Tag Archives: romney

Business/Economics, Idaho, Opinion, U.S.

Economic Recovery or Civil War? Gun sales in the U.S. expected to skyrocket

07 November 2012, the day after the main stream U.S. media prematurely declared Barack Obama the new President (the Shadow Voters, aka Electoral College, vote to elect the President on 17 December 2012), investors are driving up stock prices for gun makers and those chain stores that sell guns.

Investment analysts say it because investors expect a run on guns, because many supporters of the Second Amendment think a re-elected Obama will result in more gun control laws.

That might be, but there could be another reason: Civil War.

Back in August a Texas judge warned that if Obama was re-elected there would be civil war:   “…he’s going to try to give the sovereignty of the United States away to the United Nations. What do you think the public is going to do when that happens? We are talking civil unrest, civil disobedience, possibly, possibly civil war, OK? Now what happens? What happens? Now I’m not talking just talking riots here and there. I’m talking Lexington, Concord, take up arms, get rid of the dictator. OK, what do you think he is going to do when that happens? He is going to call in the UN troops, personnel carriers, tanks and weapons.”-Tom Head, Lubbock County judge and Emergency Management Coordinator

Seemingly in response, on 06 November several so called Liberals stated on Twitter things like “Vote for Mitt Romney… It’ll better our chances to start a civil war”, “If Romney win second civil war”, “Lady in the polling line say if romney win its gone b a civil war”, “Goin buy a gun tommorow Cus if Romney win I ain’t goin out without a fight”, “If Mitt Romney win get ya gun game up” etc.

Note the pro-gun statements by so called liberals.  Here in Idaho, Democrats are just as supportive of the Second Amendment as their Republican neighbors, and the same can be said of most Idahoans who don’t claim a political party preference.   Maybe that’s why the main stream anti-gun rights north-eastern based & focused U.S. media assume all Idahoans are Republicans?

 

 

Opinion, U.S.

FEMA suggests Presidential elections be canceled! Nuclear plants threatened. Who’s in charge when the President declares a disaster area?

On 29 October 2012, Federal Emergency Management Agency boss, Craig Fugate, suggested that Presidential elections be postponed, or even canceled, because of the mess caused by hurricane Sandy: “It [elections] needs to be safe and secure. This will be led by states and their election commission supervisors.”

This is because of the flooding and electrical shortages, which are also affecting several nuclear power plants: Constellation Energy Nuclear Group’s 630MW Nine Mile Point 1 nuclear reactor, in upstate New York, shut down.  Investigation ongoing as to why.  Power reductions at Exelon’s Limerick nuclear plant in Pennsylvania, and at Dominion’s Millstone plant in Connecticut. New Jersey’s Exelon’s Oyster Creek remains on alert because of flooding: “Oyster Creek is still in an alert but may be getting out of it as long as water levels continue to drop.”-Neil Sheehan, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

The NRC reporting that half a dozen nuclear plants were shut down, or have reduced power output because of the hurricane.

President Obama declared New Jersey, and New York, major disaster areas (most of the north east has been declared emergency areas).

FEMA is now in charge of the declared disaster/emergency areas. Since FEMA director, Craig Fugate, wants Presidential elections delayed or suspended, then he could probably get his wish.

Under U.S. State of Emergency laws, Congress is not needed to make such decisions.  The National Emergency Act allows such declarations to remain in effect for two years, and can be extended by Presidential decree.

In fact, the United States has been in various states of emergency since Bill Clinton’s first term as President.  Bush Jr and Obama have only expanded on those emergencies (in the name of fighting terrorism).

Now we have Hurricane Sandy wreaking havoc across the most populous part of the United States (home to a crap load of nuclear power plants), and reports that even Mitt Romney will kowtow to FEMA and Obama’s emergency declarations (some reports say Romney will reverse his anti-FEMA stance).  Sounds like the perfect political storm.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Updated list as more Kmart and Sears closings announced! $45,000 in Jewelry stolen! Parts & repair centers to be closed! Canadians love Sears! Business is good for Kmart, in Australia!

30 October 2012, since my last posting (on 21 October 2012) about the ongoing Sears Holdings shut downs, there have been more store closings announced.

Also, Sears Holdings just announced they will be closing two parts and repair centers, both located in The Woodlands, Texas.  At least 117 Texans will lose their jobs by 23 January 2013.

In Washington, on 23 October 2012 Bellingham Sears employees were notified that they will lose their jobs in January, however, the store management has known for months about the closing: “We’ve known since March of this year.”-Noelle Jorgensen, store manager

The latest announcements will mean 654 jobs will be added to the thousands already lost due to the Sears/Kmart closings.

In Canada, the newspaper, Calgary Herald, announced the winner of their 2012/13 Readers’ Choice Awards: Department Store, Appliance Store, Carpet Cleaners and Floor Coverings contest.  According to the newspaper Canadians picked Sears!

This despite the fact that Sears stores are being closed in Canada as well.  On 07 October one of the largest Sears stores in British Columbia was closed. 300 people lost their jobs (at it’s height of operation it once employed 800 people)!

Also in Canada, Sears Holdings announced it will reduce its 95.5% stake in Sears Canada, by selling its stocks to common stockholders.  Sears Holdings wants to reduce its stake in Sears Canada to 51%.

Kmart has reported a 3.1% increase in sales, in Australia and New Zealand: “This is the 11th period in succession of solid comparable growth in transactions and units for Kmart as customers respond positively to its market leading pricing strategy and improved merchandise offer.”-Richard Goyder, Wesfarmers

Don’t you Yankees get your hopes up, Aussie and Kiwi Kmarts are not owned by Sears Holdings.  They’re owned by an Australian company called Wesfarmers.

Here’s an updated list of Sears/Kmart closings:

Alabama: Gadsden Kmart, Mobile Sears Grand/Essentials, Auburn Kmart.

California:   El Monte Sears Grand/Essentials, two San Diego Sears Grand/Essentials, Pleasant Hill Kmart.

Colorado:  Broomfield Kmart, Glenwood Springs Kmart, Lone Tree Sears Great Indoors, Longmont Sears, Pueblos’ South Side Kmart.

Georgia: Macon Sears, Buford Kmart, Douglasville Kmart, Atlanta Kmart, Columbus Kmart, Jonesboro Kmart, Cartersville Kmart.

Florida: Fernandina Beach Kmart, Callaway Kmart, Orange City Kmart,  Deland Sears Grand/Essentials, Stuart Sears Grand/Essentials, West Palm Beach Sears Grand/Essentials, Port St. Lucie Sears Grand/Essentials, Crystal River Sears, New Smyrna Beach Kmart, St. Augustine Kmart, Pompano Beach Kmart,  Pensacola Kmart on Airport Boulevard closed in 2011,  Jacksonville Kmart on 5751 Beach Boulevard and recently revealed second Kmart in Jacksonville on 4645 Blanding Boulevard (83 jobs lost), and the Ocoee Sears (102 jobs lost), Pensacola Kmart to be closed by 03 February 2013 (69 jobs lost).

Idaho: Lewiston Sears.

sears chubbuck
Floundering Sears at the GGP owned
Pine Ridge Mall in Chubbuck, Idaho.
Kmart Pocatello
Floundering Big Kmart in Pocatello, Idaho.
Are they next to go in Idaho?

Indiana:  Anderson Sears Full Line, Saint John Kmart, Indianapolis Kmart.

Illinois:  Melrose Park Sears parts and repair center, Fairview Heights Kmart, Freeport Kmart, Pontiac Kmart.

Iowa:  Cedar Rapids Kmart, Davenport Kmart, Burlington Kmart.

Kansas: Lawrence Sears Full Line.

Kentucky: Middlesboro Sears Hard lines, Winchester Kmart, Hazard Kmart.

Maine: Lewiston Sears.

Maryland: Ellicott Sears Grand/Essentials.

Michigan: Brighton Sears Grand/Essentials,  Harper Woods Sears Full line, Monroe Sears Full line, Adrian Sears Full line, Washington Township Kmart, Chesterfield Kmart, Woodhaven Kmart.

Minnesota: Willmar Kmart, Duluth Kmart, New Hope Kmart, White Bear Lake Kmart.

Mississippi: Jackson Sears Full line, McComb Sears Full line, Columbus Sears Full line.

Missouri: Lee’s Summit Sears Grand/Essentials, Saint Louis Sears Full line.

Montana: Missoula Kmart.

New Hampshire: Nashau Sears Grand/Essentials, Keene Sears Grand/Essentials.

North Carolina: High Point Sears Full line, Moorehead Sears Full line, Rocky Mount Sears Full line, Statesville Sears Full line.

New Jersey:  Lawnside Kmart.

Ohio: Chagrin Falls Kmart, Springfield Kmart, two Toledo Kmarts, Medina Kmart, Columbus Kmart and recently revealed Zanesville Sears (67 jobs lost). Also, Van Wert Sears franchise bought out by Kirk Berryman, owner of Computer & Networking Technologies (CNT), who plans on moving the store to a new location.

Oregon: Roseburg Sears Full line.

Pennsylvania: Upper Darby Sears Full line, Pottstown Sears Full line, Pittsburgh Kmart, Wilkins Sears.

South Carolina: Sumter Sears and recently revealed Orangeburg Sears (approximately 50 jobs lost).

Tennessee: Antioch Sears Full line, Cleveland Sears Full line, Oak Ridge Sears Full line, Hendersonville Kmart, Morristown Sears Full line.

Texas: Two recently revealed Sears parts and repair centers closing in The Woodlands north of Houston (117 jobs lost).  Update; I forgot to mention the ‘rebuild’ center in Garland northeast of Dallas (58 jobs lost).

Virginia: Norfolk Sears Full line,  Midlothian Kmart, Richmond Kmart and recently revealed Lynchburg Sears (84 jobs lost).

Washington: Walla Walla Sears Full line, Lacey Kmart, Kelso Sears, and recently revealed Lakewood Kmart (59 jobs lost) and Bellingham Sears (92 jobs lost).

Wisconsin: West Baraboo Sears Grand/Essentials, Rice Lake Kmart.

On top of that, Sears Holdings sold stores to General Growth Properties, of which it has been reported that those stores will be closed.

It was recently announced that the Provo, Utah, store will continue operating as a Sears.  Sears Holdings announced that GGP made a lease deal they couldn’t refuse, so they will continue running the GGP owned store.

Here’s the list of 11 Sears stores now owned by GGP:

Iowa: Coral Ridge Mall, and Mall of the Bluffs

Texas: The Woodlands Mall

Florida: West Oaks Mall

Utah: Fashion Place, and Provo Towne Centre (note the evil British empire way of spelling town & center)

Oklahoma: Quail Springs Mall

Hawaii: Ala Moana Center

Washington: Bellis Fair Mall

Minnesota: Apache Mall

Illinois: Market Place Shopping Center

In a side note, the Sears in Yuma, Arizona, was robbed of $45,000 USD of jewelry on 26 October 2012.  According to Yuma Police, the early morning burglars also caused approximately $70,000 in damage breaking into the Sears.

Also on 26 October, a Detroit, Michigan, Kmart store reported thousands of dollars worth of jewelry as stolen.  Police say it was a theft, not a burglary (in other words no body broke into the store).

In Greeley, Colorado, a man stole a car and smashed it into a Sears, then stole automotive tools. It was one part of the man’s larger smash and grab burglary spree.

Sears holdings is also suing a former executive for $700,000.  They claim she breached her contract.

Business/Economics, U.S.

Media Incompetence & What Economic Recovery? Sears & Kmart not ‘closing’ stores, just not gonna renew their leases. Misleads lazy media, dozens more stores being shut down before Xmas, due to expired leases!

02 October 2012, the local media in the state of Maine reported that “Unlike last winter’s mass closings……Lewiston’s Sears is the only one closing now.”-Sun Journal, Lewiston, Maine

That’s a big FAIL Sun Journal!!!  There’s at least a handful of Sears and Kmart store being shut down for the same reason as the Lewiston, Maine, store: Sears Holdings is not renewing leases!

The people of Morristown, Tennessee, were shocked to learn their local Sears is not renewing their lease, and as many as 72 employees will be laid off!  Sears Holdings hopes to have the store shut down by January 2013.

The local mayor said Sears gave them no warning: “It was a surprise to us. Also, it’s disappointing. Although we have a lot of good news going on in our city with new jobs, it’s disappointing to lose 72.”-Danny Thomas, Mayor of Morristown

A resident of Morristown is pissed off: “…people havin’ trouble findin’ jobs, I mean it’s gettin’ close to Christmas and stuff, what’s these people gonna do?”-Nicole Harbin

Another store closing (which could have been part of the June announcements) is the Sears at the Liberty Fair Mall, in Martinsville, Virginia.  Even if it was announced back in June, folks around Martinsville say it’s news to them.

Officially the Liberty Fair Mall Sears is being closed due to “…failing to come to terms on a new lease…”-Martinsville Bulletin, 16 September 2012

That wasn’t the reason given in the June announcement, anyway, another 75 employees out of work by Xmas!

Here’s a store closing that definitely wasn’t on the June list: Village Mall Sears in Auburb, Alabama.  “We’re expected to exit the building by the end of December. The lease is not being renewed at that store.”-Kimberly Freely, Sears Holdings

This is the second Sears Holdings store closing in Auburn.  The local Kmart was shut down back in April.  Sears had been in operation in Auburn since 1951!

At the end of 2011, Sears Holdings said they would close up to 120 U.S. stores in 2012 alone.  They even established a store closing list, which recently disappeared from their website (I checked again this morning, 02 October 2012)!

So far, since the end of 2011, Sears Holdings publicly announced at least 102 closings (on their now missing store closing list) and also announced the possible sale of 11 stores to major mall owner General Growth Properties (GGP).

What the mainstream media doesn’t tell you is that Sears Holdings has been aggressively closing down stores since 2010.  At least 174 stores closed with the result of 13,920 people losing their jobs!

Sears Holdings continues quietly closing Kmarts as well.  Recently the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry was notified that a Kmart store will be closed at the Pittsburgh Parkway Center Mall.  54 employees out of work by 06 January 2013!

In Florida, local media surprised that yet another Kmart is closing, despite the fact that it’s probably part of the June announcement.

A Jacksonville Business Journal article talks about the two Florida Kmarts mentioned in the December 2011 announcements, and seems ignorant of the 2012 announcements: “In December 2011, Sears Holdings released a list of 79 stores it was closing. But the company planned to close between 100 and 120 in total. On that list, two local stores were closed…”-Jacksonville Business Journal, 17 September 2012

I guess they weren’t paying attention to my postings in Blind Bat News!!!

Another Florida media source, Jacksonville Daily Record, does not mention the June closing list, but did say the Jacksonville (on Beach Boulevard) Sears is not mentioned on the Sears Holdings website (as I stated above, the closing lists have disappeared).

Don’t expect things to get any better, recently Sears was ranked 5th out of 12 companies with the Least Valuable Employees.  And don’t forget the Mitt Romney/Bain Capital/Carlyle group connection!

Just to help out those mainstream local media sources, and to give you an idea of the impact this is having across the United States, here’s a list of known store closings/closed stores for 2012.

Alabama: Gadsden Kmart, Mobile Sears Grand/Essentials, Auburn Kmart.

California:   El Monte Sears Grand/Essentials, two San Diego Sears Grand/Essentials.

Colorado:  Broomfield Kmart, Glenwood Springs Kmart, Lone Tree Sears Great Indoors, Longmont Sears.

Georgia: Macon Sears, Buford Kmart, Douglasville Kmart, Atlanta Kmart, Columbus Kmart, Jonesboro Kmart.

Florida: Fernandina Beach Kmart, Callaway Kmart, Orange City Kmart,  Deland Sears Grand/Essentials, Stuart Sears Grand/Essentials, West Palm Beach Sears Grand/Essentials, Port St. Lucie Sears Grand/Essentials, Crystal River Sears, New Smyrna Beach Kmart, St. Augustine Kmart, Pompano Beach Kmart, and recently revealed Jacksonville Kmart.

Idaho: Lewiston Sears.

sears chubbuck

Floundering Sears at the GGP owned Pine Ridge Mall in Chubbuck, Idaho.

Kmart Pocatello

Floundering Big Kmart in Pocatello, Idaho. Are they next to go in Idaho?

Indiana:  Anderson Sears Full Line, Saint John Kmart, Indianapolis Kmart.

Iowa:  Cedar Rapids Kmart, Davenport Kmart.

Kansas: Lawrence Sears Full Line.

Kentucky: Middlesboro Sears Hard lines, Winchester Kmart, Hazard Kmart.

Maine: Lewiston Sears.

Maryland: Ellicott Sears Grand/Essentials.

Michigan: Brighton Sears Grand/Essentials,  Harper Woods Sears Full line, Monroe Sears Full line, Adrian Sears Full line, Washington Township Kmart, Chesterfield Kmart.

Minnesota: Willmar Kmart, Duluth Kmart, New Hope Kmart, White Bear Lake Kmart.

Mississippi: Jackson Sears Full line, McComb Sears Full line, Columbus Sears Full line.

Missouri: Lee’s Summit Sears Grand/Essentials, Saint Louis Sears Full line.

New Hampshire: Nashau Sears Grand/Essentials, Keene Sears Grand/Essentials.

North Carolina: High Point Sears Full line, Moorehead Sears Full line, Rocky Mount Sears Full line, Statesville Sears Full line.

Ohio: Chagrin Falls Kmart, Springfield Kmart, two Toledo Kmarts, Medina Kmart, Columbus Kmart.

Oregon: Roseburg Sears Full line.

Pennsylvania: Upper Darby Sears Full line, Pottstown Sears Full line, and recently revealed Pittsburgh Kmart.

South Carolina: Sumter Sears Full line.

Tennessee: Antioch Sears Full line, Cleveland Sears Full line, Oak Ridge Sears Full line, Hendersonville Kmart, and recently revealed Morristown Sears Full line.

Virginia: Norfolk Sears Full line,  Midlothian Kmart, Richmond Kmart.

Washington: Walla Walla Sears Full line, Lacey Kmart.

Wisconsin: West Baraboo Sears Grand/Essentials, Rice Lake Kmart.

Don’t forget, this is the 2012 known list of closings, there were closings in 2011 and 2010 as well, and they’ll be more for 2013.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Mitt Romney’s Staples to close 75 stores! Downsize 30 more!

26 September 2012, Staples, considered an example of success for vulture capitalist Bain Capital (Mitt Romney sat on Staples’ board of directors for more than a decade), is in big trouble.

On 25 September, officials with Staples announced they will close down 75 stores worldwide (at least 30 in the United States with 15 of those being accelerated closings, 45 stores and delivery businesses in Europe).  Staples will also downsize/relocate another 30 stores in the U.S.

Will the Pocatello, Idaho, Staples make the new closings hit list?

Common sense tells you that means more job losses, even though company officials are claiming that won’t happen.

Sales at Staples are crashing, especially for computers.  Company officials say they are shifting to more internet based business.

For the quarter ended July 2012 Staples reported an overall 6% decrease in sales, compared to the same time in 2011: “Our second quarter results fell short of our expectations due to softer than expected sales trends in North America and ongoing weakness in Europe and Australia.”-Ron Sargent, CEO

In North America sales decreased 3%, but around the world Staples saw a 10% decrease!

Staples has also revised its future sales outlook downward, and is expecting hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars in costs just to close down all those stores!

Mitt Romney, and others with Bain Capital, once called Staples their prime example of success.  Here’s just a sampling of other companies that Bain Capital is involved with: AMC Entertainment, Aspen Education Group, Brookstone, Burger King, Burlington Coat Factory, Clear Channel Communications, Domino’s Pizza, DoubleClick, Dunkin’ Donuts, D&M Holdings, Guitar Center, Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), Sealy, The Sports Authority, Toys “R” Us, Warner Music Group and The Weather Channel.

Once you start investigating all the companies that Bain Capital is involved with, or affiliated with, it becomes clear that it is unAmerican Corporate America’s vulture (venture) capitalist investment companies that are killing our economy.

And Mitt Romney says as President of the United States he’ll do for the country what he did for Corporate America!

Business/Economics, Opinion, U.S.

Religious & Corporate Hypocrisy: Mormons, like Mitt Romney, say they hate government bailouts, but Mormon owned bank has yet to payback taxpayers for $1.4 billion TARP bailout!!!

“You cannot serve both God and Money.”– Jesus of Nazareth

“Let Detroit Go Bankrupt”-Mitt Romney opinion piece blasting the auto industry bailout by the federal government, 18 November 2008

You might have heard how, only this year, Mitt Romney took credit for the government bailout of the auto industry, seemingly forgetting about his New York Times editorial from 2008, blasting the bailout.  I wonder what he thinks about a Mormon owned bank, Zions Bank, firstly taking a $1.4 billion USD government loan, and, secondly being the only bank that got more than one billion taxpayer dollars that has failed to pay back the taxpayers?

Zions Bank branch in Pocatello, Idaho.

“…..people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.”-1 Timothy 6:5, New International Version of the Bible

Mormon (aka Latter Day Saints [LDS], but their holy book is called Book of Mormon, not Book of Latter Day Saints) Brigham Young started Zion’s Savings Bank and Trust Company in 1873.  It was owned directly by the LDS church until 1960, when a group of Mormon investors (Keystone Insurance and Investment) bought controlling interest in the bank.  The bank became a full fledged corporation and the name was changed to Zions Bancorporation.

“For the love of money is a root of all evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith….”-1 Timothy 6:10-12, Bible

Since then the Mormon run bank has been taking over other banks (gee kinda similar to what Mitt Romney did with Bain Capital).  It’s still run by family members of the original Mormon investors that took over in 1960.

Principal Subsidiaries: California Bank & Trust; The Commerce Bank of Washington; National Bank of Arizona; Nevada State Bank; Vectra Bank Colorado; Zions First National Bank.

“Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.”-Ecclesiastes 5:10, New International Version of the Bible

In 2008 (in fact it was the same month that Mitt Romney wrote his New York Times editorial) Zions Bankcorp was one of the first in line to apply for, and get, a $1.4 billion TARP (aka Too Big to Fail bank bailout) loan from the federal government, in direct contradiction to what many Mormons think about ‘hand outs’ from the government.  The latest reports say Zions Bankcorp has paid back only half of the taxpayers’ money, and that it is one of only three banks which still owe taxpayers more than half a billion dollars!

But wait, there’s more!

In classic Mitt Romney/Bain Capital tactics (or is it now clear that it’s really Mormon tactics), the banks have been paying back their government loans with more government loans! (Mitt Romney at Bain Capital did not use his own money, but used money from investors and loans to buy up, cut up and sell off U.S. companies that were seen as competitors to his pet corporations, like Staples vs American Pen & Paper, Toys r Us vs KB Toys, and now Kmart vs Sears)

An October 2011 Wall Street Journal report showed that banks were using money meant for small business loans to pay back TARP.  This is one reason why banks cut back on issuing those small business loans to small businesses!

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported that banks were also using money from different versions of TARP, to pay back their original Capital Purchase Program (CPP) version of TARP.

Under the CCP the U.S. Department of Treasury bought huge numbers of stocks in the Too Big to Fail banks.  Banks pay back the Treasury when they buy back their stocks, at a much higher price of course.  So far the Treasury (and technically the taxpayers) has been making huge profits off the bank buy backs.  Except for Zions.  The Treasury Department is getting antsy about those banks that have not bought their stocks back.

The GAO also suggested that the banks that have yet to pay off their loans, like Zions, are on the verge of going down the toilet.  The GAO suggested that these banks were on a ‘secret troubled banks list’ used by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the FDIC has denied they keep such a list).

Mitt Romney, and the Mormon owners of Zions Bank are perfect examples of “Do as I say, not as I do.”  Do we really want that kind of person as President of the United States?  Oh wait, it’s too late, we’ve had dozens (and they all claimed to be christians)!

“It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”– Jesus of Nazareth

 

 

U.S.

Obamacare, Romneycare: More proof the Republicans and Democrats are just two sides of the same coin!

From Robert I. Field, PhD, JD, MPH www.philly.com:

Mitt Romney says his Massachusetts health reform plan is much better than Obama’s. He claims it’s different in important ways.

If there are big differences, it’s difficult to find them.

In an interview last week with a Denver TV station, Romney cited the key features that differentiate his reform approach from Obama’s.

He declared, “My healthcare plan I put in place in my state has everyone insured, but we didn’t go out and raise taxes on people and have a unelected board tell people what kind of healthcare they can have.”

Let’s do some quick fact checking.

Does Romneycare have everyone insured? Close, but not fully there. The plan cut the state’s rate of uninsurance by almost half. As of 2010, the rate was just over 6% for the nonelderly population, the lowest of any state. That’s a huge accomplishment, but there is still a ways to go before everyone has coverage.

Did Romneycare raise taxes? No, but the state didn’t need to. It covered the cost of reform with larger payments that it negotiated from the federal government for its Medicaid program. [In other words, Massachusetts’ Romneycare is actually a huge burden on all taxpayers throughout the United States!]

Does Romneycare have an unelected board that tells people what kinds of healthcare they can have? It does. The Massachusetts Connector Authority serves as the state’s insurance exchange. It sets standards for the types of plans that may be sold, thereby determining the kind of access residents will have to healthcare services.

Is Obamacare any different? Not really.

 It will extend coverage to 30 million more people, which will reduce the country’s rate of uninsurance by about half to roughly 8 percent. Not too different from Romneycare.

 It does raise taxes in a number of ways, including new levies on tanning salons, medical devices, and high-end insurance policies. But, unlike Massachusetts, it doesn’t have a higher level of government to turn to for help, so it needs a new source of revenue to cover the cost.

 It does let unelected officials determine what kind of insurance people can receive by setting standards for coverage under the state exchanges that will sell it. Just like Romneycare.

 Romney’s comment about an unelected board was probably also a reference to a new board that Obamacare created called the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB). It recommends cost-cutting measures under Medicare. Romney, along with several fellow Republicans, has complained about the scope of its power. But Romneycare is a state-based program while Medicare is purely federal. It couldn’t have included an IPAB or any other measure concerning Medicare, even if Romney had wanted it to.

 After all is said and done, these aspects of the plans are relatively minor, anyway. In their underlying structure, Obamacare and Romneycare are almost identical.

 Both expand coverage in the same three ways. They reform the market for individual insurance by creating exchanges to sell it, subsidizing those with low incomes, and mandating that everyone maintain coverage in some form. They expand Medicaid to cover more people. And they penalize employers who don’t offer coverage to their workers.

 Romney and his fellow Republicans should be proud that Obama copied their health reform approach. Instead of drawing false distinctions between the two plans, they should boast of leading on health reform and leaving Obama and Democrats to follow.

 Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Let’s not forget that Romneycare also penalizes those who can’t afford insurance, just like Obamacare does. Romneycare has also destroyed mom & pop businesses.

Watch the Need to Know report, The Massachusetts mandate, here.

Watch the PBS Newshour report, Four Years After Health Reform, an Update on Care in Massachusetts, here.

There are other similar reports, but for some reason the videos don’t work, or you get a 404 error message.

 

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Report shows Romney’s Bain Capital was typical crony capitalism from the very start. Included investors accussed of murdering their fellow countrymen!

“Over the years, these Latin American friends have loyally rolled over investments in succeeding funds, actively participated in Bain Capital’s May investor meetings, and are still today one of the largest investor groups in Bain Capital.”-Harry Strachan, former Bain Capital partner

According to the latest reports, at least 40% of Bain Capital’s initial funding came from investors who were accused by the U.S. government of murdering their own people!  Mitt Romney personally appealed to those investors, who were living in Florida.

Also, many of Bain’s initial investors were corporations registered in Panama. By being registered in Panama they avoided paying taxes, and they were able to hide information, such as the details about how they were making their money.  These corporations are sometimes called “shell companies”, because they really don’t produce a product or service, they’re simply used to hide money from governments.

Regarding the investments from death squad overlords, the U.S. government accused many of the Florida investors of being directly related to El Salvadoran officials, and/or directly funding the brutal civil war and mass killings that took place in the Central American country from 1980 to 1992.

Harry Strachan, a one time partner in Bain Capital, stated that Romney, and others, knew where the money was coming from, and were initially “…terrified of bringing in Central Americans. They were afraid of drug money.” Strachan admits that he convinced Romney to take the money.

The names of at least three investors, accused of funding death squads, have been released by the U.S. Department of State.  Romney has even named several investors, but claims he investigated them for such crimes against humanity. Another investor, Orlando de Sola, is now in an El Salvador prison, convicted of fraud.  Interestingly, he says he did not make any money off his family’s investments into Bain Capital!

Romney is still getting money from many of these same elitist Central American families. In fact they are major supporters in his campaign for President of the United States!

The latest reports connecting Romney to death squads and warlords in Central America, can be found in the Los Angeles Times, Huffington Post, Boston Globe, Associated Press and others.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Media Misleading: Some news sources continue to say Romney is king of “small dollar” donations! How is $50,000 per person “small dollar”? Fundraiser held by convicted U.S. war criminal! Oh, and Israelis can’t wait to pay it on July 29!

I’ve noticed some news media sources seem to be marveling at how much money vulture capitalist Mitt Romney has been raising.  They even mislead people by claiming his campaign donations are “small dollar”!

Maybe small dollar if you’re one of the elites!  Try $50,000 per plate dinner fundraisers, that’s at least $10,000 more than what Obama is asking!

The most recent fundraiser was on July 12, in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.  It was hosted by recently convicted (in absentia, in May of this year!) war criminal Dick Cheney: “At the end of the week-long hearing, the five-panel tribunal unanimously delivered guilty verdicts against Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and their key legal advisors who were all convicted as war criminals for torture and cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment.  Full transcripts of the charges, witness statements and other relevant material will now be sent to the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, as well as the United Nations and the Security Council.”-Foreign Policy Journal

The Jackson Hole war criminal fundraiser started out with $2,500 per person minimum donation and worked its way up to $100,000 for couples who would get to eat right along side Romney and Cheney, and, become a Founding Member of Romney Victory.

Another $50,000 per plate fundraiser for Romney is coming up on July 29, but not in the United States. It will take place in Israel.

But July 29 is a day of fasting for many Israelis, Tisha B’Av, to remember the victims of World War 2.  Does that stop Romney? Nope, his people said they’ll work around it: “Don’t worry, they’re not going to not have a fundraiser. They’ll find a way around it maybe by having a breaking of the fast meal combined with a Romney fundraiser.”-Jonny Daniels, Republican political strategist based in Israel (isn’t that interesting, the U.S. Republican party has strategists based in Israel)

 

 

 

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: Education suffers under U.S. occupation. More U.S./NATO troops killed. British confirm police attack their troops. Feinstein wants U.S. to stay, wants war with Pakistan!

“It was sheer terror. They’d strap gasoline cans to IEDs. Our soldiers burned alive. You’d hear them screaming, and you couldn’t do anything.”-Mack McDowell, retired U.S. Army Master Sergeant

May 13, 2012, ISAF reports two U.S./NATO troops killed in eastern Afghanistan by an explosion.

Also today, officials from the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed that two of their personnel were killed by Afghan cops.  A soldier from the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, and an airman from the Royal Air Force, were shot dead in Helmand province on May 12, 2012.

One of the cops was killed, the other is missing.

In Kabul Province a member of the Afghan Peace Council was assassinated.  This makes the second member of the Peace Council to be assassinated. Last year the head of the Council was killed.

On May 13, Kalifornia warmonger Dianne Feinstein gave an interview which was basically her rationalization for why the U.S. needs to stay:  “Militarily, I think the Taliban are not going to beat us…….have a safe harbor in Pakistan and the Pakistanis are doing nothing to abate that safe haven……the Taliban has done is insinuate itself in a shadowy presence, with shadow governors. They controlled over a third of the land which people live. They expanded into the north, into the northeast. And while we were there in one province, they closed 14 schools in 17 districts and then they killed five education officials and wounded others.”

Feinstein, a Democrat and current chairwoman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, has been in political power since the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, yet she hasn’t learned a goddamn thing from that history lesson!

Speaking of education, on May 9 the Ministry of Education reported more than 500 schools had been closed. Well that was for this year alone!

May 13, 2012, Afghan education officials now reveal that in 2011 at least 650 were closed due to the ongoing violence.  At least 300,000 school aged kids were unable to go to school in 2011!

Out of the approximate 650 schools that were closed in 2011, only 30 were re-opened.

Another U.S. political nincompoop, Republican Mitt Romney, recent said “We should not negotiate with the Taliban. We should defeat the Taliban.”

Where has he been? That was one of the primary goals of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in 2001!  Ten years later not only have the backward “Taliban” (who make up the majority of the Mujahideen) not been defeated, they’re gaining momentum!  Just like what happened to the Soviets in the 1980s.

According to the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll, the majority of U.S. Afghan war veterans support President Barack Obama, but only because they think he’s the best hope for getting out of the tar baby called Afghanistan.

24 hour, ISAF Joint Command Morning operational update for May 13, 2012: “Leader” captured in Logar province. There was an attempt to capture a second “leader”, but they got one “suspected” Mujahideen instead.

“Facilitator” captured in Kandahar Province.

Attempt to capture “leader” in Khost Province. Several Mujahideen captured.

Afghan government officials are reporting, separately from the ISAF report, that they have killed 18 Mujahideen, wounded 11 and captured 4.

Their military operations took place in Kapisa, Takhar, Kandahar, Uruzgan, Logar, Ghazni, Khost and Paktika provinces.  Afghan Interior Ministry also added that occupying forces took part in the Afghan “led” operations.