Romney-Obama: Different Sides of the Same Coin
After discovering Twitter, I have found a group that, for the most part, are fun to comment with and debate. They all seem to converge around or spring from the David Webb Show. Yeah, that David Webb, the Tea Party Profiteer. I have been my usual self, asking uncomfortable, pointed questions, which seem to drive some of them batty!
This morning, after I had posted that there was not much difference in Romney and Obama, Mr. Webb himself asked me to provide facts. His post was:
Why don’t you ans 1st? Provide factual, exact policies Obama v Romney, cite reference / legislation
with a follow-up of:
Fact is if you added some fact / value to the debate would be worth attn. U R not clever.
As I do have to work for a living, I had some things to do and could reply then, but have now had time to do so. Here’s hoping it adds value to the debate.
1. Civil Liberties: Both Obama and Romney favor the Transportation Security Administration, the Patriot Act, warrantless wiretaps, NDAA, etc. So, in the area of civil liberties, virtually no difference.
2. Executive Power: As Obama has demonstrated by his actions in Libya, he feels he is a King and does not need to even consult with Congress on matters of war and military aggression. Romney has used careful language on the subject but has made it clear if he alone, thinks the threat is sufficient, he will act alone and does not need Congress. Thus, they both appear to have graduate from the John Yoo Neoconservative School of Executive Powers, no difference.
3. Economics: I think is is self-evident that Obama believes in Keynesian approaches to the economy, intervention into the private sector. Romney is framed as a free market capitalist, but wait. Romney wants targeted tax breaks, sint that intervention? Isn’t that picking winners and losers? Romney wants to “get tough” with China, but isnt that intervention and wont that act to raise the prices of all out imports from China, acting as a virtual tax? Intervention is intervention boys and girls, it’s just the GOP sycophants love “their” version of intervention.
4. Energy Policy: Folks, if you want to read about central economic planning, you have to surf on over to http://www.mittromney.com/issues/energy and read how King Romney woudl direct the energy policies of this nation! Obama took over GM, is appears Romney wants to be CEO of ExxonMobil! This was pointed out by Ron Paul many times when debating his Republican opponents, they want to “reform”, which is a nice word for their type of intervention. We in the Liberty Movement wonder why there is a government energy policy at all? Private property, free markets ansd the rule of law is all that is needed.
5. Human Capital: I got the title for this straight off the Romney 2012 website. Not only will King Mitt direct the energy companies, he is also getting into the business of “workforce development”. I hate that term as it just has a Brave New World/1984 vibe to it. Yet, Romney is down with it as he wants the federal government to retrain workers. Now, how can a good conservative advoacte such a socialist ideal? He uses words like “partner” with the priavte sector, which is code for the federal government picking up the tab for conducting the training the businesses woudl have to do without this great program!
6. Monetary Policy: Neither Obama nor Romney believe in sound money; they both love the fiat currency and the Federal Reserve.
You know, this list could go on and on, but let me boil it down for you. We in the Liberty Movement want the government, especially the federal government, out of our lives!! The Democrats want government to control our lives. The Republicans want “partnerships” between government and ther private sector to control our lives. Each side is INTERVENTIONIST; interventionist in the economy, interventionist in foreign affairs, interventionist in education, etc etc etc.
We in the Liberty Movement want NO income tax, not a reformend income tax.
We in the Liberty Movement want sound money, not a new Fed Chairman.
We in the Liberty Moverment want to educate our kids as we see fit, not a reformed Department of Education or streamlined retraining opportunities.
We want to live as freemen and women and as such, we see no pertinent difference in Obama and Romney.
The “Effectiveness” of David Webb
“Here’s what Ron Paul has done for twenty-six years, he’s been ineffective. The reality is as an elected legislator, you can have your principles, you can have your votes. But if only one bill out of six-hundred with your name on it have gone anywhere. You’re ineffective,” said Webb.
This has been David Webb’s standard go-to line whenever anyone calls his show and tries to discuss Ron Paul and/or the liberty movement. Haven’t heard of David Webb? I had not either until I tuned into SiriusXM one Saturday to listen to Cigar Dave and I heard this marble mouthed talk radio host who evidently had started a Tea Party group, TeaParty365. It seems the “group” only exists on http://teaparty365.org/ and a Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/TeaParty365 with less than 7000 “likes”.
His official bio on his website states:
David Webb has been entertaining and informing the public for over 20 years; a blend of experience as a Local & Syndicated Talk Show Host, Music On-Air Personality, Producer, Assistant Program Director and Promotion Director. His broadcast career has spanned Boston, New York City, Houston and Dallas, and at heritage stations; WILD-AM Boston, WHTZ-FM New York, KZFX-FM, KLOL-FM and KKTL-FM Houston, and KRLD-AM Dallas.
Being one who enjoys talk radio, I decided to listen in hopes of hearing a Tea Party leader that sounded more Sons of Liberty that neocon Republican. Needless to say if you have ever listened to Webb, you know that he is neoconservative warmonger through and though and seems to have created this shell Tea Party as part of the booming Tea Party creation cottage industry we saw in 2009-2010. Webb seems to have parlayed this into guest hosts spots on other SiriusXM Patriot channel shows, a weekend talk radio show of his own and now as frequent talking head on FoxNews and Glenn Beck’s foray into broadcasting, GBTv. His website, http://davidwebbshow.com/ lauds Webb as “the New Voice of America”. Kudos to Webb for his hard work and self promotion!
Back to his primary go to response line about Dr Paul. You see, part of Webb’s new political analysis schtick is “practicality”, “effectiveness” and “getting things done” to which he will gladly sacrifice all his supposed conservative principles. Just in the last few days he was on Real News on GBTv and when discussing the overwhelming success of the Paul campaign in Maine and Nevada in securing delegates to the convention, Webb blurts out our introductory quote.
So, let’s look at the “effectiveness” that Webb loves in Dr. Paul’s opponents in the GOP campaigns of 2008 and 2012:
Senator John McCain was very effective in passing McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform that stifles free speech.
Senator Rick Santorum was very effective and lauds his leadership role in passing No Child Left Behind and Medicare Part D!
Both Senators were effective in raising the debt limit and passing deficit budgets throughout the 2001-2007 total GOP control of Congress.
Speaker Gingrich was very effective is lobbying for Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae and stopping any reform.
Governor Mike Huckabee was very effective in raising taxes as Governor of Arkansas.
Governor Rick Perry was very effective in mandating young girls receive forced immunizations in Texas.
And all of the above were very effective in raising the fears of the American people post-9/11 and putting in place the roots of a police state and perpetual war in the Islamic World!
Yes Mr. Webb, your neoconservative establishment friends are very effective in destroying our freedoms and bankrupting our country. Your analysis is upside down and backwards: the question is not one of effectiveness, the question is one of principle! But hey, you have been very effective in raising your media profile, and my guess is that is exactly what all your “principles” are all about.
Cain: Please Talk Slower
From Tuesday’s Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer:
BLITZER: Imagine if you were President – we’re almost out of time – uh, and there were one American soldier who’d been held for years, and the demand was, al Qaeda or some other terrorist group, you– ya gotta free everybody at Guantanamo Bay– several hundred prisoners at Guantanam– could you see yourself as President authorizing that kind of transfer?
CAIN: I could see myself authorizing that kind of transfer.
As you all know, Cain has since walked that view back.
Cain took a different position in an interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper after the debate, however, saying that he would not negotiate with terrorists. He said that his earlier statement was not reflective of his actual position.
“I misspoke,” Cain said flatly. “It was moving so fast, I misspoke. I would not do that, I simply would not do that.”
Let’s review, an INTERVIEW in Wolf Blitzer’s situation room was moving too fast for Mr. Cain? I guess things will be much slower in the Oval Office and the real Situation Room!
Ron Paul’s Plan to Restore America
Earlier this week, Ron Paul unveiled his budget plan he would offer when elected President. While most Republicans talk about limited Constitutional government, Paul back it’s up with a proposal and numbers. The highlights: $1 Trillion in cuts in the first year; a balanced budget by year three of hsi administration; five Cabinet departments zeroed out, thats right, not cut but eliminated! It would also address entitlement reform and lower taxes. Once again, while the other phonies talk, Ron Paul acts.
http://www.ronpaul2012.com/the-issues/ron-paul-plan-to-restore-america/
This blog will keep a sharp eye out as the so called conservatives attack this plan.
Herman Cain: A History of Economic Ignorance
Well, as the flavor of the month, Herman Cain is making quite a splash. But as this pizza man’s record and jingoistic solutions to the nation’s economic ills gets the scrutiny it deserves, lets look at another of Herb’s credentials: problem solver.
Herb says he is a problem solver, that is one of his big selling points to the sheeple, I am not a politician, I am a problem solver. So now he wants us to believe he can solve the current economic crisis with his simplistic 999 Plan. But lets see if Herb has a history of spotting the right economic problem to solve.
Look at the timeline of historical events the St Louis fed has compiled at their website: http://timeline.stlouisfed.org/index.cfm?p=timeline
While the actual roots of the crisis go back longer than February 2007, for our purposes this time line will suffice. After you have reviewed the timeline, see if you can see how anyone is who now wants to solve our economic ills would have written this less than 2 months before Freddie and Fannie go into receivership and Lehman Brothers collapses and files for bankruptcy:
July 14, 2008
By Herman Cain
http://economicfreedomcoalition.com/news/press-opinion-071408.aspFormer Senator Phil Gramm got it right. Most of our economic woes are a figment of our whiny imaginations.
Or how about this tidbit from September 1, 2008, less then two weeks before the aforementioned events:
As a reminder, we still have not had a recession since 2001, using the standard definition of a recession as two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth. But don’t tell the Democrats and the mainstream media. You might disrupt their imaginary recession.
Investor’s Business Daily even dared to declare in their sub-title that “Americans are better off than when Bill Clinton was president”.
(Insert Democratic scream of choice here.) That can’t be!
The same night as the IBD report, Sen. Barack Obama repeated his persistent claim that the Bush economic policies had been a failure, while giving his American Idol-like acceptance speech for the Democratic presidential nomination. And of course, he told us, electing John McCain would be four more years of the Bush economic failure.
The supposed failure of Bush’s economic policies has been a constant theme of the Democrats since the 2006 elections, when the Democrats regained control of the House and Senate by convincing enough of the voters that the economic sky was falling, and that the war in Iraq could not be won. Based on all of their convention speeches, they plan to continue those themes right through Election Day on November 4.
They are counting on a gullible and uninformed electorate to win the White House and a larger majority on Congress.
Now when confronted with these statements, ole Herb says he didn’t have all the intricate analyses needed to see what was ahead but if you will remain “gullible and uninformed” he will have all sorts of experts watching the economy and all the econometric data needed to help him solve problems.
The answer is not found in economic amalyses Herb, the answer is found in the free market! The Austrian economists and adherents to the Austrian School saw this coming years ago. Ron Paul warned about the housing bubble in 2003!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnuoHx9BINc
So, admit it Cainiacs, Herb’s writings show that he is not a “problem solver” or an economist, Herb is simply a Republican Neoconservative political hack! In 2008, Herb chose the party line over any attempt to see what was actually going on in the markets. It does not take an economic genius to see that when the Federal Reserve sets an arbitrary price for money (interest) at much lower than marker rates called for, Ill investment will occur. Yet, Herb praises Alan Greenspan as the model Fed Chairman he would appoint! The man who began blowing the bubble in earnest!
Herman Cain is a joke. Yet, he is going to meet his expectations for 2012, increased books sales (his previous efforts were flops) and a show on Fox News Channel!!
Don’t be as “gullible and uninformed” as Herb was.
Why is the “conservative” media propping up/protecting Herman Cain??
From the moment Herman Cain winning the Florida Straw Poll became earth shattering news, something didn’t smell right. I mean, look at how Ron Paul was ignored after losing Iowa by a handful of votes and how winning the California straw poll was barely even reported! Yet, here was a bottom tier guy who out of nowhere won a straw poll…it became headlines and Cain was now “top-tier”.
Obviously with “top-tier” status come scrutiny. Supporters of Ron Paul, understandably frustrated on the difference in media attention, found a clip of Herman Cain arguing on the neocon “Neal Bore-tz” radio show that an audit of the Federal Reserve was unnecessary, wasteful and those who called for it, Paul and his supporters, were ignorant on the Federal Reserve.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=q18jMzTWJ9A
That was met with Cain’s upcoming book where he says he never spoke against auditing the Fed and that Paul supporters were annoying him with repeated “stupid” questions. He even blamed the questions on the Paul campaign as an orchestrated attack, as though no one would be smart enough to figure out Cain’s deception on their own, once again implying Paul supporters are less than intelligent!
When confronted on this “inconsistency” last night by Ron Paul himself, Cain, the ordained Baptist pastor lied through his teeth! Within the hour, The Huffington Post had called out the lie:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/11/ron-paul-herman-cain-fed-audit-gop-debate_n_1006228.html
The Washington Post, a co-host of last night’s debate also pointed out the lie:
Jeff at the blog “to be free” lays it all out:
So, why is the “conservative” media silent? The Corner, The Daily Beast, The Daily Dish, The Daily Caller, The Blaze, nothing! Michelle Malkin, that paragon of “truthiness”, silent. Over at RedState, they call out Cain on a few items, but no mention of the lie (no surprise there, the writers at RedState keep closing their eyes and chanting “There is no Ron Paul, there is no Ron Paul”)
Folks, if you are a classical liberal, libertarian, a Tea Party member, a real “little r” republican, or just a lover of liberty, you are being set up and sold out. The Republican establishment has ordained the ticket and it shall be Romney/Cain. Yes, the dynamic duo of RomneyCare, TARP, perpetual war, perpetual debt, perpetual empire, central banksters will be the alternative the GOP offers you to Barack Obama. We will have the same policies in effect that have been in effect for decades!
Is it time we start thinking about Ron Paul as a third party candidate? Is it time we bring about the implosion and the destruction of the tyrannical imperialist Republican Party?
I am thinking it might be a good time for a little revolution!
New Iowa Poll: Ron Paul Rising!
The new American Research Group poll is Iowa is interesting on a number of levels. First, not only is Ron Paul in third place at 14%, trailing the Tax Collector (21%) and FlipFlop (18%) but look at the numbers today as compared to three months ago. In April Dr. Paul had just 3% of the vote. His numbers are rising. The Tax Collector has also seen a spike since announcing, but look at the great FlipFlop, he has gained but one percent! Now, can you pundits really tell me with a straight face that Romney is the presumptive nominee?
The other noticeable fact is look at the overcrowded field. Many believe the field is crowded and will become even more crowded so as to dilute support from Dr Paul. Sound far fethced? Then just take a moment to research all the nasty tricks Texas Republicans like Tom DeLay, Dick Armey and Karl Rove have done to Dr. Paul over the years: redistricting his district, putting up primary challenges to a sitting Congressman, passing his seniority by in the House, etc. This notion is not far fetched. But let me put this to you, do you really think if a likely caucus voter doesn’t support FlipFlop now, do you ever think they will?
Then look at support from independents. Of the three front runners, it seems clear only FlipFlop and Paul can draw significantly from independent voters. It seems the Tax Collectorn is a polarizing figure that has little appeal outside GOP circles. That being said, look at Tea Party support where FlipFlop gets virtually no support. Thus, Ron Paul seems to be the only candidate that can gain support from the Tea Party and independents! That is a circumstance that cannot be overlooked! It is critical to taking the White House back from Obama next year!
Finally, look at the results when likely caucus goers are asked for “definite” support and “probable” support. the combined total for the Tax Collector is 39%, for FlipFlop, 37%, for Dr. Paul, 32%. We are in striking distance!
Now, what will the pundits and neocons say about this poll? Don’t be surprised if they start to downplay the role of Iowa based on Dr Paul’s trending upward and FlipFlop stagnant. It is obvious the MSM wants FlipFlop as he seems the opponent that gives Obama a chance to win. Further, the Tax Collector was born in Iowa so any success she has will be accredited to that fact.
The key is keep building momentum! We need an army of “Blue Republicans” in Iowa to come in to the process and make Dr Paul’s numbers even stronger in the Ames Straw Poll and the caucuses. Keep up the fight! the Ron Paul Revolution marches on!
Memo to Blue Republicans: Educate Anti-War Democrats!
As I was persuing Facebook earlier I saw that Blue Republican had linked to the Ron Paul Congressional retirement story as it was published at The Huffington Post. Blue Republican had noted there were a lot of negative comments that we needed to challenge. I would have described most of the comments not as negative, but as extremely ignorant!
It seems that liberals would love nothing more than to find hypocrisy in the libertarian. There were countless comments about Dr Paul retiring on his fat congessional pension, etc etc. It seems that most Huffpo readers do not realize that Ron Paul does NOT participate in the congressional pension or any other congressional benefits! Further, Dr Paul returns money to the treasury each year from his congressional office budget that he does not spend! Surely even liberals would not want Dr Paul to waste tax dollars. Can he not be admired for seeing congressional service as just that, a public service, not a retirement plan?
Further, anti-war Democrats must ask themselves, what Bush policy has President Obama changed or disregarded? We still have troops in Iraq in 2011; we have more troops in Afghanistan in 2011, Guantanamo Bay and the rendition programs remain in place, we are involved in the NATO operation in Libya and President Obama is setting precedent that the Commander in Chief need not ask for congressional approval for these such “actions”; we are pouring more drones than ever into Pakistan killing innocent civilians, the military budget swells, the empire around the world grows; remind me why you voted for President Obama? He is a neocon’s dream! He must have Bill Kristol on speeddial!
Contrast that with the platform of Dr Paul. His first priority is to get out of Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya; Dr Paul WILL close Guantanamo Bay and end rendition, and then we begin folding up the global empire that has our military in over 140 countries worldwide! Those savings will go a long way to shore up Social Security and Medicare for those who are on these programs now or close to needing them. Dr Paul knows we cannot abandon those that are or have become dependent on these programs! Despite the unfair stereotype, libertarians are not heartless.
Anti-war Democrats must realize that a primary axion of libertarian philosophy is that of non aggression and non-intervention. Dr Paul will stand firm on these principles. Radical Randolph Bourne wrote that “War is the health of the state.” Well, endless war is destroying our republic. Anti-war Democrats need to look back on the last ten years as we begin the run-up to September 11, 2011. Look at the health of The State since that time: civil liberties being eroded daily with The Patriot Act, Homeland Security, the TSA, wiretaps, all in the name of the so called Global War on Terror. The health of The State is good, but what about the people?
We suffer from massive unemployment caused by the Federal Reserve and the damage it does to the economy by printing money to finance endless war. This is a primary reason Dr. Paul supports the gold standard; not only is it hard currency, it stops the Fed from financing such military interventions! Yes anti-war Democrats, the gold standard helps in stopping future war! Our national debt and deficit have rgrown to a point where Keynesian stimulus has no effect! As we know from our own lives and households, there comes a time when you have to bite the bullet and pay the price for prior reckless behavior. Even addicts and alcoholics know this to be true. Before thay can rebuild, they must face the music. This is true for our economy as well. The bubble cannot be reinflated. We must allow the liquidation of bad investments to occur before we can rebuild.
I am confident that if anti-war Democrats will take a fresh look at the platform of Dr Paul and look at how all these issues are connected by principle, they will give Dr Paul a fresh look and a fair hearing! To those who are merely anti-war when the guy in the White House has an R after his name, you are too partisan to see past the label.
I salute the Blue Republicans for their affirmation of their anti-war principles and welcome you to the Ron Paul Revolution!
Ron Paul only seeking one office in 2012
The news is travelling fast throughout the Ron Paul Revolution: Dr Paul has decided not to run for hsi congressional seat in 2102 in order to focus solely on his run for the GOP nomination for President! If any of you had any doubts that Dr Paul was in it to win it, I think this should put those doubts to bed!
“I felt it was better that I concentrate on one election,” Paul said. “It’s about that time when I should change tactics.”
Yes fellow Revolutionaries, this is a change of tactics! This should reinvigorate the entire Liberty movement! Dr. Paul is focused on the one campaign that can literally change the country. It’s a great day for freedom!
The Blue Republican Movement
Filed under: 2012 Election, Blue Republicans, Libertarian Democrat
If you are friends with any person minutely political you have noticed the Facebook rise of The Blue Republican. To my knowledge this movement arose form a piece by Robin Koerner on The Huffington Post entitled “If You Love Peace, Become a “Blue Republican” (Just for a Year).” Koerner correctly points out:
After two years, however, we now see that Obama 1) conducts wars against countries that do not threaten us (e.g. Libya, Yemen etc.), 2) oversees large financial benefits to companies with which those in his administration were close (e.g. Goldman Sachs), 3) supports the legal framework for riding roughshod over the liberties of private individuals who are not suspected of crime (e.g. Patriot Act), and 4) is growing a massive federal apparatus to carry out such intrusions on innocent Americans in what is becoming a police state (e.g. domestic wiretapping, TSA etc.. )
Put another way, when it comes to such things as the killing of innocent people, taking from the common man to support cronies, and the elimination of the basic values that make our lives worth living, we had the hope, but we haven’t had the change.
Of course, as a longtime supporter of Dr. Paul, I could have told you this as far back as 2007. There is not a two party system in the nation at this time: there is one party with two wings, a D wing and an R wing. They argue over minutiae to distract you into thinking there are real differences, but what changes? Deficits soar, entitlements increase, federal intrusion is more rampant and militarism and empire marches on unabated!
Yet, in my mind the most newsmaking part of Koerner’s piece isn’t the predictable anti-war/civil liberties piece but the following:
I am aware that the main objection to Ron Paul from the left concerns his belief that private charities and individuals are more effective in maintaining social welfare than the government. To this I ask one question. Do you believe so much in the effectiveness of our current centralized delivery of social welfare that it is worth the war making and the abrogation of civil rights supported by both Bush and Obama’s administrations? Moreover, while Ron Paul would look to transition out of the huge federally run welfare programs in the long-run, that’s not where he wants to start: his immediate fight would be to bring our forces back to the USA and to re-implement the Bill of Rights.
The significance of this simply cannot be avoided. Koener argues that the massive ineffectiveness of the federal government in delivering social welfare should give you pause as to whether such a system is worth propping up militarism and empire and the death and destruction that comes along with it? He is asking the left to focus globally and principly, not as a Democrat protecting the clients of the Party.
The movement is to be encourgaed and such principled liberals, no, Blue Republicans, should be welcomed to the Ron Paul Revolution! They can certainly bolster our left flank!