Tag: 2012 Election

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Mitt Romney wrongly claims Colorado shooter illegally obtained weapons

Mitt Romney gets it wrong – again.

Earlier today, Mitt claimed that alleged gunman in the Aurora, Colorado massacare, James Holmes, illegally obtained his weapons, when in fact Holmes legally purchased the firearms through various national gun chains.

According to a transcript of an interview that will air Wednesday night on NBC Nightly News, the presidential candidate said “it was illegal for him to have many of those [weapons] already,” and suggested that stronger gun laws would not have prevented the tragedy. Instead, Romney claimed that the way to deal with such senseless violence is by “changing the heart of the American people”:

ROMNEY: Well this person shouldn’t have had any kind of weapons and bombs and other devices and it was illegal for him to have many of those things already. But he had them. And so we can sometimes hope that just changing the law will make all bad things go away. It won’t. Changing the heart of the American people may well be what’s essential, to improve the lots of the American people.

In fact, 24-year-old Holmes legally purchased every firearm, bullet, and piece of tactical gear that he used for the attack, according to local law enforcement. He bought most of it over the Internet. The laws of the US made it all possible and legal.

Via ThinkProgress

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Campaign ad: Zach Wahls on President Obama and marriage equality

Regular readers of The Randy Report know how much I admire this amazing young man. So thoughtful and well-spoken on what he feels and how he communicates to the world.

No hate or anger in this ad at all. Just a clear, fair-minded message from a guy who really represents middle America.

This is what makes the future of America look bright.

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Obama campaign: “The Choice”

The Obama campaign released a new ad yesterday which points out the choice voters must make, the NYT reports:

Rather than use flashy graphics, ominous-sounding narrators or clever editing, the ad shows Mr. Obama arguing that the election comes down to a choice.

“Not just between two political parties or even two people. It’s a choice between two very different plans for our country,” Mr. Obama says. “Sometimes politics can seem very small. But the choice you face, it couldn’t be bigger.”

Meanwhile, the President was back on the offensive on the campaign trail, Politico reports, discussing another kind of ‘choice’:

“Frankly, the other side can’t sell their ideas so what they’re going to do is distort my vision. Earlier today, Gov. Romney was at it again,” Obama said as the crowd booed. “Knowingly twisting my words to suggest I don’t value small business. In politics, we all tolerate a certain amount of spin. I understand those are the games that get played in political campaigns. Although, when folks like omit entire sentences of what you said, they start kind of splicing and dicing, you may have gone a little over the edge there. But there’s actually a real choice there.”

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Romney ad features business owner who took hundreds of thousands in government help – while he criticizes that help

In the Mitt Romney campaign web and television ads that received national attention last week, a blunt Jack Gilchrist of Gilchrist Metal Fabricating in Hudson tells President Barack Obama that he, his father and his son _ and not the government _ built his company.

But as it turns out, Gilchrist did receive some government help for his business.

In 1999, Gilchrist Metal received $800,000 in tax-exempt revenue bonds issued by the New Hampshire Business Finance Authority “to set up a second manufacturing plant and purchase equipment to produce high definition television broadcasting equipment,” according to a New Hampshire Union Leader report at the time.

Last year, Gilchrist Metal also received two U.S. Navy sub-contracts totaling about $83,000 and a smaller, $5,600 Coast Guard contract in 2008, according to a government web site that tracks spending.

Jack Gilchrist said today his message is not “compromised” by the fact that he received the proceeds of tax-exempt bonds made possible by the federal government.

But he did not shy away from the fact that he has utilized government programs.

He also said his company received a U.S. Small Business Administration loan totaling “somewhere south of” $500,000 in the late 1980s.

“I’m not stupid, I’m not going to say ‘no.’ Shame on me if I didn’t use what’s available,” he said. “As a matter of fact, right now, I’m driving on a road.

“So, no,” said Gilchrist, “I don’t feel as though I’ve compromised anything or misled anybody.”

Via Unionleader.com

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Romney agrees with President Obama – “a lot of people help you in a business”

Mitt Romney and the conservative blogosphere are pushing a selectively edited Obama campaign speech to suggest that the president believes that the government is solely responsible for the successes of small businesses.

Obama’s full remarks, which pointed out that taxpayer-funded infrastructure and services (like public roads) enable businesses to prosper, are true and represent a sentiment shared by Republican leaders. For instance, Mitt Romney himself made an almost identical point during his speech at the Opening Ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics, crediting the community for helping individuals achieve the pinnacle of success:

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

ROMNEY: You Olympians, however, know you didn’t get here solely on your own power. For most of you, loving parents, sisters or brothers, encouraged your hopes, coaches guided, communities built venues in order to organize competitions. All Olympians stand on the shoulders of those who lifted them. We’ve already cheered the Olympians, let’s also cheer the parents, coaches, and communities.

Obama echoed this sentiment in his misquoted campaign speech on July 13: “The point is, is that when we succeed, we succeed because of our individual initiative, but also because we do things together,” he said.

Romney agreed with Obama as recently as last week, saying in a campaign appearance, “I know that you recognize a lot of people help you in a business. Perhaps the bank, the investors. There is no question your mom and dad, your school teachers. The people who provide roads, the fire, the police. A lot of people help.”

From ThinkProgress

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“Legalize Love” movement for pro-equality President Obama

A new independent group called Legalize Love hopes to turn the 2012 election into a watershed moment for equality by reelecting President Obama.

“Together we will show voters across the country that 2012 is the time to “Legalize Love”,” they write at their website. “The presidential election is our best, most visible chance to build support for equal marriage rights in the United States. Having a president who believes in equal rights is an opportunity to change laws — and hearts — all across the nation. Let’s seize this moment. Let’s make history.”

Unaffiliated with Google’s international Legalize Love campaign, the movement today released a new video that overlays Obama’s pro-inclusion messages over ordinary citizens’ identical testimonials and urging like-minded Americans to join the fight for equality.

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Ann Romney: No more tax returns

Note the condescending “you people” turn of phrase…

Interesting how she deflects to “we are so generous” from the question of why not release tax returns as both President Bushs, President Obama, etc…?

Theory seems to be he’s releasing the two years of tax returns he could “manage” knowing he was going to be running for President. He gave John McCain several years worth of returns.

Could it be that the earlier returns show he paid little to no taxes and therefore could seem “unrelatable” to the average American?