2012 Presidential Election (free for all edition)

[12thMan]

Originally Posted by mlmpetert

I think your mean a million dollars. Sadly i wonder how long it is until we see a campaign that costs a billion? This year or 2016?

I thought this was kind of funny. We all remember Obama hooking his biggest bundlers up with jobs:

Report: Nearly 80% of Obama’s Top Bundlers Given “Key Administration Posts� - ABC News


Well by doing so it has complicated, and probably limited, the amount of money he can raise this go around. They cant campaign for him the way they did now that theyre part of the administration.

What Obama's Richest Donors Tell Us About His Campaign - Politics - The Atlantic Wire

Thanks for the catch.

Don't quote me, but I think combined we've surpassed a billion dollars in campaign spending. Pretty much disqualifies me from every running for POTUS.

[12thMan]

Originally Posted by Slingin Sammy 33

Bush and Congress left FY2009 (except DoD & DHS) under CR until after the election. Obama signed the FY2009 spending bills in March 2009. The Obama Administration and Dems in Congress had complete control until after the mid-terms, they've neglected to do anything about the fundamental problems in the budget.

This falls squarely on Obama, if he was serious about what's best for the country and not being an idealogue, he had the bully-pulpit, could've driven true "change" in DC, and gone down as one of the greatest POTUS. Instead he chose to govern from the far left and that hasn't worked out so well.

I'm not a Clinton fan, but the guy was a master politican and knew there were times to track to the center for the good of the country (or his party's re-election chances, either way it worked out).

Here's some details from WaPo: Is Obama responsible for a $5 trillion increase in the debt? - The Washington Post

Key takeaways from the link and a sublink:
- “While it’s true that revenue has decreased by a small amount, spending has soared — and it’s the role of a president to set a budget that ensures that spending stays in line with available revenue,” Fehrnstrom said. “President Obama has both increased non-defense discretionary spending and failed to propose any serious reforms to entitlement spending.” He noted that non-defense discretionary spending — annually appropriated by Congress — has increased significantly under Obama.

- The nation has a revenue problem and a spending problem — or else there would not be a deficit.

Just a couple other quick hits:
Why did Obama ignore his own Debt Commission?
WARREN BUFFETT: “Well it – you go back to what, you know, Kemp-Roth and all that that too that they were working on that. I think what happened with Simpson-Bowles was an absolute tragedy. I mean here are two extremely high-grade people. They have somewhat different ideas about government but they’re smart. They’re decent. They’ve got good senses of humor, too. They’re good at working with people.
They work like a devil for ten months or something like that. They compromise. They bring in people as far apart as Durbin and Coburn to get them to sign on and then they’re totally ignored. I think that’s a travesty.” (CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” 11/12/11)

Thoughts from Mark Warner: Senator Mark Warner talks debt reduction and Rep. Ryan plan – CNN Press Room - CNN.com Blogs

So Obama extends Bush tax cuts and he's governing from the far left? Congress (upheld by the Supreme Court) passed healthcare reform designed by a Republican and he's governing from the far left? Obama's done more for returning troops by way of mental healthcare, increasing veterans benefits, and addressing homelessness among our veterans and he's an ideologue? We've seen a dramatic decrease in the federal workers, while adding nearly 5 million private sector jobs and he's governing from the left?

C'mon, man. Sometimes...

[firstdown]

He has added 5 million jobs? So how is unemployment at 8.4%. I think you left off the 8 million he has lost. This chart deos not even include the number of new federal employees its going to need to inforce Obama Care.

This chart shows something a little different.

[12thMan]

Yep, the exact number is closer 4.6 million. Come November the number should, hopefully, be at 5 million. 29 consecutive months we've had private sector jobs. #fact

I like how you cite Heritage Foundation as your source about Obamacare. Cute.

[NC_Skins]

One Clue To Romney's Veep Pick: Whose Wiki Page Is Getting The Most Edits? : The Two-Way : NPR

Interesting.

[Slingin Sammy 33]

Originally Posted by Giantone

What about Wall Street ,you hammer Unions and forget about the uber weathly CEO's who took down Wall St in the first place ...UNDER BUSH's ...reign of terror.Lets not forget the Auto Industry is paying it back.

Government Bailout of Ford GM Chrysler and the Auto Industry


Very good break down of the whole thing!

The CEOs are split D & R. Some of the Wall St. firms receiving bailout money were big Obama contributors. Wall St. connected firms/individuals donated more to Obama over McCain in 2008.

The catalyst for the Wall St. meltdown was the mortgage crisis, which stemmed from lax lending practices started by Clinton's Making Homes Affordable plan. Even Clinton, along with the GOP in Congress, was raising red flags on Fannie/Freddie while Barney Frank, Maxine Waters and crew were saying everything's fine, nothing to see here.

The U.S. Dept. of Treasury has stated that when all is said and done U.S. taxpayers will have lost $23B total in the auto bailouts.

[Slingin Sammy 33]

Originally Posted by 12thMan

So Obama extends Bush tax cuts and he's governing from the far left? Congress (upheld by the Supreme Court) passed healthcare reform designed by a Republican and he's governing from the far left? Obama's done more for returning troops by way of mental healthcare, increasing veterans benefits, and addressing homelessness among our veterans and he's an ideologue? We've seen a dramatic decrease in the federal workers, while adding nearly 5 million private sector jobs and he's governing from the left?

C'mon, man. Sometimes...

You've got to stop parroting the talking points and look deeper.

- Obama had no choice in extending the Bush tax cuts, if he didn't the economy would be definitively worse than it already is and he wouldn't even have a shot at winning in Nov. His position is higher taxes and "spreading the wealth around" , no way to deny that.

- What a Dem controlled Congress passed was not what the GOP originally designed.

- Dramatic decrease in fed workers.....you need to check out your own liberal sites? Read this from Politifact:
http://www.thewarpath.net/newreply.p...reply&p=929070

From the link: "First, let’s look at federal government employment, which accounts for just 13 percent of all government employment. The number of federal workers has increased by 38,000 over the same period -- an increase of 1.4 percent.

And if you separate out the U.S. Postal Service, the growth was even bigger. Non-postal federal employment -- about 10 percent of all government employment -- increased over the same period by 139,000 workers, or 6.7 percent."

- Added 5M jobs???? Are you kidding me? This is from the Communist News Network in Jan. 2012, I know the private sector didn't add 6M jobs since then:
Did Obama really make government bigger? - Jan. 25, 2012
"The federal government has been one of the few areas that's grown during the economic downturn. The private sector remains down 1.1 million jobs from the start of 2009, while state and local governments have shed 635,000 positions.

Actual facts from Fox News in June 2012
By going back 27 months, Obama starts counting at the low point of employment for the private sector in February 2010 and tracks how far it has come. But counting farther back, since the end of the recession in June 2009, private-sector job gains have been much more modest, 3.1 million. That's a more meaningful measurement to economists.
Overall, the economy has lost 1.37 million jobs — 784,000 in the private sector — since Obama was inaugurated.
Read more: FACT CHECK: Where Obama, Romney missed mark | Fox News


Just thought I'd throw these out. Obama was rated by National Journal as the most liberal senator for 2007 and 10th most liberal in 2006.

Don't try to cover for Obama's far-left positions, he is who he is. He needs to just come out and make the case for European Socialism to the American people and let the chips fall where they may.
Obama’s Third-Party History - Stanley Kurtz - National Review Online


P.S. You never came up with an answer for me on the green energy (junk bond) loans?

[mlmpetert]

Originally Posted by Giantone

A Firefighter, a Postal Worker, a Veteran, and an Educator Have Dinner with Barack - YouTube

So this is like a lottery thing? Donate to Obama and you might win a golden ticket?

And ill make this promise. If we ever run into each other ill buy you a dr.... err donate to Obama.

Barack Obama would like you to stop drinking and donate, please. :: Naked DC

[mlmpetert]

Originally Posted by 12thMan

Thanks for the catch.

Don't quote me, but I think combined we've surpassed a billion dollars in campaign spending. Pretty much disqualifies me from every running for POTUS.

I saw or heard something a little while back that there was a legit estimate (probably from Heritage) that Democrats might spend over a billion this year. Democrats rebuffed but i think they said it would be around 750.

I think democrats normally spend more, but i would think normally a mid cycle election would be less or the same as 4 years earlier.

Ill see if i can find it later so not just to speculate.

[NC_Skins]

Originally Posted by Slingin Sammy 33

Don't try to cover for Obama's far-left positions, he is who he is.

President Obama Signed the National Defense Authorization Act - Now What? - Forbes

Guantanamo Bay: Still Open, Despite Promises - ABC News


Obama to Send More Troops to Afghanistan So Administration Has More Time to Evaluate Conflict

Obama’s ‘kill list’ is unchecked presidential power - The Washington Post

Obama drone strikes: The president ordered more than George W. Bush - Slate Magazine

Patriot Act Extension Signed By Obama

Obama signs bill to extend Bush-era tax cuts for two more years

Libya airstrikes: Obama defends Libya mission - Los Angeles Times


Far left? Has to be the funniest thing I've read to date in regards to Obama. He's more like you guys than you'll ever know.

Originally Posted by Slingin Sammy 33

You've got to stop parroting the talking points and look deeper.

The irony here is so overwhelming.

[MTK]

Far left? I wish.

[mlmpetert]

New Obama Fundraising Email Offers Court Time with ‘Michael Freaking Jordan’ | TheBlaze.com

Donate 3 dollars or so and youll be entered into a raffle to watch a bunch of basketball "heroes" (including Carmello Anthony) play.

[saden1]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

Far left? I wish.

If Obama isn't far left who is? Dennis Kucinich? Bernie Sanders?

[saden1]

Originally Posted by mlmpetert

New Obama Fundraising Email Offers Court Time with ‘Michael Freaking Jordan’ | TheBlaze.com

Donate 3 dollars or so and youll be entered into a raffle to watch a bunch of basketball "heroes" (including Carmello Anthony) play.

Why is this interesting? I would think the article that's linked in the story is far more interesting with nuggets like:

Overall however Obama and the Democrats are ahead in the race for cash, having raised about $627 million to date compared with the $495 million raised by Romney and the Republicans.

Meanwhile Romney out-raised Obama by more than $35 million in June and May. RNC Chairman Reince Priebus told the press on Monday that the figures were a sign that Romney's campaign was resonating with voters. More than 94 percent of all donations received last month were for $250 or less, the Romney campaign announced. Those 600,627 contributions totaled $25.7 million of the haul.

[Slingin Sammy 33]

Originally Posted by NC_Skins

President Obama Signed the National Defense Authorization Act - Now What? - Forbes

Guantanamo Bay: Still Open, Despite Promises - ABC News


Obama to Send More Troops to Afghanistan So Administration Has More Time to Evaluate Conflict

Obama’s ‘kill list’ is unchecked presidential power - The Washington Post

Obama drone strikes: The president ordered more than George W. Bush - Slate Magazine

Patriot Act Extension Signed By Obama

Obama signs bill to extend Bush-era tax cuts for two more years

Libya airstrikes: Obama defends Libya mission - Los Angeles Times


Far left? Has to be the funniest thing I've read to date in regards to Obama. He's more like you guys than you'll ever know.

You make the mistake of believing all conservatives agree with unchecked military power. Some of the provisions in the NDA and Patriot Act are necessary, but certainly others....particularly those that apply to U.S. citizens may need to be re-evaluated.

Far-left politics - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia