Monthly Archives: August 2012
McCain says Romney tax returns show he paid Uncle Sam
According to numerous news sources Republican Tea Party (GOTP) 2008 presidential runner up John McCain, whose team reviewed years of GOTP 2012 presidential wannabe Willard Mitt Romney’s tax history as part of a so-called vice presidential vetting process, is claiming there’s nothing in Willard’s returns to suggest he ducked years of tax obligations.
“I am absolutely confident that [Romney] … did pay taxes.” McCain told the Las Vegas Sun. “Nothing in his tax returns showed that he did not pay taxes.”
Of course, we’ll have to take his word for it since neither Romney nor McCain can offer any proof debunking claims Willard’s allegedly neglected to pay taxes for almost a decade, a claim made by Democratic Senate Majority Leader (and fellow Latter-day Saint) Harry Reid. Reid told The Huffington Post a source — a former Bain investor — had told him Romney “didn’t pay any taxes for 10 years.”
Romney, along with conservative talking heads (Limbaugh, Hannity, Huckabee et al.) have been furiously denying the claims, but thus far the proof has been lacking; the proof of course lies in Romney’s tax records and he’s refusing to release those, insisting American voters will just have to trust him when he says he paid “a lot of taxes”.
For Willard the tax question just continues to grow, earlier this week – in a grand show of the hypocrisy for which he is now famous – it was learned he’d required all those being “vetted” as his possible running mates to release several tax returns to his campaign, this of course while he continues to refuse to release any of his. Romney’s going to release his tax records – sooner or later – and it’s going to hurt him, but the continued hiding of what may or may not be there continues to make him look shady.
McCain says Ryan as #2 on ticket was ‘A Bold Choice’ just like Palin?
Republican Tea Party (GOTP) 2008 presidential bride’s maid, Senator John McCain has decided to weigh in on GOTP 2012 presidential wannabe Willard Mitt Romney’s choice of Tea Party (TP) darling Paul Ryan as his running mate saying in a “Fox News Sunday” interview that it was an “excellent choice”. Of course this is the man who foisted Sarah Palin on American as his running mate.
McCain said vice presidential picks can provide a boost in battleground states, something that didn’t seem to occur to him in 2008 and something that doesn’t seem to be behind Willard’s choice either, and McCain has spent, and continues to spend, a great deal of time trying to justify his questionable choice of Palin.
“First of all, the selection is made as to who will best help you get nominated and who you believe is best suited for the role of vice president of the United States,” McCain said. “At that time — I’m still proud of my running mate. I’m proud of Sarah and her family and I’m proud of the work that we did.”
I’m certain Willard’s overjoyed to have McCain’s approval, being an expert of who and what makes a good running mate choice and all.
Latest 2012 Presidential Polls – 14 Aug 12 Edition
Twelve weeks to go until the November election and the Republican Tea Party (GOTP) presidential wanna-be Willard Mitt Romney’s decided to try to shake things up by selecting Tea Party (TP) darling Congressman Paul Ryan as his running mate, and he’s still trying to dodge the need to release his tax records, but now it seems he’s required his VP candidates to release many years of tax records to his campaign before he could select them, nothing like hypocrisy on a grand level.
So, how does the GOTP candidate stand up against the President?
The last favorability CNN/Opinion Research poll of registered voters conducted from 7 – 8 Aug 12, showed the President with a 54% favorability rating compared to Romney’s 48%.
So, who’s more electable right now?
In the most recent viable’ national poll(s) – which are any group other than the Washington Times or Rasmussen (which are generally always skewed not just to the right, but far to the right) – the most current IBD/CSM/TIPP poll of registered voters conducted 3 – 10 Aug 12, if the general election were held today:
President Obama 46/Romney 39
The most recent CNN/Opinion Research poll of registered voters conducted 7 – 8 Aug 12, if the general election were held today:
President Obama 52/Romney 45
And finally, the most recent Reuters/Ipsos poll of registered voters conducted 2 – 6 Aug 12, if the general election were held today:
President Obama 49/Romney 42
If the general election was held today, according to national polls, Willard Mitt Romney loses to President Obama in the general election.
According to state polls, if the General Election were held TODAY (note these are based on current poll numbers – not projections), the Electoral College totals based on all available current poll numbers the President defeats Romney 347/191:
Results of 15 consecutive simulations based on poll data as of 14 Aug 12
Obama 319/219
Obama 297/241
Obama 295/243
Obama/Romney 269/269
Obama 317/221
Obama 287/251
Obama 274/264
Obama 318/220
Obama 292/246
Obama 279/259
Romney 273/265
Obama 332/206
Obama 314/224
Obama 291/247
Romney 277/261
Of 15 simulations Romney manages only two victories and one tie, while the President not only beats Romney but beats him by a landslide more than half the time defeating Romney 12/3.
Romney forced VP contenders to provide ‘Several’ Years of Tax Returns?
According to news sources, Republican Tea Party (GOTP) presidential wannabe, Willard Mitt Romney requested “several” years of tax returns from his potential running mates; a fact released by a senior adviser to the campaign and one which suggests those Willard was considering were required to reveal more financial documents than he’s been willing to, and reveling yet another level of abject hypocrisy from Romney.
While talking to reporters Saturday, senior adviser Beth Myers – allegedly in charge of the VP selection process – evidently declined to specify exactly how many years of tax returns were required, saying only that “several” were requested in yet another stumbling blunder of a Romney staffer, and one that will only serve to draw renewed attention to Romney’s unwillingness to release his own tax records. To date Willard’s released one year (2010) and that’s not a complete record, as well as a so-called “estimate for his 2011 taxes”; it was Romney’s father, George who while running for the republican nomination in 1968, released 12 years of income tax records.
According to the Huffington Post, former Minnesota GOTP governor Tim Pawlenty told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos on Sunday’s “This Week,” that he’d submitted “a bunch of tax returns” to the Romney campaign as part of being vetted.
“Well, I don’t know the exact number, George, but I — you know, there were several years, I believe,” Pawlenty said.
Stephanopoulos didn’t let Pawlenty off so easily and further asked whether it was more than two years of returns, to which Pawlenty responded, “Well, we don’t get into the details of the vetting process, but I gave them a bunch of tax returns. I don’t remember the exact number of years.”
There’s no doubt whatsoever the choice to not release his tax records has hurt Romney’s chances in a big way, coupled with hundreds of millions squirreled away in off shore accounts it’s made him look as though he was hiding something; but to require a vice presidential pick to provide you with tax records in order to be vetted while you stubbornly refuse to provide the same to the American people – so as to be vetted – smacks of rank insincerity, double standards and duplicity and it’s very likely Willard’s going to continue paying – and paying big – for his obstinacy.
Private Sector is Doing Fine – 10 Aug 12 Edition
“The private sector is doing fine” ~ President Obama
“I think he’s really defining what it means to be out of touch with reality.” ~ Willard Mitt Romney
In the 2nd Quarter the following earnings were reported by the private sector:
Yahoo reported $1.08 billion
Facebook reported $1.2 billion
EBay reported $3.4 billion
Macy’s reported $6.12 billion
Travelers reported $6.36 billion
McDonald’s reported $6.92 billion
Morgan Stanley reported $7 billion
Amazon.com reported $12.8 billion
Google reported $12.21 billion
United Parcel Service (UPS) reported $13.4 billion
Coca-Cola reported $13.09 billion
Intel reported $13.5 billion
Pfizer reported $15.1 billion
Johnson & Johnson reported $16.5 billion
Microsoft reported $18.06 billion
Citigroup reported $18.4 billion
Procter & Gamble reported $20.2 billion
Bank of America reported $22.2 billion
IBM reported $25.8 billion
Verizon reported $28.6 billion
AT&T reported $31.6 billion
Following are fourth quarter earnings:
News Corp. reported $8.4 billion
The private sector added 163,000 jobs in July, according to the ADP report. Analysts had been expecting an increase of 120,000.
The Conference Board’s gauge of consumer confidence rose to 65.9 in July from 62.7 in June, better than the 61.5 economists expected.
The manufacturing sector in the U.S. Midwest expanded at a slightly swifter pace in July than it did the month before. The Institute for Supply Management-Chicago’s PMI gauge came in at 53.7, higher than expectations of 52.5 and a reading of 52.9 in June.
Home prices in 20 major U.S. metropolitan areas climbed 2.2% in May from the month before on a non-seasonally adjusted basis, according the S&P/Case-Shiller report. That came in stronger than the 1.5% gain economists expected.
U.S. housing starts jumped 6.9% in June from May to a 760,000-unit rate, topping estimates of a 745,000-unit rate and marking the highest rate since October 2008.
Stock Market was 8077.56 on 19 Jan 09 and 13207.95 on Aug 12
Who’s out of touch Mitt?
Latest 2012 Presidential Polls – 07 Aug 12 Edition
Thirteen weeks until the November election and the Republican Tea Party (GOTP) presidential wanna-be Willard Mitt Romney’s still trying to dodge the need to release his tax records and the heat’s now been turned on by Senate Leader Harry Reid who announced on floor of the United States Senate that he’d received a phone call from a former Bain investor who claimed Willard hadn’t paid any taxes in ten years; Romney’s campaign turned around and told Senator Reid to prove it, and to “put up or shut up”. Oddly enough that’s how Willard could solve this problem, he could put up and then everyone else would shut up.
So, how does the GOTP candidate stand up against the President?
The last favorability Pew Research poll of registered voters conducted from 16 – 26 Jul 12, showed the President with a 50% favorability rating compared to Romney’s 37%. No candidate has ever even come close to winning the presidency with such pathetic favorability ratings.
So, who’s more electable right now?
In the most recent viable’ national poll(s) – which are any group other than the Washington Times or Rasmussen (which are generally always skewed not just to the right, but far to the right) – the most current Gallup Tracking poll of registered voters conducted 31 Jul – 06 Aug 12, if the general election were held today:
President Obama 46/Romney 46
The most recent Pew Research poll of registered voters conducted 16 – 26 Jul 12, if the general election were held today:
President Obama 51/Romney 41
And finally, the most recent Democracy Corps (D) poll of likely voters conducted 21 – 25 Jul 12, if the general election were held today:
President Obama 50/Romney 46
If the general election was held today, according to national polls, Willard Mitt Romney loses to President Obama in the general election.
According to state polls, if the General Election were held TODAY (note these are based on current poll numbers – not projections), the Electoral College totals based on all available current poll numbers the President defeats Romney 347/191:
Results of 15 consecutive simulations based on poll data as of 07 Aug 12
Obama 324/214
Obama 302/236
Obama 325/213
Obama 286/252
Obama 319/219
Obama 288/250
Obama 312/226
Romney 273/265
Obama 347/191
Romney 271/267
Obama 347/191
Obama 320/218
Obama 304/234
Obama 342/196
Obama 311/227
Of 15 simulations Romney manages only three victories, while the President not only beats Romney but beats him by a landslide more than half the time defeating Romney 12/3.
Priebus says Reid’s a “dirty liar”?
The blogosphere is a buzz with Republican Tea Party (GOTP) National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus’ manly attack on United States Senator Harry Reid on Sunday, while attempting to defend GOTP presidential wonder boy Willard Mitt Romney’s reluctance to release any tax records, at one point calling the Senate majority leader a “dirty liar” for his accusation Willard hasn’t paid any taxes for more than ten years.
“As far as Harry Reid is concerned, listen, I know you might want to go down that road. I’m not going to respond to a dirty liar,” Priebus told ABC’s “This Week” host George Stephanopoulos. “If that’s on the agenda, I’m not going go there. This is just a made-up issue,” Priebus declared while prancing down the very road he claimed he wasn’t going to go down.
“You’re saying you’re not going to go down that road?” Stephanopoulos responded. “You just called him a dirty liar. You stand by that — you think Harry Reid is a dirty liar?”
“I just said it,” Priebus said.
Senator Reid has said he’d heard from an early Bain Capital investor who claimed Willard didn’t pay taxes for a decade; and while an ever increasing number of politicians on both sides of the aisle are calling on Romney to release more of his tax returns so as to dispel the rumor, Priebus continued to respond.
“I think this president has a problem with the American dream,” he mewed. “That he would trot out Harry Reid and try to divide this country and spread this division and hatred, it’s ridiculous, it’s wrong, it’s untrue.”
Democratic National Committee Chair Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz said Romney could end all the discussion by releasing his returns.
“I do know that Mitt Romney could clear this up in 10 seconds by releasing the 23 years of tax returns that he gave to John McCain when he was being vetted for vice president, ” Wasserman Schultz said. “Because one year of tax returns, like he’s released, could just be for show.”
When Senator Reid went to the floor of the Senate this past week making his accusations, fellow Senator John McCain sat nearby; McCain has in his possession 23 years worth of Romney’s tax records, records he presumably looked at in 2008 while vetting Willard for his possible VP choice, and yet Senator McCain didn’t stand and dispute Reid’s claim. It’s all becoming “curiouser and curiouser!”
The Liberty Tree 