Bullshit. Outlawing "energy" and digging ditches with spoons would create the most jobs. But that's not the point. We'll have good job creation when we allow entrepreneurs to get filthy stinkin' rich. Jobs are merely a by-product of that process. Deal with it. Thank you.
They just asked Ron Paul if eliminating the minimum wage would create more jobs. He answered that it would. Didn't even think about it. Why? Because it would.
Ron Paul just scared the shit out of me. I thought he'd lost it. He said he could create a gallon of gas for a dime. Yes, for a dime. But yes, if you have an old-school silver dime, it's now worth $3.50.
Brilliant. Freakin' brilliant.
Now Perry is attacking Paul for quitting the party, and writing an anti-Reagan letter. Paul says Reagan taxed too much and spent too much. Yep. Until Obama came along, more debt was rung up under presidents named Reagan and Bush than all other presidents combined. Look it up. Hit the Ronald Reagan label at the bottom of this post.
Ok, the airplane hanging over the audience is Reagan's Air Force One plane.
Shortly after hitting Ron Paul with an anti-Reagan question, they're acknowledging Nancy Reagan in the audience and giving her a round of applause. Nice.
Rick Perry is saying good stuff about Social Security being as broke as The Ten Commandments, and that anyone who promises money to today's young workers is lying.
Mitt Romney, bless his Mormon heart, is defending Social Security. Let's see two workers support one retiree. That's where we're headed.
Rick Perry, bless his perfect hair, is calling Social Security a Ponzi scheme. Because that's what it is.
Herman Cain, bless his thick crust, just suggested that we go to the Chilean system for retirement plans. Go here for info.
The moderators have now taken us off into inoculations. I bet fluoride in the water supply will be next.
Ron Paul just hit a home run on a TSA question. Now Brian Williams is going after him on FEMA. Paul asks him back "What happened before 1979 when we didn't have FEMA?" Let the states handle it. Doh.
Herman Cain wants to fix FEMA and fix Homeland Security. Good luck, Herm.
Jon Huntsman is bleating about what he did for job creation.
I can't watch any more of this. With the possible exception of Ron Paul, I can't drink enough beer to imagine any of these people being willing to cut out a single cabinet-level department. I can't imagine MSDNC asking the question.
If something happens that's remotely interesting, I might expand on this thing. Dull, dull, dull. Talking points, talking points, talking points.
Good night !!
If you're disappointed in this blog post, I apologize. Here's a fun video:
I usually liveblog interesting debates. This one won't be interesting. I didn't even get home in time to liveblog the thing. Thank you, Tivo.
Ok, here we go.
Mitt Romney and Rick Perry just finished a little argument over who created the most jobs as governor. Perry claims that Michael Freakin' Dukakis created more jobs as Massachusetts governor than Romney did. Romney claims that George W. Bush created more jobs as Texas governor than Perry did.
Who gives a rip? You know who isn't here at this debate? Former New Mexico governor Gary Johnson. He's wasn't invited to this thing because he's a libertarian-ish sort. Johnson claims (truthfully) that he didn't create a single job as New Mexico governor. He just got the government out of the way and let the private sector take care of it. Can you imagine anyone at MSNBC letting that cat out of the bag to run around on this stage, making a mockery of the proceedings?
The MSNBC moderators (and the rest of the lamestream media) ought to show how many government employees were on the payroll before and after the Romney and Perry administrations. That's what matters.
Michele Bachmann just ripped ObamaCare a new one.
Brian Williams just asked Ron Paul how the world would survive without government regulations. Ron Paul just gave a somewhat rambling answer, but got to the point.... we don't need the government to do it. "But who would keep the airplanes from dropping out of the sky?" Paul shoulda said "follow the Canadian model and privatize it. Canadian Air Traffic Controllers don't fall asleep on the job." But he just said, essentially, let the Free Market handle it.
Why is there an airplane hanging over the audience?
MSNBC, like most left-wing organizations, is having a hard time making things work properly. They can't coordinate their video clips with the debate moderators' questions.
The debate moderators are trying to hang the Massachusetts RomneyCare model on Mitt Romney (where it belongs). Romney is dodging the question, and talking about what he would do in the future.
These people are talking about jobs as if they're the goal of a business. Jobs are not the goal. They are a by-product. Lordy.
Michele Bachmann is claiming that she's the only person with the legislative experience to repeal ObamaCare.
Gingrich is trying to get some party unity going, claiming that all of his brothers in pork are against ObamaCare, and he's not going to put up with MSDNC trying to get Republicans fighting with each other.
Herman Cain, after multiple appearances on Stossel, Freedomwatch, and debates that I've seen, finally cut loose a rip on ObamaCare that I could agree with.
God help me. Rick Santorum just answered a trick question on welfare, using words that I could have possibly written. I think the entire world, after the last 3 years, is now leaning Libertarian.
Bachmann says that "energy" is one of the greatest opportunities for job creation that we have. Bullshit. Outlawing "energy" and digging ditches with spoons would create the most jobs. But that's not the point. We'll have good job creation when we allow entrepreneurs to get filthy stinkin' rich. Jobs are merely a by-product of that process. Deal with it. Thank you.
They just asked Ron Paul if eliminating the minimum wage would create more jobs. He answered that it would. Didn't even think about it. Why? Because it would.
Ron Paul just scared the shit out of me. I thought he'd lost it. He said he could create a gallon of gas for a dime. Yes, for a dime. But yes, if you have an old-school silver dime, it's now worth $3.50.
Brilliant. Freakin' brilliant.
Now Perry is attacking Paul for quitting the party, and writing an anti-Reagan letter. Paul says Reagan taxed too much and spent too much. Yep. Until Obama came along, more debt was rung up under presidents named Reagan and Bush than all other presidents combined. Look it up. Hit the Ronald Reagan label at the bottom of this post.
Ok, the airplane hanging over the audience is Reagan's Air Force One plane.
Shortly after hitting Ron Paul with an anti-Reagan question, they're acknowledging Nancy Reagan in the audience and giving her a round of applause. Nice.
Rick Perry is saying good stuff about Social Security being as broke as The Ten Commandments, and that anyone who promises money to today's young workers is lying.
Mitt Romney, bless his Mormon heart, is defending Social Security. Let's see two workers support one retiree. That's where we're headed.
Rick Perry, bless his perfect hair, is calling Social Security a Ponzi scheme. Because that's what it is.
Herman Cain, bless his thick crust, just suggested that we go to the Chilean system for retirement plans. Go here for info.
The moderators have now taken us off into inoculations. I bet fluoride in the water supply will be next.
Ron Paul just hit a home run on a TSA question. Now Brian Williams is going after him on FEMA. Paul asks him back "What happened before 1979 when we didn't have FEMA?" Let the states handle it. Doh.
Herman Cain wants to fix FEMA and fix Homeland Security. Good luck, Herm.
Jon Huntsman is bleating about what he did for job creation.
I can't watch any more of this. With the possible exception of Ron Paul, I can't drink enough beer to imagine any of these people being willing to cut out a single cabinet-level department. I can't imagine MSDNC asking the question.
If something happens that's remotely interesting, I might expand on this thing. Dull, dull, dull. Talking points, talking points, talking points.
Good night !!
If you're disappointed in this blog post, I apologize. Here's a fun video:
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