Yes, Mr. President, Romney did explain his tax plan

Jennifer, my guest blogger, watched the debates and is frustrated that Obama and liberal talking heads pretend to not hear a tax plan.

I don't know why anyone thinks Romney didn't explain his tax plan! But for those who missed his explanation, here are some of the key points he shared in the Wednesday night debate:

1. End many of the subsidies to the "too big to fail" companies that the current administration has propped up like the 5 largest banks (and letting the small banks who are too small to matter fail).

2. Stop the loopholes and special deals for big corporations which help them not pay taxes. GE is one example. If we close the loopholes, the big corporations will pay more even if the tax rate is lowered. He mentioned this with the gas and oil industries who get subsidies now. He mentioned cutting out subsidies to PBS.

3. End Obamacare which is costing a fortune. It has robbed such a huge amount from Medicare that doctors and nursing homes are turning away new Medicare patients because Obamacare has made the pay out so low the doctors and nursing homes can't afford to accept them. (Romney also explained how Obamacare is different that the Massachusetts health care plan.)

4. He cleared up the untruthful claims Obama has been making about adding 5 trillion to the deficit. That was never his plan.

5. He said he WOULD NOT raise taxes on anyone and in fact, the big corporations would end up paying more when the loopholes and subsidies are removed. By keeping the rates lower for all, it will allow small businesses to hire more and this will make more people who are paying taxes, which will also increase the revenue coming in

6. Repeal Dodd Frank which says banks will be penalized for making risky loans, but doesn't define what is risky so banks aren't lending for fear of being fined.

How did the media spin Obama’s loss?

“They -- as well as Democratic operatives -- are pushing the spin that this was all about style and presentation. Obama was "flat," "lackluster," "not himself," and “not firing on all cylinders.” In other words, Obama wasn't Obama last night. Some are going further, pushing the narrative that Romney was somehow mean-spirited and even deceptive in his presentation.

This analysis denies reality. Obama lost on style, to be sure. More importantly, much more importantly, he lost on content. Romney crushed him. For the first time in his political career Obama a) had to defend his record and b) had no one running interference on his behalf. Romney as challenger had a seemingly endless list of particulars to choose from and did so in a devastating manner. That, that was the damage done to Obama.
The media's refusal to focus on this all-important element is the ultimate spin control, perhaps a form of spin control heretofore unknown: spin by omission. Like so many news reports they've refused to run this year if they hurt the re-elect Obama narrative, now they're refusing to discuss the real takeaway from last night's debate because it is devastating to the incumbent.”

Brent Bozell, Newsbusters

Hope it’s covered by Obamacare

I showed this to my husband and he said, “People have too much time on their hands.”

I don't know who PeopleBrowsr is, but it analyzes tweets/twitter (I’m not on Twitter).
"Number of tweets overall. During the 90-minute debate, there were 10.4 million tweets mentioning Mitt Romney, Barack Obama or the debate.
Tweets specifically mentioning Obama and "win or winner." Total: 29,677.
Tweets specifically mentioning Romney and "win or winner." Total: 47,141.
The peak of overall activity. Twitter activity was highest between 9:48 and 9:58 pm EDT, peaking at 9:53, during a discussion about health insurance and regulation. The second largest peak was at 9:28 pm EDT, just after Romney suggested cutting funding to PBS despite the fact that he loves Big Bird.

The Benghazi investigation

will be buried until after the election.  The FBI was there for three hours, and now the documents will probably be unavailable until after the election, if they even appear then.  I turned in a cell phone with drug information on it and I think the local police spent more than 3 hours on it.

FBI agents made a brief visit to Benghazi this week to examine the scene of the consulate terror attack that killed four Americans -- after being delayed for weeks because of security concerns. . .

"The FBI continues to coordinate with the U.S. Departments of State, Justice, and Defense, as well as the Libyan government, and other agencies in furtherance of the investigation into the deaths of Ambassador Stevens, Glen Doherty, Sean Smith, and Tyrone Woods," the FBI said in a statement. "As this is an ongoing investigation, we have no further information to provide."

A Libyan official told AFP that the team worked for three hours collecting evidence.

As the FBI investigates, an independent panel has been established by the State Department to review what went wrong. That review, though, could take months and U.S. lawmakers were starting to express frustration after their requests for more information were rebuffed as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged lawmakers to wait for the conclusion of an internal review.

Read more here:

God is good

My next door neighbor holding her new twin granddaughters. This summer they had a diaper shower, so grandparents wouldn’t be caught short.

When voting to increase your property taxes. . .

[Politifact.com] “We first checked with the Romney campaign, which said the figure came from the College Board, which produces an annual study of college costs. The College Board found that for the school-year 2008-2009, the average published tuition and fees for in-state students at public four-year colleges and universities was $6,585. By the 2011-2012 school year, it stood at $8,244. That’s an increase of slightly over 25 percent. So the claim has a grain of statistical truth.  “

Then Politifact goes on to do a different statistic—all costs—and claims since that cost is around 20%, the add is mostly false!  Also it was working with a Spanish language ad and didn’t like the translation.

Why put this in a campaign? It's about state supported colleges. Well, states are struggling to support our state institutions because they have all those mandates from the feds--and Obamacare will only increase that as more get bumped from employer insurance to Medicaid. That said, when I stroll across the campus at OSU, I can't believe the plush, lush, extravagant buildings and perks students of the 21st century have. College tuition and fees today are 559% of their cost in 1985. Makes medical costs look like a bargain.

Where are the yard signs against issue 51?

A friend’s daughter is trying to do a photo essay on our local school levy, but can’t find a yard sign to photograph.  I don't support issue 51 , but I see no yard signs either. The Vote for Issue 51 signs are standing next to both Romney and Obama signs.

In a suburb next door to OSU, not voting for a school or library issue is tough going. Issue 51 is a 5.8-mill operating levy for Upper Arlington City Schools on the Nov. 6 ballot. If approved by voters, the levy would cost homeowners an additional $178 in annual taxes per $100,000 in property value and generate about $9.2 million per year for the school district. We have an exceptionally good school system, but 86% of the money goes for wages and benefits.  Ohio is not a Right to Work state, so these teachers are protected by both the union and the STRS.  Their retirement package will be 3-4 times what someone on Social Security will get, with far fewer years of service. 

UA schools are especially fine for those going to college (others are the children left behind--my friends suggest moving to Worthington if you have special needs children), but it's pricey and gets the same results as other districts that spend far less. UA cost per student is $15,172; at Olentangy district schools it is $9,465. Hard to find a website or an article, but here's one:

http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/upperarlington/news/2012/10/03/anti-levy-campaign-educate-ua-seeking-lasting-district-reforms.html

The debates—Obama is being swamped

Watching the debate—Obama is being Obama

David Gelernter on the debate: "Remember that Obama is Richard Nixon in a JFK suit. He can do a fair imitation of charm for the right audience, for a short time. But he is dour, sour, full of himself, and mean. He is a patronizing man who cares (and always has) about winning elections—not governing; not the United States. Romney just has to let Obama be Obama."

Lehrer appears to be cueing Obama and clarifying questions for him. This is like watching a massacre—Obama is a stumblebum without his teleprompter, he’s punch drunk, using scatter shot whereas Romney is taking aim and hitting the target.

But we all know how the MSM pundits will see it:  Obama has won!

Fat Man Demands Bank Loan.

At Roland Lane’s FB page—I’m assuming he’s the author.

So I entered my friendly neighborhood bank with whom I have no relationship and asked to take out a loan.
"Do you have an account here?" asked the friendly banker.
"No," I replied.
"Would you like to open an account?"
"Yes"
"Do you have some ID?"
"Well," said I, "Nothing with a picture on it."
"You will need a picture ID."
"Not so fast, sir," I replied. "I do not think that I need a picture ID. You see, I am somewhat large, perhaps some would say fat, and I am sure that fatness is a civil liberty. I am sure that being fat is on the PC lists. It is a civil right."
My friendly banker was now less friendly. "Sir," said  he, "Childhood obesity is in the news every minute. Childhood obesity is no longer on the PC list. It is no longer OK to be a kid and fat. It is no longer a civil right for kids because Michelle Obama picked that up as the Presidential wife thing. All President's wives have a thing, dating back to Betty Ford and alcoholism. Once she made alcohol rehab fashionable by going to a clinic it was OK to be an alcoholic and it became PC, more or less a civil right. Unfortunately, Michelle Obama's actions have taken childhood obesity off the PC list.
"But," I protested, "I am not a child, Michelle has not addressed old fat people therefore we are still on the PC List and for me, a fat old person, it is still a civil right. I believe your demand for a picture ID to get a bank loan is a direct attack on fatness, adult obesity if you please. Back off or else."
Pausing a moment, the friendly bank person glowered at me but asked: "What ID do you have?"
"I have a copy of my electric bill with my name on it and I would like a loan of ten thousand dollars."
Now the most unfriendly banker asked, "How do I know you did not cut and paste and photo shop the electric bill?
Well I replied, "I regret to inform you that you can ask that question but I do not have to answer. Where do I sign for the loan?"

Blog is now nine years old

Yesterday was my 9th blogiversary--I've been blogging since Oct. 2, 2003. Then I back dated to Oct. 1, to add some links, and just because librarians like to be tidy. My first blog was to explain why I was blogging. In the "old days" there was no Facebook or Twitter, or any other new fangled social media.

http://collectingmythoughts.blogspot.com/2003/10/1-most-of-my-writing-has-been-sent-via.html

Oops! Somebody stole a T

Not four more years of tax and spend!

When the rich take legal deductions it’s called loopholes

Liberal media are the enemy of the American people

Mitt Romney is not running against Barack Hussein Obama.

Governor Romney is running against a liberal media complex — Orwell’s “Ministry of Truth” — and Barack Hussein Obama.

Robert J. Avrech, observant Jew, a religious Zionist, a conservative Republican, and a member of the NRA.

Buried alive for 4 years—Joe Biden

Available at a Romney Ryan site.

He’s not stupid, but if you vote for him again. . .

Would Barack Obama ever work the garbage truck?

From Mitt’s account (not the one in the opposition’s ad):

"During my campaign for governor, I decided to spend a day every few weeks doing the jobs of other people in Massachusetts. Among other jobs, I cooked sausages at Fenway Park, worked on asphalt paving crew, stacked bales of hay on a farm, volunteered in an emergency room, served food at a nursing home, and worked as a child-care assistant. I’m often asked which was the hardest job – it’s child care, by a mile.

One day I gathered trash as a garbage collector. I stood on that little platform at the back of the truck, holding on as the driver navigated his way through the narrow streets of Boston. As we pulled up to traffic lights, I noticed that the shoppers and businesspeople who were standing only a few feet from me didn’t even see me. It was as if I was invisible. Perhaps it was because a lot of us don’t think garbage men are worthy of notice; I disagree – anyone who works that hard deserves our respect. – I wasn’t a particularly good garbage collector: at one point, after filling the trough at the back of the truck, I pulled the wrong hydraulic lever. Instead of pushing the load into the truck, I dumped it onto the street. Maybe the suits didn’t notice me, but the guys at the construction site sure did: “Nice job, Mitt,” they called. “Why don’t you find an easier job?” And then they good-naturedly came down and helped me pick up my mess." No Apology, p. 251

Women who have no choice

I'm on the PDHC prayer list. I pray for women who have come to them for ultrasounds or pregnancy concerns. This week was typical--here's three:

* college student; had ultrasound done; boyfriend wants abortion
* single woman, mother of one; is 6 weeks; wants to parent but her mother wants her to have an abortion
* woman 7 weeks; has two daughters; in abusive relationship; has no support

If you are "pro-choice," keep in mind that 65% of the girls/women who have abortions have no choice--someone else is making it for them. Parents, husband, boy friend.

My friend Kelly says, “I had a friend in that exact situation in college. At the last minute she used her choice, and allowed friends to help her raise a beautiful baby in college. (It was even fun for all of us). She went on to do a Ph.D. and now has a wonderful 32-year old son.”

Don’t confuse a Democrat with facts

He promised us one term if he couldn’t turn it around.