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Subscribe to RSSThe dustup over contraception underscored President Barack Obama's political edge in working to attract independent voters without alienating his Democratic base. His Republican rivals are forced to keep emphasizing their conservative credentials to attract the right-leaning activists who dominate the nominating contests.
It's a dynamic that usually plays out when a president seeks re-election without a primary challenger, and the other party fights to determine its nominee.
Obama already is in general-election mode, with the luxury of courting voters who don't ascribe to a political party. The eventual Republican nominee is moving to the right and probably will have to edge back toward the center in the fall. The farther he must go to the fringe to win the nod, however, the tougher his task.
Recommended: Former Bachmann spokeswoman heads to Santorum campaign
The difference was clear Friday, at events two miles apart in Washington.
At the White House, Obama made a carefully calibrated concession to Catholics angered by his decision to require religious-affiliated employers, including Catholic hospitals and colleges, to cover birth control in their health insurance plans. The president tweaked the rule Friday. He said insurance companies would provide contraceptive benefits directly to employees, technically leaving employers out of the transaction.
White House and Obama campaign officials were relieved by the initial reaction.
Groups such as Planned Parenthood, which privately had urged no changes, praised the move. More important, so did the influential Catholic Health Association of the United States, whose criticism of the original rule spelled trouble for Obama's team.
At the same time across town, three of the four GOP presidential candidates appeared separately at the Conservative Political Action Conference, a major annual gathering of activists on the political right. Each tried to out-do the other in proclaiming conservative fealty.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, former House speaker Newt Gingrich and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum criticized Obama's contraception policy. They painted themselves as conservative crusaders on a range of issues.
Romney drew snickers by saying he was a "severely conservative governor." Gingrich said the Obama administration "is waging war on religion."
Santorum, who built much of his national profile by fighting legalized abortion, said Obama is "telling the Catholic Church that they are forced to pay for things that are against their basic tenets and teachings."
"It's not about contraception," he said. "It's about economic liberty. It's about freedom of speech. It's about freedom of religion."
Democrats hope independent voters will see it differently. Americans, including Catholics, overwhelmingly embrace birth control. Obama's goal was to reframe his policy as a matter of equal access to preventive health care, not a quarrel about religious or economic rights.
"I think the president ended up looking like the responsible person in the room," said Lanae Erickson of the Democratic-leaning group Third Way, which has studied independent voting trends. "The Republican primary candidates went way out on a limb and will alienate themselves with independent voters," she said.
The CPAC speeches were standard fare for such conservative gatherings, and they may not matter much in November. But Democrats will try to use the remarks to portray the eventual GOP nominee as out of touch with middle America.
For now, they're focusing mainly on Romney, who won Saturday's straw poll at CPAC and the Maine GOP caucuses.
"Mitt Romney and the rest may think that catering to the tea party set and Rush Limbaugh is the only way to win the nomination, but the eventual nominee is going to pay a huge price for that approach with swing voters in the fall," said Brad Woodhouse, spokesman for the Democratic National Committee."
Campaign strategists endlessly debate the right balance between pursuing independents versus firing up the party base. Karl Rove broke new ground in 2004 by placing considerably more emphasis on the Republican base, which propelled President George W. Bush to a second term.
Obama's 2008 victory, however, was built on the more traditional formula of focusing extensively on independent voters while doing as much as possible to keep his party's liberal activists energized. Since then, Obama has struggled to overcome their disappointment.
The shift on the Catholic-contraception issue appears modest enough to cause few ripples. But Obama infuriated some liberal groups by dropping plans to tighten ozone restrictions and to have a government-run health insurance provider.
Erickson said Obama can ill afford to appease liberals with left-leaning moves that would alienate independents. As public disenchantment with Congress has soared in the past few years, she said, the ranks of independents have swelled at the Democratic and Republican parties' expense.
"This year is going to have the highest independent turnout in modern political history," Erickson said.
The GOP primary contest shows no sign of wrapping up soon.
The longer it goes on, the more time Obama has to make overtures to independents who, as Erickson put it, "will be the kingmakers in this election."
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This article reinforces the obvious truth that Obama is a centrist with reasonable positions and the republican party are the ones who are being extreme. Believing the opposite to be true is what demonstrates, better than anything else, just how wrong and out of touch, the Obama haters are. NOTHING Obama has ever done is the least bit extreme. The whole idea that Obama is some sort of extreme left-wing, radical "socialist" is nothing but ludicrous nonsense as anyone with the slightest understanding of American politics can easily see.
The problem is that the Right has made itself a bubble; an echo chamber. They no longer have to be exposed to reality to get their political news, and we've seen the unfortunate result.
Socialist is this decades new buzz-word. Seriously, they use it as some kind of white wash to counter any argument or debate thrown at them. The really sad thing is people who use 'progressive' like it's a 4-letter word. Since when did Progress become terrible? According to those people then, this Congress must be the best this country has ever seen, because it sure isn't progressing at all.
This latest flub with the contraceptives thing couldn't have been planned better though, the majority of women, catholic women, independents and leftists all agree with the policy, and the GoP and Catholic Church are still stuck on telling women what to do with their own bodies.
"Obama / 2012 Guaranteed" !!!!!!!!
Hey GOP Base and fellow seniors:
Google: Romney's and Santorum's plans to cut Social Security and Medicare.
Think about that when you cast your vote!
donald duck has more sense than this jerk..
and would easily beat him!
Patriotic and Ron
No election is easy and very few are slam dunks. If people think that they will stay away from the polls. Rather than think it's going to be easy, go work for your candidate. I would hate to see the Repbulicans win because people thought it was a slam dunk and didn't bother.
The Republicans are soooo far right they frighten me.
B Murphy -- Good analysis. The president/Dems are doing a much better job of appealing to swing voters. And it isn't pandering. They have been proving they represent middle America with a lot of hard work and often heavy lifts in the face of GOP/TP obstructionism -- Income inequality, fair taxation, balanced approach to deficits, job creation and investment in a future for ALL.
But as we know, the Right worships at the alter of Fear & Hate -- though irrational and not fact-based, these are the strongest emotions. So liberals MUST get out the vote along with moderates to reelect President Obama, but more importantly to give the president a congress that will work with him.
In regard to demonizing words like "liberal" or "progressive" what about "secular?" Heck, even "European-style" anything including "socialism?" Our government is supposed to be secular, and it's really pitiful when conservatives call liberals "fascists" because fascism is right-wing.
We are bordering on "plutocracy" and Santorum, et al, would like our country to be a "theocracy." These things are real and something to seriously worry about.
"Hey dsb, the GOP teatards frighten all of us, not just you"
Im buying stock in Apotex. The Paxil usage will increase on Nov 7th, it will be called the new day after drug.
Obama is going to go down in flames this fall. Even the notion of telling a church to purchase contraceptives while fining them for not carrying health care is a violation of their faith. Just remember dems, this survives and maybe your party will have you people sterilized in a few years. That would be fitting. Also, the housing crisis is alive and well. No rational person is going to vote for obama after getting soaked by 30-50% on their house and bailing out the banks letting the middle class suffer. As far as his handling of the economy, blowing 5 trillion on his buddies don't cut it - a lot of people lost their jobs and they are not coming back. I am tea party and I won't compromise to a facist dictatorship!
jolly joker -- What a joke, you troll.
Laws of the Land against animal sacrifice, or heck, polygamy are examples of balancing rights -- You can't commit murder because you claim it to be your religious belief. Everyone knows the Catholic priests (preaching from the pulpit) about the Laws of the Land, in which birth control is legal and a right of all citizens, is a nontroversy blown out of proportion by the likes of Gingrich.
This is merely labor law in regard to health insurance (and only applicable to companies of more than 50 employees with churchs exempt) and per long-standing precedent. Thanks to Teapublican love for the current bizarre and broken health care system in which employers are responsible for insurance -- when the rest of the world has cut out the greedy middlemen insurance companies and have government-administered health care thereby avoiding such controversy (contrived as it may be). All this does is confirm the need for a single-payer "Medicare for all" health care system.
fas·cism/ËfaSHizÉm/
Noun:
Obviously you don't read other posts, and just swoop and poop. And obviously you subscribe to right-wing propaganda and conspiracy theory ignorance, but when posters lie in here, we call them on it.
marlen
You mean like means testing and slowly raising the full benefits? Looking at the CPI raises and stopping the Federal government from borrowing the surplus of Social Security? That's all there is.
First of all - these same recommendations have come from every bi-partisan social security commission since 1980. Obama himself is even spoken about doing some of these things. So, is Obama baiting the Republicans and the middle class, or really interested in fixing the problems?
Marlen,
It was Obama and the democrats in congress that voted to cut $500 billion from Medicare to help pay for his Health Care plan.
sfcret - Will you and jolly please go do your homework before you spout more nonsense?
From FactCheck.org:
Obama in 2008 challenged McCain to take public money. McCain agreed. That meant both would be limited in what they could spend campaigning.
Obama broke his word and took the corporate money
McCain did not.
Now Obama, who has been chastising super pacs, who invited the SC Justices to sit in the front row at the State of The Union adress, then publicly chastised them on national tv over citizens united,
Well now he likes superpacs.
Coincedentialy, he also now seems to like lowering the corporate tax rate on those same businesses that donate to super pacs.
And the liberals around here are calling Romney a flip flopper.
What is that delicious smell?
Smells like... Hypocrisy.
And don't try to tell me Obama just wants a level playing field.
2008 shows that that is an obvious lie.
Obama will do anything, and sell out anybody
Just to get elected.
Let's see, the GOP has a primary and the DEMs don't. This article's analysis is so obvious it borders on the puerile. Every primary focuses on the base--left or right. For those of you fawning over this--news flash--it's nothing new nor extraordinary. Nor is it necessarily a reliable predictor of the general election. The article's point about the middle being the "kingmakers" is so telling in ways the AP writer couldn't have imagined. Our presidency has certainly taken on the nature of a monarchy the last couple of times around, with the latest being the worst.
All of you "Truth Team" members keep practicing now, here?
SFCRET, Tell the whole story, the $500 billion was cut from medicare advantage. That was subsidies to the insurance companies for administering medicare plans along with paying these plans more than what medicare pays directly.
So you are complaining about President Obama cutting non-health care related payments to insurance companies and overpayments, is that right?
On what planet is that a bad thing?
That $500 billion over 10 yrs was to help pay for the Obama Health Care plan, also how many states got waivers for medicare advantage? Some of the money was supposed to be saved by cutting waste and fraud, but those laws have been in place for years, just not enforced.
I have to laugh at some of these forum names.
TruePatriot, Patriotic American, etc
As far left as they are, I'm not sure what country they are patriotic to.... Definitely isn't this one though!
Alex M., so in your little world only Republican far right Nutjobs can be patriotic? The Teapub congress holding America hostage for the last few years is patriotic? As a left / centralist independent patriotic American I find your view of reality not only offensive, but ludicrous at best.
Don't look now, Alex, but I think you've got a little Santorum on your shoe...
Ahhhhh, Mr. and Mrs. Obama has not provided their "marching instructions/orders" to the "Truth Team", but here we are with the Liberal NAME Changes and wannabes on the Obamawagon.
Sheeesh, now we will see double, triple, quad, etc., postings of the SAME talking points on every thread. Guess that means the Liberals cannot think for themselves anymore and the Obamas will put together something for them to post.
That is almost as good as Mr. Obama saying: "I deserve to be re-elected." or "I deserve another Nobel Peace Prize".
The GOP is a plutocracy.
Marionettes with corporate strings.
What they have done, trying to make the president fail is treason.
They have clearly put their party's interest over that of the American people.
Treason is punishable by hanging (I'm just saying).
This president has already shown his colors. He will change his position depending on the mood of the electorate at that time. He will lie and pander to get your support, and then he will throw you under the bus.
Oust obama bin biden in November!
Yeah...in favor of who? Romney? Paul? Gingrich? You're kidding right? Those are hardly better replacements.
And to days front-runner is "OBAMA"
He doesn't change his colors, he tries to find room in the middle to get things through. There is nothing wrong with that at all, this country needs more of it.
"Oust obama bin biden in November!"
Seriously dude? You're still trying to paint the president as a muslim terrorist? How sad and pathetic. I pity you, but not too much. I try not to waste too much of my energy on the mentally retarded like yourself.
See my post below, it will show you exactly how Obama's reelection is inevitable. Though, republicans and teabaggers are the fingers in the ears, singing "La la la la la" when it comes to being presented with the truth type of idiots.
save yourself some embarassment.. do not post anymore..
it just shows how intellectually challenged you are..
Ain't gonna happen....and the best part about that is that righties like you will have almost 5 more years of being immensely irritated.
Obama/Hiden 2012
What change in position? His position from the beginning was that all women should be equally covered for contraceptives, no matter who their employer is.
And I see nothing that has changed about that.
It is standard odious right winger practice to project their own deficiencies onto the other side. So when the despicable details about the Koch's surfaced, all of a sudden they bring up Soros, as if there was even a valid comparison between the two.
Now, with both Romney and Gingrich flip-flopping like landed fish, we see the accusation against Obama, patently and obviously false.
I have not ever encountered a single right wing comment on anything that was not laced with lies and hypocrisy. Ever.
Republicans who will vote for one of these Characters will not vote for any one of the others. The supporters of one, hate those who support the other. Each group is continually trying to pin a dry diaper on their candidates ass while exposing the weighty load the other is wearing. Problem is, there aren't any fitting diapers with enough utility to cover the ugliness, and additionally carry the odd loads.
The President will spank the ass of any of these candidates. Accordingly, all responsible and caring voters should, I think, focus more on the defeat of republican congressional members, both House and Senate. Can't do much in the states of the "old confederacy" since the people there simply aren't bold enough to act upon their own individuality. They continue to need the security and permisssion of those they perceive to be their uppers who are all republicans. I would exclude certain areas of Fl.,NC, and Va. generally due to a more diverse population. The rest of the country though, especially the midwest, NE and pacific NW, is ripe and riled in favor of removing these dim witted teat suckers from among their ranks.
I'm still trying to understand why the left seriously believes the President to be "compromising kind of guy." If that were true (contrary to fact conditional for those wondering) why did he throw health care--the signature legislation of his--to Pelosi and Reid? There's compromise for you. Why did he allow for the "nuclear option" for passing it? There's more compromise from you. I guess true believers will see what they want to see.
Old School Latin Teacher,
The President DID compromise on health care. In fact, many liberals believe he gave up too much. For instance, he got rid of the public option. And his plan involves people buying health care from private insurance companies. Sounds like he is promoting capitalism to me.
Marty: I'm sure it does sound like capitalism to you. Pres. Obama didn't get rid of the public option. Reid and Pelosi did because they didn't have the votes for it. Pres. Obama in essence voted "present" on the whole thing like he has so often in his career. Would Hillary have gone that route? We'll never know....
"We've dodged a Teapug fueled depression thanks to Obama"
Yep, under Mr. Obama it will be called BANKRUPTCY.
Notice his White House Senior Economic Adviser recently make GREEK AUSTERITY remarks and that Mr. Obama's budget was nothing more than a CAMPAIGN DOCUMENT.
"Obama has rescued the World from a financial disaster"
Mr. Obama has included into his 2013 budget $ 800,000,000 aid for the "Arab Spring" countries, overstepping the U.N.'s thug arm (IMF) role to strangle countries financial systems, in the hopes of stemming them from financial disaster.
"We're not perfect, but they're CRAZY!" Barney Frank, D Mass.
gays aren't perfect and straights are crazy? You can interpret this ALOT of ways
Buck the only way to spin Trickle's statement is with the dictionary. No right wing twisting of 6 words.
Hey Buck Naked, just like you're name, with so many Republicans caught with their pants down, with other Men, what's your point?
Eric
Not so much of men and men but man and woman. Start keeping track.
The president's reelection won't be difficult to achieve. It's a simple matter of math. If one can count as high as 270, the president will have a second term. Simply put, any GOP nominee would have to win all 5 of the following states to get 270 electoral votes; VA, PA, NC, OH & FL. The president won all 5 in 2008, and in November, he'll only have to win one of any of them to get to 270 electoral votes. Republicans pretty much handed him Ohio by pissing off their majority with their failed attempt to take all power away from labor unions in a state that loves their unions. Basically, thanks to republican fools, Obama wins. The vice president will likely be able to deliver Pennsylvania again, they love him there. Virginia is still in play, but will likely go to the GOP. Florida and North Carolina will likely be tossups again.
Any way you do the math, it's nearly impossible for the GOP nominee, whoever he may be (Romney), to reach 270 electoral votes.
I look forward to the republicans on this thread calling me all kinds of names,I find their hate amusing (yet still very very sad and pathetic), but I'd be willing to bet that none can refute the math.
we will see...
we will see...
you are in for big surpise!
The debates against President Obama will put the final nail in the GOP coffin, I can't wait.
Not really Ron, this contest is going just as I predicted. In fact, it has shades of what happened to Kerry during Bush's reelection run. Kerry had to fend off all of his democratic challenger's, just as Romney, Paul, Gingrich and Santorum are having to do with their GoP challenger's.
In the meantime, they're making the typical campaign trail gaffe's (this happens to everyone, GoP/Democrat, doesn't matter), and the skeletons in their closet are constantly being broadcast to the country. And the only way for them to secure their nomination is to keep going further right to appease their base. The problem is, you can't win an election with just one side of the electorate when your party isn't the incumbent. Right now, Obama's already wooing the independent's (and even females on the right) with his stance of 'women's choice' for birth control. The GoP field is actually distancing themselves from majority opinion on this one.
It's only going to get worse for the GoP in the coming months, hate to say it. Just don't put too much into this contest, like many on the left did during Bush's reelection run, you'll be greatly disappointed if you do.
ronaswyhod,
Is that it? We're in for a big surprise? You can't change the math, without 270 electoral votes, the GOP nominee cannot be president, and no GOP nominee has even a chance at 270.
Get used to Obama, you've got just under 5 years of his presidency left.
I can't wait for the debates, it should be good. If it comes down to Romney, I want to see how he is going to make the Bain Capital issue sound like anything but dismantling companies to make a few people wealthier. I don't see how he reconciles unbridled greed with his Mormon background.
@ Sheila: Nah, Romney left Bain Capital 2 years before the companies were dismantled, so that's actually a fools target. It's much more intelligent to attack his stance on his tax rate (13.9%), and the fact that he's not only contributed to massive lobbyists opposing an adjustment on Private Equity, but also spoken publicly against fixing the loopholes he himself has abused. He's also spoken out against this contraceptive issue as well, so that's hardly making him favorable to women.
I still think it will hurt, two years is a short time and this thing can always be made to look like wealthy capitalists against the little guy at all costs. If he profited in anyway by job-cutting, it will hurt.
@ Sheila: It can hurt, but I'd be more focused on his time at Bain, and his other policies that are clearly out of touch with mainstream American ideology. As well as attempts to circumvent tax law and stymie the balancing thereof.
Attacking Romney for Bain, could be costly, because it could make the President look stupid, especially if he does it during an actual debate. He's got so much ammunition already, that I really don't think he should risk using something like Bain...let the PAC's run with the disinformation, I suppose...though, I'd prefer it if we could just have an election run on truth, as opposed to whoever can cloud the airwaves with the most negative crap.
The President needs to stay on target and be positive. People want to believe that things are getting better and he need to show that it is. Leave the negativity to the PACs. He needs to explain why his policies are better and how he intends to accomplish them. Tout the good things he has accomplished since getting into office.
He doesn't need to be negative. He needs to be Presidential.
President Obama is defiantly the only Adult in the room.
@ DsB: Very good point, not sure if staying 100% positive is possible in this campaign, but I agree the more he stays away from the negative and just focuses on what his administration has done that's positive the better. The PAC's are going to unload in this one, and he has to make sure he can keep the focus on reality, truth and the progress that's been made.
Good focus, I see where you are coming from.
VirginiaDemocrat78 -- We're in for a big surprise -- That's what right-wingers said back in 2008 referring to the Birther conspiracy. They really believed President Obama took office illegally and would be impeached. I wonder what chain Email they are reading now?
B Murphy -- Since Romney continues to receive a huge income from Bain Capital, I believe Bain remains relevant -- including American Airlines hiring Bain to help avoid responsibility for pensions during bankruptcy, even though they have the funds to stand by their pension obligations.
Ultimately it is about philosophy, in that Romney shares Bain Capital/Wall Street/Investment Banker/Hedge Fund Manager philosophy of "free market" to benefit only the 1% VS "fair market," in which the tide lifts all boats. Which is crazy in the long run even for the 1%, because when the middle class does well, everyone does well including businesses and the rich.
This is in the same vein as the GOP/TP platform in general, or supply-side economics of deregulation, corporate welfare subsidies, and "trickle-down" tax cuts for the rich, along with deficit spending on the industrial military complex that has been a failure. Worse, things like the pledge to Norquist to never increase taxes of any kind under any circumstance, to privatize Medicare to give more tax breaks to the rich, "starve the beast" anarchy and Race to the Bottom of every man, woman, and child for his/herself, etc. actually puts the old voodoo economics on steroids.
As for negative campaigns and Super PACs -- First, there is a point of no return on investment or saturation of negative ads run. Second, lies must be countered -- The president has done really well by calling out the lies (otherwise silence in consent) without looking negative. It is a balance. Certainly the president can never come off as an "angry black man" like Newt Gingrich the angry narcissist.
It's interesting about Republicans and who's turn it is to be the nominee, neglecting that there is a time for certain candidates to win. The "has beens" of Romney the poster child for the 1% during a Great Recession (not), or Gingrich, the father of polarization and gridlock in Washington (not), or Santorum, the most extreme religious fundamentalist who wants to make birth control illegal (not) are all wrong for the times.
In addition to the old, failed platform, Teapublicans therefore also lack any rising stars. If the GOP/TP has a fresh face, that person has no new ideas to run on. So their "strategery" is to move further to Right, while the country has moved in the opposite direction.
Oh yes, there will be a big surprise in 2012.
The surprise will be in how high the margin of victory will be for Obama, and how badly the republicans will be beaten in the house and senate races too!
To those predicting a "cakewalk" for Obama's re-election - a word for the wise.
It takes 270 electoral votes to win. Many of the high electoral states are in the South, where far-right ideology is prevalent. Many of these voters will vote for the Republican/TP candidates no matter what. Their ideology demands it.
While I believe it will be a close election (most of them are), it remains to be seen which demographic gets their way. It is incumbent on those who sat out the 2010 mid-term elections to go vote this time or there will be hell to pay. Remember - elections have consequences. Now it will be harder for many to vote, programs will be cut, taxes for the middle will go up while taxes for the wealthy will get cut even more - it's an ugly scenario.
So rather than predict the winner of Novembers election this far out, get to work in your neighborhoods and get people registered to vote. If picture ID is required, get picture ID.
Not only is the presidency at stake, but control of Congress is at stake, and that may very well be even more important than who wins the presidency.
Anyway, that's my advice. Go for it.
Virginia Democrat
The Best case Scenario is the Election Projection at 332 for Obama. Dave Leip's site was closer than election projection the last time.
Fivethirtyeight shows Obama 332 Republican 206
Dave Leip says Obama 299 Republican 239.
NONE of these take into consider specific Republicans at this point.
270 to win puts it this way for a non-specified Republican - you have to put the head-to head numbers in by yourself. REMEMBER a Challenger in a weak economy usually take those state that fall inside the Margin of Error of a poll (4%). Why? - usually the undecided voters break more toward the challenger than the incumbent.
Default wins are as follows - Obama 196 - Republican 181
13 Swing States in Limbo - NH 4, NV 6, MI 16, IA 6, CO 9, NM 5, FL 29, NC 15, VA 13, PA 20, OH 18, MO 10, WI 10 OR 161 EV's
Of the swing States Mit would get FL 29(-3), OH 18 (-4), NC 15 (-1), MO 10 (even), CO 9 (-2), NV 6 (+11), NM 5 (Even) OR 92 Eliminate the worst
Of the swing States Santorum would get FL 29(-1), OH 18 (even), NC 15 (-2), MO 10 (-3), No data Available for Santorum for NV 6, IA 6, CO 9, NM 5, PA 20. Santorum has 72 of the 89 Needed to win - 17 short that he must pick up in the no data states. Santorum is relatively unknown. The primaries show that when people meet him, overall they like him. That means he could reach into weak democrat states - Romney cannot
I looked at Gingrich and Paul too, Neither has a path to 270 in the margin of error. The intersting thing about Paul is that he does better only in the states that Romney and Santorum do the worst Like New Hampshire and Wisconsin.
ronaswyhod, How did you manage to stumble into the OBAMA clubhouse? Find the quickest way out, before they eat your brains.
virginiadem...you are correct...the republicans can barely make it above 200, if things keep going the way they are the might not break 100...people are getting sick and tired of the republicans
The people who are just now getting sick and tired of the Republicans must not have been paying attention until now.
The GOP don't care about minorities, gays, women, the environment, the less fortunate, small business, compromise, regulation that protects the 99%, fairness, the middle class and the American dream. They care about Big Business, Oil Companies, the banksters, the Military Industrial Complex, Insurance Companies and the top 400,000 wage earners in America. Your choice in November.
Or, maybe the GOP cares, but they have different views than you on how to help people succeed in this country...
As to things like "big oil", "banksters", etc. - look at what the Dems did (or did not do) in 2009 and 2010 to see how much they really care about these subjects. They could have enacted all kinds of reforms (including ethics reforms) since they had the Presidency, House and filibuster-proof Senate, but instead, carried on pretty much like all of the recent congresses. For me, actions speak far louder than words...
By the way, I'm not a fan of either party. I vote for whichever candidate I think can do the best job for the country as a whole in the long-term...I don't care which party they belong to.
If the Democrats and the Obama Administration care about the "the middle class and the American dream" why then did they pass and sign the 2 month payroll taxcut?
So the average employee would get $160 taxcut, everyone who takes out a home loan or refinances a mortgage for the next decade will pay thousands more in mortgage payments due to increases in guarantee fees and premiums to pay for the taxcut.
cnettv.cnet.com/hidden-mortgage-fee-paying-payroll-tax-cut/9742-1_53-50119506.html
Well, I think Obama will win, as he is the best candidate out of all the bunch. The party of "NO" has pretty well destroyed themselves.
Is Obama the best choice? No, but He is better than the other 3 clowns!
He's the best out of what's currently available. Perfect, no. But certainly head and shoulders better than anyone else who's in the contest thus far.
B. Murphy, I agree with what you've commented. However, would you be kind enough to list who you feel fills the criteria of the Perfect President. Which of the past Presidents would you suggest were perfect.
@ Skip: I don't really think any President could be considered perfect, I'm sure if you poor through actual history and not just propaganda, every President has done, or said something that reflects poorly upon them. I could be wrong, but I don't really think perfection is attainable.
*pour through history
...while America watches. We all see the GOP protect and defend that 'base' (corporations, the military-industrial complex, insurance, big pharma, the moneyed elite) while Obama appeals to the rest of us.
The Republicans' true colors are on display for all to see and that is why they will be soundly defeated come November.
And we have tape, lots and lots of it. Obama/Biden 2012
Where are all the GOP bloggers, in Church repenting ALL their sins for the week? After their bashing of Whitney Houston's death last night, they have a lot of explaining to do to their GOD. Judgement day for these so called Christians should be interesting.
Obama also stated at the national breakfast prayer Where he brought out his Christian self and invoked the charitable side of Christianity, That the rich and fortunate should pay more taxes and help with the Economy? I thought charity was given to the poor not the Government?
We need revenue to boast education, science, OUR crumbling infrastructure and important programs to help the hurting middle class and less fortunate.
From a certain perspective, the government is a charity. They provide protection, assistance for food shelter and many other basic necessities, roads, regulations that protect consumers from massive predatory corporations and so on... And they can't do it without taxes.
Even Republican hero Ronald Reagan said that it's just plain wrong for millionaires and billionaires to pay a lower percentage on taxes than middle class Americans. Of course, Republicans, while they idolize Reagan, don't like to be reminded of most of the things he said or did as president, because he was a centrist, much like President Obama.
You are correct about the rich paying their equal share, The need to close all loopholes for these people, You also have to remember that all politicians are the Corporation Regulators, They are the one's that have given them the means to do what they have done, Also Obama is only a Centrist now because of the election, He has really been a devious Socialist progressive the rest of his Presidency.
Sticking up for the 99% isn't "DEVIOUS".
Citizen,
What are you talking about? You clearly haven't been paying attention to anything except what the right wing talking heads have told you. Not one thing the president has done has been what anyone would call "socialist."
Let's look at what he's done; on healthcare, he made concessions to the right and we got a middle of the road giveaway to insurance companies. He made concessions on spending (in fact he's made tons of spending cuts), and just about the only extreme thing he's done was killing Osama bin Laden, something republicans actually found a way to complain about (mostly because their hero Dubbya couldn't get 'er done.
On every single issue, the president has invited the republicans to the table and made concessions to them, while NEVER ONCE have the republicans been willing to make a single compromise.
@ Citizen: Obama's actually more centrist than Reagan was.
And continue using the term 'progressive' like it's a bad thing. Most human's feel PROGRESS is important. As opposed to stagnation, and/or standing still.
He has also called the opposition to his legislation Ideas the Enemy? If we want to come along for the ride we will have to sit in back of the Bus? He does back door legislation,He circumvents around Congress, He has all the Faith in the World with his Attorney General who is a Liar and a Murderer, Do I really need to keep going?
Care to quote some sources on the President referring to those who oppose his legislation the enemy?
Most President's do back door legislation, and most President's have circumvented Congress at one time or another. Your anger at this President seems inappropriate if you're not going to hold all previous President's who've performed in similar fashion accountable. It's also not the President's fault that Republican's are more interested in making him a one-term President than actually helping this country move forward (Yeah, I know, that Progressive term you hate so much), forcing him to figure out other means of passing certain pieces of legislation.
Were you as vehement about the lies and murder that the previous administration committed? Or because they were more along your lines of ideology, you were ok with going into Iraq under false pretenses, and the hundreds of thousands of civilian casualties that occurred because of it?
not with this tyrant, traitor, liar in the white house..
Yeah, that's what I thought, all hate, absolutely no substance or reasoning behind it. Typical response from the brainwashed. I'm so glad you don't represent the majority of the country.
Do you have that written on your hand Ron?
If you think that Mr Obama will haul the moderate line after he is re-elected your a tad daft. He has no reason to go middle of the road, he has nothing to worry about, he will he stark left. I read an interesting with a person who escaped form Cuba 6 months after Castro took over. They all saw Castro as an patriot and organizer, and said to them selves he would never take their small hardware store or their house just the large business's like Sugar/Tobacco and Casino's. When the army showed up at the business and put a new owner in charge they were happy they still had a home. Then the army showed up at their home and informed them they had to move parents grand parents and children into 2 rooms while 2 other people enjoyed their and ran their home! I think the american people may elect Mr Obama, their are a lot of people in the big cities that need his vision, but the middle and south will keep congress away from him. Minority leaders in the congress will be democrats.
No reason to go middle of the road?
No reason except for the fact that his own CORE PRINCIPLES ARE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD.
There is a peculiarity with the right wing in the US states that seems to think that centrist positions are "radical", "progressive", or "liberal". It seems to be a highly expanded version of the "that which does not agree with me must by definition be extreme, as MY personal views must be the mainstream ones."
If Ronald Reagan were a politician in the Republican party today, without any of the name recognition of having previously been president, supporting the same positions he has always had, he would have been primaried out of the party by the Tea Party years ago.
There is another peculiarity of the right-wing in America, that seems to think the terms "progressive" and "liberal" are insults, when they are in fact compliments.
US Citizen - a student of religion you are not.
Obama misused a verse that was talking about stewardship to God and Family.
Here's the passage.
Explain how that is God gave people riches, and that government is the instrument that should be extracting more taxes out of them.
USCitizen, let me help you understand "how we got where we are". You drove the vehicle into the ditch. The tow truckk came out and pulled the vehicle out of the ditch. Unfortuantely, the damage was such that the vehicle was a total write off. We were able to salvage some of the parts. However, the cost of repair was enormous and would take a serious amount of time to repair. The courts determined that you drove recklessly and a ticket was issued and had to be paid before you could drive a vehicle again. Once its determined whether you are responsible enough to drive you might get your license back. Your license has been revolked till 2016. A review at the end of 2016 will determine whether you responsible enough or not delaying the issusing of your license into the next decade (Check Elizabeth Warren). Ok, got it. Do you understand it now? Good.
Skip,
So what you're saying is that Obama is the tow truck, pulling the economy out of the ditch, and the republicans are blaming the tow truck driver for the car (economy) being in the ditch in the first place. Good metaphor, the republicans did indeed drive the economy into a ditch, America called the Democratic towing company to pull us out and the right wingers are blaming the Democratic towing company for the disaster they caused. Fortunately, the majority of Americans, according to all the polls, blame the correct people for this crisis, the Republican party.
VirginaDemocrat, absolutely. Because I head/read so much nonsense about Obama this, Obama that (where I live you can't even mention the President in a favourable light) and almost all of it is the Party Line. We've reached the stage where its "all Obama's fault". Where the hell did that come from? No, the GOP will not get their license back until they pay the fine (2 unpaid wars, corporate welfare, out of control military spending and the rest) and then we can take a look see whether its 2016 or probably maybe who knows into the next decade. I think Elizabeth Warren might curtail the joy of holding office until then. Guess we'll see.
The GOP has a lot of explaining to do. Supporting the "Ryan plan" and signing the "Grover Norquist Pledge" will be huge come debate time.
Ummmmm I believe people knew what they were doing in 2010. And I believe they will back that up in 2012. In Michigan here we have the first surplus since 1997 and also a balanced budget. The state is pumping money into Police and fire dept hiring as well as education. With $130million into the rainy day fund.
Yeah, they were hiring more teachers too, improving the Student teacher ratio.
I also see that the closest Challengers is 6 points behind Walker at this point as of a week ago.
DB, you need to get out more. Mr. Walker/Koch is so unpopular now that he will probably reflect Mr. Scott down in Florida's popularity. I think Mr. Walker/Koch is going to go. To do anything less would be a diservice to the people of Wisconsin and even the nation. Good luck with the rah rah. Lord knows I've seen lots of it over the past 6 weeks. Wow, guys, pick a candidate, any candidate. Its not going to matter. With non plan, no platform and a diminishing talking point across the board, you're only left with "I hate Obama, I hate Obama" as the plan. Not electable and certainly not good enough.
So Jolly, you admit the economy is getting better!! Finally, a rightwingnut who gets it.
Obama/Biden 2012
Let me just put it this way for all of you right wing-nuts out there. If you want to vote for your front runner "Mulligan Mitt". Then please explain to us the dems and the independents alike. How can an ubber rich white male so called(Mormon-Christian) 1% of the 1%ers who has nothing in common with the rest of us 99%ers. Attempt to tell us how and what to do. Yet he wants to be the leader of this country but doesn't feel that this country is good enough for him to keep his money in... Talk about flip-flopping and him being a true conservative... I guess in the next ten years he'll be someone else again... Just wait
And then you have a President that has compromised with just about everything and the GOP/T-Pers are still saying "No" to everything. Be it good or bad... Go Figure
I think voting for Romney would actually be a betrayal to myself, Because I hate Corporate Republicans just about as much as I do Socialist Progressives
I really hope I do not leave the voting booth feeling slimy like I did in 2008.
Why, you voted for McCain/Palin?
Yes tryreality
I will also have to vote for who ever the GOP puts up because Obama is taking us down the road to no where?
24 consecutive months of private sector growth, saving G.M. and Chrysler and killing Bin Laden is NOWHERE?
We were at the bottom until Congress was taken over by the Conservatives, Which in turn brought some stability back to the stock Market along with some positives in job growth, By the way the numbers are still skewed we are at least at 16% unemployment, So many are also under employed, Bush had already laid the foundation for saving the automobile industry and The Navy seals got Bin Laden. Nice spin though?
@ Citizen: The Navy Seals don't act on their own, nor do they enter a sovereign country without express authorization up the chain of command, ergo, the go ahead from the Commander in Chief...that would be the President of the United States. Certainly, the SEALs deserve the credit for the actual kill, but Obama deserves the credit for giving the decisive go-ahead. Just as Bush would have, had he made the same decision.
The unemployment figures have always been reported this way, they aren't just now 'starting' a new method of it. So, right now, unemployment is @ ~8.3% much to the Chagrin of the right. Keep hating, though, it's really going to get you nowhere in life.
We would've been in a full blown depression if it wasn't for the Democrats taking back Congress in November of 2006 and President Obama winning in November 2008. PERIOD
Some of us have been given careers by rich people. I know you dont like to here this......but Ive had 7 jobs with 7 major corp's
AT&T, General Dynamics, Oracle,MCI, WorldCom ADP and my current employer. They have all paid me well and treated me with respect. I have yet to receive a job offer from any one that was not rich. I have been courted by the Gov. on several occasions, no thanks! In fact several of my peers took positions with the IRS just before they froze employment about ! 1/2 years ago.....all have quit and found private employment. They could not handle the Gov. abusive structure.
You've been "given" a career by rich people? I'd say you've taken a job provided by the demand of the middle class. My company was founded by a few middle class people who found a middle class need, filled it, and became very wealthy in the process, and good for them. But without middle class demand for our goods, we'd be forced to shut down tomorrow. Rich people had nothing to do with creating our jobs.
Sure, Im sure you were. Thats how many small to mid sized business's were created. But eventually someone became rich, which is the dream....correct? I joined the Navy at 17 after quitting HS and GEDing out. (We were poor, but my mother would not have us on welfare) Im 3 years from retirement and should be able to not take SS. However I could be forced into it, if people conclude my works and life's savings is too much and take it. Im not rich I just worked real hard!
Congress being taken over by the Republicans in 2010 was the WORST thing that happened to the economic recover. It paralyzed everything and slowed down the recover immensely. It prevented the needed expansion of the stimulus package (it is a standard right wing lie that the stimulus, which they themselves first initiated at the end of the Bush term, "failed". The stimulus succeeded exactly as it was intended to. But the obstructionist Congress prevented the stimulus from being extended and expanded when it was necessary to build on those gains). It seriously damaged the financial sector's confidence in the basic functionality of the American government.
If the Tea Party wave hadn't overrun Congress in 2012, this current recession would have been over by now.
"7 jobs from 7 major corp's"
So you have trouble keeping a job? Easier to ride the coattails of others? Start your own, create jobs, add something to the betterment of the country as a whole.
That's what I and many others have done and I didn't need to wait to retire, I did that at 54. I was not rich at the beginning and I'm not sure I would be considered rich by those heads of the corps you have worked for in the past. But I do live a very good life. You will get you relative pittance while you've helped the 1% of the 1% get richer. Good job.
Try Reality
We would've been in a full blown depression if it wasn't for the Democrats taking back Congress in November of 2006 and President Obama winning in November 2008. PERIOD
Not quite on both.
First TARP is what stopped a depression. That was signed by Bush on October 3, 2008 and money was in the banks before November. The banks would never have lasted until Obama became president. The money brought their asset to loan ratios back to then acceptable levels. If that did not happen, the banks would have investors and depositors demand their investments and deposits back.
Second, a deal was worked out with the creditors, and investors was worked out with Chrysler and GM that the Union refused to accept. Bush then loaned a total of 19 billion to GM and Chrysler so a deal could be worked out under Obama. IF Bush does not loan GM and Chrysler, they also would not survived until January - they were within 1 week of filing bankruptcy. That happened on December 19, 2008. Obama was sworn in Jan 20, 2009
Wow, Republicans taking credit for the recovery. Unbelievable.
When Obama says he will force a Church run organization to violate their core beliefs he isn't "pitching the middle" he's pandering to the far left on a Constitutional issue.
Every day I thank God for Barack Obama. Every single day! I do so because every time this cheap little wannabe dictator pulls a stunt like this he further erodes the base that put him in office. more importantly everytime he does something this tragically stupid he ensures the Progressive movement in the US will be lying at his feet in ruins on november 5 2012.
Enjoy what little time you have, Barry cause the rest of the world is laughing at you.
I have friends all over the world that are laughing at your party of NO. BTW, The birth control issue has been resolved, where have you been? Obama/Biden 2012
requiring health care coverage for birth control is "pandering to the far left"? lol.
now that's a funny statement, given how many men and women across the political spectrum are vitally interested in birth control.
"the rest of the world is laughing at you"? lol, only in your mind. unless you can prove otherwise? In any case, i'm laughing at YOU. :)
@ VermontGuy: He missed the whole part about the majority of Catholic women, the majority of women in general, the majority if independents and the majority of leftists. Which really means that...the majority is in favor of the law, and he's in the minority lol.
he just made us all pay for it, thats all! This is not over.
Its not over until we drive the Teapugs out of this Country that they are destroying. The GOP Tea-retards worship Satan.
Jollyoldsou1, do you just create stuff out of thin air? Is that it? All I got out of your comments is the same old "company line". You worked hard. You should keep. Its all yours. Elizabeth Warren reminded you that nobody got rich by themselves. The police who protected you while you made your money The fireman who was on hand to insure your house/business didn't burn down while you make your money. The soldier who protect you from enemies who would have taken your money, home, life before you made your money The teacher who taught you to read and write. It goes on and on. Taxes are called contributing to society at large. A quality of a society is determined by how it takes care of ALL of its citizens. Its not all about you. How hard you worked. Government steps in when capitalism/democracy fails (check women's right, civili rights). Reaganomics is an utter failure. You know it. I know it. The party that represents you doesn't represent everyone. That's the fatal flaw. Heatlhare is a right not a privilege. Its about the welfare of a nation. Anything else said is hogwash. You know it and so do I.
Bfitz. Not EVERYONE is laughing at you. Don't believe that for a minute. Some of us think its sad, not funny. People like you who completely twist things to the point of unrecognizability are scary. What our president did was to attempt to make something available to the many many people who are in favor of receiving it.
A Republican winning the election?? They will be lucky to survive as a party over the next 5 years, Republicans have alienated basically everyone in the USA, Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Women, Unions, Workingclass, Elderly, College students
If your not braindead, white, and addicted to FOX,,,,,,,Your voting for Obama
Good morning Bo, glad you're here brother.
Morning, Alway's nice to wake up to reality
:)
You two just made may throw up.
Who is May? And why did she throw up?
since when is more government intrusion pitching middle.
providing birth control is an issue that is important to most people except the far right. hence "pitching middle", as well as making a compromise that still accomplishes the goal and relieves most of the issues from the right. If you don't understand that, then I understand your post. :)
It's called REGULATION, something Bush eliminated which brought on the near depression.
As is easily seen from the bulk of the posts here F.X., the term "Progressive Logic" is one of the Worlds, Ultimate Oxymorons
tedcrawford is giving a HJ to FX. lol.
nice "rebuttal" ted, full of "facts" and "logic".
epic fail. :)
Damn...Im just a Independent! Im not as smart as you guys, must be that Mountain air...maybe too much Wobbly Barn action.
Growing up I used birth control, had to if you wanted to avoid pregnancy. Payed for it myself, along with the vasectomy I had.
So now it is determened to be an entitlement? Where is the accountability with you folks these days?
Obama will become a middle of the road President, three days after the Pope converts to a Jehovah's Witness!
yeah, its not like he's compromised on gitmo, foreign policy, bush tax cuts, and this issue, not to mention others. When the leftmost part of your base is unhappy with you, that's a pretty good sign he's in the middle.
but you go on ignoring the facts if you want to look silly. :)
ted..you got that right..
do not trust this guy..he lies...
he is operating from the far left spectrum..
I also believe Mr. Obama will take reelection as a mandate to fundamentally change the way this country is run. I do think the urban areas may be able to reelect Mr. Obama (I live in Detroit, I know how many people rely on it) I think that middle america (center) and the south will keep the congress right. I have no issues with Mr. Obama he looks to be a great man and father. The combo of him Ms Pelosi and Mr. Reid does not leave me feeling very comfortable.
Ron, anything that isn't "extreme right" is too far left/center for you. Obama is the most centrist president we've had since Reagan.
And Reagan's lights were dimmed very early on...
boy..I can see that all the liberal nuts are out this morning..
go to church and pray for your country..if it's not too late..
I will be going to mass now and I will pray for your souls!
oust obama bin biden!
I actually prefer to do something about the problems of the country, not hope some invisible deity will do it for me.
well, you are certainly an expert on nuts, based on your post. :) I suggest you pray for more maturity for yourself and less hatred...don't whine about the spec in your neighbor's eye when you have a beam in your own. :)
"Liberal nuts" prefer practical solutions for the country, Ron, but say hi to your imaginary friend for us, ok?
vermont..I have no hatred..I am a conservative..I have only pity for you and the likes of you that is dragging this country , my country into the EU form of gov..
I am just thankful that most of the godless liberal nuts do not believe in the 2nd Admendment, Laws can be broken, Staying in the Light of Goodness cannot.
What has GOD have to do with guns, Hmmmm
Yes Citizen, and it's a good thing that virtually every hardened criminal in the penitentiaries is in the "Light of Goodness." Imagine how bad they would be if they weren't!
You not knowing what I meant by it? Hmmmm
Leroy they are also going to Hell also, Have a nice Day=:)
I can tell you god has absolutely nothing to do with any of mine, I fire them all a few times a month and god never interferes!
I vote for the following as the two most incompatible comments:
I have no hatred..I am a conservative.
Rick Santorum is playing the same game that the GOP/Tea Party played to win various states and Congressional seats in 2010. Tell the people what they want to hear and not what he would do as president. On David Gregory's show, Rick did not answer the social issue questions directly. He like the rest of the extreme right, started talking about other things to mislead the public to thinking he really cares about the majority of Americans. The public much do a great deal of due diligence to really uncover what the GOP Candidates really stand for. those of us who refuse to return to the ways of the Bush Administration, must fight back and make sure that this group of conservatives without consciences does not regain the White House. Otherwise, we will be in a bad place since they have no real solutions to help improve this country for all. Just look at the GOP/Tea Party governors/leagislatures, thanks to ALEC, founded by the Koch brothers. have done in such states as Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Florida, New Jersey, Maine, Virginia, Oklahoma. They have enacted laws, with drafts form ALEC, which take away bargaining and voter rights, repeal some of the child labor laws, tried to defund Planned Parenthood and decreasing funds to public education. In Pennsylvania, the Current Government, caused a school district in the state to work for free. This is a very poor minority district with wonder teachers. Instead the funds are being diverted to charter schools such as the one supported by one of the governor's donor.
When a guy like Rick brings His Wife's dead fetus home for His Children to sing to and pray over, It's game over. He has 0 chance to come anywhere near the White House.
it wasnt too long ago that, that was standard practice. I have a female friend of mine who lost a father ( airforce pilot) and since they never got to see the body and grieve as a family she still thinks he is going to just show up someday.
I don't believe it was a miscarried fetus as much as a fully-formed human being that was simply still-born. Either way it was creepy for him to bring the corpse home for a night of prayer and closure with the kids. I wonder if they made popcorn and had pizza? Most "normal" families would have left those activities for a proper wake at a funeral home. Santorum is, nonetheless, a religious wing-nut that will/should never set foot in the White House.
Santorum is so Weird, its scary this guy is running for President of the united states of America. God help this Country if this nut gets near the White House.
#19.1 try, Santorum said rape victims should think of the babies conceived during their assault as gifts from God. This guy is crazy, just look at his eyes on the debates, they have a sick look ?
Patriot American - I believe Santorum belongs to Opus Dei - a right wing cult of the Catholic Church - he sent his two sons to their school in DC
Opus Dei does not reveal membership - however a few years ago in their Ilumminati they said they had a friend in Pennsylvania
That pained look he has could be something he is wearing to inflict pain not draw blood - it's one of Opus Dei's crazy ideas of penance
It's not hard to attract the middle when you've got the big government GNOP telling everyone who they can sleep with, who they can pray too, what they can do with their own bodies, restricting voting, and invading our homes.
And they say they want to TAKE OUR COUNTRY BACK. LOL
They're referring to time when they say "back". They want to take us to the dark ages. Before science, before reason. I was never a Republican. But years ago they could at least be considered respectable, with a different philosophy on how to run the nation. Somewhere down the road they became religious fanatics, and the most hateful people around.
Is it just me, or are there an inordinate amount of idiotic righties who's names begin with an "R?" Rick, Rob, Ron, etc.
RRR, LOL
Lol, sorry Real!
All of those paid by the Koch brothers to post on this message board must have a user tag that starts with "R".
the "R" (righties) will stand up and defeat the "L"s better known as the evil empire or the dark side...
I love you Leroy!
I love you too Ron, but I hate the lying gang of corporate thugs that have you sucked in to fighting for your own oppression and that of your friends and family.
peace be with you leroy brown..
we both love our country and hope the best for it
R - Reaganomics, R - Repug, R - for Risky !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
RRR = Ron Resisting Rationality
I think the GOP miscalculated. They have a 2 pronged strategy:
1: We're the most conservative Conservatives ever...this is for the base.
2: Obama is the worst president ever...this is for the middle
I hope most people in the middle have seen through this and realize the GOP is lying to them about Obama and will question whether or not they tell the truth about themselves.
I'm a Liberal who sees Obama as a well meaning centrist. And he'll be reelected. He might lose the Senate with all the retiring going on which will make the next 4 years a lost cause.
Obama's policies clearly delineate the choices for America:
Be free to choose whether you want birth control or not,
Or have a government that mandates what you MUST priovide, no matter how morally odious it is to your personal beliefs.
The standard progression of the socialist plan is to dismantle all traditional social constructs and traditions (churches, religion, morality) and replace it with the all-providing nanny state....with a charismatic "Dear Leader" of course.
We are almost there! Keep up the long march!
This would work except that pesky Congress and court system that hold checks and balances.
No business should be exempt from labor law, even if they were started by a religious person. With that being my personal opinion. I've been saying since the start that Obama would adjust the rule for political reasons.
The Government decided labor laws, long before Obama took office, he's simply making certain that birth control is part of healthcare afforded by employers. It's not forcing anyone to use birth control, nor is it interfering with actual Church employees. It does, however, affect those who work with religiously affiliated hospitals, charities etc... that aren't necessarily followers of that religion. Those entities still fall under labor laws, and must adhere to certain requirements of federal law.
You don't have to like it, heck, you don't even need to USE the birth control coverage you have. But, it's illegal to deny such coverage to all employees, based upon the parent 'companies' beliefs. That would get shredded in any court.
All he did was make us all pay for it, including Catholics! I mean he is making us all buy insurance. I cant pay my Car loan this month from my account, You have money I will use yours!
You have to buy car insurance, Jolly, so I'm not sure what you're griping about.
Making sure all women have access to birth control will benefit you too, you know. That'll be fewer kids you have to pay child support for.
You Reeps. You know the cost of everything but understand the value of nothing.
I don't understand why anyone thinks there's an analogy between health insurance and car insurance. The only reason you're forced to buy car insurance is (if you CHOOSE the option of owning/driving a car) is because of the potential damage you may inflict on other people. When you buy fuel or have the oil changed do you expect insurance to cover it? When the transmission blows do you expect insurance to cover it?
Yeah lets keep the government out of our lives...
Can I get off the hook for paying for ED medicine for a bunch of overweight, out of shape white guys who can't take care of their women?
How about tax dollars being used for faith based outreach when I think religion is a bunch of baloney?
Can I demand that my workers take a pay cut so I can have more profit?
Where exactly do you want the guvment out of our lives?
I am done commenting on MSNBC. If I tell the truth MSNBC collapses my comments or wipes out a whole page that my comments are on or MSNBC starts the same article again with different headline or they bann me from posting comments.
There is no freedom of speech on MSNBC if you are telling the truth. But MSNBC will tell you lies all day long.
Have a good day everyone. See ya in the FEMA concentration camps.
Most of your comments seem to stand Jeff. MSNBC does censor way to much though. I wish all the comments would stand, even the ones I find offensive, hell, ESPECIALLY the ones I find offensive!
Some people seem to know or have access to the mods on the different blogs! We all know who has the ear of some of them.
Jeff, all the lies are coming from you, Not MSNBC. Also its the people that don't like what you are saying on the vine that collapses your comments. PS - Stop your lying and go back and play with your fox.
Jeffrey, its the people in th forum who collapse comments. Not MSNBC.
I would feel a lot more sorry for the Catholic organizations who don't want to provide birth control if a) they also had qualms about Viagra et al (notice that the 'guy' drugs are NEVER a problem) and b) they were not receiving public funds. Sorry, when you accept government money, you accept some government requirements. Just ask VMI how well trying to keep women out of their sanctuary worked out.