Symmetry required it: 2012 american general election thread #2

That's right. Ann Romney wiggling her eyebrows while crowing about sweating while five kids swarmed over her 50-room summer cottage is as close as the center gets these days.

The reality is that Governor George W. Bush would still be considered a fantastic nominee -- and in their eyes the most competent.

he should run again w/ a fake moustache and a new name.

'jeb bush'

http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_la1su6zXaD1qb6e5oo1_500.jpg

newt has not RTed me yet wtf, two other #flagbattle people have tho

it's really true tho it's like an abusive relationship that ended terribly but they're still in love with the dude and all other suitors just can't don't have the magic touch

minus can't

So Romney is in love with Latinos now apparently

hes kinda into latin guys now

Nice

Is anyone else watching MSNBC right now

I try to avoid Ed Schultz. What's happening?

Romney getting sonned on coal ad

That's old news, right? The coal workers were forced to attend?

Coming up: warren v brown

Good news:

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and 28 other members of the 53-member Senate Democratic caucus have signed a letter opposing any cuts to Social Security as part of a deficit reduction package.

The letter forms a significant marker as Congress looks toward a possible deficit bargain in the lame-duck session after the election. It says Social Security has problems down the road, but that they should be dealt with separately from any budget deal.

Cuts to Social Security and other entitlements are seen as key to getting the bipartisan cooperation of Republicans in any deal, just as revenue increases are key for Democrats.

The Bowles-Simpson deficit reduction plan produced by President Obama's deficit commission contained Social Security cuts, including a change in the way inflation is calculated and an increase in the retirement age.

The letter could reduce the chances for a long-term, multi-trillion-dollar deal soon. Congress will need to put some kind of deal in place before January to avoid the "fiscal cliff" of indiscriminate spending cuts and tax increases.

The Senate's number three Democrat, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), also signed the letter. Notably, Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), who supported Bowles-Simpson, did not.

Sigh

Ever since a big chunk of the gop party faithful decided that latino immigrants were some sort of indigestable lump in the melting pot, and they started sponsoring punitive initiatives such as English-language-only laws, the latino reaction has proved to be a thorn in their side. It's like they didn't believe that latinos could actually vote or something.

Don't ever count out my people though:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hBcuL00BeI

i bet if were latino newt would RT me

so no revenue increases...

http://www.c-span.org/Events/Elizabeth-Warren-D-and-Sen-Scott-Brown-R-MA-Debate/10737434283-1/

Brown is out of some Ben Affleck movie--never heard his voice before

http://i.imgur.com/M4hDB.png

(it just switched over)

Oh Ann:

During an interview early this evening with Radio Iowa, Mrs. Romney directly addressed her fellow Republicans who’ve criticized her husband.
“Stop it. This is hard. You want to try it? Get in the ring,” she said. “This is hard and, you know, it’s an important thing that we’re doing right now and it’s an important election and it is time for all Americans to realize how significant this election is and how lucky we are to have someone with Mitt’s qualifications and experience and know-how to be able to have the opportunity to run this country.”

Alex Pareene
‏@pareene
BILL KRISTOL, YOU PISSED CUZ YOUR DAD GETS MORE PUSSY THAN YOU?

Running for prez is a hard job, mrs. romney, but the criticism is not going to stop. Not ever. You might have noticed that, if you'd paid attention.

Deficit reduction is still retarded since the economy sucks. Private sector jobs have been growing okish but it doesn't help that the government sheds jobs like a bad habit..

the economy sucking less is the most important form of deficit reduction

if the government hadnt cut all those jobs the economy/unemployment would prob be in dece shape by now

nitpicking, but there is no "the government" when you talk about US civil employment. secret service agents and school cafeteria staff are not apples to apples - which is wrong, imho

i mean frankly based on the last couple decades the USSS suit on detail is in much less risk of catching a bullet than anybody working in a public high school

the economy sucking less is the most important form of deficit reduction

birthdays are the most important measure of age

sex is the most important means of reproduction

gravity is the most important form of keeping us from floating into space

durr is the herp derp of duh uh huh yeah

Gallup poll says its still nearly even!

President Obama’s small bounce in the polls following the Democratic National Convention has all but vanished in Tuesday’s Gallup daily tracking poll.

Obama takes 47 percent support among registered voters over Romney's 46, according to the poll.

Obama’s lead widened to 7 points in the days following the Charlotte, N.C., convention earlier this month, but Tuesday’s data show the race returning the level where it’s been throughout most of the contest.

http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/polls/250115-gallup-obamas-convention-bounce-evaporates

― curmudgeon, Wednesday, September 19, 2012 10:51 AM (Yesterday) Bookmark

sry for namedropping but i did a job over at the gallup building in dc today and got to overhear chairman j1m cl1ft0n talk at length about these numbers, about how stuff like the romney video just confirm the baked-in 'thurston howl iii image' people already have of him, same as obama's 'guns and religion' quote didn't actually hurt his numbers much either. was interesting to hear his analysis of it.

nitpicking, but there is no "the government" when you talk about US civil employment. secret service agents and school cafeteria staff are not apples to apples - which is wrong, imho

― El Tomboto, Thursday, September 20, 2012 10:34 PM (8 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

the fuck r u even talking abt

I think the important point he is making derp of duh is that there are many levels of government in america

wait really no

http://thinkprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/BUSHvOBAMA_jobsREV.png

wut do these lines mean

the important aspect of the video is not whether it moved independents or swing voters by itself - what it seems to have done is fire up the Democrats' ground game such that donors are looking for more opportunities to help downticket races and volunteers are now really looking to just fuck the rnc wherever it counts. I mean in the last couple of days it seems like more and more people on the progressive side have just gone from "oh well, I guess I'll vote for Obama, I guess" to "how do we destroy these people as much as possible?" If it has serious implications it's not for the electoral college as much as it is for the House, I would think.

federal employees and military have not seen Reductions In Force (RIF) or "draw downs" under Obama. What we have seen are state and local governments doing lots of furloughs (e.g. you still are "employed" but you don't come to work and you don't get paid) and layoffs of all kinds of civil servants - because state and local governments are sustained by property and sales taxes, and those revenues have been terrible since the crash.

ya the federal government couldve just given the states money tho

I mean the federal government is still doing okay because our debt actually MAKES money now - treasury bonds are at negative interest rates and stuff - states and municipalities are all scrambling to find "creative" ways to pay for shit and it's been very bad. really, stimulus should have been more pork to the locals imho, but I am not a gubernator so what do I know

but anyway:

if the government hadnt cut all those jobs the economy/unemployment would prob be in dece shape by now

― lag∞n, Thursday, September 20, 2012 10:27 PM (24 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

ok I'm just saying in the US of A it might be more appropriate to say "if governments" vice "if the government"

there is no government man dont u seeeee

I am always on the fence about the degree to which we delegate shit to local governments in this country. on the one hand I'm like yay marketplace of ideas, every state and city is like its own pilot program and they can experiment and learn from each other and it's disciplined pluralism in the best of all possible worlds!!!!!!

and then on the other hand I'm like wow what a bunch of utterly useless corrupt fuckwits ruining shit for everybody with their short-sighted assholism and parochial horseshit

yah its complicated and certainly worthwhile to explore how the whole thing works but that doesnt mean theres no government anymore than theres no such thing as americans because each one is a snowflake

What we have seen are state and local governments doing lots of furloughs (e.g. you still are "employed" but you don't come to work and you don't get paid) and layoffs of all kinds of civil servants - because state and local governments are sustained by property and sales taxes, and those revenues have been terrible since the crash.

My best friend -- a county employee -- will tomorrow take his fifth furlough in four months.