Remember a year ago, when the circus came to TV?
You know, the circus that was the Republican debates.
A clown car would appear on the stage, and out would tumble the performers -- Michele Bachman, Herman Cain, Rick Perry, Newt Gingrich, and Rick Santorum.
None really serious people, most bombastic and blustering, Fox News caricatures.
And there was Mitt Romney. A guy who actually thought seriously -- though, in my view, wrongly -- about what should be done to help the country.
So in the midst of these clowns, parroting the most far right views, Romney tilted even further right, in a successful attempt to win the nomination.
Which, in doing so, was his downfall.
Romney knew that he could not come close to winning the general election if he remained the self- described “severe conservative” of the primaries.
He knew that if he ran as Tea Party Mitt, he’d be creamed by Obama. He knew that the ideology of the primaries was a loser in the general election.
And that is the problem with the Republican Party. It has been captured by the farthest of the Right, so far right that only Fox News viewers and Rush Limbaugh listeners embrace it. This is a party who actually believes Obama is a Muslim, born in Kenya, hell-bent on recreating America as some kind of “European socialist” entity.
Think I’m wrong? Look at how easily President Obama won. Over 300 electoral votes and the popular vote. And this is a president with an almost 8 percent unemployment rate, a barely moving forward economy, and the ever-present threat of another recession. With a reality like that, he should’ve been easy pickings for defeat.
Except this year.
Now, some Republicans will say, “We ran a flawed candidate.” And they did. Thanks to their insistence on total fealty to the hard right doctrine. But those same Republicans might fool themselves into believing that if they had just run an “authentic Republican” they would’ve won.
But they’re delusional if they think that.
Because it’s not the candidate that’s the fatal flaw -- it’s the party.
This is the culmination of 30 years of the Republican Party gradually shrinking its appeal, going from the Big Tent that included Rockefeller Republicans along with Southern conservatives to what we see today -- the party of older white men.
So will the party make the same mistake Democrats did 40 years ago? After a close loss to Richard Nixon in 1968, the Democrats moved radically left in 1972, with George McGovern as their candidate. And he was swamped by Nixon.
Will the Republicans have their George McGovern moment in 2016, nominating a Real Republican, a hard righter, and watch him or her go to a quick, painful defeat?
Or will the smart Republicans exert some influence, recognize that their party is outside the mainstream of our electorate, and reach out to those beyond their ever shrinking base?
For our country’s sake, I hope it’s the latter. I’m afraid, though, that we might have an even more conservative Republican Party for the foreseeable future.
jimnbubba posted at 7:38 am on Thu, Nov 8, 2012.
What else could you expect from a public education welfare recip.
retired03 posted at 8:01 am on Thu, Nov 8, 2012.
Thanks bubba, you just confrimed the man's commentary. In addition, you don't even recognize what you just wrote. The arrogance that the republican party has become.
Arizona Willie posted at 8:15 am on Thu, Nov 8, 2012.
Romney killed his own campaign when he:
1) called for letting the American auto industry go bankrupt losing millions of jobs
2) refused to reveal his tax returns
3) people found out he had hidden millions of dollars offshore to avoid taxes
4) showed his contempt for the lowest 47% income people
5) put out commercial lying about Jeep moving to China
6) the story came out about his strapping his dog to the roof of his car
Rich posted at 8:32 am on Thu, Nov 8, 2012.
America just doubled down on abject failure. Why? For a couple generations now we've been conditioned to affirmative action, people like Mike indoctrinated children in it under the guise of teaching things like literature. The campaign was won more viscerally than Willie presents it. For those who study history Obama's campaign was taken from FDR's demonize the rich campaign of 1936, and begun two years ago or thereabouts. The only real downside is that we now have no prayer that it will get any better. The irony is that the man elected on hope, in the end gives us no hope.
Leon Ceniceros posted at 8:38 am on Thu, Nov 8, 2012.
Wow.....chill out Bro !!!
Mike seems to be taking his cue from Karl Rove and the "Donald".....lol.
Hey, Election 2012 is over and done with....live with it. Can we Arizonians help it if we don't want to give the Labor Unions = $100,000,000.00 of our hard earned tax dollars.
That's what would have happened if the reason for your ...."RANTING"....Proposition 204....would have gone through. Hundreds of millions of dollars in ..."TEACHER SALARY RAISES"...and the kids would have probably seen about 30% - 40% of the money.
Mike.............65% of the Arizona Voters smelled a...."RAT"....in Propostion 204. They wondered if this...."PERMANENT 1% SALES TAX ON EVERY SINGLE ITEM THAT THEY PURCHASED FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES".....was being 99.999999% supported by...."LABOR UNIONS FROM OUT OF STATE AND LOCAL CONSTRUCTION UNIONS"....if this Proposition was truely a ...."HOME-GROWN ISSUE"...where were the ...."HOME-GROWN PTA MOMS AND THE SOCCER MOMS"....why weren't they the ones collecting signatures on the Proposition instead of ....."UNION BOUGHT AND PAID FOR INITIATIVE SIGNATURE COLLECTORS" ???????????????????????????
NICE TRY.....TEACHERS' UNION AND CONSTRUCTION WORKERS' UNIONS....YOU SPENT MILLIONS TRYING TO FOOL THE ARIZONA VOTERS AND EVEN GOT 32% TO BELEIVE YOU.....BUT IF THE ARIZONA VOTER WASN'T GOING TO BE STUPID ENOUGH TO VOTE FOR OBAMA....HOW IN THE WORLD DID YOU THINK THAT THEY WOULD BE STUPID ENOUGH TO VOTE FOR ................."PROPOSITION 204"................[wink]
Accuracy posted at 8:49 am on Thu, Nov 8, 2012.
With projected wins in key swing states, including Ohio, the large Democrat voter turnout was key in capturing more than 300 electoral to President Obama's re-election. Democrat voters (in other states . . NOT Arizona) have given President Obama a second term in office. Obama narrowly won the popular vote, as he defeated Republican Mitt Romney in a hard-fought race in which the economy was the dominant issue; and he will approach a more divided Congress during the next four years.
While Democrats claim the 2012 election is another mandate, Republicans see a silver lining in retaining control of the House of Representatives.
chatmandu002 posted at 8:52 am on Thu, Nov 8, 2012.
Mike,
You like to rub our noses in it don't you. Well you can suck my nose. Our country is lost to you liberal progressive socialists. The 47% will now turn into the 55% with progressively higher rates of takers over makers. You grandchildren will suffer the loss of freedoms to massive government control. Just remember that YOU and those like you have fostered and propagated the demise of this great nation.
StotheizzE posted at 10:00 am on Thu, Nov 8, 2012.
First, I have to ask Leon where in this story does Mr. McClellan bring up Prop 204? I think even educators were leery of the permanent nature of the Proposition. Plus, millions were spent to defeat it, including hundreds of hours spent by state employee Doug Ducey (I wonder how many hours of campaigning against this Prop that the taxpayers paid for). So, the teachers union and construction union weren't the only ones who threw a lot of money at the issue. Speaking of money Leon, how many billions were thrown out the window by GOP bankrollers? For seemingly successful people, they sure made a poor investment during this election.
And, finally, I love people like chatmandu002, who claims that the U.S. is a 'great nation' but will so easily collapse and says things like "Our country is lost." It's not lost, it will continue to be great for the next four years, and the four years after that, ect. In our great history, we have always found ways to fix our problems (and many of the problems worldwide) and that will continue no matter who is in the White House.
Conservatives sure love this country, except when they don't like the President (think Bill Clinton), then the country is doomed, only to be rescued by a Republican (think George Bush), then all is right with the world. Until, gasp, a "muslim socialist Kenyan' is elected, then we are doomed again.
JNelson posted at 10:16 am on Thu, Nov 8, 2012.
Mike.....You are not totally right in your analysis of why the Republicans lost, but you aren't totally wrong, either. I happen to think that there are three main reasons why Obama won and none of them are signs of a better America. And none of them require snide character assassination commentary, either.
First, the general public is mostly ignorant about two important things: why under our Constitution we became the most free and prosperous country in the world, and what an ever growing powerful central government does to such a society. The examples of Western Europe and centralized government under Communism or other dictatorships seem not to resonate at all anymore.
Second, because of #1, the general public seems to believe that there is a free lunch to be obtained through government largesse and more entitlements and more government regulation to "control" those things which might otherwise "harm" them is OK.
Thirdly, our media no longer print and air objective news, it protects its political favorites. In this case, for 4 years it promoted the Obama administration in nearly every way, not questioning its actions or motives, even down to ignoring the serious questions of incompetence and downright fibbing on the Benghazi episode to protect the president.
It is no surprise that the Republican Party's inept and inconsistent messaging failed to rouse the general public. After all, it is the same "Democrat Lite" message they have pursued for decades when in power while at the same time attempting to portray themselves as serious Conservatives living by the Constitution. Even semi-ignorant people see through that.
IMHO, it is time that the Republican Party dissolve itself and join the Libertarians. At least that would provide a stark contrast to the liberal progressives of the Democrat Party and give the country a clear choice in the future.
mnjcpa posted at 10:37 am on Thu, Nov 8, 2012.
Stotheizz - I read chatman's comment three times and don't see that he said a Republican would rescue anything. You've concluded something that's not there. We are toast because the takers now outnumber the makers but the Republicans won’t change this. China will.
For 7 years China has been building and buying gold reserves on many fronts and established an exchange to rival the NY Stock Exchange. Moving to a gold-backed currency is a brilliant move on China’s part. As Europe and US print more colorful toilet paper rectangles by the trillions, China will have the world’s only major gold-backed currency.
Hmmm…I wonder how the investing world will react?
The Chinese have one problem with this strategy: they already hold more than 1 trillion US dollars. They’ve been reducing their dollar holdings over the last 2 years as a start. But by building large gold reserves, then taking over the gold markets, China will ultimately make the yuan freely convertible and will create big demand for their bonds and bills. The result? Say goodbye to the dollar’s value (and chief reserve currency status). Then China can easily take the hit on the dollars they haven’t hedged.
Americans have no idea what this means to them. Say bye-bye to entitlements, social security/medicare, labor union clout, and the US government managing our lives. Those people that live off the government will no longer have a free ride. But until then it’s difficult to beat when the adored candidate is Santa Claus and we’ve become a nation of children where hard work is sneered at and achievement is vilified.
The Democrats should be congratulated for running a successful campaign. But isn’t it in life, that the result isn’t always what it appears to be?
mnjcpa posted at 10:38 am on Thu, Nov 8, 2012.
Completely agreed JNelson. You're spot on.
teejcee44 posted at 10:44 am on Thu, Nov 8, 2012.
McClellan fails to understand that there are people who will NOT compromise their values, as the Democrats appear to be doing. Regardless of your so-called "shrinking" base comment, there is a lot to be lost where a party panders to support people who break the law (immigration), abortion (1.2 million babies aborted last year), softening on marijuana laws, removing references to God from their platform (it WILL happen soon enough, as the handwriting is on the wall), supporting runaway welfare recipients without means to encourage them to improve themselves by GETTING a JOB, sending the deficit into the stratosphere, and every other give away program to cause people to become dependent on government so that they have no recourse. I am PROUD of the Republicans holding on to principles that are time proven, and eternal. There needs to be a party that has some semblance of sanity in the world. I realize that the Republican party is under pressure to "follow the ways of the world" as well, but there has to be a shining star in a world of darkness, and that is a close as you can get to it today. Democrats have sold their souls to the devil, and the United States of America is the lesser for it.
bobunf posted at 11:05 am on Thu, Nov 8, 2012.
Accuracy, the forever inaccurate, writes that Obama, "narrowly won the popular vote."
By three million votes, 2-1/2 percentage points. More than Kennedy in 1960, Nixon in 1968, Carter in 1976, Bush in 2000 and 2004. I guess it depends on how you view narrow.
Accuracy, the forever inaccurate, also wrote, "a more divided Congress during the next four years." Among other things, we have an election in two years with all the Representatives and a third of the Senators up for election. The voters get to decide if Congress is more or less divided in two years. Unless your crystal ball is really, really good, I don't think you have any way of knowing.
As for the coming Congress: two more Democrats in the Senate, two less Republicans. Hummm. And the House, Democrats up about 5, Republicans down about 5. Hummm. How is that MORE divided from the Democratic point of view?
Arizona Willie posted at 11:17 am on Thu, Nov 8, 2012.
Oh it is so so nice to read all the whining and moaning from the resident ( and visiting ) right wingers. [beam]
Obama won by over 2 million votes --- hardly a narrow win Accuracy.
Republicans are completely out of touch with America.
The America where people go to work in the morning instead of meeting their broker for golf at 9:30 am.
The same people the right wingers smear as being too lazy to work because life has dealt them a bad hand and they are on some form of welfare -- those same people told the right wingers where to stick it --- they may be out of work but they can still vote.
Republicans condemn them at their peril as they have discovered -- too late thank goodness.
Romney got caught on tape revealing his contempt for the bottom 47% who he " doesn't need to worry about " and the Republicans made it plain that they agreed with him -- they have no use for the non-wealthy and the non-wealthy went to the ballot box and told the righties what they think of their man Romney.
So Romney is on is way to visit his money in the Cayman Islands and the right wingers are crying the blues.
Awwww.
[beam][beam]
DonMey posted at 12:15 pm on Thu, Nov 8, 2012.
While Obama received a lion's share of the electoral college, his popular vote victory was rather small. Not exactly a ringing endorsement of Obama's expand the government and cradle to grave care.
Right now, people recognize Obama didn't do his job, but most still blame Bush. Four years from now, if things are still grim, Republicans won't even have to campaign for the White House, people will be begging to give it to them. If things are great, Republicans will have to hope Democrats choose a truly horrible candidate if they want even the slimmest chance of winning. It is pointless to try and predict how the next elections will go, because you can't tell the future and what it will look like.
xyno posted at 12:31 pm on Thu, Nov 8, 2012.
teejcee wrote about the republicans, "but there has to be a shining star in a world of darkness". LOL, you can't be serious, the republicans have spent ($6 billion0 and 4 years trying to convince the public that our President was not born in this country. The republicans have done everything they could think of to MAKE AMERICA FAIL. Thank God the cons couldn't fool the majority.
mnjcpa posted at 1:55 pm on Thu, Nov 8, 2012.
I always get a chuckle out of AZWillie's comments. The guy who shows contempt for people that risk their own money and achieve success, while retiring in his early 50's on a union pension. No one begrudges helping the helpless - what they have a problem with is helping the clueless.
Enjoy your success Willie - you did win. 2 million votes is about the number of illegals that Obama made illegally legal citizens. But when layoffs start and people start seeing the impact of taxmaggedon in their paychecks, I wonder who you'll blame that on?
CRITTER33 posted at 1:56 pm on Thu, Nov 8, 2012.
The Republican base is not shrinking. It's just that over 3 million of them did not show up to vote. They are tired of what the Republican establishment is force feeding them in respect to presidential candidates. Bush 41, Dole, Bush 43, McCain and Romney.
xyno posted at 1:57 pm on Thu, Nov 8, 2012.
and in other news, the tea party, AKA, TB's, are dead and have been put to rest permanently
VofReason posted at 2:00 pm on Thu, Nov 8, 2012.
Mike McC is no longer readable. Michele Bachman, Herman Cain, Rick Perry, Newt Gingrich, and Rick Santorum. None really serious people? You may not agree with any of their views, but multi elected Congress people, a CEO, and a Governor are not serious people? These are foolish comments and make everything he says come into question.
Cerulean posted at 3:58 pm on Thu, Nov 8, 2012.
“Because it’s not the candidate that’s the fatal flaw -- it’s the party.”
So far the oil rich Koch brothers, and others have been able to fund Republican campaigns and form agendas just as the antebellum ‘planters’ did by building support within the language of religion. But just as people could not ignore the degrading treatment of slaves, I hope people will not continue to ignore the degradation and depreciation of the environment.
Mike said, “Hello, President Clinton in 2016. President Hilary Clinton, that is.”
As time passes, I wish that she were even more progressive.
mnjcpa posted at 4:28 pm on Thu, Nov 8, 2012.
That's unless Hillary's charged with the Benghazi murders that were covered up and kept quiet by the corrupt media.
JMJ posted at 4:55 pm on Thu, Nov 8, 2012.
I agree that the Republican party will continue on its path of assumed arrogant supremacy, and that they will never see themselves in that light. It will be their downfall. By majority, both popular votes and electoral votes, the nation is sending the message, even if the GOP fails to hear it. Hopefully, the awakening of the American people will continue, and the GOP will have less and less support over time. Evolutionary jargon: Survival of the fittest. Of course, the GOP doesn't believe in evolution. Still, they can go the way of their dinosaur brethren [even if they think dinosaurs roamed Earth 6000 years ago...]. I pray [to the God who loves everyone, not just overweight, middle-aged CEOs with a god-complex] that people will continue to wake up and choose candidates who have the interest of all people in their hearts, not just a select, narrow population of entitled whiners who look out only for themselves.
Leon, you're still a Froot Loop.
Too bad on Prop 204. Too bad Flake, won, too.
bobunf posted at 5:02 pm on Thu, Nov 8, 2012.
Covered up and kept quiet ??
I remember seeing this on TV the same day, in the paper the next day, and hearing President Obama condemning the attack, on TV, the next day. A rather peculiar cover up and quietude.
Mjcpa, you didn’t really mean what you said. Or are you delusional?
Mike McClellan posted at 5:12 pm on Thu, Nov 8, 2012.
mnjcpa highlights the problem I've outlined -- he talks about the "corrupt media" keeping the "coverup" quiet.
How, then, did mnjcpa find out about what he calls a "coverup"?
By the by, mnjcpa, the most "corrupt" of "corrupt media," the New York Times, has more than 40 articles on it. And the Washington Post even more, and the Wall Street Journal's news and editorial section had about as many as the Times.
As long as folks like mnjcpa make those reckless charges, as long as they follow the Fox Meme de jour, they will continue to guarantee the further marginalization of the Republican Party, a party that loses minorities, women, the youth, all of which increasingly vote.
Arizona Willie posted at 6:00 pm on Thu, Nov 8, 2012.
mnjcpa --- I have NEVER expressed contempt for people who risk their money and achieved success.
I < defy > you to produce a clip from a message where I did.
The only contempt expressed in our message exchanges was by you for me because I don't have a degree and because, as a union member, I was able to retire after only 33 years at the trade.
Rich posted at 6:59 pm on Thu, Nov 8, 2012.
"The only contempt expressed in our message exchanges was by you for me because I don't have a degree and because, as a union member, I was able to retire after only 33 years at the trade."
Well...you do have to admit that that is contemptible. It produces all manner of societal and economic problems without creating a productive leisure class (Read Thorstein Veblen). “Conspicuous consumption of valuable goods is a means of reputability to the gentleman of leisure”
mnjcpa posted at 7:13 pm on Thu, Nov 8, 2012.
Stop the insults Mike - they're really unbecoming to an educator. Your team won the election, so enjoy your victory. What’s the point of picking over the bones of the election? The Obama campaign outplayed the Republicans who do need to change approach but not in the way you suggest.
My opinion about Benghazi is hardly reckless. Listen to the interviews of the parents because they still haven't been told the truth - they must be delusional too. Obama blames it on a video for two weeks, Crowley runs defense, and the articles you mentioned were hardly investigative reporting. If the Benghazi murders had been under Bush, we wouldn't have heard the end of it in a 24 hour news cycle and it would have sunk his reelection. Not Obama.
I’m not concerned about an election four years from now – America will be bankrupt by then and China will be calling the shots.
Mike McClellan posted at 7:36 pm on Thu, Nov 8, 2012.
Not an insult, mnjcpa, an observation. And you say the articles I alluded to are "hardly investigative reporting"? Did you read them? Many are, and some are blistering columns or editorials about Obama and Benghazi, like David Ignatius in the Post.
And the point about recklessness and the Fox Meme de jour -- today, Fox's talking point was Obama was so effective in winning came down to how negative his campaign was.
Except for one thing, as Jon Stewart reminded viewers, every -- every -- Obama attack on Romney in the general election originated months earlier.
By Republican candidates, in the primaries. Repeatedly.
Again, if Republicans want to scrub history, deny reality and continue to exist in the Fox/Limbaugh/Hannity cocoon, they will continue to be marginalized.
Republicans have some sound points on some economic issues, but the Grover Norquist stranglehold on so many Republican politicians leave them unwilling to go beyond those points and find some common ground.
Again, their absolutism is clearly reminiscent of the Democrats of the early '70's, who refused to see beyond their ideology, convinced that only they knew the "right" way, and who almost destroyed their party in the '72 election. Thank God for Richard Nixon and Watergate, because who knows how long the Democrats would've been lost at sea.
Rich posted at 8:10 pm on Thu, Nov 8, 2012.
Mike,
You at least purport to be educated, and you say you taught 'critical thinking' to our children. In truth the LAST thing you need to learn in any field of art such as literature, but we'll leave that for another day. Benghazi represents a breakdown of our entire foreign policy. We 'freed' these people, and failed entirely to understand the situation and what was going on there. Odd in a way in that one of the first ventures we took into international politics was on their shores. We flubbed it, badly, and the people who made the decisions that flubbed it are basically still unknown to us, covered up, and they are still in place to flub the next opportunity. mnjcpa is not far off the mark. You're the one who wants to "scrub history, deny reality .'
Reality is that Obama is losing his audience and his constituency. Re-election wasn't a cakewalk with his party seizing total control. He is the one headed for marginalization. I know marginalization, heck, I voted for Johnson. Since no major party candidate was anything but a choice between evils, I voted my conscience. Government, at this size, is a failure, it doesn't matter who you choose to run it, and unless this is realized and changed, it runs to anarchy and revolution. As it always has. If you take a timeline using the Graachi and the Kennedys, we've only got about two decades left to clean up our act. And your dated partisan rap isn't helping.
mnjcpa posted at 8:28 pm on Thu, Nov 8, 2012.
Thanks Rich - couldn't have said it any better.
mnjcpa posted at 9:13 pm on Thu, Nov 8, 2012.
Rich - check out my post at 10:37 am how China is positioning themselves to become the world's only gold-backed currency replacing the worthless dollar because we've spent ourselves bankrupt. The dated partisan rap is lame. Americans won't care about political parties when China calls our loan at the same time investors leave US holdings for a better, safer return with Chinese currency. That's when the revolution you described will occur.
Interested in your thoughts.
Rich posted at 10:02 pm on Thu, Nov 8, 2012.
I deal with the Chinese daily, along with the Thais, who control most of the gem trade. In order for a gold based currency to replace the floating paper, there has to be a gold mine discovered there isn't enough of it to support the current economy except at about a few million an oz, Add gems and silver, it isn't enough. Labor, capital, creativity all have a place. When one becomes more important than the others then everybody suffers. You have to have them in balance. Reagan in the US and Thatcher in Britain recognized that capital had gotten out of phase. In the end creativity saved the day, freed by elevating capital. Will the formula work again? No, Labor is out of phase. They want more and more, there has to be an economic formula to cure that, but we haven't have a clue to it as yet.
Dale Whiting posted at 1:21 am on Fri, Nov 9, 2012.
Well Mike,
After 30 odd comments, I'd say your point was well taken.
I use the term "neo-con" or "neoconservative" to describe the shift you and I both see in "our grand old party." It left us, we did not leave it. Remember John McCain? The old McCain [version 1.0] was reasonable and tool conservative approaches to solving problems, even having friends across the aisle. Then along came J.D. Hayworth and version 2.0 had to emerge. Now we have the Tea Party running away with conservative thought. Bill Buckley is turning over in his grave.
Perhaps not unlike the physical aging process leading to losses of physical ability, these old white men have lost their ability to reason, to empathize, to understand and respect opposing points of view. There was a time when the term "conservative" referred to an approach to solving problems. Today, it referrs to the emerging science of political archilogy.
mnjcpa posted at 7:47 am on Fri, Nov 9, 2012.
Really Rich? My banking sources tell me we don't know the quantity of Chinese gold holdings, the stats in my 10:37 am post are real, and all the signs are they are moving to back their currency with gold.
Dale- Understanding opposing points of view should include - but don't - spending America into bankruptcy. We're there right now with a present value of unfunded entitlements (primarily SS/Medicare) of $220 Trillion. You will start seeing an understanding of opposing points of view when you see massive layoffs as businesses prepare for increased taxes & liberal policy costs. I've already had three business owners tell me that they're laying off 20-30% of their workforce. Republicans do need to change but not by embracing liberal spendthrift policies.
mnjcpa posted at 8:03 am on Fri, Nov 9, 2012.
AZWillie - most every post you make is with envy and resentment towards success. So don't be surprised when someone calls you out for the irony in your attitude where it's okay for you to have someone else fund your retirement at a unrealistic young age but someone that's risked their own money is vilified for their achievements.
mrconservative posted at 8:51 am on Fri, Nov 9, 2012.
Willie - "6) the story came out about his strapping his dog to the roof of his car"
That dog, Seamus, survived. The one Obama ate did not.
Which dog would you rather be?
k33j88 posted at 9:04 am on Fri, Nov 9, 2012.
Dear Mr. McClellan: Now that california has a super-majority in both houses, let's see how this pans out. Want to take a guess how many more cities declare bankruptcy? Todays wall street journal has an informative take on this, and more.
Mike McClellan posted at 9:06 am on Fri, Nov 9, 2012.
mnjcpa, you are right about moving us to a more stable financial reality. And Republicans have some good ideas to do so.
But . . .
Once again, you have leadership -- both media and political -- who insist on the "no tax" mantra. What they sound like -- to the larger electorate, that is -- is a group of intransigents who refuse to solve the problem.
That's not fair to all Republicans, but when you have the Limbaugh's, Hannity's and Norquist's dominating conservative media, Republicans have a problem with the larger electorate.
Add to that the frankly loony social views of some Republicans, including the Party platform that argued for no abortions for any reason and that argued that the fetus at the moment of conception should have full legal rights, and you alienate a good chunk of the electorate.
Firebrand politics fires up the base, but often makes those politics repellent to many others.
Cerulean posted at 9:11 am on Fri, Nov 9, 2012.
In my opinion Rich, the “economic formula to cure that” is, in part, in energy. This is proving to be a difficult and slow process. Too many moneyed interests in antiquated systems that rely on carbon based fuels to support them.
This is why I am disappointed by the results of a Republican sweep in the corporation commission. “Trash Burner Bob, utility lobbyist Susan Bitter Smith and ALEC legacy member Bob Burns” (Moratore) are bad for Arizona and wrong for the economy.
Mikey Mac posted at 9:45 am on Fri, Nov 9, 2012.
Mike, you are right as usual. You were an Educator! You make no mistakes! Your opinion is gold. It is good you retired so you have so much more time to lavish us with your 100% correct thinking in this newspaper and the Arizona Republic. I'll bet there was never a member of any other party you found worthy of your vote, and rightfully so, in any election. I have such a high regard for EDUCATORS, more so when I watched them in Wisconsin last year behaving like a bullying bunch of Longshoremen trying to shut down a government. Is that you definition of an EDUCATOR , Mike? Would you throw stones and sticks like a spoiled brat or will you climb on your high horse and throw your one-sided opinion out above the fray. I voted for the losing party along with almost one half the country but there have been many times I voted for Democrats. I would bet you never voted for someone the NEA told you to vote for in an election.
Accuracy posted at 10:26 am on Fri, Nov 9, 2012.
Concerning "Obama narrowly won the popular vote"..........
bobunf posted: "By three million votes, 2-1/2 percentage points. More than Kennedy in 1960, Nixon in 1968, Carter in 1976, Bush in 2000 and 2004. I guess it depends on how you view narrow."
----------------------------------------
In the end, President Obama won re-election by convincing just over 50% of the voters that the policies and plans that didn't work in his first term would somehow work in his second. Total; 61,170,408 (50.5%) of the popular vote to 58,163,978 (47.65%) for his primary challenger. He beat Romney in the popular vote by almost 3 million . . . and to some it was a narrow margin (or perceived closeness) of victory compared to the 7.27% Obama recorded four years ago.
sockratties posted at 10:37 am on Fri, Nov 9, 2012.
Why would anyone knock AZ Willie's retirement after 33 years? And if he was a member of a union, that too is often a prerequisite to working in a trade. That was the deal he made when he went to work. He kept his end of the bargain and they kept theirs. Nobody's business but Willie's and his employers.
If you want to scrutinize retirements that are our business, try congress which sets its own salaries, contributions and pensions. Members of Congress are eligible for pension at age 62 if they have completed 5 years of service, or at age 50 after 20 years of service or any age if they've been in congress for 25 years. The amount depends on years in service and the average of their highest-earning three years and cannot exceed 80% of their salary.
The average congress person's retirement is more than $50K and a senator now earns more than $170K per year. They are also provided staff and an office both in Washington DC and in their home state, plus travel and incidental costs and budget.
Now that is contemptible and produces all manner of societal and economic problems without creating a productive leisure class.
Bluepoet posted at 10:58 am on Fri, Nov 9, 2012.
Obama was re-elected, because the Republicans could not offer anything better. It's really quite that simple.
I really think Mike's commentary was correct. The Democrats didn't win, the Republicans lost. There is no mandate, from the people, other than--you guys get your acts together, this time, or we will vote out all of you, next time...and the next time after that, until....
The people, in general, didn't vote for Obama because they want a hand out. They voted against Romney, who wanted only to give them a resounding slap, in the face. Imagine being jobless, and then being told you're lazy and dependent, as well, by the same people who made you jobless!
Obama says he wants to help people, through training, and innovative technology. Romney only wanted to teach the freeloaders a lesson...
Obama recognizes the basic right of an individual to have health care, that is not tied to an insurance company actuary table. Romney thinks it's up to Mother Nature, and the luck of the draw, who gets to suffer the least.
Romney thinks the government is a big company, with a flag, and a military of expendables, fighting for the corporate influence, and the bottom line.
Obama thinks the government is a big research and development experiment, with a military of drones, allies, and wounded vets, in need of even more of that health care...
Accuracy posted at 11:09 am on Fri, Nov 9, 2012.
Name-calling: The use of offensive names especially to induce rejection or condemnation - without objective consideration of the facts.
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That well describes the ridiculous slander "name-calling" by Dale Whiting in his posted defamatory statements. But, it's only his personal attack and it has nothing to do with the facts.
Critical hatred remarks by Mormon Dale Whiting? . . . Or just his theology? Since Mormonism stresses almost hyper-performance - almost being an over-achiever and almost being perfect.
VofReason posted at 11:38 am on Fri, Nov 9, 2012.
The real message given here is that evidently America is now moving more dependant and has little stomach for financial discipline. The story line follows, young people again drove the election. Young people not exactly known for taking responsibility or financial accuman. Remember the old saying, if your not liberal when your young, you haven't got a heart. However, if you are not conservative as you get older, you haven't got a brain.
JNelson posted at 11:51 am on Fri, Nov 9, 2012.
About gold and China.....it is true that the Chinese government has been buying gold for several years now. It is also true that nobody really knows how much of it they have in storage because China is very close-mouthed about all of its economic data. One sure thing, though. China has increased its own gold mining efforts many times over in recent years and its gold producers may sell their gold ONLY to the Chinese government. China also encourages its citizens to buy and hoard gold. It even has gold retail stores all over the country where the metal can be purchased in vending machines in small amounts, for instance, as well as in larger value coins and bars. Of course, when a citizen wants to sell his gold, he must sell it back to the government.
Iran has been trying to turn its oil sales business into contracts for payment in gold. Russia also is a big gold producer and bullion holder. All of the above would very much like to see something replace the US dollar as the world's reserve currency. Even the IMF has proposed that a basket of global currencies do that. Why? Because the US keeps devaluing the dollar with its inflationary policies, making those who hold dollars and/or bonds in US currency a losing proposition over time.
The US should reconvert to a gold backed dollar over a somewhat short period of time in order to stabilize its value. There already is a Constitutional dollar but we have gone away from it. A worthwhile policy would be also to allow a companion currency or currencies to exist along side the US dollar which would be based on gold and/or silver or other precious metals, and allow the currency to be identified as, and redeemable in, a particular weight of gold or silver. Instead of calling some thing "dollar", for example, it could be called a "1/100 ounce weight gold note" or notes of other measurable weights in a precious metal, and their value would always be determined by the current market value of that metal. Contracts could be made in gold weight values to ensure their future worth, too. In other words, allow the free market to determine the value of the currency in use.
Naturally, politicians generally won't approve of anything like this because it would deprive them of one of their main power sources: control over fiscal matters where borrowing and printing faux dollars is primary.
mnjcpa posted at 1:33 pm on Fri, Nov 9, 2012.
Sock - I'm only calling out AZWillie because he's a hypocrite.
How many years he worked isn't relevant - it's the unrealistic nature of a guaranteed benefit for life. People like AZWillie bash success as mean and evil because they don't want to pay any more for an out of control, never analyzed and reduced government. They don't get any kind of free ride and only WISH that they could retire at 33 years - and will be lucky if they don't have to work forever. I'll call him out every time for his hypocrisy.
mnjcpa posted at 1:35 pm on Fri, Nov 9, 2012.
Right on Mikey Mac.
samkat posted at 5:24 pm on Fri, Nov 9, 2012.
Mike M: Please tell us just how much time do you actually spend watching Fox before spouting your liberal dribble? My guess is that you are a NBC fan and probably get a lot of your information from Rachel Maddow and Mr. Ed. Try watching other networks such as CNN for a more balanced overall view. I fail to see the same degree of bias in Hannity that you obviously do and I am not a regular Hannity viewer but I do catch enough of his programs to say that I think you are full of birdseed. As for Limbaugh and Norquist, I wouldn't waste a single minute watching either of them.
There were times in the past when I actually agreed with many of your comments but lately, you seem to have made a radical departure from reason in your articles.
Mike McClellan posted at 7:23 pm on Fri, Nov 9, 2012.
samkat, I really don't like to watch MSNBC -- it's just as strident in its point of view as Fox is. Rachel Maddow has a bit of the know it all in her (and, hey, if I'm not the know it all, then she can't be), and Ed Schultz wears out fast.
But Hannity? Please. Quick example: One day after the election, Hannity announces he's "evolved" on illegal immigration and now has taken a position to the left of the President, saying the illegals in our country should have a path to citizenship.
No one really takes that conversion seriously; it's just a cynical -- and unsuccessful attempt -- to rebrand himself.
It's so patently pandering and it shows the deficit the Republicans continue to have.
mnjcpa posted at 8:24 am on Sat, Nov 10, 2012.
samkst's right. Excoriated me for daring to say that there's a cover-up with Benghazi and the tired default logic is because I watch Fox. Hardly. No wonder our kids are coming out of school without thinking skills. Petraeus resigns 3 days AFTER the election, one week before he testifies and could implicate Obama? This is the most corrupt administration of my lifetime and I don't think for a second the election was run honestly with Soro's Swiss company counting the votes and instructional ads run in Mexico promoting US food stamps.
Arizona Willie posted at 8:36 am on Sat, Nov 10, 2012.
mnjcpa .. you said " Sock - I'm only calling out AZWillie because he's a hypocrite.
How many years he worked isn't relevant - it's the unrealistic nature of a guaranteed benefit for life. People like AZWillie bash success as mean and evil because they don't want to pay any more for an out of control, never analyzed and reduced government. They don't get any kind of free ride and only WISH that they could retire at 33 years - and will be lucky if they don't have to work forever. I'll call him out every time for his hypocrisy."
I have NEVER bashed success. I don't know where you get that I don't want to pay more for government when I have often advocated for INCREASED TAXES to pay down the deficit. YOU are one of those who doesn't want to pay --- not me.
YOU ARE THE ONE WHO WISHES THEY COULD RETIRE and YOU are the envious one -- NOT ME.
YOU are the one who has to go to work every day -- counting other people's money .. not me.
Your post reads like something from Alice in Wonderland --- you have fallen through the Looking Glass.
Mike McClellan posted at 9:46 am on Sat, Nov 10, 2012.
If Fox is your main source of news, then you are the "worst- informed" viewers watching TV. In fact, those viewers did worse than folks who don't watch TV news at all. Even people watching Jon Stewart are better informed.
Of course, the Fox New Apologists will say the survey's biased, just like Karl Rove said the pollsters were wrong about Ohio election night and insisted that he was the one with the correct numbers. Fox News has done a disservice to its viewers and to the Republican Party, having created a reality that exists only in their Fox Bubble, a bubble too many Republicans lived in, thinking that Fox was giving them an accurate picture.
Leon Ceniceros posted at 11:37 am on Sat, Nov 10, 2012.
OH..................IS MIKEY TICKED OFF BECAUSE .........67%....OF THE VOTERS IN ARIZONA SHOT DOWN..............PROPOSITION 204.
ARIZONA'S VOTERS WERE SICK AND TIRED OF SEEING MILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF THEIR HARD-EARNED TAX DOLLARS GOING TO;
PUBLIC EDUCATION THAT DOESN'T .....EDUCATE.
TEACHERS THAT DON'T ......TEACH....THEY MENTOR.
SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR THAT RETIRE AT $200,000.00 PER YEAR FOR THE NEXT 20 OR SO YEARS.
SCHOOLS THAT FEED "FREE" BREAKFASTS AND LUNCHES TO EVERY ILLEGAL ALIEN KID FROM MEXICO AND POINTS SOUTH.
STUDENTS WHO FOR THE MOST PART (UNLESS THEY ARE IN A CHARTER SCHOOL).............LOOK, ACT, AND TALK LIKE THEY ARE ..."GANG-BANGERS" OR "RAP ARTISTS".
SORRY, MIKE.............THE ARIZONA TAX PAYER SAID........."N.O." ....BY 2 TO 1 TO FLUSHING THEIR HARD-EARNED TAX DOLLARS DOWN THE ...."EDUCATION TOILET".......................[beam]
BlueAZDog posted at 6:25 pm on Sat, Nov 10, 2012.
Mike, wrong again. Romney lost because he decided to play prevent defense and go soft. His McCain salted establishment campaign staff once again proved that America wants real leadership. Going to the middle to pander to people who have been bought off by government bribes will not work. Romney lost the conservatives who heard way too often in the last couple of weeks that he was going to work across the aisle - politalk for selling out on your supposed beliefs.
Nice teleprompter speak though. You can definitely spew the party line.
Mike McClellan posted at 11:09 am on Sun, Nov 11, 2012.
Blue, if th larger party keeps your philsophy, that "going to the middle" is somehow "pandering," the Republican Party will continue to marginalize itself.
Apparently you didn't read the exit polls, which show overwhelmingly that voters -- Republican and Democrat -- want the parties to work together.
If the Republican TEA Party minority in the House insists on intransigence, you'll see the results in the next off year election.
informedVoter posted at 2:20 pm on Mon, Nov 12, 2012.
Boy, with most of these comments, I just had to look out the window to make sure the Salt River wasn't flooding downtown PHX.
Food for thought-
"Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change."
pd posted at 2:58 pm on Wed, Nov 14, 2012.
Mike -- ouch! It will be difficult for a party that prizes self-reliance to make inroads into Obama's coalition of takers. There are those of us who believe that we have reached the tipping point toward de Tocqueville's prediction that democracy will fail when the people discover that " . . . they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury."