POOR (WHAT'S THAT)

ACTUALLY....... Now, the "Nun's On A Buss" is attacking Romney, and for good reason.  They say he's out of touch (we hear that a lot don't we).  The Nun's have said "that his 47% comment shows that he has no idea how hard it is at the margins of our society."  Sister Simone says "The truth is, there's a shift of money to the top - tax cuts for the wealthy".

The Nun's got off the bus and onto the Staten Island ferry to highlight the GOP's budget impacts on poverty programs in New York City.  Sister Simone, the executive director of 'Network' said "Romney's comments broke my heart because they demonstrated his lack of knowledge about the living conditions of America's poorest citizens".  She followed by saying that "it was shocking to me that a person who says he wants to to be the leader of our nation believes that 47% of our country is basically lazy or dependent or indolent - it broke my heart that he was so out of touch, that he would so not know the truth of folks at the margins of our society that work so hard. He obviously doesn't know that if you work a minimum wage job, if your providing janitorial services, or if your a day laborer, you're still in poverty.  He has no idea!!  Representatives for Romney or Ryan didn't respond to a request for comment. (what a shock)

Before Romney choose Ryan as his running mate he supported the Ryan Budget.  Ryan's budget cuts are mainly from programs that benefit the poor, including food stamps, Medicaid and other assistance programs.  The Nun's invited Romney and Ryan to join them during a stop in Ohio and again in Cincinnati, not to speak, just to listen to folks experiences.  They have yet to get an answer!  They won't get an answer, because neither Romney or Ryan are interested in that they have to say.  They want Romney and Ryan to know the truth of  poor people in the U.S.  The Nun's want the hard working people who are living below the poverty level to have a little money in their pockets.  In my opinion, neither Romney or Ryan could care less about the poor.  They've never lived it and I doubt seriously if either of them have ever seen what the poor have to contend with on a day to day basis, i.e. a modest roof over their heads, hand me down clothing, clipping coupons to feed their families, and perhaps no health care.

Paul Ryan calls himself a good Catholic.  He thinks churches can pick up the tab.  That's ridiculous because the magnitude of the need is so great.  The Sister says "Catholic teaching is based on solidarity.  Ryan doesn't understand that all decisions need to be made with the good in mind".  There are two high-profile bishops who have been sending letters to Congress about the importance of protections for the poor.  Those Bishops have said: 

"RYAN'S  BUDGET  DOESN'T  PASS  THE  MORAL TEST"

RYAN'S PEP RALLY

ACTUALLY....Republican vice president candidate Paul Ryan began his pep rally Wednesday night with this wife and three children on stage.  That was an admirable beginning to a speech full of  lies, dishonesty and anger.  He was there, of course, to accept the GOP's nomination for vice president or, in his own words, he "accepted the calling of my generation to help lead the county in tough times" and told the audience that Mitt Romney and he will make the difficult decisions needed to repair the nations economy. "We will not duck the tough issues, we will lead." Neither of the men has said how they would do that. WOW, why doesn't that give me a warm fuzzy feeling?
 
The National Catholic Reporter seems to think that Ryan's budget, fully endorsed by Mitt Romney, is taking out it's fiscal anger on the middle-class and poor, and asks where their deep seated anger comes from.  We all recognize that the federal deficit needs to be overhauled and that Medicare and Social Security could certainly stand improvement.  But the Ryan budget which the U.S. Bishops have called a "moral failure", is not the way to go.

Ryan hammered President Obama on a number of things.   His first hit was on, you guessed it, Medicare.  In a major section of his speech he tried to deflect Democratic criticism that he would slash Medicare benefits as part of his broad budget cutting plan.  Here is were he made one of his huge mistakes.  He said that President Obama made devastating cuts to the health care program for the elderly. Ryan said that the "president robbed Medicare of $716 billion".   What he didn't say that was Obama's Medicare cuts were to be over the next 10 years and in reimbursements to insurers and hospitals, not in payments to beneficiaries.  
Ryan ignored the fact that he incorporated the same cuts into budgets through the House in the past two years, using the money for deficit reduction.

Not everyone was pleased.  There was a woman who wanted to hear Republican leaders address foreign policy.  That was not included in Ryan's speech and she said obviously "this party isn't ready to talk about foreign policy".  (Perhaps it's because they don't know anything about foreign policy.)  Others noted that Ryan didn't say much about how he would cut spending and entitlement programs while preserving Medicare. There again, he probably doesn't have a clue.

He talked about the stimulus legislation that Congress passed at Obama's request in 2009 to help stabilize the economy.  What he didn't elaborate on was that he asked for some of that funding, which eventually went to two energy conservation companies in his home state.

Mr. Ryan spoke of other issues, many of which were based on deception and lies.  That topic is for another day.  As an unidentified woman said at the end of the evening:

"THE CONGRESSMAN'S SPEECH SKIPPED LIGHTLY OVER INCONVENIENT FACTS"

GOP HOSTILITY AGAINST WOMEN

ACTUALLY...... Mitt Romney has made it clear by selecting Paul Ryan to be his running mate that he agrees with the GOP's extreme measures on the issues most important to women and their families.  These are only a few of the issues their ticket talks about.

1.  In 2002, Mitt Romney said he thought it was a terrific idea and would be"delighted" to sign a national ban on abortion.

2.  Romney and Ryan support radical "personhood" views that would ban abortion in all circumstances, and also outlaw common forms of birth control (the pill) and in-vitro fertilization.

3.  They both would overturn Roe vs Wade.  The vote is coming soon to include anti-choice measures in the official GOP platform.

4.  Ryan has voted to not fund Planned Parenthood and end the Title X family planning program.

5.  Mitt Romney has pledged to "get rid of" federal funding for Planned Parenthood

6.  Both men are against requiring insurers to offer no-cost birth control coverage, and they would allow a woman's boss to deny insurance coverage for anything, for any reason at all

7.  They would both repeal the Affordable Care Act and all it's benefits for women

8.  Ryan voted against the Lilly Ledbetter Act and the Paycheck Fairness Act.

I really don't know how radical Romney and Ryan can get.  They are obviously against everything that's important to a woman's health.  Surprising, isn't it?  They both have wives and Ryan has a daughter and Romney has several grand daughters. 

What kind of self centered men are these, who would deny coverage to women that possibly could save their lives.

PAUL RYAN - I AM WOMAN - HEAR ME ROAR

ACTUALLY..... This topic could really get me ranting overtime - did you know that Paul Ryan has voted 50 times against a woman's right to choose?  He is 'anti-choice' for anything that would protect women and their health.  He supported the republican's "Protect Life Act", which is nothing more than "Let Women Die".   This act would allow hospitals to refuse to provide a woman emergency abortion care, even if it was a matter of life or death, and he has no sympathy toward women who have been raped or in cases of incest.  It's interesting that I have just read that a "Romney-Ryan administration would not oppose abortion in instances of rape."(That's a bit of a 'flipper' for Mitt Romney, who has said he opposed abortion).

Ryan cosponsored a measure that would force a woman to undergo an ultrasound before she can receive abortion care, even if her doctor doesn't recommend it and even if it is against the woman's will.  He has voted countless times against Planned Parenthood.  Planned Parenthood itself isn't just about abortion.  It covers all types of cancer screening and prevention, STD testing, and councils women on contraception.   About 80% of the plans users are over age 20, and 75% have incomes below 150% of the poverty line.  It's interesting to know that federal law already forbids Planned Parenthood from using the funds it receives from the government for abortions.  Without Planned Parenthood, taxpayers will end up bearing the expense for preventable cancers and sexually transmitted diseases.

Ryan wants to criminalize some forms of birth control.  He cosponsored a bill that could ban in-vitro fertilization, with criminal charges should something happen to the resulting embryos - or as Ryan would say, the resulting people. For Ryan, if you can't have kids, don't bother trying at all.

If  Romney is trying to get the women to vote for him in November, it's surprising he picked a running mate who wants to pass a "personhood" measure. This "personhood" bill could even outlaw several of the most common forms of birth control, even the pill, and restrict fertility treatments as well as put an end to stem cell research. Ryan is known for his sponsorship of federal legislation to declare that human life begins at fertilization.  "Personhood" has failed on every state ballot.

Currently, 21 million low income women count on Medicaid for basic health care.   Ryan would use his budget to reduce access to women's health care.  He would bar Planned Parenthood from participating in federal programs like Medicaid, denying access to preventative care for millions of women.

Rayn's budget also calls for the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, which requires insurance coverage for preventative services like mammograms, cancer screenings and birth control, with no copay.  The act also bans insurance companies from discriminating  between men and women and bans the practice of denying coverage for pre-existing conditions, including pregnancy.  Mitt Romney has said he is in accordance with all of these conditions.  He acquired a long track record with Ryan in Washington on these issues.  However, the margin of victory by Democrats with women voters has the potential to sink the GOP Presidential ticket and the Senate and House races as well.

"I AM STRONG,  I AM INVINCIBLE,  I AM WOMAN"...... AND I WON'T SIT STILL WHILE PAUL RYAN WAGES WAR ON WOMEN.

DO-NOTHING-CONGRESS

ACTUALLY.....Has President Obama failed to remind the GOP, as well as the American People, that this great country of ours was in an economic disaster when he signed the oath of the Presidency?  He has been conscious and courageous in digging America out of a tremendous hole.  Sure, he made promises that he hasn't been able to keep, but most of those failed promises were not his fault. In answer to questions about what he wanted to do and still will try to do in his second term, read on: 

Several months ago President Obama challenged Congress with a "to-do" list.  The list he wanted was not new for the administration.  They were laid out in the American Jobs Act and in his State of the Union Address.  The list included passing legislation to give companies a 20% tax credit to move their overseas operations back to America and legislation to give small businesses that hire new workers or increase wages a 10% income tax credit.  It included legislation on 2 energy tax credits and to create the Veterans Job Corps, which would help post 9/11 veterans get jobs as firefighters and police oficers, as well as other jobs that would serve their communities.

The jobs bill he sent Congress included these policies, and more, that he knew could grow the economy and put Americans back to work.  Every time he put these policies up for a vote, the Republicans in Congress said "no".  The Presidents press secretary is quoted as saying "I don't think congress will act because the President says they must act".  It's like running into a brick wall.

Most Republican lawmakers should explain to their constituents what they did while they were in Washington.  Can they  explain that they put forward every effort to help the economy grow and create jobs?  Certainly not!  Can they say that they have earned their salaries and other numerous perks?  Certainly not!!  Can they say all they really want to do is get President Obama out of office?  YES, that they can certainly say!!

Do we have a "do-nothing" Congress?  Absolutely!! 

ROMNEY'S FALSE FACTS ABOUT OBAMACARE

ACTUALLY.....It's not surprising that Mitt Romney is gambling not only his reputation, but his campaign on the economy.  He persistently argues that President Obama has has failed miserably at improving our economy.  A Romney strategist says that they view this as a very simple election.  Should we all just go sit on a beach somewhere until November?  I think not!!  Again, Romney is proving that he really doesn't "get it".  The Supreme Courts ruling on Healthcare is merely a test of his campaigns strategy.  Have they even thought of what the Supreme Courts decision to pass this law will mean to the voters in November?  He better get ready for the political fight of his lifetime if he intends to beat President Obama. 

Romney claims that Obamacare "put's the Federal Government between you an your doctor".  Not true!  The law will set minimum benefits, but medical services will not be Government run.  Romney is still calling Obamacare a "job killer".  This is truly overblown and has been a standard attack line for the Republicans. The facts have not stopped Republicans from making the "job-killing" claim a major part of their campaign 2012 ads:

1.  Five ads by the U.S.Chamber of Commerce attack Democrats by repeating the "Obamacare will kill jobs" statement.
2.  Seven other Chamber spots praise Republicans, using the same theme.
3.  An ad from the group Freedom Path says the law is "devastating to small business".
4.  Repulican Joe Bonner features a large stack of papers that he claims are "job-killing regulations and taxes" in one of his spots.

This is all a bunch of  (fact checked) baloney.  The GOP ads combine their "job-killing" claims with their often stated slogan calling the law a "government takeover of health care", which is false.  Remember, Mitt Romney is a rich over-reacting puppet, trying to buy his presidency. Remember that 'silver spoon' theory - he's trying it out again.

Get off your high-horse Gov Romney - you look really ridiculous. You  might want to loose those jeans!

ROMNEY, THE CHARLATAN

ACTUALLY......did you know that Mitt Romney spent 25 years in the real world economy?  That's why he understands why jobs come and go.  He invested in a lot of companies that specialized in sending jobs done by American workers to low-wage countries like China, India and Mexico.  (That's the 'go' part.)  He doesn't talk much about the jobs he's created here in America.  Romney's outsourcing didn't just happen in the private sector.   When he was Governor of Massachusetts, he actually outsourced state jobs to a call center in India.  In the 15 years that he was running Bain, a private equity firm, they owned companies that shipped work from the U.S. to overseas call centers and factories making computer components according to the filings with the SEC.  The question has come up is this Outsourcing or Offshoring?  Not much difference, huh?

This my friends, is part of his economic philosophy.   He has also recently said that if he were President he would stand up to China and demand a level playing field for our workers.  He said he would direct the Department of Treasury to list China as a currency manipulator, and sanction China for unfair trade practices.  Think so, can't wait to see that - well he has made friends there.

There is no doubt that Mitt Romney is hoping for a worse case scenario in the U.S. economy.  The Congressional leadership is on Romney's same page.  I believe it's not about Mitt Romney - it's about the fact that things will get bad enough that they can throw President Obama under the bus and get rid of him. 

As if you didn't know - the GOP want's to get Obama out!  They couldn't care less how, or who beats him.  Mitt Romney is an etch-a-sketch man, a puppet for his campaign, has a very hard time telling the truth and is doing all he can to buy his way into the White House.  He will do or say anything to become President of the U.S.  What a sad day that would be.  Who in the world convinced him he was presidential material???

I'll always be an American, say the pledge of allegiance and wave "old glory", but I have to find someplace to hide if Romney is elected.  HELP!!  Maybe he'll deport me back to Ireland.

WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE GOOSE......

ACTUALLY.... .going back a few months when Romney was questioned about illegal immigration, his immediate solution was "self-deportation" - let the 11 million immigrants just turn around and go back to where they came from. Well, now we read that at the Texas state GOP convention last week the Republicans blamed the "decades-long failure of the federal government to secure our borders and address the immigration issue".  Now, the  GOP proposes a "national temporary worker program", that's the good news -  but only for periods where no U.S. workers are available. That's the bad news.  The program would be self-funded through fees and fines, require a criminal background check and show proficiency in English.  O.K. How many illegal immigrants are there that would be proficient in English?  This program would fine those applicants with prior immigration violations, not really stating what those violations would be.  In my humble opinion those fines would probably be more than the poor immigrant could afford.  Guess what would happen then?  You got it - adios amigo. 

President Obama has been trying to get the Senate to pass a program designed to provide a fair path to citizenship for illegal immigrants.  The "Dream Act" would grant permanent legal status only to undocumented immigrants brought here before the age of 16 - and even then only to those who spent 2 years in college or in the military.  Don't you think that innocent children would make support of "The Dream Act" an easy call.  Well, think again!  The Republican's find fault and criticize every legislative effort to help these immigrants. In the 2010 Senate session, "The Dream Act" failed. 

In his third State of the Union speech The President said he wants comprehensive federal immigration reform.  But if that's not possible, he at the very least wants to give citizenship to children of illegal immigrants that qualify per his "Dream Act".  In his words:  "If election-year politics keeps Congress from acting on a comprehensive plan, let’s at least agree to stop expelling responsible young people who want to staff our labs, start new businesses, and defend this country. Send me a law that gives them the chance to earn their citizenship. I will sign it right away".

Why doesn't the Mexico born Romney just self-deport back to Mexico?  Then he would know the importance of leaving.

MORE LIES AND ACCUSATIONS

 

ACTUALLY…..I, for one, am getting sick and tired of Mitt Romney’s attacks on President Obama.  This morning I read an article regarding “Obama’s Spending Binge”.  Come on folks, this kind of crap should not be spread around.  The so called “spending binge” never happened!  Mitt Romney is continuing to mislead Americans about the President’s record on reckless spending.  He is creating lies and falsely attacking our President.  What kind of a man is he anyway? Perhaps that’s his regular modus operandi, seems logical since it’s well known he has difficulty telling the truth. Somehow I don't believe that qualifies for him to be the presumptive nominee for President of the United States.

The facts have been examined and found that of all the false accusations told about President Obama, and his "spending spree" is the biggest whopper yet.  The actual facts do not show a negligent increase in spending.  For crying out loud, facts show that over the last four years federal spending is rising at the slowest rate since President Eisenhower.

You want more facts, read on......

In fiscal 2009, the last of George Bushes presidency – federal spending rose by 17.9%         
In fiscal 2010, the first budget under President Obama – federal spending fell 1.8%        
In fiscal 2011, spending rose 4.3%

In  fiscal 2012, spending is set to rise 0.7%,  According to the the budget that was agreed to last August   
In fiscal 2013, the final budget of President Obama’s term, spending is scheduled to fall 1.3%

Let me also mention that our President has a balanced budget plan that would cut deficits by $4 trillion over the next 10 years, but the Republican controlled House of Representatives won't pass it.  So who, really, are the bad guys here?
 

There has been no imaginative large increases in spending under President Obama!!  Don't believe all that baloney!!  If you do you're playing silly games that will only help the GOP in their mission to destroy everything good that President Obama has accomplished.

In case you don't believe me, check the facts and the Official numbers at the Office of Management and Budget, or read the Congressional Budget Office reports.


Later people, I'll be back...........

THE ECOMOMY

ACTUALLY... there's good news and bad news.  The good news is President Obama has a "to-do-list" for fixing the economy.  The bad news is that he submitted it to Congress and we all know what's going to happen there.  Bingo! You guessed it, here we go again. Our esteemed Congress, made up of grown men acting like 3rd graders will in all likelihood not pass "the to-do-list" and possibly won't even read all of it.

The President called on the House Republican majority to back 5 of his administrations endeavors.  GOP lawmakers have said they are unwilling to do that.  What a surprise!! Obama's demands included ending tax breaks for companies that outsource work to other countries, which would increase tax benefits for small businesses that hire workers and extend tax credits for clean-energy companies.  He maintains that these are things that we can accomplish NOW to help create jobs and give financial security to families that have lost so much, therefore helping to build the economy.

President Obama also called for a government program to help homeowners refinance their mortgages at lower interest rates.  That doesn't seem like to much to ask from Congress, of course none of them have
to worry about mortgage payments so it's probably not too important.  The President also wants to create a Veterans Job Corp for troops coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan.  I'm not sure that Congress can even comprehend exactly what that means.

Democrats and Republicans have come together and extended the payroll tax holiday through the end of the year.  What a big deal that is!  The GOP is stifling an already slow economic recovery.  Can anyone really think of anything new the great Gov Romney has said that's different from the policies that got America into the mess it's in now.

People, we've been pushed right off the cliff and into a big hole and we have to dig ourselves out of it.  I am more confident than I've ever been that Romney is not the man to do it.  Okay, I'll admit that he's made money for some of his investors (during which time he and his partners benefited as well), however, I can find nowhere that says it's a job requirement for being the President of the United States.  Perhaps The Governor has a different idea of the job in question.  Hmmm!

Gov. Romney is an insensitive, out of touch individual that's more interested in raiding corporations for his own profits, than in building the US economy.  Our President has admitted that his work on the economy is unfinished, that he still has more work to do, but he seems to be at the mercy of our Congress, again.

Mitt Romney's economic philosophy has been to eliminate pensions, lay workers off (he likes firing people, you know) and close down businesses. That friends, is NOT the way to build an economy.  What is he thinking??