Christian Evangelicals, Living in the Land of Ludicrous (Aka: Texas)

A high school in Austin, Texas has issued student ID cards with an embedded microchip that can be used to find the location of a student while on school property. The school sees this as a safety issue; in case of an emergency, they can know the location of any student. The microchips can be used to pay for school lunches and also enable the school to know how many students are in their home rooms at the beginning of the day which is a measure for how much tax money that school district receives.

Andrea Hernandez and her parents fussed about the microchip saying it would let administrators track when Andrea was in the bathroom. The school explained that they do not have someone assigned to sit in front of a computer monitor and track students all day long. “When I need to find (a student), I can enter his random number and I can find him somewhere as a red dot on that computer screen…it’s not about tracking them.” 

In an effort to accommodate the Hernandez family, the school agreed to remove the microchip from Ms. Hernandez’ ID card; but the family still refused to allow her to wear the ID and are suing the school on religious grounds, claiming that wearing the ID indicates “submission to a false god”.  Their lawsuit cites the book of Revelation, stating that “acceptance of a certain code…from a secular ruling authority” is a form of idolatry.  Their representative explained that Evangelicals view this as the “mark of the beast”.

Republican state Rep. Lois Kolkhorst has introduced several bills to outlaw the technology in Texas. She is hoping the publicity from the Hernandez case will help with her fight.

what eye thynk:    Once the school agreed to remove the computer chip from Ms. Hernandez’ ID this issue should have been moot. 
  
 You have to wonder if this child expects to live the rest of her life in a bubble.

• College will require a student ID, so I guess there will be no further education.
• Employees wear employee IDs, so forget about getting a job.
• Welfare recipients carry government IDs, so there will be no government assistance.
• Life will be hard, but she won’t be shopping at any of our wholesale clubs, because they issue membership IDs.
• If she continues to live in Texas, she won’t be able to vote because that state requires a voter ID.
• And, oh, forget about that drivers’ license when she turns 16.

I could go on, but sometimes the religious right makes it so easy to make fun of them that it takes all the joy out of it.　

This just proves that, if you look hard enough, you will be able to find a lawyer to take your case and, if it's far right enough, a Republican to champion it--no matter how ludicrous.

Santorum is Back, and He's Targeting People with Disabilities

Under George W. Bush’s administration, the United Nations negotiated the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which forbids discrimination against the blind, people in wheelchairs, people with AIDS, etc. The treaty has now been ratified by 126 nations, including China, Russia, Iran, Cuba, Syria and Saudi Arabia. Our Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved the treaty in July with bipartisan support, but the United States Congress has yet to ratify it.

Now, former Senator Rick Santorum, is saying he has “grave concerns” about the treaty and has joined his voice to that of current Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) in an attempt to stop the Senate from ratifying it--despite the fact that the treaty itself changes nothing in the way the U.S. treats people with disabilities.  John Kerry (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, explained that the treaty simply “raises the (international) standard to our level without requiring us to go further”.

what eye thynk:   What is wrong with these people? And why won’t Rick Santorum just go away?

What possible harm can come to this country if we sign a paper that joins us with the rest of the world in protecting those who are most vulnerable? This is a classic no-brainer!

Contrary to a current popular conservative conspiracy theory, President Obama is not planning on turning the United States over to the United Nations. Our sovereignty is safe; there is no need to treat every document that comes out of the U.N. like an attack on the U.S.  And yet these people persist. Their mindless adherence to the belief that the U.N. is the enemy can only result in our looking foolish and the rest of the world seeing us as hypocritical bullies--neither of which is a position of strength.

As for Mr. Santorum--who seems to look down upon the rest of us from his lofty perch as self-anointed head Christian--perhaps he should review Matthew 25:40 - And Jesus said to them, Truly I say to you, Inasmuch as you have done it to one of the least of these my brothers, you have done it to me.

Eye Recommend --- Republican Obsession with Benghazi Makes No Sense

REPUBLICAN OBSESSION WITH BENGHAZI MAKES NO SENSE, by Peter Bergen -- http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/27/opinion/bergen-gop-benghazi/index.html?hpt=hp_c1

"...it was the intelligence community, not officials at the White House or State Department, that eliminated from the talking points used by Rice after the Benghazi attack the suspected involvement of the Libyan jihadist group, Ansar al-Sharia.

According to accounts of former CIA director David Petraeus' closed door testimony about Benghazi to congressional intelligence committees earlier this month, the intelligence community eliminated references to Ansar al-Sharia in the talking points so as not to tip off members of the terrorist group that the CIA believed that they were responsible for the attack.

If Rice had gone beyond her unclassified talking points and said that Ansar al-Sharia was suspected to be behind the Benghazi attacks, no doubt she would now be being hounded for the unauthorized disclosure of classified information."

This Republican manufactured non-scandal smacks of losing-party desperation. 

Think About It...

Ted Alexandro is a stand-up comedian from New York City.  This is his answer to those self-described conservative Christians who claim to speak for God and seem to believe they have exclusive rights to interpreting His word:

what eye thynk:    I couldn't have said it better myself.



Eye Recommend --- A Minimum Tax For the Wealthy

A MINIMUM TAX FOR THE WEALTHY, by Warren E. Buffett --- http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/26/opinion/buffett-a-minimum-tax-for-the-wealthy.html

Mr. Buffet obliterates the argument that higher taxes halt investments:

"Suppose that an investor you admire and trust comes to you with an investment idea. 'This is a good one,' he says enthusiastically. 'I’m in it, and I think you should be, too.'

Would your reply possibly be this? 'Well, it all depends on what my tax rate will be on the gain you’re saying we’re going to make. If the taxes are too high, I would rather leave the money in my savings account, earning a quarter of 1 percent.' Only in Grover Norquist’s imagination does such a response exist."

He then goes on to offer a practical solution (the underline is mine):

"...we need Congress, right now, to enact a minimum tax on high incomes. I would suggest 30 percent of taxable income between $1 million and $10 million, and 35 percent on amounts above that. A plain and simple rule like that will block the efforts of lobbyists, lawyers and contribution-hungry legislators to keep the ultrarich paying rates well below those incurred by people with income just a tiny fraction of ours. Only a minimum tax on very high incomes will prevent the stated tax rate from being eviscerated by these warriors for the wealthy."

November 26 - Monday Quote

Me too.

monday quote:    In this world of sin and sorrow there is always something to be thankful for; as for me, I rejoice that I am not a Republican. (H.L. Mencken, writer, 1880-1956)

Eye Recommend --- Grand Old Planet

GRAND OLD PLANET, by Paul Krugman ---
 http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/23/opinion/krugman-grand-old-planet.html

Mr. Krugman discusses how Republican disdain for facts effects all they do, whether the discussion be global warming or budget talks.

"What (is) Mr. Rubio’s complaint about science teaching? That it might undermine children’s faith in what their parents told them to believe. And right there you have the modern G.O.P.’s attitude, not just toward biology, but toward everything: If evidence seems to contradict faith, suppress the evidence...

We are, after all, living in an era when science plays a crucial economic role. How are we going to search effectively for natural resources if schools trying to teach modern geology must give equal time to claims that the world is only 6.000 years old? How are we going to stay competitive in biotechnology if biology classes avoid any material that might offend creationists?

And then there’s the matter of using evidence to shape economic policy. You may have read about the recent study from the Congressional Research Service finding no empirical support for the dogma that cutting taxes on the wealthy leads to higher economic growth. How did Republicans respond? By suppressing the report. On economics, as in hard science, modern conservatives don’t want to hear anything challenging their preconceptions — and they don’t want anyone else to hear about it, either."

John Husted Wants Ohio to "Not Matter As Much"

After failing in his attempt to limit early voting hours in Ohio’s urban counties and in his attempt to change the way provisional ballots would be counted, (trying to slide the provisional ballot change in on the Friday evening before the election), Ohio Secretary of State John Husted, is trying something new. In the 2016 presidential election, Mr. Husted wants to split Ohio’s 18 electoral college votes and award them by district. “It will not be a winner-take-all state, and you would not have another elections controversy about Ohio because we would not matter as much anymore."

what eye thynk:   “We would not matter as much anymore”?! Since when is making your state inconsequential something to be desired?  Mr. Husted, foiled in his 2012 voter suppression campaign, seems to be getting an early start on 2016, even if his explanation should make no sense to the voters of Ohio. And someone needs to remind him that any “elections controversy” that happened in Ohio this year was the result of his trying to rig the election for the Republican party.

Registered voters in Ohio break down fairly evenly--48% Democrat, 50% Republican, 2% Independent. We are a true toss-up state, a place where the battle can be won or lost--unless someone is permitted to stack the deck. This year’s Republican designed and highly controversial redistricting packed Democratic voters into the fewest possible districts, (in the urban areas around Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati), leaving the rest of the state’s districts to the Republicans. Because of this biased design, and despite the popular vote going to President Obama 50% to 48%, Mr. Husted’s plan would have given 66% of Ohio’s electoral votes to Mitt Romney with 12 of the state’s 18 electoral votes going to the Republican candidate.

I think the electoral college voting system’s time has passed and we should eliminate it and elect our President by popular vote; but I'm realistic enough to know that is not going to happen any time soon.  A more palatable answer might be to keep the electoral college but do away with the winner take all system and instead assign those votes according to the popular results. But allowing the party that holds the majority in the state legislature to design the voting districts in favor of their party and then allowing those voting districts to decide an election is just plain wrong.

Mr. Husted’s idea is simply another attempt to silence Ohio’s Democratic voice--another example of the Republican party putting winning ahead of anything else. They often spout platitudes like “the people have spoken” to legitimize their agenda; but it seems that more and more, the only people they hear are those who speak fluent Red.

Eye Recommend --- So Much for Mr. Reasonable

SO MUCH FOR MR. REASONABLE, by Steve Benen --
http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2012/11/21/15337773-so-much-for-mr-reasonable

"Two weeks ago John Boehner called himself 'the most reasonable, responsible person here in Washington' and acknowledged that President Obama's re-election solidified the ACA as 'the law of the land'.  Yesterday, Mr. Boehner demanded that 'Obamacare' must be included in any budget/debt reduction talks. 'We can't afford it...That's why I've been clear that the law has to stay on the table as both parties discuss ways to solve our nation's massive debt challenge.'"

Reasonable to clueless in fourteen days.  Let's hear it for John Boehner!

Quick Fact - Papa John's and Denny's Change Position on Health Care

An addendum to my November 21 post about John Schnatter and John Metz.  Late yesterday, both men backed down from their anti-employee positions. 

After a lot of bad publicity and a national Facebook campaign for a Friday boycott of Papa John's, Mr. Schnatter has decided that he will provide health care for 100% of his employees.

John Metz was also led to the light when the backlash of his comments began to wash over Denny's franchises everywhere resulting in a huge drop in Denny's business nationwide.  After other Denny's owners let their displeasure be known, Denny's CEO John Miller spoke with Mr. Metz.  Mr. Miller described the conversation this way:  "We recognize his right to speak on issues, but registered our disappointment that his comments have been interpreted as the company’s position."

Never underestimate the power of public outrage.

For Every Businessman Who Says "Impossible", There is Another Who Goes Ahead and Proves Him Wrong

Papa John's owner, John Schnatter lives in a castle with a private golf course and a bridge he can raise over his personal moat.  He says he can't afford the 11-14 cents the ACA will add to the cost of a pizza, so he is cutting all his employees' hours to keep them below the level where employer paid health care is required.  

John Metz, who owns 40 Denny's franchises, says he is also being forced to cut all his employees hours. "'I think it's a terrible thing. It's ridiculous that the maximum hours we can give people is 28 hours a week instead of 40.  It's going to force my employees to go out and get a second job."  Mr. Metz says he is also going to begin adding a 5% "Obamacare surcharge" to every dinner check.  He added that if customers don't like the surcharge, "they can reduce the amount of tip they give to the server".

what eye thynk:  The obvious question for Mr. Metz is...if you're cutting your employees' hours to avoid paying for health care, where is the money from the 5% surcharge going?  Extra lining for your own pocket?

Business owners like John Schnatter and John Metz have always been around. 

Thankfully, we also live in a world with people like Microsoft's Bill Gates who is able to think beyond "me" and has decided to share his wealth wherever he sees a need. (Mr. Gates once asked Mitt Romney to help fund one of his foundation's programs.  Mr. Romney declined.)

To paraphrase Papa John's ads; "Less whining, more doing".

Republicans Just Can't Seem to Learn

The state of Wisconsin has allowed same day voter registration at polling locations since 1976. Governor Scott Walker is trying to stop this practice because he feels that “poll workers, who are wonderful volunteers…in most cases are retirees. It’s difficult for them to handle the volume of people who come at the last minute”.

what eye thynk:    Will the Republican party please grow up?! Your systematic attempts to suppress the Democratic vote didn't work.  It's time you recognized that and let it go.

Mr. Walker wants us to believe that same day voter registration is too “difficult for (retirees) to handle”. Okay, now that is insulting. Getting older doesn’t necessarily make people incompetent. I can think of a lot of incompetent 20 year olds…and most of them seem to work in my city’s government offices. Note to Mr. Walker: Don’t try to blame your voter suppression campaign on the age of your poll workers. We’re still alert enough to recognize self-serving phoniness when we hear it…and condescension doesn’t play well with us either.

Senator Glenn Grothman, Republican from West Bend, is also in favor of eliminating same day registration. “If fraud is going on, I think it will be harder to commit fraud (if we eliminate) same day registration”. The important word here is “if”.   Scot Ross, who heads the left leaning group One Wisconsin Now, answered Senator Grothman with this statement: “To date, no Republican has been able to show that there is any impersonation voter fraud and every study shows that there is no rampant voter impropriety in the state of Wisconsin or around the country”. 

It’s like the Republican party has created this great solution so they need to manufacture a problem for it.

For many years, Wisconsin has had one of the highest voter turnout rates. Much of this is attributed to the ease of same day registration in that state. On November 6, Milwaukee’s voter turnout was an amazing 87%. Of that number, 17% registered to vote that day.  You'd think that Gov. Scott would be proud of his state's voting statistics, but that doesn't play into his Republican game plan.

Statistically, those who take advantage of same day registration are largely students and the poor, both groups of people who move frequently. Wisconsin Republicans have expressed concern that these groups could easily impersonate another voter because there is no way to verify a new voter’s address. (Do they really verify the address of every voter who registers early, or do they just accept the proof the voter presents at the time…the same proof a new voter would present to same day registrars?)

Mr. Walker is so concerned about non-existent voter fraud in his state that he is also planning to re-introduce voter I.D. regulations that were shot down by federal courts for this latest election cycle. I would think that, logically, any I.D. law would render their voter impersonation paranoia moot, but logic seems to have no place in this era of winning at all costs and fairness be damned.

Personally, I think all the new voter laws that Republican run states passed, (or attempted to pass), backfired and ended up making Democrats so angry that they voted in even larger numbers than they might have if the Republicans had just left the issue alone.  Nevertheless, some right-wingers insist on continuing to ring the same bell.   For a party that sees itself as a notch above the average man, they sure are proving to be slow learners.

Quick Fact - 2012 Word of the Year

The Oxford University Press' Oxford Dictionary has chosen its Word of the Year for 2012:  omnishambles. 
Omnishambles is defined as " a situation that has been comprehensively mismanaged, characterized by a string of blunders and miscalculations". 

Sounds a lot like this year's Republican campaigns...at every level.

November 19 - Monday Quote

One of the best legacy requests ever...

monday quote:    If, after I depart this vale, you ever remember me and have thought to please my ghost, forgive some sinner and wink your eye at some homely girl. (H.L. Mencken, writer, 1880-1956)

Ignoring the ACA Will Not Make It Go Away--Even If You're a Republican

So now that Romney has been sent home in ignominious defeat, Republican governors are suddenly faced with the fact that the ACA is not going away and they are weeks from having to decide to set up their own insurance exchange or let the federal government do it for them.  The Health and and Human Services Department has granted these procrastinators a reprieve until December 14 to choose between the you-do-it or we'll-do-it-for-you options and most are hunkered down in their home states deciding how to proceed...except for governors like Rick Scott in Florida who is now saying that he is open to "compromise" on the ACA issue. 

what eye thynk:    What "compromise"?  The time for discussion has passed.

The Affordable Care Act is the law of the land.  The citizens of Florida are going to have health care whether you want them to or not.

Get over it, Rick.

Quick Fact - McCain and His Phoney Benghazi Snit

This past Wednesday, at the exact time that John McCain was talking to reporters and complaining that the White House was withholding data and demanding more information about the attack on our mission in Benghazi, he was skipping a classified intelligence briefing to which he had been invited.  The subject?  Benghazi.

What a self-serving phoney.  I have always respected him, but he is making it hard to continue.

Quick Question(s) - Taxes and Susan Rice

1.     Republicans in Congress seem surprised that President Obama is adamant about raising tax rates on the wealthy.

Why is this a surprise?  He ran his whole re-election campaign on this platform.  Did they think he would change his mind once he re-gained the White House?  Maybe take a cue from their own Etch-a-Sketch candidate--you know, the one who lost the election so resoundedly?


2.     John Boehner and the House Republicans are still beating the no-new-taxes drum, claiming they would "hurt our economy and make job creation more difficult".

What part of we-heard-that-argument-and-rejected-it-in-favor-of-the-plan-promoted-by-President-Obama are these people not understanding?  I would think the election results made this perfectly clear--to quote Mr. Boehner, "The American people have spoken".


3.    President Obama is considering Susan Rice, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, for Secretary of State.  Senator John McCain has attacked her for her initial report on the attack on our mission in Benghazi.  Senator Lindsey Graham went so far as to say that he would oppose her appointment as one "who is up to their eyeballs in the Benghazi debacle".  President Obama called their attacks on Ms. Rice, who only reported the facts as they were relayed to her, "outrageous".

What did they expect her to do?  Initial information was confusing and incomplete.  That happens in a situation like this.  When more accurate information was available, it was reported.  Would they have been happier if she had made facts up out of whole cloth a la Mitt?

November 12 - Monday Quote

Today's quote is dedicated to the people of Maryland, Maine and Washington, the first states to approve same sex marriage by popular vote...and to Minnesota where they voted to keep a ban on same sex marriage out of their state constitution.   

monday quote:    I hate the word homophobia.  It is not a phobia.  You are not scared.  You are an asshole.  (Morgan Freeman, actor, 1937 -     )

Today is Veterans' Day

Someone Please Tell The Republicans They Lost

In the four days since Tuesday’s election, John Boehner has indicated that he is willing to discuss increasing revenues, but not by raising tax rates. Instead he and his fellow Republicans in the House want to reform the tax system, lowering tax rates for everyone while closing loopholes. They believe that these changes will result in faster economic growth which will further increase revenues. Mr. Boehner has also suggested that we extend the Bush era tax cuts for another year to give congress time to come up with a new tax plan.

Conservative strategist Brent Bozell has proposed a Republican manifesto in which they refuse "to participate in any lame-duck session that furthers the leftist Democratic agenda; that they defund Obama’s Affordable Health Care Act; and end federal funding for Planned Parenthood and PBS".

what eye thynk:   I want to look at Brent Bozell first, because he's easiest. Mr. Bozell, sit down and shut up. Your side lost. Learn to deal with it.

Okay, now for Speaker Boehner…
What he is proposing is essentially the failed Romney/Ryan plan with a little double-speak mixed in to make it sound new and plausible. On the same day he told the President that the House was willing to include increased revenues in budget talks, Mr. Boehner told ABC News, “Raising tax rates is unacceptable”.  Again, Republicans want to lower taxes saying that they can increase revenue by closing undisclosed loopholes. Where are the new ideas?  They apparently believe that if they keep repeating themselves everyone will eventually acquiesce.

What will it take for them to realize that the time for Republican policy chest thumping is past?  One would think that Tuesday's election results would at least give them pause; but, no, they are still in no-one-should-lead-but-us mode.   They refuse to accept the fact that the American people looked at their tired ideas and found them deficient. We rejected their trickle down candidate in favor of a man who has vowed to raise taxes for those who can best afford it.

Shared sacrifice is not anathema to economic success.  If I can contribute 20% of my income to supporting this country, the least a millionaire can do is accept an equally measured liability. 

During the Clinton presidency, tax rates were at their highest in modern history; our economy boomed, our budget balanced and when Mr. Clinton left the White House, we had a budget surplus. It took W and his Republican cronies only eight years to turn that surplus into the biggest economic disaster since the Great Depression.

As for Mr. Boehner’s suggestion that we extend Bush’s tax cuts for another year: NO! Procrastination is not an solution!  You had four years to get it right. Why would anyone believe that twelve more months would make any difference, especially since the Republican answer seems to be to re-hash the the same tired ideas that brought us the October 2007 meltdown--the same tired ideas that they have been promoting since 2008--the same tired ideas that lost them the election in 2012--the same tired ideas that the American people soundly rejected on Tuesday.

In a USA Today interview on November 8, Mr. Boehner said, “We need to find more effective ways to talk to the American people about who we are as a party. Frankly, our opponents have done a pretty good job of labeling us as against women, against minorities. We need to do a more effective job communicating with the American people."

A good place to start would be to listen to the American people’s choice for President.

Eye Recommend --- Romney Cuts Credit Cards of Staffers Before the Cab Ride Home

ROMNEY CUTS CREDIT CARDS OF STAFFERS BEFORE THE CAB RIDE HOME, by Kim LaCapria --
http://www.inquisitr.com/392404/romney-cuts-credit-cards-of-staffers-before-the-cab-ride-home-report/

"...perhaps jives with the more unpleasant assumptions held about the GOP candidate overall — mainly that he is known for viewing the little guy as dispensable once the help is no longer needed."

Can you say "poor loser" boys and girls?  (I really hope this turns out to be not true.  I mean, I don't like Romney, but this is so low!)

And the Last Word Goes to...Big Bird!

what eye thynk:  Okay, I'm trying to be mature about yesterday's election results, (and I really do believe every word of my "We proved..." post which you can read further down this page), but this was just too good to pass up:

Eye Recommend - Who is Most Pissed Off After This Election

WHO IS MOST PISSED OFF AFTER THIS ELECTION, by Robert J. Elisberg -- Ann Coulter, Mitch McConnell, Donald Trump, Republican congressmen, Karl Rove, the Koch brothers, Adelson...they all get a drubbing.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-j-elisberg/election-results-2012_b_2086123.html

President Obama Defeats Mitt Romney

On November 6, 2012, Barack Hussein Obama was elected to a second term as President of the United States.

what eye thynk:           W  E     D  I  D     I  T    ! ! !

• We proved that you cannot buy the Presidency, even if your name is Koch or Adelson. 
• We proved that you cannot lie your way into the Presidency.
• We proved that we, the people, are stronger than any attempt to keep us from voting our choice.
• We proved that, even though we are different people, we can speak with one voice.
• We proved that we will not allow ourselves to be marginalized as unworthy or unimportant.
• We proved that love is greater than hate.
• We proved that we are a proud and free people willing to stand up to protect the rights of all who live in this, the greatest country on the face of the earth. 

Today, I am one proud, happy and grateful American.

This White House is Not For Sale

November 6, 2012 - Today is Election Day!

*   *   *   V   O   T   E   !   *   *  *

November 5 - Monday Quote

I have no famous person quote for today, just a message from my heart and in my own words: 

To all my fellow citizens living in states with reduced early voting hours and new, (unnecessary) regulations... 

• If you are not voting because someone else has made it hard, you are fulfilling someone else’s goal.

Mitt, the Liar

what eye thynk:  An up-side for all the people who are drinking the Republican Kool-Aid--at least they get a new flavor everyday.

Quick Fact - Romney Charged with Ethics Violations Over Auto Bail-out Profits

On November 1, the UAW and other public interest groups charged Mitt Romney with federal ethics violations for improperly concealing a multi-million dollar windfall he received as a result of the auto industry bailout.  As you read this, remember that, in 1994, when Mr. Romney ran unsuccessfully against Ted Kennedy for the U.S. Senate, he was quoted as saying, “The blind trust is an age-old ruse.”

Full article can be read at:  http://www.truth-out.org/buzzflash/commentary/item/17613-uaw-charges-romney-with-profiteering-from-auto-bailout

Excerpts (the underlines are mine):

At a press conference in Toledo, Bob King, President of the United Automobile Workers, (announced) that his union and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) have filed a formal complaint with the US Office of Government Ethics in Washington stating that Gov. Romney improperly hid a profit of $15.3 million to $115.0 million in Ann Romney's so-called "blind" trust.

The Romneys' gigantic windfall was hidden inside an offshore corporation inside a limited partnership inside a trust which both concealed the gain and reduces taxes on it.

According to ethics law expert Dr. Craig Holman of Public Citizen...Ann Romney does not have a federally-approved blind trust. An approved "blind" trust may not be used to hide a major investment which could be affected by Romney if he were to be elected President.

In 2009, Ann Romney partnered with her husband's key donor, billionaire Paul Singer, who secretly bought a controlling interest in Delphi Auto, the former GM auto parts division. (Then) threatened to cut off GM's supply of steering columns unless GM and the government's TARP auto bailout fund provided Delphi with huge payments. While the US treasury complained this was "extortion," the hedge funds received, ultimately, $12.9 billion in taxpayer subsidies.

As a result, the shares Singer and Romney bought for just 67 cents are today worth over $30, a 4,000% gain. Singer's hedge fund made a profit of $1.27 billion and the Romney's tens of millions.

More information, can be found here: http://www.truth-out.org/buzzflash/commentary/item/17617-romney-made-a-fortune-off-of-extorted-delphi-government-ransom-payment-tell-paul-ryan

Quick Fact - Another Case of Voter Suppression

The Tennessee Court of Appeals ruled that a library photo I.D. can be used to vote.  The state legislature is appealing to the state Supreme Court because they say it is not a state issued I.D. 

What, are you going to look different if your picture is taken by a state employee instead of a county employee?  Voter fraud in this country is practically non-existent.  Voter suppression, however, is rampant and Republican fed. 

Eye Recommend --- Nonpartisan Tax Report Withdrawn After G.O.P. Protest

NONPARTISAN TAX REPORT WITHDRAWN AFTER G.O.P. PROTEST, by Jonathan Weisman --  "The Congressional Research Service has withdrawn an economic report that found no correlation between top tax rates and economic growth, a central tenet of conservative economic theory, after Senate Republicans raised concerns about the paper’s findings and wording.

The decision, (was) made....against the advice of the agency’s economic team leadership...

(The report) questions the premise that lowering the top marginal tax rate stimulates economic growth and job creation.

'This has hues of a banana republic,'Mr. Schumer said. 'They didn’t like a report, and instead of rebutting it, they had them take it down.'"

I want to say this is unbelievable, but nothing the Republicans do these days is outside the realm of possibility.  Even Congress' own research concludes that Romney's plan doesn't work!

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/02/business/questions-raised-on-withdrawal-of-congressional-research-services-report-on-tax-rates.html

Eye Recommend --- The Blackmail Caucus

THE BLACKMAIL CAUCUS, by Paul Krugman --- "I’ve seen a growing number of Romney supporters making a quite different argument. Vote for Mr. Romney, they say, because if he loses, Republicans will destroy the economy."

Mr. Krugman's editorial highlights an inventive reason, (excuse?) for voting for Mitt Romney.  I'd say it was far fetched except that I've heard a similar argument from a self-proclaimed Independent and still undecided voter recently.  (How can anyone be undecided at this stage of the campaign? Really. How?)
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/02/opinion/krugman-the-blackmail-caucus.html?_r=0

Eye Recommend --- Romney Burned By Lie to Ohioans

Rachel tells it like it is in Ohio:

Eye Recommend --- Mitt Romney Versus the Automakers

MITT ROMNEY VERSUS THE AUTOMAKERS, New York Times editorial -- "...Mr. Romney is providing a grim preview of what kind of president he would be."


As the editorial points out, Mitt Romney continues to lie with aplomb. It is as though his ego is feeding his sense of entitlement while his sense of entitlement is feeding his ego and together they have become this huge bloated other-being that cannot image that anyone would dare to question anything it says.  Forget the 47%.  The disrespect he shows for the 100% as well as for the office of President of the United States is truly frightening.  Pathelogical lying is a behavior best treated by a mental health professional.  Mitt can afford the best; let's make sure he has plenty of time to seek help on November 7.  Vote Obama/Biden!
  http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/01/opinion/mitt-romney-versus-the-automakers.html