Ryan has put Wisconsin in play. But, Iowa, seriously, for an incumbent?
Iowa went for Gore in 2000 by 4,100 votes, and for Bush in 2004 by 10,000 votes. Yes, it's a swing state. Much more than Wisconsin, even with a single House Rep from a district that includes most of Waukesha County on the national ballot.
Ryan has put Wisconsin in play. But, Iowa, seriously, for an incumbent?
Now having a choice between plans is a better discussion for The Mittster? Since when exactly was this considered to be a good idea?
Except nearly the first words out of Romney's mouth were to the effect of, Yes he has a budget proposal but we arent running on it, I have my own budget proposal and that is what we are running on.
Another thing I find funny is how for the last year all we've been hearing is how Romney will make this election about Obama. Its going to a referendum on the incumbent and if so Obama can't win, blah blah blah....
So, this last weekend you could feel a shift on the hot air coming out of pundits mouths, so much so it could almost knock you over. Now having a choice between plans is a better discussion for The Mittster? Since when exactly was this considered to be a good idea?
RE: Iowa, Wisconsin, etc. I find it hard to believe Mittens is winning Iowa because he already got croaked there by Sanitarium (although after the final whistle blew) despite spending some serious bucks. But, if we are to grant Iowa swing state status we must also throw in Arizona and Missouri, two states I don't see Obama winning but for which I can find a couple of polls showing a close race. Much like the previous analysis of Pennsylvania if Romney is winning Iowa that means he's already won in a lot of other states on the East beforehand (NH, VA, NC, FL).
Do you really think that people walk into the voting booth going, "Well, I was going to vote for the R incumbent in my district, because I like him and he's really brought home the pork, but gosh, that might cause the divided government to continue, so for the good of the country I'm going to vote for the D instead"?Far from just the President this is now a vote for both houses of Congress too, as I can't see people choosing divided govt again when the fault lines are crystal clear.
thus far it's close, hopefully they are done with the mud flinging and are ready to move on to issues
Do you really think that people walk into the voting booth going, "Well, I was going to vote for the R incumbent in my district, because I like him and he's really brought home the pork, but gosh, that might cause the divided government to continue, so for the good of the country I'm going to vote for the D instead"?
I don't see that at all - the national race (President) affects turnout, but the Congressional choices that actual voters make are affected by party first, local politics second (first for independents), then candidate likability third (perhaps 2nd?), and national politics in a very distant fourth.
Either you want to divert Medicare payments to pay for tax cuts for the rich or you don't. Its not too much more complicated than that.
I think you're pretty naive if you think that, in this economy, a Congressman can't sell the # of jobs he's helped create in his district.Lynah that was great 10 years ago. The problem now in the GOP is "bringing home the pork" = electoral doom via a primary on the right. See Lugar, Richard for an example of that. We're in a strange era right now where any Republican Congressman can no longer campaign on federal largesse except for possibly military spending. Bottom line is, GOP congressional candidates and incumbents are gong to own the Ryan budget this election season. By and large they all voted for it. Twice I believe. Will it sell? Maybe. However much like supporting the Iraq war there's no gray area on this one. Either you want to divert Medicare payments to pay for tax cuts for the rich or you don't. Its not too much more complicated than that.
Wow, you are ignoring what the candidates' platforms are too? Just make up your own stuff and pretend?
Neither Romney nor Ryan have proposed any tax cuts for anyone. They merely have said that they want to adjust the income tax structure so that there are fewer deductions....generally the rich take more advantage of deductions than anyone else. To keep the plan revenue neutral there will be a trade-off.
and how does saying "we will take what is already being spent on Medicare and have it spent more effectively" somehow become a reduction in Medicare?
Oh, right, you are assuming facts not in evidence. I guess Harry Reid's been sending you super-top-secret e-mails from a reliable source whom you cannot divulge?
In certain quarters you can still get war whoops for it. It's also one of the few remaining places where Catholic activists and Evangelical activists agree, so the RNC trots it out to prime the donations.
The list of positions doesn't exactly make him a maverick:
Abortion is woman's right - strongly opposes: ORTHODOX REPUBLICAN
Require hiring more women & minorities - opposes: ORTHODOX REPUBLICAN
Same-sex domestic partnership benefits - opposes: ORTHODOX REPUBLICAN
Teacher-led prayer in public schools - strongly favors: ORTHODOX REPUBLICAN
Absolute right to gun ownership - strongly favors: ORTHODOX REPUBLICAN
More federal funding for health coverage - strongly opposes: ORTHODOX REPUBLICAN
Privatize Social Security - strongly supports: ORTHODOX REPUBLICAN
Replace coal & oil with alternatives - strongly opposes: ORTHODOX REPUBLICAN
Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it - favors: ORTHODOX REPUBLICAN
Allow churches to provide welfare services - strongly favors: ORTHODOX REPUBLICAN
Make taxes more progressive - strongly opposes: ORTHODOX REPUBLICAN
Illegal immigrants earn citizenship - favors: HERESY
Support & expand free trade - strongly favors: ORTHODOX REPUBLICAN
Expand the armed forces - favors: ORTHODOX REPUBLICAN
Stricter limits on political campaign funds - favors: HERESY
The Patriot Act harms civil liberties - strongly opposes: ORTHODOX REPUBLICAN
US out of Iraq & Afghanistan - strongly opposes: ORTHODOX REPUBLICAN
15/17 = 88% ORTHODOX
Hardly a guy who thinks for himself.
I don't see how any budget cut can happen without cutting from defense. There is a lot of wasteful spending in that area and defense spending is killing our budget when some of these funds can be used elsewhere to develop new industries and create jobs. We need to get away from oil dependence and we are hostage to it and our economy will be destroyed when oil prices hit the roof again when we realize supply is limited and other countries like China and India are using up more of it too. Why are oil companies still getting huge tax breaks when they're making record profits? Some economists predict another bubble in 2013 and I'm afraid that is very possible with the way we print money and countries stocking up on gold with a prediction towards currency wars devaluing our dollar badly.
I think you're pretty naive if you think that, in this economy, a Congressman can't sell the # of jobs he's helped create in his district.