Week In The News: Newt Gains, Keystone Nixed, SOPA Protest

Roy Mac

So…does Newt go with the “one man and one woman” definition of marriage?

Hidan

Not according to his first and second wife. Than again according to his second the third doesn’t/didn’t care if it was as well.
William

I wish the MSM would get an opinon on this wife cheating issue from Bill Clinton and Mrs. Clinton. Since they had an open marriage for years.
- JustSayin
  
  Bill is smiling today…. Payback is a B*tch.
  
  I don’t think anyone’s private business should be aired as politics, but conservatives are the “family values” people who crucified Clinton on their altar of christian values. I objected to it then and I do now, but when one sets forth a set of rules for public life, and decides to cast stones, then they better be without sin… and according to Christian lore, only One has such divinity.
  
  So perhaps, The Christian God has decided to punish all perverts with the same measuring rod.
  - http://www.richardsnotes.org Richard
    
    I agree, karma is a bitch. Newt was cheating on his wife and lying about it as he was impeaching Clinton. I hope he’s totally humiliated… publicly.
  - William
    
    True, it is difficult for Newt to defend himself.

Hidan

Of course Onpoint will talk about how Israeli Mossad agents worked with Terrorist (you know actual terrorist listed by the U.S. as terrorist) while posing as American CIA. Turns out the Intellegence officers and Americans were pissed and rightfully so but due to political/lobbyist reasons it was dropped.

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/01/13/false_flag

“A series of CIA memos describes how Israeli Mossad agents posed as American spies to
recruit members of the terrorist organization Jundallah to fight their covert war against Iran.” ”

“But while the memos show that the United States had barred even the most incidental contact with Jundallah, according to both intelligence officers, the same was not true for Israel’s Mossad. The memos also detail CIA field reports saying that Israel’s recruiting activities occurred under the nose of U.S. intelligence officers, most notably in London, the capital of one of Israel’s ostensible allies, where Mossad officers posing as CIA operatives met with Jundallah officials.

The officials did not know whether the Israeli program to recruit and use Jundallah is ongoing. Nevertheless, they were stunned by the brazenness of the Mossad’s efforts.

“It’s amazing what the Israelis thought they could get away with,” the intelligence officer said. “Their recruitment activities were nearly in the open. They apparently didn’t give a damn what we thought.” ”

Plushkin

another week another Israel bashing outburst by jihad pushing friends of OnPoint.
Wasn’t you all for Israel fighting her own wars? So here they come – stay away or feel free to join Jundallah or Hamas (your choice).
- Plushkin
  
  *Weren’t you*
- Hidan
  
  Again I i’ll ask you to refrain from using Jihad, terrorist and the likes.
  
  Anyways your comment doesn’t address the fact that Israel was posing as U.S. agents to work with Terrorist.
  
  Kind of not fighting it’s own battle when there pretending to be from the U.S.
Plushkin

Hidan- mode on
The author of these poorly substantiated crap based on 5 years old stale data by undisclosed sources, is Mark Perry.
——-
Perry served as an unofficial advisor to PLO Chairman and Palestinian President Yasser Arafat from 1989 to 2004.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Perry_%28author%29
—————

Obviously objective and unbiased.
Hidan-mode off
- Hidan
  
  So the quoted officials are lying than? I missed in your wiki link saying Mark Perry article is wrong.
  - Plushkin
    
    he quotes “undisclosed sources”, no officials are named. So yes, he is engaged in his delusional obsession about Israel.
    
    All of that should come as no surprise after advising Arafat fro 15(!) years.
    
    One should wonder if it was his advice to reject the best offer palestinians would ever get back in 2000. Notable is also the fact that he proceeded to advice the arch-terrorist during entire course of second intifada.
Plushkin

Last week, The Washington Post-owned online magazine Foreign Policy – which publishes a regular blog by Stephen Walt, published an article by Mark Perry claiming that in 2007 and 2008 Mossad agents posed as CIA agents in a false-flag operation whose aim was to build a cooperative relationship with the Pakistani/Iranian Baluchi anti-regime Jundallah terror group.

Perry’s report was based solely on anonymous sources. Its obvious purpose was to discredit the very notion of Israeli-US intelligence cooperation on Iran.

Following the publication of Perry’s article, Israel abandoned its general policy of never commenting on intelligence issues. The Foreign Ministry denounced his report as “utter nonsense.”

What Foreign Policy failed to tell its readers is that Perry is not an objective reporter. He is a former adviser to Yassir Arafat and an advocate of US engagement with Hamas and Hezbollah. By failing to mention his biases, Foreign Policy became an accessory to the mainstreaming of anti-Semitism. Like The Israel Lobby, Perry’s report in Foreign Policy adds to the legitimacy of the attitude that there is something fundamentally wrong with having a close relationship with the Jewish state.

Hidan

Also in the News Abe Fox and the ADL you know the guy that honored Rupert M. wrote that saying Iran isn’t getting nukes means your an anti-Semite. Yes Really. Glennwald talks about the smear campagin against CAP and Media Matters(MM) started by Josh Block and supposed liberal who was busted trying to work with the crazy rightwingers to smear CAP and Media Matters. Jennifer Rubin (the women who promoted this http://mondoweiss.net/2011/10/washington-posts-jennifer-rubin-promotes-a-call-for-palestinian-genocide-blumenthal.html) was on-board. According to Debka an Rightwing doomslayer website the SOD says Iran will have nukes in less than 3 months of course SOD aides have said no such thing.

Check it out
http://www.debka.com/article/21585/

Of course yet Debka has yet to correct there story.
Panetta admits Iran not developing nukes

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/01/09/panetta-admits-iran-not-developing-nukes/

Also strictly prohibited, according to the ADL, is “minimizing or rationalizing the Iranian threat.” This means that not only are the American intelligence agencies which produced the 2007 and 2010 NIEs guilty of anti-Semitism, as are Israeli officials who believe Iran “has not yet decided whether to translate these capabilities into a nuclear weapon,” but so too is Tamir Pardo, the current chief of the Israeli Mossad, who recently rejected the claim that Iranian nuclear weapons would pose an existential threat to Israel; ex-Mossad chief Ephraim Halevy (“[Iran is] far from posing an existential threat to Israel“; instead, domestic radicalization in Israel “poses a bigger risk than Ahmadinejad” because “ultra-Orthodox extremism has darkened our lives”; he added: “The State of Israel cannot be destroyed. An attack on Iran could affect not only Israel, but the entire region for 100 years”); ex-Mossad chief Meir Dagan (“a future Israel Air Force attack on Iranian nuclear facilities was ‘the stupidest thing I have ever heard”); and Israeli Defense Minister Barak (“Iran does not constitute an existential threat against Israel”).

http://www.salon.com/2012/01/19/the_smear_campaign_against_cap_and_media_matters_rolls_on/singleton/

P.S. Rupert is paying out some cash for hacking but still no jail time for him or his son.

http://gregorycamp.wordpress.com/ Greg Camp

You do realize that nuclear technology is dual use in many ways, right? Building reactors and controlling the fuel cycle may be a means of generating power, but it’s also a means of building a bomb. Given the instabillity of the Iranian political structure and their support for terrorist organizations over the years, their push to develop nuclear know how is troublesome.
- Hidan
  
  Ah,
  
  You don’t realize under the NPT Iran has the legal Right to develop Nuclear technology and having a fear that Iran could or could not do something in the future is not grounds for attack. Again as listed above Israel supports terrorist organizations and currently have an instable government run by equally rightwing extremist.Israel previously violated their previous agreement with Sweden and France and went nuclear and refuses to sign the NPT.
  
  I thought a professors would know this.
  
  Also I’m sure your aware that openly threatening to attack another nation is against international law which both the U.S. and Israel has done to Iran.
  - Plushkin
    
    apparently forming, supporting and arming freedom loving outfits like Hizballah and Hamas is well within the limits of international ‘law’. Iran has been killing Israelis through these proxies for years.
    
    Iran is in no way anything other than a rogue state bent becoming regional superpower at any cost. The inbred hatred of Jewish state, perpetuated by ayatollahs will bring nothing but doom to this backward regime, and rightfully so.
- Hidan
  
  Also killing civilian scientist is an act of terrorism. Greenwald makes an fine point about this
  
  http://www.salon.com/2012/01/12/iran_and_the_terrorism_game/singleton/
  
  “I could literally spend the rest of the day posting identical examples. That the targeted assassination plot aimed exclusively at the Saudi Ambassador was “Terrorism” was the automatic, unexamined, consensus claim from major media outlets, foreign policy experts, and the U.S. Government. Indeed, the accused defendants were formally charged with “international acts of terrorism” notwithstanding that it was to be a targeted assassination of a Saudi official. If anyone disputed this characterization, it escaped my notice, and I pay close attention to debates over the Terrorism label. Very few people, if anyone, objected at all when this allegedly Iranian plot was repeatedly denounced as Terrorism.
  
  But now that it’s widely believed that some combination of Israel and the U.S. are behind the ongoing plot to serially extinguish Iranian scientists — see here, here and here for just some of the evidence suggesting that — it’s suddenly improper, even outrageous, to suggest that this is Terrorism. That’s because the U.S. and Israel are incapable of committing Terrorism, by definition. Terrorism is only something done to those countries and by Muslims, not the other way around (the list of examples proving this to be true is extensive indeed).“
  - http://gregorycamp.wordpress.com/ Greg Camp
    
    Do you have any original opinions?
    - Plushkin
      
      why would he?
      But being frank one has to have at least half a barin to have an opinion. This prerequisite escapes jew-haters of all colors.
    - Anonymous
      
      Being opposed to a government’s actions does not make one an anti-Semite. If it did, half the Israelis would be called that. There is a lot more discussion and opposition IN Israel than here.
    - Plushkin
      
      how does that relate to inability to have one’s own opinion?
      
      criticizing Israel objectively is very far away from ruthless Israel bashing based exclusively and entirely on falsehoods and ideologically spun incidents.
    - Anonymous
      
      It relates to impugning anti-Semitism to a legitimate disagreement with a government action. It is sort of an ad hominem argument.
    - Plushkin
      
      agreed on that point. But the point itself has no bearing in this argument as Hidan pushes “widely believed” as “proven beyond reasonable doubts”. And on that basis proceeds to attack further.
      It has nothing to do with government action
      only with his jew-hatred as i originally asserted.
    - Hidan
      
      Right. But than again some can’t disguise between being Jewish and being Israeli. So any criticism again Israel government is conflated to an attack on all jews.
      
      Also Note Plushkin qouted Danial Pipes who according the The Southern Poverty law Center runs a Hate Group.
    - Hidan
      
      Of course. I just used sources such of Greenwald and others to back it. Something you seem to fail in. Which is amazing since you claim to be a Professor.
  - Plushkin
    
    killing civilians is terrorism.
    widely believed is speculative logic.
    Given Iran’s recent history it would not out of line to speculate that these series of killing is of Iran’s own doing: they have both – a very convincing motive as well as capability. No one is better equipped to commit these, virtually indistinguishable from one another, acts on their own soil than Iran herself.
    - Hidan
      
      So you admit Israel engages and works with terrorist? It’s absurd to believe Iran is killing it’s own scientist esp when Officials in Israel have been quoted in saying Iran may have some unnatural events happen.
    - Plushkin
      
      “It’s absurd to believe Iran is killing it’s own …”
      
      Really? Could these scientists not be dissidents? Could it not be a diversion at the time when Iran faces crippling sanctions by US and EU? Has it never happened before?
      
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chain_murders_of_Iran

Worried for the country(MA)

Anyone see last night’s debate on CNN?

Personally, I thought it was Newt’s weakest debate by far. Santorum had some strong attacks on Newt that should stick.

The CNN post debate panel seemed to disagree with my assessment. (not the first time that’s happened).

Just curious what people thought.

Newton Whale

I thought Newt won the debate with his first response. He attacked John King and CNN not once but 3 times in one answer and brought the crowd to its feet. He released his tax returns an hour before while Romney botched the issue by saying “maybe” he’d have the integrity to do what his father did.

Of course CNN would say that: they were defending their brand from the man who attacked it.

You do realize that “winning” these debates means swaying voters, not pundits, don’t you? Newt will win the SC primary thanks to that debate performance.

He is totally unelectable in the general election, but tailor made for the irrational hate-filled bigots and Ayn Rand worshiping pseudo-Christian hypocrites that comprise today’s GOP.
- Hidan
  
  Funny how Newt rises in the polls after making racist and code word remarks against blacks.
  - Gregg
    
    There wasn’t anything racist about it. It’s comments like yours that illustrate the problem in our country.
    - Hidan
      
      Nothing racist at all, when I talk about welfare and people getting off of it I use blah people as well. Just so happens blah sounds a awful like black.
      
      Colbert thought so to.
      
      http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/10/colbert-santorum-black-people_n_1196793.html
      
      But I get it Gregg Republicans aren’t racist just look at the Southern Strategy used to get votes. I’m sure Gregg would argue Republicans aren’t homophobic as well or xenophobic.
      
      Nice bubble you must live in.
    - Gregg
      
      More whites are on welfare than blacks. Why do you assume blacks can’t succeed without the help of bleeding hearts?
    - Newton Whale
      
      I think Hidan knows something you don’t: Newt wasn’t talking about white folks:
      
      GINGRICH: More people are on food stamps today because of Obama’s policies than ever in history. I would like to be the best paycheck president in American history. Now, there’s no neighborhood I know of in America where if you went around and asked people, “Would you rather your children had food stamps or paychecks,” you wouldn’t [SIC] end up with a majority saying they’d rather have a paycheck.And so I’m prepared, if the NAACP invites me, I’ll go to their convention and talk about why the African-American community should demand paychecks and not be satisfied with food stamps. And I’ll go to them and explain a brand new Social Security opportunity for young people, which should be particularly good for African-American males — because they’re the group that gets the smallest return on Social Security because they have the shortest life span.http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/01/05/398502/newt-gingrich-ill-tell-african-americans-that-they-should-demand-paychecks-and-not-be-satisfied-with-food-stamps/?mobile=nc
    - Gregg
      
      I’m not sure what it is you claim I don’t know. I heard Newt say it.
      
      My response was a little muddy though. I rightly wrote more whites were on welfare than blacks but food stamps is something else.
      
      http://www.cbpp.org
      /cms/?fa=view&id=193
      
      If you think it’s racist to bring up this travesty in an honest debate then I’m dumbfounded. The racism can be found in the policies that brought this about. Newt has the balls to say it.
      .
    - Hidan
      
      I don’t assume such.
      
      The better question is why did you use this
      
      “Why do you assume blacks can’t succeed without the help of bleeding hearts? ”
      
      Instead of
      
      Why do you assume people can’t succeed without the help of bleeding hearts? I guess helping people on welfare is only done by bleeding hearts(according to Gregg)
      
      Come on gregg least use Blah
- http://www.richardsnotes.org Richard
  
  Amazing how the people defending Newt seem to not care that he impeached Clinton for the same offense… and was the only speaker in history to be censured by the house. He’s a scumbag and his current popularity proves the point that Americans have not learned from history that we don’t learn from history.
  - Gregg
    
    “…same offense…”
    
    O yea Clinton just had a little affair, that’s all. That’s rich.
Gregg

I agree Santorum landed some punches on Newt and Romney. His response to Newt’s suggestion he drop out was priceless.

Yar

How would you feel if highway was proposed across your community, the highway will be privately owned, was not going to have any exits, and was planning to transport highly toxic chemicals? Just think, it brings jobs in construction, it is growth. What could go wrong? What are the costs and the benefits? �
Make a small change in the proposal, put exits along the highway and transport products that the community actually needs.
Of course, I am talking about the XL pipeline. Communities would have a different point of view if the pipe carried refined product instead of crude. If they are to share in the risks associated the pipeline, they should receive some of the benefit. Should the pipe be privately owned or should it be publicly owned?

William

I don’t see those farmers out there complaing about the massive amount of free money they have received from the government over the years.
- Yar
  
  Are saying if a farmer participates in any federal agricultural program, they must accept a pipeline across their property?
- Terry Tree Tree
  
  What about ALL the Corporate Welfare recipients? THEY got a LOT more!
  The senile, or corrupt black-robes of the Supreme Court, either sold out to declare corporations=persons, or they are senile!

Ed

Today is the March for Life in San Francisco, and this Monday is the 39th March for Life in Washington. There is a march starting in St. Louis also. There will be over 500,000 people in D.C., and the media won’t even cover it.

Archbishop Dolan wrote recently that the Catholic sexual moral teaching is seen as outdated … but that it’s actually the one that liberates, that is healthy and leads to life. Just look around to see the effects of going against this teaching – broken familes, disease, abortion, Newt on the grill.

If the US increased its birth rate from 2.1 to 2.7 children per woman Social Security wouldn’t be in danger. Abortion has shaped our country and our future, for the worse.

Yar

Good morning Ed. We have to invest in those children. Families need resources to raise them. We need to invest in education, a living wage, and access to healthcare. I agree, children are our future, how do we support all citizens in every stage of life?
nj

“Newt on the grill”

Is there some kind of sauce served with that?
- Anonymous
  
  It is mostly fat and gristle.
- JustSayin
  
  A dish best served cold…
Hidan

I would think Priest touching little boys would have more of affect on shaping out country and our future. wouldn’t you? Atleast it does to the children that were abused by those priest I would think.
Terry Tree Tree

Sexual moral teaching by example? Child-Molesting and Child-Abuse?
A higher birth-rate would provide these perverts MORE VICTIMS!
Anonymous

What is the Church’s position on Newt’s third marriage?
- Terry Tree Tree
  
  The Catholics evidently took him in, PROVING they have NO real MORALS!
  - http://pulse.yahoo.com/_Y6CO5C2HE4WM2OYGCDVWGPRXXM oldman
    
    They certainly have turned around on the issue of adultery and divorce.
Terry Tree Tree

WHY aren’t Catholics marching against the pervert HYPOCRITES, that Molest Children, and Abuse Children?�
Hundreds of years of HYPOCRICY and PERVERSION, qualifies them for WHAT?
- Yar
  
  Terry,
  I worry about you, you are as fanatic about Catholic priests as Ed is about abortion. Does he bring out your anger, or do you have personal experience with abuse? If so, I hope you have support, anger should not be held inside.
  - Terry Tree Tree
    
    I have personal experience with HYPOCRICY, and think the VICTIMS of the Catholics deserve better, than the Catholics diverting attention away from their crimes, sins, and hypocricy!
    You notice that Ed, and William, both that have said they are Catholic, NEVER post comments against perverted priests, and the clergy that protect them, thus CONDONING it?
    - Yar
      
      There is plenty of hypocrisy in our society. I don’t point to all of it. I may have even benefited from some of it. Life is not fair, is that hypocritical? The actions of some priest and church management is disgusting. But I believe that most people of faith, believe they are doing the right thing. I don’t want to judge anyone else. I try to do my best, and fail even at that. When I was young I wanted to change the world, I downsized to maybe I can help my community. It is like throwing starfish back into the ocean. You make a difference to each, one at a time.
    - Terry Tree Tree
      
      Risking the wrath of Moda’s ‘zillions’, I will say that I have stated some of the things that I do for my community, in past comments. �
      I keep trying to point out the hypocricy, to the hypocritical, and their followers, because it is serious, and ruined, and is continually ruining children’s lives. Claiming to be ‘Pro-Life’, while CONDONING the ABUSES of those children, is GROSS!
  - Terry Tree Tree
    
    Yar, I appreciate your concern for me. Does it look like I am holding my anger inside about the perversion and hypocricy of Catholics? How much do you think I’m hiding?

Ed

And in Nigeria 50 or so Catholics were killed on Christmas when the church was bombed. This past week the bomber escaped from prison. (Attacks on Christians not prosecuted in Muslim countries.)

Terry Tree Tree

In this, and several other countries, Catholic priest and clergy Child-Molesting and Child-Abuse is NOT prosecuted!

Gregg

Santorum was impressive last night.

Hidan

Yep those blah people really liked him.
- Anonymous
  
  I was shocked when Santorum at his post-Iowa caucus speech touted his everyman blue-collar roots by bragging about his 72 year old grandfather working in a coal mine! This is nothing to barg about!! What was a 72 year old man still doing hard labor? Could he not afford to retire? Was his mine unionized? Did he suffer from mining diseases like black lung? Why doesn’t the press ask these questions? Why doesn’t it come up in the “debates”?
  - TFRX
    
    It’s a well-known fact that Santorum’s grandfather <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe1a1wHxTyo"used to dream of living in a corridor.

Hidan

CNN censors vet that supports Ron Paul
http://rt.com/usa/news/cnn-ron-paul-thorsen-207/

The establishment’s war against Republican presidential hopeful Ron
Paul has been evident since the Texas congressman began surging in the
polls, but the previously privy attack on the candidate was made public
to millions Wednesday night.

During a live interview Wednesday night from an Iowa caucus location,
CNN briefly spoke to an US military veteran and adamant supporter of
Rep. Ron Paul until the soldier began praising Paul for the
non-interventionist ideals that separate the congressman from the
mainstream candidates endorsed by the establishment.
Just when Corporal Jesse Thorsen began to get heated, CNN dropped the feed.
Commentator
Wolf Blitzer dismissed the issue as a technical error, but others have
quickly speculated that Wednesday night’s mysterious malfunction was
less of a problem with camera feeds and more of an issue with what Cpl.
Thorsen had to say — a message made loud and clear by Ron Paul but
missed by the mainstream media outlets that continue to attack the
candidate.

“I’m really excited about a lot of his ideas,” Cpl. Thorsen told CNN pundit Dana Bash from Paul headquarters in Ankeny, Iowa Wednesday night. “Especially when it comes to bringing the soldiers home,” added Thorsen. “I’ve been serving for ten years now and all ten of those have been during wartime. I’d like to see a little peacetime army and I think he has the right idea.”Almost immediately, CNN’s Bash began berating the veteran and questioning him over his support for a candidate that would want to largely discontinue America’s foreign military presence. Bash pointed the camera towards a large tattoo on the solder’s neck that recognizes the September 11 terrorist attack and asks Thorsen how he could consider a candidate like Paul while other Republicans write him off as a security threat.

Modavations

Newt,Newt,Newt,Newt

Bolshevik MSM=0
Free Men=1

Hidan

Cool Newt’s wife is down with OPP(other people’s property for the old ones here)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xGuGSDsDrM

Charles A. Bowsher

Ohhh the the trials of being a Repugnican!
Faced with the choice of:
A Hypocritical Serial Polygamist or
A Polygamist Wannabe
�
What to do? What to do?
�
I predict a split convention

Anonymous

With the current party primary voters, a candidate has to be either a fool or a fraud; i.e., the candidate must be so naive that belief in false economics and false science is acceptable, or smart but willing to say anything [pander] even when they KNOW it is false. The problem comes when their promised policies do not deliver and they have to figure out a way to blame the Democrats (the raison d’ete of their ad hominem attacks these days). Romney seems to be overdoing it so extremely that he is not believed, at least by a lot of independents.

nj

Another encouraging step in a growing movement:

http://www.pressherald.com/news/portland-councilors-support-an-end-to-corporate-personhood_2012-01-19.html?searchterm=city+council+corporate+personhood

Portland councilors support an end to ‘corporate personhood’Their resolution urges Maine’s delegation in Congress to limit how money influences politics.By Dennis Hoey dhoey@mainetoday.com�
Staff WriterPORTLAND – Members of the City Council took a stand Wednesday night against corporations being given the same rights as individuals.After hearing more than an hour of testimony, the council voted 6-2 in support of a nonbinding resolution calling on Maine’s congressional delegation to support an amendment to the U.S. Constitution abolishing “corporatepersonhood.”Sponsors of the resolution said it is in part a response to the 2010 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, which gave corporations the right to spend unlimited money on political advertising. In the 5-4 ruling, the court said corporations have the same First Amendment rights to free speech as people.No one who spoke at Wednesday’s hearing supported the ruling. Speakers said Portland could make a small difference by adding its voice to a rising tide of dissent across the country.”Corporate personhood comes from the court, not the cradle or an act of Congress,” said Herb Adams of Portland. “The only thing separating a corporation from being human now is their ability to cast a vote.”—snippe

Modavations

Pres.Obama kills the 20,000(shovel ready)job Pipeline as a sop to the cult of Giai,then stands between Goofy and Mickey and proclaims I’m focusing on the economy “Like a lazer”

Anonymous

It wasn’t shovel-ready. The Republicans forced a decision on it before the plan could be amended to reflect a new route. At best it was mop-ready for the clean up jobs when it leaks into the water supply.
Hidan

really,

was Obama playing Donald?

I heard from Minni that 20,000 jobs # was inflated
- TFRX
  
  It’s “20,000 work-years”. The product of the number of people employed, times the length of employment in years, is 20,000.
  
  Picture four of those auto plants opening up in GA/AL/MS, each hiring 5,000 people–construction, subcontractors AND assembly line workers totalled–and shutting down completely in a year.
  
  That’s the “promise”. Big, big stuff.
  - Anonymous
    
    Actually TransCanada is now claiming “only” 13,000 job-years, and Cornell study implies even less. And other jobs will be cut back, resulting in an even smaller job “gain” or even a loss.
    
    But there will taxpayer jobs to clean up after the certain spills of the most toxic oil on the planet.
Newton Whale

With so many competing claims it would be nice to have an independent study analyzing the job creating potential of the Keystone XL Pipeline.

Oh, wait! We do:

A Report by Cornell University Global Labor Institute

to highlight some of the main points made in this paper: » The construction of KXL will create far fewer jobs in the US than its proponents have claimed and may actually destroy more jobs than it generates. » The industry’s US job claims, and even the State Department’s analysis, are linked to a $7 billion KXL project budget. However, the budget for KXL that will have a bearing on US jobs figures is dramatically lower—only around $3 to $4 billion. » The claim that KXL will create 20,000 direct construction and manufacturing jobs in the US is unsubstantiated. There is strong evidence to suggest that a large portion of the primary material input for KXL—steel pipe—will not even be produced in the US» The industry’s job projections fail to consider the large number of jobs that could be lost by construction of KXL. This includes jobs lost due to consumers in the Midwest paying 10 to 20 cents more per gallon of gasoline and diesel fuel. These additional costs ($2 to $4 billion) will suppress other spending and cost jobs. Furthermore, pipeline spills, pollution and increased greenhouse gas emissions incur significant human health and economic costs, thus eliminating jobs.Put simply, KXL’s job creation potential is relatively small, and could be completely outweighed by the project’s potential to destroy jobs through rising fuel costs, spill damage and clean up operations, air pollution and increased GHG emissions

http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/globallaborinstitute/research/upload/GLI_KeystoneXL_Reportpdf.pdf
- Anonymous
  
  Agreed! Even TransCanada now only claims 13,000 job-years (spin for 6,500 jobs that last 2 years) but as you point out, there is disagreement on that indicating many less. But the long-term jobs will be to clean up the spills that are inevitable and with this highly corrosive and acidic oil, particularly dangerous to all. The Yellowstone River spill from another pipeline last year of “only” a few tens of thousands barrels is not cleaned up yet and probably never will be, just like Exxon Valdez and Deepwater Horizon (see the latest report on Gulf pollution just released). I remember on the hundredth anniversary of the first oil well in Texas the pronouncement that the spill from that “strike” had polluted a whole valley and was still not cleaned up.
Still Here

Certainly more shovel-ready than anything Obama’s ever come up with. I think he doesn’t like it because it wasn’t his idea. He’d rather have another 20K people working union-jobs for the government. I’m sure after the election he’ll come around but for now he’s going to be talking about corn-based ethanol, Indian wind turbines and Chinese solar cells.
- Terry Tree Tree
  
  TransCanada is already re-routing their pipeline. �
  Since the company has a BAD record of maintenance and allowing leaks, the executives should ALL volunteer themselves and their families to eat or drink ANY spillage from their nasty pipelines, as they get the PROFIT from NOT doing proper maintenance, or building quality pipeline!
JustSayin

If Obama wants to create jobs, then I would rather he created jobs working on US infrastructure and not building Canadian infrastructures on US soil, for the Canadian government.

If only the US had some roads, bridges, and other things that were in need of repair or construction….
- Terry Tree Tree
  
  MANY have been built or repaired, with Stimulus money. Congress is holding up fixing our infrastructure!
  The 1% that hold all that wealth, that were going to CREATE JOBS, could build public infrastructure, with ALL the $BILLIONS they got in tax breaks!
  - JustSayin
    
    Yes that’s correct. I would just like to see our tax dollars building bridges here, and not in Iraq, and Afghanistan.
    
    Now that the US has rebuilt the Iraq infrastructure, and is spending huge amounts on nation building in Afghanistan, the compromise to spending all of out tax dollars on national infrastructure is defined as building other nations stuff on US soil for other nations welfare….
    
    No, No, NO!
    - Terry Tree Tree
      
      We agree on building here, with tax money! MANY of the projects in Iraq couldn’t be completed, because the companies sent the WRONG building supplies, even when the RIGHT supplies were ORDERED! Joining two sections of water pipe, with a shelf-angle-bracket, might be done, but it won’t hold water!
  - BEEZ
    
    Right, and then Romney says, those profits for investors create jobs…psst
TFRX

Anyone want to let Moda in on special economics made for this project in which “twenty thousand people working for one year apiece” is “20,000 jobs11!11one!” ?
BEEZ

I find it funny when people say he’s killing jobs…that don’t exist. That’s like the pro-lifers including the “pull out method” in their anti-abortion “crusade”! Or better yet…flirting with the opposite sex!
Any jobs would be temporary. The effects would be long-lasting and potentially drastic.
It’s so STUPID to say the President of The U.S. “does not want to create jobs”
You don’t have to be pro-Obama, but anyone who believes the non-sense of the republican party is seriously mentally deficient, and ignorant too.
Anonymous

If a pipeline is to be built, it should be a natural gas pipeline from Alaska, so that instead of “flaring” the natural gas released from oil wells, it could be productively burned here without the water contamination that “fracking” is creating.

Modavations

That was some of the best T.V.I’ve ever seen.It had to be a set-up

Terry Tree Tree

The cruise line captain should be tried for negligent homicide, for EACH passenger dead, and EACH passenger missing , that is NOT found alive!
His superiors should face these charges also, plus charges of not providing the ship with properly trained crew, including the captain!
This is THEIR responsiblity! They chose to put untrained personnel in positions of responsibility, probably for MORE PROFIT!

Modavations

Agreed.His family and even extended family ,have probably been forced into hiding
Hidan

It’s really sad what happen and the recording of him makes things even worst.

But I did read that what the captain did wasn’t the first to come that close to crashed area and it had more to do with customs than profit. I do hope the captain gets the maximum for what he did.
JustSayin

It not his fault. He says he tripped on the tilted deck and fell into that life boat. and the ship only crashed because he was talking on the phone with a friend.
- Terry Tree Tree
  
  I would laugh, if the deaths and damage wasn’t so great!

Anonymous

What is interesting to me is how all of the GOP candidates economic ideas will increase the deficit in one year and Newt Gingrich’ will add $1.25 trillion to the deficit as this how much would be lost in revenue by 2015. I know all of the right wing starve the beast folks are salivating on this prospect, but I have a question for those who have been going on and on about the debt and deficit: How does a government pay down debt and deal with a huge deficit with less revenue? I guess we can just close down all of the federal government as that chap Modavations has been suggesting. Of course the reality is Gingrich’ plan is nothing short of irresponsible in light of the problems we face moving forward.

http://taxpolicycenter.org/taxtopics/Gingrich-plan.cfm

Gregg

The projections are in a vacuum assuming spending levels remain as they
are… which they can’t. In the 90′s the CBO projected $200billion
deficits as far as the eye can see but the reality was a tech bubble
along with welfare reform, a tax hike and a cap gains cut caused a
surplus instead. The CBO did not project the 1994 revolution. Any
projection that includes Obamacare is not in our future. It will be
repealed or ruled unconstitutional.
- Gregg
  
  BTW, I didn’t see the “Obama plan” is the left wing Brookings study.
- Anonymous
  
  Nice try, but even if they are off by a few hundred million or so it’s clear that his economic policies are nothing short of irresponsible. He’s your man as you keep saying how much you like him. The bottom line is he’s posted his economic plan and it’s been analyzed and the conclusion is revenue will go down. That’s a fact no matter how you many past unrelated CBO reports you come up with.
  Funny how you use the CBO to support your own claims but rail against it when it does not line up with your world view.
  
  By the way both Romney and Santorum’ plans would also raise the deficit.
  
  It would seem that in GOP land tax cuts don’t raise the deficit.
  
  In my view not one of them is dealing with the real economic problems we face in the short term and long.
  That’s something that I see woefully lacking in all of the right wing arguments about the debt and deficit, they can’t seem to understand economic policy beyond the short term, or so it would seem.
  
  The reality is we need more revenue as well as some serious cuts across the board. You can’t just make tax cuts and hope it will all work out. Reagen tried that and it failed.
  - Gregg
    
    Project this.
    
    http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/01/26/133240170/deficit-projections-see-them-grow-this-years-now-a-record-1-5-trillion
    - Anonymous
      
      Your point is what? We have a deficit problem. I already acknowledge this.
      Now you come back with a NPR article on the deficit for reasons that I guess make it seem as if you are soooo clever. However it still does not change the issue that Newts economic plan is garbage.
    - Gregg
      
      My point is the context in which you present your premise.
    - Anonymous
      
      And for this year and next, it should be larger until unemployment comes down. But the spending that leads to the bigger number needs to be infrastructure and support to states so our students do not pay for the rest of their lives for this.
    - Gregg
      
      Well, that’s one theory I suppose. I strongly disagree but at least your reasons for implying Republicans plans are inferior are honest. I respect that more than the opposite complaint that their plans increase the deficit too much. You are consistent but I disagree with you more than the inconsistent ones on this one. Ironic.
    - Anonymous
      
      For the reasons that “austerity NOW, NOW, NOW” does not work, see:
      
      http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/skidelsky49/English
      
      The Republicans achieve their deficit reductions by cutting taxes for the wealthy, a notoriously ineffective ($0.45 growth in GDP for every tax dollar cut) and reduces the deficit by cutting income to the poor who would spend it, further reducing GDP dollar for dollar. By putting the unemployed to work, government payments for unemployment insurance, food stamps and Medicaid (those items Republicans, but not economists, blame on Obama) will drop and worker taxes increase and the deficit is greatly reduced.
      
      And the above does not include the personal devastation of those, long unemployed, who will never work again or the young whose lifetime earnings will be forever stunted.
    - Gregg
      
      I don’t know of any plans to cut taxes for the wealthy or anyone else. I don’t understand how you go straight from my objection to runaway spending to austerity. There’s a whole lot of middle ground.
- Anonymous
  
  The whole (WHOLE!) discretionary budget is less than the deficit increases in these “deficit hawk” Republican proposals, which means that current seniors would have to lose big parts of their SS and Medicare, which will not fly! Except that the MSM will not tell anyone until it is happening.
  - Gregg
    
    Do you realize what Obamacare will do to the economy in 2013-14? Do you advocate spending the entire economy? Do you think entitlements are sustainable without reform? Is it cool to forever after raise the debt ceiling to cover forever increased spending?
    
    Maybe more investment in Solar is what we need.
    - Anonymous
      
      More investment in solar is absolutely warranted. But Obamacare will not hurt the economy; it will start the slow turn of the battleship of health care spending by changing some aspects of payment regimes and gathering data for more improvements. It certainly could have done more, but the health insurance industry did not want it and found Republican and enough Democratic Senators to get its way.
      
      The cost of healthcare affects all but the wealthiest and no Republican plan addresses the cost growth except to throw patients on the tender mercies of greedy for-profit insurance companies.

Terry Tree Tree

‘Compassionate’, ‘conservative’, ‘Family Values’, ‘Christians’, support Newt? Makes me wonder if they would support Hitler or Stalin, if they claimed to be ‘born again’?

r.b.

Yup, they would! Scary, isn’t it?

Newton Whale

2012: Newt on being asked about cheating on his second wife:

“I think the destructive, vicious, negative nature of much of the news media makes it harder to govern this country, harder to attract decent people to run for public office,” Gingrich said. “And I am appalled that you would begin a presidential debate on a topic like that.”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/20/gingrich-debate-south-carolina_n_1218002.html

1998: Newt on Bill Clinton cheating on his first and only wife:

Gingrich drummed up support for impeachment. He declared he would “never again, as long as I am speaker, make a speech without commenting on this topic.” No one knew at the time that Gingrich was carrying on an extramarital affair with Callista Bisek, a staffer on the House payroll 23 years his junior, but that did not deter him.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/12/23/how-newt-gingrich-crashed-and-burned-when-he-was-house-speaker.html

1998: Newt when confronted by his second wife on his hypocrisy:

“It doesn’t matter what I do,” he answered. “People need to hear what I have to say. There’s no one else who can say what I can say. It doesn’t matter what I live.”

http://www.esquire.com/print-this/newt-gingrich-0910?page=all

Gregg

It’s hilarious to me how people equate an affair with a serial abuser of women lying under oath, obstructing justice, getting hummers while on the phone talking Bosnian policy, using the full weight of government to attempt to influence Linda Tripp to perjur herself in Federal Court, lying to his staff and encouraging them to repeat his lies, smearing Paula Jones and attempting to deny her her day in court and wagging his finger at the American people while lying his ass off. This does not even go into the horrible unethical (if legal) practices at the Rose law firm, Madison S&L, Whitewater, Billy Dale and the travel office, missing subpeonead records showing up in the Clinton’s private quarters and Sandy Berger shoving classified Documents down his pants and smuggling them to the shredder. Poor Vince Foster committed suicide over this mess. It’s why Clinton was the second President in history to be impeached.

So, I take it your charge is hypocrisy. Let’s put it to the test. If Clinton could and did run again, would you vote for him. An honest answer please.
- Anonymous
  
  I thought Hillary killed Vince Foster.
  - Gregg
    
    No silly, all she did was help move the body.
- Terry Tree Tree
  
  Gregg, I’m with you on most of those, and the others are outweighed by that.�
     I would NOT vote for Bill Clinton, for ANY public office, knowing what we know now!
     I would NOT vote for Newt Gingrich, for ANY public office, for the same reasons!
     When ANYONE claims the moral highground, then PROVES they have far less morals than I do, they lose any respect I might have for them.
     Catholics, and especially their clergy, have destroyed ANY credibility with me, because they perpetuate the crimes against children, while spouting HYPOCRICY!
- TFRX
  
  You should have just placed “Whitewater” at the start, so people would know how seriously to take you.
  - Gregg
    
    I agree, when you look at it it’s astonishing. Poor vince.
    - TFRX
      
      Hilarious!
      
      What’s it like inside your bubble?
    - Gregg
      
      Informed. You should look it up.
- Newton Whale
  
  It depends on the opposition. I absolutely would vote for him again if the alternative were a president who would appoint more Supreme Court justices like Scalia, Thomas, Alito and Roberts. We will be living with the disaster that is Citizens United for years to come.
  
  And my problem with Gingrich is not that he had multiple affairs. I don’t care. My problem is the policies he espouses and the fact that he impeached a president who was doing a good job against the overwhelming wishes of the public.
  
  The fact that Gingrich was having his own consensual adulterous affair at the same time should have convinced him that it was irrelevant. That it didn’t is proof that he didn’t impeach Clinton over principle, he did it because he thought it would be a political winner. The public did not agree and Clinton left office with the highest approval rating of any president since WW II, 3 points higher than Reagan.
  
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Clinton#Public_opinion
  - Gregg
    
    The comment I replied to made nary a mention of a single policy issue. And now you say you could vote for a man whose actions were far worse regarding the single issue you cited. You give his policies zero credit for the success of the person you admire when they worked together to achieve that success. This logic makes no sense to me. I’ll just leave it there.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_C2STBLZJK4VKQBV27DVQX3I6CU FAX68

Newt is a Hypocrite. He thinks he’s better on extra-marital affair than Clinton.
- Anonymous
  
  I don’t care about a politicians sex life.
  as long as it does not interested with their job, who cares.
  - TFRX
    
    Depends on how badly they want their church in my bedroom.
    
    Righties, yes. Lefties, not so much.

Nancy

Gingrich has mountains and mountains of garbage from his past to answer for…

HOW DARE THE MEDIA, OR THE DEBATES, OR ANY OF THE OTHER REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES BRING UP ALL THE GARBAGE FROM GINGRICH’S PAST!

Gingrich should just slide into the nomination without ANYONE asking any questions! Just listen to the brainless Republican rank and file cheer! -And I DO mean RANK!

John in Amherst

Gingrich’s hypocrisy – publicly lambasting Clinton over his moral lapses and extoling the country to live virtuously while he was ditching wife one while she was in treatment for cancer, then wife two after 6 years of infidelity after she declined to accept his young mistress, is more appauling than his daliances per se.�
The “Gingrich surge” is laying bare the motives of the “christian right”. That Southern white evangelicals could support a pompous intellectual hypocrite who has enriched himself as an D.C. influence pedler, over a flip-flopping uber-rich mormon who pays a marginal tax rate leaves some doubt. Is it the mormon thing, or economic fairness? Their vitriol toward President Obama (a model family man who rose from modest means and spent years organizing in poor urban neighborhoods), and their enthusiasm for Newt’s snide and erroneous quips about the “food stamp president” is more transparent. This speaks volumes about racial and religious tolerance in South Carolina. So much for Christ’s teachings that all men are equal in the eyes of the lord, and his exhorting us to care for the sick, impoverished and imprisoned.

r.b.

John, you hit the nail on the head, as well as covered most of the bases!
Anonymous

NPR had a program (this morning? or last night) interviewing people at the debate where the anti-Mormon theme is validated at least to a bigger degree than many commentators have tried to claim.

Worried for the country(MA)

I just noticed Juan William’s is a guest today. Please congratulate Juan.

Juan Williams and John King are the two men who are responsible for Newt Gingrich winning the SC primary. They were perfect media foils for Newt to slam to rousing applause.

The irony is neither issue was about a pressing policy issue. In fact, the John King issue was simply a deflection of a deeply flawed character.

Gregg

Juan Williams will be spewing his leftist prattle and like-minded commenters here will be complaining anyway because he works for Fox… with many other vitriolic lefties.
- Anonymous
  
  …and you will be spewing forth right wing prattle with your like-minded cronies.
- original famous Cory
  
  I thought prattle was to thick to spew. Prattle must be strewn or thrown.
  - Gregg
    
    My bad, thanks.
- TFRX
  
  Given your head is stuck up your Foxhole, it’s easy to see how you would call JW’s questions “leftist prattle”.
  
  Many people recognize these “debates” for the pep rallies that they are.
margbi

About that applause: does it seem as though the Republican primaries are becoming more and more like “Dancing With the Stars”? You know, the winner gets to return next week?
- Worried for the country(MA)
  
  It’s all about red meat. The public is sick of media bias. It is as simple as that.

Anonymous

Newt Gingrich told us all that he was the only true conservative in the bunch, then he criticized Mitt Romney for engaging in marketplace capitalism while at Bain. I thought Free Market Capitalism was the American way. Isn’t it one of the philosophies Republicans hold dear? Does Newt really believe this stuff? Is he pandering for votes? Does he really believe Republican voters are that stupid? ARE Republican voters that stupid?

original famous Cory

They’re pretty stupid (or pretty rich).
Anonymous

They are ALL saying whatever they think will work with the “voter.” [Pandering!] Which says a lot about what they think of the voters in this country. And so far they seem to be getting away with it.

Republicans decided to inflate the deficit problem to distract the voters from Republican guilt in causing it and to take advantage ["never waste a crisis!"] of the anger to implement their “starve the beast” program. They “won” in 2010 state elections and what did they do: no job creation bills, but abortion and voter id bills to bring their voters to the polls and keep the others away.

They are following the classic magician’s path: deflect attention from what they are really doing with one hand by waving the other and looking away. Note how their budget proposals all make the deficit worse while they preach deficit reduction. Job creation is what is needed so that those now unemployed will pay taxes and not be on the social safety net, which is the big part of the current deficit (still growing). Check out how “austerity” is working to cut deficits in Greece, Spain, Ireland and Italy. Greece and Ireland have GROWING deficits as spending is being cut.

Erin in Iowa

Newt Gingrich presents a STUNNING example of hypocrisy. I agree that the debate maybe wasn’t the best place to ask him to respond to his ex-wife, but I can’t figure out why anyone would buy his answers to any of it. I’ve heard better defenses on daytime soap operas! And Newt of all people should not be so appalled and clutch his pearls like Scarlet OHara over such a question.

J. Mezure Carter

Where are the decent GOP candidates? What Gingrich said about the press keeping decent people from running for office says volumes about the caliber of people who are currently running. Let’s be honest, it’s not the press that sets the tone of a political campaign, it’s the GOP insiders of all ilks who selected these candidates. Their message is “decency be damned,” we just need to defeat Obama and take our country back.

J. Mezure Carter

Just Thinking

Just curious, what is it that Obama has done that makes you hate him so much? Before you say the economy, just let me say – it takes but a minute to run your credit card through a machine at a store and it takes a lot longer to pay it off. Obama inherited the debt. He did not start the war…I am not an Obama fan, but I will not blame someone for something they did not do. If your boss at work held you personally accountable for something your predecessor did, wouldn’t you cry foul play?
- Terry Tree Tree
  
  My way of looking at it too! Congress ASSISTED ‘W’ in almost every way they could, that brought this country to near ruin! Congress opposes almost everything President Obama, to get him out of office!
  - BHA in Vermont
    
    So they can “take back the country” and put it on the track to ruin.
- Anonymous
  
  @fec4a4d44f94d5295c5ba9eeb127fa14:disqus @d54adb21175c630036e64f07845f8896:disqus
  
  I think J. Mesure Carter is simply pointing out how the Republican Party has gone off the rails to think that the goal of taking down Obama justifies ANY means, even bringing the whole country down.
  
  Just visit Andrew Sullivan’s column in Newsweek:
  
  http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/01/15/andrew-sullivan-how-obama-s-long-game-will-outsmart-his-critics.html
  
  to see that the Republicans may have already lost this election by scaring off any Republican who is not either a fool (naive?) or a fraud (scam). The scorched earth approach of the Republicans could easily not play well when Independents have to decide.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_Y6CO5C2HE4WM2OYGCDVWGPRXXM oldman

I find it amazing the Gingrich is becoming the hero of social conservatives. Hypocrisy doesn’t even begin to touch it.

Michiganjf

Foreign policy in the Republican presidential field?

“We’ll fight you with MORONISM and STUPIDITY, to our last breath and America’s last penny!”

Yar

The nation is much more forgiving in the exploits of a man than those of a woman. Why the double standard? Maybe, because women are often more strategic in relationships. Was Callista attracted to Newt’s good looks and charming wit.
What is her response to the affair? She gives new meaning to First Lady’s guns.

http://gregorycamp.wordpress.com/ Greg Camp

Does Gingrich’s second wife have much of a place to stand? Didn’t she have an affair with him while he was married to his first wife?
- Yar
  
  I question the idea that he ask for a divorce first and then asked for an open marriage. The timeline appears to have holes. I did not see her interview and don’t want to see it. I do worry about a man who is manipulated by women. That was a problem with Clinton and many other political men. They think they are loved for their personality when they are attractive because of their power. They just want to be loved. It comes from self delusion. Not healthy in a leader.
Anonymous

I, too, would like to know more about Calista. I don’t expect her to say anything, but she seems to lack good character in her having an apparent affair will a married man. I heard a report that the early 2011 cruise to Greece and her Tiffany’s jewelry was her way of blackmailing Newt into getting her support for a Presidential run. Now she stands like a Barbie doll mannequin at Newt’s side. Did she ever have an education or an independent career? It seems Democratic spouses have equal education and equally important careers (see Michelle Obama, Jill Biden & Hillary Rodham Clinton). Calista is a blank.
- BHA in Vermont
  
  There is no ‘apparent’ in the affair.
  
  And, just MHO, she is one OLD looking 46 year old.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_Y6CO5C2HE4WM2OYGCDVWGPRXXM oldman

The attacks on Romney have been funny considering they are straight out of the occupy movement’s playbook as opposed to attacks from the right.

Anonymous

If Mitt’s the candidate, I can’t wait for all the mashup ads featuring Newt as the spokesman for the Democratic candidate. Seriously, are Newt’s anti-Romney/capitalism comments in the public domain and usable by Obama in the campaign?
- TFRX
  
  “Are Newt’s anti-Romney/capitalism comments in the public domain”
  
  Public domain?
  
  Isn’t he preconditioned to call anyone a liar who runs footage of him in an interview?

Ellen Dibble

David Sanger is talking about Iran. The Charlie Rose show two nights ago had an interview with Iran’s ambassador to the UN, Mohammad Khazaee, and what I took away from that was a focus on this: The United States took away from Iran their great Nemesis Saddam Hussein and the sunni threat from their western border, with shiites coming more to the fore (the interview never mentioned sunni and shiite, however), and secondly, that the United States has neutralized Iran’s enemies on their eastern border, being Taliban. I’m not sure about that. It sounded to me like that. And I’m thinking Iran should be kowtowing to the United States. But Iran has been seen as a client state of the USSR, and now Russia. And it seems Russia is trying to use Iran as a bargaining chip in some Cold War way, trying to divide the world this way and that. Anyway, it’s confusing — even without Iran’s internal political situation. (Leaving the bomb and Israeli politics out of it — yeah, right.)

Jake Folger

To me, as a voter and an environmentalist, stopping the Keystone Pipeline was one of the most defining stances taken by the Obama Administration. Yes, America desperately needs jobs, but at what price? Are we that ready to go back to the mentality of immediate gratification that brought on the recession in the first place? We need to build a sustainable base upon which to continue renewable growth. Deepening our dependence on temporary energy sources, that are already proven to create far more serious problems for the globe than economic problems they are currently proposed to solve, is the “quick fix” typical of short minded thinking. We don’t just need to add job, we need to add the right jobs.

John in Amherst

Good the KPL was delayed, but it is not dead. My take: The KPL isn’t dead, it will be built, being OK’d by mid September or sooner. Obama said “no, not now where you planned”, and “no the GOP is not going to get points by railroading a decision”, but he didn’t say “no, never”. The Administration invited to company to survey a different route through the area of the Ogalala aquiffer (as per the request of a couple republicans from the affected areas) and resubmit for approval. The GOP had tacked the KPL approval onto a fast track as a rider, and the administration took the line they needed more time to study the route and stuck to their guns. Not an untoward request, given the recent leak in Montana into the Yellowstone watershed, and the fact that the pipe line will carry a shit load of oil over a basin that is the water supply for several midwestern states. This temporarily appeases the environmental lobby, but the real enviro issue is the amount of energy used to extract & refine this extremely heavy crude makes it an incredibly dirty source of energy.
Another issue, though not a show stopper, is the actual number of jobs to be created. There are people who dispute the incredibly rosey predictions by the industry….
- BHA in Vermont
  
  Right. How come no one is reporting “Obama turned down a pipeline who’s route HAS NOT YET BED DECIDED”?????
  
  If your neighbor wanted to modify their house, would you approve without knowing what they were going to do and how it might adversely affect you? I thought not.
  - Anonymous
    
    Probably because all those so-called conservative backers trust the government to do the right.

Mrs D in Nebraska

The Republicans are yelling “states rights!” so why are they so against my state, Nebraska, deciding where the XL Pipeline will be built?

Anonymous

States rights only matter when it is about racism.
- TFRX
  
  And fertilized eggs.
Mrs D in Nebraska

Mrs D again: If they want jobs, why not pass the President’s job act? Hypocritical!
- Gregg
  
  Because it’s a job killer.

TFRX

Newt is whining about the vicious media and personal destruction?

So tired of these effing pep rallies. When’s the next time a Republican is going to have to face the real world?

BHA in Vermont

When the GOP nominee has been anointed.

http://gregorycamp.wordpress.com/ Greg Camp

Isn’t wife number two making the argument that she stole Newt away from another woman and didn’t want him stolen away by a third?

Anonymous

She claims he was in the process of getting divorced before they started their relationship.
- http://gregorycamp.wordpress.com/ Greg Camp
  
  One might say that she knew what she was getting into.

Al hansen

Do you suppose Romney will encourage some of his sons to join the military to help with his foreign policy?

Anonymous

Last time he claimed they were serving their country by campaigning for him.
Terry Tree Tree

Like FDR, who’s 5 sons served? FDR’s son James, served in U.S. Marine Corps Carlson’s Raiders, that went BEHIND Japanese lines, on Japanese-held islands, to fight!�
Mitt got any of those? ‘W’ compared himself favorably to FDR, but his girls fought their way into bars, to get drunk, or stoned, as I heard it. NOT the same, in my estimation!
Anonymous

From the new book on Romney, we know W.M.R. was a war dodger himself during Vietnam. If I understand correctly, he managed to get a student deferment as a Morman church member (church members take on ministerial roles) and did not serve himself. Understand, I would probably tried this myself. But here he is saber-rattling against Iran and couldn’t serve himself in my generation’s war.

Guest

Come on Tom. “Will the GOP put up a strong candidate?” What kind of question comment is that? Longtime listener and big fan of the show. Let’s keep the comments constructive. The GOP has issues and this race is far from over. Remember the DEMs in 2008. This is a process and it is there for a reason.

Dave

It didn’t occur to me until now: Juan Williams is a guest panelist on a NPR
show. I wonder if the two sides have agreed to put
the past behind them.

Dave Olnhausen

Milwaukee, WI

Terry Tree Tree

We can HOPE! I noticed that too!
BHA in Vermont

Enough to be a guest panelist

Given the people at the top who fired him were themselves fired, I can see Mr. Williams going the “forgive and forget” path. He has always struck as one of the more “thinking” journalists.

TFRX

How many white folk whipping themselves into a frenzy for ManlyManNewt at the debate have family on food stamps?

Terry Tree Tree

You don’t expect people to recognize their own HYPOCRICY?
Anonymous

Newt Gingrich’s defining principle, which he has clearly stated, is that he does NOT have to live by the grandiose demands he makes of everyone else. And this is apparently also a core belief of so-called conservatives. Thus the cheering.

Anonymous

Of course Newt’s affairs and his personal life matter. They matter because he’s such a hypocritical, sanctimonious windbag who is constantly giving lip service to “family values” and morality.

He is the absolute worst kind of politician and his type are the reason that politics in this country is essentially now nothing but partisan chaos.

His primary response to the charges – essentially that the news media is to blame, not himself – is so absurd that it would be laughable if it wasn’t so completely infuriating.

Yar

I sure hope we can maintain separation of church and state.

Elizabeth in RI

Wow – Newt Gingrich complaining about the politics of destruction?? He was the one that CREATED this new style of personal destruction!! And why hasn’t anyone asked him what job the custodian he is suggesting should be replaced by a gaggle of inner city kids should take? Or would he rather further undermine hard working families by replacing all blue collar workers with minority child labor??

Anonymous

The question of whether the Republican Party will eventually nominate a “strong” candidate is irrelevant. Who could have been stronger that John Kerry and Al Gore? Intelligent, experienced, empathetic, etc. Yet the Republican Party managed to belittle and smear these fine men and win. With the Citizens United ruling, this will happen again, especially with the image of President Obama they’ve been building for four years — painting him as an illegitate usurper, a Kenyan revolutionary, etc. It will happen again.

TFRX

The fundamental mismatch is between (what’s left of) genuine journos and the pep-rally Republicans have been relaxing in for half a year.

The mainstream folks who were aghast last night? I think I saw Howard Fineman almost shockedly say “They’re booing us!” And not Captain Renault’s “Shocked! Shocked!”

There are a bunch of MSMers who have been sucking up to the right, peddling all the false equivalence they could find, and now wonder why it’s not enough for self-selected GOPers to like them.

Too many MSMers are suckers like that.

TFRX

Ugh. By which I mean:

There are a bunch of MSMers who…now wonder why everything they’ve done is not enough for self-selected GOPers to like them.

Simple: They commit actual acts of journalism sometimes. They’re not Fox. To paraphrase the old saw, “Given the choice betwen propagandamedia and propagandamedia, the base of the GOP will choose the real propaganda media every time.
- TFRX
  
  …and close italics.
  
  (And I’ve had my caffeine, I swear.)

Bruce

What was that on CNN last night? I thought I had tuned in the GOP Candidates Debate, but what appeared on my screen was more like a rerun of the Wizard of Oz. The contenders looked issue fatigued as if stumbling down the Yellow Brick Road until they finally reach the Emerald City where they have the following exchange with the Wizard:
�
MITT: How can I connect with more middle-class Americans?
WIZ: Remove the silver spoon from your mouth and the tin from your ears, and PLEASE STOP TRYING TO PUT LIPSTICK ON A VULTURE! In the GOP there is no shame in “vulture” capitalism. Just don’t sugarcoat it with a lot of nonsense about how you learned to be a job creator at Bain. The truth is that you probably created or saved more jobs as a moderate Mass. Governor than you did as a private equity CEO–a record as Governor that the paranoid, anti-government Tea Partiers will never forgive or forget.

NEWT: How can I make the most of Perry’s endorsement in my bid for the nomination?
WIZ: Don’t forget what team you’re on. When you and Rick “Oops” Perry unleashed your merciless attack on Mitt and “vulture” capitalism, you seemed to be taking a page out of the David Axelrod playbook for ensuring Obama’s re-election. Do you not comprehend or remember what GOP stands for? GRAND OLD PLUTOCRACY!

RON: How can I convince a wider swath of primary voters to take my campaign more seriously?
WIZ: Your call for draconian military spending cuts and your anti-war, pro-civil liberties rhetoric (except for your opposition to civil rights and reproductive freedom) automatically disqualify you from serious consideration within the GOP. Of course, you could show a modicum of integrity by running as a third-party candidate, but you wouldn’t want to jeopardize son (Ayn) Rand Paul’s future as a rising star in the GOP, no would you?

WIZ: Who else is out there? Come forward. I thought there were only three of you lost souls.
RICK S.: How can I parlay my recent endorsement by a national coalition of evengelical leaders into a viable campaign?
WIZ: As the darling of the flat-earth, anti-empirical, anti-choice, anti-gay Religious Right, you’ll never enjoy the support of the Republican establishment which, ever since Ronald Reagan co-opted the Silent Majority back in the ’80′, has treated evangelicals as a product of niche marketing–a tool for creating a “values voting” bloc. Now there’s an oxymoron: “values voters” clinging to their God, guns and homophobia, and devoid of any semblance of tolerance, moderation or compassion.

Terry Tree Tree

Cute! Funny!
- Bruce
  
  Thanks, I had to do last minute revision due to Perry’s sudden departure.

nathan

It is amazing how there is very little discussion of the Bush years in these debates. It is like the history began on Jan 20, 2009 for these candidates and the GOP primary electorate.

Worried for the country(MA)

You do understand they are competing to run against President Obama and his record?
- Anonymous
  
  I certainly get it. In fact, I have yet to hear any of them state why anyone should vote for them, except their claim that they alone can beat Obama. That is their entire agenda.
Terry Tree Tree

Discussing ‘W’ years, would destroy any credibility GOP could have with anyone that can think, and be honest!
BHA in Vermont

Why would these guys mention the Bush years? Too easy to attack.

Key goal in Presidential campaigns: Keep your eye (and sabers) on the enemy and the enemy is the sitting President of the opposite party.

Terry from Franklin

The right has been selling the “liberal media” idea for quite some time. I’m old enough to remember some folks back in the 1960s who used the phrase “east coast Jewish media” to belittle any opposition to our involvement in Vietnam. First law of propaganda, tell a big lie, repeat until people start to believe it.

Carrie

I wish that the political/religious right (and the media to some extent) would stop portraying Obama as a socialist. It is simply not true if you look at the facts. From a recent article by Andrew Sullivan on the Daily Beast:�
‎”The job collapse bottomed out at the beginning of 2010, as the stimulus took effect. Since then, the U.S. has added 2.4 million jobs. That’s not enough, but it’s far better than what Romney would have you believe, and more than the net jobs created under the entire Bush administration. In 2011 alone, 1.9 million private-sector jobs were created, while a net 280,000 government jobs were lost. Overall government employment has declined 2.6 percent over the past 3 years. (That compares with a drop of 2.2 percent during the early years of the Reagan administration.)”

http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/01/15/andrew-sullivan-how-obama-s-long-game-will-outsmart-his-critics.html

Just Thinking

And I would take it a little bit further than that. For all those who claim capitalism in its purity is the correct way, may I remind people what this country was like BEFORE labor laws? Why were labor laws needed if corporations had the “people in mind”? And let’s take it one step further – before the New Deal. Think about it people…your money in the bank was not protected. You lost your job, you were out on the street…everyone screams capitalism is fine in pure form until they are a victim of it. If capitalism is great without intervention, stop whining about the lost jobs in this country…it’s all part of the ebb and tide…
- Terry Tree Tree
  
  SPOT ON!
- BHA in Vermont
  
  The likes of J.P. Morgan, Vanderbilt, Drexel, Rockefeller, Carnegie aren’t referred to as “robber barons” for nothing.
  - Anonymous
    
    At least they built things like railroads. Cheap office supplies and layoffs can’t compare.
    - TFRX
      
      You forgot “pushing paper around”, a favorite source of “profits” today as a century ago. Waxing philosphical, there is a line to be drawn between the Rockefellers/Goulds/Vanderbilts and, say, Ponzi or Ivar Kreuger.
      
      Oh, and while we’re on the subject of non-productive profits v. absolute human misery in the Gilded Age: A Corner in Wheat.
    - BHA in Vermont
      
      Yep. All the discussion about keeping taxes on capital gains and dividends on stocks low (or non existent) because that investment encourages new business is bizarre. The ONLY time a business benefits is at the IPO. EVERY trade of existing stock/bonds benefits only the person (and the broker!) who sells at a profit to someone else who hopes to do the same. All that income Mitt is paying only 15% tax on came from ZERO value add on his part.
    - TFRX
      
      I wish I had a clever metaphor to drop here about Wall Streeters using the E-Trade baby as a human shield.
    - BHA in Vermont
      
      What they built was based on monopolistic practices that were legal at the time. And they are the reason we have anti-trust laws today.
    - Anonymous
      
      I wasn’t excusing them. I was just pointing out that despite their abuses the country actually got something. What value did credit default swaps add?
    - BHA in Vermont
      
      Agreed. None.

Anonymous

Salman Rushdie is still being targeted by evil religious terrorists and just pulled out of an Indian literature festival.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-16644782

Anonymous

Thank God our country was founded on the principle that no religion has a role in how it is governed.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_Y6CO5C2HE4WM2OYGCDVWGPRXXM oldman

it’s sad that media analysis goes on and on about the abilities of candidates to package themselves and never any discussion about what is actually in the package

BHA in Vermont

because the packages are empty. Spout the “get Obama out” rhetoric but don’t actually have solutions to all the problems they lay at his feet. Just “I’ll create jobs” “I’ll reduce the deficit”.

BHA in Vermont

None of the Republicans are strong candidates.
- Romney wants us to believe he is a ‘regular guy’ – other than being filthy rich, paying a much lower tax rate than ‘regular guys’ and thinks anyone who considers massive wealth gained by people like him are just jealous and anti-capitalist, anti-America. He does not understand that the capitalist form of government allows private ownership of business and the means to make money. It was NOT ‘designed’ to be “get as much money as you can and who cares about anyone else”.
- Gingrich is really good at turning the tables during debate, attacking the person questioning him rather than answering the question. His “facts” are frequently twists, spin and lies. (BTW, more people got food stamps under GWB than BHO). His claim that he is the most qualified because of his prior service and ability to debate should be looked at quite carefully. He is the father of obstructionist politics, more divisive than most. He expects everyone to forget his past because he asked for god’s forgiveness. I, for one, have not forgotten.
- Paul is too all over the map with regard to his policies. Some resonate with the right, some with the left. Makes it hard to appeal to a large group of people.
- Santorum appeals to the evangelicals and not much more.

But whoever is nominated will be supported by the ‘faithful’ and huge amounts of money from PACs and Super PACs.

ebw343

Romney can’t go 72 hours straight without sounding like Thurston Howell III.

Gingrich needs to be called for his BS more often. Juan?
Worried for the country(MA)

Yup, who would want someone who started and ran a successful business, turned around a failing state for 4 years, and turned around an Olympics mired in corruption and debt? Why would we want that guy leading the country?
- Anonymous
  
  Massachusetts wasn’t failing. His job creation record was poor.
  - Worried for the country(MA)
    
    4.7% unemployment is full employment.
  - Worried for the country(MA)
    
    He came in with a $3B deficit and he turned things around fairly quickly by restructuring and consolidating government functions. I remember they said he could never do it without raising broadbased taxes. He was able to do it and do it very professionally. The dems weren’t too happy because he was eliminating patronage havens.
    
    Once the balance was balanced he lost his leverage and the dems blocked further closing of patronage havens.
    
    Those are the facts.
    
    And about jobs, he reduced the number of state employees. Another feather in his cap.
- Anonymous
  
  I think you really ought to read a bit more deeply into Romney’s record in Massachusetts! Just as Obama cannot be blamed for all that happens bad in the US in the last 4 years, Romney cannot get credit for all good that may have happened during his time as MA governor. And don’t forget, that to the extent that things when well in MA then, that it was liberal/progressive Romney that was governor — not the ultra conservative/regressive reincarnation we see now.
  - Worried for the country(MA)
    
    Liberal/progressive Romney? Balancing the budget by restructuring government? 800 vetoes in 4 years vs. 11 vetoes by W. Bush in 8 years? Romney never broke a campaign promise. I challenge you to offer any evidence that Romney governed as a liberal. I doubt you will find any liberal MA politician that would honestly agree with you.
    
    You can say a lot about Romney but he as a very effective governor. He was so effective the Boston Globe hated him.

Anonymous

This is becoming surreal. Now Republican candidates are using Romney’s taxes as a weapon against him. I thought low taxes was the idea?

BHA in Vermont

Good point
Anonymous

The current entire Republican presidential primary campaign is an exercise in self loathing. It would be surrealy funny except for the fact that it might affect who leads my country, which makes it downright sad. And frightening.

ebw343

Another week, another week-in-review that’s 2/3 presidential primary.

1/3 presidential politics, 2/3 everything else would be more appropriate for primary season, particularly with this being a year with only one party’s nomination up for grabs. 2/3 presidential would be more appropriate for the general-election season.

Terry Tree Tree

AGREED! There IS more news!

Terry from Franklin

A few years ago there was some mention in the news about how some big employers,like Wal-Mart, were helping their new employees to apply for SNAP and state medical assistance. Has this changed? It is very possible to be getting a pay check, SNAP and medical assistance at the same time. All you need to be is a singlke parent or couple working with a couple of kids, working at a minimum or near minimum job.

Also when people apply for unemployment they are helped to apply for state and federal assistance programs.

BHA in Vermont

Obviously Paula Dean didn’t take her own advice for moderation is eating the junk she proffers as ‘comfort food’.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_Y6CO5C2HE4WM2OYGCDVWGPRXXM oldman

There is a lot of dissatisfaction of independents toward Obama – but many because they feel Obama has performed way too far to the right. So while they may not approve Obama, they will still pull the lever for him in November because they will want the other choice even less.

Anonymous

I can relate to that.

http://gregorycamp.wordpress.com/ Greg Camp

Oh, please–no more whining for a kinder, gentler atmosphere. American politics has always been hardball. Our early presidents got accused of having affairs and being atheists, and some of them fought duels over the question.

TFRX

I predict we’ll only hear the call for a “Less acid atmosphere in debates” become a MSM concern when all the GOP debates are done.

Once one of them gets on the stage with President Obama, the mainstream media will be ready to clutch their pearls, fainting couch at the ready, for when Obama does anything less mild than Juan Williams did.

James in Baltimore

Why does the Republican party allow SC to go third anyway? I don’t see any reason to kow-tow to a state that is stuck in the 19th century (and will vote red no matter what happens). Look at Iowa: even smaller population, its GOP members are fairly socially conservative, but they seem level-headed and game for an intellectually honest, open debate. New Hampshire is more socially progressive strongly “small c”-conservative. Both those states represent population swaths that the Republican party needs to win to put a president in the White House. In contrast, South Carolina remains “too small for a republic; too large for an insane asylum” and a quadrennial guarantee that primary campaigns will turn ugly before they get past the third state.

Terry Tree Tree

The DRAMA!
Greyman

But James: in at least one dependably blue pocket of SC (Dillon County), the state’s voter ID dispute is immaterial, since the local Democrat-controlled power base does not even permit voting for public school board members. The unelected party bosses ingratiated themselves to Sen. Obama back in 2007, inviting him to use one of their run-down schools as a campaign backdrop for his nomination acceptance video in Denver in 2008. How did President Obama treat his Democratic pals for this favor? He designated $35 million in “stimulus” funds to replace a school campus the main portion of which is not yet thirty years old. Your city and state, James, are as dependably blue as SC is dependably red; but your Democratic Party in SC is in no position to contest Republican dominance in the state’s politics when its own practitioners suppress voting rights for both black voters and white voters equally and when it participates in the seeming quid pro quo politics common to Obama’s Administration.

Daniel

It doesn’t matter when it’s conservative white heterosexuals, but what homosexuals get up to in the privacy of their bedroom…

Anonymous

Newt was trying to redefine marriage.

http://gregorycamp.wordpress.com/ Greg Camp

A Defense of Marriage to One Woman at a Time, Plus Extras Act?
- TFRX
  
  Needs a catchy name. “Marriage with Benefits”?
- Anonymous
  
  What’s the effective difference between an open marriage and polygamy? Maybe Newt was flirting with Mormonism before he latched onto his deep and abiding Catholic faith.

Anonymous

Quote of the day: Obama has done more in the last 4 years than GW Bush’s lazy behind did in 8.

Gregg

That’s the problem.
- Anonymous
  
  For you, yes, for me not as much.
Still Here

Our balance sheet and food stamp rolls show it.
- TFRX
  
  Guess you were missing when Shrub put us down a kajillion dollar rathole during a 5-year “expansion”, which gave us as many food stamp enrollees.
  
  Didja know one can have a full-time job and still qualify for food stamps?
- Anonymous
  
  $8 trillion in mostly middle class assets destroyed by the corrupt financial sector’s manipulation of the housing and securities market. That will definitely hurt the old balance sheet. On the bright side, a lot of fake bankers made millions, if not billions.
  
  And we could all use to lose a little weight, so who really needs food? Ain’t this country great!
TFRX

But (h/t Ted Williams) when you don’t ChiefExec so good, ya shouldn’t ChiefExec so much.

Shrub’s presidential powers were pretty much at their peak when he was clearin’ brush at the ranch pig farm.
- Terry Tree Tree
  
  With a ‘Hollywood’ saw!

Sylvia Connor

I disagree that Gingrich would be easier to beat than Romney. A friend who is a direct descendant of one of Thomas Jefferson’s sisters lives in the north but has relatives living in the south who think Gingrich would be hard to beat in the South. Juan Williams’ comments on race in South Carolina underline that point.

BHA in Vermont

Gingrich SHOULD be easier to beat, just based on his record. But people can’t remember whining about gas hitting $2 in 2003 and when it went back down, bought gas hogs. Rinse and repeat every time the price hit a new high and dropped back but NOT to the 2003 prices.

If Gingrich gets the nomination and is elected, mass amnesia will be the defense as the country slides further into ruin.

Joe in Philly

Regarding Romney to deal effectively with the Bain issue in spite of the counsel of his advisors, could it be that Romney is a man in conflict? As an ostensibly deeply religious man, could it be that his conscience will not allow him to speak convincingly on this topic?

Anonymous

Why do Republicans turn away from the Bible when Jesus said how difficult it is for a rich man to get to paradise? Instead, they turn to the gospel of wealth: wealth is a sign that you are in god’s favor. Otherwise, R’s are all for the Bible.
TFRX

That’s not the only subject on which he doesn’t speak convincingly.

I can respect a candidate who would say “When the facts change, I may change my mind”.

I don’t know if Romney ever has made that claim. But at this point I don’t know if I’d believe him if he told me a doe was a deer, a female deer.

jm

Juan Williams deserved to be booed. The media degrades the quality of the debates. Let’s be a little more intelligent about it.

TFRX

“Degrades the quality of the debates”?

Submitted without comment.
John in Amherst

If the crowd was just booing a media sex sideshow, you’d be right. Williams’ point wasn’t that Newt is a serial adulterer, but that he is simultaneously a hypocrit with a long and loud history of pilloring others for a lack of moral rectitude. Newt’s retort – that the media was trying to sully the debate process - was nothing more than sophistry, but it seemed to work for the rowdy GOP faithful. Rather depressing, really.

Joe in Philly

Regarding XL, Canada will wait until November then either revisit XL or they will look West to China and develop a new export market. If it’s the latter, the US will be in trouble!

Worried for the country(MA)

Waiting is indefensible.
- John in Amherst
  
  Several in the GOP were among those who wanted the KPL rerouted to avoid possible contamination of the Ogalala aquifer. Not an untoward request, given the volume of oil to be transported and the history of leaks from pipelines, most recently a few months ago in Montana which contaminated the watershed there. But Oil trumps all, right?
Anonymous

Why? ?By the way are you aware that that the XL pipeline is ending up in Port Arthur, Texas which is a tax free export area. Which seems to me to mean that the Canadian oil company is going to sell it over seas.I have a feeling that the American consumer will see little or none of this oil or the products it is destined to be refined into.
- Worried for the country(MA)
  
  Oil is oil. It will help our domestic supply chain.
  - Terry Tree Tree
    
    Can you be THAT ignorant of differences of oil? If so, please get an education on the subject, before you make such statements?�
    There are reports that the Tar Sands oil, from Canada, will be sold on the open market! THAT does ‘National Security’ of the U.S. NO GOOD!
    A line of Wind-Turbines, and Solar Collectors, along the proposed pipeline route, WOULD be ‘National Security’, for ‘Energy Security’! Just as big of a JOBS creator, too!
    - Worried for the country(MA)
      
      Terry, I am very well educated on energy. All oil is sold on the open market. Why are they building the pipeline to TX? Because that is where the refineries are.
      
      Our transportation sector runs on oil. Wind and solar (both uneconomical sources of electricity) does nothing for the transportation industry. Oil is at $100/barrel now. We are in a worse position now than in 2008 when oil spike to $140 and gasoline went above $4/gallon. In 2008 we spent $800B on imported oil. Our economy is still fragile. We have issues with the middle east and the straights of hormuz. One blip and oil prices will skyrocket. Some are already predicting $5/gallon gasoline by summer.
      
      Our economy is fragile. We need to do everything possible to insure a steady supply of oil until scalable alternatives can be developed.
    - BHA in Vermont
      
      Except that running the oil 1,500 miles south so it can be refined and sold on the open market does ZERO for the USA consumer. It is the downside of the global economy. ‘Your’ natural resources are sold to the highest bidder and that raises local prices.
    - Worried for the country(MA)
      
      Please explain how putting more supply on the open market doesn’t help the US consumer. Do you understand the laws of supply and demand?
      
      Also, you are forgetting that part of supply IS local availability. You need the infrastructure to MOVE the oil. Moving the oil to other markets is not free. It does help the US consumer.
      
      Look what happened during the Libyan war. Prices skyrocketed in Europe but not so much in the US. This is because that supply was used mostly in Europe.
    - BHA in Vermont
      
      Like this:
      http://online.wsj.com/article/SB100014240529702037504045771712911197
      29680.html
      
      As long as there are others willing to pay more for something than you are paying now, the supply will be going elsewhere. Prices only drop when there is TOO much supply for a given demand. India and China are increasing their use of fossil fuels at a far greater rate than any other country. ‘Our’ oil and refined products will go there..
    - Worried for the country(MA)
      
      That article is about nat gas.
      
      We are a net importer of oil. We export some refined fuels. Don’t conflate the two.
    - Worried for the country(MA)
      
      I just looked it up. Oil was $90/barrel at this time in 2008. It steadily increased to $145/barrel in June/July 2008. We are already starting at a higher level.
    - Terry Tree Tree
      
      Oil is NOT oil! Light Sweet Crude, is far more desireable for most uses, than Heavy Crude, and FAR FAR different than Tar Sands crude, in desirable for many uses, and the energy to get each.
    - Greyman
      
      Terry: An interesting thought, and since you brought it up, it would be nice to see a comparative cost benefit analysis: how many kwh/mw of energy would be generated by an array of wind turbines and solar collectors exactly as long as the proposed XL pipeline? (Someone capable will have to perform the conversion of kilowatt hours and megawatts into the energy equivalence provided by a standard barrel of oil.) Granted, the pipeline is geared to feed automotive fuel consumption given the relative lack of electric vehicles on the roads, but I am guessing that a solar/wind array just as long as the proposed pipeline would not come appreciably close to generating the amount of energy that would be derived from the tar sands oil. Surely someone can say . . . .
    - Terry Tree Tree
      
      The difference of the NET energy of the Tar Sands oil, including ALL the energy costs of getting it to the pipeline, and transporting it to the refinery, and the cost of refining, then the costs of transporting it to you?
  - Anonymous
    
    You are quite wrong in this. It wont help our domestic supply if 100% of it is destined for South America or elsewhere. Not sure why you have such a simplistic mindset in regards the realities of the oil busniess.
  - Still Here
    
    It certainly will. US consumers of refined product will be able to avoid high transportation costs from West African refineries.
    - Anonymous
      
      First off your comment is wrong.
      Second it depends were you live.
      In the Midwest most of the refined oil and gas comes from Canada. In the East coast it’s from the Middle East and the Gulf. In the West from the Gulf and Canada again. We get about 70% of our oil from our neighbor in the north.
    - Still Here
      
      No, my comment is exactly right and you have proven you know nothing about oil/petro markets on multiple occasions.
Terry Tree Tree

XL pipeline will be re-routed, TransCanada is already onto that.
If we just took ALL the ‘subsidies’ for oil, coal, and natural gas for the past fifty years, and applied them to renewables, we wouldn’t need to worry about energy, probably, and sure wouldn’t need to worry about it being interrupted by a country on the Straits of Hormuz!

Gambia1

The sad fact is that we are reaping in so many ways, including the current GOP fanaticism, the decision of GWB and Cheney to exploit the fear after 9-11. Rather than saying “This is evil, but we will meet it with confidence and principle,” they said “You are now always in mortal danger, and the only way to protect yourself is to follow us into war, torture, destruction of personal rights, etc.” Once such fear has been solidified and normalized–and some fears are justified when the economy implodes–reason and good sense have very little chance of making a difference. The people will call for nothing short of brute force, ruthlessness, and authority to fight “our enemies.”

Gambia1

The sad fact is that we are reaping in so many ways, including the current GOP fanaticism, the decision of GWB and Cheney to exploit the fear after 9-11. Rather than saying “This is evil, but we will meet it with confidence and principle,” they said “You are now always in mortal danger, and the only way to protect yourself is to follow us into war, torture, destruction of personal rights, etc.” Once such fear has been solidified and normalized–and some fears are justified when the economy implodes–reason and good sense have very little chance of making a difference. The people will call for nothing short of brute force, ruthlessness, and authority to fight “our enemies.”

JP

It’s no wonder Republicans hate all but the most conservatively biased media…

Republicans are worthless, and they look so much more AWFUL when the light is shone on them!

Anonymous

May be we should all take a few steps back and re-think all this stupid, partisan bickering, of which I am certainly as guilty as anyone here. Today I have to have my 17 year old dog put down. She was my best friend, and my heart is breaking. It helps me realize what a bunch of stupid shit we’re all engaged in here.

Gregg

Sorry about your dog, really. It’s a sad thing to have to do, it good to be there when it’s done for comfort if you can stand it.

If things go perfectly you will out live your pet so there’s that. You’ll feel like griping again in no time.
- Anonymous
  
  I’d like to think otherwise about your final sentence, but you’re probably right. Mores the pity .Thanks for the kind words.
  - Gregg
    
    For a long time I had a dog named Ezra. He was free to roam the farm and knew not to go down the road. One evening he came up missing. For the next 7 days I went nuts. I walked the woods, put up notices, checked the pound, looked for circling buzzards and drove all over the place looking. I made no bones about my affection for my dog but still, I like to think I’m a manly man and my complete distress surprised me somewhat. It was awful, I was a wreck. I wrote and recorded a song (because that’s what I do) in it’s entirety that week entitled, “Doggone My Dog’s Gone”. Then he hobbled up out of the woods with a hind leg hanging by a pittance of skin. I never learned what happened but I know it was a hell of a week for him. It was rainy and I suppose that saved him, he somehow kept hydrated. He survived another 6 years with 3 legs and couldn’t have cared less about his trauma or limitations. Finally cancer got him and I had to decide when the most comfortable time for him to go would be. That’s tough, I know you know. We made a final walk and picked out a spot to lay him down. The vet came out and we did it on the front porch. That was 8 or 9 years ago, seems like yesterday.
    
    Now my dog’s name is Mya. We got her after Tucker and Molly who are no longer with us but those are different stories. Life goes on. I’m still griping.
Terry Tree Tree

My sympathy for your loss of a companion! I’ll try to excuse the language, due to your grief, as you are usually better than that.
Personally, I have no party. I care about my country, and try to point out hypocricy that would harm the U.S.
- http://pulse.yahoo.com/_C2STBLZJK4VKQBV27DVQX3I6CU FAX68
  
  Triple T’s!!!!
TFRX

Bless you; most of us have been there.

Take some time off for yourself. Away from this place, at least.
Matkakot

You’re right. I just got my 16 year old cat’s ashes delivered to me about an hour ago. I wrote something similar to myself and the world in general on the night she was euthanized which also happened to be the Iowa caucuses. What a waste of human potential all this election crap is. Please accept my sympathy.
Anonymous

Sorry for your loss. My dog is 11 and he’s starting to get old and I’ve been thinking about what my life would be without this wonderful loving animal in my life.
My heart goes out too you in your grief.

Dogs are pure love.
The story I post proves to me how amazing these animals are.
ttp://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129989424
Terry Tree Tree

I can’t have pets anymore. It isn’t fair to them, when you go to work, spend eleven or more hours away, start home, and wind up for hours on a fire or wreck, or search for a missing person! Three cats I had six years ago, left. I realized that my lifestyle doesn’t seem right for anything but maybe a snake, because they can go for weeks without needing fed. I just don’t want a snake.
It’s rough for finding women too. They don’t handle the missed attention very well, either.

Dee

The Media should call Republican racism & lawlessness out …

The caller is right the media needs to call the Republicans out.Newt’s comment on Obama being a food stamp president neg-
ates the fact it is corporate welfare which has created this hu
man tragedy…Plus, there should be some data brought out on�
groups (from the Pew Studies ) on the groups receiving food stamps today…many are white and Latinos….

I recall seeing a report in the New York Times in the last 12 months that showed a good portion of the population in NYC wouldn’t have made it without food stamps follow the economic
downturn…(and think of the unconscionable act of those on�
Wall street and corporate America filling their pockets with�
bonus from government bailouts and and US Tax payers’ revenue…

In addition,the media should call out the lawlessness of Rom-
ney and his comment on the Taliban on Monday night about killing Americans enemies instead of talking to them…This garbage could have come out of the Mouths of the Neocons�
and the bone head Israeli apologists such as John Bolton and�
other right wing think tanks , plus john Mc Cain and Lindsey Gra-ham of N. Carolina and Jon Kyle of Texas in the Senate�
pushing through such lawless policies in violation of Federal
Laws . Not to mention the misappropriation of US Tax payers
Revenue. The Justice Dept should rein them in today……..

People like myself are so sick of this ruthlessness and lawness-
less in America Foreign Policy and we will be in the streets call-ing for those who have committed such shocking war crimes in our American name…..

People in the media like Juan Williams and Jack Beatty on the show today and many others analysts should be taking this on.

At least , get other people like Ron Paul to comment on such�
lawlessness and those pursuing war crimes of the Bush admin-
istration and now the Obama Administration. This is the great�
shame today–Obama promised to end this lawlessness instead�
of pursuing…Dee

Prosecuting a Lawless Administration, Harper’s Magazine�
http://harpers.org/archive/2008/12/0082303

Dee

Addendum: Calling the Republican candidates out…..

The Great Consolidation (of power & wealth ) NYT
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/17/opinion/17douthat.htm
The changes in the law since 9/11http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/09/law-changes-from-9-11

Nick Knight

Honestly, Would anyone consider the current pool of Republicans as worthy of the highest office in the land? Seriously, even if you do not like Obama, how could one vote for one of these vial people. I really am amazed.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_C2STBLZJK4VKQBV27DVQX3I6CU FAX68

i THINK the same as you.
http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/3ETFGMQ3B7VD4AAMILBBEVMCWE JasonA

Exactly.

Dee

Addendum: Calling the Republican Candidates out……

The Great Consolidation, NYT�
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/17/opinion/17douthat.html

The change in the Law since 9/11
http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/09/law-changes-from-9-11

John in Amherst

Gingrich’s hypocrisy – publicly lambasting Clinton over his moral lapses and extoling the country to live virtuously while he was ditching wife one while she was in treatment for cancer, then wife two after 6 years of infidelity after she declined to accept his young mistress, is more appauling than his daliances per se. The “Gingrich surge” is laying bare the motives of the “christian right”. That Southern white evangelicals could support a pompous intellectual hypocrite who has enriched himself as an D.C. influence pedler, over a flip-flopping uber-rich mormon who pays a marginal tax rate leaves some doubt. Is it the mormon thing, or economic fairness? Their vitriol toward President Obama (a model family man who rose from modest means and spent years organizing in poor urban neighborhoods), and their enthusiasm for Newt’s snide and erroneous quips about the “food stamp president” is more transparent. This speaks volumes about racial and religious tolerance in South Carolina. So much for Christ’s teachings that all men are equal in the eyes of the lord, and his exhorting us to care for the sick, impoverished and imprisoned. (reposted from the feed before the show started)

http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/3ETFGMQ3B7VD4AAMILBBEVMCWE JasonA

Do not forget that TREASON is the heritage of today’s South Carolinians. The State which broke up the Union…is as unrepentant and reactionary as it was 5 generations ago.

Gregg

John King caused quite a stir last night but the rules were different in the 2008 S.C. Democrat debate on CNN. Would someone be kind enough to ignore this and shoot the messenger for a fella’?

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/tim-graham/2012/01/20/cnn-south-carolina-debate-2008-democrats-get-first-question-economy-not-

TFRX

Yes, keep linking to Newsbusters.
- Gregg
  
  Clockwork!
Gregg

Ditto this… please.

http://hotair.com/archives/2012/01/20/video-why-is-solyndra-destroying-millions-of-dollars-in-parts/
TFRX

John King responded to Newt’s onslaught by saying “another network reprted it”. Also “I take your point”.

He’s a tool, and quite the MSM fool who can’t justify a question about traditional marriage at a Republican debate. He needs a new job.

If you want to delude yourself into that being an “attack” on Newtie and the GOP, I’m just throwing good sense at your bad.
- Gregg
  
  John king made the editorial decision to start the debate with an unsubstantiated accusation and in 2008 the same network made the opposite decision with scandals regarding Hillary and Obama that were substantiated. They chose the economy which is worse now. Go figure. It’s just the way they roll.
  - TFRX
    
    Get your head out of your Foxhole.
    - Gregg
      
      What’s your obsession with Fox?
ken

Basically, the moderator is a sitting duck for Gingrich. They really can’t argue back or risk getting accused of derailing the debate. Gingrich cowardly realizes this and takes full advantage to promote himself this way to the Coliseum-like crowd.
- Gregg
  
  If he only had some Obama style styrofoam greek pillars….
  - TFRX
    
    That cost eleventybajillion dollars. You’re gonna get dunned Foxbucks for not remembering your tired talking points.
Anonymous

Newt couldn’t have received more benefit (in the eyes of his audience, at least) if he had set the whole thing up. But that never would happen, right?
- Gregg
  
  You are right. Someone else commented how Newt should thank John King and Juan williams for the one before the last.

Dee

Nick Knight Re: Vial people (Republican Candidates…

I agree entirely–they are vial people and they should�
be all rejected…Yet, are they any more vial than Karl
Rove and Dick Cheney and company who illegal detent-
ion and ordered the torture of Muslim men for the last�
decade? And the outlaws in the Senate like John Mc Cain
Jon Kyle , Lindsey Grahand many and Mitch Mc Connell
and the sleaze bags in the House like John Boehner who
line up his buddies to rubber stamp such abuses in the�
law and the criminal theft of tax payers monies.

I am so disgusted with it all and the spineless democrats�
like John Kerry and Carl Levin and many others who sign-
ed on the bottom to this. Why didn’t they stick their necks�
out and take up Ted Knnedy’s challenge “to take on the�
Republicans…”

Now, I will be glad to do my part to put the GOP on the Endanger Species List in the next few Election cycles…

Its members aren’t fit to serve “…we the people…”�
today . Dee

Gregg

And as the On Point “Fast and Furious” blackout continues:

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/01/20/federal-official-in-arizona-to-plead-fifth-and-not-answer-questions-on-furious/

No biggee.

Imran Nasrullah

Newt – Really?! How can he hold himself as the paragon of conservative values and family values if he cannot live up to his own standards. John King was absolutely right to question him, and should not have backed down because the questions was completely relevant to what Newt purports to represent. Blaming the media is just a red herring, and deflecting his own deeply flawed character.

TFRX

How much of an Edward Murrow does John King resemble?

He responded to Newt’s onslaught by saying “another network reprted it”. Also “I take your point”.

He’s a tool, and quite the MSM fool who can’t justify a question about traditional marriage at a Republican debate. He needs a new job. Maybe there’s a slot for a FoxNews Democrat (sic) available.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_C2STBLZJK4VKQBV27DVQX3I6CU FAX68

Newt Gingrich is the most dangerous man in America.

He might Newt us all.

http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/3ETFGMQ3B7VD4AAMILBBEVMCWE JasonA

I would agree…and and that ANY of the current crop of Republican clowns running for office are dangerous. Which ever one of those fools which receives the nomination will ensure Obama’s re-election. And that is good.
- http://pulse.yahoo.com/_C2STBLZJK4VKQBV27DVQX3I6CU FAX68
  
  A person without moral values is not qualified to be the President of United States of America. Cain did not pass the test that’s why he’s out and Newt is worst than Cain.
  - http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/3ETFGMQ3B7VD4AAMILBBEVMCWE JasonA
    
    Did you READ my comment??? Is your comprehension ZERO?

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_C2STBLZJK4VKQBV27DVQX3I6CU FAX68

How come the US Government cannot put those oil from Alaska in an Oil Tanker and ship it to Texas? Instead of building a pipe line across the Heart of America that will pollute drinking waters or the environment.

They will save a lot of money and avoid confrontation from land owners that will be affected by the pipeline.

Anonymous

Capt. Francesco Schettino needs a new job.
- http://pulse.yahoo.com/_C2STBLZJK4VKQBV27DVQX3I6CU FAX68
  
  lol
- Terry Tree Tree
  
  Is EXXon hiring captains?

John in Amherst

With regard to Newt’s “food stamp president” quip, it is worth noting that most food stamp recipients are white. The vast majority are either children, elderly or disabled. Most people go on food stamps because of job loss or illness, and are on for a short peiod of time. The average food stamp recipient gets about $4.50 per day of food stamps (ever try eating for a day on $4.50?) Presidents don’t “put people on food stamps”, the economy does, and more people entered into the food stamp program under Bush II than Obama. This food stamp flap is strictly red meat to the racist right, period.

Greyman

Well and good: but the reason Newt’s quip retains any potency at all is because, proportionate to their population of roughly 36 million in the US, over 35% of African Americans make use of SNAP (the nutrition assistance program). According to the USDA, 22% of SNAP clients are African American; but that 22% comprises over 10 million African Americans. This fact is generally unspoken, too, and as long as the fact endures, the perceptions it gives rise to will endure in every likelihood.
- Greyman
  
  Correction to my own computation: with 2010 US Census figures reporting c. 39 million African Americans, 10 million+ would amount not to 35% of the African American population but to just over 26%. (Sixteen million whites avail themselves of SNAP, constituting roughly 7% of the white population.) –With apologies for the initial misstatement.
  - Anonymous
    
    So. That does not make Newt’s nasty statement any better. People are on this program because they need to be.
    Who cares what color they are. The sad thing is that in the one of the wealthiest nations on the planet millions of people are in need of food assistance.
    - Greyman
      
      I hope your lamentation is not too deep, because the coexistence of wealth and poverty is amply depicted across all of human history. Wealth seems never to forestall poverty in any era, not simply because wealth fails to be deployed on behalf of and for the relief of the poor: but to give human credit where it is certainly due, the poor are not simply the victims of poverty (nor routinely the direct victims of someone else’s greed), the poor merit no inconsiderable recognition as the practitioners of poverty, whether wittingly or no. (Whether being a practitioner of anything necessarily makes one a victim of it simultaneously is another entire discussion.)
    - Anonymous
      
      That is true, that wealth and poverty is a part of our collective history. However, how we deal with it in terms of a society is the issue, no?
      Is it not how we deal with poverty or better yet getting people out of it, is what is paramount. I’m not a Utopian idealist, far from it. But things have become pretty skewed in my view towards very few people making a huge amount of money. You mention history. There is a point when if enough people become disenfranchised with the notion that they can have decent lives, then bad or revolutions can happen. One only needs to look to the French Revolution, which is very different than ours, to see that. Or the uprising in Egypt, which was as much as spurred by poverty and the feeling of being disenfranchised as it with an oppressive regime.
    - Greyman
      
      The issue is rarely, if ever, “how WE deal with poverty”: the issues are 1) how do the poor deal with poverty? and 2) how do we get someone else to help manage the poor or alleviate/ameliorate the conditions in which the poor operate? While we who are not claiming to be poor talk about the poor, I doubt that the poor are speaking much among themselves about us; yet, the poor will continue “to be dealt with” by the layers of caring bureaucracy and facile philanthropy (i.e., cash) that insulate their world from ours. We are not in on the poors’ conversations, just as they are not in on ours.
    - John in Amherst
      
      The notion, popular among some in the GOP, that race “no longer matters” in terms of being able to work hard and get ahead is sheer fantasy. The scars of slavery, Jim Crow, segregation (in both the rural South and the urban North) still fester and will continue to do so. The subtext of the Newt narrative, i.e.: food stamps are evidence of the chosen indolence of non-whites, is pernicious as it is incorrect and disgsuting. Gingrich knows no shame when it comes to exploiting the latent racism of part of the GOP.
    - Greyman
      
      I agree it’s hardly normative, but it is no utter fantasy, either: Oprah Winfrey and Robert Johnson (of BET), to name only two, are not political or economic phantasms. As to “the scars of slavery”, I don’t know that it is they that fester, I do suspect festering somewhere, though.
    - Greyman
      
      Our government must care what color they are, since the USDA sees fit to report population percentages in terms of ethnicity.
- John in Amherst
  
  I deny that Newt’s stupid remark has any “potency”, other than to point out his racism, sophistry, and playing to the worst instincts of some on the right. The stats you cite bear out that a disproportinate number of blacks are living within 130% of the official poverty line and have less than $2000 in available assets. Why this is so is a topic much to big for this discussion. But the implied meaning and tone of Newt’s remark sounds not just wholey unsympathetic, but downright disparaging and insulting, chosen to incite the “base” of the SC GOP.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_C2STBLZJK4VKQBV27DVQX3I6CU FAX68

I have a feeling that the people who voted for Bush Jr. (twice) are the people that are supporting Newt Gingrich.

ken

What I have not seen remarked on regarding Gingrich’s
every-debate-attack-on-the-press is that he is picking on someone, the
moderator, that cannot fight back in the moment. He/she just has to sit
there and take it without any good options. This, combined with
Gingrich’s over the top rhetoric to hide his own transgressions, is the
ultimate in cowardliness.

Gingrich is probably more responsible
than any individual for the current disdain and dysfunction of one great
American institution, the Congress. His latest attacks threaten to
further undermine, for his own ends, two other great American
institutions, the free press and the presidential debate.

fredericc

Who are the Republicans?
The democratic Tea Party movement was co-opted and neutered to protect entrenched Republican interests.

The field of candidates exist to set Romney apart, though he’s starting to blend in and is looking less presidential every day. (He’d make a good king though.)

But everybody is playing the game.

Brett

Newt’s rise in the polls in SC is a little bit surprising, but Romney has dug himself a big whole in his handling of the tax returns release issue (the man doesn’t seem to think well on his feet, and he hasn’t developed a honed response to the problem, which is probably driving his wranglers crazy). Romney can’t seem to get in front of the story, yet Newt has successfully gotten out in front of the open marriage story…

SC has historically shown it can support a moderate, and Newt has the ability to play moderate AND conservative.

Santorum is getting some traction, which is not surprising; jobs might be the #1 issue to SC voters but abortion (as in, “it should be illegal!”) is #2. I’m still predicting, however: 1-Willard; 2-Newt; 3-Paul; 4-Santorum. …If I were a betting man, I wouldn’t bet on this horse race, though, that’s for sure.

It seems only Willard and Paul, really, have enough of an organized campaign and enough money for the long haul (of course who knows when a benevolent benefactor will come out of the woodwork to aid the superpacs).

Joan

The real appalling thing in Newt’s response to John King’s�
question was his own appalling double standard and mis-
conduct,,,This was something he couldn’t hide from on�
camera …so he covered up his own embarrassment by�
attacking John King and CNN instead…It worked for the�
awkward moment he was in but those in media should�
not let him off the hook…..Some family values he has.

L armond

A real blunderbuss, that Newt. I love the aquatic newt, I use it in my personal witchcraft. I am of the devil, you see. (See old files of TV program HARRIGAN, and their intro song. It might be on youtube. It should be.
- Terry Tree Tree
  
  Wow! Thanks! I hadn’t thought about Harrigan in about a year. Every so often, the theme song pops back into my head H-A-doubleR-I

L armond

My nephew told me that he had been on a Russian merchant ship that used a solid, asphalt like fuel. Maybe they have similar tar sands in a less compromisible natural environment. I think he said something about them using asphalt paving, maybe. It has been awhile.
Further we have excess refining capacity at this time of year, due to the warm weather, yet truckers are not experiencing reduced prices because the oil refiners are now selling in South America and Central America. Therefore, one can not expect the refiner to do anything in a patriotic manner to help the economy, ever again. They are not only Americans. They are world corporations, citizens of the world, and all tax advantages for them should be vacated immediately as they will never think of America First. It is investors first to them, no matter that they are Americans, too. They have no interest in Homeland Security, financial, environmental, or militarily. The people in the Middle east are very familiar this these oilmen types. They model themselves upon them. Iran isn’t doing anything the oil lobby doesn’t do every day in Washington, D.C. And they eat well, and sleep well, with the local girls. And they should not be considered persons who act in a way that would be considered patriotic, and therefore we have to question the Holy Roman Empire preserving attitude of the very jesuitical Obscene Court. We all know obscenity when we see it. Texans just have a little harder time seeing over their own interests. The only thing good coming out of Texas lately is sailors, soldiers, marines, airmen, and coast guard. Everyone else is questionable.

Apkenway

Here’s a problem. 45 minutes into the show, Newt Gingrich has apparently been the sole subject, with some asides for other Republican candidates, and nothing about all the other stuff that’s going on. Maybe that’s why he’s a viable candidate.

L armond

He is ‘viable’ to South Carolinians because he is a blunderbuss. If he is elected we will have a “Blunderbuss in Chief.” If only the real Teddy Roosevelt would run and not the carpetbagger, Newt Gingrich, that ole scalliwag.

TFRX

Just listening elsewhere to a program including coverage of these debates:

Newt: “I know that it’s not PC to use facts that are uncomfortable.”

Hey, Newt: Try using facts first when you talk about food stamps and race.

These pep rallies are such great preparation for the real world.

Gregg

I take it you think welfare checks are better than paychecks and any disagreement is somehow racist. That’s smart.
- Terry Tree Tree
  
  WHERE ARE THE JOBS??? Eight years of ‘promises’ for tax cuts! WHERE ARE THE JOBS? People would HAVE paychecks!!
  - Gregg
    
    You say that a lot and I never get it. The unemployment rate fell for 53 months after the tax cuts. That was a decade ago, Obama has been killing jobs for nearly 3 years. It’s time to get current.
    - revolve
      
      look smart guy–repu or dem–it doesn’t matter–they work for corporations–and all corporations are in the same business–eliminate jobs, bloated salaries and profit with slaves–always always always–thats why jobs go over seas–slave labor. The president of either party is always just a meat puppet. Jobs have been steadily declining in this country since time immemorial. You exist in a paradigm of hateful tribalism. We are not tribes as they want you to believe–we are not red and blue or whatever silly name they come up with–we all have the same desires when you burn away all the bull–and that is what they fear–the low class shedding its tribal flags and uniting under one banner to take them out. but people like you just keep getting hooked. You are a carp, dangling stupidly on the line.
  - revolve
    
    you mean 50 years of tax cuts and no jobs. What red Americans dont understand is that it doesn’t matter how low taxes are–the jobs will still go over seas because corporations are controlled by greed–profit and will eliminate every single job if they could–and will with robots. They dont care about you or society–that makes them anti-american, anti-earth, anti-life–thus evil. globalization is a force that cannot be slowed by taxes–low or high. An evil system controlled by evil men only understand one thing. Now if you look at trends it becomes self-evident that current models of capitalism are destructive forces that will bring the end of civilization, create a highborne class and a peasant class of slaves and indentured servants. it becomes evident than to control these forces ‘socialist’ egalitarian, ‘Marxist’, or ‘communistic’ principles and tenets hold some value. To deny this is to deny self, to deny life, to deny the ground under your feet–it is to call the sky yellow when it clearly it is blue.
    
    we are in a class war.

http://twitter.com/piellemme pierluigi miraglia

Aside from the racist dog whistle, think for a second how deeply twisted that attacks on food stamp recipients are appluded: Republicans’ mentality is to kick who’s already down, or even better, to cheer the kicker. Revolting. These are the Christians…

Gregg

Who attacked food stamp recipients?
Still Here

The attacks are on the economic policies of failure that have made so many dependent on government handouts. You’re pathetic.
- Zero
  
  Punishing the poor has always worked throughout history….
  
  The only way to make people not dependent on government (not that it is currently a budget problem) is to increase scholarship opportunities, lower tuition, and get people into college.
  
  Food Stamps don’t create a dependent mentality; it is the overall acceptance of a crappy life that creates dependent mentality. Lack of education and too much religion makes people sit on their asses; not much else.
- Terry Tree Tree
  
  WHERE ARE THE JOBS, that the rich promised, through ‘W’?? �
  If they had come through with those jobs, MANY poor wouldn’t be poor!
- revolve
  
  no you’re pathetic–i’m telling my daddy.
  
  seriously, get a clue. look around you. Turn of your boob tube–boob

Gregg

I understand most here have no problem with AG Holder or “Fast and Furious”. But I don’t know how you occupy types can ignore this.

http://old.news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120120/bs_nm/us_usa_holder_mortgage

Pat

I look forward to listening to the podcast of this program every Saturday. However, there haven’t been any updates on iTunes since 1/13 so I missed this program.

Worried for the country(MA)

I don’t see Friday’s show on itunes but everything else is there. You might need to refresh your podcast subscription.

Zero

Here is an interview with Jim O’Neill, Chairman of Goldman Sachs Asset Management. It is his opinion on economies throughout the world.

http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/12097

Hidan

Danial Pipes was quoted last week as being an expert on Islam and Muslims even an Boston global Conservative who was later fired for poor plagiarizing and poor journalism claims that if people listen to him there would be no 9/11.

Turns out Danial Pipes and his group is listed under the Southern Poverty Law Center as a Hate group. I post this cause a poster who now has decided to stalk me not only on onpoint but other sites. Who has repeated referred to me as an terrorist and attempted to impersonate me and attempt at posting personal info that he believes to be mine “SUPPORTS” Danial Pipes 100% (mind you) who again both him and his group is listed as a Hate Group. This poster keeps claiming I hate jews cause I criticism the bigoty and racism of the Israeli government and it’s lobby.

America is a free and open society and it should be troubling to fellow Americans that an Israeli(self identified) should come on and tell Americans what they can and cannot say about Israel. Than going so far as to stalk, harass and threaten posters to get such point across.

Both Onpoint and the Authority are now aware of this. It’s one thing to disagree, name call others posters based on there views it totally another to actively seek to harass,threaten and intimidate

As for Pipes,

See Below the reasons why Daniel Pipes and his group is listed on the Southern Poverty Law Center as a Hate Group.

From the SPLC

The Anti-Muslim Inner Circle top 10 who many of the list Pipes supports or Support Pipes.
http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2011/summer/the-anti-muslim-inner-circle

As Muslim-Bashing Propaganda Swells, Shariah Scare Takes Off
http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2011/fall/as-muslim-bashing-propaganda-swells-sha

A month later, Daniel Pipes’ equally anti-Muslim Middle East Forum
published a survey co-authored by polemicist David Yerushalmi that
dubiously claimed that 81% of American mosques surveyed advocate violent
jihad and the overthrow of the U.S. government. This provocative
conclusion was largely based on the fact that ancient Islamic texts
containing passages endorsing violence were found in their libraries.
(The Bible, of course, also has passages endorsing violence.)

New Report Details Funding Sources Behind Anti-Muslim Fearmongers

http://www.splcenter.org/blog/2011/08/26/new-report-details-funding-sources-behind-anti-muslim-fearmongers/

Strange Bedfellows See Affirmative Action in Beauty Contest

http://www.splcenter.org/blog/2011/06/13/study-of-radicalization-in-mosques-reflects-anti-muslim-bias-of-co-autho/

http://www.splcenter.org/blog/2010/05/18/strange-bedfellows-see-affirmative-action-in-beauty-contest/

http://www.splcenter.org/blog/?s=%22daniel+pipes%22&submit=

Gregg

People like Pipes, Frank Gafney and Peter King are right and any rational Muslim would agree.
- Hidan
  
  So the only way for an arab women to win an beauty pageant is cause of Affirmative actions? Obama is really a Muslim? Islamphobia is an good thing?
  
  Please tell me you don’t believe this junk?
  - Gregg
    
    I oppose affirmative action where ever it exist. I prefer to judge people by the content of their character over the color of their skin.
    - Hidan
      
      Didn’t answer any of the questions. Do you believe what Pipes have said? Do you believe Obama is a Muslim?
    - Gregg
      
      What a silly argument, who cares? No, I believe he is a “Black Liberation Theologists” as Rev. Wright preaches. It is an anti-American racist bitter point of view. I suppose one could say according to Islamic tenets Obama is certainly a Muslim because his father was a Muslim. I forget if that’s the Shia or Sunni version (or both), one puts more emphasis on heritage. So there’s that but for Christians it’s all about what’s in someone’s heart. I don’t presume to know what’s in Obama’s heart… but I know what’s in his preacher’s.
    - Hidan
      
      Nice dodge. Pipes stated that and my question is do you believe it.
      
      So you don’t know what kind of muslim obama’s dad is but according to Islamic tenet obama doesn’t follow he’s a muslim?
      
      Sounds absurd.
    - Gregg
      
      Exactly, it’s like according to Islamic law I am an infidel but I’m really not.
    - Hidan
      
      Glad you agree your response was an absurd one.
    - Zero
      
      I’m the anti-christ according to Christianity, but I’m not really.
    - Anonymous
      
      Wow. You are really out on limb on this.
      where do you get this crap?
    - Gregg
      
      Refute any part of it smarty pants.
    - revolve
      
      wow–you really are far far gone–living in a twisted messed up bizzaro world. And you expose your ignorance, your bigotry and your sel-righteous white supremacist–christian supremacist attitude–you are a caveman. Let me give you a clue–christianity is a lie for fools–there is no god, an dno christ. jesus is one of ove twenty false-gods that existe dlong befor him with the same tenets of belief. What makes a christian better than a muslim?
      
      How can Obama be both a muslim and a chicago anti-american christian? Where is your evidence that he is anti-american–do you mean anti-bigot, anti-kkk, anti-racism, anti-devisive politics, anti-ignorance–is peaceful resolution anti-american. Oh, Ok, so that means–by your definition–an american is hateful, racist, christian, murderous, war mongering genocidal killers terrorizing the world. If that is american–i dont want to be it. You define evil. War is evil, son. Empire an invasion, and carpet bombing and nuclear warfare–that is evil–and we ar ethe only nation –that is america–is the onl nation to behave in this way. We are everything we condemn. Most of all we are liars. And you revile in it! You are anti-human. Anti-good. Anti-life! how do you define evil?–peace, happiness, harmony, clean air–a black president? go crawl back under your rock.
    - Gregg
      
      That made sense.
    - Terry Tree Tree
      
      Affirmative Action was, and still is, required to be able to judge by content of character!�
         Prior to Affirmative Action, a minority individual or female, had t be 10 times better, put up with abuse and harassment, and work for half as much, to be considered half as good!
          That attitude was prevalent for hundreds of years, and you expect that it has completely disappeared in a few decades?
          There are STILL pockets of discrimination, racial and gender, where they haven’t advanced!
    - Zero
      
      Was it easier for Obama to get into Columbia with affirmative action than it was for Bush to get into Yale with Daddy’s influence?
    - revolve
      
      you are twisting the truth–Satan speaks–you see son, affirmative action is a reaction to people who do not judge people by the color of their skin. That’s why it exists–so not judge skin-color. The fact is, America i s full of KKK murderous bigoted incestuous troglodytes that falsely believe themselves to be superior and drink blood crying nuke em all–they live i need states mostly. So laws need to regulate these hateful people. Affirmative laws are necessary in a hateful society–otherwise the hate reigns–and skin color wil lbe judged. Self-righteous, pompous fools are kkk redwing repugnant thugs
      
      juan is a spineless jelly and promotes hatred–silence is acceptance. the fouth estate are hate mongering, war mongering spineless cowards kowtowing to a hateful ignorant majority in America.
    - revolve
      
      ‘red’ states
    - Gregg
      
      Okay then, fine. Let’s be completely colorblind, I prefer that position. Let’s, at the very least, stop listing one’s race on any government document including the census or preferably make it illegal to ask anyone about their race for any reason ever.
      
      How does affirmative action work?
- Hidan
  
  Grover Norquist doesn’t think so.
  
  In 2002, Gaffney publicly accused Grover Norquist,
  an anti-tax activist and prominent Republican strategist, for alleged
  ties to radical Islamist groups attempting to influence the Bush
  Administration. Gaffney said a press release by the American Muslim Council credited Ali Tulbah,
  a Bush-White House aide, for getting them access to the administration.
  Norquist banned Gaffney from the weekly “Wednesday Meeting” of the Leave Us Alone Coalition
  that Norquist hosted. Norquist later wrote an open letter, accusing
  Gaffney of “racial prejudice, religious bigotry [and] ethnic hatred,”
  calling Gaffney a “sick, little bigot…. His whole life screams of
  bigotry, and what he said is just part of a pattern…. Frank Gaffney
  and Osama bin Laden share the same view on the relationship between the United States and Islam. I agree with the president in rejecting Osama bin Laden’s and Frank Gaffney’s worldview.”
Plushkin

* “…as a Hate group” and what group is that? name? link? — blatant lie.

*“.. attempted to impersonate me and attempt at posting personal info..” as above, another lie.

* Both Onpoint and the Authority are now aware of this. — can’t even imagine how hard they must be laughing at that. Pathetic weasel.
- Hidan
  
  I provided the links above or did you miss that?
  
  SIOA or Stop the Islamization of America is one such hate group.This group is Funded and founded by the likes of Pam Gellar and Robert Spencer who Pipes openly supports both the group and people. This group again is label not only by the Southern Poverty law center as a Hate group but by the ADL. Many of the speakers on the Jihad watch list are also listed on the Southern Poverty law center .
  
  Geller even list Pipes as an speaker for the hate group.
  
  Promoting the likes of Pipes
  http://www.jihadwatch.org/2010/04/stand-with-israel-and-sioa-in-new-york-tomorrow.html
  
  As for Pam who Pipes supported her book (WAPO)
  
  http://www.splcenter.org/blog/2012/01/18/pam-geller-announces-new-international-anti-muslim-effort/
  
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop_Islamization_of_America
  
  As for the other stuff no lies about it.
  
  Back off
  - Plushkin
    
    What is the name of Pipes’ hate group? All you links prove that there some characters that agree with him, some of them may or may not be bigots, but as to the Pipes himself he is a known scholar of Islam and his critique is potent and to the point. That is the only reason you and your ilk hate and fear him so much.
    Where did I say anything about agreeing with him 100%? You’re a big lier who constantly puts words into other peoples’ mouths. Typical hater.
    - Hidan
      
      Pipes support the Hate Group.
      
      Quite simple. It’s funny your claiming he doesn’t
      
      http://www.splcenter.org/blog/?s=Daniel+Pipes&submit=
      
      http://www.splcenter.org/blog/2011/06/13/study-of-radicalization-in-mosques-reflects-anti-muslim-bias-of-co-autho/
      
      Yerushalmi is a key member of a tiny, organized cadre of American
      anti-Muslim activists that is almost singlehandedly responsible for
      engineering an artificial national panic – at least, among the gullible –
      over the supposed threat of Islamic jihadists bent on dislodging the
      Constitution and imposing Shariah law on America. (A detailed look at
      this group of activists will be published in the Summer 2011 issue of
      SPLC’s Intelligence Report magazine, due out next week.) Nearly
      the entire roster of that core group had a hand in promoting this
      latest sham study: Yerushalmi co-wrote it. Daniel Pipes’ Middle East Quarterly published it. Robert Spencer quickly reposted it on his JihadWatch blog, as did Brigitte Gabriel on her ACT! for America site. Pamela Geller (see also here and here), executive director of the hate group Stop Islamization of America,
      talked it up on Fox News. David Horowitz’ website, FrontPageMag,
      published an interview with Yerushalmi. Frank Gaffney praised the report
      in a Washington Times op-ed piece.
    - Plushkin
      
      so he himself doesn’t head any hate group? Thanks for confirming.
    - Hidan
      
      Correction,
      
      Pipes only writes,works, supports and provides funding for those hate groups and provideds an outlet and echo chamber for them.
      
      He does run Campus Watch which involved in harassing, blacklisting, or intimidating scholars critical of Israel. NOt to mention Pipes is listed as the David Dukes of hating muslims.
      
      Southern Poverty law center has able evidinces of Pipes hatred of Muslims.
    - Plushkin
      
      yawn.

Gregg

Newt wins big in SC!

Hidan

Looks like race baiting still works in the south.
- Gregg
  
  Yadda yadda.

Gregg

I suppose Hillary could make a dramatic and very public split with Obama and rise up. Or maybe the 22nd amendment can be overturned before November so Bill himself resurrects his bad self. On the other side, we could go brokered and… I can’t think about it.

Let’s face it, our next President will be one of the five candidates left. I would be very interested to know how my friends here at On Point’s blog central would rank them. As Rick Perry asked: “Are you better off now than you were $4trillion ago?” As for me:

Newt, Santorum (very close 2nd), Romney, Paul, Obama.

Hidan

Distort, Attack, Repeat: The Fox Propaganda Machine in Action

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/distort-attack-repeat-20110524

Fox may look like a news broadcast, but it’s really the advance
guard of the GOP distortion machine. An hour-by-hour look at how Fox
turns Obama into the second coming of V.I. Lenin

Gregg

Funny!
- Hidan
  
  I agree with you it’s quite funny that conservatives actually believe fox is news. Just check out Jon’s post he actually believes Fox is moderate/right.
  
  The New Joke of the day
  
  “a lone media outlet like Fox News that presents current events from a moderate/ right point of view.”
  
  Now that’s laughable.
  - Marc
    
    Headline: News outlet is biased. Where was your outrage before Fox was around when the Big Three networks showed bias? Where was your outrage when Dan Rather used fake documents in a news story about GW Bush? Where is your outrage with the stark liberal bias on CNN or MSNBC? All news outlets are biased, not just Fox, but most of them are biased in favour of liberalism. 52% of journalists voted Democrat in 2004, while only 19% voted Republican. If you want fair news coverage, you should demand a reform in all of the major news organizations, not just Fox.
- Plushkin
  
  funny is that this moto – distort,attack,repeat – is the exact description of Hidan’s modus operandi.

Hidan

For all the Fox Newers,

Secret Service investigating Jewish newspaper column that discussed Obama assassination

The Secret Service said it is looking into a
recent op-ed from an Atlanta publisher that floated the idea of
green-lighting Israeli Mossad agents to assassinate President Obama in order to improve Israel’s security against enemies like Iran.

The publisher and author, Andrew Adler, reportedly has apologized.

But Jewish advocacy groups condemned his
comments as “outrageous,” and Secret Service spokesman George Ogilvie
said the agency is “aware” of the incident.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/01/20/secret-service-investigating-jewish-newspaper-column-that-discussed-obama/

JonS

It must kill you that there exists a lone media outlet like Fox News that presents current events from a moderate/ right point of view. It’s laughable that you rely on Rolling Stone for a fair and balanced evaluation of Fox News. I venture to guess that Mother Jones , Daily Kos , Huffington Post and Move-on.org are your other “news” outlets.

The comments from Adler are disgusting but were condemned by the overwhelming Jewish community. This is in stark contrast to the Moslem community which has been largely silent on the many and continuing outrageous and despicable acts committed by Islamists in support of their ” Moslem faith”.
- Hidan
  
  You venture wrong but than again you believe that fox news is moderate/right point of view should tell people how far right you are. What do you disagree with from the Rolling Stones? Does fox news not promote Republican talking points?
  
  As for jews and mulsim there’s no Stalk contrast and the McCarthy hearing that Peter King had proved such per County Sheriff Lee Baca. Also if you check out the comments below the Jpost and Fox News you see not all Jews/republicans/Israeli denounced this.
  
  Feel free to show me a post of an American Muslim journalist/reporting calling for Obama’s death cause he doesn’t support the Palestinian?
  
  Also feel free to prove if an Muslim journalist/reporter who own a newspaper did the same thing as adler did he be treated the same way?
  - Plushkin
    
    indulge yourself : “wanted obama”
    
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1390428/Anjem-Choudary-Obama-legitimate-target-extremists.html
    
    the signs they hold tell the story….
    - Hidan
      
      Wow the UK is the U.S. who knew.
      
      I missed the part in the link of an American Muslim Journalist/reporter calling for the kill of our( I mean mind) President cause he doesn’t support Israel or the Palestinians.
      
      So your agree that Adler should face jail time than? according to your link many of those muslims were arrested and jailed.
    - Plushkin
      
      if proven guilty — yes he must e jailed. Never said otherwise.

Hidan

“Order a hit on
a president in order to preserve Israel’s existence,” Adler wrote.

“Think
about it. If I have thought of this Tom Clancy-type scenario, don’t you think
that this almost unfathomable idea has been discussed in Israel’s most inner
circles?…How far would you go to save a nation comprised of seven
million lives…Jews, Christians and Arabs alike? You have got to
believe, like I do, that all options are on the table.”

http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?id=254592

http://www.haaretz.com/news/international/uproar-after-jewish-american-newspaper-publisher-suggests-israel-assassinate-barack-obama-1.408429
The owner and publisher of the Atlanta Jewish Times, Andrew Adler, has
suggested that Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu consider
ordering a Mossad hit team to assassinate U.S. President Barack Obama so
that his successor will defend Israel against Iran.

Adler, who has since apologized for his article, listed three options
for Israel to counter Iran’s nuclear weapons in an article published in
his newspaper last Friday. The first is to launch a pre-emptive strike
against Hamas and Hezbollah, the second is to attack Iran’s nuclear
facilities and the third is to “give the go-ahead for U.S.-based Mossad
agents to take out a president deemed unfriendly to Israel in order for
the current vice president to take his place and forcefully dictate that
the United States’ policy includes its helping the Jewish state
obliterate its enemies.”

Hidan

Check out the foxes news thread on this

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/01/20/secret-service-investigating-jewish-newspaper-column-that-discussed-obama/#comment

One comment refers to obama wife as a ape another screen name is nappy ni___ger others openly cheer on.

Anonymous

I read some of those comments. It’s clear that there are some really nasty people and that Fox does not care if there blatant racist and anti-Semitic remarks on their forum. I’m not sure if this is a rule of thumb, but they ought to monitor the damn thing in my opinion.
- Marc
  
  Isn’t the free internet great? We can voice our opinion on anything and everything. Do you really want that ability to be monitored and curtailed? By who? Government? Fox News? You don’t trust big bad Fox news, but now you want them to monitor our speech and limit our ability to speak out. The Constitution protects our free speech (even speech that is offensive and vile). Let’s keep it that way. Let’s keep big government and big corporations and Fox news out of the business of speech monitoring.

Brett

…Just returning from a music gig and wondering what the usual suspects have to say about the SC Primary…I was surprised to see Newt win by about 12 percentage points, not surprised Santorum came in 3rd (he’s really the anti-abortion candidate more than any other, perfect for a SC Republican). I was listening to NPR on the way home, and it seems, in exit polls, that those who voted for either Newt or Willard were swayed by the debate the other night. Those who thought the debate was an important indicator of who would be a formidable contender, as it were, voted Newt–those who didn’t, voted Romney.

Florida should be more interesting because of Newt’s upset in SC. How will Romney adjust his approach? Will he finally get out in front of the transgressions he’s committed when he’s gone off script? How much will Newt use pro-Israel/anti-Castro rhetoric during his stumping in Florida? Will Newt let his intermittent diarrhea-of-the-mouth problem give Willard’s shadow funders plenty of sound bites for negative campaign ads (after Newt appears on Meet the Press tomorrow)?

IMO, Paul ought to drop out and run on a third party ticket. The most interesting race would be a three-way among Obama, Newt and Paul…

Gregg

I just got back from a gig myself (I had a bit of a drive). I predict (going out on a limb) the race will become more between Newt and Santorum than Newt and Romney. Even if Romney wins Florida, I don’t expect him to win large. I think Paul will stay in and become less relevant. I believe it will be a long while before it shakes out…. or not.

Gregg

“The most amazing thing about the exit poll is how many different
demographics Newt won. Romney led by double digits less than a week ago
but couldn’t hold onto his advantage in virtually any group. Newt won
men, women (sorry, Marianne), independents, marrieds, singles, veterans,
non-veterans, and all income groups. He won on electability and on the
economy and on the deficit. He won among voters who decided today and
within the last few days, and tied Romney among those who decided
earlier this month. (A rare win for Romney came among those who decided
before that.) He even won among those who approve of Nikki Haley’s job
performance as governor, notwithstanding her endorsement of Mitt.”

-Allahpundit (HotAir)

revolve

hearing these murderous war chanting republicans is like listening to Hitler belch madness and pound his fist on his podium.

I’ve always known Americans, especially red Americans were slightly less aware then humane humans but can they really be so ignorant, so dumb, so ..evil…to even believe this nonsense–why do Americans, in one side of the mouth condemn millions of people for allegedly seeking nuclear power–for electricity (u cant pretend to know they have malicious intent)–you are not a prophet, u are not the only ‘human goodness’–but then in the other side of the mouth Americans cry kill kill kill–nuke em all! Make it glass! Are you insane! Do you know that you are a hypocrite! U make no sense. But evil is evident in your heart~

How can Americans be so stupid–that they can be so easily whipped up into another war of lies. Iran is not harmful. Iran is a peaceful nation. They have NEVER demonstrated malcontent to any neighbors or even America. There is no grounds–NO GROUNDS for America’s hostility or belligerence. Wake the F-up! Get a book, or two, turn off the boob tube–BOOB–and get a passport, get out there and see what the world is really about because you are the most ignorant people on earth–third world. You know NOTHING about the world! Nothing. This is why you are so easily manipulated. Look at home, look abroad–America is at war against democracy–always has been. We pretend to be a democracy and murder anyone in the world who attempts democracy or any nation that attempts to uplift their people.

The right doesn’t care about these things. They are hateful, bigoted, small small people–the scourge of the planet! Why don’t they just be honest–go home and go to these debates with their white hoods and swastikas.

Marc

To say that Iran is peaceful is absolutely absurd. I am not American by the way. The European Union nations have also stopped buying Iranian oil. Maybe this is some kind of world conspiracy against the one peaceful nation on Earth.

This is not a condemnation of the Iranian people. The evil lies in Iran’s dictatorial government that slaughters its own young citizens when they speak out against it. One day the Iranian people will rise up against their oppressor, as it always has been throughout history.

You should come to my community friend. Here you can practise any religion, marry any woman, gather in groups, read any book, and condemn the government in public. I do not worry that government agents will kick down my door at night. That level of freedom is breathtaking.

david

SOPA,
Alot like a pawn dealer.
Alot of people come in selling their junk, some I know, most I do not.
Some stuff I am sure is stolen junk, I am against stealing; but I don’t ask questions. I am making MONEY!
Now! some nut wants me to keep records on the junk I buy and who sells it to me inorder to catch those who are stealing.
This is wrong, where is my freedom to make MONEY, even if some of it is stolen!
Shucks folks! what is the big deal!
The thief is making a little money, I am making easy, Big money and really the victim here, probably does not deserve the junk he has worked so hard to create anyway.

Worried for the country(MA)

Chris Dodd is now shilling for SOPA.

Dodd now works for Hollywood and is threatening to hold campaign contributions from Hollywood to the Dems unless SOPA is passed.

Hidan

(Plushkin, exists to defecate all over internet forums, shutting down any & all criticism of his beloved apartheid state.)

Just ask yourself why is it that an Israeli is coming on an American public radio thread to tell others what they can and cannot say about Israel? Why has this Israeli felt the need to stalk posters that criticize his apartheid state? He previously admitted on the O Captian thread that other posters comment was deleted on the telegraph.

Than ask if his goal is to stop hate than why is this poster qouting and citing known islamophobic bigots? And memembers of Hate groups? If his goal is to stop what he believes to be anti-semitism than why on the Montana thread did he not respond to any of the Actual White Supremacist they did cite Israel for what they want to do in Montana.

If this posters finds what I post offensive and believes it to be all lies than why does he again cite bigots to try and prove them wrong. Are the Guardian, Haartz,BBC,Human Rights group all lying?According to Plushkin all of them are.

I challenged others to read my links and read plushkin and see which one is lying and hateful. An example is Plushin Debka link claims that Lean P said Iran will have a bomb in 3 months. Lean P aids stated this wasn’t true and even officials in Israel stated such wasn’t true. Plushkin openly backs the likes of Daniel Pipes 100% yet Pipes is an known bigot in the U.S.

And again Plushkin does more to harm the cause he’s trying to blindly protect than anything I could do and as demographic change in the U.S. so will the Blind support for the racism and discrimination that Israeli imposes on the Palestinians on an daily basis.

Plushkin

when a Hidan’s delusional world view gets challenged he does what he does best — goes berserk. Way to prove one’s point!�
Your hysteria is laughable.
Plushkin

“And again Plushkin does more to harm the cause he’s trying to blindly protect”

LOL. Why are you so worried then?
- Hidan
  
  worried? nope. Shocked that you would try to follow me online and get me banned? yes
  
  We all know how much rightwing Israeli like to tell the truth.
  - Plushkin
    
    oh that ” what’s in the name?” right?
    Ban Hidan is a legitimate name just like Ban Ki-Moon, unless you would charge that he threatens Ki-Moon by having Ban in front. That’s all your beef?
    - Hidan
      
      Sure…
      
      The Honestly of Plushkin shines once again.
    - Plushkin
      
      would you like anti-hidan better?
    - Hidan
      
      I thought you just claimed above that Ban Hidan was the same as Ban Ki-Moon?
      
      Anti-Ki-Moon doesn’t make too much sense.
      
      But than again your are the truthteller…….. here right?
    - Plushkin
      
      well I try to make sure people understand your agenda, distortions, outright lies and plain hatred for anything Jewish…
      Sounds rather noble to me, wouldn’t you agree?
    - Hidan
      
      Again conflating criticism of Israel and it’s racist government to all Jews is hardly noble. Actually quite sickening to do so. All Jews are not the same yet here you all claiming they are but again contributing critizism of Israel and it’s racist government to all Jews.
      
      nd again I don’t hate all jews as you like to claim.I don’t like right wing Jew(that’s a given) much like I don’t like rightwing republicans mostly because there uncaring racist bigots.
      
      But than again your hatred of Arabs/Muslims shines all over the thread. As noted the people you cite and link too fits that category quite well.
      
      But I guess that’s what some call noble….. I saw first hand your defense(or lack there of) on the hereandnow thread with those White Supremacist. Of course they cited Israel and noble right-wing settlers as an example of what they wanted to do.
      
      Kudos to Jeffe for standing up to those racist and the fact that the only person you responded to on that thread was me should tell the other readers what your intentions were/are. If people are unaware there were 400+ comments many made by actual anti-Semite and racist and Plushkin didn’t feel the need to stand up for Israel or Jews. Of course than again they were citing Rightwing settlers as an example for what they wanted to do in Montana

Plushkin

again I don’t hate all jews as you like to claim.I don’t like right wing Jew(that’s a given) much like I don’t like rightwing republicans mostly because there uncaring racist bigots.

But than again your hatred of Arabs/Muslims shines all over the thread. As noted the people you cite and link too fits that category quite well.

oh please spare us your self righteous pseudo humanistic crap, will’ya? Just listen to yourself:

any critique of Islam/muslims/arabs – MUST be xenophobic/islamophobic/racist just because in your opinion they are perpetual victims of Zionizm (which by the way is just a national movement concerned with Jewish self determination, no more no less)

any critique of democratic utopia being pushed down americans’ throats – must be racists rightwinger/rebulican or worst of all rabid Zionists as you used to call me.

any chance to jump on Israel based on rumors/unsubstantiated data/ outright propaganda — and you’re first in line.

�
But in the end you’re just as hateful and racist (albeit reverse racist which no better) as you try to portray others.

Hidan

reverse racist that’s a new one? Should like the anti-white line those Supremacist were saying on the Hereandnow thread.

Glad to hear you hate blacks and minorities as well(democratic utopia code word). Least your finally being honest and honestly is what you came on here for.

Wow your noble and honest cause is shining quite well.

“any chance to jump on Israel based on rumors/unsubstantiated data/ outright propaganda — and you’re first in line.”

Quite telling that criticism of Israel racism is now unsubstanitiated/rumors and outright propaganda. Must be those reverse racist human rights groups all trying to throw yoke on the non-racist like yourself face.

Speaking of which.

Human Rights Watch reports ‘serious violations’ in Israel, Palestinian territories

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/human-rights-watch-reports-serious-violations-in-israel-palestinian-territories-1.408670

Serious violations in Israel and the Palestinian territories were
ongoing in 2011, Human Rights Watch said in its annual report Sunday.

The report also sharply criticized Israel for detaining 164 Palestinian
minors. It also mentioned settler violence and vandalism and what it
said was lack of action by Israeli authorities against it. The United
Nations reported 377 attacks by settlers last year that damaged
Palestinian property, including almost 10,000 olive trees.

of course this Human rights group must be lying since there using substantiated data.
- Hidan
  
  “Sounds”like
- Plushkin
  
  wait a sec, just got some whiff of what is going on here — have you graduated from a high school at least?
  You see, the way you build arguments and especially draw conclusions is so flawed it is not even funny any more. Now I finally agree with millard_fillmore who had you a$$ whipped back than when you still were calling yourself michael.
  It all makes sense now. Thanks.
  - Hidan
    
    The same Millard that cites Geert Wilders (an Known bigot and bar from going to the UK at one point).
    
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geert_Wilders
    
    Please tell me your believe the stuff Geert Wilder does? It will just further validate my point about your and the people you cite views.

Hidan

Anyone curious about Wilder who back in the day Millard use to cite and whose Plushkin is bringing up.

In January 2009, the Amsterdam Court of Appeal ordered Wilders’ prosecution for “incitement to hatred and discrimination” Dude was told not to return to western Germany and world wild is considered an bigot and an racist.Of course Plushkin’s not xenophobic or anything……..

Hidan

Here we have it folks Plushkins backup and peolple he deemed to be experts all have one thing in common.

A hatred for Muslims and arabs..

But remember folk’s Plushkin is only here to spread the true and stop lies.That’s why he relies on people who relies on lies,fear and hate to do so.

Google all the people and sites he has listed and it’s quite telling what you will come back with.

Than again that’s our Plushkin truthfulness shinning all so bright.

Plushkin

Last week, The Washington Post-owned online magazine Foreign Policy – which publishes a regular blog by Stephen Walt, published an article by Mark Perry claiming that in 2007 and 2008 Mossad agents posed as CIA agents in a false-flag operation whose aim was to build a cooperative relationship with the Pakistani/Iranian Baluchi anti-regime Jundallah terror group.

Perry’s report was based solely on anonymous sources. Its obvious purpose was to discredit the very notion of Israeli-US intelligence cooperation on Iran.

Following the publication of Perry’s article, Israel abandoned its general policy of never commenting on intelligence issues. The Foreign Ministry denounced his report as “utter nonsense.”

What Foreign Policy failed to tell its readers is that Perry is not an objective reporter. He is a former adviser to Yassir Arafat and an advocate of US engagement with Hamas and Hezbollah. By failing to mention his biases, Foreign Policy became an accessory to the mainstreaming of anti-Semitism. Like The Israel Lobby, Perry’s report in Foreign Policy adds to the legitimacy of the attitude that there is something fundamentally wrong with having a close relationship with the Jewish state.

Guests

From Tom’s Reading List