It's ridiculous that this election is even remotely close

[Progressive Realist]

With George W Bush and his merry band of Republican trolls subsidizing the richest Americans at the expense of everyone else, (not) financing two wars with tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans, destroying American credibility on the international stage, being woefully negligent during Hurricane Katrina,  and helping to create the conditions that wrecked the American economy; with all this discrediting the Right and the Republican Party for a generation, what does the Right do?

They move further to the Right.

The Tea Party is so ignorant and misinformed and downright hostile, with the likes of Beck, Hannity, Palin, Bachmann, King, Gohmert, Perry, Cain, West, DeMint, and many other jokers that troll the airwaves, the House of Representatives, the Senate, and other such venues- for a living. Ignorant, misguided hatred is profitable in 21st century America.

Now they want to punish the "elite" by running the most elite plutocrat of them all against Obama-the author of Obamacare (I'm sorry, Romneycare, but what's the difference, really?) I say, "Are you serious?" They loathe Romney, but they loathe Obama more.

On the Republican side, this election isn't about a positive reaction to Romney. It's about the visceral, primal, negative reaction that they have to Obama. It goes beyond politics for them, because at the end of the day, they don't really know or care about what is really happening in the world. They live in a fantasy.

But whatever. Vote in Romney for all you want. Just don't be surprised when you have buyer's remorse on, say, January 21, 2013.

/hackish rant over/

[Senator Snowstalker]

I still suspect this will be a 1996-style win for O.

[Sasquatch]

I think the overall interest level in the election is comparable to 1996, but I think the final result with be closer to 2004 (a narrow incumbent victory).

[Harry]

Correct on all points, but I don't think republicans will win a presidential election until they purge this Tea Party nonsense.

[Senator Sbane]

The election is close because the economy sucks and about 60% of people think America is on the wrong track. The only reason Obama might win this election is because a lot of people blame Republicans for getting us into the mess, which regarding wars and tax cuts is absolutely true. Hard to blame just anyone for the housing crisis.

[milhouse24]

With George W Bush and his merry band of Republican trolls subsidizing the richest Americans at the expense of everyone else, (not) financing two wars with tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans, destroying American credibility on the international stage, being woefully negligent during Hurricane Katrina,  and helping to create the conditions that wrecked the American economy; with all this discrediting the Right and the Republican Party for a generation, what does the Right do?

They move further to the Right.

The Tea Party is so ignorant and misinformed and downright hostile, with the likes of Beck, Hannity, Palin, Bachmann, King, Gohmert, Perry, Cain, West, DeMint, and many other jokers that troll the airwaves, the House of Representatives, the Senate, and other such venues- for a living. Ignorant, misguided hatred is profitable in 21st century America.

Now they want to punish the "elite" by running the most elite plutocrat of them all against Obama-the author of Obamacare (I'm sorry, Romneycare, but what's the difference, really?) I say, "Are you serious?" They loathe Romney, but they loathe Obama more.

On the Republican side, this election isn't about a positive reaction to Romney. It's about the visceral, primal, negative reaction that they have to Obama. It goes beyond politics for them, because at the end of the day, they don't really know or care about what is really happening in the world. They live in a fantasy.

But whatever. Vote in Romney for all you want. Just don't be surprised when you have buyer's remorse on, say, January 21, 2013.

/hackish rant over/

[krazen1211]

The election is obviously close due to the record high poverty, record high government spending, and low economic growth of the past 3.5 years. It is curious to expect otherwise.

[Sibboleth]

If you feel this way then it might be useful to reflect on why things are other than you would like.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

I gotta chuckle when people talk about "this mess" as if it's some temporary thing that can be gotten out of. With the debt as high as it is, fat chance. At least the Republicans seem to want to cut spending and make some progress.

Realistically though, you could raise taxes and cut spending to dangerous levels and still not solve this problem. So there's no getting out of this one.

[IDS Speaker Ben Kenobi]

But whatever. Vote in Romney for all you want. Just don't be surprised when you have buyer's remorse on, say, January 21, 2013.

You're saying this like Romney can win.

[milhouse24]

With George W Bush and his merry band of Republican trolls subsidizing the richest Americans at the expense of everyone else, (not) financing two wars with tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans, destroying American credibility on the international stage, being woefully negligent during Hurricane Katrina,  and helping to create the conditions that wrecked the American economy; with all this discrediting the Right and the Republican Party for a generation, what does the Right do?

They move further to the Right.

The Tea Party is so ignorant and misinformed and downright hostile, with the likes of Beck, Hannity, Palin, Bachmann, King, Gohmert, Perry, Cain, West, DeMint, and many other jokers that troll the airwaves, the House of Representatives, the Senate, and other such venues- for a living. Ignorant, misguided hatred is profitable in 21st century America.

Now they want to punish the "elite" by running the most elite plutocrat of them all against Obama-the author of Obamacare (I'm sorry, Romneycare, but what's the difference, really?) I say, "Are you serious?" They loathe Romney, but they loathe Obama more.

On the Republican side, this election isn't about a positive reaction to Romney. It's about the visceral, primal, negative reaction that they have to Obama. It goes beyond politics for them, because at the end of the day, they don't really know or care about what is really happening in the world. They live in a fantasy.

But whatever. Vote in Romney for all you want. Just don't be surprised when you have buyer's remorse on, say, January 21, 2013.

/hackish rant over/

Your sentiments on the Tea Party are based on your liberal views. 

You clearly only care about liberal issues. 

There are significant rallying issues that the Tea Party has galvanized.

Those issues are government spending on Bank Bailouts, TARP, and Health Care. 

You fail to realize that many independents who decried the War Spending deficits are the same people that decry bank bailouts, Tarp, and health care. 

Those anti-spending independents were the same anti-war protesters that helped obama win in 2008.  They turned against Obama because he promised to change government but then decided to spend the money on Health Care. 

I would argue for many Health Care supporters that are against the Mandate Tax, they may find Romney more appealing.  Romney has never said he supported Federal Health Care and that States Rights determine each State's decision. 

The very fact that Romney is more secular moderate than other Republicans means he will be more appealing to swing voters in November. 

While Obama has shifted to the extreme Left with the Health Care mandate tax, Romney has occupied the middle. 

[Secretary Polnut]

With George W Bush and his merry band of Republican trolls subsidizing the richest Americans at the expense of everyone else, (not) financing two wars with tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans, destroying American credibility on the international stage, being woefully negligent during Hurricane Katrina,  and helping to create the conditions that wrecked the American economy; with all this discrediting the Right and the Republican Party for a generation, what does the Right do?

They move further to the Right.

The Tea Party is so ignorant and misinformed and downright hostile, with the likes of Beck, Hannity, Palin, Bachmann, King, Gohmert, Perry, Cain, West, DeMint, and many other jokers that troll the airwaves, the House of Representatives, the Senate, and other such venues- for a living. Ignorant, misguided hatred is profitable in 21st century America.

Now they want to punish the "elite" by running the most elite plutocrat of them all against Obama-the author of Obamacare (I'm sorry, Romneycare, but what's the difference, really?) I say, "Are you serious?" They loathe Romney, but they loathe Obama more.

On the Republican side, this election isn't about a positive reaction to Romney. It's about the visceral, primal, negative reaction that they have to Obama. It goes beyond politics for them, because at the end of the day, they don't really know or care about what is really happening in the world. They live in a fantasy.

But whatever. Vote in Romney for all you want. Just don't be surprised when you have buyer's remorse on, say, January 21, 2013.

/hackish rant over/

Your sentiments on the Tea Party are based on your liberal views. 

You clearly only care about liberal issues. 

There are significant rallying issues that the Tea Party has galvanized.

Those issues are government spending on Bank Bailouts, TARP, and Health Care. 

You fail to realize that many independents who decried the War Spending deficits are the same people that decry bank bailouts, Tarp, and health care. 

Those anti-spending independents were the same anti-war protesters that helped obama win in 2008.  They turned against Obama because he promised to change government but then decided to spend the money on Health Care. 

I would argue for many Health Care supporters that are against the Mandate Tax, they may find Romney more appealing.  Romney has never said he supported Federal Health Care and that States Rights determine each State's decision. 

The very fact that Romney is more secular moderate than other Republicans means he will be more appealing to swing voters in November. 

While Obama has shifted to the extreme Left with the Health Care mandate tax, Romney has occupied the middle. 

Lol... saying Obama's health position is the extreme left is the height of hackery... it's the exact same plan Dole offered in 1996 and Romney put in place in MA in 2006... the GOP should LOVE it, it's making free-loaders pay if they haven't taken responsibility for their own care... but no, since the GOP has turned certifiable in the last 4 years... none of that matters...

And if Romney is defined as being 'the Middle' considering some of the things he's said during the primary campaign, then something really horrible has happened to the American polity.

[kenyanobama]

With George W Bush and his merry band of Republican trolls subsidizing the richest Americans at the expense of everyone else, (not) financing two wars with tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans, destroying American credibility on the international stage, being woefully negligent during Hurricane Katrina,  and helping to create the conditions that wrecked the American economy; with all this discrediting the Right and the Republican Party for a generation, what does the Right do?

They move further to the Right.

The Tea Party is so ignorant and misinformed and downright hostile, with the likes of Beck, Hannity, Palin, Bachmann, King, Gohmert, Perry, Cain, West, DeMint, and many other jokers that troll the airwaves, the House of Representatives, the Senate, and other such venues- for a living. Ignorant, misguided hatred is profitable in 21st century America.

Now they want to punish the "elite" by running the most elite plutocrat of them all against Obama-the author of Obamacare (I'm sorry, Romneycare, but what's the difference, really?) I say, "Are you serious?" They loathe Romney, but they loathe Obama more.

On the Republican side, this election isn't about a positive reaction to Romney. It's about the visceral, primal, negative reaction that they have to Obama. It goes beyond politics for them, because at the end of the day, they don't really know or care about what is really happening in the world. They live in a fantasy.

But whatever. Vote in Romney for all you want. Just don't be surprised when you have buyer's remorse on, say, January 21, 2013.

/hackish rant over/

Your sentiments on the Tea Party are based on your liberal views. 

You clearly only care about liberal issues. 

There are significant rallying issues that the Tea Party has galvanized.

Those issues are government spending on Bank Bailouts, TARP, and Health Care. 

You fail to realize that many independents who decried the War Spending deficits are the same people that decry bank bailouts, Tarp, and health care. 

Those anti-spending independents were the same anti-war protesters that helped obama win in 2008.  They turned against Obama because he promised to change government but then decided to spend the money on Health Care. 

I would argue for many Health Care supporters that are against the Mandate Tax, they may find Romney more appealing.  Romney has never said he supported Federal Health Care and that States Rights determine each State's decision. 

The very fact that Romney is more secular moderate than other Republicans means he will be more appealing to swing voters in November. 

While Obama has shifted to the extreme Left with the Health Care mandate tax, Romney has occupied the middle. 

Lol... saying Obama's health position is the extreme left is the height of hackery... it's the exact same plan Dole offered in 1996 and Romney put in place in MA in 2006... the GOP should LOVE it, it's making free-loaders pay if they haven't taken responsibility for their own care... but no, since the GOP has turned certifiable in the last 4 years... none of that matters...

And if Romney is defined as being 'the Middle' considering some of the things he's said during the primary campaign, then something really horrible has happened to the American polity.

You're using BOB DOLE as an example of a credible Republican?! LOL Bob Dole was, is and will forever be (in my opinion) a liberal (which as a side note is why he lost to Clinton in 96). Of course his ideas are anathema to the Freedom Party.

[Secretary Polnut]

With George W Bush and his merry band of Republican trolls subsidizing the richest Americans at the expense of everyone else, (not) financing two wars with tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans, destroying American credibility on the international stage, being woefully negligent during Hurricane Katrina,  and helping to create the conditions that wrecked the American economy; with all this discrediting the Right and the Republican Party for a generation, what does the Right do?

They move further to the Right.

The Tea Party is so ignorant and misinformed and downright hostile, with the likes of Beck, Hannity, Palin, Bachmann, King, Gohmert, Perry, Cain, West, DeMint, and many other jokers that troll the airwaves, the House of Representatives, the Senate, and other such venues- for a living. Ignorant, misguided hatred is profitable in 21st century America.

Now they want to punish the "elite" by running the most elite plutocrat of them all against Obama-the author of Obamacare (I'm sorry, Romneycare, but what's the difference, really?) I say, "Are you serious?" They loathe Romney, but they loathe Obama more.

On the Republican side, this election isn't about a positive reaction to Romney. It's about the visceral, primal, negative reaction that they have to Obama. It goes beyond politics for them, because at the end of the day, they don't really know or care about what is really happening in the world. They live in a fantasy.

But whatever. Vote in Romney for all you want. Just don't be surprised when you have buyer's remorse on, say, January 21, 2013.

/hackish rant over/

Your sentiments on the Tea Party are based on your liberal views. 

You clearly only care about liberal issues. 

There are significant rallying issues that the Tea Party has galvanized.

Those issues are government spending on Bank Bailouts, TARP, and Health Care. 

You fail to realize that many independents who decried the War Spending deficits are the same people that decry bank bailouts, Tarp, and health care. 

Those anti-spending independents were the same anti-war protesters that helped obama win in 2008.  They turned against Obama because he promised to change government but then decided to spend the money on Health Care. 

I would argue for many Health Care supporters that are against the Mandate Tax, they may find Romney more appealing.  Romney has never said he supported Federal Health Care and that States Rights determine each State's decision. 

The very fact that Romney is more secular moderate than other Republicans means he will be more appealing to swing voters in November. 

While Obama has shifted to the extreme Left with the Health Care mandate tax, Romney has occupied the middle. 

Lol... saying Obama's health position is the extreme left is the height of hackery... it's the exact same plan Dole offered in 1996 and Romney put in place in MA in 2006... the GOP should LOVE it, it's making free-loaders pay if they haven't taken responsibility for their own care... but no, since the GOP has turned certifiable in the last 4 years... none of that matters...

And if Romney is defined as being 'the Middle' considering some of the things he's said during the primary campaign, then something really horrible has happened to the American polity.

You're using BOB DOLE as an example of a credible Republican?! LOL Bob Dole was, is and will forever be (in my opinion) a liberal (which as a side note is why he lost to Clinton in 96). Of course his ideas are anathema to the Freedom Party.

Well if Bob Dole is considered a Liberal by the current GOP then it really has gone over a cliff.

[Emperor SJoyce]

You're using BOB DOLE as an example of a credible Republican?! LOL Bob Dole was, is and will forever be (in my opinion) a liberal (which as a side note is why he lost to Clinton in 96). Of course his ideas are anathema to the Freedom Party.

I find it quite interesting you're using the term Freedom Party to refer to the GOP. Are you a fan of Harry Turtledove? The Southern Victory series is quite well done.

[LINCOLN REPUBLICAN]

But whatever. Vote in Romney for all you want. Just don't be surprised when you have buyer's remorse on, say, January 21, 2013.

You're saying this like Romney can win.

Obviously Romney can win.  Anyone who thinks otherwise is either an extreme Democrat hack or is completely out of touch with reality.

[kenyanobama]

You're using BOB DOLE as an example of a credible Republican?! LOL Bob Dole was, is and will forever be (in my opinion) a liberal (which as a side note is why he lost to Clinton in 96). Of course his ideas are anathema to the Freedom Party.

I find it quite interesting you're using the term Freedom Party to refer to the GOP. Are you a fan of Harry Turtledove? The Southern Victory series is quite well done.

I was actually referring to the Tea Party, but it applies to the GOP too since we're taking over

[Emperor SJoyce]

You're using BOB DOLE as an example of a credible Republican?! LOL Bob Dole was, is and will forever be (in my opinion) a liberal (which as a side note is why he lost to Clinton in 96). Of course his ideas are anathema to the Freedom Party.

I find it quite interesting you're using the term Freedom Party to refer to the GOP. Are you a fan of Harry Turtledove? The Southern Victory series is quite well done.

I was actually referring to the Tea Party, but it applies to the GOP too since we're taking over

Oh my. This is unfortunate...

[IDS Speaker Ben Kenobi]

Obviously Romney can win.  Anyone who thinks otherwise is either an extreme Democrat hack or is completely out of touch with reality.

I believe I called it that Romney would sell out social conservatives before the election. So clearly I'm an extreme Democrat hack who's supporting Virgil Goode.

[Governor Maxwell]

With George W Bush and his merry band of Republican trolls subsidizing the richest Americans at the expense of everyone else, (not) financing two wars with tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans, destroying American credibility on the international stage, being woefully negligent during Hurricane Katrina,  and helping to create the conditions that wrecked the American economy; with all this discrediting the Right and the Republican Party for a generation, what does the Right do?

They move further to the Right.

The Tea Party is so ignorant and misinformed and downright hostile, with the likes of Beck, Hannity, Palin, Bachmann, King, Gohmert, Perry, Cain, West, DeMint, and many other jokers that troll the airwaves, the House of Representatives, the Senate, and other such venues- for a living. Ignorant, misguided hatred is profitable in 21st century America.

Now they want to punish the "elite" by running the most elite plutocrat of them all against Obama-the author of Obamacare (I'm sorry, Romneycare, but what's the difference, really?) I say, "Are you serious?" They loathe Romney, but they loathe Obama more.

On the Republican side, this election isn't about a positive reaction to Romney. It's about the visceral, primal, negative reaction that they have to Obama. It goes beyond politics for them, because at the end of the day, they don't really know or care about what is really happening in the world. They live in a fantasy.

But whatever. Vote in Romney for all you want. Just don't be surprised when you have buyer's remorse on, say, January 21, 2013.

/hackish rant over/

Your sentiments on the Tea Party are based on your liberal views. 

You clearly only care about liberal issues. 

There are significant rallying issues that the Tea Party has galvanized.

Those issues are government spending on Bank Bailouts, TARP, and Health Care. 

You fail to realize that many independents who decried the War Spending deficits are the same people that decry bank bailouts, Tarp, and health care. 

Those anti-spending independents were the same anti-war protesters that helped obama win in 2008.  They turned against Obama because he promised to change government but then decided to spend the money on Health Care. 

I would argue for many Health Care supporters that are against the Mandate Tax, they may find Romney more appealing.  Romney has never said he supported Federal Health Care and that States Rights determine each State's decision. 

The very fact that Romney is more secular moderate than other Republicans means he will be more appealing to swing voters in November. 

While Obama has shifted to the extreme Left with the Health Care mandate tax, Romney has occupied the middle. 

Lol... saying Obama's health position is the extreme left is the height of hackery... it's the exact same plan Dole offered in 1996 and Romney put in place in MA in 2006... the GOP should LOVE it, it's making free-loaders pay if they haven't taken responsibility for their own care... but no, since the GOP has turned certifiable in the last 4 years... none of that matters...

And if Romney is defined as being 'the Middle' considering some of the things he's said during the primary campaign, then something really horrible has happened to the American polity.

Not to mention Mitt Romney HAS said that he would like it implemented on the national level before, but of course, he's rebuked it.

[JulioMadrid]

You're using BOB DOLE as an example of a credible Republican?! LOL Bob Dole was, is and will forever be (in my opinion) a liberal (which as a side note is why he lost to Clinton in 96). Of course his ideas are anathema to the Freedom Party.

I find it quite interesting you're using the term Freedom Party to refer to the GOP. Are you a fan of Harry Turtledove? The Southern Victory series is quite well done.

I was actually referring to the Tea Party, but it applies to the GOP too since we're taking over

Bob Dole is a joke. YOU are the kind of credible republican your party needs to win in November. Continue fighting, please!

[opebo]

I was actually referring to the Tea Party, but it applies to the GOP too since we're taking over

Oh my. This is unfortunate...

He's right, it is inevitable.  And after all GOP ideology is already indistinguishable from the Tea Party.

[Emperor SJoyce]

I was actually referring to the Tea Party, but it applies to the GOP too since we're taking over

Oh my. This is unfortunate...

He's right, it is inevitable.  And after all GOP ideology is already indistinguishable from the Tea Party.

No, no, it's unfortunate he used Freedom Party (in Turtledove's Southern Victory series, a far-right, populist, anti-socialist, Confederate nationalist, white supremacist party).

[rwoy]

This election is NOT close.  Polls are full of s***.  Most Americans haven't started to pay attention to this yet.  As soon as they do and they compare Obama to Mittens they will either (A) stay home or (B) pull the lever for the guy in the White House.

Do you know who wins Presidential elections?  The guy who most Americans would like to have a beer with.  Thinking otherwise is naive.

[milhouse24]

This election is NOT close.  Polls are full of s***.  Most Americans haven't started to pay attention to this yet.  As soon as they do and they compare Obama to Mittens they will either (A) stay home or (B) pull the lever for the guy in the White House.

Do you know who wins Presidential elections?  The guy who most Americans would like to have a beer with.  Thinking otherwise is naive.

Why would you not want to have coffee with Romney?  Is it because you are a liberal?  

Obama's a handsome guy, but he's raising taxes on the middle class (who don't have welfare) and small businesses to pay for universal health care.  There are a lot of Americans who are not happy with this.  

Romney's a smart successful guy who has done a lot in his life and achieved a lot.  It would be very interesting to have coffee with him.