Margaret, I can’t understand why Mitt is behind in the polls. Just think of the millions of jobs that he has created with his wealth. Oodles and oodles of them. Why, the Staples story alone should have put this election away weeks ago.
In 1986, Mitt Romney and Bain provided $4.5 million to two supermarket executives, Leo Kahn and Thomas G. Stemberg, to open an office supply supermarket. That retail chain called Staples went public in 1989 and by 1996, the company had grown to over 1,100 stores, and by 2008, over 2,000 stores. Bain Capital eventually reaped a nearly sevenfold return on its investment, and Romney sat on the Staples board of directors for over a decade. Rumor has it, he hasn’t eaten dinner at an ironing board since.
Well that’s impressive if you ask me. Why wouldn’t we all line up to vote for that man? All that hard work keeping our economy strong deserves a good ‘ole fashion tax cut and a trip to the Oval Office. What’s the problem? It’s all simple math. Create jobs. Get a tax cut. Use your tax cut to create more jobs. The Republican way.
Now a smart man would simply shut up and let his actions speak for him. But Mitt is not a smart man. Instead of shutting up, he said this:
“There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. All right, there are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you name it. That that’s an entitlement. And the government should give it to them. And they will vote for this president no matter what… My job is not to worry about those people. I’ll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives.”
Ouch. Some of those 47% are eating tuna fish off an ironing board right now.
See, here’s the problem. Some of those 47% people are like me – old and eligible for Medicare. Some of those people are like my grandson – smart and taking out loans to get through college because his dad doesn’t have a company to give him right now. Some of those people are even military families just trying to make ends meet. But some of those people – those 47% who think they are victims and expect the government to take care of them – are Staples employees who work full-time and are just trying to put food on the table for their families. We call them the working poor.
An entry level job at Staples pays between $7 and $9 an hour. If you do the math, that’s between $15,000 and $19,000 a year. The poverty level in America for a family of three is $18,530. As long as those hard-working Staples employees believe in birth control and don’t have any kids, they can stay just above the poverty level. Success! Vote Republican and wait for your tax cut to arrive in the mail.
Of course, you’ll be waiting quite a bit longer for that tax cut than your boss, the CEO of Staples, who made $9 million dollars last year. I wonder who that guy is voting for?
The way I see it Margaret, it’s just simple math. If the Republicans want more votes, they might want to consider handing out some raises at Staples.
The party of Jesus sure has gotten pretty far off track. They forgot one of his basic rules. I think it was something about the least among us… otherwise called the 47%.
Vote for the other guy. I mean it. Really.
Click here to support Margaret and Helen’s website.
From the Obama campaign:
I hope I made you proud out there explaining the vision we share for this country.
Followed by a donation link.
By: Anonymous on October 4, 2012
at 2:20 PM
Hee hee hee! You are talking cute little furry critters – I’m talking about pond scum! Although U Are Wrong may actually be Ur A Wolverine, I would hardly describe them as cute and furry!
By: JC on October 4, 2012
at 1:01 PM
I do love it when “the help” draw from their middle school insult hand guide.
By: Anonymous on October 4, 2012
at 11:50 AM
HI, JC – Yeah! I see what you mean… We usually have pretty good luck around our place trapping varmints by using a couple of large HavAHart traps, baited with cabbage. But when they have a new litter – as seems to have happened here – it’s hard to get them all at once. The little ones never want to leave the mother… But, eventually, it all works out. Just takes patience!
Gato
By: gatodicima on October 4, 2012
at 11:42 AM
@JC: And you provide an excellent example of how one side needs to bash the other assuming allegiance to the “other guy” I was defending Staples, not Romney. You don’t like what I say so you call me names and tell me to go away. … and then you talk about the 1st amendment.
FYI: I do not think Romney is the best choice for POTUS. I didn’t like him last time and don’t like him this time. However to conclude he’s not fit because he does’t have sufficient business experience is ludicrous as the current guy HAS NONE and has proven this many times over. It’s sad that we have a two party system where we are left having to pick the one puppet who will do the least amount of damage.
By: kase on October 4, 2012
at 11:28 AM
Gosh Gato, I think I’d better see about installing some kind of drainage system under the Porch here – something nasty is multiplying under there! U Are Wrong tries to send us to the Blaze, etc, non proses on about Glenn Beck being a credible source, and now we have this kase ass citing a FICTIONAL FOREIGN AGENT/ASSASSIN as a model for how a presidential candidate ought to be able to conduct business. Things must be getting pretty stagnant down there…
By: JC on October 4, 2012
at 11:16 AM
“It’s only illegal if they do it illegally”
Wow, really? Somehow, “ya think”, doesn’t quite get it done on this one.
By: Anonymous on October 4, 2012
at 11:13 AM
It’s only illegal if they do it illegally. I may have money invested overseas too in my 401k but Wells Fargo makes sure it’s shipshape and above board. Phil Gramm and USB were not operating according to the rules, that’s what the problem is-Rmoney may be one that benefitted. Furthermore, being a “good” or “successful” businessman doesn’t necessarily give you the skills to be President of the United States. Many of us here are questioning whether Rmoney HAS those skills (I would be in the “nope” camp) and we are well within our first amendment rights to do so! So take your rude snotty little self and your shut-ups to some sorry ass right wing site where you and 10000 of your closest like minded moronic friends can sing Rmoneys praises and bash the Prez ALL DAY LONG. In two comments you have demonstrated that you have nothing constructive to add to our conversation, so get lost, sycophant!
By: JC on October 4, 2012
at 10:58 AM
There is nothing illegal about having a Swiss bank account.
Why is it cool for James Bond and Jason Bourne to have one, but not the guy running for President of the United States? In the US, having a Swiss bank account has been portrayed as bad ass, not something to be ashamed of.
But if you people want to vilify politicians with money invested overseas, they might want to take a look at Democratic National Committee Chairman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz. She has money tied up in Swiss banks too. And foreign drug companies, and the state bank of India. So shut up about Mitt Romney already.
By: kase on October 4, 2012
at 10:18 AM
If you missed the debate, this 1:40 clip sums up how the entire debate looked. Romney handing a bad performance review to a subordinate, who, looking down knowing he was guilty, taking what was due him.
By: Anonymous on October 4, 2012
at 10:07 AM
Regarding your comments about Staples: So your idea is that Staples should have one wage for everyone? What’s wrong with hiring new workers at a low rate then allowing them to ascend into more responsibility? And what’s wrong with reaping a large profit from taking a large risk? Staples hires ~27,500 new employees per year. That’s 27,500 new opportunities for people to improve their position in life.
Also, maybe you’re not aware, Staples has a huge number of employees that are not on the retail floor and they make considerably more — because they’ve *did something* to get there.
As for your slam of any CEO that makes $9 million. There are only 290 cities in the US that have a population larger than the number of people Stables employs. How much would you want to run a company with nearly 100,000 employees? No need to answer. That was rhetorical as there’s no chance you could get the job. (and with your attitude, I doubt you could get a one of those $10/hr positions)
By: kase on October 4, 2012
at 10:02 AM
We dont need a gentleman for a Leader, we need a warrior. Someone that can stand up to the bullies of the world, not tell them, thank you mam..can I have another. Romney showed us he will fight for us. I want a fighter, not a wimpy English gentleman.
As for Romney telling lies, Fact Check disagrees. He had one they described as Mostly false with a ? at the end of that due to lack of evidence.
By: Anonymous on October 4, 2012
at 9:56 AM
Good morning, Sidney & porch dwellers! Answer about the smirk: Constantly. I know most of the pundits (who cares?) are saying that Mittens “won” last night, mainly because he was so aggressive. He lied all over the place, among other things. (Who can believe R saying, “Of course we need regulation.”?)
A great Freudian typo from one of our Non’s posts last night – something about “…may the best ‘mad’ win…” Loved that. And if that’s what people were looking for from Mittens, they had to be pleased.
I realized that I, personally, was hoping that the President would wipe the floor with R just so the whole bloody thing would be OVER! But no… Obama insisted on behaving like a gentleman, faced with a toddler throwing the same old tantrum once again… It could have degenerated into an “I said”, “No you didn’t” thing if one person had not remained the Grownup in the Room.
I’m going with those who project that OFA is already hard at work mining the treasure trove of lies and “misstatements” that came forth last evening, and looking forward to seeing what they do with them.
ALSO looking forward to reading the remaining thirty-some bulletins from The Porch this morning… And deleting any that may have crept out from under the front steps…
Gato
By: gatodicima on October 4, 2012
at 9:46 AM
Hey sidney,
Yup, I thought Romney was smirking, overly aggressive, and rude and manic. Jim Lehrer was terrible and just let Romney walk all over him and the debate rules. I want to hear from the fact checkers now. Are there Americans who will really believe that Romney will keep Medicare and all the good parts of Obamacare, cut taxes, increase defense spending, invest in education and it won’t cost a thing? No new revenues required? Total, utter BS and I don’t believe Americans will believe it. That being said, Obama didn’t bring his A game.
By: Terri in NY on October 4, 2012
at 8:04 AM
Mageen–CBS snap poll showed that 32% of undecideds thought the debate was a tie. Romney has to move undecideds hugely to have a chance and didn’t last night. Watch the polls for the next few days, ignore the spin (from people with a vested economic interest in portraying a horse race), and I think you’ll see some encouraging things.
By: Donna on October 4, 2012
at 7:01 AM
Here is where I put my grad degree in psych to work. Even Ann Romney has let slip some info on Mitt that, combined with what we the people see, convince me the guy is manic and not on any kind of medication or therapy to deal with it. Look at the way he rolled over the moderator and broke debate rules right and left. If he had pulled that stuff in a regular debate class in school,he would have been expelled! Remember the $10,000 “offer” he made Rick Perry during the primary debates? He got close enough to Perry by turning a bit. Perry got a very, very good look at him and reacted as if he smelled something bad. Can’t forget the look on Perry’s face. And Mitt’s “criteria” for what he would do with the existing Executive Departments, agencies and so on scared the socks off of me!!! His disdain for our veterans is a matter of record (convention speech). I can just see the Department of Veterans Affairs disappearing (his 47% speech at a $50,000 a plate dinner). As for the tax reform, it was always aimed at making the 1% richer. And, yes, that smirk! Is the smirk de regeur for all Republican Presidential candidates?
By: mageen in old virginny on October 4, 2012
at 5:37 AM
Donna, Terri, Gato…..how much did you want to smack that smirk off of Romneys face?
By: sidney18511 on October 4, 2012
at 1:45 AM
Both say they will/have work together with their opposition. On that point…with Romney it is a matter of public record, with Obama it is still rhetoric.
By: Anonymous on October 3, 2012
at 11:29 PM
Interesting “debate.” Of course Romney was long on promises but short on specifics. I’m sure his followers loved his ability to run roughshod over the President and the moderator without ever having to give any specific details on how he’d perform his miracles..
But what really struck me, as a former resident of MA when he was governor, was his appropriation of the health Massachusetts health care insurance reform law, is if it had been his responsibility. As I recall, most of the bill came from the work of some career state politicians and he vetoed a half dozen amendments that were later over ridden by the legislature. It has also been amended several time since to make it work. To see his bald-faced claims that it was his bill leave a very sour taste in my mouth. He’s such a phony..
BTW this is the same governor who bailed out part way through his last term and left a neophyte Lt. Governor to clean up the mess he left behind.
By: BFD on October 3, 2012
at 10:47 PM
And, as always, can we please ignore the troll?
By: Donna on October 3, 2012
at 10:45 PM
Sidney: Romney may have picked up some undecideds but I doubt it’s enough to make a difference. You’ll hear lots of pundits taking all sorts of positions but none of that matters. I think that the people who were going to vote for Obama still will and that Romney did nothing whatsoever to energize his base or pick up enough undecideds to make a difference.
Easier: your reaction is similar to many people’s. Most people don’t like bullies or a-holes. Romney was condescending, rude, and constantly smirking. I don’t think that will play well with many of the people that Romney would have needed to persuade, such as seniors.
I think that Obama picked up alot of information that will be used against Romney in the coming weeks–that may have been the intention.
By: Donna on October 3, 2012
at 10:39 PM
Obama better hope a Kicked Ass is covered under Obamacare. -Dennis Miller via Twitter.
Bill Mahr says Obama will need a teleprompter for the next debate! via Twitter
By: Anonymous on October 3, 2012
at 10:27 PM
Could not be more wrong Easier. When Obama tried to hang Romney for not giving specifics on everything he intends to do, Romney gave the perfect answer. Unlike Obama who crammed Obamacare down our throats, Romney, like he did in his own state, intends to find common ground. This makes particulars irrelevant as if you intend to actually compromise, principles are enough to begin the process to come up with a plan everyone can agree with. Pure Genius.
By: Anonymous on October 3, 2012
at 10:23 PM
I agree Donna. This debate just solidified peoples’ positions. Our guy is not fIashy. He is honest and stands by his beliefs. I personally prefer people who have core beliefs and stand by them. Mitt simply does not strike me as someone with such qualities, as simple as that. I don’t trust him.
By: Easier on October 3, 2012
at 10:14 PM
Donna, do you think that Romney might of picked up some undecided voters? He was pretty spunky and Obama could have called him out on so many lies, but he let them slide.
By: sidney18511 on October 3, 2012
at 10:11 PM
I think many independents were swayed tonight. The 15 panel board that gets to effectively ration health care, that operates outside the constraints of congress I think is going to be a huge negative for Obama. We already know Obama has overstepped his executive authority 3 times showing his disdain for how we do things in this country mandated by the Constitution. This 15 panel board is another shining example of that. I suspect we will see a lot more on this in the coming weeks ahead and independent voters will care greatly about it.
By: Anonymous on October 3, 2012
at 10:08 PM
Easier: I’m a trial lawyer and view things from that perspective. Nobody who was undecided is likely to change their vote based on tonight’s debate. And there will be a lot of publicity and ads about Romney’s changes of position and flat out falsehoods. The people who would have voted for Romney still will. The people who would have voted for Obama still will. Romney’s abandonment of certain very conservative positions will, if anything, motivate some people who might have voted for him to stay home. This was not a debate directed at you or me or anyone committed on either side.
By: Donna on October 3, 2012
at 9:57 PM
I caught half of the debate. Was at a conference and my flight home crossed paths with Air Force One today and of course the President had the right of way. So we waited until he flew out. I still made it home 5 minutes early. My connecting time was just a tad shorter.
I think Mitt Romney did good for himself tonight. My vote is already set in stone however, therefore, he will not sway me. His base sure will be buoyed by his performance. It might be just me, but I just don’t think the tired old position in regard to the market place taking care of everybody with hardly any government intervention has worked. Might appeal to people with no memory of the past but I just know that when businesses are left to their own devices, profits usually win over people. That is how jobs got outsourced, that is how people get to work full time and can’t earn a living wage doing so, all to protect corporation’s bottom line. I prefer the guy who cares about people.
By: Easier on October 3, 2012
at 9:53 PM
1st I want to say that that was my favorite format for a Presidential debate I have ever seen. This is how they all should be done so that rules do not allow points to me made, expanded on, and finished. Absolutely perfect.
2nd. Romney hit a grand slam home run. I was very happy when Santorum lost the nomination, tonight, I don’t feel so bad at all, the better mad did win. He defined himself and was as Presidential as I could have ever hoped for. Romney was the clear winner.
By: Anonymous on October 3, 2012
at 9:45 PM
well Terri….
11 more states where the Dems can stuff the F#cken ballot box…..
how many ballot boxes are they going to find in someones trunk this time????????
By: uawtradesman on October 3, 2012
at 6:25 PM