Romney surges to double-digit lead in Florida

Meanwhile conservatives who pretend they have America's best interests at heart watch their similarly fake candidates continue to embarrass America, while liberals who actually do have the nation's best interests at heart look forward to yet another hilarity-filled day courtesy of the GOP nomination clown show. :-)

Candidates on the Right might actually get somewhere if they came clean with the American public (for once) and got their PACs to re-name themselves along the lines of 'Supporting America's Future & GOP Comedy' and 'American Freedom and Comedy.'

If the Right honestly stated the reality of their campaigns - that they are no more than a mystery-donor funded traveling comedy show, heck, even I'd donate to the cause. :-)

You are really going to fall hard if the GOP wins this one, aren't you?

Ben, yes, we will fall hard. When the GOP implode in November, libs will only have Fox News for a comedy fix, but I admit that's more than enough. -)

Get used to hearing President Romney and Vice President Rubio next year. The progressive, trickle up poverty economic policy will come to an abrupt end on January 20th 2013...

They want to crucify him because he’s tapped into that average everyday American Tea Party, grass-roots movement that has said enough is enough of the establishment.

Yes, America needs someone outside the beltway like Newt Gingrich who refused out of principle to work as a lobbyist, settling instead to offer his services as an 'historian' for Freddie Mac for a modest salary of $22,000 a month. Newt's influence in congress was also negligible, which is why everybody should vote for him.

Wait, I'm confused...

Newt is arrogant, slippery and a total fake. Romney has no morals at all, is a liar and a fake. Paul is not a fake but he is a loon. Santorum is insane.

That is your republican candidates. Best thing to happen for Obama in a long, long time. The republican party is not longer an organized party, its a freak show.

Ben, yes, we will fall hard.

You seem to forget what happened in 2000 and 2004.

Romney has no morals at all, is a liar and a fake.

Educate me, please. What is the basis for this statement?

Let's face it - the tea party was one of the best things to happen to the Progressive movement in the U.S. thanks to how they are ripping the Right vote apart, and probably the worst thing to happen to the Regressive conservative movement.

Besides Newt. 

And the global recession that sparked under their watch. 

And the 13 million unemployed and trillions in debt they created. 

And Michelle Backmann,  Herman Cain,  Rick 'banning sodomy is more important than creating jobs' Santorum.

et al.

"an affluent Naples shopping center"

Naples is affluent all right. That place creeped me out when I had to go there.

Oh my gosh, Palin has put the final nail in Newt's candidacy's coffin, ha ha!

"Romney has no morals at all, is a liar and a fake"

"Educate me please. What is the basis for this statement?"

There isn't. Nor is there for "Santorum is insane."

I fear a Romney victory. He will take the moderates. Obama has fallen too far since the hope-filled days of January 2009. He had 70 percent of the American people supporting him then. Now he is around 40. We lost the mandate.

Endorsed by Palin and Cain. Newt has clinched the grifter vote.

Who ever win the Rep nomination, Obama can not be beaten easily. According his state of union speech, he will create more jobs and balance the budget. Without him , US economy will never recover and unemployment will be sky rocketed. Bush destroyed economy. His reckless spending made a mountain of debt. Many people lost the jobs and homes. It is unthinkable for getting another president like Bush. They have no solutions for current problems.

Obama have found Bin Laden and punished him. He saved some American hostages too. He is better and capable than Bush.

Boston tea party have finished more than a century.Therefore Obama will reinvent himself and becoming the president of the USA again. It is unstoppable.

According his state of union speech, he will create more jobs and balance the budget.

Yes, because a president would never exaggerate during a state of the union speech.

@Debate over whether Romney is "a liar and a fake."

He can lapse into intellectually dishonesty. For example, before the recent revelations about the true extent of his personal wealth (total last eight U.S. presidents' holdings and double that figure), he tried to connect with voters by reminding them that he, too, is unemployed. Being unemployed meant something much more life or death to those voters than it does to Romney. There's actually a more honest, and not so loaded word, for a man in his mid-60s with possibly a quarter of a billion dollars in accounts around the world. It is "retired", comfortably, thank you. It sure ain't "unemployed"!

But if you want to get technical, you could just say that a candidate now claiming views on health care access, women's reproductive rights, etc. that are opposite what he espoused while he was getting into office last time--without accounting for such drastic changes--is just playing the voters with rhetorical slieights of hand. Was it the real Romney before, and the fake one now, or the other way around? It's the voters' call.

Ben "educate me, please"

No problem, where should we start? Can you expand the question?

Internal polling shows Obama has lost the state of Florida. Moderates there favor Romney. That means the economy is the number one issue.

TorafusuTorasan,

If you see the need for expanding the question, perhaps you do not have an answer. It was quite a simple question, after all.

I wonder if all the people on Japan Today that just spent months ripping Olympus for laundering money through the Cayman Islands are going to be thrilled when they hear about the places Mitt keeps his cash.

Newt should forget that moon colony nonsense and campaign to make Cayman Islands the 51st state! If that ever happened, then Mitt wouldn't have to worry about perceptions of how his money is offshore and off the books with worldwide accounts and charity funding international missionary trips. Maybe he could just run for head of the EU, IOC, IMF, France, a local LDS chapter, or some such joint. Why does he want to work for the U.S. in particular, and what's in it for most voters, including the truly unemployed?

about the places Mitt keeps his cash

Are they illegal? If not, next.

Besides 'Obama must go,' 'I'm unemployed,' and 'Gingrich is a liar,' what other Important policy planks has Mitt described that are going to deliver jobs?

If America is to have any hope, Romney must be elected. Obama is steering America towards the cliff of European style socialism, which we are currently watching unravel in the debt crisis. Gingrich has attacked Romney's capitalist roots, which makes him unfit for any office.

Romney will bring the solutions needed to create jobs: Cut taxes on the job creators, cut corporate taxes, cut capital gains taxes and cut the death tax. Do away with public health care, social security, medicaid and medicare. Eliminate the Departments of Commerce, Energy and Education. Appoint conservative justices to the Supreme Court who will ensure that we are able to use unlimited corporate funds in donations, in order to keep the Democrats marginalized. Then work on overturning Roe v Wade.

Then we need to make a serious boost in defense spending. I'm thinking at least a 600% increase. Obama has gutted the military and left America vulnerable. We need to ensure victory in the upcoming war with Iran, and with any other rogue nations holding our fossil fuels hostage.

what other Important policy planks has Mitt described that are going to deliver jobs?

Actually, the man has published a rather large plan. The man is a successful businessman and politician who helped his state lose the nickname 'taxachussetts'. To argue that he would be unqualified to supervise economic recovery rings pretty desperate, IMHO.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/r/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2011/09/06/National-Politics/Graphics/BelieveInAmerica%E2%80%93MittRomney%E2%80%93PlanForJobsAndEconomicGrowth.pdf?hpid=z1

Jp4, taxes were cut on the Job Creators.

We got a global recession. Got any smarter ideas?

I know, how about eliminating SS and all other benefits so everyone who isn't earning starves or freezes?

Oh, you already suggested that......

Jp4, taxes were cut on the Job Creators. We got a global recession. Got any smarter ideas?

The cuts were not deep enough to have the intended effect. I would recommend taking the marginal tax rate down near 0% for high net worth individuals.

"the cuts were not deep enough...taking the rate down near 0%"

That would give a few individuals more disposable income. But I don't often see the wealthiest individuals being good stewards of their resources. Look at the doctor here in j4p4n that was able to buy a 21 year old's kidney for himself via the mob. If he had lower taxes and more cash to pump into his own body, he could have harvested and implanted all the kid's organs outright and maybe doubled his lifespan. Where's the evidence that 0% taxes leads straightaway to altruistic (not selfish) behavior? The doctor would have been giving out his own vital organs in gratitude for tax breaks?

j4p4nFTW - "I would recommend taking the marginal tax rate down near 0% for high net worth individuals."

Really now? Can I raise that by suggesting the government does away with public health care - so that only people with money to buy private health insurance will receive health treatment and everyone else is left to suffer?

Oh, you already mentioned that.

Molenir. Arizona's politics are not a mirror image of the nation.

Speaking of that, what's the deal with disgraced Russell Pearce (first ever recalled Senate President) reappearing so fast? No time away needed to reflect on why he got kicked out of office?

Can I raise that by suggesting the government does away with public health care

Could you indicate where Romney has said he wants the government to do away with public health care? Thanks.

I think sushisake#3 might be on to something. President Obama might have a chance to still win big if he can force all the rich people to buy their own insurance (from comapnies which our government owns, but keeps ownership a secret) and then just gives waivers to poor people and people who can't afford to pay income tax. It is a bold plan, but it could work.

Ben - "Could you indicate where Romney has said he wants the government to do away with public health care?"

No, j4p4nFTW did. I have no idea where you got the idea Romney said it.

@Pruitt Igoe 72 "a chance to still win big"

The Supreme Court is scheduled to examine Obama's health care law next month. Any predictions on the outcome?

Forgive me. I was not aware j4p4nFTW was running for US president. I assumed at some point you would actually comment about Romney, since he is the subject of the article and all.

@Debate over whether Romney is "a liar and a fake." edit most politicians are liars and fakes

He will just leading America and her allies to commit more unnecessary wars like Bush! By the way, he is a tax evader and he will just causing more 'privilages' for rich rather than poor!

Not having to pay a tax is not at all the same thing as evading paying one.

Ben, you're right, but the privileged help the privileged.

You'll remember how Bain was one of the companies hired to lobby Congress to kill a proposal to hike capital gains tax in the 90s.

Ben, you're right, but the privileged help the privileged.

Jobs also help the underprivileged and the privileged tend to be the ones providing the jobs.

Are you under the mistaken impression that a lower capital gains tax only helps the privileged? I assume in your world there is no need for any private investment at all. How much does beer cost in your fantasy land?

Let`s go Ron!

I think whoever beats Obama in November, they will have to have repealing Obama Care on their agenda. If they don't, they will get hammered by Republican challengers in four years time. While it could be left to the Supreme Court to strike it down, whoever wins the election should also try to gain political currency by killing it himself.

Let`s go Ron!

Yes, please go quickly.

I wish I was a conservative. 

I'd be spoiled for choice between a 30-year Washington insider who claims he isn't and who wants Americans to move to the moon and mine minerals, and a golden-spooned 'Really, I'm one of you!' dreamer with a penchant for stripping people of their jobs to make millions for himself and calling it job creation while describing himself as 'unemployed.'

LOL!! You just couldnt make this stuff up. :-)

Ben -' How much does beer cost in your fantasy land?'

I'm sorry, I was under the impression this thread was about the Republican presidential nomination process in America, not the price of beer..

Please correct me if I'm wrong...

sushisake,

At least you get a choice with the Republicans. With the Democrats you can vote for Obama...or no one! They're not even giving their people an alternative to him in the primaries. That's not very democratic.

Who???

All readers stay on topic please.

At least with Republicans you've got a choice?

That's like saying, 'which of two trains barreling off the cliff do you want to be on?'

I'd like to think Americans are a bit smarter than that.

How can anyone seriously vote for this guy ? ? He can't even look people in the eye. If this guy gets in, expect war, and more war, and then maybe more war after that, and American infrastructure to continue falling apart ...

Romney???

Florida???

As an outsider looking in, I'm amazed at how the US is the most powerful nation on earth full of incredibly talented intelligent people ..so, you'd think there would be better people running for Pres. I mean, it's a pretty important job and all ...

I wish candidates would use talk about what they can do or would do rather than bash the other guys.

"You'd think there would be better people running for Pres."

Those people are too smart to run for president.

Yes, please go quickly.

Oh no. More people who like war, a huge corrupt government and a dwindling dollar. America will never learn. Just staying on the same path. It`s amazing how the giant media thugs can brainwash everyone.

Bring back Hermann Cain! The Hermannator was much more fun than these two. These two blokes flip-flop because they have no core-values or policies - the Hermannator just flip-flopped something else around...

Burakumin - Whaddya mean these two have no core values or policies? And, heck, let's get Palin to jump in!

Neither Romney nor Gingrich could survive without the other. Romney thrives as those establishment Republicans who remember Newt panic with horror at the thought of him in the White House: anyone - ANYONE - would be preferable. Gingrich thrives as those Tea Party Republicans see the establishment turn to naught the very fundamentals of what they were convince had been an unstoppable revolution. White-hot anger is apparent there, and some on the right are no doubt thanking God that the guillotine is no longer in fashion. The revolution is beginning to eat its children.

Romney, the most vetted candidate in years, remains the most unknown. Gingrich, the insurgent, has had his infidelities laid out extensively, but most care not to know. They make a good pair, the cipher and the Machiavellian. This is turning out to be a most entertaining spring and summer.

Rumor has it no Democrat will challenge Barack Obama for the Democratic nomination.

Ben_Jackinoff: You seem to forget what happened in 2000 and 2004.

Just my opinion, but this is the last hoorah for the Republican Party as it stands today. They will win in future elections but they won't look like they do now and their candidates will be nothing like they are now. They have drifted too far to the right and they will even call one of their own a moderate as an insult. I can only imagine what impact that has on actual moderates who might be open to voting for either party. They are fighting tooth and nail over a smaller radical base that will continue to decline (although they will still be vocal) as the years pass. Eventually they will break up or wise up and realize that they can't continue to move to the right and still have enough people left to vote them into the White House.

In the last election I actually admired McCain and I even defended him on this board from the over-the-top criticism that some radical Democrats were dishing out. I did this even thought I knew I was voting for Obama. I happened to respect both men. Fast forward 4 years and I really can't see any Republican that I would even consider voting for. They own all the circus freaks.....Bachmann, Palin, Cain, etc. These people are just embarrassing to me. Romney will probably win the nomination based on the "I'm the only one who can beat Obama" meaning he's the only one who can win moderates. And the Republicans seem to hate him for it. The choice seems to be to vote for Newt, another circus of an embarrassment, or vote for a guy they hate to beat a guy they hate even more on the other side.

We're going to see Obama win again and we're going to continue to see Republicans feel relevant by obstructing anything and everything he does in order to keep the small base they've managed to radicalize into the corner forever. But based on demographics it's just a matter of time before they fade away. If and when Republicans start to find a new base to cater to then we'll see them return to the White House. I might even vote for them.

Superlib, best post of the day (and i mean that even though I know you think I'm 'radical.' :-)

Two words: Tea Party.

They have radicalized the Right, marginalized their moderates, and shafted the GOP's chances of winning back the WH.

Serrano, I think no Democrat is challenging your president because they know when they're on to a good thing. They remember how he came virtually out of nowhere and won the WH on his first attempt. Candidates like that don't come by regularly.

Sure, Obama has not exercised his full potential, largely due to what I believe is a potentially dangerous racist undertone flowing in the background on the Right (you see it appear every so often - the insults, the name calling, the distorted labels, the lack of basic respect for the office of THIS president) that has galvanized the worst anti-America, anti-common sense obstructionism Americans have probably ever seen.

All that aside, and despite the fact that neither Obama or anyone for that matter is perfect, he's the best the Dems have got and it's pretty clear they're largely ok with that.

Superlib - 'They [the Right]  own all the circus freaks.....Bachmann, Palin, Cain, etc. These people are just embarrassing....'

Couldn't agree more, and what disturbs me is that these characteristics are also held by conservatives in general. Conservatives see themselves, their ideas, attitudes and characteristics in these morally bankrupt, intellectually derelict clown candidates - that's why they support them.

Which doesn't give me much hope for America's future unless the Right is kept shut out of power.

The left sure isn't perfect but it's way, way better than the economic, intellectual and moral decay that would be sped up should the GOP win.

It's very odd how conservatives hold Gingrich up as one of their own when they guy was having an affair with a staffer while lambasting Clinton for doing the same. Gingrich isn't a conservative, he's an opportunist. But people are too ignorant to figure that out....

Don't think it matters who wins what, the US is a fading empire. Sorry, but it happens. Sure, the US had it good for a while, but so did Rome. Unfortunately, the US is going to take down a lot of other countries as it falls. But give the world a hundred years or so to adjust and someone else will be on top.

Everything that comes into being falls out of being too. Nature!

They have radicalized the Right, marginalized their moderates, and shafted the GOP's chances of winning back the WH.

Heh, cause nothing is more radical in Washington, then fiscal sanity. Yep, those crazy Tea Party folks. Insisting that we should balance the budget... So funny.

It's very odd how conservatives hold Gingrich up as one of their own when they guy was having an affair with a staffer while lambasting Clinton for doing the same. Gingrich isn't a conservative, he's an opportunist. But people are too ignorant to figure that out....

I agree. Which is why I have long since realized that I cannot support Newt. I cannot support Romney, and Paul is a nutcase on foreign policy. Meaning theres only Santorum left, and he gives me the willies. But he's the only one left. Meaning I'll be voting for him when my primary rolls around.

SuperLib,

Good post, although I disagree with some parts of it. Romney is not a radical. I think he has a very good chance of winning in the general election, if given the chance by his party. As governor, the guy made a success out the shambles that was his state. He has also been successful at business at that ultimately is good for people that want jobs.

SushiSake,

Romney took companies that were going under and doing badly and turned many of them around. That is generally considered a good thing by anyone thinking about a country's long term growth. IMHO, Gingrich would not make a good president. I think Romney would.

"he ( Obama ) came virtually out of nowhere and won the WH on his first attempt"

True, he did have just about the thinnest resume of any presidential candidate.

"Sure, Obama has not exercised his full potential"

Thank heaven for small mercies.

"the US is going to take down a lot of other countries as it falls"

Yeah, we're vindictive like that, lol.

you see it appear every so often - the insults, the name calling, the distorted labels, the lack of basic respect for the office of THIS president)

Oh, yes. We have never seen people ever call a president names, distorted labels or have a lack of basic respect for the office of any other president than this one. In fact, you yourself have been completely above the fray. You would never do that with a president or even someone running for it, like Romney. Why oh why did it have to start with this president?

Ben_Jackinoff: Good post, although I disagree with some parts of it. Romney is not a radical. I think he has a very good chance of winning in the general election, if given the chance by his party.

I wasn't attacking Romney, I was attacking those within his party who wouldn't feel comfortable voting for Romney, and how they are splitting the party and dragging it down. In my eyes there are too many Republicans who have been sold on the notion that compromise and moderate are bad words. And it worries me that so many of them still vote with their bibles in their hands. As long as there is a large enough group of those types of Republicans I don't see them winning the White House back anytime soon, I see them winning smaller elections and then trying to disrupt things.

As governor, the guy made a success out the shambles that was his state. He has also been successful at business at that ultimately is good for people that want jobs.

I left his name off the circus list intentionally. And to be honest with you I was waiting to really learn about him until after the primaries. In the past the business angle would be a slam dunk for me, but nowadays I'm too much of a pessimist. I have no doubt that Romney can create personal wealth, but I don't think "good businessman = job creator" anymore. I think too many times "good businessman = job destroyer so there is more wealth for the people at the top and the company itself."

I wasn't attacking Romney, I was attacking those within his party who wouldn't feel comfortable voting for Romney, and how they are splitting the party and dragging it down.

Yes, Gingrich comes to mind here especially. The man has gotten so bad he use the NY Times to support his weak arguments against Romney in which he basically forgets anything he might have known about capitalism.

As long as there is a large enough group of those types of Republicans I don't see them winning the White House back anytime soon,

Until I saw some of the debates, I figured Obama was a shoe in. However, Romney does play to the moderates, much more so than Obama does. If, and it is still an if, Romney gets the nomination, he will have a very good chance of gettting into office.

In the past the business angle would be a slam dunk for me, but nowadays I'm too much of a pessimist.

There are certainly not too many optimists in this day and age anywhere. In Romney's case, he managed to save and improve many companies that would have otherwise gone under. In the end, that kind of work has to help the economy, not hurt it. More healthy companies usually means more healthy jobs. Romney would certainly make the election interesting for me to watch. The other Republicans? Not so much, for the very reasons you clearly outlined above.

I was attacking those within his party who wouldn't feel comfortable voting for Romney, and how they are splitting the party and dragging it down. In my eyes there are too many Republicans who have been sold on the notion that compromise and moderate are bad words.

Disagree, They are doing Mitt Romney the biggest favor they could for the man. If he is in fact the Republican nominee the grilling he is going to get from the media is going to be merciless. He is 'wall street" in his business background and and anyone who doesn't believe he is going to painted as an out of touch wall street elitist, job detroying venture capitalist by the Media in the general election hasn't been paying attention to how the Media operates. He also has taken away one of the most potent attack lines a Republican candidate has on President Obama. He is in fact the godfather for Obama's healthcare reform law. The law that inspired the Tea party protests in the first place and mobilized them to become activists in their protests against it passing. The law that is still highly unpopular with the majority of the American people. Being grilled on that is also doing him a favor at this stage to find out where he really stands on it. Is he in fact going to roll it back or cede the issue to Obama?

I'm glad the "radical" Tea Party types are putiing him through the ringer. He's going to being a tough damn candidate for Obama to beat afterwards having to go through the experience now befor the Media gets it chance at him latter. He'll be able to deal with it then as a man who will fight back which is what the general Republican electorate is looking for now.

a former Massachusetts governor and millionaire venture capitalist .......We'll be seeing him associated as a"millionare venture capitalist " a lot more in the future in describing Mitt Romney rather than any of his accomplishments as Governor Of Massachusetts from the media by the way, it fits the class warfare meme the Democrats plan on running on this cycle.

Ben_Jackinoff: Until I saw some of the debates, I figured Obama was a shoe in. However, Romney does play to the moderates, much more so than Obama does. If, and it is still an if, Romney gets the nomination, he will have a very good chance of gettting into office.

I haven't watched any of the debate since I was traveling around and still trying to get situated. I figured I'd learn more about Romney when things settled down. I'm interested in seeing how he can woo moderates as well as appeal to the conservative base in the Republican Party.

sailwind: He is 'wall street" in his business background and and anyone who doesn't believe he is going to painted as an out of touch wall street elitist, job detroying venture capitalist by the Media in the general election hasn't been paying attention to how the Media operates

Well I got the impression that "moderate" was a bad thing hearing Santorum say that over and over again as an insult to Romney. As far as being "out of touch," wasn't that what other candidates were saying about him, especially after the $10,000 bet?

Did the media bias create those words for the candidates?

Did the media bias create those words for the candidates?

Has the media printing any real actual words regarding his policy positions on the issues such as his tax plan, economic plan for balance?