The Real Mitt Romney

[SamIam]

Originally Posted by Adak

Welcome, Sam!

Don't think of Bush as a true conservative. He was not. And yeah, he lied badly to us about the war, but I knew that before we started it. I'm not sad to see Saddam gone (and his sons), but the lies I won't forgive Bush for - and for his over-spending, and stopping most stem cell research.

I am in complete agreement with you here!

Originally Posted by Adak

Halliburton is a tough call, because you can't get many companies to do, what Halliburton did, on such short notice, and on that massive a scale, in a country where the employees are likely to be mortared and shot at.

What? You can't get many companies to rake in money hand over fist while taking advantage of insider favoratism?

FORTUNE Magazine – In an age of ugly symbols, a handful of companies have come to serve as shorthand for what's wrong with corporate America. In 2004, Halliburton moved to the top of the roster.

Mention its name and images flash: Vice President Dick Cheney bestowing fat, no-bid contracts on the company he once ran; a giant corporation engaged in shameless war profiteering--charging outrageous prices to provide fuel for Iraqis and meals for American troops. Halliburton became a punch line, as when Tonight Show host Jay Leno noted that Saddam Hussein was captured with $750,000 in cash on him. "They think," Leno explained, "that he was trying to buy three gallons of gas from Halliburton."

Originally Posted by Adak

There were a few, but the BIGGEST figures, were politicians, and of course, they never go to jail for being stupid liars.

Please name names. I have studied this subject intensively and have yet to come across a report of ANYONE actually called to account for their criminal activities. I would be heartened if even one of those scoundrels had to be responsible for his actions. I eagerly await your reply. Really

Originally Posted by Adak

Support your argument that Romney objects to car parts being made here. You lost it there, Sam. Simply a lie.

Oh?

Romney’s stance on bailing out the Ohio auto industry has been extremely controversial with each party offering different versions of Romney’s stance at the time. This is what the Washington Post had to say on the subject:

When the auto industry faced collapse, Mitt Romney turned his back. Even the conservative Detroit News criticized Romney for his “wrong-headedness” on the bailout. And now, after Romney’s false claim of Jeep outsourcing to China, Chrysler itself has refuted Romney’s lie. The truth? Jeep is adding jobs in Ohio. Mitt Romney on Ohio jobs: Wrong then. Dishonest now.

As I wrote here the other day, the Obama campaign views the auto-bailout as a stark black and white case that dramatizes one of the most basic questions voters ask themselves: Who can they really trust to fight for them and to be on their side when it matters?
Back when Ohio needed the auto industry bailed out — and Obama took the politically risky step of proceeding with the rescue — Romney took the politically easy position.

Attacking it was a good way to pander to conservatives in advance of the GOP primary. But then, when this position became problematic for him in the general election, he began to dissemble about it, falsely suggesting he’d supported government action up front when that’s simply not what happened. With time running out, Romney has run out of answers on the auto-bailout, and has now turned to the claim that it will result in American Jeep jobs getting shipped to China. That isn’t true either http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...6a24_blog.html

Originally Posted by Adak

I've been through several big earthquakes. FEMA was never around when you needed them. They are swamped by anything big, immediately, and pretty useless, actually.

Learn to rely on yourself and your friends and community, in an emergency. Don't be dependent on the gov't! They won't probably be there.

Honey, this ain’t my first rodeo either. My current cynicism regarding the government knows no bounds. Most of the members here know that I suffer from a disability which prevents me from working in my old profession and makes it difficult for me to train for different employment. Anyhow, I eventually had no choice but to go on SSDI disability. The amount I get is so small that I must depend on a housing voucher for my apartment and I get my medical treatment through Medicaid. And I have made some progress. But without help – well, forget it.

My case is not an isolated one. Many Americans are living in situations like mine. The private funds are just not available to help us. Churches, etc. lend what assistance they can but it’s only a bit here and there.

Now I have a question for you that I would be very interested in getting a serious thoughtful answer to. Here it is:

Take a population which is already suffering from a severe disability or illness – traumatic brain injury, advanced MS, quadriplegics, etc. Now turn those people out of their homes to deal with the elements as best they can. Imagine how a quadriplegic or a brain injured person will deal with a drunk with a knife at a homeless shelter. Imagine how quickly a person with schizophrenia will go downhill without their medication. Think about an individual who is already severely ill being faced with the specter of malnourishment and hunger on a daily basis.

Really think about such people. Imagine what they face. What do you think their ultimate fate will be? Cause and effect. Many of these people will die. They will die on the streets and allies and behind the municipal buildings in our cities.

In rural areas they will dies quickly from exposure since few shelters are available in rural America. Some will make rough camps and die there. Some will die in their cars on some lonely dirt road. I am not being dramatic. I have 2 college degrees – one in biology. I know very well what will happen to a population of deer or small mammals or lynx or whatever that is subjected to a similar situation/environment.

So, what is your value system? Does human life matter to you, or would you rather stride through America’s cities as you might those of Brasil – stepping over the sick and dying? Or do you want to look for alternative solutions? Raise taxes on the wealthy even just by 5%
Better than nothing. Get rid of wasteful defense spending. Did you know that almost every military installation both here and abroad had a well manicured golf course? Do we really need frills like that? And Halliburton was the ONLY firm chosen to bid on US defense contracts at the time of the Iraq War. Why not throw the bidding open to all? Isn’t competition what America is supposed to be all about? Might just save some money while we’re at it.

Unfortunately, I am pessimistic about many of the American people and especially our politicians of both parties. A while back a crowd at a Republican rally actually applauded at the thought of people without health insurance just being left to die. Are we headed for social Darwinism? Wouldn’t surprise me.

Meanwhile, I’ve been collecting official military manuals on survival, escape, and evasion in a variety of conditions. Interesting stuff.

Social safety net programs, account for 13% of our entire budget?

Really?? You're off the track again, Sam! (will cover in a subsequent post, this one is getting way too long already)..

The 13% figure for gov’t spending I gave is correct. Check the link provided.

[Lamplighter]

Please name names. I have studied this subject intensively and have yet
to come across a report of ANYONE actually called to account for their criminal activities.
I would be heartened if even one of those scoundrels had to be responsible for his actions.

I eagerly await your reply. Really

Adek doesn't respond to this sort of request.
But here is one to warm the cockles of your heart.

[skip forward to about 0:45 and to 1:15 sec]

[SamIam]

Thanks, Lamplighter. I guess that's something. But "flawed thinking"? Those financial criminals were thinking just fine - "Hey! We could rake in billions if we just fudge a few little numbers here and there and maybe over there..." And then the bastards got end of year bonuses! Incredible!

[Adak]

The biggest fish in the sub prime market was Countrywide Financial Services. They were *unbelievable*.

Their founder and CEO was Angelo Mozilo, and he was fined 67.5Million by the SEC, but because of an indemnity clause in his contract, BankofAmerica (which bought Countrywide), will have to pay some part of that amount.

By agreeing to that, he avoided a trial, and they never went after him for fraud (which carries up to a long 30 year sentence in Federal law for business fraud), and a fine.

A guy in Florida went to prison (he caused the nations sixth largest bank to collapse). A few others as well are listed here:
http://www.google.com/#hl=en&sclient...w=1280&bih=653

You are correct on the Fedral welfare percentage IF you don't include Social Security - which is both money that people have earned, and also money that they are receiving unearned. (or welfare ). So the percentage varies between 11% at the lowest, to about 30% at the highest, depending on what you call "Welfare".

Another thought came to me as I was looking that up: "What about the Farming subsidies?". if a farmer is paid NOT to grow a crop. Is that welfare? Technically no, but realistically, yes.

In any case, looking even at the lower figures, it's easy to see from this graph, that our percentage of welfare spending is increasing at an alarming rate. Obama care will increase that dramatically - but again, only part of it will be welfare, the rest will be paid for.



Good discussion Sam, but we need to keep our posts shorter. I had to edit out quite a bit, just to fit the last big post of mine, in under the forum limit.

[SamIam]

Wait! What? A forum limit? When did that happen? I though you could just post away until anyone who chanced to glance at what you wrote fell over sideways at their desk from boredom. Or else their computer froze on the NSFW site just as the boss wandered in. But what do I know? Oh, I did learn how to build a snare for a rabbit out of my Marine Survival Handbook. Those jar heads are pretty clever. Hope I can meet up with some when the time comes. Hey! We need a rabbit smilie. Guess this elk head will have to do until we get one.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by SamIam

My case is not an isolated one. Many Americans are living in situations like mine. The private funds are just not available to help us. Churches, etc. lend what assistance they can but it’s only a bit here and there.

That's because you aren't a Mormon.

There has always been a 10,000 character limit per post.

[SamIam]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

That's because you aren't a Mormon.

There has always been a 10,000 character limit per post.

Yeah, I know. Members of the Mormon Church around here get all sorts of help when they need it. I was thinking of converting, but I think I have to attain the status of Celestial Being or something before I could get on the REAL goodies the Mormons hand out. Either that or become some old fart's 9th wife. Henry VIII should have had it so good.

How many pages is 10,000 characters?

[xoxoxoBruce]

Just write what you want and if it's more than 10k it will tell you, also it will tell how big it is. Then you split it into two posts and you're good to go.