"A black sheriff?!": The Official Topic of Obama and New Era American Politics

[AdmiralViscen]

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1211/69642.html

A Democratic payroll tax-cut proposal, paid for with a millionaires’ surtax — opposed by Republicans because they say it would hurt the economy — also failed in the Senate on a 51-49 vote. The pair of Thursday night “show votes” suggests the two sides need to narrow their differences, Republicans said, and that McConnell tried to provide a GOP alternative that paid for the tax cut extension with cuts to the federal workforce, not tax hikes.

“The conference is united against the job-killing tax hike, and those who wanted to vote for a payroll tax cut extension did,” McConnell spokesman Don Stewart said Friday. When asked if the GOP vote resulted in a favorable outcome for Republicans, he replied: “There was a favorable outcome for the country that we didn’t pass a job killing tax hike.”

These people are morons.

How could a tax increase on personal income possibly kill more jobs than literally cutting jobs

[benjipwns]

Well, theoretically there is a point where you could raise taxes to an extent that nobody can afford to buy things at a level it creates demand for new valuable jobs.

This was the more interesting part of the story as Congress has long been full of morons who vote for and against stupid things for stupid reasons especially meaningless votes:

Not only did 26 out of the 47 Republicans in the Senate vote “no” Thursday night on a GOP version of the bill, McConnell’s top lieutenants bailed on him, including Senate Republican Whip Jon Kyl of Arizona, along with Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), John Cornyn (R-Texas) and John Thune (R-S.D.) — all members of leadership.

The lopsided 20-78 vote on McConnell’s version of the payroll tax dealt a rare but embarrassing blow to the Kentucky Republican, regarded as one of the smartest and most politically astute operatives on Capitol Hill. And it marks a setback for the longtime Washington insider as he tries to lay out the major differences between the two parties in his quest to become Senate majority leader in 2012.

I mean Politico considers Mitch McConnell to be "smart" and "astute" and people are talking about taxes?

I suppose, to be fair, they are comparing him to other "operatives on Capitol Hill."

[Cheebo]

If Gingrinch bombs then Romney wins the nomination. There is no time for a alternative to arrise in time. I have read in polling Gingrich voters #2 choice is Romney, mostly because they have gone through and dismissed everyone else. Ron Paul voters are completely separate from everyone else, they will be voting Paul or no one at all. They are basically irrelevant to this.

[Great Rumbler]

IF Republicans truly believe that a millionaire surtax would kill jobs, and IF Republicans actually want to keep the economy stagnant to make things more difficult for Obama, shouldn't they acquiesce on the surtax and let the job losses mount? If your enemy wants to hang himself, toss him some rope; that's what I've always said.

Since that's basically been the GOP's modus operandi since Obama took office, the explanation we're left with is that the Republican KNOW that a millionaire's tax won't hurt the economy and might actually do some good in getting things balanced fiscally. Which is depressing, considering that they're so adamant in opposing such an increase.

[benjipwns]

IF Republicans truly believe that a millionaire surtax would kill jobs, and IF Republicans actually want to keep the economy stagnant to make things more difficult for Obama, shouldn't they acquiesce on the surtax and let the job losses mount? If your enemy wants to hang himself, toss him some rope; that's what I've always said.

You're assuming Republicans are one united front with no separate interests.

[Phoenix Dark]

McConnell is a very good, crafy politician; he's not smart on policy or anything like that, but he's a political creature, hence Politico pointing out it's odd that he would miscalculate a vote like that.

Anyway, I don't think Gingrich will be finished if Romney wins Iowa and NH. He should still win SC, and Florida will be competitive if Gingrich doesn't implode his own campaign.

Santorum has put in more work on the ground in Iowa than anyone but it hasn't resulted in much of anything. If it wasn't for the holidays coming up I'd agree he could maybe make a run, but it's probably too late. And if he doesn't win Iowa, it's over for him. I expect Gingrich, Paul, and Romney to finish ahead of him.

In terms of endorsements...they're one of the most effective things in US politics. Romney had yet to get any meaningful, nation scale endorsements outside of Chris Cristie's, and I don't think that is nearly as important as Palin's endorsement.

[benjipwns]

I wouldn't be surprised if Palin doesn't endorse.

[Olivia Wilde Homo]

I'm waiting for the Carrie Prejean endorsement myself.

[Oblivion]

Sentiments I have seen is that they think Newt would crush Obama in the debates and make him look like a child.

I don't know about 'crush', but I do hear a lot of the VSP in the media saying that Newt would be able to go toe to toe with Obama. Neither of which is correct, of course. Sure, Newt may never have a 'what books do you read?' or 'Do you agree with the President's actions on Libya?' moment, but if we're talking about substantial arguments, Newt's just as fucked as the rest of GOPers in the clown car. A debate with Newt against Obama would consist of Newt spouting random historical facts, sprinkled around insulting Obama with a deluge of dog whistles, without ever addressing any of the questions.

I forget if someone here said it, but to paraphrase, Newt's like the little, annoying, fat kid who sits in the back of the class who thinks he's smarter than the teacher but is wrong about pretty much everything.

[Phoenix Dark]

The GOP just wants someone who can insult Obama to his face, that's really all this is. No wonder the don't like Romney, he's not a bully.

[Phoenix Dark]

..................

reminded me of

[Oblivion]

The last few seconds of that video are the best.

"Well, see the reason that we didn't create as many jobs under the Bush tax cuts is we lost jobs like last month andjkljgjklgakjgkjglj"

[Great Rumbler]

That makes my brain hurt.

[Oblivion]

Let us take a minute to acknowledge the fact that there are "very serious people" in the media who think that Newt Gingrich could actual IMPROVE his electoral chances by getting the endorsement of Herman Cain.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

And then take a minute to realize that such an endorsement in our current political environment may actual WORK.  :'(

[close]

Welp, that didn't take long:

http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/updates/2391

Report: Cain To Endorse Gingrich On Monday

Fox 5 Atlanta — the same station that broke the news of Herman Cain’s alleged 13 year extramarital affair — is reporting that, according to a source, Cain will on Monday endorse Newt Gingrich for the GOP nomination.

[Mupepe]

One of my good friends introduced me to his girlfriend on Friday.  We started bullshitting and I mentioned something offhand regarding Obama and 2013 and she all of a sudden jumps into debate mode and gets red and says "2013??  He won't be in office!" and it turns out she's a libertarian   A Ron Paul hardcore believer to be exact.  She did admit that the gold standard was stupid and she was cool enough to just back off when I tried to avoid a heated debate with her by just saying "I'm just not a libertarian."  We moved on to talking about corruption and books.  Cool chick even though she's a libertarian.  While I pulled out of his driveway my wife noticed she has a bumper sticker that says "I love The Constitution".  But really, she thinks Ron Paul is going to surge and beat Obama.  smh

[Dickie Dee]

I forget if someone here said it, but to paraphrase, Newt's like the little, annoying, fat kid who sits in the back of the class who thinks he's smarter than the teacher but is wrong about pretty much everything.

Haha, so true

[Brehvolution]

Apparently the Muppets are communists? 

[drew]

She did admit that the gold standard was stupid

but a monetary system based on confidence is also stupid, nobody wins, ever.

[Oblivion]

We agree, of course, with former Speaker Gingrich — this is a country of people of enormous talent. Those who deliver thousands of babies like Dr. Paul and those who spend their time focusing on promoting themselves for profit. We even have those who lobby, but don't call it such because, as they say, they can make $60,000 per speech. While those of us in the Paul camp might disagree with Newt Gingrich about whether Donald Trump is the right man to host a serious political debate, we do agree New York is a wonderful place to go at Christmas. We are sure two average Americans like Speaker Gingrich and Donald Trump will have a wonderful time picking out gifts for their wives. We suggest a place called Tiffany's, we her it is quite nice this time of year and given their celebrity status they can probably get special deals and $500,000 lines of credit.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1211/69792.html

oh snap

[Mandark]

Ron Paul campaign slams someone for having a profit motive?  Well then.</EasyTarget>

[Oblivion]

K-thug tearin it up:

So what kind of politician can meet these basic G.O.P. requirements? There are only two ways to make the cut: to be totally cynical or totally clueless.

Mitt Romney embodies the first option. He’s not a stupid man; he knows perfectly well, to take a not incidental example, that the Obama health reform is identical in all important respects to the reform he himself introduced in Massachusetts — but that doesn’t stop him from denouncing the Obama plan as a vast government takeover that is nothing like what he did. He presumably knows how to read a budget, which means that he must know that defense spending has continued to rise under the current administration, but this doesn’t stop him from pledging to reverse Mr. Obama’s “massive defense cuts.”

Mr. Romney’s strategy, in short, is to pretend that he shares the ignorance and misconceptions of the Republican base. He isn’t a stupid man — but he seems to play one on TV.

Unfortunately from his point of view, however, his acting skills leave something to be desired, and his insincerity shines through. So the base still hungers for someone who really, truly believes what every candidate for the party’s nomination must pretend to believe. Yet as I said, the only way to actually believe the modern G.O.P. catechism is to be completely clueless.

And that’s why the Republican primary has taken the form it has, in which a candidate nobody likes and nobody trusts has faced a series of clueless challengers, each of whom has briefly soared before imploding under the pressure of his or her own cluelessness. Think in particular of Rick Perry, a conservative true believer who seemingly had everything it took to clinch the nomination — until he opened his mouth.

So will Newt Gingrich suffer the same fate? Not necessarily.

Many observers seem surprised that Mr. Gingrich’s, well, colorful personal history isn’t causing him more problems, but they shouldn’t be. If hypocrisy is the tribute vice pays to virtue, conservatives often seem inclined to accept that tribute, voting for candidates who publicly espouse conservative moral principles whatever their personal behavior. Did I mention that David Vitter is still in the Senate?

And Mr. Gingrich has some advantages none of the previous challengers had. He is by no means the deep thinker he imagines himself to be, but he’s a glib speaker, even when he has no idea what he’s talking about. And my sense is that he’s also very good at doublethink — that even when he knows what he’s saying isn’t true, he manages to believe it while he’s saying it. So he may not implode like his predecessors.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/05/opinion/send-in-the-clueless.html?_r=1&src=me&ref=general

I particularly love that final bolded part. I'd want Newt to run solely from the entertainment value of all the opinion pieces that would come about.

[Phoenix Dark]

New Iowa poll (PPP)

The numbers: Gingrich 27%, Paul 18%, Romney 16%, Michele Bachmann 13%, Rick Perry 9%, Rick Santorum 6%, Jon Huntsman 4%, and Gary Johnson 1%.

http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/12/another-poll-shows-newt-leading-in-iowa.php?ref=fpblg

[Brehvolution]

[Mupepe]

Ah crap.  I'm using that on FB  haha

[Oblivion]

Gingrich at 37%, Romney 22%.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/151355/Gingrich-Romney-Among-GOP-Voters-Nationwide.aspx


Don't implode just yet, Newt!

[Phoenix Dark]

hey Business, what's the general view on politics/Obama in your area of the military? I've read many soldiers are conservative

[ShogunOfFear]

Ron Paul going hip hop.

[Mandark]

Ron Paul going hip hop.

http://www.facebook.com/Consise

Interests   

911 Truth

Freedom

The Constitution

Ron Paul

and he's an anti-fluoridation activist too!  We've got a real winner here, folks.

[Phoenix Dark]

I thought that was Slug or some Rhymeslayers white rapper, tbh. Sucks, I was just about to go on an Atmosphere rant

[Mandark]

Another thing I noticed is that going by this guy's FB page and album cover, he's not in a hurry to let people know he's white.

[Van Cruncheon]

everett washington is as snowy white as you can get. seriously, i go there and worry that this largish mole on my cheek might be enough melanin to get me kicked out of the applebee's there

[Oblivion]

So on the season finale of his show, Bill Maher tried to remind the righties that someone like Ebenezer Scrooge was a bad guy.

Of course, I'm pretty sure no one is shocked to see that some people disagreed:

http://www.ginandtacos.com/2011/12/01/character-rehabilitation/

First M(ao)uppet-gate and now this.  :'(

[Great Rumbler]

http://www.ginandtacos.com/2011/12/01/character-rehabilitation/

smh

[MrAngryFace]

everett washington is as snowy white as you can get. seriously, i go there and worry that this largish mole on my cheek might be enough melanin to get me kicked out of the applebee's there

Mill Creek is still kinda...aww who am I kidding- wait there's a black dude that works at the starbucks

[Cheebo]

Romney's campaign has been saying they have a big endorsement coming this week. Look's like it will be John McCain:
http://politicalwire.com/archives/2011/12/07/mccain_likely_to_endorse_romney.html

[Brehvolution]

What I don't understand is why Romney would still want to be a con/repub after the way he is being treated by his own party.

[Cheebo]

I know he is desperate to get noticed but what the hell is Obama's "war on religion"?

[Phoenix Dark]

 

[Howard Alan Treesong]

http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/12/rick-santorum-slams-president-obama-for-revealing-osama-bin-laden-died.php?ref=fpb

What a glory hound! Obama, next time you kill an international terrorist leader, keep it to yourself! Nobody cares!

[Phoenix Dark]

ouch

[Brehvolution]

Anecdotal evidence alert:

At last year's medical insurance meeting, 10% premium increases were met with grumblings blaming Obama.
This years 45% premium increase was met with nothing but contempt toward the insurance companies. I feel sorry for my coworkers who have to rely the few choices they are offered here. 2014 needs to get here fast.

[AdmiralViscen]

Romney's campaign has been saying they have a big endorsement coming this week. Look's like it will be John McCain:
http://politicalwire.com/archives/2011/12/07/mccain_likely_to_endorse_romney.html

The loser? The so called moderate? Great idea

[Phoenix Dark]

[Oblivion]

Wow, Newt's immigration stance didn't hurt him at all with the tea baggers, and in fact, they support HIS position more than Romney's:

Newt Gingrich’s position on illegal immigration:
Major reason to support: 38
Major reason to oppose: 15

http://dailykos.com/story/2011/12/06/1042801/-Likely-Iowa-caucus-goers:-Romneycare-a-major-reason-to-oppose-Mitt-Romney?via=blog_1

[ShogunOfFear]

[AdmiralViscen]

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/05/things-that-never-happened-in-the-history-of-macroeconomics/

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/09/keynes-versus-hayek-1932/

[ShogunOfFear]

I honestly stopped taking Krugman seriously when he suggested Greenspan create a housing bubble.  Then when he suggested a staged alien invasion to end the current economic crisis, I knew I made the right decision.

[Oblivion]

  Then when he suggested a staged alien invasion to end the current economic crisis, I knew I made the right decision.

Preeeeeeeeeeeeety sure he was joking with that.

[Cheebo]

I still am in shock that Newt is likely to be the nominee. I can't get over it. It's amazing Republicans think its a good idea. I just still can't believe it.

[Oblivion]

These days, you constantly see articles that make it seem as if there was a great debate in the 1930s between Keynes and Hayek, and that this debate has continued through the generations. As Warsh says, nothing like this happened. Hayek essentially made a fool of himself early in the Great Depression, and his ideas vanished from the professional discussion.

So why is his name invoked so much now? Because The Road to Serfdom struck a political chord with the American right, which adopted Hayek as a sort of mascot — and retroactively inflated his role as an economic thinker. Warsh is even crueler about this than I would have been; he compares Hayek (or rather the “Hayek” invented by his admirers) to Rosie Ruiz, who claimed to have won the marathon, but actually took the subway to the finish line.

Hmm, interesting. So is it fair to say Hayek is to libertarians what Paradise Lost is to Christians?

[Human Snorenado]

I still am in shock that Newt is likely to be the nominee. I can't get over it. It's amazing Republicans think its a good idea. I just still can't believe it.

It's been about 50 years, I guess it's time for them to learn a valuable lesson all over again.  Then again, I guess Goldwater was probably more personally likable and less of an egocentric douchenugget than ol' Newt.

[Phoenix Dark]

GUYS

I just learned Andrea Mitchell is married to Alan Greenspan, wtf. I have no idea

spoiler (click to show/hide)

i kinda thought she was milfy a few years ago, in a weird way

[close]

[Van Cruncheon]

These days, you constantly see articles that make it seem as if there was a great debate in the 1930s between Keynes and Hayek, and that this debate has continued through the generations. As Warsh says, nothing like this happened. Hayek essentially made a fool of himself early in the Great Depression, and his ideas vanished from the professional discussion.

So why is his name invoked so much now? Because The Road to Serfdom struck a political chord with the American right, which adopted Hayek as a sort of mascot — and retroactively inflated his role as an economic thinker. Warsh is even crueler about this than I would have been; he compares Hayek (or rather the “Hayek” invented by his admirers) to Rosie Ruiz, who claimed to have won the marathon, but actually took the subway to the finish line.

Hmm, interesting. So is it fair to say Hayek is to libertarians what Paradise Lost is to Christians?

try "left behind"

[Mandark]

I honestly stopped taking Krugman seriously when he suggested Greenspan create a housing bubble.  Then when he suggested a staged alien invasion to end the current economic crisis, I knew I made the right decision.

Really?  You mean you "took him seriously" and read his columns, but when you read that stuff you decided to change your mind?  Or are you just a conservative dude who doesn't take liberals seriously, and you're repeating some stuff that circulated around conservative blogs to justify it in this particular case?

It's too bad that Krugman's such a target of rage on the right.  He's one of the few pundits who isn't just a "public intellectual" but is also a qualified expert with a real knack for explaining a technical subject in comprehensible prose.  Regardless of your political leanings, you can learn a shit-ton of macroeconomics just from reading his blog, much less his book.

[Oblivion]

[Cheebo]

I love how Newt is the best friend of liberals right now. Democrats appearing in the media go out of their way to make sure they don't say a single negative thing about him and it seems like Pelosi got hit harder from the left for attacking Newt the other day than she did from the right.

Liberals don't want to do anything to harm the chance of Newt getting nominated. It's hilarious.

[Joe Molotov]

If you ever lose $1.2 Billion at your job, just be honest and admit you don't know what happened to it.

http://money.cnn.com/2011/12/08/news/companies/corzine_mf_global/index.htm?hpt=hp_t2

[Cheebo]

If you ever lose $1.2 Billion at your job, just be honest and admit you don't know what happened to it.

http://money.cnn.com/2011/12/08/news/companies/corzine_mf_global/index.htm?hpt=hp_t2

The worst thing to come out of Corzine's corruption was being responsible for allowing Chris Christie to be elected.

[Phoenix Dark]

http://www.dailykos.com/tv/w/002917/

gangta government

[Joe Molotov]

He also said "Ask your girlfriend. BOOM!"