Battleground VA: Romney, Ryan coming to Expoland

With the Old Dominion one of the battleground states in the race for the White House, Republican challenger Mitt Romney has slated a Central Virginia campaign appearance with ticket-mate Paul Ryan– and a little entertainment from country music star Trace Adkins. The event happens at 6pm on the fourth of October at Augusta Expoland in Fishersville.

"We're expecting close to four digits," says campaign intern Benjamin Silver, who says doors for the Thursday event will open at 4pm.

Silver says tickets, which are free, should be reserved in advance via the RSVP button at mittromney.com/states/virginia and that, if space remains available, citizens who simply show up may also be accommodated.

Romney may need more events like this to rally support, as a mid-September poll by the Washington Post found that likely voters in the Commonwealth favor Barack Obama 52 to 44 percent.

Like the recent Charlottesville appearance of the president, this Romney event came up quickly, being that a Hook reporter found out about it via an airplane-pulled banner.

Read more on: Mitt Romney

93 comments

You might want to check a map. It's Fishersville, not Fisherville, and I'm not sure if that area is usually referred to as being part of Central Virginia.

@AOM: Thanks for the typo correction and geo-suggestion.

So hope this intrusion on the country lifestyle doesn't screw up traffic. This isn't the President of the United States. This is happening in the peak of traffic on I-64. Very bad timing. And just who owns the venue being used? Duh, I think it is a local state senator. Not doing much for the voters. OH, well. I won't be there and doubt a turnout of more than 500 people. Just saying

Let’s see...billions of tax payer dollars doled out to heads of companies that supported Obama in the last election gone belly up. Our embassy's are burning in 13 countries in the Middle East, our ambassador and others murdered and the Obama administration calls it a spontaneous attack from a utube video. Turns out it was a terrorist attack by an al-queda satellite group and they knew 24 hours after it happened. They are hiding the truth so as to not "look" bad this close to an election. Obama says al-quida is on the run...really?
Obama administration leaks top secret information in an effort to make him look tough in an election year, throwing American operatives and some of our allies under the bus by doing so.
The coal industry is under attack, we have virtually opened up our boarders to any terrorists who want to come in. We are throwing our only true ally in the Middle East under the bus. Iran is only maybe months away from having a nuke in their arsenal. A country that is governed by radical Ayatollah’s who think it is their destiny to bring Armageddon to Earth. Obama finds time to go on the view, but can't find the time to meet with world leaders while the Middle East is on the brink of WW3. Obama has turned success, a trait that used to be respected in this country, into a badge of greed. Spread the wealth around...where was that sentiment used in world history?
The national debt, that in his own words “If we don't have it cut in half in three years, this will be a one term proposition” has almost doubled in three years. We have more people on food stamps that at any time in history. The median family income in America has dropped by $4000.00 a year. We have ads on the radio and TV promoting food stamps...wha??? Democratic ads saying that the Republicans want to take away a woman’s reproduction rights, when the truth is that the republicans don’t think that the tax payer shouldn’t have to pay for a woman’s birth control. He is giving away phones to garner votes at tax payer expense, he has given amnesty to illegal immigrants to garner votes. He has during this campaign tried to paint Romney as a criminal, as an uncaring ogre, blah, blah.... Fact is that Romney gives more to charity in one year than Obama and Biden have in their entire lives. Romney actually has experience in running a successful company. Obama could not run a hot dog stand without tax payer money.
Maybe you should go to Fishersville and listen to what Romney has to say. If we re-elect these progressive liberals to another four years, the constitutional republic which has made America what it will be a thing of the past.

I've already listened to what Romney has to say:
"Corporations are people, my friend… of course they are."
"I'm not concerned about the very poor."
"No one's ever asked to see my birth certificate."
"I believe in an America where millions of Americans believe in an America that's the America millions of Americans believe in. That's the America I love."

And then there's the quote that will go down in history as disqualifying Willard Romney from ever serving in public office again:

"There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. All right, there are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you-name-it. ... My job is not to worry about those people. I'll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives."

We know all about Mr. Romney. The words coming out of his mouth are proof enough of what he stands for.

He'll never be President of the %47 of Americans he so easily dismisses. Better luck next time.

I don't get it. This will be one of Romney's first appearances post debate. Shouldn't it be in a bigger local media market than the Staunton/Fishersville/Waynesboro megalopolis?

Area is also already very conservative. Can't be a good sign for Romney campaign if he is still trying to shore up those votes a month before the election.

When Romney was talking about the 47% he was NOT referring to the entitlment class.... he was referring to the UNENTITLED class.

He was not referrring to those that were injured defending the country, contributed into the system orwere born or became disabled .

He was reffering to the people who DEMAND government services and feel ENTITLED to free housing food free college, unemployment that never ends, disability for stress without a requirement to find a less stressful career, People who want a free cell phone, free school breakfast and lunches without a reduction in food stamp payments, no drug testing requirements, and no one telling them what to do or asking them to accept any personal responsibility.

THOSE idiots will always vote for the liberal because they are too lazy to compete in the world and need someone to "redistribute" the wealth, which is eseentialy saying that they are "entitled" to the fruits of anothers labor.

Romney needs to convince those who disagree with strong conservative ideas, and strong liberal ideas, but who can do basic math and realize the "unentitled" class is going to bankrupt america.

.
@ Meanwhile...he is 100% correct in his figures. I do some charity work overseas...for people who have been suppressed by their government, and do not have the opportunities or freedoms we have in this country. But I have a hard time helping people who will not lift a finger to help themselves.
BTW, Who do you think works at and owns corporations?

Here's one that has already gone down in history "They cling to their guns and religion" Seems Obama doesn't have a problem writing off a large segment of the population either.

Don't twist his words, nor take them out of context. While white-gloved waiters served $50,000 plates of food at the home of a hedge-fund manager who holds sex parties, Romney spoke.

His words speak for themselves. He did not subtract all the millions of soldiers, teachers, policemen, nurses, and Romney supporters when he spoke them. Only after his words become known do people try to explain the plain meaning of his words to mean something else.

I'm glad that WhoNelly and Ponce De Leon feel the same way. That's great for them. Romney is their candidate: selfish and full of condemnation for those who have less.

As for Obama's 'clinging to guns' comment. They came right before the PA primary election. An election that he lost, thanks largely to his comments.

Thanks for making the perfect analogy. Romney's words will cause him to lose his next election, just as Obama's words did. Please enjoy the next 4 years!

Ponce actually thinks that 47% of the American public are drug-addicted welfare mothers on foodstamps. And he and WhoaNelly apparently believe that Mitt Romeny thinks this as well.

How sad. On all counts.

No, I don't think that... the percentage is fortunately way lower then that... for now....

But, the facts are very clear.... there are two trillion dollars on the sidelines that will be invested elswhere if obama is reelected. No one with any business acumen would invest in this climate.

Those with cash are in a position to "hunker down" until the risk/reward ratio is more favorable.

Romney has the ability to create that climate and barack obama has proven that he does not.

The government cannot simply raise taxes on the rich because it would still not be enough to cover the spending.

Until we stop rewarding people for not working, other people will continue to be discouraged from putting forth the effort our parents and grandparents did to make a life for themselves.

america rewards two groups... the very rich who buy their favors and the worthless bums who cry that they are "victims" and want a trophy. Meanwhile we have truly needy people like disabled vets, retirees, people with disabilites or injuries and the mentally ill who are being shortchanged.

So go ahead and tax the rich and pay down the debt, but take the freebies away from the cretins and "redistribute" THATt to where it was supposed to go in the first place.

Obama doesn't want all americans to have an opportunity to succeed, he wants everybody to have all the creature comforts of a middle class existance whether they earned it or not.
That is a FANTASY. Peter Pan was FICTION.

@PDl - The middle class federal tax payers are subsidizing the rich. I believe that's called living off of the system.

Raising taxes on the rich is a must. If I pay 25%, you and the Romney's must pay the same. If Mrs. Romney didn't work, ever; then assess another tax on their household for her not contributing to the Social Security base.

Everyone should be taxed the same (no loopholes or schemes, once they reach poverty level income status). How selfish of you!

The fantasy is that you want us to subsidize you. There is no such thing as trickle down theory.

You can purchase pixie dust at the Disney Store.

Dow Jones: January 9, 2009 - 8,599
(Inauguration Day for President Obama)

Dow Jones: October 1, 2012 13,515

Increase of: 5,015

@ WN - the United States could have been in and out of the Middle East if Bush had any degree of intelligence. Bush relied on some mock up computer game to make decisions on foreign wars rather than take a General's advice.

President Obama has been cleaning up after both Bush failures.

President Obama has prevented a depression.

The Bush's, wealthy oil barons, who pay less than 11 percent Federal income tax running this country with financial backing of mortgage backed bonds that were too risky for WS, so we shopped them across the globe. Wall Street collapsed and now President Obama has to pick up the pieces and clean up their mess.

Again, the middle income wage earner is subsidizing the rich. Disgraceful.

And, Romney thought the 47% had their hands out.

As a conservative I would like the media to give real background information on ALL candidates. How they got where they did, who were there teachers, inspirations, past political successes and failures, voting record, where money comes from etc. etc.For example, I feel we spent so much time hearing about where Sarah Palin's clothes came from but learned nothing of the' tabula rasa" who was eventually elected President. How could this happen, except that reporters FAILED to report anything about what might be considered by some his "controversial" past. - because perhaps they so wanted NOT to report it. For instance Obama was portrayed as the one who would bring us all together under bi-partisanship. But his past voting record in the Senate showed anything but! As a matter of fact his votes were 96% along the strict party line, raking him the twelfth most partisan member. Or how about reporting on how much money he accepted from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac ? In the short time he was in the Senate he took $126,349.00, giving him the dubious distinction of ranking second only to Christopher Dodd you had been in the Senate for years! Or the issue of Pork Barrel Spending in 2008 ? Obama - $97.4 million. McCain - $0.00. These are all FACTS. Or how about asking what exactly he intended to CHANGE ? His minister ? He did eventually - after 20 years. His friends, associates and supporters ? Tony Rezko ? William Ayers ?
But let's talk about Sarah Palin's glasses, and hair, and legs anything but her successes. These are just some of what I remember from 2008. Examples are many of how he is being treated now - fragile egg that he is. Remember that sound byte from Tom Brokaw and Charlie Rose ? where they said " we really don't know much about Barack Obama" ? That was ONE WEEK before the 2008 election! What had they been doing? Obviously for some reason NOT what we expect from a FREE press. ? LINK : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzMas1bVidw

Sad that people who seem to be able to write with some ability and style are unable to research the truth. Why would any candidate come to Western Virginia when there are so many more important pockets of voters around the Commonwealth? What's with the country and western act? Bet big money (maybe even a $10,000 means nothing me Romney bet) that Mittens and I Can't Do the Math Ryan will show up in cowboy boots and blue jeans. Can you say pandering? The right wingers who will attend this event in a location with serious road issues will be the same crowd that show up at the gun show and the tractor pull. Not exactly our brightest and our best! Just saying!

WhoaNelly -

I am a progressive and not a registered Democrat.

I confess - I have clinged to my guns and religion. Obama was right.

"Mitt Romney - Believe in America"
To the extent that he keeps his money in offshore accounts to keep from paying taxes and helping the America that he believes in so much!!

Is anyone else getting flashbacks to 2004? An unpopular president vs an out of touch rich guy from Massachusetts? This election is proving to be another Giant Douche vs. Turd Sandwich where both Red Tribe and Blue Tribe are convinced they have to win because the other guy is the worst guy ever (and everything he says is lies)!

The Republicans deserve to lose this election for nominating Mittens as much as the Democrats deserve to lose for the misery they helped perpetuate over the last 4 years -- the only downside is that one of them is going to win.

I'll be voting for Gary Johnson who is the only decent choice in this election.

I wish there was a good alternative in the VA Senate race. I don't think I can stomach either Kaine or Macaca Allen -- I would have gladly voted for Webb but he is clearly too good of a person to remain in the cesspool of the U.S. Senate another 6 years.

I think it speaks volumes that Mitten's wife is worried about his mental stability - just sayin'...

Love all these twisted arguments - @hypocrisy alert - they did report on all those issues regarding Obama in 2008, where were you? They never reported that Palin attended three different universities to obtain her undergrad degree in of all things - Journalism? Then she quits being governor of Alaska? That is past, people are starting to of already have seen all this.

I ask you all this, why of all the candidates is the Republican Party choosing those that it does?!! From someone who used to occasionally vote for a moderate one, but now - there are none - so far right.

This event is in the "buckle" of the Bible Belt - most in that area have sticks up their butts, narrow minded, uneducated and religious fanatics who impose their beliefs on others but they can still commit all the sins they want. That is TRUE hypocrisy.

"Not exactly our brightest and our best! Just saying!" - Bless your little heart.

"My job is not to worry about those people. I'll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives."

I understand exactly who he is speaking of. I have a BUNCH of these slugs in my family who are more than capable of working but are to lazy to wash their own azzes. It gets passed along with every generation of sluggettes.

It is about time someone talks about the 500 lb gorilla in the room.

@jeezlouise, there always some of those slugs - but it doesn't equate to 47% of the US population. There are always those like that who somehow know how to twist the system to work in their favor. Result is more and more scrutiny, more jobs which would GROW the economy and REDUCE the debt - which BTW - no Republican in office has supported?!! What is up with that? Oh, yeah - their goal has been to do nothing but make sure Obama doesn't get re-elected. It appears, thus far, not to be working and we on the other side are working very hard to make sure it doesn't. Toodles - off to volunteer and unseat so dead weight in Congress ...

I'm always happy when election season is over. I never get more depressed than during a presidential election year in the last six months before November. I get depressed because everywhere I look I see signs of what I already know to be true - mass democracy is impossible. The reality and complexity of what goes on in the world vastly outstrips the ability of people to understand it. As such, front stage politics becomes, not an exercise of human Reason, but base appeals to emotion. The Enlightenment dream was just that - but alas we continue to dream the impossible.

WhoaNelly represents it best. That rant above is such a gross oversimplification of the world that it defies comprehension. It is basically fear run amok. Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My! And to think - under a "good" president we'd have lemonade and cookies! You know, I'm pretty sure you left some things out - earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis - I'm pretty sure all of those things are also because Obama is a bad president. It rained so hard last night a bunch of water got in my garage. Damn that Obama presidency! Ponce is not far behind, convinced as s/he is that every street corner contains a bunch of freeloading loafers sucking the blood of the righteous. Tell you what Ponce. Go do a good, thorough analysis of the entire Federal Budget. Ferret out all of those "deserving" people from the "entitled." Then refuse to pay the portion of your taxes that support those blood sucking freeloaders. Now, take the $.50 you save on your taxes next year, borrow another dollar and buy yourself a candy bar. Boiling our budget problems down to entitled freeloaders is like trying to pay your mortgage by rooting around in the couch cushions.

I have yet to see an intelligent and honest interpretation of the 47% comments of Romney.

dat likes to believe what a lot of people believe, and might even sum it up best - that its about the person and what the person does.

Perhaps its time to give up on the notion that someONE is or can be in control of it all. Perhaps its time to give up on the notion that someONE(S) "caused" the '08 economic collapse and that someone can or should "fix" it. Perhaps its time to see that the global political economy is a huge mess run amok. It has its ups and downs and goods and bads. The ups and downs and goods and bads vary for different people across time and space - and it is just as much under conscious human control as are the tides. So stop thinking that someone should be in control - it won't work. Just ask how to deal with the messes that the machinery inevitably pumps out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6RWiVRwoE8

Its a choice of "moving forward" vs. "Believe in America". "Moving forward" can be taken as not going back to Bush policies "which caused every problem" but moving forward to total bankruptcy. Believe in America means we apologize to no one, we believe in Republican economics and when we are bankrupt we won't believe it. I wish I could believe that either is going to move us forward.

dear C'ville native and Hook Reader...
Why oh why do you rely on insults ? When I take it that you are "open" and "loving" and "accepting" and NOT narrow minded, stick up butts, gun clinging red necks that you love to insult ? why instead of LOVE and UNDERSTAND ? and FACTS instead of slinging liberal mud ? - oh that's right the facts are that the new president whoever it is, is going to have inherited an even bigger mess that we had 4 years ago. Wonder who Mr. Obama came blame then ? and what policies he might try to force through the Democratic Congress to take us even closer to ruin ?

Oh, THAT's right also, Pelosi called the Occupiers our Brightest and Best. - not us god loving rednecks - sorry. I forgot.

It is amazing how people like to cite the Dow Jones average for when Obama took office versus how much higher it is today. However, when Bush wanted to privatize SS in a small way, the same people were crying about how much of a "gamble" and ruse the stock market was. We hear the same thing today: the stock market is like gambling your money.
Do these people think the DJ average is made up of small sandwich shops or the evil big businesses?

@Joe...An honest interpretation of Romney's 47 percent comments is simple: It was made in reference to election politics. He was saying that he is not going to worry about them regarding garnering their votes; they could not be turned around. People had just spend five figures to hear this guy speak; of course he had to tell them how he was going to strategize his campaign (since he was spending their money). It has nothing to do with whether he "cares about the 47% as people" but, rather, if he cares about them as potential voters. He does not; they cannot be swayed. And it occurs in every segment of society, not just politics. There is always a percentage of the universe that will never move from their position, another percentage who will never move from their contrasting position, and the middle (undecided) who are targets. That is the context of his speech. But the lemmings can keep watching the telly to hear the Dems' ads to the contrary.

R.I.P.: Adam Smith

Yes liberalace - I've seen than one on the 47% ad nauseum. But the comment didn't stop there. He didn't just say that analysis indicates that 47% are basically locked in for Obama so he's not going to waste their mucho money on it.

He then went on to the other bits about them being the 47% who are moochers. What he did is he shifted from a reason/rationality based argument to an emotional one. The term "entitled" is emotionally and morally charged. The whole "moocher" notion is emotionally and morally charged. However, anyone who has done any serious study of social service programs and the populations they serve knows that whatever mooching goes on is a drop in the bucket. If you did any serious analysis of the facts you'd never move voters with it on the basis of reason and rationality. You have to move them in the gut.

So the first bit of his comment was about being the practical and saavy business guy who knows how to place his bets and come out ahead.

The second part was whipping up the foamy mouths. Or I suppose I could just say "mobilizing the base." If you let election day come around and all people have to go on is reason they will stay home. You have to have to get them afraid and angry.

Every other interpretation I've seen is pure oversimplification. But I mostly threw it in b/c I didn't want to look like I was only picking on the repugnican types. Even so - its what I was saying. Mass democracy in a world of gigantic corporations and gigantic states inevitably devolves into a politics of emotion rather than reason.

Adam Smith died with the corporation. Corporate capitalism killed free markets and that's when Adam Smith rolled. It wasn't inevitable. The laws for corporations as we know them were laid down in the 19th century. Big business followed. Big government and big labor after that. This is the true cry of our age. A bunch of little people squashed amidst gigantic bureaucracies that they neither understand nor control.

The only job left for the gigantic political party machineries is to try to convince people that they are "really" being pushed around by those evol ones on the other side.

This is also why changing the persons in the chairs won't change it. Its not the economy stupid. Its all of the machineries. Those stay the same in background and use public sentiment as a resource for moral sanctioning.

The middle class as a group don't subsidize ANYBODY. The middle class as a group is now SUBSIDIZED by a comionation of the rich and deficit spending.

The Government spends about 12,500 dollars PER PERSON in america. so if you define the middle class as those making between 35k and 250k their contribution is WAY LESS than that amount. A single person with typical deductions does pay his fair share but the other 90% do not. A family of four making 100k a year with a 250k mortgage pays about 11k in taxes and 8k in fica contributions.... far less than the their "fair share: of the bill which is 12,500 x 4 or 50K.

The problem with the media and the failiure of the US public education is that people compare their "tax bracket" to Mitt Romeneys "effective rate" and it is not only apples and oranges it is apples and cinderblocks. There is no comparison. The "average " effective tax rate of the middle class is less than 10%...... 40% BELOW Romneys.... 14% rate

Do the math... pull out you last return, look at your GROSS income and divide that by "tax paid" and you will see your TRUE percentage.

The rich pay 80% of the bills that are paid with cash... The borrowed money will be paid by the RICH when that bill comes due and the middle class will contribute to that with austerity measures when the time comes (your grandchildren).

The wealthy do get tax breaks but the middle class are the ones who are living off the mortgage deductions, cheap student loans, small business loans and guarantees, subsidized community colleges, small business set asides for government contracts, minority set asides for government contracts that are almost exclusivley middle class people, childcare deductions, first time home buyer incentives and on and on...

The middle class are getting screwed by excessive regulations and a government that interferes with micromanaging peoples lives.... we waste precious time and money mandating lightbulbs that are filled with mercury and pasing laws to protect people against discrimination all the whjile, mandating diversity which can only be achieved through discrimination.

The government needs to make sure that every program makes sense.... they do not and we will all pay in the end because Congress is spending more than the rich even possess in totality.

Stop asking focusing on where the money is coming from and start focusing on where it is going ....... Janitors in DC schools make more than seasoned teachers in Charlottesville.

@hypocrisy alert - then don't make it so easy by being so hypocritical. :)

And in 2008, me thinks that the news was Bush invited both Obama and McCain to see the first Bailout which was done under his helm, as I recall? That the economy started to tank and more jobs were lost during Bush 2 also? Ah, it is amazing how there is the reality and then there is others interpretation of what happened/is happening. The economy is slowly recovering the debt is going down, less are unemployed - that is reality. It would move more quickly had Congress approved the Jobs Bill AND the Vets Job Bill - but that just goes to show you - their agenda is more important than the American people.

Most west of the Blue Ridge are, I recall their school systems burning - yes burning Huck Finn. How crazy is that? My in-laws are from there and trust me, they are a bunch of immature, ignorant, ill-informed, wanting the government to take care of them but don't want a black man in the White House types. They cling to "their" religion yet never follow it. They cling to their guns yet don't really know the proper way to use them.

Not all over there are that way but most are and I wouldn't let any hospital or doctor over there treat a mouse. I'm just sayin'...

This is the best explanation I have ever heard of what has happened to the middle class -

"For Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Hedrick Smith, the American Dream depends upon the prosperity of middle class. Ray Suarez talks to Smith about his latest book, "Who Stole the American Dream?" for more on what needs to change to restore the American Dream, economically, politically and culturally."

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/july-dec12/smith_10-01.html

C'ville Native says "The economy is slowly recovering the debt is going down, less are unemployed - that is reality."
Really? Official unemployment- 12 million, actual unemployment- 22 million
Here is the debt clock...the red numbers are debt piling up C'ville, just surpassed 16 trillion...
These are numbers that only used to be used by astronomers.

http://www.usdebtclock.org/

C'ville native - Your bigoted comments and gross generalizations are typically what liberals accuse conservatives of. Are you not hearing what evil spews from your own mouth ?

If you want to understand the backstory to the decline of the middle class - here are the highlights from the interview above with purlitzer prize winning journalist Hedrick Smith:

RAY SUAREZ: The story you tell, one of the striking parts of it is that who knew in the early to mid-'70s that we'd some day look back on that as the good old days...

 SMITH: Well, they were living the American dream. They had pretty steady jobs. They had rising pay.

They had benefits, health care; 85 percent of the people who worked for companies of over 100 employees had health care, had retirement payments, a monthly check until you died on top of your Social Security, could afford to buy a home, pay off that mortgage over 30 years, and hope that your kids would do better.

RAY SUAREZ: How did they become so politically weak?

HEDRICK SMITH: Well, they were very strong back then.

As you know, Ray, the environmental movement was strong, put pressure on Washington.

The labor movement was strong, put pressure on General Motors and General Electric and U.S. Steel and so forth.

The civil rights movement put pressure on Washington to open up the American Dream to blacks and other minorities.

Part of what happened to them was, it was so successful. But part of what happened to them was, there was a power shift. There was a tremendous change of power in Washington. And that had a big effect on the ability of middle-class Americans to achieve the American dream.

And the other thing that happened is what I call wedge economics, the splitting of the American middle class off from the gains of the national economy, so that today you can see the economy improving bit by bit, but middle-class people aren't doing that much better.

People at the top are doing real well. Corporations are reporting profits, but the people in the middle aren't doing that well.

Back in the old days, back in the heyday of the middle class, everybody shared in that prosperity. Today, everybody doesn't share in that prosperity. And that's why so many people feel so much pain.

HEDRICK SMITH: Yes, that's a very good question. Let's just take the facts for a moment.

What happened was, the productivity of the American work force from World War II to the mid-'70s grew almost double, 97 percent. The wage and salaries of average Americans, not just assembly line workers, but plumbers, carpenters, small business people, and so forth, they rose 95 percent, so just about the same increase in wages and salaries as in productivity.

The wealth, the growth, the economy, the prosperity was shared.

Since then, however, those wedge economics came in. And what you have seen is productivity has continued to grow, about 80 percent since 1973. But the average hourly compensation of an average worker has grown only 10 percent.

The CEOs' pay has quadrupled, sextupled. The income of the people at the top 1 percent has grown 600 percent.

The Census Bureau says the average male worker since 1978 is making just the same pay, adjusted for inflation. So it's flat in the middle and it's soaring up at the top, tremendous inequality.

I think you're right. People don't favor expropriation. Americans are more tolerant of economic inequality than, say, Europeans and Asians and so forth.

But you do see in poll after poll people are -- there's too many wealth concentrated at the top. There's too much power in Washington lobbyists. The tax system should be changed to raise taxes on the top brackets. Two-thirds of Americans agree in almost every poll to those numbers.

So there is sentiment to change things. But there's not anger in any kind of rebellious sense of word. In fact, there's not even the same kind of anger that prompted the middle class to protest back in the '60s and '70s.

HEDRICK SMITH: Absolutely. Such a good point you're making here.

What we forgot was that middle-class prosperity, economics, depended on middle class power, public politics.

And, today, this gross inequality that you see in income is accompanied by a starkly unequal democracy, symbolized by the super PACs, symbolized by the fact that business lobbyists -- business spends 65 times as much money on lobbyists as labor does.

There are 12,500, roughly, business lobbyists, registered lobbyists lobbying Congress in the administration, and only 400 for labor.

So, you have this very lopsided economic situation right alongside this very lopsided

And the shift in political power to the wealthy is a disaster for the baby boom generation .

HEDRICK SMITH: You know, it's amazing.

Everyone talks about 401(k). Almost nobody knows why it's called the 401(k). It's because it's that far down in the tax code. It is buried deep in the tax code.

When it was passed, it was never intended to be a national retirement system. It was put in the tax code as a favor to Kodak and Xerox, who have headquarters up in Rochester, N.Y., by the Republican congressman Barber Conable, who came from that district.

They wanted a tax shelter to give extra money to their executives.

Fast forward. In the Reagan administration, somebody said, hey, let's give that to ordinary people.

Fast forward again. The mutual fund industry says, wow, we get ahold of all those billions of dollars of retirement savings, we can make a lot of money.

Power to the people. Do it yourself. It's been a disaster for most Americans. They don't save enough. When they change jobs, they take their money out. When times get rough, as they have been recently, neither the company nor the individual contributes, with the result that the average balance is about $18,000 in a 401(k).

And if you're just on the lip of retirement, it's maybe $85,000 for somebody who is in their 60s and who has been in the plan for 20 years.

That's nowhere near enough. People will say, if you have been making $50,000 a year, you need a half-a-million.

So, we have got half of the baby boomer generation headed for poverty essentially in retirement, living on essentially only their Social Security.

Jeez Nancy, already watched your linked video...why is there no mention of inflation?
The two biggest things we doomed middle class are dealing with are the grocery store and the gas pump. Additionally, our electric bill has been steadily rising, I understand the need for "clean" energy but why the war on coal at the consumers expense? I would love to put a solar array on my roof and tell the power company to shove it..Problem is I don't have $60,000 for the investment, who in the middle class does? The interview starts with my parent’s generation. Something that was not touched on was how frugal that generation was. Credit has allowed people in the middle class to obtain material goods that our parent’s generation would have considered frivolous...any thoughts along those lines?

WhoaNelly, I appreciate your comments . I am not an economist, but I hope that someone knowledgable in that field will join the discussion . One fact is that inflation has a far less serious impact on the wealthy, as I'm sure you picked up in the SmIth interview, since their salaries are rising so much more, and their investments are taxed at a lower rate.

C'ville native says: "I think it speaks volumes that Mitten's wife is worried about his mental stability - just sayin'..."

Bashir's deliberate decision to take Mrs. Romney’s comments out of context -- and his rampant, baseless speculation about Mitt Romney's mental health – prove just one thing: it’s Bashir who's sick in the head.
So, you get your news from MSNBC? OMG!!!

from Nancy Drews post "The Census Bureau says the average male worker since 1978 is making just the same pay, adjusted for inflation. So it's flat in the middle and it's soaring up at the top, tremendous inequality."

What does inequality have to do with it except in a petty mind? If you are eating meat everyday but somone else is having lobster why are you shortchanged? The money going to the top wouldn't go to the workers anyway it would and should be paid to the stockholders in dividends for the simple FACT that a worker should only be paid what it would take to replace them.

And the "labor department" does not take into account all the things that have improved in that 1978-2012 comparison like ipods, iphones, microwave ovens, better medicines and treatments, safer more efficient cars, easier access to credit, more fuel efficient homes that are asbestos and lead free. Compare any job to the same one in 1978 and you will see that even at work it is easier... butchers have automated weighing and packaging machines, cashiers simply slide the product over a beam of light, accountants and payroll clerks use quickbooks and file clerks search digital archives. Nurses have all kinds of easier equipment and recordkeeping tools and although teachers have to put up with less disciplined kids their recordkeeping and automated grading saves them many many hours.

America benefitted from 1950-1970 from the simple fact that the rest of the world was rebuilding thier economies after the devastaion of world war II with money loaned from america and using american made products. The problem was we were helping them to build modern efficient factories so that they could compete with us and instead of modernizing to remain competitive we caved to unions and expanded government which artificially raised the salary curve which caused inflation whiich left us behind europe and japan and we lost our competitive edge.

Then instead of fixing it congress borrowed more and spent it on defense and social programs and we bought our staples from emerging economies and didn't really notice until it was too late. We have now priced ourselves out of the world markets because our overhead is too high , not from CEO salaries but from every other facet and cost of doing business.

The problem today is not buying power it is lack of opportunity. That lack of opportunity is because of over regulation and a low risk/reward ratio caused by taxes and a cumbersome government in general.

Barack Obama has failed miserably to convince those with money to open their stash and invest and four more miserable years won't change that scenario. Mitt Romney can not only convince wall street to invest but he is smart enough to figure out where they are playing the american people. His promise to them will be that he will let them make a pile of money but ONLY if they do it by creating jobs and opportunity in the marketplace.

Americans had it easy for 50 years while the emerging world played catch up. Now that they are looking for the fruits of their labor we are boohooing that its not fair. Well life isn't "fair" and legislation cannot make it "fair" it can only get us closer to fair than no regulation at all.

If all you can do is mount and balance tires at sams club or run a cash register at the dollar store then you need to use birth control, learn about home remedies and not be duped by "no payments till may" advertisments. You do not "deserve" the ability to raise a family of four. If that is what you want to do then put the horse before the cart and get an education BEFORE you make the babies.

Obama wants everyone to get a trophy. Some people don't deserve a trophy.

WhoaNelly, I mean no offense by it but your take above on "middle class" issues sounds like it comes from your own narrow, personal experiences coupled with taking right wing propaganda as actual analyses of the world.

Now, before you go on about "liberals" or something - those "liberals" often have the same problem too. They mistake political statements for serious analysis of what is going on.

Especially given record low interest rates for a record low period of time, inflation is actually quite tame. Certainly energy costs are up, as are costs in some other sectors, but we aren't in a crisis of inflation. As for energy you seem to imply that the cause is this "war on coal"? Ok. See. That came out of somebody's political brochure, probably funded someplace by Massey.

Global energy costs are up pretty much everywhere for almost everything. In fact, with energy prices so low its a miracle that inflation on everything isn't rampant. The causes for the high energy prices are complicated because global energy trade is complicated. Ironically enough your electricity bill is not higher because of some war on coal because a lot more electricity has been coming out of natural gas. If the coal industry is hurting that is one reason. (Of course, hydro-fracking which largely lies behind the lower gas prices is no shining beacon of environmental paradise). But on top of that sorry - why the war on coal? Go hang around coal mining regions where mountain top removal is going on. Check out the very fat profits of coal companies as coal miners live like crap and have their towns and bodies and wells polluted by what it takes for Massey to amass profits. And that is leaving out the effects of actually burning the stuff. Coal is plentiful, yes. But its only cheap if you ignore all of the negative externalities associated with it. If you don't know what a negative externality is, then please look it up. The "clean coal" and "down with the war on coal" movement and everything that comes from it is 95% political and 5% honest. And it comes from ignoring the externalities.

In any case, if you want to make statements about rising inflation, especially with regards to energy then so some research and make sure it doesn't come from the coal industry or the RNC. If you can find some evidence that Obama or the US govt have had some demonstrable impact on the price of energy then I assure you it is negligible in relation to more serious drivers of price such as rising global demand, energy industry consolidation, and the like.

Its also the case that energy prices were on their way skyward long before Obama entered office. And I'm not going to blame it on Bush. Because that would be as silly as blaming it on Obama.

When it comes to our frivolous consumer culture and the strains it puts on average families. There you're onto something. But you have to deal with a paradox. If everyone became more frugal and prudent and spent and borrowed and bought less, do you know what we get from that? Economic disaster.

Joe,
Actaully there is a wealth of information that can be found at the GAO that is in conflic with your facts.
http://cnsnews.com/news/article/epa-regulations-will-close-coal-plants-r...
EPA regulations have have a more discernable impact on coal production in this country than global markets do.

As far as the coal miners living in misery...It's was a job that put food on their tables...
LOGAN, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Putting food on the table is now a tough task for many families that just last month had good-paying jobs.

Recent layoffs by Patriot Coal and Alpha Natural Resources have left hundreds of coal miners with no work.

Wednesday, some of those families and many others got some relief.

A mobile food pantry with a purpose of helping those laid-off miners made its way to Logan County, W.Va.

“They work on, then they get laid off, then they work on, then they get laid off,” Ryan Slater with the Huntington Area Food Bank said. “That's all you got around here are coal mines. That's what keeps this place alive.”

With so many out of work, it has a domino effect on the whole area. Many in the food pantry line had never even worked in the mines.

Delilah Williams, who is the wife of a retired miner, understands how tough things can be for mining families.

“We got three children, small children, we're raising,” Williams said. “At the end of the month, it really gets tough.”

The pantry started with about 20,000 pounds of food, but the long line of recipients caused items to go quickly.

“It's heartwarming for someone to get out and help people; it really is. I think it's great,” Williams said.

This mobile food pantry was hosted by the Huntington Area Food Bank, the Salvation Army and Friends of Coal Miners.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wow, Mr. Marshall. You surely do fire out that line of things like you're speaking THE Truth.

What you have there is basically a very crude and crass version of Social Darwinist ideology into which you have twisted history to fit. And even aside from just distorting the world to fit your Darwinist ideology, you'll find that most of your fellow citizens won't draw that kind of hard line on it. Alas, your anger at the world will probably leave you with the notion that clubbing people over the head in whatever way possible (whether by economic or political power) is somehow the only "correct" way to live.

WhoaNelly, I never said that government policies can't or don't affect the coal industry. I said the global energy picture is much bigger than all of that. Would you like me to go track down links to news stories and studies that give alternative pictures? You continue to oversimplify and look at the world through your selective key holes.

And, yes. Its quite obvious that what happens in coal country affects the people that live there. Coal miners and their families have been dying to try to survive for a long time now. So I guess your idea is to keep the pedal to the metal. You know, I hear you can make a great living cooking meth too. Shall we complain about government regulation of methamphetamine too?

So Joe...it appears that with your infinite knowledge of the hidden truths and complex mechanisms of the universe you find it necessary to shut down participants in any discussion you get involved in as being narrow minded. Frankly, I find it hard to understand why you would spend so much time trying to explain your complex theories to, what you obviously have deduced as being, a bunch of Neanderthals. Rock on brother….

And the same to you WhoaNelly. Keep your head buried in your own checkbook as you rock on.

But as a piece of practical advice I thought I should mention that the electric bill you actually pay is the outcome of two things. The first is the rate. The second is how much you use. If you want a lower electric bill, then use less electricity. Its pretty simple.

Over and out.

@Joe - Pretty simple economics at play here: Demand vs. Supply worldwide

Demand from India and China that produce cheap products like: Dragas' Condo drywall, HP printers (thank you Carly Fiorina) and Job's iphones/ipad, all exceed supply.

Energy supply from Japan's nuclear plant meltdowns has declined, and Germany's requirement to cease production of nuclear energy means the cost of energy across the globe is going up. Way up.

Not only will China and India zap all available energy in the future, they have the money to buy it. China and India will force the USA into a depression. China and India don't care about pollution; they care about exploiting the rest of the world for their gain.

Other factors that contribute to increasing costs of energy for American's is the instability of foreign currency against the dollar.

One last point about energy, the fact that uranium is even on the table in Virginia is outrageous. This is being forced by Canadians and the greedy Cole family that is in bed with Governor McDonnell. Mining uranium for non-existent demand and a decline in nuclear energy across the globe should shut down the idea coming from the Governor's office. Uranium extraction is worse to the environment than coal. Radiation causes cancer, remember?

According to Roanoke.com, article by Laurence Hammack and Michael Sluss, dated 12/12/11:
"Virginia Uranium has spent more than $150,000 on campaign contributions to lawmakers and has flown some of them to France and Canada to tour uranium mines, in anticipation of what's shaping up as the biggest environmental issue to hit the state capital in years."

and, "Problems in the past:

"One operation in Colorado has been leaking for 30 years and was declared a Superfund cleanup site, costing anywhere from $50 million to $500 million, the group says. It also cites two cases in Canada where more than 500,000 gallons of tainted water escaped from the mines."

What cost have people endured? Cancer, cancer, and degenerative disease, and more cancer....5 legged frogs? more to come.

Romney is so out of touch with the majority of Americans. He and his wife should pack up their "stressful" campaign and go home. As a republican registered woman, I cannot agree with anything Romney's have to say.

Ann, you raised 5 boys without a job; you relied on your husband all your life. Well, my mother raised 7 of us while teaching 1st grade. We are all middle class and think your perception of America is very skewed.

Joe, your head is planted in the sand...your explanations have no credibility. You have no references; you just spew you opinions all over this post. You are wrong.

you should be "your"

Uranium mining will do what coal has done...look at the studies. The one's who will proper from uranium mining: Gov. M and the Cole family. yuck!

Joe quote: "And, yes. Its quite obvious that what happens in coal country affects the people that live there. Coal miners and their families have been dying to try to survive for a long time now. So I guess your idea is to keep the pedal to the metal. You know, I hear you can make a great living cooking meth too. Shall we complain about government regulation of methamphetamine too?"

...just as Uranium will do to the folks of Virginia. I smell something nuclear.

...why don't we discuss the lack of healthcare for those coal miner families?

Bill Marshall and Joe seem to be the same person. You 2 have no facts to back up your grievances. We are not idiots on this page.

You spew information that portends to be relevant; yet, you 2 have no facts. please reference your opinions.

To facts puleeze...

here is who pays the taxes... http://www.ntu.org/tax-basics/who-pays-income-taxes.html

and here is how unworkable government regulations stifle busineses....

http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/news/2012/06/27/netflix-loses-a-...

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/landmark-calif-burger-joint-forced-to-sh...

If you will tell me what other assertions you would like cited I will gladly find references....

But common sense is your best friend.... if you owned a business that netted you 100k a year and had lots of customers and wanted to expand would you risk that almost guaranteed 100k a year income to make 150k a year when you know that there are huge overhead increases coming in the next few years so we can clean up coal, forgive student loans, provide healthcare to drunken bums, more government fees and compliance costs and a general attitude that businesss don't pay enough taxes and are the enemy?

Most people don't venture out with an impending storm to pick up a pizza, they hunker down and wait it out. The people sitting on the sidelines with money to invest can afford to wait it out. ( which is what they are doing)

Let me know what you want cited and I will try and find it....

and of course there are my allegations that Obama is sleazy .. you know dirty tricks like this one to try and insure the virginia vote....

http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/inside-politics/2012/oct/1/lockheed-...

Could it be that Romney didn't understand what the 47% means? My interpretation is that 47% of American's don't owe on April 15th. That doesn't mean they aren't each paying many thousands in taxes each year; payroll taxes mostly. They just don't owe anything additional in April. Some people like to pay a little extra with each paycheck and get a refund in April.

http://factcheck.org/2012/09/obamas-executive-orders/

Geez Nelly, you make me ashamed to be a Republican. Check your facts before you mindlessly repeat made-up stuff.

See http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/executiveorders.asp

Clinton issued 364, Bush 291, and Obama 138.

Remember, if you get some crazy e-mail at least try Googling Snopes before you pass the misinformation on. My Google search was: snopes obama executive orders

The executive order business was hard to believe so I went to fact check.org and they say the following in part:

We’ve received several emails that claim Obama is using his executive powers to create martial law. They’re not true.

The email that states Obama has issued 900 executive orders and lists orders that previous presidents signed. The email also inaccurately describes those orders.

Another viral email cuts and pastes a constituent newsletter from Republican Rep. Kay Granger of Texas. She falsely claimed that an Obama executive order created martial law. Granger has since retracted her statements and removed the newsletter from her website.

It’s true that President Obama is increasingly using his executive powers in the face of staunch Republican opposition in Congress. He’s changed federal policies on immigration and welfare and appointed officials without congressional approval. But Obama’s executive actions have nothing to do with martial law.

Executive orders originated under George Washington, and their use stems from interpretations of Article II of the Constitution — which created the executive branch — and from presidential precedent.

Obama has not issued 900 executive orders. He has signed slightly fewer orders than President George W. Bush during this point in his first term, according to the University of California, Santa Barbara, which tracks executive orders. Obama has issued 139 executive orders as of Sept. 25. (The U.C. website listed 138 orders on Sept. 25, the same day Obama signed order 139). Bush issued 160 executive orders through Sept. 20, 2004, a comparable amount of time.

http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/executive-orders/disposition.html

Someone above said it seems like Nelly gets info from right wing propaganda. It seems clear that that's the case.

I did enjoy the spot-on comparison of coal mining and its regulations to methamphetamines and their regulation by government. Oh, right, both have "mine" in them. Makes perfect sense Joe.

R.I.P.: Blue Boy...lost to LSD.

Thanks Sam, I should have vetted that...my bad.

I am a Republican and I am voting for OBAMA.

Watching the debate - I found the President explaining specifically what he would do in the next 4 years. Gov. Romney was very illusive. I hate that! Romney was divisive and completely vague except for the tax reduction for corporate America. President Obama stated that he was going to push for tax cuts for US corporations that manufacture in the states. I am all for that!

Side point: While Gingrich was speaker of the house, he forced Republican lawmakers to shorten their work weeks in Washington so that they would stop negotiating and compromising with Democrats. Gingrich was wrong. Our government officials should be fully engaged in the art of compromise. Much more can get done if both sides work together.

Great read: "The Art of Compromise", by Amy Gutman & Christopher Brown, President at the University of Pennsylvania, and distinguished Political Science Professor, respectively.

A great nation like ours requires give and take. Too bad the Republicans have missed the boat again.

Divisiveness has a strangle hold on Washington DC, and is how the world perceives the USA. And, it's true. This must stop.

I am a Republican and I am voting for Obama.

Mitt Romney can afford to have any health ailment for his family paid for in cash. I do not. Payment for Medicaid health services out of state are not covered. Usually, these patients have severe health problems, not just autism that would force families to choose between letting their child die or have the treated thanks to Medicaid. Transplant patients, the blind, the mentally retarded, downs, diabetics, ms, copd, asthmatics, heart patients...

Now Romney wants to force Medicaid coverage to the State level. So, you have an autistic child from California who needs a heart transplant in Massachusetts (like Steve Jobs needing that liver transplant but he only has Medicaid). The child's family is billed and must pay before leaving the Massachusetts hospital. If the family had the money, they would not have their child on Medicaid to begin with...Does Romney have no respect for poor children. Does Romney understand why Medicaid exists?

The number one cause of bankruptcy in the USA, 62% off all bankruptcies in US are due to medical costs (Business Week, June 4, 2009).

My brother is a double transplant, legally blind Californian. If you forced him to pay for the $4,000 in anti-rejection drugs because he missed a flight coming back from the Cancer Center in Arizona, what will happen to him? I don't have $4,000 sitting around.

I now understand why the rest of the world see the USA as completely out of touch with reality.

Romney has no respect for poor families on Medicaid.

I cannot believe Romney would stoop to bullying. Wow! You made Lehrer look like an idiot but it made Romney look worse. I bet Romney was a brute in high school.

...bullying is the American way. Thanks Mitt!

The top three posts were approved by the democratic party...rolls eyes.

Watching the debate I watched the president talk about all the things he is going to do to get us out of this mess were in. Where have you been the last 4 years Mr. President?
He stated he was going to reduce the debt by 4 trillion...??? He just added 7 trillion in the last 3 years!!!

Can Romney phuleez stick with a position?

@Romney is a Bully - I have to agree this time.

And, just as his wife stated; "I am concerned about his mental" health. Yes. I agree. I think he has 2 personalities. One for behind the scenes fundraisers and the other for the public.

Top 3 posts by RNC. I know this style because I dated the head of the RNC in California. He, as an individual ranked as the the worst person I ever met. Didn't even have money to take care of his empty pool in Sacramento, Ca. He even suggested that the Republican base in California was being stooged by pretend running mates who were gay democrats. How low can the RNC go? This occurred during Schwartenegger's run for governor. We know how credible Arnold was, right Maria? Ashcroft was speaking in the Sacramento Valley at the time.

correction: head of CA RNC is ranked as the worst person I have ever met. I also partied at the Radisson Hotel in Sacramento with your Republican delegates. What an outrage! I cannot believe these people represent anyone in America.

I will disclose more in future. From Republican Lawmakers from Orange County who I lived next to in a condo in Woodside Village, Sacramento, CA, to the gross $500 cash payouts for coffee with these Republicans that I was required to pay as a liason to the Government for a major pharmaceutical company. You pay or get layed, and these republicans will listen.

what is mittens? is that a dig? isn't the current president's name barack hussein obama? terrorist clown?
mitts a bully? maybe youre weak. sack up and stand up don't be a baby with this bully nonsense... just because it's the trendy way to be coddled this year.

@ Romney is a bully- I didn't see a bully, I saw a man compassionate about his country. And btw, Lehrer IS an indiot.

I've been watching debates since the invention of dirt. Last night's performance is not going to be nominated for one of the top debates. Romney is the personifacation of the Texas saying: "Big hat, no cattle." He has no substance, he is all show. I admire the President for not losing his cool and going after Romney. While Romney was being coached for weeks by his debate team, the President was running the country. The President cares about the 99%, Romney cares about the 1%.

If Clara Peller was still alive, she would be asking Romney: "Where's the beef?". Romney has no a clue as to what he would do if he were to be elected. Ryan can even do math.

When you vote remember if you are over 50, Romney is not your friend.

And Jim Lerher needs to hang up his moderator shoes and head slowly into the sunset.

I like PBS and I think it plays an important role in the education of the young. However, it may be time to change the model. Ads on PBS would not change the quality of programs, but they might make PBS more of a pay as you go operation.

1) So if you have a dramatic catasthrophic illness the taxpayers should pay for it and you should still be able to live in your house, new car and keep your boat? NO. If YOU have a catastophic illness then follow the law.... get the surgery, make a payment plan and if you cannot survive finacially then go to court and file for bankruptcy and let a representativesof the the taxpayers (the JUDGE) decide what is fair for you to keep and sell. The current law works. It gives people with bad luck a fresh start free of the encumburances.

2) THe 62% number is SKEWED because it reflects people who can tie the bankruptcy to the illness. A large portion of those bankruptcies occur not from the medical bills (most have insurance) but because the person had two mortgages, two car notes 50k in credit card debt and no savings and then lost thier income stream from illness.... so I guess you solution would be for the taxpayers to give them full pay disability too?

3) Obama lied TWICE in the debates with outright fraud. First he said when we end the war in Afghanistan he would would take half the money and spend it on the deficit and the other half on social programs. The problem is that 100% of that money is BORROWED so he is saying we would continue to borrow money from china to 1) pay back china for money we borrowed last year? and 2) borrow money from china for a social program and not call it borrowed money? The second lie was when he said that they took the student loans away from the banks and saved students 60 million a year. Then he said they took that savings and spent it on education. Well did he "save" students 60 million a year or did he charge them the interest and keep it for himself to spend on free college for students who now don't have to get loans? If he did the former that would be okay... but he didn't .... student loans are still the same interest rate, he just continued to charge them interest and give that interest money away to people who wanted a grant instead of a loan.... So when you graduate and have to turn a job down because it doesn't pay enough to cover your living expenses and student debt, and the guy next to you snatches it up because he got a grant you can thank Obama for the priviledge of being SCREWED by the system as you repay the loan with no job while the other guy who has the job that should have been yours buys a new car (with a loan)

4) America spends too much money. When the government hands ove a dollar of taxpayer money to anybody for anything they are handing over 60 cents from your pocket and 40 cents borrowed from china (or wherever) so in the simplest terms as taxpayers we are only paying 60 cents on the dollar and forcing our grandchildren to pay the other 40% (plus interest) in the future. It is wrong. It is selfish, and it is criminal. Obama thinks the way to solve it is to tax the rich but by every single standard of measurment the "rich" cannot be taxed enough to even cover ten percent of that spending. Romney in the other hand may not have the "solution: but he understands the concept that the federal government is too big and too bloated and we need to slow spending by looking at what we are buying and ask ourselves if we really need it. Remember every person that gets a job begins contributing to social security and medicare and many of them come off of unemployment food stamps etc. That is the FASTEST way to prosperity.

5) Romney was NOT a bully, it just felt like it to Obama lovers because your guy was saddled with his failures, stale ideas and economic shortcomings. Obama wants everybody to get trophy and is willing to bill your grandchildren to make it happen.

"When you vote remember if you are over 50, Romney is not your friend."

I presume that this has do do with the voucher proposal? One thing that Romney did not clarify is this... The voucher proposal is a CHOICE so if you want standard medicare you can stay in the system but if you are in a better financal circumstance at retirement the government will give you a discount voucher to buy private health insurance and pay the difference yourself for better coverage. Some people might prefer to forgoe the house in florida and instead have a medicare type policy that pays for full nursing care or private rooms or even experimental medicine that Obamas board of 15 would consider too expensive. It would be FREE CHOICE which is what we need more of in america, not less.

You're right, Romney was disrespectful and a bully. He should have looked the President in the eye and calmly said "Nigga Please".

Hook Reader say's- "While Romney was being coached for weeks by his debate team; the President was running the country. The President cares about the 99%, Romney cares about the 1%."
That's not true at all. Obama has been in campaign mode for the last 3 years. Just last week he goes on "The View" while he sends Hillary to do all of the heavy lifting at the UN. Working across the isle? Hardly, he has not sat down with a republican in months, if re-elected, he will simply bypass the legislative branch and do what he wants through executive order, like the illegal alien thing and the don't ask, don't tell and the DOMA act.
I have been wondering why they chose "Biden foot in his mouth again" Then it dawned on me that it is security for Obama. Even the craziest domestic terrorist would not want Biden running this country.
Why won’t the democratic majority in the senate pass a budget? Can somebody please tell me why?

He's a smooth talker, although last night it was appreant that he dearly missed his teleprompter. The facts speak for themselves...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKMUHcgsbag&feature=youtube_gdata_player

You might want to get ready to say POTUS Mitt Romney.Obama got his ass handed to him last night.Don't take my word for it ask Chris Matthews.

@Tom R - Mitt Romney doesn't have a job. Romney should have grand standed and forced his unsubstantiated statements at America. This was his only job. President Obama is running our country, dealing with crisis after crisis across the globe. I would hope that Obama spent little time preparing for this debate. This proves the President has integrity. Mitt, not so much.

@ Voting for Obama - You are right. Romney is unemployed. If he can't get a debate right, then what?

@w - Obama did an excellent job for a man who's primary responsibility is running America. Could you have done better under the circumstances.

@ BM - great initials. Do you really think a blind man has a new car. How is going to drive it? The new house? Wow, you speak the far republican view very well. Do you work for Rush L.? Gee, what is wrong with you?

"1) So if you have a dramatic catasthrophic illness the taxpayers should pay for it.."

May you be blessed without health insurance and a catastrophic illness.

@w "- Obama did an excellent job for a man who's primary responsibility is running America. Could you have done better under the circumstances"

Thats right while Mitt romney was out campaining Obama was busy in a group conference at the view trying to find out why our embassy in /bengazi was turned down for extra security. i am sure whoopi filed him in with some insight for the iranian nuclear issue.

Obama is a clown.

here is one Obama success story GM

(70% of their cars are made outside the US)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lvl5Gan69Wo&feature=youtu.be

@PDl - who cares. I care about an economy that is stabilizing. Iphones and ipads are made in China. No one in America cares until it costs them job. Romney is an unemployed failure that has taken advantage of all tax loopholes, paid unnecessary taxes to make his tax percentage rate exceed 11%. Romney will amend his returns after the election.

@PDl - at least OBAMA has a job. NOT Romney. Romney if a flip flopper.

Thanks to Nancy Drew and Joe and C'ville Native and Sam and others who took the time to take apart the flimsy and errant rants posted by Whoa Nelly, Bill Marshall and Ponce de Leon. These folks, like Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, live in an alternate universe, a fantasy land, a bizarro world. They just make it up as they go, and recite the nonsense they get from Fox.

On Wednesday night, Romney made up quite a lot of stuff. In fact Romney divorced himself from his own conservative agenda (okay, he lied) and Republicans are now applauding him for it. The fact-checkers were not so full of praise, however:

"Obama says Romney's tax plan would cut taxes by $5 trillion over 10 years, inflating the deficit...The non-partisan Tax Policy Center has contended that middle-class families would see taxes rise $2,000 a year under Romney's plan...Romney wants to maintain tax cuts for the wealthy that Obama would eliminate...Romney said Obama's health care law cuts $716 billion from Medicare which will hurt beneficiaries, but his claim that Obama's health care law cuts $716 billion in benefits for current Medicare beneficiaries is not true."

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2012/10/03/fact-checking-the...

Conservatives like to cloak themselves in the flag, but they don't really believe in constitutional values. They don't believe in popular sovereignty (which explains their incessant efforts to curtail voting). They don't believe in equality or tolerance. And they sure don't believe that "We the People" did "ordain and establish" the "Constitution for the United States of America" to " promote the general Welfare." Conservatives (Republicans) do not want a government "of the people, by the people, for the people." They prefer oligarchy; their adherence to supply-side economics amounts to taxpayer-subsidized socialism for the corporations and the rich. Indeed, supply-side dogma is that "a successful economy depends on the proliferation of the rich." Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan personify that view.

Conservatives (Republicans) are the biggest obstacle to democratic governance that represents the ideals on which the United States was founded, and that implements policies that promote the general welfare of its citizenry. As Congressional scholars Thomas Mann and Norman Ornstein recently wrote, conservative Republicans are " ideologically extreme; scornful of compromise; unmoved by conventional understanding of facts, evidence and science; and dismissive of the legitimacy of its political opposition." Former Republican senator Chuck Hagel called his brethren "ideological," "narrow," and "intolerant." A veteran Republican Congressional aide called them "an apocalyptic cult."

The Democratic party is not perfect by any means and has its own share of cowards and sell-outs, especially when it comes to Wall Street. But it is – in general – still committed to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, jobs, investment in infrastructure that promotes the general welfare of society, and equal rights for all citizens.

And that's far more democratic and citizen-oriented than anything put forth by conservative Republicans, no matter how much they lie about it.

Democracy wants life fair.... but the problem his his defininition of fair....

He thinks it is "fair" for a person to choose to sit in the back of the class and put forth no effort and then once they get into the real world have the same standard of living as someone who may have started out with less but worked hard and studied and found not only a job but a marketable skill and made something of themselves. Regardless of whether Democracy sources his funds from the rich or from China with borrowed money he sees all people without his version of an acceptable standard of living as victims society.

Not everyone is a victim and Conservatives donate more than liberals hands down to charities that serve the poor. In fact if you look at who supports the arts with their charitable donations it is almost always a wealthy liberal. (as they jet off to party at the Obama White House)

We are in trouble because we spend too much and nobody wants to give up anything. Just like the little brat that wrote a letter to Romney after the debate demanding that he "cut something else" but leave big bird alone.... Must be one of Democracys grandkids...
Maybe that kid would b e willing to give up his free lunch or his granmothers medicine instead of writine to the Bill Gates foundation asking for help to save sesame street.

It is not the job of government to provide able bodied people a middle class lifestyle. It also not the job of the rich to subsidize the middle class. The extra taxes from the wealthy should build the schools and buy the busses but the middle class should contribute enough to pay for the teachers bus drivers and utilities.

The rich pay a higher percentage pf the tax bill now than they did before the Bush Tax cuts

The problem with Democracys philosophy is that as people move up the middle class ladder and into the upper middle class his demands for fairness will cause people to simply coast.... we will end up in the same binds as greece, italy , portugal and spain.

Why should anyone work harder if Democracy is just going to sieze it and give it to a lazy person who has no ambition.? (and has no ambition because people like Democracy cultivated that mentality with his low expectations and no demand for personal reponsibility)

Obama spent two years on a healthcare plan that will bankrupt the country when all the homeless bums conspire with all the foreign Doctors to get vicodin through weekly "visits" for imaginary back pain. Meanwhile the only jobs he has "created" are for guys chasing racoons out of foreclosed homes.

Bill, Bill, Bill,

You will talk sense until it comes to the push button issues. Really. You are all about rules and law, until it's your pick breaking the rules he agreed because he can't dominate the conversation otherwise. Arguing with the moderator who is reminding you your time is up, talking over him, and then trying to talk over your opponent is nothing other than being a bully and a jerk. It's not being a leader or smarter, and might suggest why Romney wasn't that successful in MA as a governor. I realize most modern day GOPers think that being a bully is being a leader, but, it isn't. And of course, they are the first to squeal VICTIM VICTIM when someone finally shuts them down.

Obama has his own performance to blame on himself, but he did not 'make' Romney be a jerk and a bully.

Health insurance. You know, like it or not, the whole purpose of health insurance IS about making someone else pay should you happen to have something catastrophic happen. So, if you have health insurance Bill, you are putting the cost of your health on someone else. I see little difference in the pricinple between a NHS style service and health insurance, except that health insurance will just cherry pick and skim for a profit, leaving those born with holes in their heart or autism and their entire families as non-players in a productive society, while a NHS will free up both employers and employees, and allow for a higher level of participation in the work force. It's more efficient, and all the studies show, far more effective. Nobody wins in a bankruptcy, and people with catastrophic illnesses don't get to keep their boat in Canada. The fact is, all I hear from the GOP is why they shouldn;t have to pay for he society they live in, but are only too happy to take tax dollars to subsidize what they like.

Yes, federal student loans were taken away from the banks, from what I understood. The banks get a fee, but that's it. So calrify on it, because Obama most certainly did make a big difference there, and the different he should have. BUt, this is a perfect opportunity to highlight once again, how the GOP likes to ignore how the government subsidizes their agendas, so effectively highlighted in the Dragas Sullivan explosion which the right wingers lost. How many of these wonderful private colleges with pathetic graduation rates are sucking up the federal grants and loans to their students??? Pretty substantial. And the results are pretty piddly poor. Peel back far enough and who do you find making so much money off of private education? Mr Milken of fraud fame. Another stalwart GOP thinker. But Obama talked fraud???

Yes, America spends too much money. Too bad the GOP icon Ronny Raygun said deficits don't matter. Looks like Bush was listening to him. If I only actually believed that the GOP was interested in living within it's means I might pay attention. But their goal is to gut anything that might offer an alternative view to their selfish ideology, and their angry white male culture. After all, look at what they did to Ron Paul? I could have voted for him.

No, Mitt Romney is a perfect example of why US industry is in a shambles. He isn't a business leader or a creator of jobs and things like...Steve Jobs. He just picks up machines and breaks of the less functioning parts and throws them in the field, not even attempting to recycle. He doesn't remake processes or develop efficiencies, he just sends to where it's cheap, and wasteful.

You see, he statement about the 47%, not caring about them, saying they aren't his problem, was incredibly revealing. More revealing than most people realize, though they felt it if they could not identify it. His statement of the 47% is reflective of his cor vulture business model. It's not his job to worry about what's not working. That's not his problem. He only cares about what is working. The rest can just go in the trash.

That's not leadership. That's not problem solving.That's not finding compromise.

Gotta shut this one down, folks, as we just put up a coupla aerial pix from the Romney event, and surely you'll wanna take your feud over there: http://readthehook.com/107773/fishersville-romney-rallies-troops-aft...