2012 U.S. Presidential Election

[Roy Karrde]

Roy, people were saying that the country was at risk of slipping into a full-scale depression.

To compare an actual depression to the situation we have now, according to an online textbook I looked up, the unemployment rate in the United States averaged around 25% during the Great Depression. And it was worse in other countries, reaching 33% in some.

Now, call everything Obama has done a failure, but he has prevented such a crisis from happening.

And instead of actually not wasting 800 billion dollars and allowing those companies to fail and then we rebound our economy, we have had 3 years of stagnation, with atleast from what the CBO is reporting atleast two more to come.

Might I add, the DJIA has flirted with its highest close in years.

Which means very little, I point you to what Democratic Strategists are saying.

Democratic pollster Stanley Greenberg is out with a must-read polling memo this morning, which offers some eye-opening advice to President Obama and his re-election team. After testing several of the president’s economic messages, he finds the argument that the economy is back on the right track polls miserably – and “produces disastrous results.”

“It is weaker than even the weakest Republican message and is 10 points weaker in intensity than either Republican message,” Greenberg wrote. “A third said this message made them less likely to support Barack Obama. Alarmingly, this message barely receives majority support among self-identified Democrats – and even less support among all other groups.”

The memo reads as a glaring wake-up call to the White House, which has been trumpeting improving economic figures lately. Greenberg notes that voters are reporting “no improvement” in their job situation since last June, and have experienced reduced wages and benefits and health insurance coverage. The picture Greenberg’s polling paints is an America public still deeply pessimistic about their future, and skeptical of Obama’s handling of the economy.

http://decoded.nationaljournal.com/2...dont-think.php

If any Democrat wishes to run on the message of "Happy days are here again" PLEASE be my guest.

[Dark Sage]

If any Democrat wishes to run on the message of "Happy days are here again" PLEASE be my guest.

Did I say that? Please don't put words in my mouth.

The country isn't in great shape, but I don't see the GOP offering any solutions. They simply been anti-Obama for the past three years.

Before you go into detail about the bills they've tried to pass, please look at them closely. They were all ridiculous and would have accomplished nothing.

They waste time with repelate bills that die in the Senate, bring up issues like keeping "In God We Trust" on our currency, and dubunk every policy that Obama tries to impose.

In fact, I sincerely believe that if the Affordable Health Care Act were initiated by a Republican President (as Romney might have if he had been nominated and elected in 2008) no-one would have any problem with it. The GOP can't stand the fact that they aren't running things.

And after the mess at that debate on Wednesday, I think they've hurt their chances of "running things" a great deal.

[Roy Karrde]

Did I say that? Please don't put words in my mouth.

By quoting the DOW you are inferring that the economy is getting better.

The country isn't in great shape, but I don't see the GOP offering any solutions. They simply been anti-Obama for the past three years.

Before you go into detail about the bills they've tried to pass, please look at them closely. They were all ridiculous and would have accomplished nothing.

They waste time with repelate bills that die in the Senate, bring up issues like keeping "In God We Trust" on our currency, and dubunk every policy that Obama tries to impose.

Really? All 30+ bills the GOP House has passed are ridiculous and accomplish nothing? I thought you were only posting facts.

Lets look at a few shall we?

The Small Company Capital Formation bill changes SEC rules to allow companies to sell up to $50 million in shares without filing lengthy paperwork — and its equivalent passed the House by a vote of 421 to 1. Sen. Pat Toomey has introduced the companion measure in the Senate, and his bill enjoys the support of numerous Democratic co-sponsors.

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison’s Shareholder Registration Thresholds bill would increase the number of shareholders permitted to invest in a community bank from 500 to 2,000. Its House version passed the lower chamber by a slightly smaller margin than Sen. Toomey’s bill — or 420 to 2. Democratic senators Claire McCaskill, Ben Nelson and Mark Pryor are co-sponsors.

The Access to Capital for Job Creators act, sponsored by Sen. John Thune, would eliminate an SEC regulation that inhibits companies from reaching out to potential investors in order to raise capital. More than 400 members of the House voted for its equivalent, too — 175 of them Democrats.

The House version of Sen. Scott Brown’s Democratizing Access to Capital act drew the support of 169 House Democrats — and 407 members of the House total. It would change SEC regulations that inhibit entrepreneurs from raising capital among large groups of small dollar investors.

Atleast 4 of the GOP's 30+ job bills have drawn MASSIVE support, and yet the Democrats in the Senate have held it up. So does that mean that all of these Democratic congressmen believe they are ridiculous and accomplish nothing?

In fact, I sincerely believe that if the Affordable Health Care Act were initiated by a Republican President (as Romney might have if he had been nominated and elected in 2008) no-one would have any problem with it. The GOP can't stand the fact that they aren't running things.

Doubtful, Washington may not want to repeal it, but the states which bear the burden of the ridiculous law would be jumping at the chance to repeal it.

[Dark Sage]

In other news...

Rick Santorum has publically denounced Mr. Obama for his apology for the accidental burning of several copies of the Quran, the incident that has caused a crisis in Afghanistan. He says that the President showed "weakness" by doing so.

Mr. Santorum, if I may be blunt... Apologizing does not show weakness, it shows class, compassion, and understanding, all things you would not know if they punched you in the face. I'll bet you would demand an apology from the ruler of Afghanistan if it had been members of his militia burning copies of the Bible.

That's my $0.02

[Dark Sage]

Romney seems to agree with Santorum here. Big surprise.

Come to think of it, apologizing is something that Republicans seem to be loath to do. I certainly never heard the words "I'm sorry" come out of Bush's mouth. Limbaugh apologized once in his career, i believe. Every other time he said something that turned out to be a boldfaced lie, he made excuses.

Obama has to apologize. We need the support of the government of Afghanistan. Because the GOP doesn't want to raise taxes, we lack the funds to fight the Taliban by ourselves. And unless we discover a cave full of pirates' treasure somewhere on US soil, we aren't going to get the funds.

The GOP is just showing how desperate they are to paint the President as incompetent by making statements like this. I ask Santorum and Romney... Since you're so concerned about family values, didn't your parents ever tell you to apologize when you did something wrong? Even if it was an accident?

Mine sure did. 'Nuff said.

[Roy Karrde]

Romney seems to agree with Santorum here. Big surprise.

Come to think of it, apologizing is something that Republicans seem to be loath to do. I certainly never heard the words "I'm sorry" come out of Bush's mouth. Limbaugh apologized once in his career, i believe. Every other time he said something that turned out to be a boldfaced lie, he made excuses.

You don't remember Abu Gharab?

Obama has to apologize. We need the support of the government of Afghanistan. Because the GOP doesn't want to raise taxes, we lack the funds to fight the Taliban by ourselves. And unless we discover a cave full of pirates' treasure somewhere on US soil, we aren't going to get the funds.

The hell? You honestly think the Afghanistan Government is helping pay for this war?

The GOP is just showing how desperate they are to paint the President as incompetent by making statements like this. I ask Santorum and Romney... Since you're so concerned about family values, didn't your parents ever tell you to apologize when you did something wrong? Even if it was an accident?

Mine sure did. 'Nuff said.

So umm... when will the Afghanistani's be apologizing for all the troops their own people are killing in response?

You're right, he should have said 'Fuck you and your book of spells', that would've been much better

Which, although you weren't implying he SHOULD say that instead of apologising, the Afghan people would have taken the absence of an apology as such. The USA has alienated nearly every nation on the planet in the last 10 years with its rather careless attitude to the sentiments and feelings of other cultures, any President would do well to at least pretend they care about it and to start repairing the wounds.

I agree it is a damned if you do, damned if you don't approach, I just wonder if not apologizing may have helped take out much of the legitimacy of this and allowed it to blow over. Because apparently now after the apology the backlash has become even larger, in Libya for example after it was heard Obama apologized they went and desecrated the grave site of thousands of British troops.

[Dark Sage]

I am not saying for one minute that the riots and the murder of American troops was justified. The Taliban has clearly used this incident as a propaganda device, as terrorists often do.

But not apologizing would have been the equivalent of him saying "screw you" and would have made it worse. It would have also lowered the chances of the Afghan government helping to quell this violence and punish the two murders to almost nonexistent.

[Roy Karrde]

I am not saying for one minute that the riots and the murder of American troops was justified. The Taliban has clearly used this incident as a propaganda device, as terrorists often do.

But not apologizing would have been the equivalent of him saying "screw you" and would have made it worse. It would have also lowered the chances of the Afghan government helping to quell this violence and punish the two murders to almost nonexistent.

As opposed to what? Now that he has apologized and given it legitimacy you have even more murderers out there, not to mention no court would dare punish them. And besides what has the Afghan Government done to quell the violence? It seems like nothing, especially with the grenade attack today.

I don't really see how the events are linked, no news source I can find, reputable or otherwise, seems to be linking the apology and further violence, only the continuing violence amidst an apology.

"Smashed: The mob rampaged through the grave yard after President Barack Obama apologised for U.S. soldiers burning the Koran"

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz1nWr31pCQ

There is form on this as well. Bush's White House apologises after a soldier shot their books of spells. It's not like this is completely unheard of for a US president to do, considering how rare instances are (or at least how rare they are to be reported, I can image dozens of similar incidents that don't see the light of day).

I agree its not unheard of, I just hate that we are the ones apologizing for a fucking book, while our troops are paying the ultimate price.

[Dark Sage]

Roy, I have many Islamic friends who would take issue at the Quran being called a "fucking book". Like I said, if it had been a bunch of Bibles that had been burned, Santorum would be singing a different tune.

[Roy Karrde]

Roy, I have many Islamic friends who would take issue at the Quran being called a "fucking book". Like I said, if it had been a bunch of Bibles that had been burned, Santorum would be singing a different tune.

Oh I bet, I just question the values of anyone who would put a book over the lives of actual people, be it the Bible, Quran, or anything else.

[Heald]

"Smashed: The mob rampaged through the grave yard after President Barack Obama apologised for U.S. soldiers burning the Koran"

[Link]

Just because it happened 'after' doesn't mean it happened 'in response to'. Every news outlet is reporting it is continuing anger, with no one actually linking it to the apology.

I agree its not unheard of, I just hate that we are the ones apologizing for a fucking book, while our troops are paying the ultimate price.

Act like the bigger nation, since, guess what, you are the bigger nation. Your culture is 1000 years more advanced than theirs. Sure, you could start killing random Middle-Eastern people who are living in the US, but you're not. If you can't deal with the anger of a people of a nation you have willingly invaded, then don't invade. The Middle East has the mentality of Dark Ages Europe, thinking its alright to barbarically maim and kill anyone for spurious reasons. This would be fine if they also didn't have Russian weapons lying all over the fucking place. At the end of the day, all death in war is completely senseless, whether it is on the battlefield or because someone is pissed off over a book of spells.

[Roy Karrde]

Just because it happened 'after' doesn't mean it happened 'in response to'. Every news outlet is reporting it is continuing anger, with no one actually linking it to the apology.

Fair enough, the article seems to believe the two are linked. As by placing it after it suggests that the apology set them off, which it very well may have, as otherwise they could have done it days before.

Act like the bigger nation, since, guess what, you are the bigger nation. Your culture is 1000 years more advanced than theirs. Sure, you could start killing random Middle-Eastern people who are living in the US, but you're not. If you can't deal with the anger of a people of a nation you have willingly invaded, then don't invade. The Middle East has the mentality of Dark Ages Europe, thinking its alright to barbarically maim and kill anyone for spurious reasons. This would be fine if they also didn't have Russian weapons lying all over the fucking place. At the end of the day, all death in war is completely senseless, whether it is on the battlefield or because someone is pissed off over a book of spells.

I agree, we shouldn't have to deal with people with the mentality of the Dark Ages, because there is no way to deal with it. This should serve as a example that next time we just blow the shit out of the place from our ships and airplanes and let them pick up the ruins.

[Heald]

I agree it is a damned if you do, damned if you don't approach, I just wonder if not apologizing may have helped take out much of the legitimacy of this and allowed it to blow over. Because apparently now after the apology the backlash has become even larger, in Libya for example after it was heard Obama apologized they went and desecrated the grave site of thousands of British troops.

I don't really see how the events are linked, no news source I can find, reputable or otherwise, seems to be linking the apology and further violence, only the continuing violence amidst an apology.

There is form on this as well. Bush's White House apologises after a soldier shot their books of spells. It's not like this is completely unheard of for a US president to do, considering how rare instances are (or at least how rare they are to be reported, I can image dozens of similar incidents that don't see the light of day).

[Dark Sage]

New polls are out.

http://www.politico.com/polls/politi...ound-poll.html

I suggest everyone read the entire article.

I'm certain that Roy will post soon, saying that these polls are screwed or inaccurate. I'm not even going to argue with him when he does.

[Roy Karrde]

Nah considering that is one poll out of three that shows Obama ahead, USA Today has Obama losing swing states, as does Rasmussen. Making the Politico one the outlier of the group. But hey, any poll showing any candidate up or down, is absurd right now as the Republicans still have not chosen a nominee, and neither have really debated or gotten into it yet.

[Dark Sage]

Uh, Roy?

The two polls you posted have Obama trailing by an average of two percentage points behind Romney in individual states, and an average of five behind Santorum (who is about as electable as a tree stump at this point). The poll I posted has Obama leading them both by double digit numbers in a nationwide poll.

I rest my case.

[Roy Karrde]

Uh, Roy?

The two polls you posted have Obama trailing by an average of two percentage points behind Romney in individual states, and an average of five behind Santorum (who is about as electable as a tree stump at this point). The poll I posted has Obama leading them both by double digit numbers in a nationwide poll.

I rest my case.

Yes I said swing states as those are where the break down is, as these states will be what decide the election. Gallup/USA Today also has a national poll. Romney and Obama are tied, Santorum leads Obama right now.

I rest my case.

[Blademaster]

Herald's

*Heald's

I think people make that mistake on purpose now. It's like a nickname.

[Dark Sage]

In other news...

Romney is the probable winner in Arizona tonight, and is leading in Michigan.

The biggest surprise is, Santorum is starting to lose the support of Catholic voters, if the exit polls are any indication. He appears to have gotten only 30% of the Catholic vote this time.

[Dark Sage]

What follows is an editorial opinion. Opposing viewpoints are welcome.

This thread has been rather quiet lately. Maybe it’s because of the disgrace that the GOP has become.

Due to Rush Limbaugh’s chauvinistic… No, check that, misogynistic statements that he refuses to recant, the Republican candidates have practically lost the edge they had against Obama on the contraception issue. Santorum can argue until he’s blue in the face that the issue is about religion, but the only women voters who he’ll draw to his side because of it are nuns. Maybe.

And the way Santorum and Romney’s enmity (calling a “rivalry” at this point doesn’t seem to fit) keeps getting dirtier, you’d think their names were Hatfield and McCoy. I have seen such an immature political fight in my lifetime.

When a Republican these days opens his mouth, I hear stupidity. Then Obama speaks, and I hear logical talk explaining why what the Republicans say is stupid. All the people who eight months ago were chanting “Anyone but Obama in 2012!”… Golly, I wonder where those guys are? I haven’t heard from them in a long time.

What's my point? Obama hardly needs to do anything to win re-election. His opponents are doing a good job of making sure of that for him.

That’s my two cents.

[Roy Karrde]

What follows is an editorial opinion. Opposing viewpoints are welcome.

This thread has been rather quiet lately. Maybe it’s because of the disgrace that the GOP has become.

Or you know its because you keep losing debates and running away.

Due to Rush Limbaugh’s chauvinistic… No, check that, misogynistic statements that he refuses to recant, the Republican candidates have practically lost the edge they had against Obama on the contraception issue. Santorum can argue until he’s blue in the face that the issue is about religion, but the only women voters who he’ll draw to his side because of it are nuns. Maybe.

Except it is still about religion, Rush Limbaugh is a shock jock, a talk show host that throws out things to get ratings. And really what he said was pretty tame comparatively to what has been said about this woman by other radio show hosts. That being said it does not take away the underlying issue, and that is Obama violated the Separation of Church and State.

And the way Santorum and Romney’s enmity (calling a “rivalry” at this point doesn’t seem to fit) keeps getting dirtier, you’d think their names were Hatfield and McCoy. I have seen such an immature political fight in my lifetime.

Missed the Clinton/Obama fighting didnt cha? Because if you say you have not seen such immature political fighting in your life time then you really must have had a blind eye in 2008.

When a Republican these days opens his mouth, I hear stupidity. Then Obama speaks, and I hear logical talk explaining why what the Republicans say is stupid. All the people who eight months ago were chanting “Anyone but Obama in 2012!”… Golly, I wonder where those guys are? I haven’t heard from them in a long time.

What's my point? Obama hardly needs to do anything to win re-election. His opponents are doing a good job of making sure of that for him.

That’s my two cents.

Please, have Obama do nothing for 2012, by your logic McCain should have coasted to a victory. Now I realize Obama has been a miserable cluster fuck, and he really doesn't have anything to run on, so please let him set back. He will be out on his ass before he knows it.

[Dark Sage]

I'll give an example of what I'm talking about. This happened just today.

Obama was holding a fundraiser in New York. A heckler (who did not have the floor, and was completely out of line) shouted, "Use your leadership! No war with Iran!"

That was the stupidy spouted by the GOP.

Here was the President's reply to her, which showed how stupid it was.

"Nobody's announced a war, young lady, but we appreciate your sentiment. You're jumping the gun a little bit there."

He by all rights should have had security show her out. But he proved he was the bigger man, and the smarter one.

[Roy Karrde]

I'll give an example of what I'm talking about. This happened just today.

Obama was holding a fundraiser in New York. A heckler (who did not have the floor, and was completely out of line) shouted, "Use your leadership! No war with Iran!"

That was the stupidy spouted by the GOP.

Here was the President's reply to her, which showed how stupid it was.

"Nobody's announced a war, young lady, but we appreciate your sentiment. You're jumping the gun a little bit there."

He by all rights should have had security show her out. But he proved he was the bigger man, and the smarter one.

So because a left wing ( and really saying it was someone from the GOP is rather idiotic seeing how the left is the one that has been protesting against any action with Iran ) protester shouted at a event, and he responded to it, that shows he is a bigger/smarter man? You realize how many times at events a protester shouts something out at the candidate and they are forced to respond or else let it linger?

[Dark Sage]

Roy, I can't remember any sitting President except Obama getting hecklers at all. This has happened before, in case you forgot. By a member of the House, if I recall.

There has been a sad lack of respect for this man ever since he took office. Even if he is a bad President, he isn't getting the respect that a man holding the position deserves.

[Roy Karrde]

Roy, I can't remember any sitting President except Obama getting hecklers at all. This has happened before, in case you forgot. By a member of the House, if I recall.

There has been a sad lack of respect for this man ever since he took office. Even if he is a bad President, he isn't getting the respect that a man holding the position deserves.

You must really have selective amnesia, and I mean like really bad selective amnesia, you really seem to need to check that out.

Because seemingly not only have you forgotten key events like say Bush having shoes thrown at him in Iraq. But also him getting heckled at events, and hell you seem to have even forgotten the utter pathetic lack of respect he got since he got office. ( Stole a election, caused 9/11, war for oil, wants to strip seniors of social security, hates Black people, the list goes on and on and on ).

[Dark Sage]

Maybe it is. Still, talking about sex isn't as taboo as it used to be. I point to the success of Sex in the City as one example.

[Heald]

Maybe it is. Still, talking about sex isn't as taboo as it used to be. I point to the success of Sex in the City as one example.

Sex in the City talks about 3 whores and a donkey having sex, which isn't the same thing as talking about sex.

[Dark Sage]

Here's something to think about...

About a third of the voters at the exit polls in Ohio (a state that the GOP must win in November in order to win the White House, if history is any indication) said that they believe abortion should be legal.

If that's not a bad sign for the GOP, I don't know what is.

[Roy Karrde]

If that's not a bad sign for the GOP, I don't know what is.

Yeah if Santorum had a chance of wrapping up the nomination, or if abortion was a hot button issue this election. Fact is neither are.

Edit: Looking at the USA Today exit poll Abortion as the top topic garnered only ELEVEN percent of the vote, the Federal Deficit garnered 26% of the vote, and the Economy got 54%. Santorum's voters overwhelmingly came for the abortion, while Romney got the deficit and economy.

[Dark Sage]

Today is International Women's Day, and House Republicans are marking the occasion by debating a bill that would make it more difficult for young women to seek abortions.

As if that weren't enough, Sen. Roy Blunt (who, in case you forgot, was the one behind the bill that would have overridden Obama's contraception bill) marked the day by asking his Twitter followers to join him in celebrating National Agriculture Day.

"Today is Natl Agriculture Day. Hope you'll join me to recognize the vital benefits agriculture plays in our everyday lives," he tweeted.

A couple of people responded that they would rather he observe International Women's Day.

His preferance does not surprise me at all. The way some members of the GOP are acting, it's like they'd prefer women to be treated the same as livestock.

Did I mention it's getting harder and harder to keep from using profanity when I hear about what these people are doing?

[Roy Karrde]

His preferance does not surprise me at all. The way some members of the GOP are acting, it's like they'd prefer women to be treated the same as livestock.

Is that why Keith Olbermann was forced to go on the air and give a apology to Michelle Malkin and S.E. Cupp, and Obama's Super PAC chief was stumbling over himself to try to explain why Maher and Limbaugh are different? But hey we're not supposed to focus on things as we engage in * Insert what ever group Democrats want to pander to at the moment *

But on more relevant news that actually deals with national problems. The Democrats voted down the Keystone Pipeline, meaning those 45 that voted against it will have to struggle to explain why they voted down thousands if not tens of thousands of more jobs and more oil into the U.S. in a few months.