Saturday, September 29, 2012

Conan O'Brien, Tom Hanks, and My Grandfather






Tom Hanks, Conan O'Brien, and Grandpa?
I figured I would take a break this weekend and post something funny.  Earlier in the year I visited my grandmother and we were going through pictures when my grandmother asked me if I wanted to see a picture of my grandfather with Tom Hanks and Conan O'Brien.  She then pulled this picture out of my grandfather with two lookalikes from around the 1940s posing in a car (maybe at Coney Island).  The resemblance of the two individuals to the left of my grandfather to Tom Hanks and Conan O'Brien were uncanny.  This picture may be proof that time travel has existed for sometime and Hanks and CoCo took a trip to hang out with my family.

Enjoy the picture because I know I have!

Oh, and to add a little more humor to this all, I noticed this on Conan's twitter:


I never realized Conan O'Brien and Mitt Romney were so alike!

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Mitt Romney On Citizens United: Limit Union Contributions

"It is okay to limit contributions from unions but I think it is okay for my friends in the private sector to give as much money as they want."

In general, Mitt Romney is scant on details believing that any specifics offered by a candidate would become fodder for the opposing campaign so it is best to make vague promises and come out with details after the election.  Romney apparently believes Americans are not smart enough to digest such information and capable enough to filter out any incorrect assumptions made by the opposition but that is another topic altogether.  During an NBC-sponsored forum on Tuesday, Mitt Romney let some details regarding his opinions slip, discussing with moderator Brian Williams what he believes is unfair with Citizens United.

Mitt Romney made the observation that unions seem to favor Democratic candidates more and that it is not right for unions to be able to contribute to political candidates in the same fashion as corporations, or as Mitt Romney calls them - people.

“We simply can’t have a setup where the teachers unions can contribute tens of millions of dollars to the campaigns of politicians and then those politicians, when elected, stand across from them at the bargaining table, supposedly to represent the interests of the kids," Romney said. "I think it’s a mistake. I think we’ve got to get the money out of the teachers unions going into campaigns. It’s the wrong way for us to go. We’ve got to separate that.”

Romney's position is a little confusing considering he is perfectly fine with corporations making unlimited contributions despite the obvious conflict there.  For instance, Romney could benefit from millions in contributions from the financial sector and then if elected president, a Romney administration would essentially be "stand[ing] across from them at the bargaining table, supposedly to represent the interests of the" nation but who is to say that those contributions would not influence the decision making of candidates like Romney who received money from such groups?

Romney's newest position only highlights his partisanship and reinforces comments he made during a May fundraiser for millionaires where he was secretly tapes, in which he stated he would not represent half the nation if elected.  This position also couples well with his previous criticism of the Citizens United ruling where Romney had commented that corporations should just be allowed to contribute to campaigns directly instead of super PACs.

"My own view is now we tried a lot of efforts to try and restrict what can be given to campaigns, we'd be a lot wiser to say you can give what you'd like to a campaign," Romney told NBC last year. "They must report it immediately and the creation of these independent expenditure committees that have to be separate from the candidate, that's just a bad idea."

"I would like to get rid of the campaign finance laws that were put in place, McCain-Feingold is a disaster, get rid of it," he said during a debate earlier in the year. "Let people make contributions they want to make to campaigns, let campaigns then take responsibility for their own words and not have this strange situation we have people out there who support us, who run ads we don’t like, we would like to take off the air, they are outrageous and yet they are out there supporting us and by law we aren’t allowed to talk to them."

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Quote Quiz! Mitt Romney Or Barack Obama?

Updated September 21st, 2012!
"Did I ever say something strikingly similar to that which I will criticize today?"

Who Said It? Mitt Or Obama!

Being that there are only two questions, you can grade yourself!



  • "I don't think you change Washington from the inside. I think you change it from the outside."

  •  Mitt Romney
     Barack Obama


  • "You can't change Washington from the inside. You can only change it from the outside."

  •  Mitt Romney
     Barack Obama



    Another Quiz by QuizMaker

    What is the purpose of this quiz?

    Desperate after a disastrous week of broken promises, flip-flops, and secret recordings,  Mitt Romney has been trying very hard to change the subject by trying every play in the book.  Romney has done everything, from reaffirming his comments from the secret video recordings, attacking a 14-year-old "secret" video recording of the president (where he says nothing outrageous or secret), and most recently picking up on a comment made by the president and using it to attack the president despite saying the same exact thing himself, hence the above quiz.

    Can Mitt Romney's week get any worse or will he provide us with another gaffe to lampoon?

    Update - It appears that Romney was extremely desperate and released his incomplete tax returns a month early to change the subject!

    Wednesday, September 19, 2012

    Mitt Romney: "I Will Work To Find A Way To Take Advantage" Of A Crisis

    Updated September 20th, 2012!

    Mitt Rahm-ney!
    Conservative media had a freak out when soon-to-be Obama Administration Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel spoke to the Wall Street Journal Digital Network and made the following statement:
    "You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. And what I mean by that is an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before."
    Understandably so.  The above statement reveals political opportunism at its worse.  Although it is uncertain what type of crisis Emanuel was discussing, the right interpreted his comments to mean an Obama administration was hoping for tremendous failures so they can take advantage of the situation.

    Seton Motley from Newsbusters wrote the following back in 2008:
    Wonder why President-elect Obama resigned from the Senate so early (while Vice President-elect Joe Biden remains an active member) and is hanging back, not wading into the debate over bailouts etc, and naming candidates for nearly every Cabinet post save Treasury (the man or woman who will have $350 billion to dispense when he/she walks through the door)?

    Based upon what Emanuel is saying, the conclusion one might draw is that the Obama team wants the uncertainty this foments to fester and grow, thereby increasing the gravity of the crisis upon which the Administration then intends to capitalize.
    With all that being said, what would Motley, or any conservative pundit have to say for that matter, if the Republican presidential nominee made a similar, if not more specific statement?

    Well, Romney has made such a comment and the right-wing media is experiencing a case of amnesia in regards to their supposed principles.

    Mitt Romney said the following in the secretly taped video that has recently been released:
    And yet, in that election, in the Jimmy Carter election, the fact that we had hostages in Iran, I mean, that was all we talked about. And we had the two helicopters crash in the desert, I mean, that was the focus, and so him [Reagan] solving that made all the difference in the world. I'm afraid today that if you simply got Iran to agree to stand down on nuclear weapons, they'd go, "Now hold on. It's really a -- " I mean, if something of that nature presents itself I will work to find a way to take advantage of the opportunity.
    Mitt Romney seemingly tells millionaire donors that he would take advantage of a situation like the 1979 hostage crisis, deeming such an event as an "opportunity," and he did.  On September 11th, despite making a promise to not launch any negative attacks against the president, the protests at the consulate in Libya and the embassy in Egypt took place and Romney used the crisis as an opportunity to criticize the president, just as he said he would in that private meeting with wealthy donors.

    Conservative media was mixed over his attacks, with most rallying behind Romney in one form or another.  For instance, not only did Newsbusters run a barrage of pro-Romney posts trying to downplay Romney's September 11th flub, they have also published numerous posts defending Romney over his secretly taped comments, believing the "liberal media looking for the tiniest little wart" on Romney "they can blow up into a giant cancer."  Even "fair and balanced" Fox News buried the story Monday night.

    What is perhaps even funnier is that The Blaze attempted to discredit the entire video because of a recording error despite the fact that Mitt Romney himself has stood by the comments that were seen in the video released.  James O'Keefe has even crawled out of his hole criticizing the "full video," as if he was one to talk, and Breitbart's Big Journalism cried about "the hypocrisy of the mainstream media in accepting, without question, a snippet of a video recording that aimed to portray a Republican in a bad light, while conservatives are still doubted even after providing full video or audio, as O'Keefe did with his famous ACORN tapes."  That take is a bit delusional considering the media did accept without question the highly edited videos O'Keefe released that led to the defunding and dismantling of ACORN.

    I would think a closer comparison would be the Shirley Sherrod debacle, in which Andrew Breitbart released an edited video of a Sherrod speech, but even then Sherrod never admitted to what the tapes displayed like Romney has just done, and even then, the rest of the video still stands in full context.  Essentially, the conservative media is retreating to their overused playbook of claiming to be the victim and then attempting to force the rest of the media to apologize for reporting on something that negatively portrays a conservative figure.

    The facts are Romney made statements regarding his beliefs to a crowd of millionaires when he didn't think the rest of the nation would hear, and when they did, instead of attacking the media for twisting his words, he admitted to saying those things and then proceeded to double down on them.  I can almost guarantee the conservative media won't discuss one bit Romney's statements regarding the capitalization of a crisis, partly because they are too busy running defense over Romney's "47 percent" comments, but also in part because they don't want to relive the nightmare of Romney's September 11th statements and subsequent flip-flops.  Now if only one of Romney's aides can convince the candidate to shut up and lay low for a little bit, or at least until another crisis presents itself.  Then the whole cycle will repeat.

    Considering the similarities between the statements of Mitt Romney and Rahm Emanuel, if Romney were a liberal, I would almost certainly guarantee the likes of Fox News would start calling him "Mitt Rahm-ney."

    Update - It appears the plan from the Romney camp is to claim the video has been debunked (despite Romney initially agreeing with the entire release), attempt to reassure Americans that what he said in the video was simply not true and that while he will say different things to different people to get elected, and then flood the market with Romney appearances in hopes to drown out the negative press from the disastrous secret video.  

    Romney was drilled by Univision's Jorge Ramos and Maria Elena Salinas during their "Meet the Candidate" forum, co-hosted by Facebook at the University of Miami.

    "My campaign is about the 100 percent of America, and I'm concerned about them," he said. "I know I'm not going to get 100 percent of the vote, and my campaign will focus on those people we can think we can bring in to support me, but this is a campaign about helping people that need help."

    "And right now the people who are poor in this country need help getting out of poverty," he continued. "The people in the middle class need help because their incomes have gone down every year over the last four years."

    This is a big leap from his secretly recorded statements regarding 47 percent of the nation when he said it was "not [his] job" to "worry about those people. I'll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives."  Romney is also being duplicitous, both criticizing Americans for not making enough to pay federal income taxes and for making their income has stagnated each year while wealthy Americans have seen their income increase.

    Romney had also gone on to insult those people for what he insisted was their feeling that "they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing."

    Romney even pushed his wife Ann out there, sparingly of course (so people would not get tired of her or attack her).

    "He wants to make sure to bring better opportunities for everyone," she said. "I know the guy, I know him really well, I know he cares. That's why he's running. It's unfortunate when something gets misinterpreted like this, when it gets taken out of context."

    Her comments are puzzling considering after the release her husband stood by those comments in their entirety (so there was no chance of them being taken out of context) and he reiterated the points he made in the video.

    It just seems that Romney and his campaign are in damage control overdrive.  Let's just see if he can avoid any major gaffes while trying to sweep away his last few gaffes.

    Tuesday, September 18, 2012

    "My Job Is Not To Worry About Those People."

    "If elected, I promise not to help those people."

    Many are saying that with the release of a video from one of Mitt Romney's secret millionaire fundraisers, Romney had effectively lost the election.  While Republicans have been claiming Democrats were using class warfare as a means to persuade voters to choose the president this November, this new developement in the election shows Mitt Romney candidly discussing whom he believes he won't have to represent if elected president.

    "There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what," Romney says in the video. "All right -- there are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent on government, who believe that, that they are victims, who believe that government has the responsibility to care for them. Who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing."

    "[M]y job is not to worry about those people. I'll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives," Romney also said.

    Romney insists almost half the nation are a bunch of entitlement-leaching losers who believe they deserve everything, and it seems Romney pulls this number from a meme started by conservative Erick Erickson, which stated that 53 percent of the nation essentially pays all the taxes in the world while the other 47 percent does nothing. There are a couple things wrong with Mitt Romney's assumption.

    First, while 47 percent of the population may not pay federal income tax, they may still pay Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, gas levies, and state and local taxes,.

    Secondly, that 47 percent figure is not all Democrats.  There are many poor Republicans who would fit into that figure as well, although it is probably safe to assume those poor Republicans who don't earn enough to pay federal taxes probably get their news from sources like Fox News so they would gladly vote against their economic interests and choose Mitt Romney.

    It is also interesting to note that in his list of entitlements, Romney listed "food" as something he believes should not be provided to those in need.  Since Romney doesn't want to "worry" about "those" people, he would rather see them starve then to support real policy reform.

    Romney's comments are appalling because he reassures his millionaire donors that he doesn't care about almost half the population of America, essentially saying that if elected he would only be the candidate for the millionaires and billionaires.  He would be the upper-class candidate.

    What was Romney's response?

    "Mitt Romney wants to help all Americans struggling in the Obama economy. As the governor has made clear all year, he is concerned about the growing number of people who are dependent on the federal government, including the record number of people who are on food stamps, nearly one in six Americans in poverty, and the 23 million Americans who are struggling to find work," Romney spokeswoman Gail Gitcho said in a statement.

    This is a little disingenuous considering in private Mitt Romney said he doesn't care about 47 percent of the population but publicly his camp says he wants to help those very same people.  Mitt Romney even stood by his own comments stating that while he didn't "delicately" state his beliefs and that it was indicative of his campaign to "focus on the people in the middle."

    Do you believe Mitt Romney?

    Monday, September 17, 2012

    Tea Party Like Protesters In Libya, Egypt?

    "I'd gladly cling to my bible Koran and my gun."

    John McCain recently visited "Face the Nation" where he speculated that the attacks against the American consulate were premeditated acts of terror.

    "Most people don't bring rocket-propelled grenades and heavy weapons to demonstrations. That was an act of terror," McCain said. "For anyone to disagree with that fundamental fact, I think, is really ignoring the facts."

    What makes this comment interesting?

    As the Tea Party movement in America grew from initially being concerned with taxation and eventually adopting the most conservative stance on essentially every other issue, there was something that the tea party increasingly did that was similar to what the protesters had done overseas and what John McCain has called "an act of terror." The conservative American protesters would bring guns and assault weapons to protests and rallies.

    Here are some pictures of Tea Party protesters with some weapons:








    So what was that that John McCain called bringing weaponry to a protest again?

    Also consider another similarity between the two sets of protesters - religious intolerance.

    Just consider the uproar from the right when the word "god" disappeared from the political platform of the Democrats and the push across the nation to impose extremist Christian values on the entire population.

    Sound like the criticisms the right levied against the Middle East during the Arab Spring and the elections that took place in those affected countries?

    Friday, September 14, 2012

    Mitt Romney Reverses Criticism Over U.S. Embassy In Cairo

    "Now calm down.  It appears the embassy in Cairo has decided to agree with me.  Now let's all pivot to the economy and Obama's failures."

    On September 11th, Mitt Romney made a pact with the Obama campaign to not release any negative attacks on the opposing candidate out of respect for the Americans that had lost their lives on that tragic day.  Later in the day Mitt Romney broke that promise to launch a factually-void attack on the president for the civil unrest and subsequent attacks by protesters on an American embassy and consulate in Africa.

    "The embassy in Cairo put out a statement after their grounds had been breached," Romney told reporters. "Protesters were inside the grounds. They reiterated that statement after the breach. I think it’s a terrible course for America to stand in apology for our values. That instead, when our grounds are being attacked and being breached, that the first response of the United States must be outrage at the breach of the sovereignty of our nation. An apology for America’s values is never the right course."

    Let's ignore the fact that the embassy released their statement six hours before the grounds had been breached, not after like Mitt Romney insisted, and let's also ignore the fact that the embassy released this statement and not the Obama administration.  Let's also ignore the fact that the Obama administration condemned the attacks before Romney fired off his attack.  Let's instead focus on the content of the statement issued from the troubled embassy.

    The embassy issued the following statement:
    “The Embassy of the United States in Cairo condemns the continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims — as we condemn efforts to offend believers of all religions. Today, the 11th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States, Americans are honoring our patriots and those who serve our nation as the fitting response to the enemies of democracy. Respect for religious beliefs is a cornerstone of American democracy. We firmly reject the actions by those who abuse the universal right of free speech to hurt the religious beliefs of others.
    Why is this important?

    After Mitt Romney has spent days falsely attacking the administration, being thoroughly debunked by almost everyone in the media, Mitt Romney has decided to shake his Etch-a-Sketch once more and make an entirely new argument, and this one winds up agreeing with the initial embassy statement Romney criticized in the first place!

    "I think it’s dispiriting sometimes to see some of the awful things people say. And the idea of using something that some people consider sacred and then parading that out a negative way is simply inappropriate and wrong. And I wish people wouldn’t do it," he said. "Of course, we have a First Amendment. And under the First Amendment, people are allowed to do what they feel they want to do. They have the right to do that, but it’s not right to do things that are of the nature of what was done by, apparently this film."

    See the incredible similarities?

    Mitt Romney's statement may actually beat his last hilarious attempt to rewrite the narrative when he said the White House agreed with him over his attack on the president.

    Sam Stein wrote the following for The Huffington Post:
    “What I said was exactly the same conclusion the White House reached, which was that the statement was inappropriate. That’s why they backed away from it as well,” Romney told George Stephanopoulos.

    This is fairly impressive verbal gymnastics. Yes, the White House distanced itself from the initial statement put out by the U.S. Embassy in Cairo that condemned a crass anti-Muslim film that had been making the rounds on the Internet. And yes, Romney also criticized the issuance of that statement.

    But Romney also accused the president of sympathizing with the rioters because of that initial statement, despite the fact that the embassy released it hours before the attacks took place. And while Romney may want to focus attention elsewhere, it was that specific attack on Obama that had Democrats, foreign policy experts, and a good chunk of Republicans criticizing his conduct. His statement didn't comport with the actual timeline of events.
    So does this mean Romney is now sympathizing with the rioters and being an apologist for America with his latest flip-flop?

    Wednesday, September 12, 2012

    Romney Breaks 9/11 Pact, Attacks White House

    "If I'm elected I would have sent in the army and started wars with Libya and Egpyt... and our No.1 geopolitical foe, Russia."
    Both presidential campaigns of Republican Mitt Romney and Democratic President Barack Obama agreed to not engage in negative campaigning on the eleventh anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks but Mitt Romney had decided to break that agreement by issuing a statement that falsely accused the White House of capitulating to Islamist protesters in Libya and Egypt because of an unofficial statement made by the Cairo embassy after protesters breached the facilities, killing at least one diplomat.

    For a little bit of background, protesters in the two African countries were upset about an American film that ridicules the prophet Mohammed.  The staff of the Cairo embassy released a statement criticizing the filmmaker and the "continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims – as we condemn efforts to offend believers of all religions."

    The administration disavowed the unofficial release and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made an official response.

    "Some have sought to justify this vicious behavior as a response to inflammatory material posted on the Internet," Clinton said in a statement released by the State Department. "The United States deplores any intentional effort to denigrate the religious beliefs of others. Our commitment to religious tolerance goes back to the very beginning of our nation. But let me be clear: There is never any justification for violent acts of this kind. "

    The Libyan government also condemned the attack and an Egyptian official not authorized to speak stated that the protests were initially allowed because they started peacefully but when the crowd got unruly more troops were called.


    "I'm outraged by the attacks on American diplomatic missions in Libya and Egypt and by the death of an American consulate worker in Benghazi," Romney said in the statement, violating his negative attack ban promise on September 11th. "It's disgraceful that the Obama Administration's first response was not to condemn attacks on our diplomatic missions, but to sympathize with those who waged the attacks."

    Obama campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt also commented on the statement from the Romney campaign. “We are shocked that, at a time when the United States of America is confronting the tragic death of one of our diplomatic officers in Libya, Governor Romney would choose to launch a political attack,” LaBolt said in a statement.

    Mitt Romney's comments are grossly irresponsible.  His comments, meant to appeal to the anti-Islamic base of the Republican party (you know, those people who believe Obama bows to everyone including the Mayor of Tampa, Florida) but they only place the staff of the consulate and embassy in greater danger.

    Just consider Romney's comments regarding Russia and how they have damaged American foreign relations abroad.  Earlier this week Russian president Vladimir Putin stated that Romney's primary comments about Russia has only bolstered their opposition to America.  In a throwback to the Cold War, Romney called Russia America's "No. 1 geopolitical foe."

    Tuesday, September 11, 2012

    Paul Ryan Hates 9/11 First Responders.


    "Don't worry guys.  Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan believe free-market principles will help take care of your illnesses caused by your selfless acts eleven years ago.  Besides, you'd rather die then be part of a new unfunded entitlement program bankrupting America anyway, right?"  

    Today is the eleventh anniversary of the horrific terrorist attacks on America and as can be expected, politicians are using this day to show how much they care for patriots and true American heroes. The Republican presidential and vice-presidential candidates are no exception to this rule - Paul Ryan has been paying lip service to those who lost their lives and who were on the scene of the heinous acts all day.

    For instance, Paul Ryan issued the following statement today:
    “Eleven years ago today, from Capitol Hill, I could see the smoke rising from the fires burning in the Pentagon. Like all Americans, I will never forget the moment that our homeland came under attack. For me, this is a day to remember those who perished on that day of terror, including the first responders. It is also a day to pay tribute to all those who have worked quietly and tirelessly both on the home front and abroad to prevent a repetition of such terrible events. And it is a day to give honor to those in our military who have sacrificed so much, including their lives, for the same end. Their courage and heroism and willingness to answer the call of duty have kept America safe and strong and free. We are truly the home of the brave.”
    That is all fine and dandy but what does Paul Ryan really think of the first responders - those who risked their lives at a time of terrible uncertainty? When Congress was considering legislation that would aid the first responders back in 2010, the bills was voted against none other than Mitt Romney's own Paul Ryan. Paul Ryan voted against the First Responders Bill three times - two "No" votes and one "Against" vote, meaning he was too busy to even vote up or down. Ryan also never issued a statement for September 11th two years ago when he was busy voting against the first responders and his fellow Republicans in Congress called aiding these American heroes fiscally irresponsible, job-killing, and just another entitlement program. Republicans successfully watered down the legislation, reducing the amount of the bill to only a couple billion and preventing first responders with September 11th-related cancer diagnoses from being covered. Just for a point of reference - America is spending roughly $10 billion a day for the wars Paul Ryan voted for. What was Paul Ryan's reasoning for not wanting to help the first responders? Ryan said the following on the floor when he got back from spending Christmas vacation with his healthy family:
    Madam Speaker, I was absent for legislative business and missed rollcall vote 663 on December 21, 2010, and rollcall vote 664 on December 22, 2010. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on H.R. 6547, the Protecting Students from Sexual and Violent Predators Act, and ``no'' on rollcall vote 664 (H.R. 847).

    The vote I wish to discuss is the bill H.R. 847, the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act. Without a doubt, Republicans and Democrats can agree that both the victims of the attacks on September 11, 2001, and the first responders who bravely served following the attacks deserve to be fairly treated and compensated. However, this bill would create a new health care entitlement, the World Trade Center Health Program, while also extending eligibility for compensation under the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001. As a result, had I been present, I would have voted against passage of the bill.

    Since the terrorist attacks occurred nearly nine years ago, I have supported legislation to ensure that these individuals are cared for and receive access to the services they deserve. However, rather than working with Republicans to craft a bill which truly addressed the shortcomings in care provided to those directly impacted by the September 11th terrorist attacks, the Majority instead rushed this bill to the floor in the waning hours of the 111th Congress, refusing to allow an open debate or consider amendments.

    The result is a deeply flawed bill. H.R. 847 creates yet another mandatory spending program--increasing spending by $4.2 billion dollars over 10 years--and paying for it by an Excise Tax on Foreign Manufacturers, an extension of Travel Promotion Act fees, and the extension of HI-B visa fees.

    There is no doubt that we owe a debt of gratitude to those who came to the rescue of countless individuals following the attacks on September 11, 2001, but these provisions distort that noble goal. At a time when our budget deficit is $1.3 trillion and our national debt stands at $13.8 trillion, we must accurately account for those programs that take priority. I remain hopeful that as the 112th Congress convenes, my colleagues and I can work together to reform some of my concerns with this proposal and truly provide the services these first responders deserve.
    So Paul Ryan wanted to thank the first responders by not funding their medical care (while he comfortably collected government-paid health care) all because he didn't like the accounting, which by the way placed the burden of costs on non-American entities.  For instance, the Travel Promotion Act places a mere $10 fee on foreign travelers to America that do not require a visa.  This would not amount to a tax on the average American and would raise the revenue needed to help fund the health care of those who risked everything for this nation.

    It wouldn't be surprising to discover that the Romney campaign only agreed to the negative advertisement black out on September 11th to keep Obama and the Democrats from bringing up the fact that his vice-presidential pick doesn't care about American heroes.  This is also probably why Paul Ryan issued a statement but isn't doing anything else on this day - after getting bitch-slapped on CBS for his hypocrisy on his voting record, Ryan probably wanted to avoid any further confrontations with the press, especially since Romney is sinking fast in the polls.

    It is funny when you think about the kind of campaign Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan are running.  Romney and Ryan have claimed ownership of all the president's achievements, from rescuing the auto industry to even killing Osama bin Laden!  Ryan also plays schoolyard games with his own records stating that he should not be held accountable for his actions because did it first.

    What line of bologna will the Romney/Ryan campaign try to spoon feed Americans tomorrow?

    Tuesday, September 4, 2012

    Paul Ryan or Gabe Lewis (From "The Office") QUIZ!

    Which one is Paul Ryan?

    Considering the striking resemblance between the Republican Party's nomination of Wisconsin Representative Paul Ryan and Gabe Susan Lewis from NBC's "The Office, as well as the propensity of both to wear poorly-fitted suits, I upon request have created a short quiz with quotes from both Ryan and Gabe. The challenge is trying to determine who said what!

    Enjoy!


    1. "C.E.O. to C.O.O. ...what a difference a letter makes."
    Paul Ryan
    Gabe Lewis

    2. "Lift Here and Be Happy."
    Paul Ryan
    Gabe Lewis

    3. "If a company is moving into a new product line, or if it's in an area where they have not developed an expertise, there's increased risk there. We'd need to talk more about what they are planning to do as a result of the expansion, and what benefit it is to the company."
    Paul Ryan
    Gabe Lewis

    4. "I don't want... to incentivize murder."
    Paul Ryan
    Gabe Lewis

    5. "I should probably get involved in this but, I think my energy is better spent on the Cookie Monster issue."
    Paul Ryan
    Gabe Lewis

    6. "What matters to me is that I do what I think is right and I see, I’m a numbers guy, that’s my attitude."
    Paul Ryan
    Gabe Lewis

    7. "I love maternity wards. It’s the perfect blend of love and horror."
    Paul Ryan
    Gabe Lewis

    8. "Ok well once this starts it's going to be moving fast it's going to be hot and heavy, and I don't want a bunch of bureaucratic red tape wrapped around my jock you know."
    Paul Ryan
    Gabe Lewis

    9. "I flush away annoying problems so others can keep their hands clean and, just like a toilet, I am essential.."
    Paul Ryan
    Gabe Lewis

    10. "I like Rage Against The Machine."
    Paul Ryan
    Gabe Lewis

    11. "Soy has long been used as an ingredient in ink and paint and now it's an alternative fuel to power cars, trucks and other vehicles."
    Paul Ryan
    Gabe Lewis

    12. "Statements of such nature, while they have their place, are overused in a competitive business environment."
    Paul Ryan
    Gabe Lewis

    13. "The secret to understanding me is, I'm not trying to be anybody other than who I actually am."
    Paul Ryan
    Gabe Lewis

    14. "I really don't have tremendous political ambition. I have policy ambition."
    Paul Ryan
    Gabe Lewis

    15. "When you’re dealing with a large organization, sometimes you have to put up with policies you don’t like. I wish my gym didn’t allow full nudity in the locker room. Seeing these old guys walking around naked feels almost passive-aggressive. But I deal with it ‘cause it’s policy."
    Paul Ryan
    Gabe Lewis

    16. "Oh, come on. My rules could not possibly have been that oppressive."
    Paul Ryan
    Gabe Lewis

    17. "I believe we have become paralyzed by our desire to be loved."
    Paul Ryan
    Gabe Lewis

    18. "Hey everyone. Hi. Quite an afternoon, huh? Cathartic in a way. I'm glad I got to share it with you. It makes you think about what's really important. It's not about showing you're in charge or flexing some sort of authority. It's about forgiveness."
    Paul Ryan
    Gabe Lewis

    19. "My entire childhood, I was the one left out, and I said to myself: If you just achieve some success, you'll be part of them. You'll be part of the happy ones. But instead, people just used my success as a new way to shut me out."
    Paul Ryan
    Gabe Lewis

    20. "I'm kind of a work out guy."
    Paul Ryan
    Gabe Lewis

    21. "I remember when people thought biceps were all that. They’d flex them all night at the discotheque."
    Paul Ryan
    Gabe Lewis

    Score =
    Correct answers: