Republicans for gun control

By Mona Goldwater, Societal Mores Ed.

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Speaker John Boehner, self immolation, and the G.O.P.'s rapid slide into irrelevancy

By Pablo Fanque, National Affairs Ed.

The Bone makes his sequestration face. I am not a fan, but admit I feel for him. He has tried, but is pretty much helpless while his party is hell-bent on self-immolation, not to mention relishing his humiliation  every step of the way. 

The Speaker thought getting Bachmann, Palin, Paul, Herman Cain, Rick Perry, et al, out of the way would help. But the instant they shuffle one whack job out the door, another wingnut steps in to fill their shoes. And that's the way I like it.

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What did Ann Coulter do this time?

By Jack Brummet, ATIT Editor-in-chief

I missed a lot of news in the last eight days while I was in Moscow, I think. I'm seeing all this vituperation & castigation of Ann Coulter (not that she doesn't deserve it in her normal course of business). I saw some news of her using the "R" word re: BHO. Is that the uproar, or did she say something else/worse?

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The Salt Lake City Tribune's stunning endorsement of President Barack Obama

By Pablo Fanque, National Affairs Editor

"Obama has earned another term"

Is this a mindf***er of all mindf***ers, or what?  On October 19th, The Salt Lake City Tribune came out and endorsed Barack Obama for President.  Why?  They lead into their endorsement with a couple of paragraphs praising his earl good works, in particular for the state of Utah.  

"The Republican nominee’s political and religious pedigrees, his adeptly bipartisan governorship of a Democratic state, and his head for business and the bottom line all inspire admiration and hope in our largely Mormon, Republican, business-friendly state."

And, then, they get down to business:    

"In short, this is the Mitt Romney we knew, or thought we knew, as one of us." 

"Sadly, it is not the only Romney, as his campaign for the White House has made abundantly clear, first in his servile courtship of the tea party in order to win the nomination, and now as the party’s shape-shifting nominee. From his embrace of the party’s radical right wing, to subsequent portrayals of himself as a moderate champion of the middle class, Romney has raised the most frequently asked question of the campaign: "Who is this guy, really, and what in the world does he truly believe?"

They go on to praise The President's domestic and foreign agendas, lavishing praise on his foreign accomplishments, as well as his shepherding of stimulus money and the courage it took, as well as his masterpiece, The Affordable Care Act (and the political capital he expended to make it the law of the land).

The Tribune damns Romney's promises and statements as both pandering, and unrealistic.  The President would do well to study this editorial and quote from it liberally in next week's debate. Hats off to the Tribune for their honest and courageous editorial.  Read the entire piece here. 

The editorial is a worthwhile read because this is a 'paper from a state inclined to support Mitt Romney both because of his religion and conservatism, and his stewardship of their beloved Olympic Games.  And now, nearly two weeks before the election, The President should quote liberally from the Tribune in his debate with the Ex-Governor next week. 

Copyright (C) 2012 by All This Is That. All This Is That contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We make these materials available to advance the understanding of political, economic, literary, artistic, and social issues. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of copyrighted material as provided for by section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit for research, educational, and entertainment purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', please read and follow our Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license and attribute the work to All This Is That, along with our URL 

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VP Debate night: Fuel for the Romney surge, or, a chance to overcome Democratic inertia and hand-wringing?

By Pablo Fanque, National Affairs Editor

Tonight. Who knew this debate would blow up in importance like it has, with the potential to add fuel to Romney's surge or overcome the Democratic inertia and hand-wringing.

We have a lot of faith in Joe Biden, although, sure, in his last debate, he had a cream-puff lobbed his way (e.g., Sarah Palin v. Joe Biden VP Debate 2008). Go Joe!

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Ex-Governor Romney backs down, weasels, retrenches, stonewalls, bobs and weaves, and dissembles

By Pablo Fanque, ATIT National Affairs Editor

Illustrations by Jack Brummet

OK.  The Ex-Governor came out on top in a couple of polls today.  But he did not get there by standing fast or holding his ground.  He arrived there by weaseling, backing down, retrenching, and dissembling.

In a handful of key zones, Mitt Romney has begun to position himself as a centrist.  He doesn't have to worry about the Tea Party anymore.  They are going to hold their collective noses and vote for him.  But as for the rest of us:  

1) He now says he won't deport young illegal immigrants given a chance to stay in the United States by Obama...kind of weaseling in sideways to The Dream Act..  

2) Mr. Romney is also playing catch-up on the Affordable Health Care Act; far from his earlier stance of running as rapidly and far away from it as he could, he is now playing up the health care program a/k/a RomneyCare (with its individual mandate) that was his biggest accomplishment as governor of Massachusetts.  

3) Rhetorically, he's backed down from his own tax plan.  In the first debate, it was hard to analyze the difference between his and BHO's tax plan.  Honestly, it's hard to tell just what his plan is now, but it's a fine one, he says.  "Trust me."

4)  He even admitted in the debate that government regulation “is essential.”  "I mean, you have to have regulations so that you can have an economy work,” he told us. The way he stated it in the debate implied, "Oh you silly people, this is what I had in mind all along."  And, 

5)  After all the bobbing, weaving, and stonewalling over the last couple of weeks, the contrite Ex-Governor told Fox News last Thursday that his comment about the “47 percent” of the electorate he wrote off as moochers, freeloaders, and just flat-ass lazy, when he met with campaign donors, was “completely wrong.”  You said a mouthful Governor. 

---o0o---

The Romney Campaign: it could be worse. No wait. Could it?

By Mona Goldwater, G.O.P.-Tea Party Editor

Sure, there are non-stop headlines about the implosion of the Romney-Ryan campaign, the brisk gaffe-a-day pace they've set, dwindling confidence ratings, and their plunging numbers in polls in the critical battleground states.  But looking at this illustration of the candidates that lost in the primaries, and bailed out, you realize that things could possibly be even worse for the GOP than they are today.

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Move On's latest anti-Romney salvo hot off the presses

click to enlarge

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Mitt Romney's greatest enemy is in his mirror

By Pablo Fanque
National Affairs Editor

This headline/front page keeps reappearing on blogs and websites, reminding us daily that while the GOP-Tea Party has not mounted a respectable candidate since--probably--Dwight D,. Eisenhower, they have rarely put together such a pathetic assemblage. . .well, except maybe, last time around.

Copyright (C) 2012 by All This Is That. All This Is That contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We make these materials available to advance the understanding of political, economic, literary, artistic, and social issues. In some cases we satirize, parody, or lampoon materials from other sources. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of copyrighted material as provided for by section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit for research, educational, and entertainment purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', please read and follow our Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license and attribute the work to All This Is That, along with our URL (http://jackbrummet.blogspot.com). 

---o0o---

Mitt Romney endorses Affordable Care Act

By Pablo Fanque
National Affairs Editor

Romney spokeswoman Andrea Saul, responding to a brutal new super PAC ad (the one showing a man who blames Bain Capital for his uninsured wife’s death), broke new ground for the campaign by praising Romney’s health insurance mandate.  Saul brought up her candidate's greatest legislative achievement--an almost explicit endorsement of the Affordable Care Act.

This is looking to be one of the most colossal Romney eff-ups yet in a campaign now increasingly littered with them.  No one on the left has a problem with this, but "the base," or, Ex-Governor Romney's core supporters, are outraged.  And this is on top of several other howlers this week.  Governor, all we can say is "keep on keepin' on."

---o0o---

Larry Flynt's latest $1 million reward: Send me Mitt Romney's tax returns

By Pablo Fanque, National Affairs Editor 

Thanks to Jeff Clinton for the NewsTip!

Hustler magazine publisher Larry Flynt, and self-described free speech activist, is offering $1 million for anyone who will provide him with Mitt Romney's financial records.  In the past he has offered $1 million for various celebrities to pose naked,  for evidence refuting the Warren Commission report, for evidence that Presidential candidate Rick Perry was guilty of infidelity, and during the Clinton impeachment trial, for evidence any of the committee members had been guilty of similar transgressions.

Flynt, 69, purchased full-page ads in Sunday's Washington Post and the Tuesday, September 11, issue of USA Today.  "What is he hiding?" the ad text reads. "Maybe, now, we'll find out."  The ad also includes a phone number and email address where anyone with information can contact Flynt (at http://larryflynt.com/).  

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The Clint Eastwood speech train-wreck

By Jack Brummet, Arts Editor

OK.  I thought Clint Eastwood's speech was the best one I'd ever seen at a GOP (now GOP-Tea Party) convention, and I've been watching them since 1968.   The content was pretty predictable, but the rambling and half-baked facts fit right in with the general tenor of the convention and this slate of candidates.  Was Mitt Romney cringing as badly as he was during Chris Christie's speech?  At least Clint did mention Romney.  This was a great speech because it was so deranged.  I like deranged.  I like Clint Eastwood as a fellow jazz fan, as a masterful director, and pretty decent actor. As a political analyst?  I am guessing he probably garnered more votes for BHO than for the Romney-Ryan ticket.  Did Romney himself give a speech tonight?  Probably.  But I won't remember it tomorrow.  And neither will anyone else.  But we'll never forget Clint's shambling, rambling train-wreck.  I think the Romney speech writers must have been pretty coked up last night or something. Onward to the Dems convention next week.  This is Jack writing because Pablo was apoplectic after tonight's meat parade, and refused to write anything at all.  But he is working it in Tampa, trying to get a couple of minutes with Clint in the spin room.


Copyright (C) 2012 by All This Is That. All This Is That contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We make these materials available to advance the understanding of political, economic, literary, artistic, and social issues. In some cases we satirize, parody, or lampoon materials from other sources. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of copyrighted material as provided for by section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit for research, educational, and entertainment purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', please read and follow our Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license and attribute the work to All This Is That, along with our URL (http://jackbrummet.blogspot.com). 

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Nuggets from Paul Ryan's GOP-Tea Party stemwinder last night

By Pablo Fanque, National Affairs Editor
Illustration by Jack Brummet

Paul Ryan delivered an energetic and interesting, but troubling speech, full of inspiration for the base, with virtually no substance. Ryan never talked about what the Romney-Ryan team will do, just that it will be different.

“We’re a full generation apart, Governor Romney and I. And, in some ways, we’re a little different. There are the songs on his iPod, which I’ve heard on the campaign bus and on many hotel elevators. He actually urged me to play some of these songs at campaign rallies. I said, I hope it’s not a deal-breaker Mitt, but my playlist starts with AC/DC, and ends with Zeppelin.”  

“College graduates should not have to live out their 20s in their childhood bedrooms, staring up at fading Obama posters and wondering when they can move out and get going with life.”  

“After four years of getting the run-around, America needs a turnaround, and the man for the job is Gov. Mitt Romney.” 

'“With all their attack ads, the president is just throwing away money — and he’s pretty experienced at that. You see, some people can’t be dragged down by the usual cheap tactics because their ability, character and plain decency are so obvious — and ladies and gentlemen, that is Mitt Romney.” 

“It went to companies like Solyndra, with their gold-plated connections, subsidized jobs and make-believe markets. The stimulus was a case of political patronage, corporate welfare and cronyism at their worst.”  

“So our opponents can consider themselves on notice. In this election, on this issue, the usual posturing on the left isn’t going to work. Mitt Romney and I know the difference between protecting a program and raiding it. Ladies and gentlemen, our nation needs this debate, we want this debate, we will win in this debate. (On Medicare) 

"Obamacare, as much as anything else, explains why a presidency that began with such anticipation now comes to such a disappointing close.” 

“It all started off with stirring speeches, Greek columns, the thrill of something new. Now all that’s left is a presidency adrift, surviving on slogans that already seem tired, grasping at the moment that has already passed, like a ship trying to sail on yesterday’s wind.” 

“These past four years we have suffered no shortage of words in the White House. What’s missing is leadership in the White House. And the story that Barack Obama does tell, forever shifting blame to the last administration, is getting old. The man assumed office almost four years ago. Isn’t it about time he assumed responsibility?” 

“[Mitt] turned around the Olympics at a time when a great institution was collapsing under the weight of bad management, overspending, and corruption— sounds familiar, doesn’t it? 

“None of us have to settle for the best this administration offers, a dull, adventureless journey from one entitlement to the next, a government-planned life, a country where everything is free but us.”

---o0o---

Governor Chris Christie's keynote address

By Pablo Fanque, National Affairs Editor

click to enlarge

Chris Christie's speech reminded me of Obama's 2004. . .he also spent a lot of time talking about himself (and earlier so did Bill Clinton in his famous and long keynote many years ago). The best part is that Christie only mentioned Romney seven times, all mostly in the last eight minutes of the speech. It's interesting the way they are focused more on the platform and getting BHO out than on their actual candidate, who even the GOP-Tea Party treat like a cardboard cutout or placeholder candidate.

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Todd Akin: "Breast Milk cures homosexuality" - the story is bogus

By Jack Brummet, G.O.P.-Tea Party Editor


Ed's note:  This story which has spread like wildfire in the last couple of hours is completely bogus, and was based on a parody.  People began reprinting the story when they saw multiple links on the web.  Not even Congressman Akin is that dumb. I think?

Missouri U.S. senate candidate Todd Akin has stirred up—if this is possible—even more outrage today by claiming that male homosexuality is a disease and that the medical establishment has a cure available. 

The beleaguered and vilified Republican congressman, already under fire for his controversial comments about rape, told a reporter for Cape Giradeau's KBSI 23 News that "female breast milk - when fed directly to an adult homosexual male daily for at least four weeks - has a 94% chance of permanently curing homosexual perversions."

"This may surprise you Jeff, but I don't think homosexuality is a choice. We evangelicals, we know that it's a disease. But the good news is - we have the cure."

From Political Hotwire:

"Akin then explained, "The National Institutes of Health has treated hundreds of young men through clinical trials at their headquarters in Maryland. They don't want the public to know because the secular liberal elites have succeeded in brainwashing the public into believing that homosexuality is a positive thing."

"We now know how to purge men of sin and putt them on a path towards god. Why can't every gay man in America have that knowledge? Just 4 weeks of live breastfeeding can cure them of their terrible suffering. Why aren't we talking about this?"

"Somewhat dumbfounded by the brazenness of Akin's pronouncement, the reporter then asked if this supposed treatment only worked on men."

"Lesbians can be cured by drinking something else," Akin replied "I'll leave that one to your imagination."

---o0o---

Copyright (C) 2012 by All This Is That. All This Is That contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We make these materials available to advance the understanding of political, economic, literary, artistic, and social issues. In some cases we satirize, parody, or lampoon materials from other sources. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of copyrighted material as provided for by section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit for research, educational, and entertainment purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', please read and follow our Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license and attribute the work to All This Is That, along with our URL (http://jackbrummet.blogspot.com).

Mitt Romney goes full retard, joins the birther movement

By Pablo Fanque, National Affairs Editor



The Obama campaign didn't waste any time getting out this 15 second spot. I love hardball and I love mudslinging. But with this, Mitt Romney finally breached the line of decency. He's now playing to the wacko fringe, and shedding groups of supporters and undecideds in the middle every inch of the way. 

People laughed at me saying this today, but I really thought better of Romney. But even 'though I had sworn off campaign donations this time around in my disgust at post Citizens-United campaign funding, tonight I am transmitting e-cash to the Obama campaign.

Mitt Romney is one sick biscuit. Enough of this neck and neck in the polls BS. It's time to take out the Romney-Ryan brain trust. This is war. And it doesn't need to be fought on November 6th. When you have the sickness, you don't wait--you bomb it with antibiotics or excise the infection. Mitt Romney is now a diseased part that needs to be chopped away. "Fell deeds, await. Now for wrath. Now for ruin, and the red dawn!" 

---o0o---

A most excellent photograph of the 29th President of the United States, Warren G. Harding

By Jack Brummet, Presidents Editor

Warren G. Harding was one of the most interesting, and most corrupt Presidents of the United States ever.  He was the first incumbent Senator ever to be elected President.  He was only President for a little over two years when he keeled over and died, not long after the Teapot Dome scandal broke.  History has not looked on his Presidency favorably, although his administration had several notable accomplishments, including halving the unemployment rate.

Historians have almost never given Harding positive presidential reviews, mainly due to the numerous scandals that enveloped his administration.  His presidency has therefore usually been ranked very low on the Presidential scale...right near the bottom.  The Wikipedia entry for Harding is pretty well-balanced captures both his highs and lows.  Check it out here. 

---o0o---

Paul Ryan—the man on horseback—rides in to save a moribund and faltering Romney campaign

By Pablo Fanque, National Affairs Editor 

Mitt Romney introduced Paul Ryan this morning as the "next President of the United States."  He later corrected himself, but, who knows?— he may have been right the first time.



I'm good with this choice. He's great for "the base" and ensures there will be exactly zero bleedthrough from the Democratic middle.  Isn't it funny that we don't have a good term for more conservative democrats?  Blue Dog Democrat probably comes closest.  The phrase "Moderate Republican" used to actually mean something.

Moderate Republicans unfortunately became extinct sometime around the time of the Millennium.   I now believe the Democrats can and will win this election (up to, and including, The Senate).  The GOP/Tea Party, and especially their candidate, keep lobbing incredibly sweet cream-puffs at the Dems. Sadly, I don't think any Veep candidate can much help the Ex-Governor's chances of taking the White House. . .unless they seal the candidate's mouth with duct tape until November 6th.

Mitt Romney has cashed his check.  The time of the Democrats has come.   Virtually every Romney supporter I've met is not really so much for Romney as they are against Obama.  BHO needs to get his message out there: the auto companies are booming and repaying the money he loaned them, with interest; Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae are profitable again; the TARP money has mostly proven to be a very good investment.  A little bit of health care reform went down on his watch too, on top of winding down wars on two fronts, ending Don't Ask/Don't tell, and (finally!) coming out in favor of same-sex marriage.   This could be a rout.

 

---o0o---

Notes on Ex-Governor Mitt Romney banging his head against the wall

By Pablo Fanque, National Affairs Editor

-1-

I suspect this is mild compared to what we will see in September and October.  It really feels like the longer he bobs and weaves around the issue of his tax returns, the more steamed up the opposition becomes.

Let's face it, even The Republican-Tea Party members are cringing and having second thoughts as the Democrats declare open season.

 

-2-

In 2004, Mitt Romney had this to say about John Kerry’s tendency to change his mind.   He starts off telling the audience that it's "standard operating procedure" in campaigns to "look at your opponent's record, you find someplace where he or she has changed positions and you say they're a flip-flopper."  He goes on:

"For those who don’t understand how he can be so vacillating, it stems from the fact that he is very conflicted, that he is drawn in two different directions very powerfully. If he’s with an audience, he wants to identify with and satisfy that audience, and will say what he thinks they want to hear. And if that audience, for instance, is on one side of an issue he’ll follow that, on another, he’ll follow another."

-3-

His numbers are sucking:

a) A recent Fox news poll (click on this link to see very detailed analysis of the poll) lists Obama pulling 49% of the vote and Romney 40%.  If the election were held today. Obama's lead in that poll comes from an 11% lead among independent voters.

b) Cnn:

-4-

The Ex-Governor is running scared.  

While his band of surrogates keep hectoring BHO, Mitt himself sounds like he'd just like us to just drop it.  He doesn't want to talk about his record anymore.  Early in the campaign, he brought up Bain in every single speech and appearance.  But he would now prefer to not discuss his time with Bain 

Romney said on Friday that both campaigns would benefit if they agreed that “attacks based upon business or family or taxes or things of that nature — that this is just — this is diversion.” Instead, he said in an interview with NBC News, he would prefer a setting where he and BHO could talk about issues and differences in their positions. Really?  This wouldn't seem so disingenuous had Mittens not spent the last year trumpeting his success at Bain, and how he planned to implement the Bain model nationally.  And as for the tax mess--both his proposed taxing schemes, and his own shadowy personal tax record--the less Mitt talks about taxes, the better he will be.  By not releasing his own tax information, The Ex-Governor has almost given up the right to talk about taxes at all. 

Mitt Romney is still allowing "members" of his team like Donald Trump to hammer away on the birther and Muslim non-issues, continuing to imply that the President is not an actual U.S. citizen, and that even if he is, he is really a Muslim who will implement Sharia Law as soon the instant he is sworn in for his second term.

As Republican strategist David Gergen said recently:  "I think the Obama campaign is outmaneuvering the Romney campaign. They've kept him on the defensive on his taxes and on Bain, which is a key foundation for his campaign," Gergen said. "This rat-a-tat of advertising, this avalanche of advertising has taken a toll."

Finally, Gergen said "It's now clear that Romney can't win this election by default. It's not an apple that's going to fall into his lap because the economy is weak. He's got to take it away from (Obama)."

-5-

Paul Ryan

Ex-Governor Mitt Romney was pretty much forced into selecting Paul Ryan has a running mate.  Paul Ryan will appeal to the "base" and even to the Tea-Party/Birther fringe.   But as to grabbing voters in the middle, or chiseling a few Dems into a Democrats For Romney movement?  Stillborn.  His choice for Vice President nets him nothing.  Nothing at all.  No votes, no momentum (a/k/a "The Big Mo"), and no gravitas. Romney's selection nets him zero votes--no one from the middle, and no one from the left.  And, as for the right/the base?  It leaves Mitt with a VP that most of his base would prefer was on top of the ticket

---o0o--

Mitt Romney's Wimp Factor

By Pablo Fanque, National Affairs Editor

Newsweek has really been on a roll this year.  Earlier, one of its covers  proclaimed President Obama the first gay president, for the repeal of don't ask/don't tell, and coming out for same sex marriage.  And now, they've come out with a cover that labels Mitt Romney a "wimp," or maybe just too insecure to be President.  

Michael Tomasky, wrote about Romney:  "He keeps saying these . . . things, these incredibly off-key things. Then he apologizes immediately — with all the sincerity of a hostage. Or maybe he doesn’t: sometimes he whines about the subsequent attacks on him. But the one thing he never does? Man up, double down, take his lumps."

Mitt's spokespeople, of course, dismissed the article.  “If I worried about what the media said I wouldn’t get much sleep,” said Romney. “And I'm able to sleep pretty well.”

Suddenly, the wimp label is starting to stick.  People were very disappointed that Mitt didn't get behind the Chick-fil-a President Dan Cathy, an issue conservatives peg to freedom of speech rather than about gay marriage.  As Newsweek reported, Romney s"aid the issue was not part of the campaign, leaving many to wonder if he was waiting for poll results before deciding which side to support."

---o0o---