February 28, 2012

Primary results, Michigan and Arizona.

Let's watch!

7:18: Gingrich is running on about a tree falling on a house. I came in in the middle and he seems deranged.

7:21: Hoosiers beating the Spartans, 43-27.

7:22: Meade has the remote.

7:24: Romney winning in Wyoming. Did you know Wyoming was happening today?

7:31: CNN has 16,093 Santorum, 15,942 Romney, in Michigan. Totally close, but Blitzer keeps exclaiming things like "Even in Mitt Romney's home state!"

7:53: Me: "What's more important to you: Romney in Michigan or Hoosiers beat Spartans." Meade (immediately): "Hoosiers!"

7:58: Hoosiers win! 70-55.

8:00: CNN projects Romney as the winner in Arizona with 44%. Santorum 37%. No projection in Michigan. With 17% of the vote in Romney in the lead by about 3,905 votes.

8:05: CNN polling shows 33% of moderates/liberals voting for Santorum. You know what that means. Operation Hilarity.

8:16: Romney's ahead in Michigan now by 9,238 votes, 3 percentage points.

10:52: I'm back. Romney won. Santorum has lost his momentum. Does this mean it's over now?

152 comments:

Revenant said...

Gary Johnson for President! :)

Andy said...

How good does Romney have to do to prevent tonight's commentary from being all the Republicans saying they need a brokered convention to keep the nomination away from him?

Andy said...

8.10 pm. I have to say that the rhetoric today seemed more than usually harsh. Santorum called Romney a "bully" and a "joke";

Joke candidate calling someone else a joke. Meta!

garage mahal said...

Waukesha County will be key.

Titus said...

Don't forget Wyoming!

tits.

Andy said...

Oh, and to reiterate a point made elsewhere, Romney has lost Michigan. Even if he gets the most votes, pulling out a nail-biter against the frothy mixture demonstrates that Romney would be a terrible general election candidate.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Santorum is ahead in Michigan with 1% reporting.

Simon said...

Andy, at this point it seems that just about the only thing that could unify the party is the statement that all the candidates suck and a brokered convention is a painful necessity. Unfortunately, it won't happen, and if it did, the consensus that another candidate is needed would instantly factionalize behind various candidates, reproducing in large part the problem to be solved. The problem's that there isn't anyone waiting in the wings who's the perfect guy (or gal) but for a brokered convention; I can name candidates that I like, but the same people who find Romney unacceptable won't find Daniels any more so, and the people deluded enough to think Santorum can win are largely the folks deluded enough to have thought that Palin could win. Unfortunately, some of us just don't understand that there aren't enough of us to win with a candidate who repulses moderates.

Simon said...

And that's not a problem that replacing Romney will fix.

Truth be told, I'm despondent about it. I really think we've blown it.

bagoh20 said...

There will be more people stuck behind that rock in L.A. on a single day than live in all of Wyoming.

Revenant said...

pulling out a nail-biter against the frothy mixture demonstrates that Romney would be a terrible general election candidate.

The obvious problem with that argument is that the "frothy mixture" *also* polls well against Obama.

I can't imagine WHY Santorum is polling well against Obama, but he is. I can only assume swing voters have finally jumped on the ABO bandwagon.

coketown said...

Yesterday, at trivia, one of the team names was "Rick Santorum comes from behind in a threeway." It was salacious but so, so funny when said out loud.

Andy said...

Truth be told, I'm despondent about it. I really think we've blown it.

Don't tell Santorum, he thinks that's a sin.

ricpic said...

Titus: Don't forget Wyoming!

Wyoming: Don't forget what?

Titus: You know what.

Wyoming: To show you my Tetons? I only show them to the team that appreciates them, really appreciates them, and you're on the wrong team!

Titus: WHAAAAA..........................

bagoh20 said...

Romney is not doing great in the primary for the same reason he will be strong in the general: He's too centrist for the conservative base, which is perfect to beat Obama. He will get the Independents, the Reagan Democrats AND the Republicans who will still vote for him to beat Obama if they have too. In effect, the worse Romney does in the primary the better, as long as he still gets the nomination.

He will even gain acceptance from the base by performing poorly now. They need to punish him for Romneycare, and this is it, then they can accept him back into the clan before the big the battle. This is just Romney's penance.

Jason said...

The funny thing is - most of the GOP pundits who deem Romney unacceptable now proclaimed that Romney was the conservative alternative to McCain back in 2008.

This idea that every Republican needs to be like Reagan or else they are unacceptable is the reason why the Republicans lose election after election despite the fact that the nation, as a whole, is right-of-center.

Andy said...

Frothy mixture might win Michigan?

WHAT'S GOING ON?

edutcher said...

Uh, how many years has Milton been away from the Wolverine State? This business of his "home state" is all media propaganda.

That said, if Santorum were in a good position, he wouldn't be begging for Demo votes. My guess is he's seen the real fogures and it don't look good.

Andy R. said...

How good does Romney have to do to prevent tonight's commentary from being all the Republicans saying they need a brokered convention to keep the nomination away from him?

The nomination isn't about pundits, genius; it's about getting enough delegates for the nomination. The only people talking brokered convention these days are as dumb as Hatman.

And the only frothy mixture is the one that can't even get his hat on straight.

bagoh20 said...

"Republicans lose election after election despite the fact that the nation, as a whole, is right-of-center."

Didn't Republicans win 5 out of the last 8 Presidential elections and just clean house in the mid terms?

Are they supposed to win them all to be considered successful? And remember, that's with the opposition promising endless goodies for free. I think it's amazing that they ever win at all, and a testament to the American people.

I ♥ Willard said...

despite the fact that the nation, as a whole, is right-of-center.

How do you define the "center?"

Rusty said...

I wonder if the Kindle Fire is worth it?

MadisonMan said...

For a minute I thought that 43-27 score was a final. Yikes!

Andy said...

Mittens must be so sad tonight. He wants nothing more than to be president for the sake of being president and yet no one likes him and he spent millions and millions of his dollars and the last five years for nothing.

David said...

Mitt's home state?

I believe his home state is Massachusetts. He was governor there, remember?

His home state is Michigan like mine is Pennsylvania. I last lived there when I was 18.

I ♥ Willard said...

I believe his home state is Massachusetts.

Willard has more than one home state. Just like he has more than one position on most issues. It's a sign of his ability to please everyone.

Simon said...

Rusty said..."I wonder if the Kindle Fire is worth it?"

Not if you want an E-Reader. Yes if you want a tablet.

Simon said...

bagoh20 said...
"Romney is not doing great in the primary for the same reason he will be strong in the general"

Not if the primary continues to trash him, and that's assuming he can still win the nomination. I can easily see a situation where Romney is so bruised from the primary that he can't compete effectively in the fall, and I can easily believe that his more strident critics in the party will refuse to fall in line.

edutcher said...

Andy R. said...

Mittens must be so sad tonight. He wants nothing more than to be president for the sake of being president and yet no one likes him and he spent millions and millions of his dollars and the last five years for nothing.

Gas is 4.50 in Gotham, $5 in DC, and pushing toward $6 in central FL.

It's gone up $.60 here in NE OH where we always lag behind the national average.

Hatman thinks repeating the drivel off Kos makes him look witty.

But those figures take all the humor out of it.

PS My point, exactly, David.

coketown said...

I can easily see a situation where Romney is so bruised from the primary that he can't compete effectively in the fall...

The primaries are today's big news, but after the convention this will all be ancient history. This is politics, after all; people have very short memories.

People forget that the 2008 Democratic primaries were a far bigger circus and had absolutely no effect on the general election.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

You are nobody until somebody loves you.

You may be king, you may possess the world and it's gold..

The world still is the same, you'll never change it
As sure as the star shines above
You're nobody 'til somebody loves you..

Toad Trend said...

"I can easily see a situation where Romney is so bruised from the primary that he can't compete effectively in the fall, and I can easily believe that his more strident critics in the party will refuse to fall in line."

Still, not damaged enough to overcome the anti-American destroyer-in-chief. If its not Romney, then a dog in a tutu, and the dog gets my vote. At least he'll know not to shit on his peeps.

A.B.O.

ricpic said...

All the lefties are whistling past the graveyard.

I hope President Romney remembers Wyoming voted for him when it elects to secede.

MadisonMan said...

I don't see how Santorum can continue if he loses Michigan. He courted the votes of Democrats, and still can't beat Romney, the candidate no-one on the right side of the Big Republican Tent likes?

Toad Trend said...

It doesn't matter what dumb asses like those with crooked hats say about primary candidates. You know, the ones that just learned new words from their word-a-day calendar that have a 'joke' on it too.

The only poll that matters at all will occur in November.

Simon said...

Coketown said...
"People forget that the 2008 Democratic primaries were a far bigger circus and had absolutely no effect on the general election."

That's not my impression, and most of the commentary I've read in the last few weeks has tended to concur: This fight is nastier and is doing greater harm to the candidates' public standing.


Don't Tread 2012 said...
"Still, not damaged enough to overcome the anti-American destroyer-in-chief."

See, here's the problem: There are oodles of Americans out there who roll their eyes at that kind of hyperbole and regard Obama as nothing of the sort. And I'm not just talking about Democrats. We can't win solely by appealing to people to whom that kind of rhetoric appeals.

We do ourselves no favors telling ourselves that we're a majority and indulging this inane "we the people" (or "we the 99%") nonsense.

Toad Trend said...

MM

Many of us feel the same way about the current president.

You know, the one that only allows *certain* 'folks' inside his controlling, power-hungry, democrat tent. Its apparent the rest of us are simply cannon fodder.

Shove your concern for the 'other' party where the sun don't shine.

Jason said...

8:05: CNN polling shows 33% of moderates/liberals voting for Santorum. You know what that means. Operation Hilarity.

If that's all he's getting, Santorum isnt going to win. It may not end up actually being that close.

Wally Kalbacken said...

To Olympia Snowe I say: Don't let the door hit ya, where the good Lord split ya!

Does anyone know the timetable for getting on the ballot in Maine? Their Presidential Primary has passed, but they have March and June "state" primaries.

This sort of last minute drop-the-bomb tactic is often followed by the surprise (!) registration as candidate by the chief of staff (or some crony of) the departing office holder.

In Wisconsin I recall someone departing office (from the State Assembly) in the late 80's making the announcement at 15 minutes to 5:00 pm on the last day of qualifying for the ballot. His Chief of Staff filed at 5 minutes to 5:00 pm that day. And was defeated by a write-in candidate, when the tactic backfired.

Olympia Snowe is delivering a mighty big fuck-you to the Maine GOP. I hope they have a fast learning, successful, truly conservative candidate on deck.

Toad Trend said...

"There are oodles of Americans out there who roll their eyes at that kind of hyperbole and regard Obama as nothing of the sort."

Keep telling yourself that.

Leftists love brain dead sheeple.

Jason said...

FWIW, Fox News pundits are basically calling a 4-6 point win for Romney.

So, in the end, it really wasnt that close.

Now that Romney is going to win, expect the term "home state" to be used less and less tonight.

ricpic said...

In the Real Clear Politics exit poll for Michigan the only age group that is clearly, actually overwhelmingly for Romney is the over 65ers. Not sure what that means but it's interesting.

Sprezzatura said...

I'm planning on voting for Romney in WA.

Is it okay if I stumble into the caucus?

Anonymous said...

"Olympia Snowe is delivering a mighty big fuck-you to the Maine GOP."

I wondered if it was more about Mitch & the leadership. I didn't get the impression over the last few years that they got on very well.


In terms of Santorum - I agree with Simon's political analysis with the aside that it is still early days.

Writ Small said...

Rove and Trippi are projecting Romney wins by Michigan 4-6 pts (he's up by 3 now) based on the speed at which returns are coming in where Romney is ahead.

Santorum definitely helped by Dem crossover mischief. He's getting 53% of Dem vote versus 17% for Mitt. Rove points out that union households who do what they are told are going heavy for Santorum. Also, strong Tea Party supporters and strong Tea Party opponents are both going for Santorum.

Democrats seem desperate to weaken Romney based on that data. Although you only have to read comments from the usual suspects here to understand that.

Romney is my guy, but I’m fine with Santorum. Wouldn't it be hilarious if Santorum wins the nom with Democratic help, and then the presidency through Democratic failure?

Swing state polling shows far greater unhappiness with Obama than I realized. Reps could win this thing in spite of themselves.

Toad Trend said...

Off-topic, but my suspicion about Danica Patrick being less than sharp is apparently accurate based on her comment regarding leaving it up to the government to make good decisions for Americans. Laughable!!!

I offer this bit of historical record for review, for those unaware of the mind set of some back in the early 60's:

http://irishrus.blogspot.com/2012/02/boy-islam-tossed-wrench-in-communist.html

Sound familiar???

Sprezzatura said...

"but my suspicion about Danica Patrick......."



Who cares?


Any of you hillbillies going to F1 in Montreal? How about Austin?

Meetup?

Jason said...

I wondered if it was more about Mitch & the leadership. I didn't get the impression over the last few years that they got on very well.

Snowe's excuse was "political gridlock", saying something along the lines of she doesnt like the "my way or the highway" attitude.

Funny thing is, RINOs like Snowe say they dont like the "my way or the highway" attitude, yet use their power in a tight senate chamber to hold up votes or threaten to kill pieces of legislation she doesnt like, because they want things to go their way or the highway.

Good riddance.

Toad Trend said...

"Reps could win this thing in spite of themselves."

This is the ABO factor.

Its funny listening to pseudo pundits try and analyze what repubs are exercising in terms of primary vetting. Its the anti- to what we saw with the run-up to the 2008 presidential election on the democrat side, so no surprise the bewilderment.

Simon said...

Don't Tread 2012 said...
"Keep telling yourself that."

Wow. Talk about insular. How do you suppose that Obama won that there election if we're such a majority?

We represent 35% of the country, tops. To win elections, we need 50%. It has to come from somewhere. You do the math, genius.

Jason said...

Romney is my guy, but I’m fine with Santorum. Wouldn't it be hilarious if Santorum wins the nom with Democratic help, and then the presidency through Democratic failure?

If gas is averaging $5 per gallon by Memorial Day as predicted by many, it wont matter if Romney or Santorum is the nominee.

People vote with their checkbooks, and the most noticeable thing that everybody sees on a daily basis is the gas price at your local station.

Remember when gas was threatening $2 per gallon at the end of Bush's presidency, and the left's spin was that he was paying off his oil buddies? The price of gas was the top story of the news almost every night during the spring/summer of 2008.

Toad Trend said...

pbj

Tell us how gov't has helped you become whatever you are. And how they help you with your decisons and everyday life.

Enlighten us.

Simon said...

Jason said...
"Funny thing is, RINOs like Snowe say they don't like the 'my way or the highway' attitude, yet use their power in a tight senate chamber to hold up votes or threaten to kill pieces of legislation she doesnt like, because they want things to go their way or the highway."

Yeah, agreed, but it's hard to see how we benefit from losing the extra vote.

JohnJ said...

“Now that Romney is going to win, expect the term ‘home state’ to be used less and less tonight.”

Or more and more, to minimize his apparent win.

Curious to see so many here caught up in the ugly back and forth. This is simply prologue to the main event and will quickly be forgotten.

A few breaks, a well-run campaign, and unemployment above 8%--Romney wins!

(Oh, and BTW, gas prices at or near $5 make it a landslide.)

Sprezzatura said...

"If gas is averaging $5 per gallon by Memorial Day as predicted by many, it wont matter if Romney or Santorum is the nominee.

People vote with their checkbooks..."


Are people so poor that they can't handle $5 gas? How can that possibly impact a person/family's budget.

Sheesh.



BTW, if they really are this poor, I'm sure that some trickle down policies will help them out. Ha ha.

Toad Trend said...

simon

Funny stuff.

Don't think for a minute that the same set of circumstances exists this time around. For this president.

The thick bubble you apparently live in has you hyperventilating.

Gavin Buckley said...

I must say I'm finding it aamusing watching the Michigan results coming in and showing Romney going to win it and yet online commentators (like Kos, Andrew Sullivan and Allahpundit, in particular) are going on about how Romney should take this as a sign to drop out! All on the basis that he hasn't openly walked it (you know - like Obama did when Hillary traild in his dust...). Kos has openly spent a lot of energy trying to get Dems to vote in the Michigan primary for Santorum as they see him as a much more toxic rival to Obama. And yet Santorum is going to lose both primaries and Sullivan (especially) is still declaring it a victory for him! Shockingly transparent stuff.

Sprezzatura said...

don't tread,

I stopped reading your comment after DP.

Now that I've seen the rest, I agree w/ you.

Presumably you'll return the favor by agreeing that NASCAR sucks, when compared to F1.

Sprezzatura said...

Anywho,

As a voter ready to go to the WA R caucus*. I would like the commenters here to give me their best arguments for their preferred candidates.

May the best argument win.




*After standing in line to be one of the first folks getting into the Barley Wine Festival: doors open at 11 AM.

Anonymous said...

Dont Tread:
29. Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis.

Yeah, sounds familiar. But at least our highest ranking judges still understand the importance and timelessness of the constitution.

Unknown said...

PBandJ saith:

Are people so poor that they can't handle $5 gas? How can that possibly impact a person/family's budget.

Sheesh.


Most of them can handle $5 gas. But paying $75 to fill your tank when you were paying $35 not that long ago rankles. And it irritates every time they fill up. Don't kid yourself.

Andy said...

Santorum did much better with evangelical Christian voters, crushing Romney 50 to 32 percent among those who identified as such.

Anti-mormon bigotry among the evangelicals rears its ugly head.

Phil 314 said...

Did he REALLY ask Dems to cross over and vote for him?

Gosh, this is Gingrich all over again.

Desperation is not pretty.

Phil 314 said...

Did he REALLY ask Dems to cross over and vote for him?

Gosh, this is Gingrich all over again.

I guess he's not "taking one for the team" anymore !

Desperation is not pretty.

Sprezzatura said...

Jess,

IMHO, any person that votes based on $5 gas is a) poor, and b) a fool for thinking that the President is responsible for the global price of oil. Not that a) and b) are mutually exclusive. Just sayin'

Andy said...

Republicans, you're running out of time to avoid getting stuck with the boring unlikable Romney and losing this election.

KCFleming said...

"Are people so poor that they can't handle $5 gas?"

Yes, they are, you arrogant prick.

bagoh20 said...

One of the most distorting aspects of our view on politics and especially the pundit's view (which ones foresaw Santorum?) is the blinding glare of the current affairs. It completely blinds you to the underlying long term truth. The primary means nothing beyond who wins. As soon as there are only two horses in the race, nobody cares how they got there.

Jason said...

Are people so poor that they can't handle $5 gas? How can that possibly impact a person/family's budget.

Sheesh.


You are joking. Right?

Fuel has roughly doubled in the past 3 1/2 years. And when fuel goes up, the price of everything else goes up. And spending an extra $50 bucks in gas every month is usually money that lots of folks would probably use in other discretionary spending.

Needless to say, fuel cost is essential to most manufacturing and farming jobs as well. In my business, fuel cost and transportation has risen more than any other cost of our company.

In the real world, it matters how much gas costs.

Unknown said...

PBandJ,

Not disagreeing on either of those points. But the effect is real, and will be refelected in the vote.

Phil 314 said...

Anti-mormon bigotry among the evangelicals rears its ugly head.

Andy, you really don't understand of what you speak. I'm an evangelical and I understand that many are VERY conservative in their politics and are far more upset at Romney's inconsistent conservatives.

For me its not an issue, I happen to be a relatively rare breed, a moderate evangelical.

Phil 314 said...

PS: What the hell is wrong with Blogger!

Jason said...

IMHO, any person that votes based on $5 gas is a) poor, and b) a fool for thinking that the President is responsible for the global price of oil. Not that a) and b) are mutually exclusive. Just sayin'

The president puts himself in the position of being responsible when, in the face of high energy costs, shuts down oil production in the Gulf of Mexico and shoots down a pipeline project that would have provided oil and jobs to the US.

The fact that he isnt wholly responsible is irrelevant. When you give away billions of taxpayer money to corrupt "green" energy companies that go belly-up but yet do nothing to actually help solve the current energy problem, what do you expect will happen?

Sprezzatura said...

pogo,

After taxes, mal-p, and such you must be taking home at least $6M/month. Unless you need to fill up a G V you should be okay.

ricpic said...

I didn't think it was possible but with his are people that poor comment pb&j shows himself to be a bigger schmuck than hatboy.

Sprezzatura said...

Jason clearly falls into the fool category.

Poor too?

KCFleming said...

"$6M/month"

$6 Million/month???

Jesus K. Righst.

Are you nuts?

Jason said...

Jason clearly falls into the fool category.

Poor too?


I didnt figure you would rebut with any rational dialogue.

Sprezzatura said...

Pogo,

I use M the way Althouse and (probably) DBQ do. it means $1000, just as G V means Gulfstream Five.

KCFleming said...

Just like a lefty to mock the poor.

Sprezzatura said...

"Just like a lefty to mock the poor."


I don't mock them. I oppose their whiney and gov tit sucking tendencies.

BTW, that makes me a con.

KCFleming said...

Like I said, you're an arrogant prick.

I had no idea what a G V was.

And for some reason you think $5 gas is no big deal. Goddammit. People hurt at that price. They make real decisions between real needs.

But you have no idea, you goddamn prick.

Wince said...

Michigander at them apples.

Sprezzatura said...

Pogo=class warrior

Andy said...

And for some reason you think $5 gas is no big deal. Goddammit. People hurt at that price. They make real decisions between real needs.

No one ever struggles to pay for birth control! The old male Republicans told me so!

KCFleming said...

pbAndjFellowRepublican

"Let them eat cake."

pm317 said...

Yay! Santorum lost..

KCFleming said...

"No one ever struggles to pay for birth control!"

Squirrel!!!

Carol_Herman said...

Oh, go do the math! To clear the hurdle at the republican convention, one candidate needs 1144 votes.

Running around the primary states, so far, most people have learned that democrats, with nothing better to do, go and register as republicans, so they can vote for Mitt Romney. And, then others go in and purposely vote for Paul.

With it all there are still about 900 votes short for the republicans, at this point, to declare ANY of the candidates winnahs.

Cards to play at the casino? So what? Being a casino doesn't really win the hearts of American voters.

Maybe, someday, people will ask "why did they throw away such a golden opportunity?"

Does Dole know?

Does McCain?

Does anybody out there. who come here, understand what chasing pro-life does to a candidate's popularity?

This is the most ridiculous primary season I've ever seen, I think. What is it with zealots?

sakredkow said...

You gotta pay respect to moderate evangelicals.

Palladian said...

"No one ever struggles to pay for birth control! The old male Republicans told me so!"

I just love it when Andy R talks about birth control and "women's issues". The closest Andy has ever been to a pussy is when he plopped the Fancy Feast into the crystal goblet this evening.

Palladian said...

Of course, Andy always wears a hat, so to speak...

Writ Small said...

Romney - 43
Santorum - 16
All others - 0

Delegates won tonight estimated by NRO.

MadisonMan said...

Re: Snowe: but it's hard to see how we benefit from losing the extra vote.

It's never a bad thing when an incumbent bows out.

edutcher said...

Andy R. said...

And for some reason you think $5 gas is no big deal. Goddammit. People hurt at that price. They make real decisions between real needs.

No one ever struggles to pay for birth control! The old male Republicans told me so!


Hatman talks about the price of birth control as if he has any experience with women.

Stick to being a frothy mix, kid. It's about all you're good for.

pbAndjFellowRepublican said...

"Just like a lefty to mock the poor."

I don't mock them. I oppose their whiney and gov tit sucking tendencies.

BTW, that makes me a con.


No, just a phony con artist.

MadisonMan said...

I use M the way Althouse and (probably) DBQ do. it means $1000

Next you'll want to talk about the Y2M problem from 1999/2000.

Sprezzatura said...

Mad Man,

I sincerely (which is rare) use M to represent $1000. I know that K is more typical, but my banking background makes it hard to abandon the M.

One of these days I'm sure that I'll switch to K, in general discussions. "If you can't beat them, join them." But, not yet.

JohnJ said...

Pouting hat guy said: “Anti-mormon bigotry among the evangelicals rears its ugly head.”

Wasn’t it Mormons who were the bigots just last month?

I have trouble keeping it all straight.

KCFleming said...

pbAndj, the one percenter.

Doesn't know anyone who's hurt by gas at $5.

A let-em-eat-caker, like Barry.

Andy said...

Wasn’t it Mormons who were the bigots just last month?

I have trouble keeping it all straight.


Mormons are bigoted against gays. Evangelicals are bigoted against gays AND Mormons.

Happy to help!

[Also, I'm bigoted against people who are bigoted against gay people. Some people are alarmed by this. They seem to think I should like the people who are bigoted against the gays.]

Palladian said...

I'm currently trying to figure out how to pay my past due electricity bill... but, from the former banker and assumed liberal PB&J, I learn that 5 dollar bills should be as plentiful to Americans as Soviet toilet paper.

I think you're wrong, Pogo. Marie Antoinette was a far more sympathetic character than these 1% Democrats.

If 5 dollars is a pittance and trifle, Mr Moneybags, why not buy some 50 dollar prints from my site and help me pay my bills and perhaps afford some decent scotch once again?

Bender said...

Does this mean it's over now?

When is the convention? SIX MONTHS from now?

And when is the election? Over EIGHT MONTHS from now?

Yes, by all means, we must end the process now. We must say to the people in the other 40 or so states, "No, you don't get a say. Do what you are told, damn it. You don't like the individual mandate or the contraceptive mandate, well too damn bad -- here's another mandate, the Romney Mandate, you are going to vote for Romney you piece of sh*t so just shut the hell up and do it."

Palladian said...

"They seem to think I should like the people who are bigoted against the gays."

It's almost charming that you believe there's a monolithic entity of "gay people".

The mistake you make is to think that Santorum is offensive because of his beliefs, rather than his methods. Because if you identify hatred and prejudice based on methods rather than specific ideologies and beliefs, you're exactly the same, and just as loathsome.

Prejudice and hatred is not about what you hate, but that you hate at all.

Sprezzatura said...

Palladian,

I recently found out that some landscaping folks who I pay w/ cash (so who knows if they pay taxes) are claiming unemployment, and their kids get free food at school, and one of their girlfriends is getting some sort of gov dough because she's about to have a baby.

That's what they've unashamedly told me! Imagine what other ways they're sucking on the gov tit.

BTW, they listen to right wing radio all day long and they hate BHO (and gays).

So, when Pogo tells me that BHO wants these folks to eat cake, I say go BHO.

bagoh20 said...

I can afford $5 gas, but it still pisses me off, because it's wholly unnecessary, just like most of the money Obama is forcing us to spend.

I also know far more people who do struggle with an extra $50/ week in expense than those who don't. They didn't have any extra money to start with, they are working less if at all, the price of oil is raising the cost of everything, especially food, and they have been hit with huge health insurance increases as the insurance companies adjust for the coming cost of Obamacare. This guy is as bad as it gets for the poor, the middle and the rich, but he does sport a great pants crease, so, I'm on the fence about him.

Palladian said...

To me, PB&J, they're all in search of power and control: Obama, Leftists, social cons, Santorum... therefore they're all the same to me: oppressors, enemies of my idea of America.

We're so far down this path, because people have been led to believe that compromise and surrender is inevitable. But the only inevitable thing in life is death. Everything else is, or can be, up for grabs.

Andy said...

Does this mean it's over now?

Nope! There are way too many Republicans who will refuse to get stuck with the loser Romney.

[Also, the bigoted anti-Mormon Evangelical vote will be strong on Super Tuesday.]

Sprezzatura said...

Palladian,

I'm w/ you. But, I have a longer list re enemies of my idea of America.

wyo sis said...

Boring unlikeable Republican or boring unlikeable Obama. We know what boring unlikeable liberals have done with the last 4 years. It's time to go back to boring unlikable conservatives. At least they keep gas prices and unemployment down and give a nod to personal freedoms.

Palladian said...

"But, I have a longer list re enemies of my idea of America."

Oh, my list is very long, but abbreviated here for convenience.

JohnJ said...

“Some people are alarmed by this. They seem to think I should like the people who are bigoted against the gays.”

That’s the same rhetorical nonsense often used by the President:

“Some people say (insert laughable distortion of opposing view, such as “women should have no access to contraception”); I’m here to say they’re wrong.”

I trust most of us are getting wise to this.

Carol_Herman said...

Does "turnout" count during the primaries? I remember back to Iowa, when millions of Iowans stayed home. And, Michelle Bachmann still lost. One could say "she lost in her own home state."

On the other hand? I think people are watching. Many, ahead, may not even vote. It used to be the excuse that "if you didn't vote you wouldn't be called to jury duty."



Meanwhile, what did I learn? I learned that the media (who has their own agendas), ran ALL the debates. And, got to ask all the questions. While the pool of candidates "shrunk."

Started with 9. Then, we had the Pizza Guy with 9-9-9.

And, the last time the candidates sat. I thought the four of them looked like they were in wheelchairs. Didn't watch. But I got to see snapshots, afterward.

Just like the Oscars.

Sprezzatura said...

Palladian,

Let's just hope that neither of us wake up and realize that our idea of America is not, in fact, America.

JohnJ said...

Enemies list?

Can we start with the sinister cabal presumably behind the intrusion of rap and rock music into virtually every type of public event?

Joel said...

7:18: Gingrich is running on about a tree falling on a house. I came in in the middle

Ya might wanna rephrase this ...

DEEBEE said...

All Romney has proven is that he will make a great VP candidate, since he has proven to be a great attack dog

Darcy said...

Palladian said...
Prejudice and hatred is not about what you hate, but that you hate at all.

Truth.

Rusty said...

Andy R. said...
Wasn’t it Mormons who were the bigots just last month?

I have trouble keeping it all straight.

Mormons are bigoted against gays. Evangelicals are bigoted against gays AND Mormons.

Happy to help!

[Also, I'm bigoted against people who are bigoted against gay people. Some people are alarmed by this. They seem to think I should like the people who are bigoted against the gays.]


I'm just bigoted against stupid people.
I have an IQ of 140

Cedarford said...

Bender the Uber-Khristian Romney Hater -
"(If)You don't like the individual mandate or the contraceptive mandate, well too damn bad -- here's another mandate, the Romney Mandate, you are going to vote for Romney you piece of sh*t so just shut the hell up and do it."

Pretty much true.
It will come down to Obama and Romney, you piece of shit.
Make your choice.

Brian Brown said...

Andy R. said...

No one ever struggles to pay for birth control! The old male Republicans told me so!


Yes, let's compare birth control to gasoline!

I'm mean, they are like exactly the same!

Plus, at $4 per gallon gas is just like the same price!

And, the federal government is mandating gas prices too!!

You are such an idiot it is tragic.

Brian Brown said...

pbAndjFellowRepublican said...
Jess,

IMHO, any person that votes based on $5 gas is a) poor, and b) a fool for thinking that the President is responsible for the global price of oil. Not that a) and b) are mutually exclusive. Just sayin'


Alternatively,

Some people drive 50 miles or so each way to their job and don't like the fact that their disposable income is taking such a bite.

Further, they also don't appreciate the stated goal of the current President's policies to have higher gas prices.

Of course anyone with a brain can think a little deeper about these things but you apprently can't.

What does that say about you?

Brian Brown said...

pbAndjFellowRepublican said...

Are people so poor that they can't handle $5 gas? How can that possibly impact a person/family's budget.

Sheesh.


Given the fact that a gallon of gasoline was $1.87 when Obama was sworn in, yeah it impacts budgets.

But why don't you take off your tophat and put down your cane and tell us oh rich one at what price point gasoline "impacts family budgets"?

By the way, I love when people like you take to the Internet to pretend their make a lot of money.

You and garage should have a W-2 post off!

Rusty said...

Thanks Simon.
A little of both, I think.
I do a lot of technical stuff and I like to have references handy.

Rusty said...

Given the fact that a gallon of gasoline was $1.87 when Obama was sworn in, yeah it impacts budgets



The fact is when people gas up they aren't going to blame BP, or Shell for the price of gasoline. They are going to blame the guy who's supposed to be in charge.

I ♥ Willard said...

The fact is when people gas up they aren't going to blame BP, or Shell for the price of gasoline. They are going to blame the guy who's supposed to be in charge.

The president is responsible for the price of gasoline?

Wow, I learn some valuable things from the well-informed group sharing comments on the Professor's blog. Thank you all. :-)

I ♥ Willard said...

Some people drive 50 miles or so each way to their job and don't like the fact that their disposable income is taking such a bite.

Excuse me but we Republicans believe in capitalism and letting people make their own choices. If people choose to drive 100 miles every day as part of their commute to work, I'm sure they accept the financial consequences of their choice (unless they're liberals).

Please don't complain about capitalism. It's quite unpleasant.

Brian Brown said...

I ♥ Willard said...
The fact is when people gas up they aren't going to blame BP, or Shell for the price of gasoline. They are going to blame the guy who's supposed to be in charge.

The president is responsible for the price of gasoline?



Can you tell us who said the President is responsible for the price of gasoline?

Anyway:

“But is the overall goal to get our price” of gasoline down, asked [Mississippi Republican Congressman Alan] Nunnelee.
“No, the overall goal is to decrease our dependency on oil, to build and strengthen our economy,” [Energy Secretary Steven] Chu replied.

Brian Brown said...

Please don't complain about capitalism.

Except I wasn't complaining about capitalism you illerate clown.

Your reading comprehension pretty much sucks.

Scott M said...

[Also, the bigoted anti-Mormon Evangelical vote will be strong on Super Tuesday.]

Andy casts stones while forgetting that over 95% of black voters voted for BHO.

Tragic.

Paddy O said...

"Are people so poor that they can't handle $5 gas? How can that possibly impact a person/family's budget.

Sheesh."

Yes. If this sounds absurd you have no idea what it is like to be poor, especially in places where safe, affordable housing is far from jobs.

People can and will do it, but it means working to pay for food and gas, there goes all discretionary spending, and often (I've been there in the past) it means going into a more crisis phase of food choices.

Doubling gas prices over the last years has absolutely impacted poor people the most. And that's precisely why I know that talk about the poor is always a cover for what liberals actually care about. They hate the poor. So much they're willing to use them.

Paddy O said...

"Are people so poor that they can't handle $5 gas? How can that possibly impact a person/family's budget.

Sheesh."

Yes. If this sounds absurd you have no idea what it is like to be poor, especially in places where safe, affordable housing is far from jobs.

People can and will do it, but it means working to pay for food and gas, there goes all discretionary spending, and often (I've been there in the past) it means going into a more crisis phase of food choices.

Doubling gas prices over the last years has absolutely impacted poor people the most. And that's precisely why I know that talk about the poor is always a cover for what liberals actually care about. They hate the poor. So much they're willing to use them.

Col Mustard said...

Consequences!

$5 gas means going to work is going to cost a lot of people $5/$10/$?? a day.

$5 gas means all those trips to the grocery to get that one item you forgot/need are going to add a dollar or two to the price of the eggs/milk/tomato/whatever.

$5 gas means more and more online shopping, failing local businesses and lower local tax revenues (and more Fed 'assistance'/control.

$5 gas means you got to chose which old friend/cousin is really worth a 500 mile drive.

Meanwhile, the Ubergreenies will be thinking-off because they've made you park your car for all but dire emergencies.

Where is the 2nd Amendment type outrage? I hear a lot of whining but it's pretty weak stuff. Mobility is a big part of what makes America, America.

Joe Schmoe said...

Talk of a troubled economy will not be tolerated. From the news items I've scanned recently, the Obama media machine is starting to run with the meme that the economy is coming back. Unemployment is falling, the Dow topped 13K, and any talk of exploding debt, bad housing market, and pricey gas is just cynical. Get with the program people!

damikesc said...

Are people so poor that they can't handle $5 gas? How can that possibly impact a person/family's budget.

...but a photo ID to vote? That is asking for too darned much.

The problem Obama has is that we have video of him saying he wants energy prices to increase from the beginning of his last campaign and tons of actions that sought to insure it happened in his Presidency.

People forgive accidents...not intentional actions.

Fen said...

I'm glad its over. Romney is not my first choice, but quite frankly, neither are any of the others.

Doesn't matter. I would vote Mickey Mouse to get this incompetent marxist out of office.

If I have to pull the lever for Romney, so be it.

Fen said...

I find it hysterical that the Lefties here don't understand how the price of fuel affects the entire economy.

They must think magical fairies drop produce into the grocery stores...

I ♥ Willard said...

Except I wasn't complaining about capitalism

Oh, I see; you don't understand how markets work. How unfortunate for you.

Carry on whining.

I ♥ Willard said...

I would vote Mickey Mouse to get this incompetent marxist out of office.

Yes! The American experiment with a black Muslim communist president ends this November!

I ♥ Willard said...

Can you tell us who said the President is responsible for the price of gasoline?

Indeed I can.

However, given that you believe you have superior reading comprehension skills, it's more than a little surprising that you failed to adequately process the comment directly before mine (i.e., the comment to which I was clearly responding).

Good luck solving the mystery. Have a super day!

Nathan Alexander said...

Expensive gas.
Assaults on religious freedom.
Manufactured rights that make everyone pay for the enjoyment of a few.
Depression-era low levels of workforce participation.
Democrat-controlled Senate hasn't fulfilled its Constitutionally-mandated duty to present a budget in more than 3 years.
300 people dead, including a US LEO, due to a deliberate program to allow guns to walk across the border in order to gin up a dishonest justification to violate 2nd Amendment rights.
Tax cheats abounding in an administration that claims higher taxes is a duty.
An administration that uses executive fiat to bring about outcomes it can't achieve through the legal way via Congress.
An administration that sought out the job of improving the economy and promised to have it done within 3 years is depending on number games to claim a recovery that everyone can see is non-existent.
The current administration has shown it will do anything to avoid cutting spending, resulting in 4 consecutive years of $1T+ deficits.

This will all be the topic of conversation in the actual POTUS general election campaign. The press will do its best to cover for Obama. But the House and Senate election campaigns will make avoiding these topics impossible.

The Democrats are in for a horrible hangover the day after election.

Expect all sorts of "The End of America" articles, hand-wringing, and stunned disbelief from the mainstream media.

Scott M said...

Expect all sorts of "The End of America" articles, hand-wringing, and stunned disbelief from the mainstream media.

You forgot to mention how ungovernable America is. China or Venezuela, though, now they've got it figured out.

Brian Brown said...

I ♥ Willard said...

Oh, I see; you don't understand how markets work. How unfortunate for you.


Good luck demonstrating that.

Why don't you prove how smart you are and do so.

Please.
This will be fun.

Brian Brown said...

it's more than a little surprising that you failed to adequately process the comment directly before mine (i.e., the comment to which I was clearly responding).


Um, I did.

And nowhere did anyone say the President is responsible.

But of course people with brains realize that just because someone is blamed for something doesn't mean they are actually responsible.

See stupid, adults actually have vocabularies which include words such as accountable.

You should look it up.

Rusty said...

I ♥ Willard said...
The fact is when people gas up they aren't going to blame BP, or Shell for the price of gasoline. They are going to blame the guy who's supposed to be in charge.

The president is responsible for the price of gasoline?

Wow, I learn some valuable things from the well-informed group sharing comments on the Professor's blog. Thank you all. :-)


I didn't say human behavior was rational.
But thanks for proving my point.

John Stodder said...

Running around the primary states, so far, most people have learned that democrats, with nothing better to do, go and register as republicans, so they can vote for Mitt Romney.

Actually, in Michigan, the reverse was true. A lot of Democrats voted and they overwhelmingly voted for Santorum. Some of those votes might have been sincere, but the prevailing belief among pundits is that these were Democrats trying to ensure a weaker candidate would face their Dear Leader.

Only about 17 percent of them voted for Romney.

But I realize in saying this that it's futile. Non-Rinos have their own facts this year. Facts to fit feeeeeelings.

I ♥ Willard said...

Good luck demonstrating that.

Why would I need to demonstrate that you don't understand how markets work when you've already established that fact yourself?

Thank you anyway for your kind invitation to cover old ground.

I ♥ Willard said...

Um, I did.

Apparently not. :(

Try again. Maybe the third time will be the charm.

I ♥ Willard said...

I didn't say human behavior was rational.

Thank you for representing the views of the utterly irrational so well!

Rusty said...

I ♥ Willard said...
I didn't say human behavior was rational.

Thank you for representing the views of the utterly irrational so well!



I don't think you (heart) Willard at all.

Brian Brown said...

I ♥ Willard said...

Why would I need to demonstrate that you don't understand how markets work when you've already established that fact yourself?


Hysterical.

Yes, because repeating an assertion makes it true!

You have all sorts of evidence that I "don't know how markets work" and stuff!

Really, you do!

Brian Brown said...

I ♥ Willard said...

Apparently not. :(


I'm still waiting for you to point out where anyone said the President is responsible for the price of gasoline.

Asserting you failed to adequately process the comment directly before mine isn't really getting you far.

Especially since in the post you are referring to, nobody used the word responsible.

Note: you'll keep flailing.

So you have that.

I ♥ Willard said...

I don't think you (heart) Willard at all.

:(

I ♥ Willard said...

I'm still waiting for you to point out where anyone said the President is responsible for the price of gasoline.

Of course you are.

Some people need a helping hand throughout their lifetime. Apparently you need guidance reading and understanding simple blog comments. Admitting your problem is the first step in finding a solution.

I admire your willingness to continue trying in spite of your repeated failures. Don't be discouraged by cynical people who call you "troll;" most of them don't understand that your posts are a product of incompetence, not bad faith.