1 Koolaid or Hawaiian Punch anyone?

2

The RINO's got to Demint!!  It must be something in the water..

3 It just depends on how he plays it.

As soon as those words leave a politicians mouth you know everything about him. Fuck DeMint and Romney, i don't want more pols who "play".

4 He can blame it on the Democrats......unless Romney signed the turd. Since he signed it, he owns it.

5 Really, it starts and ends with RomneyCare. That is such a collapse of judgment, sense, responsibility, and the very concept of individual freedom that there is, quite literally, nothing Romney can do to redeem himself. Believing that Jesus and Satan are brothers and belonging to a polygamist cult with magic underwear seems 100% RATIONAL when compared to RomneyCare. Not even an issue at that point.

Oh, and Huckabee sucks.

6 We need to purge all of these blue-blooded country-club Northeastern RINOs like Jim DeMint from the GOP.

7 This is one of the very few things I disagree with DeMint on. Even before it was hijacked it was socialism lite. He is also a gun grabber. I don't give a dman about his "Mormonism" but he is just too liberal on too many subjects.

8 I was told there would be no chess on this blog.

9 If  those were  the only  two flip-flops of Mitt, he would be in trouble.   The fact is  Mitt has flip-flopped on just about every issue.  The ads  write themselves.  Mitt  has had great press for 2 years now.  He is still behind Obama  by 5pts.   That  distance will only  grow  as Obama/MSM   start the negative ads.    By Nov 2012  Mitt will be lucky to not be behind by 15-20pts.

10 50 posts before this descends into the 'Palin/unelectable' argument.

11 Romney can solve this problem by moving his Bishop to B5

12 >>>As soon as those words leave a politicians mouth you know everything about him. Fuck DeMint and Romney, i don't want more pols who "play". See what I added, please.

13 He can blame it on the Democrats......unless Romney signed the turd. Since he signed it, he owns it.

Posted by: maddogg at March 17, 2011 12:59 PM (OlN4e)

Not only did he sign it, but after it was in place and proven to be a failure he defended it.

14

50 posts before this descends into the 'Palin/unelectable' argument.

Let's make it 15.

She's unelectable.

15 Flipping to Pro-Life isn't an issue. Many prominent pro-lifers are "converts". The real killer for Mitt is Romney care. It just stinks to high heaven.

As for the mormon issue, its a non-issue. Huckabee screwed himself with that one.

16 Mitt  is the Queen  in the open and undefended.  He looks  strong ATM   but the coming attacks will capture it  within a couple moves  mostly  likely  with a pawn.

17
Yeah, we put demint in our Grey Goose Vodka Martini instead of an olive. Fragrant and considered an aphrodisiac by many as it creates a four hour boner than doesn't require medical intervention like Viagra.  

18 Only a RINO-lover would spell unAmerican as "unamerican." ISN'T THAT RIGHT, RINO-LOVER?

19 Fuck DeMint and Romney, i don't want more pols who "play".

Like Sarah Palin™ campaigning for John McCain last year?

20 As I often used to be told when I worked in SC, "That's not just wrong, it's bad wrong."

21 Repeal of BarryCare will be item #1 for the next President. So sorry, no Romney, Dem's will wrap that around his neck worse than we will.

22 I'm a little bit country - I'm a little bit Rock n' Roll. Don't you just love Romney?

23 I liked Romney since he became my governor in 2002. I said to myself in 2003, "Self, Mitt Romney will be the 44th president of the United States." I was wrong. But I still like Mitt and I'm not too concerned about his so-called Romneycare -- which is pretty much my *only* concern about Mitt.

24 Oh is this the magic underwear thread? Neat.

25 12 >>>As soon as those words leave a politicians mouth you know everything about him. Fuck DeMint and Romney, i don't want more pols who "play".

See what I added, please.

I didn't call him a rino, i called him a scheming politician. I don't want pols who have to play things, it's a weakness from the start.

26

I've stated before that I want to like Romney. I should like Romney. He's pro private business, he understand what it takes to run a company, and he's relatively moderate on some social issues that I don't get real charged up about.

His CPAC concession speech was very good and he does appeal to North Eastern Moderates.

 

However, there is just something about him that makes me suspicious. I understand he was the governor of the most liberal state in the union, but Romneycare is all but unforgivable in my book.

 

I don't know. If it's between him and Huckabee then I'm going for Romney.

I would rather have Ron Paul win than Mike Huckabee.

27

Thanks, Jim D., but even if you can make a federalist argument or whatever, the problem is that we need to kill Obamacare and Romneycare is too similar for Romney to be the killer.  Plus he lacks a killer's instinct.

---

Believing that Jesus and Satan are brothers and belonging to a polygamist cult with magic underwear seems 100% RATIONAL when compared to RomneyCare.

Rationally speaking, fuck you.

28 I'd light myself on fire to have Romney right about how.

G'head & say it. Like a RINOstone cowgirl......

29
The '12 election is all mine so don't dis me bro.

30 For some of us, Mitt's Mormonism is his most appealing quality.

It's all downhill from there, unfortunately.

31

Why are so many determined to replace "wrong" with "unrighteous"?

Posted by: Ace at 12:55 PM   It is a function of  having such a POTUS as Obama.  Many times the battlefield is shaped  by the generals  that  are arrayed  against them.  What works  against  say a Clinton  does not work against say an Obama.   

32 I was for Romney as well in 2008, AFTER Fred left and the only ones left were McCain and Shuckabee. Romney was the lesser of the evils in the Republican camp.

But I was disgusted with the entire primary mess by then.

Can you imagine how it would have gone as a Romney/Palin ticket then. Would Romney have given up halfway through the campaign?

Now I don't want to see another RINO at the top of any national race. If that happens in 2012 there will no longer be a viable Republican Party in 2013.

33 You know who this helps?

34 Let's be (brutally) honest. We don't have a Ronald Reagan in the wings. We don't have a Goldwater. We have a bunch of wonks who have expertise in a few of the many parts that make up a good candidate. But nobody has it all. And nobody comes close. And everyone I have looked at has significant flaws.

But I don't give a rat's ass who we nominate, as long as he or she or it can beat Obama.

I really, really don't care. I don't care if the candidate likes sex with sheep. I don't care if he has a dead girl AND a live boy in the car.

Once again: as long as he can beat Obama, I will support him with my money, my time, and my vote.

35 I hear Deficit Spending is one of the tenets of the mormon religion.

36

Considering how DeMint is on almost everything else, I can forgive him on this endorsement. Jim was, as ace wants us conservatives to point out (wink, wink), wrong on this issue.

He way oversimplified the goals and premises of RomneyCare, such as its goal "to make private health insurance more affordable".

This won't ruin him as a conservative, but now my radar is up, hoping he won't make anymore boneheaded statements.

37 O/T

NY Times has come out with it's digital pricing.  $180 for a year, $15 every four weeks.  The daily (m-f) home delivery price is $192 and you get unlimited digital use, plus you know the Times is losing it's ass on your home delivery.

Just saying, if you are thinking about giving the assholes money, make em earn it by sending you a paper paper!

I think I'll pass to see how long they try this shit.

38 "His CPAC concession speech was very good and he does appeal to North Eastern Moderates."

That's nothing.  Wait 'til you hear his concession speech the night he loses to Obama.  It will be one for the books.

39 I actually do think that that many voters will not consider Romney due to his religion

Remember that shibboleth post?  I do.  I'm really starting to get tired of being called a bigot.  Knock it off.

40 I would think Liberals have more of a problem with Romney being a Mormon than Republicans because of their anti-religion platform. (Unless it's a "black church".)  This is especially likely in California.  The only "good" Mormons to them are Donnie & Marie.

41 Funny, only people who obviously hate Palin are bringing her name up.

Oh, and she's unelectable.

42

This blog is full of RINOs and crypto RINO-lovers. It's time for a purge.

Wormer, he's a dead man! Marmalard, dead! Niedermeyer...

43

^{Let's make it 15. She's unelectable.}

 Be Smart.  Act Dumb!

44 The Mormonism thing is, in my opinion, overblown as why Romney lost.  Huckabee won in Iowa because people didn't buy Romney's recent conversion from moderate repub social lib technocrat to ardent social conservative.  So they went for a largely unknown candidate - a southern Baptism minister advocating Fair Tax.

Once Huckabee became more known, he started doing worse.  After people decided *both* of them looked bad, McCain got a second look concurrent with being vindicated on his support for the Surge.

And while I believe Huckabee is unscrupulous and did try to use Romney's religion to his advantage, some of the charges against him were ridiculous, like the 'floating cross' charge.  Romney's supporters *wanted* the issue to be Romney's religion when it really wasn't.

45 He has great hair. He looks distinguished and can probably look down his nose at us just as well as Dear Reader. He probably wouldn't be any worse than Dear Reader.
 
There, I've listed all his positive points. If I ever needed a wind sock, Romney would be the first politician I'd run up a pole. We must do better than this.

46 Purity bridge, assemble! 

If Jim DeMint is woefully inadequate, I guess the person left to lead us to Presidential victory is...Ron Paul! 

47 Why is the default and/or starting position of the ruling class on the health care question that the federal government must be involved?

For it not to be involved is completely out of the question. But it not being involved is the place from which I begin and that's just sooooooo radical ...

48 Mormonism. - Moranism  = Fixed !

49 We have a bunch of wonks who have expertise in a few of the many parts that make up a good candidate. But nobody has it all. And nobody comes close. And everyone I have looked at has significant flaws.

I may be able to help.

50 Huckabee will be hurt in the primaires because the Chuck Norris meme is no longer at it's peak, which totally helped him in 2007-2008

51 I don't care one bit about appealing to northeast moderates. Mitt Romney, however, appeals to *this* northeast ardent conservative. And if Jim Demint feels comfortable about Mitt, that just reinforces my own endorsement of Mitt.

52 For me, I think he started with some good ideas that were essentially hijacked by the Democrat Legislature,” DeMint said.

He signed the f-ing bill, Jim.  And he still defends it.  Hellooooo?


Nevertheless, if I was forced at gunpoint, I would bet that Romney will be the nominee.

53

We have a Marxist, atheist, Muslim sycophant in the White
House today.  But, (lower case) god help us
if a Mormon got in.  Sounds right.

 

54


The Mormonism thing IS a big deal.  There are several Republicans of more RINO-ish persuasion I know that WILL NOT vote for Mitt b/c of the LDS thing.

They are like the Muslims in their ability to critique their own holy book, and that forced blind spot (like a young-Earth literal creationist's views) demonstrates a judgment issue.

I'm ambivalent to teh Mormon issue, doesn't matter to me.  Gun grabbing DOES, and I would not vote for MR because of that.  Romney Care was actually fine as an experiment, and was undertaken at the right level in our federal republic---the state level.

It's a principled distinction to draw that while Mass could do single payer, the feds cannot.  That it was a failure is the result of the fact that it was a flawed idea, not that it was somehow unconstitutional at the state level, as Obamacare is.

55 Uh yeah Jim...uhhhhh you and I are gonna have to disagree there.

56

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo (NJConservative) at March 17, 2011 01:08 PM (LH6ir)

 

There is only one Reaganite of the possible  candidates atm  and the establishment is in full destruction mode to stop her from even running.

57 Isn't Romney a yankee? When was the last time anyone could trust one of those?

58

 don't care one bit about appealing to northeast moderates.

Mitt Romney, however, appeals to *this* northeast ardent conservative. And if Jim Demint feels comfortable about Mitt, that just reinforces my own endorsement of Mitt.

I do. My state is full of them, so it New Hampshire, Ohio, and Michigan.

I would venture to say the Republican candidate does care about appealing to as many people as possible.

Let's face it, you're going to show up an vote no matter who our candidate is. You might threaten otherwise, but you'll be at the polls.  The Republican 2012 candidate only needs to win the base in the primary, after they win that, they can focus on pealing off 2008 Obama voters. 

It's pretty clear that Obama is all the motivation needed for true conservatives to show up at the polling booth.

59 Either Mitt Romney or Pawlenty will be the nominee. That's how it's gonna go so just accept it. And guess what else? Sarah Palin will not only endorse either Mitt or Tim, she'll campaign for either of them.

60

One of my main problems with Huckabee is how he crudely pushed the religious thing in battling with Romney. A lot of the other stuff -- raising taxes, issuing naive clemencies to killers based on naive pastors claiming they'd found Jesus -- are problems of judgment and ideology and reason, but I thought the Mormon-trashing part of his campaign showed a serious defect in character. It was just too sleazy and crude for me. And, again, unamerican.

Hucklefuck is a re-fat piece of shit. Add to the above that he called those opposed to illegal immigration "racists"...and that they, meaning the illegals, should get free educations.

 

61 It really pisses me off to see Sarah Palin inserting herself into yet another thread.

62 Like processed cheese that isn't individually wrapped.

63 Coulter's always been enamored with people who upset liberals, and Christie upsets liberals. It's not RINO, she's just got stars in her eyes.

64 And I wanna add one more thing: Herman Cain would make a fine choice for Veep on the ticket.

65 DeMint and I just like to see Mitt put on his "underwear".

http://tinyurl.com/2pjymn

66 "Let's be (brutally) honest. We don't have a Ronald Reagan in the wings."

We actually might, but too many of us refuse to acknowledge her.  I've grown to think Reagan's 1980 victory might have been a much more unlikely fluke than I thought before.

I know this isn't a popular sentiment here, sadly.

67

Well the good thing about the upcoming election which starts soon is that people are going to have to start saying what and who they are for instead of against.

I can't wait.

68 He can blame it on the Democrats......unless Romney signed the turd. Since he signed it, he owns it.

Kinda like when Pete Wilson was Governor here and he was pushing towards power deregulation.  The Donks screwed it up during the legislative process and Pete, being who he was, signed the bill.  When that turd came up with spot pricing and rolling brownouts, no one pointed as the Democrats.  How is Pete politically these days now?

69

Oops. 

 'like a slice of prcoessed cheese...'

70


48 Mormonism. - Moranism  = Fixed !

Yeah, I lol'd

71

We actually might, but too many of us refuse to acknowledge her.

AHOY!!!!

72 Posted by: unseen at March 17, 2011 01:14 PM (aVGmX)

And the saddest thing is that she looks great in a short skirt.

73

Maybe I'm not emotional enough and prefer to keep most arguments on the intellectual plane, and reserve emotion for the truly repellent.

...and in my case should have the modifiers "girlishly" and "excitably" added to it

74 It would be one thing if Romney did it and recognized it as a mistake, but he won't so I think he has continued bad judgment.

75 The nominee will be Huck. This is where I was in 2009... and in 2011, it's not only more likely, it's like, really more likely.

76 Why is the default and/or starting position of the ruling class on the health care question that the federal government must be involved?

It's government influence that has unbalanced the market in the first place.  Getting it OUT of medical care is the only real fix.

77 For me, I think he started with some good ideas that were essentially hijacked by the Democrat Legislature

The individual mandate was the centerpiece of Massachusetts' plan from the very beginning. It'll be interesting to see how (or if) DeMint squares this circle.

In any event, I'm pleased to welcome Jim DeMint to Club RINO Apostate.

78 I see Romney as almost a carbon copy of GHW Bush I. He will roll to the Dems on stuff like tax increases at the drop of a hat.

I he needs is a summer home at Kennybuckport.

79 >>>I really, really don't care. I don't care if the candidate likes sex with sheep. I don't care if he has a dead girl AND a live boy in the car. That's how I feel, and yes, I'd support Huck. Or Palin for that matter, should it come to that. (Actually I'd be a lot more in favor, personally, of President Palin, except for the fact I don't think she can ever actually become president. I'd be less in favor of President Huckabee, except that I think he possibly could become president-- but only possibly. I think his favorables are bit padded because people don't know him very well and they're just going on superficial charm.)

80 bridge = brigade, ugh. 

81

 It really pisses me off to see Sarah Palin inserting herself into yet another thread.

We could insert ourselves in Sarah...there's room in that hallway for all of us!

82

We actually might, but too many of us refuse to acknowledge her.

AHOY!!!!

Posted by: PALINISTO! at March 17, 2011 01:18 PM (2LStB)

 

Which is the main reasons for the attacks  IMO.   They remember Reagan  and don't want it repeated.

83

I don't know. If it's between him and Huckabee then I'm going for Romney.

I would rather have Ron Paul win than Mike Huckabee.

Ben,

+1,000.

If it's between a turd sandwich and Mike Huckabee, I'm going for the sandwich.

84 Posted by: The Mega Independent at March 17, 2011 01:16 PM (pwx2O)

Enamored of, not enamored with.

85 If Jim DeMint is woefully inadequate, I guess the person left to lead us to Presidential victory is...Ron Paul!  Great shot, kid! That was one in a million! RELEASE THE PURE CONSERVATISM!

86 DeMint is one of the few fiscal cons who's actually defended RomneyCare. Some of the others do make the point that Romney was backed into a corner* but they'll at least say the RomneyCare and ObamaCare are similar. Still, not going to lose any sleep over DeMint saying this and his legislative proposals speak for themselves; he is clearly not a RINO.

*Not so sure about that

87 Mitt has RINOcare around his neck, but he is also a tad weak on gun control too. WTF, I don't want a Massachusetts Republican. Looking for a conservative in Mass. is like looking for a stripper in Iran.

88 >>>The individual mandate was the centerpiece of Massachusetts' plan from the very beginning. It'll be interesting to see how (or if) DeMint squares this circle. You may have policy objections to the mandate but on a constitutional level there is a difference -- the states DO have this power, generally (at least they are not bound by federal constitutional restrictions) whereas the federal government does not.

89 #71

You're really adding a lot to the conversation.

90 I'm smearing mayonnaise on my chest

91 I think Palin would have a better chance of winning a national race than Suckabee. Suckabee would take the hard bible belt States and lose everything else.

92 We NOT that crazy, really. 

OK so we are so what, it's a free country right?

http://tinyurl.com/ydfktke

93 Huck won't make it to Jan. '13, dudes packin the lb's back on.

94

Oh...I almost forgot ...Hucklefuck also supported cap and trade back in 2007

...again..fuck that re-fat piece of shit..(he said excitably)

95

You're really adding a lot to the conversation.

I'm really smart...I just act dumb. 

 

96 >>>I see Romney as almost a carbon copy of GHW Bush. An apt comparison.

97 And the saddest thing is that she looks great in a short skirt.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo (NJConservative) at March 17, 2011 01:18 PM (LH6ir)

yeah it's a cross she has to bare

98 Great, the God of Dumbassworld has spake.

99

Ergie is here to display the average libtard's knowledge of history.

100 Here's a lovely thought....

Six more years of seeing Zero shanking it up off the tee and filling out brackets.

But let's not talk about electability. It has no relevance to the discussion at hand.

101 Wonder what he looks like without his "underwear"?

102 I like Romney fine.  I worry about his chances in the general election, and I prefer Pawlenty among the candidates who are currently running, but I would have no problem voting for him in the general.

Make no mistake, though...I know a bunch of evangelical Christians who really really really are bigoted when it comes to Mormonism. 

103

*ahem*

104 Posted by: a Hot Dog at March 17, 2011 01:20 PM (2LStB)

Palin is about my age, so I am exposed to a fair number of women her age. And she is in the top 5%-10% in the hotness factor in that demographic. Plus I think she has a certain sexuality about her that is quite appealing.

So if you are suggesting what I think you are suggesting, then her husband might just take you outside and put some mustard on you.

105 But let's not talk about electability. It has no relevance to the discussion at hand.

Posted by: laceyunderalls at March 17, 2011 01:23 PM (pLTLS)

Okay.  Who's electable?

106 Religious affiliation, abortion and healthcare policy?  These are the top priorities when selecting a candidate? 

Q. If these are the priorities, then why isn't Huckabee president? 

A. Because he's a preachy little fuck that has no character, that's why.

107

Posted by: Vic at March 17, 2011 01:22 PM (M9Ie6)

 

Which gets to the problem with Mitt.   Mitt as the nominee  would place the South and Midwest in play and will do nothing  to win the GOP the NE. 

108 Posted by: s'moron at March 17, 2011 01:20 PM (UaxA0)

So you will vote for Obama over Huckleberry?

109

Something we need to take into consideration is that there is likely to be at least one Supreme Court seat up between 2013-2017.

It could very well be Kennedy's or even perhaps Scalia's(he's pretty old).

While fiscal issues are my main concern, I would say the Supreme Court is a close second.

110

 Plus I think she has a certain sexuality about her that is quite appealing.

Never would have guessed, that.

111 Keeping my eye on Herman Cain.  (Wonder if he golfs?)

112 I don't mind Mitt,beter then this wacked administration that we have now. but honestly I'm going to have plenty of arguments with friends , that I had many arguments over obamacare. damn it. i can see it now," no it's different"! so  i better come up with talking points fast, or I'll look more like an idiot than i already do.

113 Gee, electability. Where have I heard that before? Yeah, yeah thats it, McCain has electability spewing outta his ass. Then his fatassed daughter spewed somma that electability. Then his dumbass wife came out and endorsed electability marriage. Yeah.

114 Who's electable?

Mitt Romney. Assuming The Base^® doesn't throw a world-class temper tantrum.

Fuck me running. Now I sound like Dan Dan the Romney Spam Man!

Ick. Get it off!! Get it off!!!!1!1!!!

115 Though is is fun to argue about who the presidential nominee will be. It is much more important to fill the House and Senate with true conservatives.

That's where the bills are written (well at least it used to be before being farmed out to the Apollo Alliance and others like them) .

116 I'm not chopped liver.

117 OT: Hey! What's the President of Leni Reifenstahl Fan Club doing in the sidebar? WGAF what that slit licker thinks? We know why she admires Mel Gibson.

118

I'm an evangelical Christian and I don't give a rip about it.  Whatever else I think about LDS, they are decent and moral people.  If anything they're nicer than us Baptists. 

So that ain't an issue for me.

 

I could support him.  Hell I'll support anybody who winds up with the nomination.  As for the primary fight, no, but that's what primaries are about .

 

*still sulking about Pence

119 yeah it's a cross she has to bare

If that was intentional, bravo, sir ...

Or madam.

120 The article notes that many believe a much bigger hurdle for Romney is his Mormonism.

I think Mormonism would be a problem for him in the general. The dems would go full dog whistle on Theocracy _{despite Dingy Harry being Mormon} (!!!!GLENN BECK IS MORMON!!!). 

His problem in the primary is the Republican resurgence, Powered on tea leaves, gets most of it's strength from a hatred of O'Care. And the fact that Obamacare version 0.1 was called Romneycare, will hurt him in the primary, where the flavor of the month is Purity!!!®

Overall Romney is just a non-starter in my mind. To squishy.
Jim though. I understand supporting your friends and playing politics and all that, but he needs to come around on this issue and denounce this sort of Statism if he wants me to take him seriously.

121
Jim DeMint caused the recession!

122

Mitt Romney. Assuming The Base^® doesn't throw a world-class temper tantrum.

Fuck me running. Now I sound like Dan Dan the Romney Spam Man!

Ick. Get it off!! Get it off!!!!1!1!!!

Outed.

123 *still sulking about Pence

Afreakinmen, brutha

124

We know why she admires Mel Gibson.

Who's "we", Kemosabe??

I don't.

125 Why are so many determined to replace "wrong" with "unrighteous"?

Partly for the same reason so many are so determined to cast themselves as always unwillingly pitted against an unreasonable-with "so many," all the goddamn time, because their righteousness consists of this.

In this case, we have a seemingly legit conservative guy—a guy who defines his public image in very narrow terms of conservative legit-ness—lending aid and comfort to a very, very not-conservative guy conservatives have repeatedly rejected.

So (it's like a syllogism) whatever reasons "legit" guy has, given or hidden, for supporting the not-conservative guy beat his conservatism. They win. But he doesn't say that.

So (reason works like this) he's lying about something. He's not legit, he's bought, he's Party-over-principle, he's gay for the dude—whatever. Something. There is a lie. It exists. So, weigh it.

Some say "Fuck that guy," because they bought the legit thing and got shit on. Some (don't) say, "Liars turn me on." Some say "...reasonable...," because their righteousness consists of this (and liars turn them on).

126

We actually might, but too many of us refuse to acknowledge her.\

 

Until Palin produces some body of work and evidence of deep thought akin to what Reagan did...we still don't have one.

I like her - a lot.  I really do.  But that doesn't mean I'd vote for her in the primary.  (The General is, of course, another story).  But in Palin I see populism with absolutely no evidence on whether or not she "gets it" or that her kind of populism was just the quickest way to the State House in Deep Red Alaska.  The lack of backbone for the hard fight also concerns me.

Strike one on her willingness to fight was leaving the Governor's job beause the legal costs of defending BS ethics complaints was going to be too high.  Yeah, we get that.  There are trolls who were looking to make her life hell with all those phony suits.  Set up a defense fund.  Solicit contributions.  Do something, anything other than quit.

Was Iran going to be easier to deal with than lefty trolls?  Putin was going to be easier to deal with than that?  WTF?

127 Posted by: ace at March 17, 2011 01:21 PM (nj1bB)

This.

The question is not whether Romney supports RomneyCare. The question is whether Romney supports ObamaCare!

128

HOLY-FREAKING-SHIT!!!

Good GOD Almighty, we are truly governed by IDIOTS.

http://tinyurl.com/dkmgrk

"US Backing of World Currency stuns markets"

YA THINK? The US dollar just NOSE-DIVED.

Thanks, you commie fucking idiot, and thanks to all the dumbshits that voted for Jugears! Nice Job! Now please, go kill yourselves. You do not deserve to be in the human genepool.

129 #121 HAHAHAHAHA

130 You'd think that since all of us conservatives are exactly alike, coming up with the perfect candidate would be trivial.

131 Make no mistake, though...I know a bunch of evangelical Christians who really really really are bigoted when it comes to Mormonism.

Why is it bigoted to call out a religion that falsely calls itself Christian?

I might add that not only evangelical Christians call out Mormons, the Roman Catholic church must also be bigoted, they do not believe Mormon are Christians.

Cut the crap, Mormonism is a cult by any definition.

132 116 I'm not chopped liver.

Posted by: Ann Romney at March 17, 2011 01:27 PM (MWXXs)

Step off, Bitch!

133

While fiscal issues are my main concern, I would say the Supreme Court is a close second.

Posted by: Ben at March 17, 2011 01:26 PM (wuv1c)

Yes and  while I like thomas  Souter was a waste.   So  with a NE rino we have a 50/50  chance of getting a conservative.   and while we got 2 conservatives out of Bush  the second  his  first impluse was to nominate another Souter  with Meyers.  

 

So  Obama  we have a 0%  for a conservative

NE RINO  gives us a 50/50 chance 

conservative  better than 50/50   but then  even Reagan gave us Oconner.  

 

which simply  means  that picking our nominee  based on  possible SCOTUS  gives us a better chance then picking a general candidate.

134 Really, is there an experienced republican out there that is for a flat tax, entitlement reform, immigration enforcement, homeland energy development, second amendment supporter, obamacare killer, really reducing debt and deficits?  Oh and isn't saddled with Palin's baggage?

Is that too much to ask?

135 Outed.

For wanting ABO in 2012?? Yup. Anyone but Obama.

Sick of holding my breath to vote? Absolutely. More sad to see my country in flames.

136 123 *still sulking about Pence

Afreakinmen, brutha

 

I'd like to join that choir. Can I?

137 You may have policy objections to the mandate but on a constitutional level there is a difference -- the states DO have this power, generally (at least they are not bound by federal constitutional restrictions) whereas the federal government does not.

Agree. I'm opposed to the mandate philosophically in all cases, but Obamacare has a constitutionality issue that Romneycare doesn't.

138 Mitt as the nominee  would place the South and Midwest in play and will do nothing  to win the GOP the NE.

The South and the MW are pretty much always R territory. Mitt would probably lose votes in the SE because of his stand on Gun Control and I don't see him picking up anything in the NE. As far as I can see the NE will never be Rep territory again no matter who runs. Same thing for the three States on the West Coast.

This is why I think Mitt would be a huge mistake. He would literally kill the Republican Party. Two 2008's in a row.

Nominating Mitt would be the surest way there is to turn the Tea "party" movement into the "Tea Party" Party.

And that would guarantee a Dem in the WH for the next 50 years.

139 Strike one on her willingness to fight was leaving the Governor's job beause the legal costs of defending BS ethics complaints was going to be too high.  Yeah, we get that.  There are trolls who were looking to make her life hell with all those phony suits.  Set up a defense fund.

My understanding is that Alaskan law prevented her from doing so while in office.

140

For the record, I cannot stand Mitt and I think "Compassionate Conservatism Part Deux" would be worse than the known quantity of Obama.

So- no, I will not pull the lever for Romney if it comes to that.

141

 Mormonism is a cult by any definition.

The 'Spirit Police' have spoken.

142 OT: I'm looking at the roll call from the 236-181 vote to defund NPR and 1 Democrat broke from the ranks to vote for it. That Dem was Heath Shuler.

143 132 116 I'm not chopped liver.
Posted by: Ann Romney at March 17, 2011 01:27 PM (MWXXs)

Take off that "underwear" bitch.

144 "Mitt Romney. Assuming The Base^® doesn't throw a world-class temper tantrum."

Sneering at The Base is a great strategy!

Peter Jennings would be proud.

145 M80's, which (3?) Republican voted against that?

146 I think Mormans being unelectable to a broad population is a little overblown.  The LSD thing didn't stop Californians from voting for Jerry Brown.

147

Sneering at The Base is a great strategy!

Well, Lacey's out as a possible contender. 

148 #146

Dyslexic WORD! :-)

149 Romney needs to be a great American and drop his presidential aspirations.

150 Make no mistake, though...I know a bunch of evangelical Christians who really really really are bigoted when it comes to Mormonism. 

Posted by: Jeff B. at March 17, 2011 01:24 PM (kiGTG)

I know a bunch who don't give a shit

151 All I've got to say is if there is "magical " underwear, I want it...ASAP.

Goooooooo Aztecs!!!

152 I could get behind Romney if the comet the Mormons are going to ride into the afterlife doesn't appear during his presidency. Hell, I could support a jihadist in the White House if he was for smaller government and lower taxes, but I just don't think Obama is capable of that kind of change.

153 147 Huckabee reeks of snake-oil.  Zombie Billy Mays says:  "Woah... Dude.  Take a shower or something."

Well said, I second that!

154 You may have policy objections to the mandate but on a constitutional level there is a difference -- the states DO have this power, generally (at least they are not bound by federal constitutional restrictions) whereas the federal government does not.

Posted by: ace at March 17, 2011 01:21 PM (nj1bB)

For now.   If the SCOTUS strikes down Obamacare  because of the mandate, It sets up the case much like the McDonald ruling was set up by the heller ruling.

155

The LSD thing didn't stop Californians from voting for Jerry Brown.

I am the Lizard King!

156 126

Until Palin produces some body of work and evidence of deep thought akin to what Reagan did...we still don't have one.

Posted by: Sean Bannion at March 17, 2011 01

Since September 2010 alone, Sarah Palin has penned commentary on such topics as the unrest in Libya, the protests in Wisconsin, ObamaÂ’s 2012 budget proposal and State of the Union address, getting tough with Iran and standing with Iranians who seek democracy, challenging the specifics of President ObamaÂ’s energy policy, the omnibus spending bill, defeating the New START, opposition to state bailouts, tax policy, a message to Republican freshmen in Congress, opposition to quantitative easing, and more.  She has repeatedly been a leading voice—via television appearances and speaking engagements—against the dangers of ObamaCare and the risks of President ObamaÂ’s approach to energy.  During the 2010 election season, SarahPAC endorsed 81 candidates across the country.  LetÂ’s take a look at a few samples of PalinÂ’s written commentary:
http://tinyurl.com/4pdov74

157 140

For the record, I cannot stand Mitt and I think "Compassionate Conservatism Part Deux" would be worse than the known quantity of Obama.

For the love of God, how can you justify such a statement? 

/I'm not a fan of Romney or Huckabee myself, but I'd crawl over broken glass to vote for either if it means getting Obama the hell out. 

158 Peter Jennings would be proud.

What would you call it if they gave us another four years of McJugears because they were too disgusted to pull the lever with the other guy?

159 If romney runs then there is no reason for me to vote for president that day.  Both men advocate a medical system that I disagree with and that they agree on, they're of the same mind because of this.  I'll vote every other category but not president.  And, I'm learning others are thinking the same way.  Even some libs who don't like the program, not for the reasons I don't like it, they don't think it goes far enough, but they want to punish the dems for not making it go far enough so they won't be voting the presidential line either.

160 So- no, I will not pull the lever for Romney if it comes to that.

If it's Romney I'm 80% certain there will be a Tea Party candidate for us to vote for.

161 Posted by: Kemp at March 17, 2011 01:29 PM (JpFM9)

Cult? Of course. Just like Roman Catholicism!  They worship three gods all rolled into one. That might be more cultish than the Mormons. And their priests perform magic at their masses. Water into wine into blood...bread into the body of Christ. And then they eat him!

And let's not start on the Jews and the Baptists and the Hindus and the....

162

 Sarah Palin haspenned posted commentary on such topics as...

_fixed

 

163 Mitt Romney. Assuming The Base^® doesn't throw a world-class temper tantrum.

Actually, The Base, by definition, consists of the people who don't throw temper tantrums when they don't get the nominees they want, but are consistent Republican voters and guaranteed to vote for the party's nominee in November of next year, no matter who it may be.

People like you and I are The Base.  Others, not so much. 

164 >>>For the record, I cannot stand Mitt and I think "Compassionate Conservatism Part Deux" would be worse than the known quantity of Obama. >>>So- no, I will not pull the lever for Romney if it comes to that. Crazy, but you're welcome to be crazy and do crazy things.

165 Was that a gong I just heard?

166 145 M80's, which (3?) Republican voted against that?

Lots of abstentions on this one. For some bizarre reason, Rep. Jim Jordan, one of the most conservative members of the House, refused to vote. Here's the tally:

Not voting: 15

Republicans not voting:
Jordan, Labrador, Rooney, Schock, and Young (AK)

167 Set up a defense fund.

My understanding is that Alaskan law prevented her from doing so while in office.

Posted by: grognard at March 17, 2011 01:30 PM (NS2Mo)

 

ROFL...She DID set up a defense fund.   They filed an ethics complaint  on it and froze the money.  After she left office  they made her  return all the money.  Because she had the word "offical"  in the title of the defense fund.   This  was what she dealt  with.

168 Ok Ace. Romney can't win. Palin can't win. Huckabee can't win...

How about you give me some f'n knowledge and tell me who can?

169 DeMint is a huge State's Rights guy.

A state has the authority to push such a scheme. I don't find support of this at odds with the view that the Federal government has not business mucking about with health insurance (I didn't say health CARE - they are not he same thing; the Feds have no business in either).

Further, when I say 'make private insurance more affordable' it doesn't mean 'subsidized by the taxpayer'. It can also mean removing barriers for competition and regulations that increase costs. It can mean Tort reform. It can mean not requiring hospitals to see people that don't have health insurance or don't pay in cash upfront.

That said, I disagree with the notion that any State SHOULD use the  authority to force people to buy health insurance or make someone pay for another's insurance via taxes.

170 What if Mitt wins? 

Shit man there go the parties and booze at the White House, that not cool.

171 Sarah or Bust!

172 For crying out loud, I'd vote for ANYONE over Bambi.  This country can't survive Barky Part II.

Jeebus.

173 88>>>The individual mandate was the centerpiece of Massachusetts' plan from the very beginning. It'll be interesting to see how (or if) DeMint squares this circle.

You may have policy objections to the mandate but on a constitutional level there is a difference -- the states DO have this power, generally (at least they are not bound by federal constitutional restrictions) whereas the federal government does not.

Posted by: ace at March 17, 2011 01:21 PM (nj1bB)

 

 

Can anyone explain this to me?  How is it that it is "unconstitutional" to do Obama care / health mandates at the Federal level, but it is constitutional for the states to do this?

The constituion sez "congress shall make no law about speech, religeon, etc."  So why can't the states make laws about this?  Well, I don't know, but I DO know that the courts have held that the states can't do this either.  The restrictions the constituion places on the federal congress also apply to the state congress / legislature.

What the rhyme or reason that says states CAN mandate you buy health insurance, but CAN'T mandate what you say or what religeon you worship?

 

174 "Actually, The Base, by definition, consists of the people who don't throw temper tantrums when they don't get the nominees they want, but are consistent Republican voters and guaranteed to vote for the party's nominee in November of next year, no matter who it may be."

Where are those people?  Cause I'm seeing lots of brand new independents out there who are angry with both parties and silently rooting rand paul and the tea party on.

175 Is that too much to ask?

Posted by: Guy Fawkes at March 17, 2011 01:30 PM (kfP69)

seems it is .

176 Posted by: laceyunderalls at March 17, 2011 01:35 PM (pLTLS)

I would call it treason.

177 Posted by: Paulie Carbone at March 17, 2011 01:37 PM (Bvmoz)

Check it out! A neanderthal that can type!

178 That's odd. Maybe they're busy with lobbyists and taking graft. thanks for the info, M80's.

179 I'm gonna have to go ahead and request a cleanup on aisle 166.

180

Since September 2010 alone, Sarah Palin has penned commentary on such topics as the unrest in Libya, the protests in Wisconsin, ObamaÂ’s 2012 budget proposal and State of the Union address, getting tough with Iran and standing with Iranians who seek democracy...

And yet, paradoxically no commentary on conservatism or the nature or freedom.

Nice advertisement, the primaries haven't started yet.  You missed the point.

I'm not talking about volume of words or numbers of tweets.  I'm talking about philosophy and how you got there, and then being able to explain it articulately.  Reagan did that for years before he got to the White House so that when he got there, he knew what he thought.

Too often I get the picture that Sarah is making it up as she goes.  Bottom line...I really don't know what her "non-negotiables" are.  Again, I need more than 40 Facebook posts and 1,000 Tweets.

 

181 I think the sleezy rat turd that calls itself Paulie would look better circling the toilet on the way to rat turd heaven.

182 Paulie, there's not a word for what you are. Well there is one but I don't own the keys to this house.

183 3 It just depends on how he plays it. As soon as those words leave a politicians mouth you know everything about him. Fuck DeMint and Romney, i don't want more pols who "play". Posted by: booger at March 17, 2011 12:59 PM (9RFH1) ... This. x 1000 Romney is a smarmy, lying, POS who has the consistency of a windsock. Romneycare is inexcusable. He signed it, he owns it. Period. He only knows how to make money the old fashioned way... inherit it. His "business cred" is nothing more than him dumping some of his trust fund into a company that employed people smarter than him who were able to convince the naive that mob-rate loans made good business sense. Half of the investments from his company were failures altogether and the other half only showed a profit because they got sold off to someone even more stupid. What your left with is his Olympics story. Allegedly he reduced the corruption in the Olympics- aka- he paid up with the right people to keep most of the gritting and other BS off the front pages. And his hair sucks. The only way Romney person who I want for President less than Romney is the current occupant. Heck, I'd even have to seriously think about it if Romney were running against Carter. At least Carter is consistent. Even if consistency is being an socialist, incompetent, imbecile it beat having an overly blow-dried ass pretend that he's on my side while he's already made a back room deal to implement socialist policies without so much as a reach around in return.

184 Full disclosure, I am a Romney supporter.  I too feel either he or Pawlenty will be our nominee.

If Romney is the guy, and he chooses someone like Rubio or Allen West as his Veep...does that change anyone's minds here?

185 180 I'm gonna have to go ahead and request a cleanup on aisle 166.

Posted by: Guy Fawkes at March 17, 2011 01:39 PM (kfP69)

ditto

186 Along with "Let me be honest" and "to be frank," the words "There is just no question that" are a sure sign that a lie or a chunk of liberal projection are being shat.

187 Feel free to tell me I'm wrong, but I'd hate to see any of you get emotional about it.

Posted by: Paulie Carbone at March 17, 2011 01:37 PM (Bvmoz)

pig.

188 Wait. Labrador! As in retriever?

189 A chess analogy? Really?  I did not expect that from you Ace.

190

^{Posted by: Paulie Carbone at March 17, 2011 01:37 PM (Bvmoz)}

Summon the _{(until recently, flacid)} BanHammer!

191

I'm gonna have to go ahead and request a cleanup on aisle 166.

Preferably with sulfuric acid.

192 If Romney is the guy, and he chooses someone like Rubio or Allen West as his Veep...does that change anyone's minds here?

Posted by: AeroFANatic at March 17, 2011 01:40 PM (h8FS0)

Yeah, if he promised to resign and give the office over to either of them upon taking the oath.

193 And I don't think the analogly really works in this case.  In chess, connecting your rooks strengthens your position, not weaken it.

194 #185 If Romney is the guy, and he chooses someone like Rubio or Allen West as his Veep...does that change anyone's minds here?

Probably, but we'd be facing the scenario we saw last time around:  a majority would be voting for VP, not POTUS.

Would probably yield the same result, too.

195 Posted by: maddogg at March 17, 2011 01:40 PM (OlN4e)

Nah, just ignore "Paulie Carbone" His dad will be home soon with a new tube of Astroglide, so Paulie is in for a painful afternoon.

196 For crying out loud, I'd vote for ANYONE over Bambi.  This country can't survive Barky Part II.

Jeebus.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at March 17, 2011 01:38 PM (UOM4

I know you guys feel this way but the majority of Americans don't feel this way, don't trust either party but know, in the end, the goodies come with the dems, and if they can't see another choice, someone totally different from the president instead of McShame who agreed with him on everything and then ultimately endorsed him, they will rationalize voting for him as "the devil we know versus the devil we don't know" which is how my dad says clinton got his second term with a little help from some guy named ross.

If you recall, when the financial crisis hit, mcshame suspended his campaign and went running to washington, BO continued his campaign and said "I'm here if you need me" funny, he showed us exactly how he planned to address each and every crisis.

197 Well, I know that if Romney wins the nomination, I will hold my nose, clutch my barf bag and cast the vote for him.  I probably won't go door to door for him in Pennsylvania for weeks on end like I did for McCain, but I'll give him the vote.

I hope, if Palin wins the nomination, that she'll get at least that much support from everyone who doesn't want her, too, and not be subjected to a Christine O'Donnell-esque assault from the Right for the entire period of the general.

No temper tantrums!

198 Let's see . . . we hate Obamacare with a passion, so let's nominate Romney, who gave Massachusetts the Obamacare prototype. And it's supposed to be one of his big selling points! Pass. Palin's a dimwit who hosted a TV show. So let's nominate Huckabee, who's spent his time since 2008 . . . hosting a TV show. Pass.

199

Well, I guess it falls to me to drop the deuce in the punchbowl then:

What good is 'electable' when you know they'll be a disaster in office?

And don't go screaming 'Palinista'.  I've already said my piece on why she's better employed elsewhere.  I just want to know why I should vote the label when I know it's the wrong person for the job.

200

psa - I think the Red Eye guys are hosting Gibson's radio show, today.

201 180 I'm gonna have to go ahead and request a cleanup on aisle 166.

Sacred honor requires me to second that.

202 I'm lukewarm on Romney.  I think he might be able to get elected, but I'm holding out for a better option.  Romneycare just makes him damaged goods.  It's a fascist law, even on the state level.  And he signed it.

If the field wasn't so damned thin it should disqualify him outright. 

203 I don't know about Romney. He seems like one of those very smart sorts of guys whose judgment is just very often suspect. Good intellect, not-so-good cunning.


Romney always struck me as a what he is, a professional but not original thinking manager. He'll do whatever he thinks will please his bosses and get him the next gig. He's not Jack Welch who wrote the book on a management style, Romney's the guy who read the book and claims to be a true believer in this system but only after it's proven wildly popular. When the next new fad comes up, Romney the manager will hop on that will all the zeal of a convert.

It's not that Romney panders to conservatives (I kind of like that), it's that he's always like the 3rd guy to do it and does it in the most suck up way possible.

204 Paulie must have stayed up all night thinking of that brilliant post. Then he went and diddled his toothless mother/sister.

205 "Can we dispense with the strawman arguments, Ace." AOSHQ postings will drop dramatically.

206

Errrr.... #174 was  me.  I used that obnoxious sock puppet in an earlier thread that Gabe put up about the "Former-Democrats."

My sock puppet was saying I was an "Former-Child Molester."  Mocking the "Former-Democrats."

Appologies for the mistake.

207

 >>>The individual mandate was the centerpiece of Massachusetts' plan from the very beginning. It'll be interesting to see how (or if) DeMint squares this circle.

You may have policy objections to the mandate but on a constitutional level there is a difference -- the states DO have this power, generally (at least they are not bound by federal constitutional restrictions) whereas the federal government does not.

I know folks who are pro-abortion, but who are very uncomfortable with the SCOTUS 4th Amendment rationale.

I don't care for Romney at all, but for me, his healthcare plan isn't necessarily an automatic disqualifiacation for him. As a states rights advocate, as long as they don't try to impose it on the rest of us...FUCK'EM..let them go broke.

I think he's smart enough to have learned his lesson

208

I hope, if Palin wins the nomination, that she'll get at least that much support from everyone who doesn't want her, too

You will on my end.  I'm not so sure a lot of folks in the party will feel the same way if someone other than Palin is the nominee

209 We're so boned, but look up, you could be a rebel in Libya that counted on Barry to help them.

Now that is Fucking Boned.

210 Some of you act like survivors of a shipwreck, floating in the ocean, surrounded by sharks. A boat comes by and offers you help. You say, "Nah, your boat sucks. I'll take the next boat that comes by."

211 179 That's odd. Maybe they're busy with lobbyists and taking graft.

thanks for the info, M80's.


It's especially odd considering Jordan is not only head of the RSC but has also been speaking loudly about his push-back against the leadership. Though from reading NRO and The Weekly Standard, it sounds like he's getting an awfully big head, one example of that being his threat to write his own budget*. But on this one, he didn't back-up his big talk with action. I still believe he's a true conservative but he's sometimes been more part of the problem than the solution lately.

*It appears he has avoided participating in the budget debate for reasons known only to him.

212 >>>What the rhyme or reason that says states CAN mandate you buy health insurance, but CAN'T mandate what you say or what religeon you worship? The theory is that the rights of the people/limitations on government in the bill of rights were "incorporated" by reference in the 14th Amendment, which guaranteed everyone 'due proces of law." It was held that this meant the rights in the bill of rights applied equally (or almost equally) to the state governments, limiting their powers in certain ways. (The one right which was not held to apply to the states was the second amendment... until recently.) As the bill of rights does not mention a general freedom from mandates there is not any particular reason to suspect the federal consitution strips states of that power. Maybe they don't have it anyway, but there's nothing you can point to in the federal charter and say "See? This means states can't do that." States have something called the "police power" for example (which is what it sounds like -- general power of policing, stopping citizens to ask questions, etc.) which the federal government generally does not.

213 "I'm lukewarm on Romney. I think he might be able to get elected, but I'm holding out for a better option. Romneycare just makes him damaged goods. It's a fascist law, even on the state level. And he signed it. If the field wasn't so damned thin it should disqualify him outright. " IMO, it DOES disqualify him outright. Hey, let's nominate a guy who won't be able to criticize Obamacare AT ALL! Great idea!

214 Romney's a "big gubmint Republican."

215 I'm throwing my resources behind Donald Trump. - the Holy Independents love him - GREAT head of hair - willing to upgrade to younger smoking-hot wife chosen by viewing audience of new reality show - will not embarrass us on golf course like current douchebag - scandals are fucking GUARANTEED, but they are already baked into the candidate - he'll be more untouchable than BJ Clinton - GREAT fucking hair - unlike most politicians, can both destroy AND create wealth

216 paulie, the adult who fantasizes about teens.

217

Romney always struck me as a what he is, a professional but not original thinking manager. He'll do whatever he thinks will please his bosses and get him the next gig. He's not Jack Welch who wrote the book on a management style, Romney's the guy who read the book and claims to be a true believer in this system but only after it's proven wildly popular. When the next new fad comes up, Romney the manager will hop on that will all the zeal of a convert.

Well stated, Drew.

I don't care for him, but I'm afraid he will be the nominee.

I'll hold my nose, but vote for him over Ogabe. I seriously considered sitting out the last on, but Palin as the VP choice made me get off my ass.

218

/I'm not a fan of Romney or Huckabee myself, but I'd crawl over broken glass to vote for either if it means getting Obama the hell out. 

I would gay marry the lever to vote against obama and yes that is in fact on the ballot in vermont.

 

But seriously. I am voting Republican in 2012, regardless of who it is.

 

 

185 If Romney is the guy, and he chooses someone like Rubio or Allen West as his Veep...does that change anyone's minds here?

Yes, If he puts a Paul Ryan or Marco Rubio on the ticket. I would vote for Romney anyway, but I will actually be excited to do so as puting either of those men on the ticket might mean 16 years of Republican presidents.

219 OT - Remember that "world test" (internationalism), the metric which should be used if to initiate military action, which Kerry talked about during the debates with Bush?

Libya shows how empty and hollow the "world test" is. 

220 "Let's see . . . we hate Obamacare with a passion, so let's nominate Romney, who gave Massachusetts the Obamacare prototype. And it's supposed to be one of his big selling points!"

We're supposed to love RomneyCare because it's not technically as bad as ObamaCare.  As long as it's localized, we actually don't care about government overreach!

221 Republicans have a very deep bench for '16 and '20.  Unfortunately, seeing as we HAVE to beat Obama for our countries livelyhood, Romney may be the best "chance" we have.

Yes, he's not what we'd all like.  And yes, we'd probably agree with him 50% of the time.  But isn't that better than 0% of the time currently?

If we hold Congress, and pick up the senate, I would not not worry about Romney.

222 I gotta go with grognard, if there was a deeper field, romney would be right out.  That said, I have full ABO syndrome, I will take anybody but odipstick.  I truly believe he hates this country, I can no longer even pretend that some of these things are just poor management or inexperience.

223 >>>nd I don't think the analogly really works in this case. In chess, connecting your rooks strengthens your position, not weaken it. Yeah that's what I meant -- I meant the connected rooks here are in the opposition's camp. Like, his flaws are connected and reinforcing like your opponent's rooks might be. I used to think of North Korea and Iraq this way-- they could sort of protect each other by causing problems. We could never deal with one because then we'd be tied down and couldn't deal with the other, if it chose to act up, which it would. That was one of the real reasons I was big on Iraq. Taking out one rook so that the other one could be attacked.

224 I was more excited about the prospect of voting for McCain than any of the folks that are presumed to be running now. The only way any of them are even tolerable is in comparison to the President March Madness.

225

[Trump] will not embarrass us on golf course like current douchebag

Apparently, you haven't seen the fat spaz's swing.

Even Charles Barkley would laugh at him.

226

^{Posted by: curious at March 17, 2011 01:43 PM (k1rwm)}

fwiw - I know a lot of Obama voters who now feel this way.  They'll not vote for him again...and they are not Independents.  They, now, hate the guy.

I have guarded expectations that Obama won't carry more than 15% of the Tax Payer vote the next time around. Oh, he'll get 92% of the Black Vote, again...but he's destroyed his chances with anyone but the uber-left and union workers.  

If you own anything, and/or pay taxes, he's fucked you raw.  Hard to forget where you were in 2004 compared to where you'll be in Nov. 2012. 

227

Posted by: Paulie Carbone at March 17, 2011 01:37 PM (Bvmoz)

Paulie, if you're going to be a disgusting pig, you could at least be ORIGINAL and not recycle the work of hack "comics".   Your continued obsession with such depravity just furthers my theory of a leftist sicko hive-mind.  Buzz off, you little drone.

228 this sucks.

229 I cannot see the MBM making anything of Romney's LDS faith, if somehow he becomes the nominee for '12.  Certainly not without the kinds of fire and brimstone that would occur from his campaign, the RNC, the entire congressional delegation, and much of the online media.

Would the base not get out for him because of his religion?  I think not.  How about the center-right independents?  Likely no, also.  Evangelicals?  There is the question.

Polls say that the voters generally like the idea of gay marriage, a black president, and many more of those kinds of cultural shit that used to be stoppers.

Here is an interesting read if you want a look at the beginnings of Mormonism.  No Man Knows My History, by the "apostate" Fawn Brodie.

230

Republicans have a very deep bench for '16 and '20.  Unfortunately, seeing as we HAVE to beat Obama for our countries livelyhood, Romney may be the best "chance" we have.

That's why Christie needs to step up, bit the bullet(after puting copious amounts of butter and salt on it) and run in 2012.

 

 

231

We're supposed to love RomneyCare because it's not technically as bad as ObamaCare.  As long as it's localized, we actually don't care about government overreach!

Sorta.  That's what Federalism is all about. 

You love Federalism because it's what stops gay marriage from going national in a heartbeat, but hate that it confines the damage of Romneycare to one spot?

Besides, Massachusetts is Deep Blue, I love seeing them boned. 

And I'm from Boston.

232 217
Jeff,
While I was home in Pennsylvania for three weeks taking care of mom I noticed a lot and I mean a lot of guidos LOVE Donald Trump.

If you're going for the Dem/Guido vote, go Trump.

233 I'm sure Hugh Hewitt is excited about DeMint's stand on this. Or has HH disowned Romney now that he has done a pendulum swing to libertarian?

234 Heh.  Rush was playing a clip of Trump earlier.  He's somewhat of a Birther. 

235 mpfs, hope your keeping your wits still. you're still in my thoughts.

236

I'm holding out until I actually know everyone who's planning on running before I start cheering anyone along (though as I've sais, I love me some herman Cain and Allen West).  I'll vote for the best candidate in the primary and hope he or she wins.  But if my preferred candidate DOESN'T win the primary, I will sure as hell be voting for the Republican in the general election.

...

Well... I'm not sure if I could if it was Huckabee...

No, i'd make myself.  I'd threaten myself with a rubber mallet if I had to.

237 RomneyCare destroyed 3-4 years of my professional life by crippling the companies I worked for and causing layoffs. Barry only made things exponentially WORSE. Yet when given a choice between Barry and Mittens at the ballot box, Mittens is going to get my vote.

238

ace at March 17, 2011 01:47 PM (nj1bB)

So let me see if I have this straight.

The restrictions on the Federal government that are in the Bill of Rights are also restrictions on the States, correct? (i.e., 1st ammendment)

But the restrictions on the Federal government that are in the Constituion are not (in some cases) restrictions on the States, correct? (i.e., commerce clause in reference to Obama care)

Is this generally correct? 

 

239

I don't care for him, but I'm afraid he will be the nominee.I'll hold my nose, but vote for him over Ogabe

So, 2012 will be like 2008? Damn

240 your = you're

librarian mother would be most disgusted right about now....

241

That's why Christie needs to step up, bit the bullet(after puting copious amounts of butter and salt on it) and run in 2012.

Oh hell yes. He is soo much better than Romney. Gun controller and immigration squish. Ah jus loves me some fat man squish.

242 "Besides, Massachusetts is Deep Blue, I love seeing them boned. "

The only people getting boned in MA are the taxpayers.  The layabouts and hacks are living high off the hog.

243 223 Republicans have a very deep bench for '16 and '20.  Unfortunately, seeing as we HAVE to beat Obama for our countries livelyhood, Romney may be the best "chance" we have. Yes, he's not what we'd all like.  And yes, we'd probably agree with him 50% of the time.  But isn't that better than 0% of the time currently? If we hold Congress, and pick up the senate, I would not not worry about Romney. Posted by: AeroFANatic at March 17, 2011 01:50 PM (h8FS0) Err... I can see myself agreeing with Romney's actions precisely 0% of the time and feeling like a whore for even wanting to believe his pandering. If the senate flips and we retire a VERY significant number of the career critters, I'd give it an even toss between Barry and Romney as President, since either would be neutered.

244

Megaton McCain is in the Romney camp.

'nuff said.

245 So when you censor things here, you change it to "Was that a gong I just heard." That's lame. I'd at least go with "hahahah disregard that I suck cocks" or something. Yes, Willow, I am a pig. You got me there. Is Lester trolling, or is he really that dumb: "Can anyone explain this to me? How is it that it is "unconstitutional" to do Obama care / health mandates at the Federal level, but it is constitutional for the states to do this?" You might want to check out the commerce clause and the 10th amendment. I think that argument is wrong--as Ace wants us to say--but at least its plausible. How little does someone have to know about federalism to seriously ask that? States have a general police power. The federal government doesn't. It has only the limited powers delegated to it under Article I. "The constituion sez "congress shall make no law about speech, religeon, etc." So why can't the states make laws about this?" Have you never heard of the 14th amendment and the entire incorporation controversy? How dumb can one guy get? You people make Trig Palin look like Larry Tribe.

246 238 mpfs, hope your keeping your wits still. you're still in my thoughts.

Thanks lacey you're the best.

I just want to say publicly a BIG THANK YOU and KISS to Kratos.  A real stand up moron..

247 I feel like this is a "get ready kiddies, it's mittens turn and we have to give it to him and hold our breath and hope for the best".....honestly, after the way the republicans are behaving lately I'm beginning to think when I used to say the republicans and democrats look the same I was seeing the early foundation of the new elite political class.  People are waiting for someone to come along and bring a tornado with them to DC, a tornado of change real change, not just promises but no more debt, a fix for the housing crisis, jobs and development, energy independence, a return to the constitution, supreme court judges who support the consideration and don't view it as a "living document", someone who advocates states rights and doesn't just pay it lip service.  someone who will actually consult congress before starting a war. Someone who will lose graciously and not start writing executive orders.  someone willing to get rid of unnecessary department and czars and fire people who aren't answerable to congress.  the list goes on and on.

248

Since September 2010 alone, Sarah Palin has penned commentary on such topics ....

Posted by: You Aren't Paying Attention at March 17, 2011 01:35 PM

Shhhh...you're supposed to hate her anyway because...um...well...just BECAUSE dammit

249 That's a big audible. Changing field like that sometimes pays off but usually results in a tackle in the backfield.

Twins right, with a backside Georgia reverse.

250

The only people getting boned in MA are the taxpayers.  The layabouts and hacks are living high off the hog.

Well, in the Bay State they deserve the government they vote for.  Dems win by large margins in every election and layabouts don't vote.  So it's the taxpayers who are screwing themselves.  The layabouts are out cashing their welfare checks...or whatever "non judgmental" method of payment they use these days.

Something tells me Massachusetts taxpayers are beginnig to wake up. 

Here's hopin'

251 Paulie the Pig,
Anything comment you make on this blog will be completely dismissed because you proved in your previous disgusting comment what a true lowlife you are.  Now fuck off.

252 how does Romney feel about Lybia, or the mid-east blow up. has He said?

253

You people make Trig Palin look like Larry Tribe.

Wow....considering how Tribe gets his ass handed to him on a regular basis, you need to apologize to Trig.

254

I'm not talking about volume of words or numbers of tweets.  I'm talking about philosophy and how you got there, and then being able to explain it articulately.  Reagan did that for years before he got to the White House so that when he got there, he knew what he thought.

Too often I get the picture that Sarah is making it up as she goes.  Bottom line...I really don't know what her "non-negotiables" are.  Again, I need more than 40 Facebook posts and 1,000 Tweets.

 

Posted by: Sean Bannion at March 17, 2011 01:39 PM (sbV1u)

 

She wrote a whole fucking book on the subject.   What the fuck more do you want?  Just because you are ignorant of the facts does not mean the facts  are not there.  Read her book 

255 Well, OT but expected... House passes an isolated measure to defund NPR, which means it will die in the Senate, and the GOP House will simply fund NPR with the next CR that pops up. So, yay team!

256 We need to have the "I support this person because..." thread. I think a lot of good moron research can come out of that. Of the ones who have definitely said they are running, I think T-Paw is the man, boring or not. I'd like Christie, but he's not happening. Failing either of those, I'll vote for anybody but Ron Paul against Bambi. We're one election from socialism, so let's make it count.

257 librarian mother would be most disgusted right about now....

Posted by: laceyunderalls at March 17, 2011 01:55 PM (pLTLS)

Um...you don't happen to have her glasses, do you?

258

She wrote a whole fucking book on the subject.   What the fuck more do you want?  Just because you are ignorant of the facts does not mean the facts  are not there.  Read her book 

I did.

I wasn't overly impressed.

Just because you are ignorant of the facts - namely my background - does not mean the facts are not there

259 Look, he's been positioning himself for a run at the presidency for years, I think. I like that discipline and planning.

That right there is where you lose me. You "like" that the man has been "positioning" himself "for years"?

How about he just do a good job enacting conservative policies and then decide to run for president.

That right there is one of my BIGGEST reasons why I don't support Mitt: He wants the presidency because he wants the presidency. Period. He doesn't want it to save the Republic. He just wants it.

Daddy George was denied the nomination in 1968 and Mitt has been "positioning" himself for years to restore the Romney name's honor.

Not a reason to run for president.

260 We all have our own preferred candidates.  That's what the primaries are for; to flush out the non-viables.

Just because our "pet candidate" does not win, should not mean we won't support OUR nominee in the primary.

The world is a LOT different in '12 than it was in '08.  Not voting for a squish like McCain made sense in '08.  Now? with SO MUCH on the line...not so much.

Romney / Rubio would really work well on many levels, I think.

261 Another formerly outstanding conservative and great American, Jim DeMint, has been in Washington way too damn long and is now the poster boy for term limits.

262 Posted by: curious at March 17, 2011 01:58 PM (k1rwm x100

263 Mitt Romney. Assuming The Base^® doesn't throw a world-class temper tantrum.

Because believing that government insurance mandates and tax and spend governance are bad is a "temper tantrum".

Yes just like a little kid who wants sugar and toys. We're throwing a tantrum, because we don't like your Statist ideals.

Get this straight. O'Care is illegal at the federal level, and should have never been implemented there. And if someone wants something like that it should be implemented at the State level. THAT SAID, that doesn't mean it is a good idea at the State level either, just legal. O'Care is a bad idea, a statist idea, and saying that it is OK to implement it at the state level and not at the federal level, and pretending you are "conservative" who will cut government, well that's not going to fly.

So Romney and his R'Care is still a good idea mantra can bite me. It's legal, but it isn't something a free society does. And it certainly isn't something a fiscally responsible society does.

264 Howling on the floor. Toonces McUnicorn is now saying he's part Irish. Top of the hour radio news blurb... Speaking about another forthcoming trip vacation, this time to Ireland, he mentions visiting the home town of his greaty-great-greatier-great grandfather in (hard to make out his muttering between the ums and uhs) Donegal.

265

Um...you don't happen to have her glasses, do you?

If you do, could you add a pencil skirt to that ensemble?

266 #259 "We need to have the "I support this person because..." thread. I think a lot of good moron research can come out of that"

(a) Excellent.
(b) SBVFT type research -- IMAO -- is why Lieutenant "Reporting For Duty" never made it.

267 Posted by: George Orwell at March 17, 2011 02:01 PM (AZGON)

you know i had a discussion with someone about NPR and they said that "juan deserved to be fired cause he was too conservative" and I started to laugh.  I don't listen to NPR, don't really know a lot about it but, I know enough from you guys to hold my own.  I told her that most fox viewers get the same feeling toward the things juan says as the things alan colmes will say.  She wouldn't believe me, to her, Juan williams is a conservative.  I ended the conversation by telling her to send juan an email and let him know he's changed his ideological beliefs.

268

Is Lester trolling, or is he really that dumb:

"Can anyone explain this to me? How is it that it is "unconstitutional" to do Obama care / health mandates at the Federal level, but it is constitutional for the states to do this?"

You might want to check out the commerce clause and the 10th amendment. I think that argument is wrong--as Ace wants us to say--but at least its plausible. How little does someone have to know about federalism to seriously ask that? States have a general police power. The federal government doesn't. It has only the limited powers delegated to it under Article I.

"The constituion sez "congress shall make no law about speech, religeon, etc." So why can't the states make laws about this?"

Have you never heard of the 14th amendment and the entire incorporation controversy? How dumb can one guy get?

You people make Trig Palin look like Larry Tribe.

Paulie Carbone at March 17, 2011 01:57 PM (Bvmoz)

Hi Paulie Carbone.

Yes, I really am that dumb.  Thanks for pointing it out. 

Oh, I already covered the unfortunate "Lester" sockpuppet upstream, so you can just call me "ed" from now on.

Paulie, you do a great job of calling me stupid and ignorant.  But you don't do much for actaully explaining anything.

And ace gave an update at comment at #214 and I tried to summarize what I thought was explanation in comment #241.

So... anything to add?

269

"Well, in the Bay State they deserve the government they vote for.  Dems win by large margins in every election and layabouts don't vote.  So it's the taxpayers who are screwing themselves.  The layabouts are out cashing their welfare checks...or whatever "non judgmental" method of payment they use these days.

Something tells me Massachusetts taxpayers are beginnig to wake up. 

Here's hopin'

Posted by: Sean Bannion at March 17, 2011 01:59 PM (sbV1u)"

Layabouts DO vote when they are bussed in by unions.

Taxpayers are outnumbered here.  Massachusetts tried to wake up in 2010.  It was crushed resoundingly by organized public unions and machine politics.  

270 267 Howling on the floor. Toonces McUnicorn is now saying he's part Irish. To be fair, it could be on his mom's side. (And that exhausts my fund of fairness toward Bambi for the day.)

271

I'm not talking about volume of words or numbers of tweets.  I'm talking about philosophy and how you got there, and then being able to explain it articulately.  Reagan did that for years before he got to the White House so that when he got there, he knew what he thought.

Too often I get the picture that Sarah is making it up as she goes.  Bottom line...I really don't know what her "non-negotiables" are.  Again, I need more than 40 Facebook posts and 1,000 Tweets.

Posted by: Sean Bannion at March 17, 2011 01:39 PM (sbV1u)

Did you read America by Heart? And notice all the writers she quoted on their positions?

Have you spent time here? http://hrh40.wordpress.com/

Categorized policy statements from Palin in National Review, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Facebook over the last three years.

Have you spent time viewing her speeches and Fox Business interviews and her Long Island Q&A from February 2011, etc., here? http://www.palintv.com

If you don't know what her "nonnegotiables" are, you haven't been paying attention.

272 We need to have the "I support this person because..." thread. I think a lot of good moron research can come out of that.

I second that emotion.

273

 Howling on the floor. Toonces McUnicorn is now saying he's part Irish

Oh, dear effing golly..is he now calling himself Brock O'Bama??

274 George, I believe there is a link on last post , seems to be true, also the extended family members  don't seem to like his politics much

275 Posted by: AeroFANatic at March 17, 2011 02:03 PM (h8FS0)

Well you could say that but how do we know that the republican nominee will be any different from the current office holder?  We don't.  Here's how I know.  There was an election in 2010, lots of tea party guy got in, they made lots of promises and said lots of things and you know what, they aren't getting a damned thing done, they are getting people really annoyed and discouraged.  So people will assume the same thing will happen with the president and BO will have his second term.

276 How about nuking Washington from orbit while all the nominees and other assorted also-rans, formers, and members of the media are in town for a convention? Then we can start over and build a memorial to the handful of not-entirely-useless people currently in office after we're not broke anymore.

277

Too often I get the picture that Sarah is making it up as she goes.

Check the focus on your Instamatic, dude. She is definitely not one who has to get out the gauges to judge where her positions should be.

278

[Trump] will not embarrass us on golf course like current douchebag

Apparently, you haven't seen the fat spaz's swing.

Even Charles Barkley would laugh at him.

Posted by: beedubya, girlishly and excitably emotional rotten prick at March 17, 2011 01:50 PM (AnTyA) <<<

 

Dude, he's a 4 handicap.  You're talking out of your ass.  Again.

Remember Chi-Chi Rodriguez?  What a fucked up swing he had.  I wonder how he earned his living with a swing like that.

279 We need to have the "I support this person because..." thread. I think a lot of good moron research can come out of that.

We had one of those about a month ago (DrewM). Guess who won by a wide damn margin.......

hahahhahaha - Palin by a wide margin.

280 I agree that religion is no real reason to dismiss a candidate.

281 Posted by: beedubya, girlishly and excitably emotional rotten prick at March 17, 2011 02:09 PM (AnTyA)

Apparently he's also related to Cheney. 

282

1) Mormons believe in the Old Testament, the New Testament, that Christ is the Son of God, that He was born of a virgin, that He died for our sins, and that He will return again one day to reign. They believe in baptism for the remission of sins, and in confirmation. They believe in the priesthood of all male believers. They may not be Christians in the narrower sense (adding a few books, rejecting some of historical Christianity), but they are certainly Christians in the broader sense. If that is not good enough for evangelicals, oh well. I'm related to many evangelicals, but I find their obsession with Mormonism annoying.

2) The presence of LDS Church leadership (Presiding Bishop Burton) at yesterday's signing of an amnesty bill by Utah's governor does not improve my view of the LDS Church, but it doesn't necessarily harm Romney. Given that people tie him to his church, he should distance himself from it, pronto. Doing so would help him separate himself from his church, and strengthen his immigration cred. If he doesn't he's definitely screwed.

283

So Romney and his R'Care is still a good idea mantra can bite me. It's legal, but it isn't something a free society does. And it certainly isn't something a fiscally responsible society does.

Actually that is exactly what a Free Society does...it chooses its path and sometimes makes bad choices.

Does a Governor has the power to craft, implement and police laws all by his lonesome? 

 I didn't think so. 

If Romney had acted like Obama in the run up to Romneycare...if he had forced it on a population that didn't want it, your point would be valid.  Unfortunately, that's not how it played out.

284

Posted by: joncelli at March 17, 2011 02:07 PM (RD7QR)

How is your mother-in-law?

285 267 Howling on the floor. Toonces McUnicorn is now saying he's part Irish. ... Now we know what the embarrassing part of his birth certificate is.

286

So... anything to add?

Posted by: ed

I'm sorry ed, Paulie is unable to answer you at this time. I've heard through the intarwebs he tried to suck his own dick and threw his back out.

287 It's pretty clear that Obama is all the motivation needed for true conservatives to show up at the polling booth. Posted by: Ben at March 17, 2011 01:15 PM (wuv1c) There are those who stomp and say ONLY IF MY CANDIDATE WINS THE PRIMARY! These are known as anti-American Obama nutsuckers, because they value swallowing the salty scrotum of perhaps the worst President in history than vote for a *gasp!* Christie or Romney or Palin or XYZ There is absolutely NO justification for not voting R in 2012. Zip, zero. If you bullshit an excuse, you can just admit you LOOOOVE the sensation of socialist ballhair in your teeth. Because, frankly, that is where you have placed yourself.

288 As the bill of rights does not mention a general freedom from mandates there is not any particular reason to suspect the federal consitution strips states of that power.

Maybe they don't have it anyway, but there's nothing you can point to in the federal charter and say "See? This means states can't do that."

States have something called the "police power" for example (which is what it sounds like -- general power of policing, stopping citizens to ask questions, etc.) which the federal government generally does not.

Posted by: ace at March 17, 2011 01:47 PM (nj1bB)

 

If you attack Obamacare on grounds of the 13th amendment  it does.  Making people work for the profit of an insurance compnay  is nothing but indenture servitude.

289 Howling on the floor. Toonces McUnicorn is now saying he's part Irish. To be fair, it could be on his mom's side. (And that exhausts my fund of fairness toward Bambi for the day.) Of course it's that, but come on, are you kidding me? That's like preening about my regal French heritage if I found a single great to the fifth power grandfather who delivered bread to the Restoration Monarchy. Barry's remark immediately put me in mind of another he made long ago, that he's a blank screen on which people project their dreams. He would likely say he has ancestors in every nation on earth. After all at the Berlin Victory Column rally he told us he's a world citizen.

290

Howling on the floor. Toonces McUnicorn is now saying he's part Irish.

That's what my grandfather would have called him...in public.

291 Top 'o the mornin', y'all.

292 HOnestly, haven't seen the republican candidate that most independents would pull the lever for in 2012 yet.  Most people are waiting for someone to come riding in on a white horse to save them, that person hasn't shown up yet, trumps getting close but so far no one.  People don't want another Washington insider, politician.  At this point breitbart or the red eye tv guy greg could run and get more votes than mittens from independents.

293 Posted by: curious at March 17, 2011 02:10 PM (k1rwm)

That's fine curious, but with many Tea-Partiers in the house and newly taken over Senate, Romney 2012 is not going to have their votes if he would try and do something they didnt like.

So I understand why some are leery of Romney, trust me I do.  But in such an important election, I truly believe he represents our best chance RIGHT NOW to unseat Øbama.

294 "We all have our own preferred candidates.  That's what the primaries are for; to flush out the non-viables."

Well, that's fine, for everyone except Palin. Palin shouldn't get to run in the primary. Because she might actually win the primary, although I can't see how given how awful I keep hearing she is.

We just can't take that chance.  After all, what if she does somehow win?  How will she possibly win the general with the entire Republican establishment attacking her on a daily basis?

295

It's not that Romney panders to conservatives (I kind of like that), it's that he's always like the 3rd guy to do it and does it in the most suck up way possible.

Posted by: DrewM. at March 17, 2011 01:44 PM (HicGG)

I agree, but what I found to be the most discouraging about him was that he didn't limit his pandering to conservatives.

One minute he was the Ultimate Conservative Warrior (after governing as a moderate blue state governor), the next he'd pander to Iowa voters in supporting ag subsidies, to Michigan voters by supporting auto industry bailouts ("investments"), to Florida voters by proposing increased Social Security benefits (?!?!?), etc.

I realize that candidates are going to tailor their message to the audience, but Romney took it way, way too far.  A man who believes in everything everyone wants to hear believes in nothing.

While Romneycare might be a stone around his neck, I don't think it's heavy enough to totally sink him.  If McCain could survive his quests for illegal alien amnesty, Romney could survive Romneycare blowback.

296

Did you read America by Heart? And notice all the writers she quoted on their positions?

Yes, I did.  I'm doing a lousy job of explaining this.  So I'll try one more time and then I am dropping it.  I hear all the right things from Sarah.  My point is that I don't know how deep it goes.  I don't know how real it really is.  When Reagan was coming up, he caught the same attitude - so she's in good company so far.

Here's the short version.  I don't dislike Sarah, I have an open mind and I am always on the lookout for more evidence that she's in tune with what I think.  If she's the General election nominee, I'll be phone banking for her.  If I see what I am looking for in the primary, I'll vote for her then too. 

My standard is probably too influenced by academia and less by the heart.  I've got a deep background in political philosophy, so that's probably why I seem like an absolutist on Sarah right now.  I'm looing for Burke, she's Teddy Roosevelt (non-progressive version).

She's stumbled a lot in the public, and I think that's why some conservatives are holding back a bit.  I'm one of them.  That doesn't mean I am not interested in what she has to say...or that I am not following what she writes.

297

Romney's LDS status isn't a disqualifier for me.  If he was running for Chief Theologian, then yeah.  The only thing that bothers me about his Mormonism is that he strikes me as indistinguishable from liberal Catholic pols--perfectly willing to ditch the faith at the door when its tenets prove politically inconvenient.

But the backbreaker for me is the almost frantic flip-flopping, the constant efforts at repackaging and the like.  When push comes to shove, what is his real position?  Does he have non-negotiables?  With Romney, I feel like I'm watching an infomercial for "Presidential Candidate by Ronco."

298 Howling on the floor. Toonces McUnicorn is now saying he's part Irish. Posted by: George Orwell at March 17, 2011 02:05 PM (AZGON) I had a fantastic birthday yesterday. Why does this asshole have to ruin my ethnic day? There was more Irish in Erinn yesterday than there is in Obama.

299 We need to have the "I support this person because..." thread. I think a lot of good moron research can come out of that.

And he/she isn't he/she is not a reason.

300

The Mormon thing probably matters a little to rabid conservative primary voters, but look in Inhofe in Oklahoma.  He's a devout Mormon but he keeps getting re-elected in the world capital of fundamentalist Baptists because he's also a rabid conservative.

Mitt's problem in the primaries is that he's a phony politician with a liberal record and no political skills.

But in the generals, I do think that Mitt's Mormonism is an issue.  RINOs are uncomfortable with people who take religion to 'extremes' and independents are (1) totally uninformed and believe weird conspiracy theories, including about Mormons and (2) vote for people because they 'feel comfortable with them,' not for policy reasons, and Mormons are strange.

Granted, the rest of the field sucks too.  Maybe T-Paw?

301 #300 "... perfectly willing to ditch the faith at the door when its tenets prove politically inconvenient"

Gooooooal---

I couldn't quite put my finger on it.  Thanks!

302

President Donald Trump.  First Lady TBD.

Say it.

 

SAY IT.

It is unavoidable.  It is your destiny.

303 I'll give Barry this much... if to win points on St. Paddy's day he has to pretend he's Irish by citing a single very distant relative on mommy's side, choosing to acknowledge the Irish is great victimology. You know, the depredations of Cromwell, the Potato Famine, I'm the poor black child of the Emerald Isles. You can be sure he won't be heralding any distant English ancestors, not after sending back Churchill's bust and fobbing an iPod off on the Queen like it was an ermine robe.

304

Dude, he's a 4 handicap.  You're talking out of your ass.  Again.

Remember Chi-Chi Rodriguez?  What a fucked up swing he had.  I wonder how he earned his living with a swing like that.

Posted by: Empire of Jeff at March 17, 2011 02:11 PM (5FIGI)

Trump has a 4 handicap like Kim Sung IL aced 13 out of 18 holes. My brother played with him (Trump) twice.

..Chi Chi's swing wasn't that bad....now Jim Furyk's swing is a puzzle.

305 Posted by: Steve the Pirate at March 17, 2011 02:16 PM (W54Uh)

But the backbreaker for me is the almost frantic flip-flopping, the constant efforts at repackaging and the like.  When push comes to shove, what is his real position?  Does he have non-negotiables?  With Romney, I feel like I'm watching an infomercial for "Presidential Candidate by Ronco."

---

Steve, would you prefer 4 more years of Obama rather than someone you are "afraid" will flip-flop?  When you KNOW Obama will flop to all the wrong sides of issues?!

306

There was more Irish in Erinn yesterday than there is in Obama.

Is Erinn the model whose giant bewbs you were decorating?  Pics, please.

307 President Donald Trump. First Lady TBD. Say it. SAY IT. It is unavoidable. It is your destiny. You are a cruel master. CRUEL. Have you no humanity???

308

ROFL...She DID set up a defense fund. They filed an ethics complaint on it and froze the money. After she left office they made her return all the money. Because she had the word "offical" in the title of the defense fund. This was what she dealt with.

Posted by: unseen at March 17, 2011 01:37 PM (aVGmX)

You forgot the best part.  She used the same legal outfit to set it up that the libs use and they still "decided" hers was no-go.  Teh irony -- the stench is strong.  

 

309 @305 - LOL. Funniest comment so far.

310 I'm starting to think that Trump IS the best candidate in the bunch. Sad state of affairs. Love him or hate him, a Trump administration would at least be entertaining as hell.

311

Is Erinn the model whose giant bewbs you were decorating?  Pics, please.

Seriously, Jeff, I know it's been asked before.  But do you do stand-up?  do you have an agent?

'Cause I got a Final Four party scheduled and you'd be perfect

312

We just can't take that chance.  After all, what if she does somehow win?  How will she possibly win the general with the entire Republican establishment attacking her on a daily basis?

Because for those that don't worship at the feet of St. Sarah (pbuh), Holy Mother of Dunceville, Sarah Palin isn't the hill we're willing to die on.

The stakes are too high to put all our chips behind an unelectable, inexperienced, inarticulate, unintelligent, unpopular celebrity.

313 313 I'm starting to think that Trump IS the best candidate in the bunch.

Sad state of affairs.

Love him or hate him, a Trump administration would at least be entertaining as hell.

Posted by: Damiano at March 17, 2011 02:22 PM (3nrx7)

Let's put it this way.  He's not a politician so the politicians would be afraid of him.  He's not a banker, so the banker's would be afraid of him.  He's not a Washington insider so those folks will be afraid of him. the list goes on and on, what we need in the WH is someone who is unpredictable and who everyone is afraid of.

314

Trump has a 4 handicap like Kim Sung IL aced 13 out of 18 holes. My brother played with him (Trump) twice.

 

MY brother played with Kim Jong Il (which is who you meant) three times and with Donald Trump five times.  Jong Il had a great short game, but was horrible off the tee.

My brother was also in the last foursome your brother played with The Donald.  Trump shot a 77, then he and my brother beat the shit out of YOUR brother and high-fived while kicking back some chilled Trump Vodka.

Advantage:  JEFF

315

The stakes are too high to put all our chips behind an unelectable, inexperienced, inarticulate, unintelligent, unpopular celebrity.

Ditto, Trump.

316 I was a big Palin ra ra girl but then I read something about the guy she picked to run her campaign and I began to wonder if she is the real deal or working on the same team as BO.  I like Michelle Bachman much better, same wine but in a different bottle.

317 For that guy who was claiming yesterday that no one uses insulting nicknames for Palin, just check out comment 315.  I think it's a parody (lord knows it should be), but it hits pretty much all of the insulting nicknames all at once.

318 I will not vote for Romney in the primary but I will vote for him in the general. Retaining the House and winning more conservative seats in the House would put pressure on him to sign the legislation he's given. I am so sick and tired of watching all this good legislation coming from the Republicans in the House being absolutely wasted because of the games being played by the Dem-controlled Senate and WH. Controlling both bodies plus having a Republican president means that we could actually get things done.

319 #309 No. But she helped put the goo and paint on them. Oh, and email me. The project is finished so the images are ready (it is a set of 15). Who knows when I get around to uploading them on an art thread that gets published at some ungodly west coast hour.

320 321 Edit: Winning more seats in the Senate, hopefully conservative ones.

321

"Because for those that don't worship at the feet of St. Sarah (pbuh), Holy Mother of Dunceville, Sarah Palin isn't the hill we're willing to die on.

The stakes are too high to put all our chips behind an unelectable, inexperienced, inarticulate, unintelligent, unpopular celebrity."

So you'll be amongst the idiots who attacks her relentlessly even if she ends up winning the nomination?  Great!

And I want to point out that I've never asserted anything more about Palin than that I support her and would like to see her run.  I've never claimed she'll definitely win, and I've even acknowledged the unlikeliness of her winning.  I just support the primary process and think she should get to take advantage of it like everyone else.

But apparently that still makes me a cultist to certain dimwits.

322 When I saw Huckabee on his gay Fox show playing bass on "Pour Some Sugar on Me" with Def Leppard (now 10 years sober!), his fate as an absolute douchebag was sealed for me.

323 Trump? Rahm donor...sorry.

324 Posted by: garrett at March 17, 2011 02:26 PM (2LStB)

I know a lot of old timey republicans who are throwing out the letters begging for money and getting angrier and angrier.  They may be registered republicans but they are really closet independents and only registered republican to "vote in the primaries".  Those aren't die hard republicans, those are folks who really don't have an ingrained ideology.  the dems will win again as all they have to do is sit back and watch the republicans, in public and on the blogs totally trash their own presidential wanna bees and then swoop in and win the election cause the republicans have aggravated them so much they are too disgusted to vote republican.  The republicans have a huge, big time, public relations problem and they don't even realize it.  I'm thinking that 2010 will be an anomaly since these guys are not keeping their promises one iota.

325 I'm ready to double down on conservative black guys, Cain/West, with Thomas Sowell at Treasury.  Bolton can be the token at State.

326

Seriously, Jeff, I know it's been asked before.  But do you do stand-up?  do you have an agent?

'Cause I got a Final Four party scheduled and you'd be perfect

 

Thank you, but no.  I make more money doing what I do than I ever could as a comedian. The pay sucks, the travel sucks, and I already missed two years of my kid's lives killing myself as a restaurant owner.  Besides, I'm more of a counterpuncher.  And I'm lazy.  That's why I spend more time in AoS comments than I do updating my own blog.

However, if I ever make it to a Moron Meetup, I promise to make a fucking spectacle of myself if enough scotch is applied.

327

But apparently that still makes me a cultist to certain dimwits.

Re-read your posts, over the past 2-3 days, on the subject. 

 Then you will understand why you appear to be a 'PALINISTO!'.

...oh yeah, ahoy!.

328 For that guy who was claiming yesterday that no one uses insulting nicknames for Palin, just check out comment 315.  I think it's a parody (lord knows it should be), but it hits pretty much all of the insulting nicknames all at once.

Posted by: Kensington at March 17, 2011 02:26 PM (mEyVv)

He does it all the time.  It's old and tired.

329 326 Trump? Rahm donor...sorry.

Posted by: You Aren't Paying Attention at March 17, 2011 02:30 PM (MWXXs)

that bothers me too but, he's a business man, he has to donate to everyone and I bet he has a big project going in Chicago that he needs to ease through the bureaucracy.  I don't like how this country has evolved the crooked pay off type systems it has but it's all over and rampant.

330

Besides, I'm more of a counterpuncher

If you ever want to expnd to 'Donkey Punching'... Call. Me.

331 Posted by: curious at March 17, 2011 02:24 PM (k1rwm) That's all good, but I was sold on Empire of Jeff's "First Lady TBD". I gave up hope on our government doing anything that resembles functioning, following the Constitution (or even pretending to), or even accidentally doing something that seemed like a good idea at the time. I'm in for the supermodel du jour that Trump will trot out for First Lady. Bonus points for the nightly news clips of him telling everyone in gov't "your FIRED" and redecorating the White House in 70's shag and pink marble.

332

No. But she helped put the goo and paint on them.

 

UUUUHHHHNNNNNNHHHH

 

 

333

I'm thinking that 2010 will be an anomaly since these guys are not keeping their promises one iota.

I don't the the Repubs had anything to do with 2010. 

They just reaped the benefit.

334 #335 It took me years to find a way to get my art to "reach" people. Apparently the answer was breasts.

335 The pay sucks, the travel sucks, and I already missed two years of my kid's lives killing myself as a restaurant owner. Sheesh, the restaurant business is a killer, dude. However, if I ever make it to a Moron Meetup, I promise to make a fucking spectacle of myself if enough scotch is applied. Internally or externally?

336 "Re-read your posts, over the past 2-3 days, on the subject."

Cite some examples of my cultist extremism or STFU.

337 Posted by: Damiano at March 17, 2011 02:34 PM (3nrx7)

the other night my friend was very very funny.  He said 8 years of the donald and you won't recognize DC, we'll have a string of "the apprentice DC:  the capitol, the WH,"  "the apprentice maryland, camp david".   His idea is that everything will be renovated state of the art and Camp David will become the place any president would want to go to every weekend.

338 Ed, I was just going to troll here, make jokes about the Palin's, and try to bait you guys attacking me, but if we're going to be all serious, fine: Ace's comment is basically correct. (The only thing he's wrong about is that not all of the bill of rights has been incorporated. The grand jury clause of the 5th amendment has been held NOT to apply to states, as well as the 7th amendment's right to jury trial in civil cases.) As far as your comment at 241 goes, that's largely a fair summary. (There are, however, restrictions on states in the Constitution besides the bill of rights. For example, Section 10 of Article I and Article IV.) Some people explain the issue in terms of intrinsic vs. extrinsic limits on government power. The federal government does not have a police power, i.e. the general authority to make regulations promoting health, safety, and morals. Instead, the federal government has a limited set of delegated powers granted to it in Article I. So when you're evaluating the constitutionality of a federal law, you first have to ask, "is this a valid exercise of one of the federal government's delegated powers." If not, it's unconstitutional. (Some people call these intrinsic restraints on federal power. The 10th amendment just restates this principle.) But, even if an action falls withing one of the delegated powers, the federal government still can't do it if it violates another another provision of the constitution, e.g. a law that said you can't sell bibles across state lines would be within the federal governments commerce clause powers, but would violate the free exercise clause of the 1st amendment. When evaluating the constitutionality of state regulations, you just skip to the second step. You don't have to worry about the issue of delegated powers, since states have a general police power. So as far as health care goes: the objection is that it doesn't fall within the federal government's delegated powers. That objection doesn't apply to the state of Massachusetts. I hope that helps, and just pretend like I said something horribly offensive about Ronald Reagan or whatever.

339 It took me years to find a way to get my art to "reach" people. Apparently the answer was breasts. They are the answers to many questions.

340

My brother was also in the last foursome your brother played with The Donald.  Trump shot a 77, then he and my brother beat the shit out of YOUR brother and high-fived while kicking back some chilled Trump Vodka.

Yeah...I mixed up daddy and son's names...BUT...true story. Trump really does suck ass on the course.

We have video

 

341 think of it "the president is on the phone, he says you had better give us that steel for this price or you won't be doing business again in DC"

342 327 [...] The republicans have a huge, big time, public relations problem and they don't even realize it.  I'm thinking that 2010 will be an anomaly since these guys are not keeping their promises one iota.

I agree that most of the Republicans up there couldn't communicate their way out of a wet paper bag and that they are ignorant of that fact. They also should be pushing more than they are, though I'm not surprised because this is Boehner, Cantor, and McCarthy we're discussing here. However, they actually have kept some of their promises. What is getting lost here is that the Republicans do indeed control the House but not the Senate or the White House. This means that they can keep passing bills but Reid's body will not pass them and Obama won't sign them. In other words, we have a largely symbolic House.

343 haha. Hilarious that some of you think Romney could win a general election. lol

344 Fact is he focused his life on business,  this is like Michael Jordan trying to play baseball.

Romney would make a great VP or treasury secretary etc.. but his political miscalculations highlight his newbness to politics.  A GOP president candidate must be solid, genial, interesting, with highly refined defensive abilities because they will be surrounded by ruthless jackals looking to exploit any weakness from day one. 

There is a reason you may be having John Kerry flashbacks with him its the schizophrenic nature of Mass politics.  two main power centers are your rich/hippie white leftists and blue collar union guys.  Even the media in throes of Bush hatred couldn't shield Kerry from his own attempts to straddle that nonsense.

The far left Mass press had a field day with this guy.  They were easily able to disillusion republicans, frighten independents and motive and unify the left.

I almost can tell you his agenda right now

-raise taxes and fees
-cut spending
-reform entitlements with another layer of "consolidated bureaucracy"
-back Israel
-split the difference on amnesty-border (close the border-amnesty-deportation for illegals with criminal records)
-invade a middle eastern country, (he'd be in libya right now)
-put together a Manhattan project for alternative energy
-approve drilling

In summation, as I mentioned the other day if he somehow got through elections and had a motivated conservative house and senate he would be like Pappa Bush.  Which from where we are standing now seems like a huge improvement but no the ideal choice.  

Again, we cant control who wins the white house and if we lose that will be all energy wasted.  However no energy wasted in getting the most conservative house and senate possible and get this baby bird of conservative media out of the nest.

345 Posted by: Paulie Carbone at March 17, 2011 02:38 PM (Bvmoz)

Jesus.  Not using your powers for good should be a crime.

346

Ace, we just saw re: shibboleth, you are a cipher on religion-who cares what you might think is fair in such matters?

Christie is obese, Daniels a dwarf, genetics is a fact of life.  Predisposition to idiocy is another.  Play the hand you were dealt.

347

George Orwell, just make sure you're there.

 

CAC, I really dig the art threads. When I get home, I need to dig up some pencil drawings I did as a kid.  A Russian stabbing a kitten.  A kitten splattered on a stop sign.  A skateboarder smashing his face into a wall (it is implied there is a kitten between the wall and his face). 

348 How many times has Trump been bankrupt?  I'm thinking once personally, and twice in business.  Is that right?

349 OT: Obama presser on Japan at 2:30pm CST

350 I was just asked "who would you rather have for president Charlie Sheen or Sarah Palin?  Sadly I said, Srah Palin but only cause she has run a state.

351 344 think of it "the president is on the phone, he says you had better give us that steel for this price or you won't be doing business again in DC" Posted by: curious at March 17, 2011 02:39 PM (k1rwm) ... President Rahm? Oh, never mind. That would be "The President is in the sauna, wearing a tu tu, and he says you'd better give us a better price on that senate seat or you'll be swimming with the fishes".

352

 Cite some examples of my cultist extremism or STFU.

-Sarah = Reagan?

 

 

353 351 How many times has Trump been bankrupt?  I'm thinking once personally, and twice in business.  Is that right?

Posted by: toby928™ at March 17, 2011 02:43 PM (GTbGH)

it's way more than that...but he's still standing isn't he.  they tried to keep him down and they couldn't.  As my mom says "boy from Queens makes good".

354 351 How many times has Trump been bankrupt?  I'm thinking once personally, and twice in business.  Is that right?

Posted by: toby928™ at March 17, 2011 02:43 PM (GTbGH)

Does he pal around with terrorists?  Then he's an upgrade over what we have.

355 A Russian stabbing a kitten. A kitten splattered on a stop sign. A skateboarder smashing his face into a wall (it is implied there is a kitten between the wall and his face). We've found him! The new Picasso!!! We look forward to the Blue and Rose kittens, followed by cubist skateboard faceplants.

356 How many times has Trump been bankrupt? I'm thinking once personally, and twice in business. Is that right? Atlantic City bailed him out in the eighties, on the taxpayers' back. So he's familiar with good government, I guess.

357

 Fact is he focused his life on business,  this is like Michael Jordan trying to play baseball.

Romney would make a great VP or treasury secretary etc.. but his political miscalculations highlight his newbness to politics.  A GOP president candidate must be solid, genial, interesting, with highly refined defensive abilities because they will be surrounded by ruthless jackals looking to exploit any weakness from day one. 

---------------------

no he would not. He applauded the GM bailout and commented saying TARP could help a lot. His minimal "business experience" obviously did not translate into his governorship. Why would it do that for his presidency?

358 By the way, Trump is just yanking your chain, in case anyone actually thinks he will run. He's a self-promoter above all.

359 351 How many times has Trump been bankrupt?  I'm thinking once personally, and twice in business.  Is that right? Posted by: toby928™ at March 17, 2011 02:43 PM (GTbGH) Good point. That he's got the experience that we need to handle the country's bankruptcy. If he get's a second term, we'll be reborn as a country full of tacky casinos and foreign-owned commercial real estate. And the Miss America pageants will be spectacular.

360

Paulie Carbone at March 17, 2011 02:38 PM (Bvmoz)

OK Paulie, thanks for the update.  It's kind of complicated, and I had to read it a couple of times, but I'm doing the best I can to digest it.

Cheers.

361 Posted by: George Orwell at March 17, 2011 02:48 PM (AZGON)

have you told this to rush, hannity and savage.  beck is backing huntsman and I wouldn't vote for him or romney   romney cause of romney care and huntsman cause he worked for BO.  Has nothing to do with their Mormonism although I am still angry at romney not being able to decided if he is for killing innocent children in the womb or against.

362 As my mom says "boy from Queens makes good".

My mom calls such people Wheeler-Dealers.  When the deal works out, they get the money, when if fails, somebody else pays.

363 I hate to see Paulie disappointed. So instead of reading his post, I will just say fuck you in the face with a chainsaw scumbag.

364 I won't bother to lay out the argument to anyone that Trump isn't running. It's just not that interesting. I predict he won't run and if I'm wrong than I'm wrong. I wonder if the GOP can actually run a ham sandwich for President. I would vote for that in a heartbeat.

365 My mom calls such people Wheeler-Dealers. When the deal works out, they get the money, when if fails, somebody else pays. That is the Trump hallmark. Not desirable in a POTUS.

366

So you'll be amongst the idiots who attacks her relentlessly even if she ends up winning the nomination? Great!

Posted by: Kensington at March 17, 2011 02:30 PM (mEyVv)

No, but I wouldn't be throwing away good money on a lost cause, either.

I'd need that money for an industrial sized tub of anal lube in preparation for another four years of our country getting assfucked by Obama.

367

I'd need that money for an industrial sized tub of anal lube in preparation for another four years of our country getting assfucked by Obama.

I think I'm gonna go short on Johnson and Johnson stock. 

368 I wonder if the GOP can actually run a ham sandwich for President. I would vote for that in a heartbeat.

Especially if it was a foul-mouthed sandwich from the future.

Johnny Coldcuts/Egg Salad'12

369

--I see Romney as almost a carbon copy of GHW Bush.

Amazingly apt.

--Cut the crap, Mormonism is a cult by any definition.

Gospel is what I believe.  Religion is what you believe.  Cult is what that other guy believes.

--If Romney is the guy, and he chooses someone like . . . Allen West as his Veep

No!  Allen West deserves to be Veep on his own merits, not some affirmative action thing.  Wait till next time when the Great O is out of the picture.

--The restrictions on the Federal government that are in the Bill of Rights are also restrictions on the States, correct? (i.e., 1st ammendment)

But the restrictions on the Federal government that are in the Constituion are not (in some cases) restrictions on the States, correct? (i.e., commerce clause in reference to Obama care)

Yes.  What you got to remember is that there are express limits on power (these are the Bill of Rights, mostly) and then there is just not having the power in the first place.  In America, the states have all the power to do anything they want, except that they have to respect the express limits in the bill of rights.  The Bill of Rights also applies to the feds, bu the federal government does not even have all power to do whatever it wants—it only has specific powers that are listed in the Constitution.  These are called the ”enumerated powers.”  Obamacare is outside the enumerated powers.

The federal government is like a kid who has a list of rules he canÂ’t break but also has a list of chores he has to do.  The state government is like a kid who has a list of rules he canÂ’t break but no list of chores.  So when you come home and find the kid dickinÂ’ around and watching TV, if itÂ’s the state government you ask ‘is he breaking a rule?Â’ and if not, no worries.  But if itÂ’s the federal government you also ask ‘is this one of the chores I told him to doÂ’ and if it isnÂ’t, heÂ’s in trouble even if heÂ’s not also breaking a rule.

--what I found to be the most discouraging about him was that he didn't limit his pandering to conservatives.

Yeah, IÂ’m pretty sure that heÂ’ll bone conservatives when he gets the chance, and not like a Viking either.

370 365 As my mom says "boy from Queens makes good".

My mom calls such people Wheeler-Dealers.  When the deal works out, they get the money, when if fails, somebody else pays.

Posted by: toby928™ at March 17, 2011 02:55 PM (GTbGH)

but isn't that how the presidency is going now?

371 I generally assumed some of the liberalism was due to political realities of it being massachusetts. as for romneycare... http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles /2011/03/06/romney_addresses_ health_care_in_new_hampshire _debut_109132.html

372 but isn't that how the presidency is going now?

Yeah.  I'm not fine with that though.

373

341:

<blinks twice>

A 'troll' making a coherent, accurate argument?  OK, that's it.  Now I've seen everything...

374 RE the RINO label: Only last month Rep. West was considered a RINO for voting for 76% of spending cuts. I'm guessing the same will happen with DeMint. The politicians you respect will eventually do something to break your heart, but a handful of instances isn't enough to boot them from the conservative movement. That goes for the aforementioned (but obviously not Romney).

375 My deal with Huckabee,

Anyone guy who would try to spark off a holy war among religious Americans to win one state in a primary where he has no chance of winning the nomination let alone the general scares the crap out of me. 

Most sociopaths/politicians are excellent calculators and make very pragmatic decisions, the one I mentioned shows this guy is happy to be a suicide bomber among civilians if he decides that's what "god" would want him to do.

376 I have two major problems with Romney at this stage. 

One is simply that his supporters - and even people like myself who are not committed to him but not "against" him - do a much better job expressing what his reasonable walk-back position should be than he has so far.  Face it, it's been a long time - he should have come up with a fully policy-wonk analysis post-mortem of what went wrong with MassCare by now AND have his elevator speech down pat. 

The second is something with which I really have wrestled, but I have to agree that I'm concerned about his electability. 

I believe there are too many Republican primary voters with a beef against Mormonism (cult, etc.) to really make him a top-level candidate.

I don't know if you intended this, but I think it's a very telling thing that you singled out Republican primary voters.  I think Romney faces more bigotry within his own party than he does outside of it.  I think that would carry through to the general election, even if he did get the nomination. 

And that makes me sick to my stomach. 

377 So instead of reading his post, I will just say fuck you in the face with a chainsaw scumbag. Thank you, kind sir. Stick your dick down a garbage disposal.

378 You're all wrong.  Romney will win the nomination,  The healthcare issue will not endear him to uber-Conservatives, but with the serious promise of a Conservative Congress, the issue will not be dispositive to the primaries.  And the issue will de-demonize him in the eyes of left-leaning independents and moderate Dems (if any are left).

Romney/West 2012!

379 ah crap. sock off

380 381 You're all wrong.  Romney will win the nomination,

I don't see how he wins it if he doesn't fix his health care stance.  I think there's a good reserve of people who would support him, but who won't given his unwillingness or inability to show us he's learned from his mistakes.  It's just too important an issue to risk him in the White House. 

All I've heard so far are highly qualified, weak walk-backs and one-liners. If the guy's so smart, he should have done a complete analysis of both MassCare and ObamaCare by now.  It's not like he's got anything else more important to do. 

Plus, I think if he wins in the primary, a lot of the folks who hate him because he's Mormon or because he's rich or because he's not Palin will stay home. 

381 and as for the mormon thing... i know a number of baptist/evangelical types that think they are literal devil worshippers.

382 Also at The Hill today:

DeMint won't back Romney without repudiation of Mass. health law

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) "would never consider" endorsing former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney for president again in 2012 unless Romney repudiates the health reforms he sought as governor, a source close to DeMint said Thursday.

A source close to the conservative icon emphasized that, despite comments to The Hill indicating that Romney shouldn't shoulder all the political blame for the Massachusetts healthcare plan, DeMint wouldn't endorse Romney again unless he admits the plan was mistaken.

"It's obvious Jim was just trying to be nice to the guy he backed over McCain, as many conservatives did in 2008," the source said. "But he would never consider backing Romney again unless he admits that his Massachusetts healthcare plan was a colossal mistake."



Walkback?

383

Steve, would you prefer 4 more years of Obama rather than someone you are "afraid" will flip-flop?  When you KNOW Obama will flop to all the wrong sides of issues?!

What I'd prefer is a candidate who won't alienate the electorate with his inauthenticity.  If it's going to be conservative v. liberal in 2012, (1) it would be nice to have a standard-bearer who's not best known for a failing comprehensive health plan and (2) flip-flopping.

Yes, he's better than the incumbent, but so's the disheveled, smelly guy downtown who argues with lampposts.  Tha't's a really, really low bar.

384

and as for the mormon thing... i know a number of baptist/evangelical types that think they are literal devil worshippers.

Well yeah, but lots of 'em think that about Catholics, too.  Let's just say I'm not concerned about the Mormon thing...

385 384 and as for the mormon thing... i know a number of baptist/evangelical types that think they are literal devil worshippers

But unless they are committing crimes in the exercise of their faith, who gives a rat's ass?   

I have very strong opinions about faiths that rely on literal interpretations of their holy texts, but - to date - I have been willing to vote for those folks. 

I am getting bloody sick of it, though.  I think it's time that the Evangelicals start policing their members better or they may find a bunch of us unwilling to vote for their politicians.  Just sayin'. 

386

I really have just had it with being in Mitt RomneyÂ’s self-inflicted drama all the time.

 

387 Down with emotion in political debates. Oh, wait, what did Hillary do?  OMG -- FLAMING SKULL!!!!!111!!1! Bring me the pudding! *snirt*

In other words, re: emotional emoters -- pot, kettle, black.

388

Posted by: Y-not is wearing green at March 17, 2011 03:33 PM (pW2o

I agree he has to say more, but at the same time, "Romneycare" is not much more than an additional state income tax, and a re-funneling of pre-existing federal medicaid revenues.  It's not a public option; and, apparently, it was significantly larded up post-Romney.  My point is not that I would have signed the bill that he did; only that "Romneycare" is not the quantum leap into socialism may on the right claim it is.

Romney has the perfect background to roll back the welfare state to a sane level (if you want it to go even further back, think of it as Step I; put up your uber-conservative in 2020).  He's the perfect low-ego brilliantm, hardworking guy.  I DON"T EVEN THINK HE LIKES GOLF.

I hope he wins the primary because he can do very well in the general.  I will definitely support him in the primaries here in NY (I know, queue the derisive laughter of meaningless...)

389 PS: stop with the conservative pron/ink blot fantasies please!

390 If Romney repudiates the MA healthcare plan then that plays right into the flip flopper meme.   This is a no win situation.  

391 This is all so much B_arbara S_treisand.   We all know that TheeRomney is going to win the R nomination, followed by Obama being reelected in a landslide, along with losing at least 10 seats in the Senate and maybe 30 in the House.  Bottom line: rewind to 2008. 


P.S., the economy will completely collapse sometime between 2013 and 14, elections will be suspended in 2015, and the USA will become a complete third world joke by Christmas 2016 (which will also be outlawed by then). 

 

392 62% of Americans want Obamacare repealed. Two federal courts have ruled it unconstitutional, and one plaintiff included 26 states. Romney is proud of the unsuccessful template for the federal version. Meanwhile, Obama's campaign is wondering whether he can hold onto Virginia. Republicans sure are stupid.

393 384 and as for the mormon thing... i know a number of baptist/evangelical types that think they are literal devil worshippers

Back in the day, the Church considered you a heretic, if you believed man could live free from sin. Think about it. That is like denying Christ is your Savior. Mormonism is pretty much the same thing.

394 However, I like Huntsman and would be open-minded about his religion.

395 Romney has the perfect background to roll back the welfare state to a sane level (if you want it to go even further back, think of it as Step I; put up your uber-conservative in 2020).

So, did GWB, and we got NCLB, Medicare D, the Patriot Act and two wars. I want someone with a solid record of cutting government. Palin is fine. Maybe Huntsman, if I like what I hear about his term as governor.

396 >>>I see Romney as almost a carbon copy of GHW Bush.

Except the Bushes can win. They would love Romney, Pawlenty or Daniels as the nominee, because Republicans will run to Jeb in 2016.

397

>>> So, did GWB, and we got NCLB, Medicare D, the Patriot Act and two wars. I want someone with a solid record of cutting government. Palin is fine. Maybe Huntsman, if I like what I hear about his term as governor.

Romney moved to the left in liberal Massachusetts because he had to. Huntsman moved to the left in conservative Utah because he wanted to. No, you wouldn't like him. He is the epitome of privileged, multiculti, effete Rockefeller neoconservatism/neofeudalism. He is the (more) liberal version of George W. Bush. He backed amnesty, and his family, starting with his billionaire dad, financially supports both parties in order to buy political influence.

What I think he's really vying for with his diplmatic resume, including his post to China, is the next Republican Secretary of State. I pray to God he doesn't get that, either, because he's an ass.

He will not do well. He will not garner more than 2-3% of the vote, and his campaign will be over after the first few primaries. There is no way in hell he'll do better than Giuliani or Thompson, and they did horribly. If he does do well please visit me in the Utah State Insane Asylum, because that's where I'll wind up.

398 Romney moved to the left in liberal Massachusetts because he had to. Huntsman moved to the left in conservative Utah because he wanted to.

That's horse hockey. There is no reason for a conservative to run for governor in a blue state unless you intend to move to the right, and it can be done, as evidenced by Christie. I haven't heard that Huntsman moved all that far left in Uttah, as he was reelected with 70% of the vote there. Sure, he subscribes to AGW to an extent -- so does Pawlenty, Romney and Gingrich, and if that's a deal breaker, go with Palin. He also supports gay marriage. I don't expect the evangelicals to like him all that much. But he has foreign policy experience, executive experience and private sector experience, and he never developed a prototype for the Democrats healthcare bill, which 62% of Americans want repealed. I don't care what kind of "turnaround artist" Romney says he is this time, we will lose, if he is our nominee. Huntsman has all his positives with none of his baggage. He can beat Obama, too, and that's most important.

399 I am aware that Huntsman increased spending but lowered taxes. So, I want to hear exactly how he ran Utah's budget and why. That's the only reason I have reservations about him. He is still an unknown until he returns from China in a month or so. But on paper, he sounds interesting to me.

400

Well, this is my first visit to your blog! We are a group of volunteers and starting a

new initiative in a community in the same niche. Your blog provided us valuable

information to work on. You have done a marvelous job!

401 Oh yeah, "schvartze" -- it's usually used as a mild put down, the way someone else would say "that black" -- among older New York Jews. But everyone in New York is as prejudiced as the day is long (since most of the population of New York City ends up spending at least part of the year in Miami, where I grew up, I know what I'm talking about; you big city "tolerant" folk are the biggest bigots I've ever seen, living in your little enclaves and never encountering anyone different from your relatives, all of whom came from in or near the same village in some place like Romania or Tajikistan three generations ago).

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