Ryan ‘going rogue’ against Romney aka ‘The Stench’

September 26, 2012

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

You knew this would happen, it was inevitable. Ayn Rand fanboy and Tea Party darling, Rep. Paul Ryan, is following in the footsteps of the Tea Party Queen, Sarah Palin.

Back in 2008 when Sarah Palin realized that the conservative base showing up at campaign rallies were there to see her and not the fast-sinking John McCain, she stated she was "going rogue" and would go her own way with an eye towards the 2012 GOP nomination. How'd that work out for ya?

This week Sarah Palin in slacks, Rep. Paul Ryan, has come to the realization that he also is tied to a fast-sinking Willard "Mittens" Romney and has decided he is "going rogue" and will go his own way with an eye towards the 2016 GOP nomination. Ryan has picked up on a meme from GOP political operatives and begun referring to Mittens as "The Stench." Ouch! That's going to leave a mark.

Roger Simon writes at POLITICO, Paul Ryan vs. The Stench:

Paul Ryan has gone rogue. He is unleashed, unchained, off the hook.

“I hate to say this, but if Ryan wants to run for national office again, he’ll probably have to wash the stench of Romney off of him,” Craig Robinson, a former political director of the Republican Party of Iowa, told The New York Times on Sunday.

* * *

Though Ryan had already decided to distance himself from the floundering Romney campaign, he now feels totally uninhibited. Reportedly, he has been marching around his campaign bus, saying things like, “If Stench calls, take a message” and “Tell Stench I’m having finger sandwiches with Peggy Noonan and will text him later.”

Even before the stench article appeared, there was a strong sign that Ryan was freeing himself from the grips of the Romney campaign. It began after his disastrous appearance on Friday before AARP in New Orleans.

* * *

That was Friday, and that was the end of Ryan following the game plan. At a certain point, all running mates on failing campaigns feel they must break free from the manacles placed on them by the top of the ticket. Sarah Palin began pursuing her own path once she learned that John McCain was having strategy sessions with his morning bowl of Farina.

Carmona responds to McCain defense of Flake’s anti-veteran voting record

September 26, 2012

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

David Safier posted The latest Carmona ad, "Lived It," yesterday. Apparently Arizona's angry old man, Sen. John McCain, proving once again that he is the partisan hack he has always been — only his base, the media, ever believed that B.S. about him being a "maverick" — came to the defense of the corporate lobbyist chickenshit hiding in the bunker who will not debate Dr. Carmona, Rep. Jeff Flake.

The Carmona campaing has responded to Grampy McCrankypants yelling "get off my lawn!" with this press release:

Dr. Richard Carmona released the following statement in response to Sen. John McCain:

"Senator McCain is a leader I've always respected, even when I've disagreed with him, but Congressman Flake's record on veterans' issues is clear. Congressman Flake has voted against health, education and job training benefits for veterans. Congressman Flake even opposed the post-9/11 GI Bill and combat bonuses for troops who were fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan."

"I understand that Senator McCain wants to support a member of his party, but his statement is a reflection only of his partisan politics and not the facts. Both Senator McCain and Congressman Flake know this ad is accurate — and my campaign posted the source documents to this ad to back it up. Congressman Flake is trying to run away from his record, but the 12-year Congressman is going to find that facts are a tough thing to hide from."

BACKGROUND:
In 2004, Flake Voted In Favor Of Budget That Provided $1.1 Billion Less That Needed To Maintain Current Service. In 2004, Rep. Flake voted in favor of a budget that was strongly opposed by major veterans’ organizations. A coalition of veterans groups, including the AMVETS, Disabled American Veterans, Paralyzed Veterans of America, and Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States was vehemently opposed to the bill. “For veterans' discretionary programs, primarily veterans' medical care, H. Con. Res. 393 would provide $1.1 billion below the minimum amount of funding determined necessary by the House Veterans' Affairs Committee…With the level of appropriations in the House budget resolution, VA will be required to delay medical care for some veterans, and deny it altogether for other sick and disabled veterans, just to enable it to meet inflationary costs, including increases in employee wages” the groups said. The budget resolution passed 215-212. [Letter to Members, 3/23/04; HCR 393, Vote 92, 3/20/04]

In 2005, Flake Voted In Favor Of Budget Which Called For $800 Million In Cuts To Veterans’ Programs. Jeff Flake voted in favor of a Budget resolution which read: The House Committee on Veterans' Affairs shall report changes in laws within its jurisdiction sufficient to reduce the level of direct spending for that committee by $155,000,000 in outlays for fiscal year 2006 and $798,000,000 in outlays for the period of fiscal years 2006 through 2010.” [H Con Res 95 (as passed by the House) 3/17/05; Vote #88, 3/17/05]

In 2003, Flake Voted In Favor Of A Budget That Called For $15 Billion In Cuts To Veterans Programs. In 2003, Rep. Flake voted for a budget that called for cutting $15 billion from veterans’ benefits, including veterans’ pensions, compensation, education and other benefits, over 10 years. The budget read: “The House Committee on Veterans' Affairs shall report changes in laws within its jurisdiction sufficient to reduce the level of direct spending for that committee by $449,000,000 in outlays for fiscal year 2004, $4,221,000,000 in outlays for the period of fiscal years 2004 through 2008, and $14,626,000,000 in outlays for the period of fiscal years 2004 through 2013.” [H. Con. Res. 95 (as passed by the House), Vote 82, 3/21/03]

2005 House Budget Cut Funding $14 Billion Below Level Needed To Maintain Existing Services. Minority Leader Pelosi said on the floor of the House that the House GOP budget would set funding level $14 below what was necessary just to maintain current funding levels. CBO projected that spending at the VA would need to hit $37.7 billion per year by 2010 to maintain services, while the GOP budget projected only $30 billion in funding. [H Con Res 95 (as passed by the House) 3/17/05; Vote #88, 3/17/05; CBO, 3/1/05; Speaker Pelosi Release, 3/17/05]

Flake Voted For FY07 Budget That Set Funding $6 Billion Below Level Necessary To Maintain Current Services. In 2006, Rep. Flake voted in favor of a $2.8 trillion budget that was fiscally reckless and harmful for America’s working families. The budget added hundreds of billions to the already record budget deficit and includes a provision to increase the debt limit by $653 billion to $9.6 trillion. It cuts key programs like education, health and veterans’ programs. The budget cuts veterans’ healthcare beyond 2007. Despite an initial boost in veterans’ health spending for 2007, over five years (from 2007- 2011), the Republican budget resolution actually cut funding for veterans’ appropriated programs by $6 billion below the level that CBO estimates is needed to maintain current services. Additionally, the Republican budget resolution included significant increases in TRICARE costs for military retirees under 65. In fact, healthcare fees will triple for retired officers, double for retired senior enlisted personnel, and increase by 40 percent for junior enlisted retirees. The budget passed 218-210.   [House Budget Committee, Minority Staff Analysis of the FY 07 Budget, 10/6/2006]

Flake Opposed Bonuses for Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2003, Rep. Flake voted against an amendment to provide $1,500 bonuses for each service member serving in Iraq ad Afghanistan in fiscal 2004. The measure would have taken $265 million out of an account paying for Iraqi petroleum imports and put it into a military personnel fund to pay for the bonuses. According to the Congressional Research Service, the energy firm Halliburton could be overcharging the U.S. as much as $249 million for importing fuel into Iraq. The amendment was defeated 213-213. [New York Times, 10/22/03; HR 3289, Vote 554, 10/17/03]

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Treasurer, LD-10 candidates on Buckmaster this week

September 25, 2012

by David Safier Bill Buckmaster continues his series of what he calls "face-to-face conversations" Wednesday and Thursday, Sept 26 and 27, on KVOI AM 1030. Pima County Treasurer's race: Beth Ford (R) and Elaine Richardson (D): Wednesday, 12:30pm Arizona Senate District 10: Frank Antenori (R) and David Bradley (D): Thursday, 12:00pm