WatchSo I read this yahoo news article and felt like it was overlooking a really big issue.
#5 - VOTER Turnout! This is measured in terms of love and terms of hate. Voters who love a candidate as happened with Obama in '08, turn out, wait in long lines, enthusiastically invite friends to vote for their candidate. Voters who hate a candidate, such as Bush '04, where a good segment of the more left leaning nation was very vocal about how awful his presidency was and how he should not get four more years. Polls had Bush leading Kerry at first, but voter turnout among liberals pushed his lead to a small margin. Bush won, but it was close. His incumbent advantage was nearly neutralized by the outrage and dedication of a portion of the population.
Fast forward to 2012. Obama is absolutely hated by many different right wing groups. Older people mostly don't like him (he's a negro omg). Religious people don't like his policies and the Catholic church is almost straight forward in its contempt for the man. Capitalists and small business owners absolutely hate him and want him gone ASAP. Then there are true blue republicans who feel oppressed by his use of the executive order power, and his selective enforcement of the laws. These are people who are foaming at the mouth to have him gone. They will be there on Election Day.
On the love side ... Well, there are still plenty of Obama true believers. He has his dedicated fan base, and even shrunken it's significant. But the independents and the half-hearted are not fired up anymore. The college students these days are seeing what happened to the upper class men who voted four years ago: joblessness, debt, despair. "I voted for Obama and now I live at home with my parents!" Is not a success story to brag about. It's the economy for these folks. They want jobs, and they have seen no evidence that Obama can deliver on this.
Then we have the jobless, the folks on public assistance, the long term unemployed. Sure they have their needs met, but their pride has taken a real bashing. Obama is counting on this group (47%) for voters, but will they support him? I don't think he will get the support from this group he expects. If they bother to vote at all, being all discouraged and stuff.
Point is: this pony race is far from over! In the immortal words of Yosemite Sam, "Yah, Mule!"
Follow
Befriend
41 threads
907 comments
Ross, CA
Barring a historic meltdown by Obama, this one is done and this ad is why:
Devastatingly effective.
Follow
Befriend (4)
52 threads
4,416 comments
Corning, NY
Premium
But here's the thing: nowhere in your post is a "love for Romney." And I think that's accurate: there is none!
The election is mainly about love/hate toward Obama, like you say. I guess that's fairly typical when a president is up for re-election. It's mainly a referendum on the incumbent, not an evaluation of the challenger.
I guess it all depends on which party gets it's "useful idiots" to turn out in greater numbers, as you indicate.
Follow
Befriend (12)
10 threads
3,516 comments
Oakland, CA
leo707's website
Premium
freak80 says
Well, not much love outside Utah. ;)
Just the thought of a Mormon US president has probably caused more spontaneous orgasms in Utah, than the garment fetish.
Follow
Befriend (6)
17 threads
525 comments
Huntington Beach, CA
I'm getting these email forwards lately from older, very right-leaning family members that are all about how wonderful Romney is. The last one seemed to indicate that anyone who wasn't a commie, hippy, baby killing, America hating, Obama lover would and should love this Mormon man.
I tell you: the hate for an enemy can sometimes turn on the love for his alternative. I think it's cognitive dissonance or something.
Follow
Befriend (12)
10 threads
3,516 comments
Oakland, CA
leo707's website
Premium
Quigley says
Are they religious?
I like to remind such people that in Mormon scripture god calls their religion a corrupt abomination. Yes, the wonderful Romney ostensibly believes that all non-Mormon church leaders are corrupt and all other religions are an abomination in the eyes of god.
Yes, an abomination just like gay sex. Apparently in Mormon scripture a Catholic mass is the moral equivalent to the Folsom Street Fair.
Follow
Befriend (6)
17 threads
525 comments
Huntington Beach, CA
Mostly yes, which actually strengthens my point. If people who have always looked askance at Mormons and consider their religion a cult are singing heir grand poobah Romney's praises, you know it must be a product of the hate/love cycle.
Some serious cognitive dissonance: "I am voting for a guy whose religion I dislike because I hate his opponent. But since I'm voting for this guy that means he must not be so bad, because I wouldn't vote for someone bad. Therefore he must be good, maybe even awesome! After all, I am awesome and I would only vote for an awesome guy for President!"
I think that's about the logic chain.
Follow
Befriend (5)
31 threads
2,265 comments
Premium
Quigley says
That's the sequence from Romney and his cult's POV, they've already won by legitimizing the cult among people whose religions the cult calls abomination. That should help with recruiting.
Calling it "logic" is a bit generous though, and unnecessary. As Charles Blow observed, "Religion isn't defined by logic. It defies it."
Follow
Befriend (5)
31 threads
2,265 comments
Premium
Gaffes aside, sometimes it appears that Romney may be trying to lose:
Romney cites ObamneyCare as proof of compassion
Somewhere, out of sight, Paul Ryan is banging his own head against a wall.
Follow
Befriend (12)
10 threads
3,516 comments
Oakland, CA
leo707's website
Premium
curious2 says
So, if Romney gets into office then fulfills his promise to get rid of Obamney care then does that prove that he does not have compassion?
Follow
Befriend (5)
31 threads
2,265 comments
Premium
leo707 says
LOL - according to Romney, it does!
Follow
Befriend (12)
10 threads
3,516 comments
Oakland, CA
leo707's website
Premium
curious2 says
Yep...
http://www.theonion.com/articles/now-that-my-campaign-is-over-id-like-to-talk-to-yo,29611/
Follow
Befriend (23)
55 threads
3,836 comments
Scottsdale, AZ
robertoaribas's website
Quigley says
load of crap... sounds like faux news spin... I'm very capitalistic, and Romney makes anyone with a brain sick to their stomach... I'm mildly disappointed in Obama's leadership, but he still has his ideals in the right direction.
PLENTY of people can't stand Rmoney. He is a lying hypocrit, who has disdain for everyone who isn't rich. Jus Yesterday, he bragged how "giving medical insurance to everyone in his homestate showed how much he cared for poor people..." then went to the podium and said how he would take down Obamacare... what a two faced weasel!
Romney's foreign policy? trust me... maybe attack Iran, but for the rest of it I'll tell you later... but Obama is wrong...
Romney's economic policy? cut taxes on the rich... "I'll cut some things but trust me, I'm not going to tell you what gets axed..."
Romney's policy on healthcare? "poor people can wait till they are about to die, then call an ambulance and to to an emergency room, bankrupting themselves"
Romney's policy on education? People should sell some stocks so they can go to college...
There hasn't been a worse potentential president in an elections in any of our lifetimes.
Follow
Befriend
4 threads
68 comments
McKeesport, PA
It is amazing that patrick allows this political garbage talk on his site. Get the heck off the site its for housing and geriatric care!!! I'm sick of the both of them and don't want to hear another word about how terrible the other is. F them both I'm writing in a canidate. Micky mouse would be better than these two barracoda.
Follow
Befriend
41 threads
907 comments
Ross, CA
jan says
Sorry we forced you to read this thread in the POLITICS forum.
Follow
Befriend (48)
274 threads
12,576 comments
47 male
Lafayette, CA
Premium
jan says
Go ahead and join the people who are brainwashed into thinking both sides are the same.
Politics is everything.
Follow
Befriend
229 threads
2,790 comments
iwog says
What, it's better to join the people that are brainwashed into thinking Obama is a good leader??
Follow
Befriend (28)
171 threads
4,223 comments
Premium
Romney needs to double down on conservative values, shave his head, tattoo a swastika on his face and campaign on irradiating the Middle East and raffling off hunting licenses for hunters to take unlimited culls of oldsters and 'mud people' and freeing the financial services industry from 'marxist hooliganism.'
Follow
Befriend (9)
167 threads
1,551 comments
Premium
One thing I don't get about the Mormons is baptizing dead people. That just seems bizarre. I hear Romney has baptized a few dead people too?
Follow
Befriend (4)
52 threads
4,416 comments
Corning, NY
Premium
iwog says
They ARE both the same in the sense that neither party gives a shit about the Rust Belt, where jan and I are from.
Both parties basically tell us to eat shit and die.
For the Republicans, it's because we're lazy unionized slackers who won't work for $1/day like the Chinese will.
For the Democrats, it's because we don't have the "right" beliefs about "alternative lifestyles" and "oppressed groups." Plus we're oh-so unsophisticated. Why cast pearls before swine such as us?
Republicans and Democrats to the Rust Belt: you are low-lifes who deserve your fate.
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2012/09/mitt-romneys-clinging-to-guns-or-religion-moment/262496/
Follow
Befriend
3 threads
98 comments
freak80 says
Don't worry. Obama's policy will lead us to the road to China's 1950s to 1970s. Chairman Mao told Chinese to unite the 95% and beat the 5% class enemy. Obama is more ambitious, he thinks he represents the 99% and will beat the 1% and occupy the U.S.
Follow
Befriend
34 threads
2,116 comments
BobMSN says
Oh no! Communism! ( golly gee wiz is it the 50's?)
Follow
Befriend (12)
10 threads
3,516 comments
Oakland, CA
leo707's website
Premium
lostand confused says
Yeah, it is bizarre, but no more bizarre than the Eucharist changing in to the literal body and blood of Christ or many other religious ceremonies.
Every Mormon from an active Mormon family performs baptism for the dead.
They take place in the temple basement, and it is the only time a teenage Mormon can enter the temple.
Here is what the baptismal font looks like.
Follow
Befriend (48)
274 threads
12,576 comments
47 male
Lafayette, CA
Premium
freak80 says
Romney would have let GM get liquidated and its carcass sold off at auction to pay bondholders. Furthermore concentration of wealth can only hurt American industry since more and more dollars go overseas.
I'd think the choice was an obvious one.
Follow
Befriend (4)
52 threads
4,416 comments
Corning, NY
Premium
iwog says
True.
iwog says
Move to the Rust Belt and interact with people here, face to face. The region certainly isn't "monolithic" but it's much different than coastal CA. Much *much* different.
Follow
Befriend
41 threads
907 comments
Ross, CA
freak80 says
Putting "quotes" around bigotry does not make it less offensive.
Live and let live.
Follow
Befriend
10 threads
274 comments
San Jose, CA
I am surprised that you guys are still debating if Romney can win his presidency. Or you guys just ran out of things to debate?
Follow
Befriend (3)
99 threads
464 comments
he cannot win .
why don't you check how many times Romney/Ryan spent campaigning in Florida?
Follow
Befriend
4 threads
68 comments
McKeesport, PA
sorry about the flame, I was in the wrong thread...
Follow
Befriend (4)
52 threads
4,416 comments
Corning, NY
Premium
jan says
Hey, I thought it was still a valid point.
Follow
Befriend
1 threads
1,055 comments
leo707 says
I am sorry but ROFL
LMAFO on that one.
Follow
Befriend
4 threads
68 comments
McKeesport, PA
They ARE both the same in the sense that neither party gives a shit about the Rust Belt, where jan and I are from.
Both parties basically tell us to eat shit and die.
For the Republicans, it's because we're lazy unionized slackers who won't work for $1/day like the Chinese will.
For the Democrats, it's because we don't have the "right" beliefs about "alternative lifestyles" and "oppressed groups." Plus we're oh-so unsophisticated. Why cast pearls before swine such as us?
Republicans and Democrats to the Rust Belt: you are low-lifes who deserve your fate.
Freak80 I couldn't have said it better myself. I tried to think of any federal buildings we have in Pittsburgh, only the fbi building. We get no federal dollars at all like virginia. I guess if our representatives and congress people were actually doing something we could reign in some of the wealth obama is spreading around. All we see here is unemployment checks, welfare, and food stamps.
Follow
Befriend
4 threads
68 comments
McKeesport, PA
Oh i read the first 80 or so pages of Schiff's book, the unmidagated gall. He wants to dismantle all of the social progress weve made in the last 80 years. Social programs are the only thing keeping pittsburgh alive anymore, and Freak probably could say the same about Corning NY.
Follow
Befriend (4)
52 threads
4,416 comments
Corning, NY
Premium
jan says
Hey now, we have Gorilla Glass too!
Follow
Befriend (4)
52 threads
4,416 comments
Corning, NY
Premium
jan says
jan says
Don't take it as a personal attack, but those two quotes seem very contradictory.
Follow
Befriend
4 threads
68 comments
McKeesport, PA
Well, Schiff wants to go all the way to abolishing free schools, and stuff like that basic human rights.
Follow
Befriend
4 threads
68 comments
McKeesport, PA
By reign in I mean capture...