What Does This Image Say?

What does this image say to you?  Clint Eastwood’s bad boy westerns appeal to people because they’re full of the “take it into your own hands” machismo, the rugged individual, the “I don’t take nothin’ from nobody” images.

What this says about the current state of the Republican Party:  lawless, take things into your own hands (see vigilante), whatever we want at whatever cost.

I don’t believe in this.  I believe that we, as people, are bound by law, laws made of, by and for the people (corporations are NOT people, my friends).  I believe we do NOT take things into our own hands, but rather, if we want change we talk about issues with others and work within the system (as broken as it may be) to make changes.  That means that we must send politicians packing who don’t listen to us but listen to donors and lobbyists.  That means that we invite everyone to vote, not just those that we know agree with us.  We talk, we listen, we do NOT attack someone just because they don’t think about things the same way we do.

My problem right now is with those who organized the convention and chose this image to represent the  Republican Party.  Regardless of what Clint Eastwood said, or of what anyone said in response (he was shooting from the hip, took us all by surprise, he was improvising), the organizers selected the image to put up behind him and made a visual statement for the entire convention, the party and Mitt Romney, the Republican presidential nominee.  Shame on them.

A Reblog of a Letter to Ann Romney

This is the very BEST response I’ve heard or read to Ann Romney’s disdainful and whiney “you people” remark. Anyone who has bought a house, gotten any kind of large credit has to show more than these people are willing to show. They have no concept of what it means to be even “an American” let alone the “President of the United States.” Attacks you say, my dear? Attacks??? How dare you claim that the citizens of the country who you say you want to be the President and First Lady of are ‘Attacking’ you! We want you to be willing to represent the very best of us if you are elected to that position and instead, you are representing coldness, exclusiveness, and a stinginess of spirit that would demean those positions. Go back to your mansion(s) and sip your postum. You do not deserve to be anywhere near the White House.

Motley News, Photos and Fun

To Ann Romney:

First off, I would like to air my contempt for two words you chose to use in a statement a few weeks back… you referred to the public as “you people.” Very bad choice of words because this shows who you are from the inside – call it a Freudian slip, or don’t call it anything and shrug it off – which is what I am sure you have done. But I did imagine quite an elaborate visual image when I heard say you that. Allow me to share…

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Dear Mitt Romney, “It’s All Gone”

To commemorate the South Carolina primary, I’m dedicating this lovely music video to Mitt Romney.  Somehow I have a hard time imagining Mitt in all his mannequin-likeness being able to get a groove on, but that’s okay.  The rest of us have enough to share.  I’m guessing that Mittens doesn’t even know Chris Rea let alone considers him to be in the 1% (who knows, maybe he is!) but if not, then you know what Mitt says,  “. . .those people who have been most successful will be in the one percent….”

Enjoy possibly the greatest slide guitar solo ever!  (I actually stole that comment from a fan comment on YouTube — I happen to agree)   If this doesn’t make you want to dance, there’s just no hope for you.

( Youtube source bob19520)

Lyrics:

A careless heart ain’t no good to no-one
I was going back my friends to see
Of what became of my childhood daydreams
Of all the things that used to be
To my surprise I stood alone
I walked a river of a waking dream
My father say ‘Know what you’re thinking’
I guess this old town seen better days

It’s all gone
Ain’t nothing for you here now
Sail on

You talk of change, something better
Cutting down that big old tree
There’s flesh and blood in there somewhere
But no matter what you just don’t seem to see
I walk your chambers, your empty halls
I see you talking behind the doors
My father say ‘Know what you’re thinking’
I guess this old town seen better days

It’s all gone
Ain’t nothing for you here now
Sail on

I’m sailing on, I’m running faster
Than I ever run before
My father say ‘Know what you’re thinking’
I guess this old town seen better days
Sail on

Peace!

The Romney Boys at Work

Just in case you missed the video of Matt Romney, one of Willard’s (Mitt) four sons, bringing up Obama’s birth certificate [doesn’t he know that has been thoroughly and completely hashed? (sigh) ], here it is.

HEY, MITT ROMNEY!!!

More from Mitt:

“You know, I think it’s about envy. I think it’s about class warfare. When you have a president encouraging the idea of dividing America based on the 99 percent versus one percent — and those people who have been most successful will be in the one percent — you have opened up a whole new wave of approach in this country which is entirely inconsistent with the concept of one nation under God. The American people, I believe in the final analysis, will reject it.” (emphasis added)

Mitt Romney says in the one highlighted phrase how he measures success:  by how much money one makes.  Mitt Romney is a Mormon.  I am a Mormon.  This statement goes against pretty much everything the Church as an institution teaches about both success and money.  Mitt Romney tries to make himself be a man of principle, of constancy — one wife, one religion — and he’s probably right.  This statement shows where his principles and his heart really are and where they apparently have always been.

Mr. Romney is attacking President Obama, claiming that he is encouraging the 99 percent.  This shows an amazing lack of awareness of the Occupy Wall Street Movement.  Romney doesn’t realize that OWS didn’t really have the support of the president until late in the game.  OWS didn’t have the support of very many politicians, regardless of political party.  Democrats were slow to take up the cause, probably because they didn’t realize how strong it would be and the depth of feeling that is at the core of the movement.  Republicans, even tea partiers, seemed to be taken a bit by surprise by the movement, but tea partiers recognized the resonance of much in the OWS movement.  Romney doesn’t seem to understand any of this.  He seems genuinely oblivious to the movement and the real reasons behind the anti-Wall Street sentiment.

Hey, Mitt Romney!!!   The Occupy Wall Street Movement was not Obama’s idea!  It was OUR idea!  The idea of the PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY!  That would be the 99%!  Now, if you can get elected by the 1%, after all, you say that “corporations are people, my friend,” I guess you’ll have worked some kind of magic.  Go for it, man, you don’t have my vote, but then, I’m not part of your 1% so I guess you don’t need me anyway.

Envy, It’s All About Envy

The most disconnected of them all.

The man has found a new word:  Envy.  Questions about corporations manipulating government in order enrich themselves are the result of envy.  Questions about corporate welfare (e.g. oil subsidies while criticizing govt support of solar R & D and the electric vehicle) are the result of envy.  Questions about closing tax loopholes for corporations and the 1% are the result of envy.

Oh yes, and Romney is also pulling the “class warfare” card.  I wonder how people felt after Bain Capital restructured and reorganized their companies.  You know, the ones who lost their jobs while the Bain “suits” walk away with millions in fees (you’ve seen the photo of Romney and his Bain buddies as happy as clams with the bills sticking out all over).  I’ll bet that those ‘restructured’ folks felt like they were casualties of some class warfare.

Mitt Romney and his Bain buddies

But, what else would we expect from someone who claims Bain Capital was a job creator?  It’s all about envy.

Just in case you have missed this one:

“I think it’s about envy,” Romney replied. “I think it’s about class warfare. I think when you have a president encouraging the idea of dividing America based on 99 percent vs. 1 percent, and those people who’ve been most successful will be in the 1 percent, you’ve opened up a whole new wave of approach in this country which is entirely inconsistent with the concept of one nation under God.”

Lauer asked, “Are there no fair questions about the distribution of wealth without it being seen as envy, though?”

“You know I think it’s fine to talk about those things in quiet rooms,” Romney said. “But the president has made this part of his campaign rally. Everywhere he goes we hear him talking about millionaires and billionaires and executives and Wall Street. It’s a very envy-oriented, attack-oriented approach.”

See:  Shhhh! Romney wants economy talk in ‘quiet rooms’

Romney.

Corporations loving corporations

Have I mentioned today how much I dislike Mitt Romney?

For reasons see the following links. Each of these deserves it’s own post but consider this a collection.:

• “Corporations are people, my friend”

• Debate lies

• “I like to be able to fire people”

• Job creation and more jobs

• “There were a couple of times I wondered whether I was going to get a pink slip.”

• Unlimited Campaign Donations (aka Citizens United)

• In his own words, “It’s not a pretty picture”

• and then, the son’s birth certificate joke

• “I’m just like you”

and finally, the photo that says it all:

Mitt and friends

 

 

 

For the sake of full disclosure, I want to say that Mitt Romney is a Mormon, and I am a Mormon. I would never vote for this man. Besides, I typically vote for Democrats anyway and am, at this point, very much in favor of Obama continuing for another term. If you are really and truly planning on voting for Romney, I would be interested in hearing your reasons for doing so because, with all the information out there about him, his background and everything he has said, I do not understand any reasons for doing so. I won’t argue with you, I hate confrontation, I just want to know your reasons for supporting him.

Huntsman: the best Republican candidate

From The New York Times this morning:

Jon M. Huntsman Jr. had something he wanted to get off his chest — 10 hours after last night’s debate.

At that debate, Mr. Romney criticized Mr. Huntsman for working as an ambassador in President Obama’s administration.

“I was criticized last night by Governor Romney for putting my country first,” he said. “He criticized me while he was out raising money. I want to be very clear. I will always put my country first.”

Mr. Romney refused to relent, saying, “I just think it’s most likely that the person who should represent our party against President Obama is not someone who called him a remarkable leader.”

Mr. Huntsman then had what may be his most quotable moment of the entire campaign.

“This country is divided because of statements like that,” Mr. Huntsman said.

Right on target, Mr. Huntsman.

Romney forgets that Huntsman served under G.H.W. Bush as ambassador to Singapore.  Obama later selected Huntsman to be ambassador to China.  Why, we might ask.  Why would Obama select a relatively unknown governor from a very Republican state, a state that he knew would criticize a Democrat no matter what he did,  a state where he would have no chance of garnering any reciprocal favor (aka ‘votes’).  Obama chose Jon Huntsman because he was the best choice as ambassador to a growing superpower. Huntsman was the BEST choice both times.   He knows the Chinese language and he understands the Chinese culture.  China is now a world superpower and the U.S. needs a clear understanding of what the Chinese are doing and saying if we want to have any hope of negotiating with them.  China will not be bullied and Mr. Huntsman knows that.

Another quote from the most recent debate that shows Mr. Romney’s priorities:

Addressing Huntsman Romney said: “You were for the last two years implementing the policy of this administration in China. The rest of us were doing our best to get Republicans elected….”

 

 

Unlimited Campaign Donations, eh Mitt?

I can’t believe that anyone has the nerve to say what the Republican candidates are saying these days. Mitt Romney says,

“I think the Supreme Court’s decision was following their interpretation of the campaign finance laws that were written by Congress. My own view is now we tried a lot of efforts to try and restrict what can be given to campaigns, we’d be a lot wiser to say you can give what you’d like to a campaign. They must report it immediately. And the creation of these independent expenditure committees that have to be separate from the candidate, that’s just a bad idea.”

So, I guess that means that anyone or anything* can give whatever amount they want to a campaign as long as it is declared and goes straight to the campaign, not through the SuperPAC campaign laundering system that operates now.

This interpretation of Mitt’s statement:

“This is more radical than Citizens United,” David Donnelly of Public Campaign Action Fund told me when I asked for his reaction. “It means that if he is president he will appoint Supreme Court justices that will eviscerate any ability to regulate campaign finance.”

While it’s true that Romney wants donors disclosed, this doesn’t constitute regulation; it just means the public would be aware of who is giving unregulated sums in huge amounts to campaigns.

“This would set up a pipeline from Wall Street directly to campaigns,” Donnelly concluded. “This is the one percent’s wet dream.” source

Mitt’s statement should be HEADLINED EVERYWHERE! This is what this man stands for! Mitt Romney: no finer example of the 1%.

*that would be the corporations (which are NOT people, my friend).