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You are here: Home / Romney and Ryan continue daily lies on welfare to work rules, media personalities begin to cover their asses by finally admitting these are racially-charged, flat-out lies

Romney and Ryan continue daily lies on welfare to work rules, media personalities begin to cover their asses by finally admitting these are racially-charged, flat-out lies

by Kay|  August 22, 201212:09 pm| 91 Comments

This post is in: Blatant Liars and the Lies They Tell

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Steve Benen at Maddowblog:

Sixteen years ago today, President Clinton signed his signature welfare-reform measure into law. Marking the occasion, the Romney campaign said in a statement this morning, “[D]on’t expect President Obama to mark the occasion after just last month gutting the historic work requirements.”
They are, of course, lying — Obama didn’t gut the work requirements. As even the Romney campaign knows, governors asked the Obama administration for some flexibility on the existing welfare law, and the White House said that’d be fine, so long as the work requirement isn’t weakened. It’s consistent with the policy endorsed by many Republican governors, including Romney himself, just six years ago.
What I find interesting, however, is the number of people who are picking up on Romney’s shameless attempt to deceive the public. Consider these comments from Joe Scarborough yesterday:….

I’ll just leave it there because I don’t really want to consider the ass-covering comments of millionaire media personality Joe Scarborough. I guess I’m supposed to be thrilled that some “number” of famous people have decided Romney’s lies have become too embarrassing and blatant to ignore. I’m not impressed. I think that’s an incredibly low bar. I think they aren’t doing their job.

Romney launched these attacks weeks ago. They are completely untrue. Paul Ryan now repeats the lies. That means Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan have had weeks to spread a flat-out lie to vast sections of the country. That’s an absolute failure of news organizations to report the truth to their readers.

If millions of people believe these lies, and they will, it will be because political media waited weeks to gather the courage to write a simple factual statement: Obama did not gut welfare to work rules, and Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan are spreading this completely false attack because their campaign professionals believe Barack Obama is vulnerable on these charges because Obama is an African-American. That’s the truth and it’s not complicated and it’s not nuanced and it’s not difficult to write.

Political media waited weeks to admit this obvious truth. They allowed Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan to spread this flat-out lie to millions of people, and this lie has now become “true.” They failed millions of people. Again.

Update: To this day, years after political media and conservative celebrities spread the lie that Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama inserted “death panels” into a federal law, I STILL have old people who come into this office and ask me about the “death panels.” That lie stuck because they waited MONTHS to correct it.

Good job! Thanks so much for finally getting around to reporting simple unequivocal facts.

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Reader Interactions

91Comments

  1. 1.

    burnspbesq

    August 22, 2012 at 12:12 pm

    Link is messed up.

  2. 2.

    Tonal Crow

    August 22, 2012 at 12:15 pm

    Thank you for telling this simple truth, Kay. There seems to be no lie to which Romney/Ryan and their Republican brethren will not stoop.

    —
    Tag: Romney’s like Sarah Palin, but with man parts.

  3. 3.

    japa21

    August 22, 2012 at 12:18 pm

    The meme running out there now is not so much that he gutted the work requirement, although that is still mentioned, but by granting waivers what he did is illegal, same as with the actions on young “illegals”, same as with some waivers on NCLB, etc. Obama=dictator.

    Although I have little hope for it to happen, it would be great if one of the debate moderators specifically asked Romney why he continued to run ads and put in his stump speech this accusation even after it had been debunked many times.

  4. 4.

    Yutsano

    August 22, 2012 at 12:19 pm

    Horse. Race. They needs one even if they have to make it up as they go along. You realize this will just devolve into opinions differ and both sides are equsally guilty at lying.

  5. 5.

    The Ancient Randonneur

    August 22, 2012 at 12:22 pm

    Yes! But wait the so-called “liberal” media is having too much fun with being clever e.g. the Dick Whisperer wondering aloud if maybe the the Christian god hasn’t forsaken them.

    For a party that should be sailing toward victory, there were all the makings of a perfect storm. And, sure enough: Tuesday afternoon, the National Weather Service forecast that “Tropical Depression Nine” would strengthen into a hurricane, taking a northwesterly track over Cuba on Sunday morning — just as Republicans are arriving in Florida.

    You see! It couldn’t possibly be that the “liberal” mainstream media ignores all the dog whistle BS coming out of the GOP in general and the Romney campaign specifically, could it? No! They are doing so many things wrong, but why no mention of the the racial aspect of what this line of criticism is about? It really is sickening. Do they need for someone to come out and just use the N word before it is “really racist”?

  6. 6.

    David Hunt

    August 22, 2012 at 12:23 pm

    What was it Mark Twain wrote? Something like, “A lie travels halfway around the world before the truth can put on its boots in the morning.”? If only that were how it worked today. Now the truth is held in a solitary confinement cell by news organization while desperate, underfunded public defenders try to get the bogus charges dismissed while the lie is traveling the world on truth’s credit card , burning down everyplace that truth has ever lived. At least that’s how it feels sometime.

  7. 7.

    Hill Dweller

    August 22, 2012 at 12:23 pm

    When Willard was governor, he signed a letter asking the Bush administration for the same kind of waiver/flexibility. He is a soulless man.

  8. 8.

    Kay

    August 22, 2012 at 12:23 pm

    @burnspbesq:

    Thanks.

  9. 9.

    yopd1

    August 22, 2012 at 12:25 pm

    This is why Soledad O’Brien is now my favorite TV news person. She has consistently been calling GOP talking points lies on air, when the talking heads say it.

  10. 10.

    wrb

    August 22, 2012 at 12:25 pm

    @japa21:

    Although I have little hope for it to happen, it would be great if one of the debate moderators specifically asked Romney why he continued to run ads and put in his stump speech this accusation even after it had been debunked many times.

    I’d also like to see Romney confronted with Obama’s “build that” statement in context, then of Romney’s mischaracterization of it. Throw intape of a couple of the times Romney said something similar to Obama’s statement.

  11. 11.

    ant

    August 22, 2012 at 12:25 pm

    didn’t rMoney get a big fat zero as a grade on african american support just yesterday?

    Is there any president for a number like that in polling?

    black folks sure aint buying what he’s selling.

    spose we shall cue up the “blacks are the racists” album, and sing along……

    everybody now….

  12. 12.

    Yutsano

    August 22, 2012 at 12:27 pm

    @Hill Dweller: Well you can’t expect Willard to keep his same political stances he had when he was governor. He’s running for President for Pete’s sake!

  13. 13.

    Valdivia

    August 22, 2012 at 12:27 pm

    I hope they start saying it more and more loudly. And I hope Clinton burns Romney’s ass at the convention on this.

    I posted this in a previous thread but it fits here nicely. Romney going the way of the bullhorn in his doghistles:

    I saw this am that Romney said in an interview with CNN that Obama had less money in the bank because he didn’t know how to use money, i.e. those people don’t how to manage it.

    Hmm. Maybe if Obama was getting 10 million dollar checks from one guy every month he would also have a 62 million cash advantage. But that aside, I think Obama is spending the money on the ground (infrastructure that lasts) instead of the shiny ads that Romney thinks will buy him the election.

    Kay, do you know if anyone has done a state by state look at how many offices Romney has vis a vis Obama?

  14. 14.

    Kay

    August 22, 2012 at 12:27 pm

    @japa21:

    Why wait for the debates? This is outrageous. Romney and Ryan repeat this lie every day at every stop.

    I don’t know, do we have to supply the question?

    “Governor Romney and Representative Ryan: why do you continue to repeat a lie about welfare to work rules?”

    I mean, Jesus Christ. Following these people is a full time job for the professionals. How hard can this question be?

    The lie is one thing, but the more important piece of information voters might need to know is what this says about these two people’s character and ethics. They will repeat a lie that is clearly intended to attack the President on what they perceive as a weakness: his race. That is a hugely important thing to know.

  15. 15.

    gogol's wife

    August 22, 2012 at 12:28 pm

    I wish you were the tsarina of media, Kay.

    I can still remember the moment I heard the “death panels” thing. I never watch network news, but I was visiting someone who had NBC on, and their lead story was, “Sarah Palin tweets that Obama wants to institute death panels.” I got sick to my stomach at that moment, because I knew that this was going to be the big slogan of the next few months. They make me so sick.

  16. 16.

    Libby

    August 22, 2012 at 12:29 pm

    Well said Kay. Going to use that for quote of the day at my big media blog, if you don’t mind.

  17. 17.

    danah gaz (fka gaz)

    August 22, 2012 at 12:33 pm

    @ant:

    Wait, step into the light
    How can this be right?
    I’m afraid we’re gonna ask you to leave
    This you cannot win
    With the color of your skin
    You won’t be getting into the Promised Land
    It’s just another case
    You people still don’t know your place
    Step aside, out the way, wipe that look off your face
    Cause we are the devine separated from the swine

    Come on, sing along, everybody now
    God given

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbeMZzBc83w

  18. 18.

    Kay

    August 22, 2012 at 12:33 pm

    @japa21:

    When old people ask me about the death panels I tell them “you were lied to.” I then explain the IPAB (the fake-rational for the lie).

    I love these elite editorials and hand-wringing over how no one trusts “institutions” anymore. How about this idea? STOP LYING TO THEM. REGAIN their trust. YOU pissed it away. WORK to get it back.

  19. 19.

    Soonergrunt

    August 22, 2012 at 12:35 pm

    @Yutsano: Win

  20. 20.

    Valdivia

    August 22, 2012 at 12:39 pm

    @gogol’s wife:

    I wish you were the tsarina of media, Kay.

    Amen. Seconded.

  21. 21.

    wrb

    August 22, 2012 at 12:41 pm

    @gogol’s wife:

    I can still remember the moment I heard the “death panels” thing

    I think the phrase “death vouchers” should be repeated far and wide.

    It is completely fair.

    They argued that the panels would ration care and so cause death.

    The vouchers to ration care. That is their purpose.

  22. 22.

    gene108

    August 22, 2012 at 12:41 pm

    @Valdivia:

    Is Romney talking about the same President Obama, who raised over $600 million in 2008?

    The same President Obama, who shattered all previous fundraising records by a Presidential candidate and made Bush, Jr.’s record setting fundraising from 2000 and 2004 look amateurish by comparison?

    In reality, with Romney’s money advantage, Republican governments in several states trying to do everything they can to insure his victory, and a still lousy economy, the fact Romney still trails President Obama just shows you how awful the Republican Party has become for most Americans.

  23. 23.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    August 22, 2012 at 12:41 pm

    @Valdivia:

    Purely anecdotal but we have an OFA office in Wilmington, NC and the one here in Jacksonville, NC opened a couple of weeks ago. For what it is worth I see lots of Obama stickers on cars, I have yet to see one Romney sticker.

  24. 24.

    Brian R.

    August 22, 2012 at 12:42 pm

    The Scarborough comments weren’t entirely self-serving. Despite the write-up Benen gives them, Scarborough says that he spoke with a Republican operative who flatly admitted the ads were “entirely false.”

    Even the GOP admits it’s a lie.

  25. 25.

    Kay

    August 22, 2012 at 12:43 pm

    @Valdivia:

    Kay, do you know if anyone has done a state by state look at how many offices Romney has vis a vis Obama?

    No, and I miss that about the old 538. They had those great on the ground reports of the local offices. I hope Nate Silver revives that. It was wonderful. It’s the sort of thing no one was doing, this whole war being waged on the ground, beneath the radar of the Morning Joe zombies.
    I can tell there is ONE in my 4 county rural area, and it’s in the LEAST rural area, a “swing” county” so Romney is either complacent about rural GOP voters or a terrible manager, because Obama’s up in every one of them, and he’s not going to win ANY of them (well., maybe one). He’s trying for every vote. Romney apparently thinks he has them in the bag.

  26. 26.

    Bulworth

    August 22, 2012 at 12:44 pm

    I will be glad after RomneyRyan get elected that they’ll put our welfares back to work at jobs that don’t exist while they also strip the Fed of its ability and mandate to promote full employment. //

  27. 27.

    ? Martin

    August 22, 2012 at 12:44 pm

    @Kay:

    I then explain the IPAB (the fake-rational for the lie).

    Actually, the lie came not from IPAB but from a provision that would encourage physicians to counsel older patients on living wills and end-of-life care. That provision (a good one) was proposed by a Democrat with 3 Republican cosponsors.

    Betsy McCaughey was the one who initiated the lie, claiming that old people would be required to meet with a doctor every 5 years to “tell them how to end their life sooner”.

  28. 28.

    The Moar You Know

    August 22, 2012 at 12:46 pm

    Journalism’s brazen attempts to run interference for the GOP since the Nixon years will be cited as the primary cause of the fall of the American Empire in somebody’s future history books.

    Not ours. We’ll have forgotten how to read, most of us, I expect.

  29. 29.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    August 22, 2012 at 12:49 pm

    @Kay:

    Kay, here in Onslow County (NC) McCain beat Obama by 60/40 if I recall, and I suspect seeing as it is a Republican stronghold Romney will probably take the county this time with pretty much the same margin. However, like I said up thread our OFA office opened a couple of weeks ago, the Obama team never writes off anywhere, they have boots on the ground everywhere and are registering voters and getting the message out. When I hear all this talk about how much money the campaign is spending it always goes through my mind that it is going to the boots on the ground, whereas Romney is spending all his on advertizing.

  30. 30.

    Kay

    August 22, 2012 at 12:49 pm

    @Valdivia:

    I sort of got taken off canvassing because I have all these “events” but I am gonna canvass Sunday because we have a new organizer, they’re meeting at this office for the canvass, and I feel like he needs some local cred or support or encouragement or something. He’s really young and people here are not unfriendly, they’re just sort of reserved. So I’ll do purely “go first” canvassing, but I then expect to be put back to having parties :)

  31. 31.

    ? Martin

    August 22, 2012 at 12:49 pm

    @Valdivia:

    I saw this am that Romney said in an interview with CNN that Obama had less money in the bank because he didn’t know how to use money, i.e. those people don’t how to manage it.

    Obama has less money because campaign contribution limited are separate for the primary and for the general election. The primary pool runs out at the convention and then the other pool opens up. For people that maxed out, they can give again after the convention. So yeah, he’s got to spend all of that primary money in the next week or so.

    Obama has less money in the bank because he knows how campaign finance laws work and knows how to budget.

  32. 32.

    Raven

    August 22, 2012 at 12:49 pm

    @Litlebritdifrnt: Have the redfish started to run yet?

  33. 33.

    Smiling Mortician

    August 22, 2012 at 12:51 pm

    @Tonal Crow: A suggestion:

    Tag: Romney’s like Sarah Palin, but with man parts magic underwear.

    Because I really don’t want to think about Romney’s man parts.

  34. 34.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    August 22, 2012 at 12:52 pm

    @Raven:

    *whoosh* right over my head.

  35. 35.

    Caz

    August 22, 2012 at 12:52 pm

    You can obviously see that most of the media supports Obama and puts out propaganda and tons of PR for him, right? The only TV channel that is not stumping for Obama is Fox. All the others are shamelessly plugging away with their pro-Obama message.

    If you don’t see that, then you are really brainwashed good.

  36. 36.

    What Have The Romans Ever Done for Us? (formerly MarkJ)

    August 22, 2012 at 12:52 pm

    Several news media outfits did debunk this particular lie. The problem is that Romney is such a shameless liar he kept using it. Most politicians would have moved on to something else, or not started with a lie to begin with. What can the media do besides call it a lie? That’s Mitt’s on campaign innovation – continuing with the lie even after he’s been caught.

    I find it somewhat encouraging that even Joe Scarborough is starting to call Romney a liar – if that meme takes hold he’s complete toast, because there are ample other examples to confirm the accusation.

    I seem to recall in past years that TV networks would refuse to air ads that they deemed out-and-out lies. Apparently that convention is something that has fallen by the wayside, and Romney is exploiting it.

  37. 37.

    Kay

    August 22, 2012 at 12:53 pm

    @? Martin:

    It was two-fold. The dumber conservative hacks went with the advanced directives lie, but the more elite group who seek to retain some sort of intellectual cred went with the IPAB (CATO, Ryan).

    Thinking of it, you could almost split it into two groups: Palin-dummy crowd, advanced directives; libertarian fake-serious crowd, IPAB. Both lies.

  38. 38.

    Kay

    August 22, 2012 at 12:55 pm

    @Caz:

    Is it a lie or not? The GOP governors who requested the change (including pathological liar Mitt Romney, once) say it’s not true. President Clinton says it’s not true. Every major news agency says it’s not true.

    Your Presidential candidate and your Vice Presidential candidate are repeating a blatant lie, and they won’t stop.

    They think you’re stupid.

  39. 39.

    The Moar You Know

    August 22, 2012 at 12:56 pm

    I think the phrase “death vouchers” should be repeated far and wide.
    __
    It is completely fair.
    __
    They argued that the panels would ration care and so cause death.
    __
    The vouchers to ration care. That is their purpose.

    @wrb: OMG YOU WANT US TO BE JUST LIKE REPUBLICANS HIGH ROAD ARGLE BARGLE.

    That kind of talk doesn’t wash here, buddy. I love Balloon Juice but the commentariat thinks that bringing a gun to a gunfight is immoral.

    EDIT: For an example of how the other side works, look at our pet jackass, Caz, above. He knows every word he typed is utter bullshit, but he’s got his orders and he’ll keep doing it until election day.

    Then he’ll be weeping in his mother’s basement for a few weeks, but that’s a story for another time.

  40. 40.

    Jay in Oregon

    August 22, 2012 at 12:56 pm

    @Kay:

    I love these elite editorials and hand-wringing over how no one trusts “institutions” anymore. How about this idea? STOP LYING TO THEM. REGAIN their trust. YOU pissed it away. WORK to get it back.

    Quoted (and emphasized) for truth.

  41. 41.

    Raven

    August 22, 2012 at 12:57 pm

    @Litlebritdifrnt: If you are in the J-ville-Wilmington area you are in primo redfish counrty. We go through there on the way to the Cedar Island Ferry on our way to Hatteras.

  42. 42.

    ? Martin

    August 22, 2012 at 12:59 pm

    @Kay: Yeah, but I think explaining to older voters that helping them understand living wills was what the GOP opposed is going to go over easier than explaining what IPAB is and why they should be okay with it.

    IPAB is a little complicated and still fear-inducing. They’ll likely already understand living wills and understand their benefits.

  43. 43.

    cat48

    August 22, 2012 at 12:59 pm

    The Welfare ad makes me furious every time someone mentions it. It’s sad that the president has to point this out in a Press Conf. before the press will even report the Lie. Romney is a desperate man evidently b/c he’s even under performing among whites. His numbers with whites are similar to McCains when he lost, per First Read. Policy proposals might work better b/c he’s not making too much progress race baiting!

  44. 44.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    August 22, 2012 at 1:00 pm

    Hey, the media calling it in just four months late is a huge change. I have yet to see the conventional wisdom(r) declare the Iraq War an inherently dumb idea.

  45. 45.

    burnspbesq

    August 22, 2012 at 1:00 pm

    @Caz:

    You can obviously see that most of the media supports Obama and puts out propaganda and tons of PR for him, right? The only TV channel that is not stumping for Obama is Fox. All the others are shamelessly plugging away with their pro-Obama message.

    Please resume taking your medication.

  46. 46.

    Kay

    August 22, 2012 at 1:01 pm

    @Caz:

    Hey Caz? I’m a lawyer in Ohio. The official state public policy in the state of Ohio is to encourage people to draft an advanced directive along with a will. That’s been true since the 1990’s. They even make it easy. They gave us specific statutory language to include, so it wouldn’t be contested in a probate court.

    Sarah Palin made up an easily disprovable lie that contradicted the public policy objectives of many, many states and tens of millions of Republicans swallowed it whole.

    An advanced directive on medical care is NOT AT ALL controversial. It’s ordinary. It’s also smart and allows people to retain some control over their lives.

  47. 47.

    gogol's wife

    August 22, 2012 at 1:01 pm

    It just hit me that Kay is getting angrier, because when I saw this post title I assumed it was ABL.

  48. 48.

    wrb

    August 22, 2012 at 1:02 pm

    @Smiling Mortician:

    love that

  49. 49.

    RaflW

    August 22, 2012 at 1:03 pm

    By waiting weeks for this lie to get set in a segment of the public mind, now anyone who says its a lie is even more susceptible to the “liberal media bias” attack.

    These f-wads who manage and edit our news can’t even defend themselves from attack (much less a sitting president who’s been smeared non-stop throughout this media debacle) because they’re either too craven, too cowardly, or too incompetent. Probably all three.

  50. 50.

    gene108

    August 22, 2012 at 1:03 pm

    Pew Research Center poll about the state of mind of the middle class.

    Interesting thing is most people seem to blame Congress first and banks second.

  51. 51.

    Ben Franklin

    August 22, 2012 at 1:05 pm

    @The Moar You Know:

    I love Balloon Juice but the commentariat thinks that bringing a gun to a gunfight is immoral.

    Not me. All’s fair in politics, and I have no problem with nuclear superiority, especially when it’s used.

  52. 52.

    Raven

    August 22, 2012 at 1:07 pm

    @The Moar You Know: One you get em by the balls their hearts and minds will follow. No prisoners!

  53. 53.

    Smiling Mortician

    August 22, 2012 at 1:08 pm

    @gogol’s wife:

    It just hit me that Kay is getting angrier

    I kinda like it. It’s a calm, focused, rational anger. It will not flail out of control. I am on Team Kay.

  54. 54.

    Valdivia

    August 22, 2012 at 1:10 pm

    @gene108:

    well, that Obama doesn’t exist for Romney!

    @Litlebritdifrnt:
    Thank you for telling me that. I truly would like to know how all that ‘wasted’ Obama cash has gone to actually getting the vote out and getting soldiers on the ground, because I think Romney is full of s***

    @Kay:
    Exactly! Those reports were excellent. It’s the part no one reports and why all these people can’t understand where Obama’s money is going.

  55. 55.

    RaflW

    August 22, 2012 at 1:11 pm

    @gogol’s wife:

    I thought it was maybe even Cole before I arrowed back up to see it was Kay.

    Kay, you’ve really tightened up your writing and become willing to extend your elbows. Excellent!

  56. 56.

    Chris

    August 22, 2012 at 1:12 pm

    OT, but one of Yahoo News’ leading stories is “The War Within: Obama Campaign Infighting.” Yes, at a time when the Republican Party is tearing itself apart over abortion because someone said out loud what all of them we’re thinking and now they don’t know how to distance themselves from him while still pushing his position… the media leads with how OBAMA’s the one in trouble. Your liberal media, ladies and men-folk.

  57. 57.

    Valdivia

    August 22, 2012 at 1:14 pm

    @Chris:

    Some Politico hack just published an E-book about it, so there is where the spin is coming from.

    @? Martin:
    I actually didn’t think that Obama had the primary $ restriction, as Romney does. Sincerely I am not worried that Obama doesn’t know what he is doing with the money. I just wanted to throttle Romney for saying that.

  58. 58.

    Culture of Truth

    August 22, 2012 at 1:14 pm

    People don’t read the news to learn facts or the truth; they only want to what “people are saying.”

  59. 59.

    different-church-lady

    August 22, 2012 at 1:14 pm

    Boston Globe gives you exactly what you requested.

    Headline: “Romney pushes on with discredited welfare attacks“

  60. 60.

    different-church-lady

    August 22, 2012 at 1:16 pm

    @Kay:

    They think you’re stupid.

    Not for nothin’, but Caz is stupid. Or he’s playing stupid to troll.

    Either way, not worth anything but mockery.

  61. 61.

    Culture of Truth

    August 22, 2012 at 1:19 pm

    Obama spoke of his own struggles to pay back student
    loans and mocked Romney, the son of an automobile company
    executive, for suggesting that students borrow money from their parents to finance their education.

    “Not everybody has parents that have the money to lend,”
    Obama said yesterday at Capital University outside of Columbus, Ohio. “That may be news to some folks.”

  62. 62.

    Ruckus

    August 22, 2012 at 1:21 pm

    Mittens – “I don’t need no stinking truth.”

    What’s that you say, he didn’t say that?

  63. 63.

    GregB

    August 22, 2012 at 1:22 pm

    I’d like to see someone in the media point out that the tea-bagger Congress has the lowest approval rating of any Congress ever.

    That includes Speaker Pelosi’s run.

    I also want someone to run an ad stringing together all of the lunatic shit said by said tea-baggers.

  64. 64.

    Ruckus

    August 22, 2012 at 1:27 pm

    @Kay:
    Romney apparently thinks he has them in the bag.

    Mittens doesn’t think about them at all, he just expects demands them.

  65. 65.

    Valdivia

    August 22, 2012 at 1:27 pm

    There is no peak stupid on the Republican side.
    /shoot me now!

  66. 66.

    danimal

    August 22, 2012 at 1:27 pm

    I know when I read about a politician’s “lies,” I take it with a grain of salt. Usually the “lie” can be justified with a fig leaf of truth or an alternative interpretation. I don’t know if its because I have some expertise on this subject, or maybe because the claim is so brazen, but I am more troubled by this lie than almost any other.

    I have a lot of knowledge of the 1996 welfare reform, the specifics of the 2005 Deficit Reduction Act and the subsequent TANF Final Rule. Romney claim is a complete lie. There is no justification or any alternative interpretation. The truth about Obama’s allowance for states to request waivers is the exact opposite of Romney’s claim that welfare recipients won’t have to do anything and receive a welfare check. The waivers are for INCREASING work participation.

    Romney lies, and while I can’t claim to know what is in his heart or in his head, the overwhelmingly obvious reason for the lie is to rouse racial resentments. Let that sink in, then tell me about his character and his values. Where do you think he would lead the country?

  67. 67.

    hep kitty

    August 22, 2012 at 1:27 pm

    @Culture of Truth: I was waiting for him to do his sorta half-laugh during that. Not really one for most of his speeches, but love it when he does the half-laugh/chuckle thing.

    I notice he and Michelle have a similar speaking style although, of late, hers has taken on a more urgent tone and it’s very compelling. She makes you want to jump right out of your chair and go get out the vote.

  68. 68.

    danah gaz (fka gaz)

    August 22, 2012 at 1:30 pm

    @gene108: I don’t necessarily think that they are wrong in doing so.

    Congress is supposed to be accountable to us directly.

    The Banks are not. They are accountable to the law, which is drafted by Congress.

    The banks did terrible things. Congress has done nothing to stop them. So while banks are definitely responsible, it’s not off base to point at Congress as the heart of the problem.

    Corporations will do whatever they are allowed to do within the margins of the law (or failing that, within the margins of whatever they can get away with due to lax and underfunded regulatory agencies). Expecting any company to act morally is a mug’s game. That’s not what they’re in business for. Doing so might even open them up to civil liability due to putting their stockholders after their moral convictions. That could easily be construed as malfeasance if the case can be made that it negatively impacts shareholders. The shareholders could sue them.

  69. 69.

    kindness

    August 22, 2012 at 1:30 pm

    I don’t know that it’ll matter much to anyone out there that watches Fox News. They are going to believe what Fox tells them and Fox lies.

    That doesn’t mean our side shouldn’t demand other news organizations say things that are true but….Foxoids will believe what they want to believe, regardless of who else tells them otherwise.

  70. 70.

    Elizabelle

    August 22, 2012 at 1:30 pm

    @Kay:

    I love these elite editorials and hand-wringing over how no one trusts “institutions” anymore. How about this idea? STOP LYING TO THEM. REGAIN their trust. YOU pissed it away. WORK to get it back.

    Hear, hear.

    Cannot be said enough!

  71. 71.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    August 22, 2012 at 1:35 pm

    Et tu Scaboorough?

    http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/22/1122939/-Scarborough-Laments-his-Stupid-Party

  72. 72.

    SatanicPanic

    August 22, 2012 at 1:38 pm

    @Valdivia: I can only imagine what kinds of things the author writes in his personal diary. He’s going to be embarassed when his mom finds it.

  73. 73.

    danimal

    August 22, 2012 at 1:39 pm

    @Valdivia: You sure that The Onion didn’t hijack National Review? No one can possibly make that argument seriously (or sober). Wow. Just Wow.

  74. 74.

    SiubhanDuinne

    August 22, 2012 at 1:41 pm

    @GregB:

    I also want someone to run an ad stringing together all of the lunatic shit said by said tea-baggers.

    That would take from now til the election.

    The 2016 election.

  75. 75.

    Mnemosyne

    August 22, 2012 at 1:51 pm

    @Kay:

    They think know you’re stupid.

    Fix’d to apply to Caz. :-)

  76. 76.

    Roger Moore

    August 22, 2012 at 1:51 pm

    @danah gaz (fka gaz):

    Congress is supposed to be accountable to us directly.

    Which ultimately means that blaming Congress for the problem is putting the blame on the American public for electing them. If we really want to see what’s wrong with the country, we need to look in the mirror, or at least look around ourselves when we’re in a public place.

  77. 77.

    nastybrutishntall

    August 22, 2012 at 1:52 pm

    @Caz: aw, lil fella! yer so cute! here’s a quarter now, go get yerself a sucker.

  78. 78.

    burnspbesq

    August 22, 2012 at 2:06 pm

    @Kay:

    The official state public policy in the state of Ohio is to encourage people to draft an advanced directive along with a will.

    Ditto in California. And it makes absolute sense. The alternative is an expensive and time-consuming conservatorship procedure when there is neither the time nor the money for an expensive and time-consuming process.

    Alas, trying to reason with Caz is a waste of both of our time and effort. Mockery or shunning are better alternatives.

  79. 79.

    Soonergrunt

    August 22, 2012 at 2:06 pm

    @Caz:

    You can obviously see that most of the media supports Obama and puts out propaganda and tons of PR for him, right? The only TV channel that is not stumping for Obama is Fox. All the others are shamelessly plugging away with their pro-Obama message.
    …
    If you don’t see that, then you are really brainwashed good.

    This is what you call it when the media start doing their jobs and showing easily verifiable things like Rmoney’s and Ryan’s serial lying.
    What’s funny and sad at the same time is that your little fee-fees are hurt by the fact that the truth has a liberal bias. Oh, if only the news wouldn’t report the truth about Rmoney and Ryan and the incredibly regressive nature of modern conservatism and how they have to lie about everything to stay competitive.
    You are pathetic.

  80. 80.

    Roger Moore

    August 22, 2012 at 2:08 pm

    @nastybrutishntall:

    here’s a quarter now, go get yerself a sucker.

    Are you suggesting he practice cannibalism, or that he get a very cheap mail order bride?

  81. 81.

    Catsy

    August 22, 2012 at 2:10 pm

    @Caz: Keep on fucking that chicken, troll. Your cries of transparent desperation are music to our ears.

  82. 82.

    Chyron HR

    August 22, 2012 at 2:15 pm

    @Caz:

    The media is liberal, this I know,
    For the White Horse tells me so.

    So when Messiah Romney commanded Akin to withdraw from the MO Senate race, and Akin completely failed to do so, did you question Romney’s divine providence? Even for a moment?

    I mean, you’d think that a guy who claims to be the Chosen One foretold in the holy Mormon scriptures might have a bit more clout over His own party.

  83. 83.

    Applejinx

    August 22, 2012 at 2:15 pm

    I put a comment on the NRO article- “Well, this explains how he can run on a platform of raising taxes and then keeping the money for himself…”

    I’m not sure they’ll publish it ;)

    Shouldn’t they publish it? Wouldn’t that be even MORE alpha boss manly of him, isn’t that kind of the point of the article?

  84. 84.

    Darkrose

    August 22, 2012 at 2:24 pm

    @hep kitty: I was waiting for him to do his sorta half-laugh during that. Not really one for most of his speeches, but love it when he does the half-laugh/chuckle thing.

    That’s honestly one of my favorite things about Obama: he thinks he’s hilarious, and always laughs at his own jokes. That’s totally something that I do because I’m a giant dork. Our president is not ashamed to let his dorkiness show.

    Mitt, on the other hand, strikes me as a guy who’s completely incapable of laughing at himself.

  85. 85.

    billyraevalentine

    August 22, 2012 at 2:32 pm

    @Kay:

    Kay i would like to help canvas or do some other volunteer work in my state for Obama. How do I get involved?

  86. 86.

    Roger Moore

    August 22, 2012 at 2:39 pm

    @Darkrose:

    Mitt, on the other hand, strikes me as a guy who’s completely incapable of laughing at himself.

    In which he is absolutely typical of Republicans as a group. When something terrible happens to somebody else, it’s hilarious. When the tiniest little thing happens to them, it’s the worst tragedy ever.

  87. 87.

    different-church-lady

    August 22, 2012 at 2:47 pm

    @Roger Moore: In other words, they’re all Mel Brooks, only without the funny movies.

  88. 88.

    Kay

    August 22, 2012 at 2:49 pm

    @billyraevalentine:

    email me. [email protected] The email is at the top of the page. I can (I think) direct you to someone specific.

  89. 89.

    rikyrah

    August 22, 2012 at 2:58 pm

    you are on point Kay. thank you

  90. 90.

    Maude

    August 22, 2012 at 3:09 pm

    @Chris:
    It’s the title of an ebook. It isn’t Yahoo news.

  91. 91.

    jacksmith

    August 22, 2012 at 8:38 pm

    since ryan is willing to lie to his own mother, publicaly at least, and seniors, those two will do ANYTHING!! willard once said “i cant wait to get my hands on the white house”. willard just said “i will take the best political position on abortion”, he also said “americans dont want details, they want results”. and, according to willard, 63% of all americans, yes republicans included, are “small minded” because we want to see his tax returns. small minded??

    you didnt build that. Lie
    if we talk about the economy, we will lose Lie
    obama is taking work out of welfare Lie
    i wont dismantle medicare, says willare Lie
    i am pro choice, i am pro life (in the extreme) true
    all his lies are embedded in his campaign, and i am thinking, that willard is just pathological enuf, to believe himself, he ought to listen to himself, maybe that would stop the lies. NA, i doubt it.
    what is your tax plan? what is your budget? you so proudly tell the reporters, they cant be scored. willard is the most fucking pathetic candidate i have ever seen, and he added a snake to the ticket, perfect!!

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