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DFA Bi-Lingual Campaign Academy – Tucson (Updated)
July 26, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Bi-Lingual Campaign Academy PCC Desert Vista CampusTucson, AZ Saturday, August 11, 2012 REGISTER TODAYRegistrese (En Español) We are excited to share with you that Democracy for America has chosen Southern Arizona to host its' FIRST Bi-Lingual Campaign Academy! This program is designed to help train both our English and Spanish speaking candidates, volunteers, … Read more
AP Fact Check: Romney actively participated in Bain Capital after February 1999
July 25, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
"Retroactive retirement" only works in the mind of Willard "Mittens" Romney.
Reality bites. The Associated Press does a FACT CHECK: Romney met Bain partners after exit:
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has said he had no active role in Bain Capital, the private equity firm he founded, after he exited in February 1999 to take over Salt Lake City's Winter Olympics bid. But according to Bain associates and others familiar with Romney's actions at the time, he stayed in regular contact with his partners over the following months, tending to his partnership interests and negotiating his separation from the company.
Those familiar with Romney's discussions with his Bain partners said the contacts included several meetings in Boston, the company's home base, but were limited to matters that did not affect the firm's investments or other management decisions. Yet Romney continued to oversee his partnership stakes even as he disengaged from the firm, personally signing or approving a series of corporate and legal documents through the spring of 2001, according to financial reports reviewed by The Associated Press.
The details of Romney's contacts with his Bain partners between his 1999 departure and his separation from the company in mid-2001 could show how involved he was – either as CEO or passive investor – in several multimillion-dollar investment deals, bankruptcies and a spate of layoffs and overseas job shifts at Bain-owned companies that reportedly occurred during that span. Romney's role became a campaign issue in recent weeks because corporate records from the time showed his interests in some of those deals – despite his insistence that he gave up any decision-making authority once he left Bain.
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A clear accounting of Romney's contacts with Bain has been hampered by his presidential campaign's reluctance to discuss the period in detail and complicated by conflicting accounts in some of Romney's comments and financial reports. Both the Romney campaign and Bain have declined to provide documentary materials that could shed light on Romney's role after 1999.
Symbolic victory for Senate Dems on middle class tax cuts
July 25, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: So the Septegenarian Ninja Turtle, Mitch McConnell, pulled a little jujitsu today in the U.S. Senate. Rather than force a cloture vote under the Senate filibuster rules as he does for every bill that comes to the floor, McConnell allowed Democrats to have their vote today on their middle class tax cut … Read more
Romney’s ‘European Vacation’ turning into a gaffe fest
July 25, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
The good folks at National Lampoon must be writing the script for Willard "Mittens" Romney's "European Vacation," just as they did for Chevy Chase. Romney's European Vacation is turning into a gaffe fest.
Romney hadn't even boarded the plane yet before he put his foot in his mouth.
At a fundraiser Sunday night in San Francisco, Romney recounted his version of a conversation he had earlier in the day with Bob Carr, the Australian foreign minister. Romney claimed that Carr had told him in their private meeting that America was "in decline," but that the situation could be turned around if an appropriate budget deal is reached. As you might expect, it was a lie. Romney's new international incident:
The problem, as the Australian foreign minister was quick to point out, is that Carr didn't say what Romney claims he said. In fact, according to a statement released by the Embassy of Australia, Carr was actually praising America's economic strengths. But Romney suggested to his donors that Carr is some kind of political ally, as if the Australian foreign minister supports the GOP budget plan and believes it will help end American decline.
It's worth noting that those seeking the U.S. presidency shouldn't run around talking about the United States being in "decline," especially with foreign officials. For that matter, Carr is a Labor Party official, and by U.S. standards, quite liberal. The notion that he's secretly on Romney's side is deeply silly.
But perhaps more importantly, as Romney prepares to go abroad, it'd be nice if he avoided international incidents.
Too late . . . the Romney campaign is already in an international incident even before landing in England on Wednesday. The UK's Telegraph had this overnight report on Mitt Romney, who landed in London this morning, and his plan to improve U.S.-British relations:
In remarks that may prompt accusations of racial insensitivity, one suggested that Mr. Romney was better placed to understand the depth of ties between the two countries than Mr Obama, whose father was from Africa.
"We are part of an Anglo-Saxon heritage, and he feels that the special relationship is special," the adviser said of Mr. Romney, adding: "The White House didn't fully appreciate the shared history we have".
President Obama addresses the VFW Convention
July 25, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
President Obama addressed the annual convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) this week. Transcript of Remarks by the President to the 113th National Convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Video below the fold.
Update: Tea-Publican tyranny in Michigan – measure to repeal Michigan martial law back in court
July 25, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
The Michigan Supreme Court on Wednesday heard oral arguments in the case over whether the size of wording on petitions should keep a proposed referendum on the state's 2011 emergency financial manager law off the November ballot. Michigan Supreme Court hears word-size dispute in emergency manager ballot case:
A union-led coalition that opposes the law gathered enough valid signatures to put the issue to voters. But a group started by current and retired business leaders challenged the petitions, arguing – among other things – that their headings in 14-point Calibri font were not printed in 14-point type.
In a packed courtroom with an estimated 145 onlookers, Chief Justice Robert Young began the oral arguments by noting it is rare for justices to hear cases in July.
"That alone should signify to all … how significant this case is," he said.
A three-judge panel of the state Court of Appeals last month begrudgingly ordered that the referendum go to voters – citing an earlier case giving the benefit of the doubt if petitions "substantially comply" with the law.
Obama campaign ad: ‘Always’
July 25, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
The Obama campaign has been forced to push back against the GOPropoganda machine fabrication of the “you didn’t build that” line of attack.
On Tuesday, the Obama campaign released the new ad “Always” below the fold.
Transcript:
“Those ads taking my words about small business out of context – they’re flat out wrong. Of course Americans build their own businesses. Every day, hard-working people sacrifice to meet a payroll, create jobs, and make our economy run. And what I said was that we need to stand behind them, as America always has — by investing in education and training, roads and bridges, research and technology.
“I’m Barack Obama and I approve this message because I believe we’re all in this together.”
A word of advice, Mr. President. Next time just call Willard “Mittens” Romney the shameless pathological liar that he is. No more Mr. Nice Guy about it.
The GOP war on voting: Jim Crow goes on trial in Pennsylvania
July 25, 2012
Postesd by AzBlueMeanie:
Gary Trudeau is running a series of Doonesbury comic strips this week on the return of Jim Crow laws to suppress voting by minority citizens. Today's strip is about the GOP voter suppression law in Pennsylvania.
A coalition of civil rights groups heads to court on Wednesday for a state court trial challenging the GOP voter suppression law under Pennsylvania’s constitution. Ryan J. Reilly at TPM reports Ahead Of Voter ID Trial, Pennsylvania Admits There’s No In-Person Voter Fraud:
In this case, Pennsylvania might have handed those groups and their clients (including 93-year-old Viviette Applewhite) a bit of an advantage: They’ve formally acknowledged that there’s been no reported in-person voter fraud in Pennsylvania and there isn’t likely to be in November.
The state signed a stipulation agreement with lawyers for the plaintiffs which acknowledges “there have been no investigations or prosecutions of in-person voter fraud in Pennsylvania; and the parties do not have direct personal knowledge of any such investigations or prosecutions in other states.”
Additionally, the agreement states Pennsylvania “will not offer any evidence in this action that in-person voter fraud has in fact occurred in Pennsylvania and elsewhere” or even argue “that in person voter fraud is likely to occur in November 2012 in the absense of the Photo ID law.”
Pennsylvania has said that over 750,000 registered voters do not have ID from the Transportation Department, a problem more concentrated in urban centers like Philadelphia. One top state Republican has claimed the voter ID law would help Mitt Romney win the Keystone state and Democrats have already altered their campaign plans should the law survives legal challenges.
Judge Robert Simpson will hear the case, Applewhite et al. v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, et al., in Harrisburg starting on Wednesday. The ACLU expects the trial to last five to seven days.
