Which Mitt Romney is running for President - Who cares?

Which Romney do we believe?  The pro choice Romney of the past or rabid anti choice Romney of 2012. The pro-universal heath care Governor  Romney or the anti health care candidate Romney. The gun control moderate Romney or the newly minted NRA fanatic Romney.


It really makes no difference, if you are a liberal, you better be worried that he now really believes his campaign hype. If you are conservative you better be worried that his campaign hype is a load of crap just to get your vote. And, whether you are a liberal or a conservative, a Democrat, a Republican or an independent, do you really want a President  whose politics seem to be defined by expedience and a narcissistic desire to get elected?

nuf said

Mitt Romney, yet another flip/flop/flip/flop/flip/flop

As much of the country at least tries to think about "Stand Your Ground" laws, today in St. Louis, Mitt Romney addressed the annual convention of the NRA and told the Association that he was their guardian angel. This is the same Romney who in 1994 said "I don't line up with the NRA."  Then in 2006 he became a lifetime member. Now that he desperately needs (he is that desperate) the conservative vote, he feels the call to "stand up for the rights of hunters, sportsmen and those seeking to protect their homes...."

Sorry if this is mixing the politics of the presidential campaign with the madness of Florida, and 24 others states', "self defense" laws. Perhaps with regards to "gun rights" less radical laws and more reasonable thinking would return some sense of civility to the political discourse and reduce the number of firearms fatalities in this country. Let's not forget that the NRA was one of the primary original backers of Florida's "Stand Your Ground" laws.

On a side note, at the NRA convention, Newt Gingrich, who addressed the convention after Romney, said that the United Nations should adopt a treaty "to extend the right to bear arms to every person on the planet."  Once can only imagine fear what Santorum, Palin or Bachmann would have said.


nuf said

Just paid my taxes. It ain't fair. It really ain't fair. Seriously unfair. 


I (legally) don't pay a fair share of my taxes. I am fortunate enough to have much of my income come from qualified dividends and long term gains.


When Bill Clinton took office capital gains and dividends were taxed at 28%. In 1997, he lowered it to 20% in a deal with the Republicans to create the Children’s Health Insurance Program.  "W" then cut if further to 15%. 


"Trickle down" economics failed under Reagan, if failed horribly under "W", which is why Obama inherited the economy he did. And now, Ryan and Romney would lower taxes on the wealthy even further while at the same time slashing social programs for those who most need them. If Mitt had to pay 20% or 25% on his "carry income", long term gains, and qualified dividends, would it really effect him, his investments or those he is trickling down on? Nope, his investments would not change, he might pocket just a little less at the end of the year, but the same number of jobs would be created AND the additional tax he paid would sustain the government and help society as a whole. Wanna call it socialism, go ahead, I would prefer to call it pragmatism. Guess what Mitt, we go down, you are coming with us. 


Anyone who tells you that investments will not be made or that capital will flee the country if "capitalists"have their gains taxed at a higher rate is just plain wrong. 


Nuf said.

My son calls my posts "Rants." He defines a rant as being longer then 3 paragraphs, so I won't rant and I'll keep this to zero paragraphs:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/09/opinion/krugman-the-gullible-center.html?_r=1

nuf said

God I Love Smart Women!

A recent survey showed that the more educated a woman is, the more likely she is to vote for Obama over Romney. College educated white women favor Obama 66% to 33% for Romney. Only non-college educated women favor Romney. Maybe this is the real reason Santorum bashes getting a college education?

nuf said

Simple question for the day.

Whether you are gay or straight, do you think that you could be convinced to change your orientation?  The "religious" right thinks you could. I guess they don't think much of you. (oh wait, that is not news)

Nuf said.

What must it feel like to be black, male and 18?

Last Wednesday I was on my way to LGA for a flight to Chicago. When I got off of the Grand Central Parkway (while NOT on airport property) I came around a corner to find a NYC cop standing in the middle of the road. He pointed me over to the side, I know I had not done anything wrong, but was not sure. Opened my window and the first thing the cop said was "Don't worry, you did nothing wrong, we are just doing spot checks, show me your ID.) HUH, WHOA, WHAT THE FUCK!! I had a flight to catch and fighting every instinct I had to say "NO, you may not see my ID," I coughed it up.

I'm middle aged, relatively non-descript white guy and I was too afraid of the results to stand up for what I know are my rights. How do you think a young, poor (or filthy rich for that matter) black man would feel and react?

What is the big deal of a policeman asking for my ID?  Seems pretty clear to me. Every little erosion of the constitutional protections we once enjoyed hurt us all.

nuf said.