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Jim Lo Scalzo / EPA
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, flanked by staff members, greets Iowa voters at a campaign event at the Temple for Performing Arts in Des Moines, Iowa, on Jan. 3.
The 2012 Republican presidential nominee won't be crowned Tuesday in Iowa. But when Iowans show up this evening for the state's caucuses — the first nominating contest of the 2012 GOP primary — they'll be setting the parameters for a campaign that, after months of anticipation, is only beginning in earnest.
The latest polls, one released as recently as Saturday, have made clear that former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Texas Rep. Ron Paul and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum compose the top tier of candidates vying for a win Tuesday night in Iowa.
But victory in the Hawkeye State is measured just as much against expectations as it is in raw tallies of support. That sentiment is fueling Texas Gov. Rick Perry, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann in this campaign; each are hoping that a better-than-expected showing will revitalize their campaigns.
PhotoBlog: Santorum gets used to a little more attention
Perhaps the most-closely-scrutinized outcome will be how Romney, whose presidential campaign was felled in 2008 by a poor finish in these caucuses, performs this time around. He has kept an arm's length distance from some of the contest's proudest traditions (including the Ames Straw Poll in August), only to make a late play for the state this fall after no other candidate had managed to coalesce conservative support.
Romney has been the putative frontrunner for the duration of this cycle, and his campaign (sometimes with the help of a deep-pocketed super PAC, Restore Our Future) has managed to swat away any challenges to his status as the campaign's leader. They hope that a win — or top-tier finish — in Iowa tonight, combined with a win in next week's New Hampshire primary, where Romney leads by wide margins, will all but clinch the nomination.
PhotoBlog: Scenes from Caucus Day in Iowa
But this primary cycle has been marked by, if nothing else, a topsy-turvy search by Republican voters for a conservative alternative to Romney. And there are growing signs that the former Massachusetts governor should brace for his first sustained burst of scrutiny following Tuesday's caucuses.
Gingrich, who tumbled from frontrunner status in Iowa just a month ago after suffering a wave of attacks from the Romney super PAC, presaged this new level of competition this morning.
When asked in an interview with CBS News if Romney were a liar, Gingrich flatly responded, "Yes."
"Here's a Massachusetts moderate who has tax-paid abortions in 'Romneycare,' puts Planned Parenthood in 'Romneycare,' raises hundreds of millions of dollars of taxes on businesses, appoints liberal judges to appease Democrats, and wants the rest of us to believe somehow he's magically a conservative," the former speaker said on The Early Show. "I just think he ought to be honest with the American people and try to win as the real Mitt Romney, not try to invent a poll-driven, consultant-guided version that goes around with talking points, and I think he ought to be candid. I don't think he's being candid and that will be a major issue."
Mitt Romney tells Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski he thinks he'll finish in the "top group" in Iowa.
And Santorum, who seems to poised to win the virtual game of musical chairs among candidates in Iowa positioning themselves as the anti-Romney candidate, has been similarly emboldened to go after Romney.
"This has been a debate about health care … the signature issue is Obamacare," the former senator said on ABC this morning. "And we cannot put up a presidential candidate who is in, basically, in the same place as Barack Obama on government-run health care."
For his part, Romney's largely shrugged off attacks.
"That's just fine — that's the nature of a campaign. I expect people to come after me, and if I do well here, I'll have a target painted on me," he said Tuesday on MSNBC's Morning Joe. "And if I can't stand up to that, I shouldn't be the nominee."
First Read: Iowa doesn't have much effect on N.H. except when it does
But if a Romney victory tonight could move the former Massachusetts governor closer to the nomination, better-than-expected finishes by some of his Republican foes could threaten to drag out the primary into an expensive, bloody contest — a development which Democrats would no doubt enjoy.
Paul is leaning on a somewhat unconventional cocktail of libertarian Republicans, young caucus-goers and anti-establishment minded Republicans to win in Iowa. His campaign, both in 2008 and 2012, has been notable for its intense enthusiasm from supporters and prolific fundraising. And in Iowa, where the strength of a candidate's organization typically correlates with a strong performance, Paul is hoping his well-organized supporters can help secure victory.
Santorum and Paul have signaled they'll each head to New Hampshire after tonight's finish (early indicators of which won't emerge, since the caucuses all begin at 8:00 p.m. ET). Gingrich, who said yesterday that he doesn't expect to win in Iowa, will also head to New Hampshire.
Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, who's skipped Iowa, is also competing in New Hampshire.
PhotoBlog: Huntsman skips Iowa to focus on New Hampshire
Perry, meanwhile, will head to South Carolina. After having suffered from a tumble in the polls associated with his failure to remember during a debate the third of three federal agencies he'd pledged to eliminate, the Texas governor refocused his campaign to target Iowa's evangelical voters. He's within striking distance of finishing fourth, according to the Des Moines Register and NBC News-Marist polls published last week.
And Bachmann, the winner of the Ames Straw Poll, is also heading to South Carolina after Iowa. She's hoping to avoid a disappointing finish, though, that could all but cripple her campaign. She already suffered the resignation of her political director last week, which followed the defection of her Iowa campaign chairman to the Paul campaign.
But for Romney, the candidate who's leaned most on divisions among conservatives to eke out primary victories, the more of his competitors who stay in the race through South Carolina — the state whose primary has predicted the eventual nominee since 1980 — the better.
Confident, the Romney campaign has already started running ads in the Palmetto State, and plans a brief swing through South Carolina overnight Thursday and Friday morning. And in another sign that his campaign's focused on the long game, Romney made his first ad buy on Tuesday in Florida, the state whose major primary follows South Carolina this year.
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Come on baby ,
No one in the clown car will be prez. PERIOD. Americans will not elect, trust or buy into the gop circus. How about these clowns take all the money their wasting and donate it to help those in need of heat and food.
I would be ashamed to call myself a Republican today.......this clan of clowns do not represent majority. The only so called repub that I would listen too and welcome to debate on stage with President Obama would be BUDDY ROEMER. But the rnc will not put him on stage because he is not bought by special interest, he has solutions, ideas and is not part of the clown car and circus.
Buddy is in the clown side car and is completely out of the picture..get over it!!
They won't let Buddy have any airtime because they love the money from the special interests. Buddy is all for getting the money out of politics, and that makes him persona non grata in the GOP.
I don't know anybody who would be crazy enough to vote against their own personal interests by voting for any of these Republicans.
Last time Republicans took the White House they hurt the American People so bad that we're still hurting, and not one of these Republican clowns has said ANYTHING they would do to turn that around, and that's no doubt because they know they WON'T be turning that around.
Republicans can't cut anymore taxes for the rich because the rich aren't paying any taxes, so in order for Republicans to pay for that Lie Called the War in Iraq they're going to straight, non-stop, for our Social Security Retirement money.
Obama / Biden 2012
Ron Paul will clean house tonight and it will finally prove that independents and our youth are sick and tired of the same wash, rinse and repeat.
How long has Romney been running for President? Who in the hell would want something this bad as to spend 10 years campaigning?
Gingrich gives me the creeps, he looks like Jerry Sandusky except creepier.
Michelle Bachmann wants Church rule which basically makes her the equivalent of Islam Extremist without the Head Rag..
To hell with the country as long as I get my 'own personal interests' taken care of...
TO: Skup who wrote:
That's EXACTLY what George W. Bush said when he lied us into war in Iraq, the 2nd largest oil producing nation in the World, and Republicans STILL can't put 2 and 2 together long enough to see that OIL was the ONLY reason Bush went into Iraq.
NOW, we are stuck with having to pay for that Big Republican lie, and the only people on Earth who are richer than the Bushes are the Saudis!
Of course oil is the only reason we went to Iraq. Without a steady flow of oil our economy would crumble. I hate to break it to you but every Democrat in power at the time knew this as well and went along willingly.
If people are crazy enough to vote in a community organizer who has acted like Bush III, anything can happen in November.
anything except GOP victory
looks like the demonrats are out in numbers today... glad to see their interest in Republicans caucus maybe they will learn something. by the way you can take the worst GOP canidate out there and rest assured they are head and shoulders above your god obammy. and all the circus comments, it is your god the brown clown that started the circus.... sheesh
Hippies should vote for Obama, not Ron Paul. Too much other baggage from Paul on other issues other than unregulated drugs and sex...
GOP clown fest is the greatest show on earth!! (sorry Ringling Bros.- don't sue me!)
NDAA enough said.
There should be a lottery every four years to decide in which state the primaries would run. Iowa does not represent the majority of the people. Besides, they are Evangelists that support the hate rhetoric of Santorum about invading Iran.
That is all that we need. Another President that has never wear the uniform but is too ready and eager to send Americans to slaughter. Never mind the cost.
Anybody who would vote for one of these clowns just because they hate Obama is not using their head. I am way progressive and not happy with all that Obama has done but I realize the opposition he was given by the tea party folks.......but I don't even entertain the thought of voting for one of those GOP losers.
IRESPOND-
I am from Iowa and I agree that these candidates do not represent the majority. Please do not lump us all into the "evangelicalists that support Santorum" cateogry. Most Iowans do have a mind of their own and I can tell you most of us think that all of these candidates are no good, especially Santorum who appears to hate women.
Jim Bletso, don't attack your fellow commenters.
You're suspended for a week for violating #1 of the Code of Honor. Repeatedly.
How did he attack anyone any differently than the other commenters? Don't be biased.
Wow, so many people decrying hate by hurling it about. Look, I think President Obama is, and has been, and even will continue to be, an epic failure. I see one poster above saying how hard Obama's job has been because he's been opposed all along the way. Well, that is what the opposition party does, else it would not be the opposition party. I thought the President was on the right track in one area only (in terms of areas where he had a choice to make), and that was when he talked about eliminating tax preferences for employer-provided health insurance. But aside from that one concept, which he rapidly abandoned, he's done nothing I can agree has been helpful to the USA where he had a real choice in what was done.
Another poster claims we were lied into war in Iraq, but is quickly, and correctly, replied to that at the time virtually all elected democrats not only agreed with Bush, but had a fairly long history of saber-rattling rhetoric themselves. The speeches leading up to Desert Fox in 1998 should be mandatory reading for our liberal friends on these vines.
Yet another claims that Santorum is spouting hate towards Iran and talking about invading. Well, not really, but why let facts get in the way of a good hack? If you believe President Obama that the USA cannot, and will not, accept a nuclear armed Iran, and if you believe that Iran's hisotry of seeking nuclear weapons is more than a facade, then you must agree with Santorum's suggestion that Iran must be attacked if it cannot be dealt with any other way. Otherwise we are making broad claims we have no intention of keeping, and this I think is a greater danger to long term American hegemony.
But probably the funniest of all the posters so far is the one claiming the rich pay no taxes. I mean, AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. The top 10% of tax payers pay about half of all income taxes. How's that for nothing? If this particular rant was a ploy to talk about tax reform at least it would have a purpose, but this is a rant designed to simply lie about other Americans in order to justify the hatred this poster has for them. What a shame this is where we are at, politically.
So, what can one learn from nearly every post up to this point in this thread? Nothing other than delusional hatred is alive and well on the left side of the political spectrum, the side we are told day after delusional day is reserved for honest, tolerant, thoughtful people. Sorry, but I just threw up a bit into my throat.
Enjoy your bread and circus.
Ausacitizen
Asheme to call yourself Republican?
Many Democrats and independents that are changing to Republican don't agree with you. Mos people are ashamed to be call Democrats , after three years of failure to deliver the promises Obama pledge. The big succes is to have a country more divided than ever before.
With the lowest yob aproval is getting close to the Congress jobapproval.
One of those Republican candidates will represent you with more proud and not apologies for the economic success of the United States and for saving the world twice in WWI and WWII.
wtf is wrong with your spelling?
Oskar the short yellow bus is headed your way ya window licker... What the hell are you talking about? If you know more than 2 democrats I would be surprised. You don't speak for me and I am actually a Dem and only ashamed that I am part of an unorganized party. You should be ashamed that you can't win an election without stealing it from an unorganized party... Obama vs. Clown... No contest. Now get busy with your constitution raping voter ID campaign. It's the only hope you have. See this is what happens when you open doors with your forehead righty tighties... Learn your lessons and remember how to be nice people like you were before Reagan destroyed the party and the middle class. Donkey loves all you American idiots...
these are corporately sponsored individuals...with who's best interest at heart...plain bob 2012...
Whats a window licker?
plain bob, if you think obama is any different you are in serious denial or not paying attention ;)
Yeah Obama's epic failure like catching Bin Laden once and for all(and he didn't even have to start another war that costs us trillions of dollars) Straightening out the economic mess Bushy left(and we're almost there) Ending the Iraq war Bush sucked us into costing 3.5 trillion dollars. Finally going after the greedy insurance industry that is all but useless in the U.S. Supporting a free democratic Lybia without engaging the U.S. in another Iraq yeah what a failure. I sure hope we have another four years of that kind of failure! Maybe the GOP wants someone that will chase around a guy and start two wars over it and never accomplish one fracking thing. Bushy guy could'nt even catch one enemy of the state and spent trillions doing it. Now the GOP thinks everyone forgot about their part in the raping of America. Boy are they in for a big surprise!
Hottydonky
Where have you been for the last three years, when Obama was breaking record reaching 15 Trillions of dollars in debt, shaking your legs for Obama with Chris Mathews , you should be ashamed not doing your homework, go to the corner with the burro hat and your big ears, you said Obama vs Clown ,I say Joker vs Republican nominee, yes more Americans call themselves to be member of the party of Lincoln and Reagan, to be exact 37 % against 34 % that call themselves the be member of the party of Anthony Whinner and Robert Byrd founder of KKK in West Virginia.
911 brought our country together. It was the first time I felt the American Spirit in full force. The American Flags were up and it felt like a united country. People were reaching out to help and it was almost as if we were a team. The above is sad because we are doing exactly what both parties want....fighting and picking sides. The ironic part of a two party system sorry indpendents :) Is is naturally divides us and turns us aginst each other. All I see is a bunch of idealist who would rather throw cheep shots!! The slander and mudslining are nothing but a distraction. The bottom line is we the people deserve better and together we need to demand accountability. All this finger pointing and trash talking is a joke. Anger is the opposition of construction and its time our country focus on the issues we face domestically.
I just want someone to step up and do what they say will be done :)
David
Iowa has turned into a must win for Romney
LOL...
Mitt comes across as a rich dude preppie determined to further HIS career by whatever hard work and flip flopping is neccesary
David, that is the ONLY thing Republicans do when they get in office is look for ways to make themselves even more wealthy. I have never in my entire life ever known any Republican to do anything for the benefit of the American People, except for Ronald Reagan.
Ronald Reagan forced wealthy corporations to create "profit sharing" for their employees once the corporation made so much money, AND we were given better employment packages with loads of group insurance and many other employee benefits, ALL of which ended when Republican George H.W. Bush, Sr. took office.
Obama / Biden 2012
American Girl - and no Democrats are trying to get rich?? puh-leeze!
LOL...Perhaps you've heard of a little known Republican by the name of Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S Grant, Theodore Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower?
American girl: ..............Reagan forced wealthy corps. to create profit sharing...........
What EVER are you talking about?
Look, no one party's perfect. Everyone has their faults, it's not like one party is perfect and the other is terrible. As an independent, I have been freed of most bias, I see that some things the Republicans are saying are good, such as cutting spending and securing the border, and I also see some of the things the democrats are saying that are good, such as raising taxes on people who can afford it (not just the wealthy, so I don't get attacked for suggesting the taxes on wealthy), and that we should not be global policemen, mainly because its just so expensive. If your about to post a comment attacking someone of a different viewpoint, take a step back and think to yourself "Why should attack them? Just because they're democrat/republican or liberial/conservative? What are they're beliefs? What so wrong with (insert action here) that is worth attacking a fellow american about?" if you do, remove all bias and truly think about it.
ThatRandomGuy - Can you think of any good republicans in the last 50+ years?? I guess you could have at least threw Reagan in there.
Santorum only spent 30k in Iowa? that's amazing! there's a dude who knows how to stretch a buck
His PACS spent the money. I believe in a two party system, but come on, what happened to the Republican Party? Do you remember the Dixiecrats?
TO: David-1023706 who wrote:
That's all the money he had, until a few days ago.
Necessity is the mother of invention. We all learn to "stretch a buch" when a buck is all we have.
Its RON PAUL or U.S. Bankruptcy, More Wars and Many More Dead Solders.
Come on Jem, Paul's the fourth biggest clown in the primary.
Ron Paul is a NUT JOB!
You are very correct JEM.
ABO (Anyone But Obama).
That's not what the majority of Americans think.
ABR (anyone but Republipuke)
OMG (Obama Must Go)
TO: Skup who wrote:
Obama will win in a landslide, and he should. Republicans can't give anymore tax cuts to the rich because the rich are living Tax Free.
Republicans' mouths have been watering over the thought that they'll get in a steal our Social Security, which is all the more reason to keep Republicans OUT.
Obama / Biden 2012
Every politician in congress has been "borrowing" from Social Security for years. You can't seem to see that the Democrats are just a crooked as the Republicans.
TO: Skup who wrote:
Skup, why can't folks seem remember that Democrat President Bill Clinton made Social Security solvent for decades to come?
If ANY money is missing from our Social Security Trust Fund, it's only because Republicans stole it and used it to drill for more oil in Iraq.
Really??? How did you come up with that??? Please don't try to use the 'he balanced the budget' argument. Spending by the government under Clinton went steadily up. He simply benefited from the dot com boom bringing in more money than they could spend for one year. If anything you could pin the current housing crisis on Clinton. He was, after all, the one who repealed Glass-Steagall. I know it's hard to stomach but a Democrat signed the biggest de-regulation bill since the great depression and almost all the Democrats in congress went along with the Republicans in getting it passed.
whoops... I believe santorum is all over the GOP clown fest...
Sorry Newt, but I think you're going to see that Toasty's right in about 11 months. Unless something major happens, this president will be re-elected by an even bigger margin than 2008. It's 1996 all over again. And if you need examples, just why did two of the more popular Republicans (Daniels and Christie) remove their names from consideration? It's because they knew there was no chance to win this time. Face it, you Obama haters need to realize there are a hell of a lot of us that still support him and will continue to do so, even if he doesn't always push the right buttons. Why? Because we know exactly what any Republican will do if they get the chance. We have 8 years prior experience on that.
Hay drewster abo is that becouse he black, he's been better than doh, g get the fuk out w where am I b But, but, iThpuoght ther was womd Bush.... he make's great beans..... Fk of sob
grios666, Jim Bletso - glad to see that the right is being represented by it's finest. Keep it up guys, you make our points so much easier to get across.
Well Skup, for 12 years of Republican presidents, we had many years of record deficits. Bill Clinton did balance the budget. He left his successor with relative peace and prosperity as well as a record surplus. The next president was a Republican. In his first year he wiped out the entire surplus and turned it into a deficit again. Before he even started his first war. Supply side, trickle down, whatever you want to call it does not work. It makes the rich richer on the backs of the middle class.
TO: Skup who wrote:
Skup, I was there. Even 5th graders know that Democrat President Bill Clinton did, in fact, balance the budget, and even Newt Gingrich will tell you that, although Newt will try to lie and take credit too.
The fact is, Democrat President Bill Clinton had more than 40 Nobel Prize Winning, PhDs, and the smartest minds in the world who advised President Clinton on how to fix the economy after the FIRST George H.W. Bush messed it up to hide his thefts too, just like his son later did as well.
Republicans would NEVER hire an economic wizzard because Republicans need a diversion while they steal, and an excuse for the missing money (all these are a bunch of "fuzzy numbers" GWB said), which GWB proclaimed before contending that he (Bush) lost ONE BILLION American Dollars somewhere on the streets the he (Bush) could neither find, nor was anyone looking for. Sounds like a theft to me.
Anyone but mittens!
look around there is nobody but Obama..........the rest are unacceptable.
Obama is unacceptable too. Are you kidding me? Look what he has done... he has a failed track record already.
TO: JoobyFoo who wrote:
President Obama has done a great job for the American People, much better than any Republican could do especially since all Republicans have done for the past 3-1/2 years is criticized and tried to put an absolute halt to ANY progess being made on behalf of the American People.
Republicans expect to be highly rewarded for holding the American People down, and forcing failure on America.
Maybe Republicans are unhappy because President Obama has cut back on overseas aid, in order to help the American People which Republicans seem to hate.
Republicans can stand the thought of helping their neighbor.
apologies to Toasty - I misread and thought he said the direct opposite of what he actually said (which I agree with).
Obama in 2012!! (and Tea Party go bye bye!)
Name one thing I've said that's anti-American, AA. Give me an exact quote.
What's that? You can't find any? And now you're not going to respond again?
Romney flips more than pancakes at a IHOP.
That's halarious!
Perry is waiting in the wings to pick up the pieces in SC and FLA if Mitt loses in Iowa, with only Santorum left as his viable rival
Perry can wait all he wants. There are no scraps coming his way, ever. The only sign this religious nut will see is the EXIT sign in bright red.
David, I think gdvegas is right. The only place Perry is going is back to Texas. Even if Perry won Iowa, Perry would NEVER get past Florida which is some 75% retirees living on Social Security, the very thing that Perry referred to as a "ponzi scheme".
Perry may as well drop out now.
Perry was finished the moment he opened his mouth and started to speak.
I hope Perry wins Iowa, the hilarious soundbites need to continue.
His silence is deafening.
Perry supporter heard in the crowd.
"I like Perry....he's as dumb as I am!"
To American Girl
The only place Perry is going is back to Texas.
HELL NO! I'm a Texan and am hoping to God that hypcritical idiot baffoon runs away with his tail between his legs! Perry is so hated in Texas that if OBAMA was to run for the governor's spot he would win it! The only reason why Perry is still the Texas governor is because people know his name! And I bet the only reason he did the whole "Texas should secede" thing was to try to gain support! He should go to somewhere like Alabama or Mississippi, they would love him there, and at least he wouldn't be able to make 4 billion in unnessecary cuts in education!
Perry - Rick Perry went home tonight to assess himself - Texas will never be the same after they saw what an idiot they have voted for - except all of the "good ole boys" who have thrived off of him
The only candidate here I'll even consider is Ron Paul. Otherwise I'm going to vote third party. The rest mean more wars and faster bankruptcy for sure.
I keep seeing the words socialist and communist come up when repubs talk about dems. But none of you have any idea what the words mean and what role if any they play in our society. Repubs defend capitalism more than they do the american people. But while capitalism may be our country's declared economic status, it does not supersede the government. Capitalism simply means that people have the right to earn as much as possible, but it does not mean that the fed government cannot impose rules to how business functions and takes place. The government has the right to tax people and regulate business and commerce so that the best interest of everyone is taken into account. Without regulation of business, companies would simply be able to treat people anyway they wanted. They would abuse employees, pay low wages, and charge the most they could for goods and services. Thats why government has to set minimum wage laws, 40 hr work weeks, and worker rights laws. If we elect someone like Ron Paul, I guess companies and people would be able to do as they feel without worrying about causing harm to america or other people.
insight iowa, you got that right.
The fact is, if ANY of these Republican clowns get in the American Worker is going to suffer, and so will our Social Security.
Obama / Biden 2012
Gary Johnson made the leap to the Libertarian party. He has many of the same views Paul does. It's too bad he never got any traction as a Republican candidate. He was a good governor.
Shan NM, you suppose that maybe Romney paid Gary big bucks to stay out the race this year and try again in 2016?
Sorry Ron Paul is a NUT JOB, not as bad as Perry, that man is either losing it or it is on drugs, maybe both!
Social Security is gone regardless of who wins... especially if Obama keeps borrowing more and more money from the fed. We are screwed. This is above Republican. This is above Democrat.
Ron Paul has the clearest, most obvious answers. Anyone who refuses to admit that is a tool to MSM... or is anti-American.
Insight ~ I'm unconvinced. All companies already charge as much as they can. That's where competition comes into play. Price control is neither competitive, nor is it the government's job.
An interesting thing happened in 1914. Maybe there are lessons in history.
In 1914, the average pay for an industrial worker was $2.34 for a nine hour shift. Almost all the jobs were monotonous, absenteeism was high, supervisory staff had to be increased to keep people at the grist. Without any government intervention - only free market economics at work - Henry Ford raised the pay rate to all his workers to $5.00 per day, and cut the shift to eight hours.
An amazing thing happened. Work at Ford's plants was highly coveted. Absenteeism went way down. Supervisory staff was cut. Morale increased. Production shot up. Employee turnover dissipated. And Henry Ford was on his way to becoming a billionaire.
Government involvement is the antithesis of free enterprise, not the paradigm of it. There was a time when everybody knew it, and those times were some of America's greatest. Government support is rather like a slow opiate. We become used to it, need more of it, even as we accomplish less and less with it.
swan 37 - that's a great idea. Now convince your other constitutionalist friends to do the same.
Freedman
The reason Ford did that was to combat the unions. Unions were what made the American worker a middle-class person rather than a "wage slave". If it hadn't been for unions, almost none of your benefits would be there. Either you were in a union and got the benefits, or your company was afraid of the unions and gave you what you deserved.
Then Reagan came in and screwed the whole thing up. You may say he damaged the unions, but he damaged it for EVERY wage earner in the country. Since Reagan, the American worker has actually lost real income.
I don't think unions played a very big part in the auto industry until the 1930's
Ford's 1914 actions were one of enterprise.
Swan - OK when I was twenty and read Ayn Rand's books I fell for it and then when I was twenty one I grew up - in Ron Paul's world - you rank at the bottom of the barrel - picture his world - Black's are still third class citizen's your dog comes before them - and god forbid your a homosexual - we run from you as seen in his clips
I look at Ron Paul and have to ask him what the devil has he done in his lifetime to make this world better - not a dam thing except to make himself wealthy on the governments dime and his son Rand Paul so called opthamalegist when he could not get accepted by the accredited Opthamalegist Society started his own club - who by the way accepts Medicare
Sorry old man - the world is better without you - by the way stand on your own two feet - Galveston - Ron Paul's district got the biggest payoff from the Federal Government $108 million - a fake and a flake - go home old man
AmericanGirl, I doubt Romney was concerned at all with Johnson. Johnson was polling at ~2%. I think that Johnson and Huntsman were the best candidates in the Republican field, but because they don't pander they couldn't get any traction. Besides, Johnson's belief that we should legalize MJ and other more libertarian views make him unpalatable to most Republican primary voters.
Mike Savage said this is an "invention" in Iowa. It should not be a part of the process. He really is disgusted with all the GOP front runners. Listen to him at 9pm. He makes more sense then anyone on talk radio. My fear is that the Repubs are going to give away the vicotory to Obama without a real fight. They are too busy knocking each other now. My favorite is Gingrich because he's the most intellegent. Nobody thinks he can beat Obama except me.
Just you and you alone! LOL
Oh Yeah. Another conservative pseudo intellect too chicken to serve in the military while claiming to be a patriot....Sorta in the Limbaugh, Cheney, Bush Romney model eh!
Riddle me this Republicans.
Where did Newt and Mitt spend their time during the Viet Nam era?
Have any of them or their families served in the armed forces other than Rick Perry?
Just askin!
Seriously? Mike Savage has the most dispicable, unprincipled and disgusting program. His attitude about women should make you very scared. I don't think he is a good example of anyone I would want my friends to listen to. What a garbage mouth he has.
TorpedoYou, Ron Paul served as a flight surgeon in the Air Force and the Air National Guard.
Gingrich is the most intelligent? HA.
Torpedo You - I'll answer you Willard was sent to France as a missionary via the Mormon Church and his recollection about living in a cold weather flat is pure BS he lived at one of the chateaus owned by the Mormons and Newt had his teacher falsify records to keep him in school which by the way he married her what 17 years older than him
It makes no difference which candidate gets nominated. President Barack Obama will rip him apart in the debates. If the Iowa farmer has a heart attack, or the wife develops breast cancer, the Obama health plan will ensure that he can keep his farm in the family. We fund our Universities and they generate the finest doctors in the world....and until now, many could not afford to use them when a health crisis occured. Vote for continued progress in America, Vote Obama in 2012
pitmanlaw--you've got one thing right... Obama will win a debate. That's because that's the only thing he seems to be able to do, talk. NObama hasn't made any progress, other than muddling up everything he touches. NO change, just empty promises and hot air!
Watch Fox news much? President Obama has been an excellent president.
Agree with that, cool, calm and unflappable although I don't know how he stays that way especially when they disparage the First Lady.........this crowd of clowns called the GOP/TP are nothing more than hot headed knee jerk reactionaries.........much like the John Birchers....look them up if you don't know about them.
Kathryn Sullivan
Flying high?
Obama has nothing on Ron Paul... 1v1, Paul will have Obama changing his own views just like he has done with the rest of the GOP.
czr1760... the only reason Obama hasn't been able to do anything is because of the DO NOTHING CONGRESS. Their only agenda is to make Obama a one term President, to hell with jobs, economy. At least the economy is starting to turn around and unemployment is going down, no thanks to the Repugs or baggers.
Obama at least tried to work with them but every time they shot him down or made another demand, they do not know how to compromise, hell Obama was will to give them 4 trillion in cuts, but once again the party of NO turned him down. So how are those JOB CREATORS working for you???
Laura, Obama signed NDAA... what more do you need him to do in order for you to realize he needs to be out of the white house?
JoobyFoo - you realize of course this was Bush's dictate and he did a seperate signing statement - remember all of Bush's signing statements I believe 26 of them - where the devil have you been?
I want Perry or Bachmann to win just so I can have some continued entertainment through November.
I know, right? I miss Herman Cain... Any chance we can get him back in for awhile longer?
"I believe this quote is from the Pokemon movie..."
Iowans need to learn more about the racist articles associated with Ron Paul:
http://pithy.butnowyouknow.net/the-facts-about-ron-pauls-newsletters-and-the-racist-articles/
Do not use "racist" articles... because they aren't.
KAZ - Demographics of Iowa - 1% African American 3 % other - didn't you notice the sea of white faces
Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blaaaahhhh!!! This is media menucia absolute hearsay and talking points. Lets get this clown parade down the road and get on with running the country..GO OBAMA 2012
your god obammy is to busy vacationing no time for running a country....
hope your use of the word "obammy" is not a sop to the racist's in the crowd.....
Kathryn, stop commenting...
Joonyfoo
Where do you get off with that?
The only person who could put up a fight against the President in November is Huntsman. Of course, he's too reasonable and educated to be even considered for the nomination...
agreed -- but why is it the repubs are too dumb to see that?
They're not dumb... Okay, most of them are. But it's more a matter of being blinded by the President's skin color and never being exposed to dissenting viewpoints.
Toasty... you are wrong is your claims.
If they were 'dumb' enough to 'see that' they would be democrats. Fortunately, it isn't about who you'd like to see run against Pres. Obama. Always with the race card (something new would be good). According to most posts I've seen by dems/libs it doesn't matter if you've been 'exposed to dissenting viewpoints' if you ever in your life change a viewpoint you will just be labeled a 'flip-flopper', doesn't give you much hope for growth.
* Iowa the Beholder *
LOL.
Romney is a serial candidate. Let's talk Democratic solutions.
The GOP power elite will insure that Ron Paul does not win. Aside from that, they don't really care. They are using the threat that Iowa will cease to be the first caucus in the future.
Basically, just think about it. In Iowa, a candidate's supporters must stand up in front of their friends and neighbors to taught the blessings of their candidate. Mix that with the enormous pressure the professionals, who are in control of the party, are putting on them and they basically cave in. The power elite of the GOP are now pushing Rick Santorum, because they know he will go nowhere, outside of Iowa. Ron Paul, on the other hand, has a very large following and Ron Paul is a huge threat to the powerful bankers, who control both Republicans and Democrats.
Good bye USA. But, the upside is, it can't really be fixed, until it totally crashes, and that will happen faster under Romney and much faster under Obama. So, if Ron Paul doesn't run, I'll vote for Obama, even though he is, without question, the most incompetent fool ever to reach the White House.
Ron Paul will ensure that Ron Paul doesn't win though you are right about it not getting fixed until it completely collapses.
Romney wins Iowa.
Romney wins the Presidency 2012. Obama will be a Chicago Community Organizer come 2013.
That's one issue Romney has with Iowa voters... He isn't from the community & doesn't feel their issues
Devdoc, Romney can't even campaign in the evangelical South that going to chew Romney up, and spit him out.
Although President Obama only worked as director of the church-based community organization "Developing Communities Project" from 1985 to 1988, it is a shame more people are not giving back to their communities. Has Romney ever asked what he can do for his country? Even sadder that some people have to mock such wonderful, selfless work.
can you say muslim terrorist libtard
Anyone so rich they need 12 million to renovate their mansion doesn't know the meaning of christianity or care about his country, he doesn't have to......mores the pity.
Jim Bletso.............nope, but I can say racist neo con pig.
Can you say racist hypocrite Bletso?
No big deal,,, Iowans want to keep their corn subsidies, one of the big reasons for Iowa's strong economy. One GOP primary in Iowa doesn't really amount to a hill of beans when the state normally votes democrat
I have to laugh every time I see a picture of William Temple, self-proclaimed Tea Party mascot, who shows up at every event in a colonial soldier costume. He has apparently deluded himself into thinking that his presence is required to officially "sanction" (or would that be sanctify?) the event. I see he's waving a Bachman sign, which is understandable, since the both of them are complete crackpots.
Idiots Out Wondering Around will obviously select the best clown. This is the party who selected a C average college cheerleader, this is the best of your party? If so, get a nominate a retarded chimp. He probably has a better chance.
Guessing the retarded chimp would do a much better job than the yahoo currently in the White House.
That "yahoo" in the White House hasn't been able to do sh*t because of all the yahoos in Congress.
Place the blame where it belongs.
I'll agree with that, Washington seems to be full of idiots.
In think the Republican Party has more idiots in it than Washington and Congress combined.
American Girl: Come clean you are really Michele Obama, you seriously can't be this stupid to think Obama has done a good job, unless you are married to him!!!
As ooposed to doing a bad job such as the GOP/TP have done? Obama is a god. Your opinion may not support this too bad the facts do and you are not entitled to your own facts, cliff
Cliff, I wish I was Michelle Obama! I'd have nothing to worry about for the rest of my life!
No Cliff, I just know what Republicans have done in the past, and what they are likely to do in the future, and I'm not having any of it.
I also know what Democrats have done in the past, and what they are likely to do in the future, which is why I'm a left-leaning Independent.
Obama / Biden 2012
unamericangirl also has black penis envy
TO: Jim Bletso who wrote:
That's just nasty.
So you wish you were Michele Obama, so I guess what you are saying since you wish you could be her is you hate America just like she does.
Hey Jim, do us a favor and put a sock in it, will ya'? Opinions are one thing. Crap trolling is another.
American Girl-724855: It's just Jim Bletso showing his Republican intelligence level. They know they have lost this race before it even got started. To have an entire House and those in Senate "DO NOTHING" for 2 years and block the President with anything he has put in front of them to save the middle class in America... including blocking their own suggestions... sent them all packing months ago!!!
Republican voting Straight Dem in 2012.
insight your head is so far up obammys bunghole I am sure you can read his teleprompter as well, you are one sick twisted individual..
tony you are just as dumb as a box of rocks thats all there is to it.
unamerican girl you know I speak the truth so you better run and hide
Bletso is just a racist pig.
Obama signed NDAA. Get him out of the White House.
TO: cliff-567164 who wrote:
We've known since 1978 that Republicans can NOT be taken seriously, especially since Republicans have no memory and no sense of responsibility.
Go ahead, and get all that hate out of the your system, so then you can do the RIGHT thing and vote a straight Democrat ticket come November.
Obama / Biden 2012
JoobieFoo:
I do not think most Americans have any idea what NDAA is all about. I do not believe most know whats in the Obamacare bill either, if they did, they would have poo-pooed their pants. But they will sometime in the somewhat near future! "Terrorists" dont scare me at all, but the government actions in the last umpteen years does. Government= Repubs & Dems.
I have an idea! Why not, instead of shooting down someone just for being from the other party, why not think about what's best for the country instead? Such a strange idea right?!
2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
I hope you meant that to be hilarious. I think I saw the other day. Yah, it was the antonym for wicked ways-politician.
If I were Perry, Gingrich or Bachmann, I wouldn't feel too bad about losing Iowa. In the last 30 years, only two Republicans who won Iowa eventually got the nomination. Reagan lost Iowa and eventually won the White House with 44 states.
go ahead and pretend you are and put your money where your mouth is libtard
Want to know something amazing? Perry was named "Bumsteer of the Year" by Texas Monthly! Even in his own state Perry is hated!