The other side of Romney’s success at Bain

Mitt Romney has made his success in the business world a central theme of his presidential campaign, suggesting that it demonstrates a level of economic understanding that President Obama cannot match.

But as the Washington Post documents, Romney and his company, Bain Capital, achieved that success in part by taking jobs once held by American workers and moving them overseas to places such as China and India, where those jobs could be performed more cheaply:

During the nearly 15 years that Romney was actively involved in running Bain, a private equity firm that he founded, it owned companies that were pioneers in the practice of shipping work from the United States to overseas call centers and factories making computer components, according to filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

While economists debate whether the massive outsourcing of American jobs over the last generation was inevitable, Romney in recent months has lamented the toll it’s taken on the U.S. economy. He has repeatedly pledged he would protect American employment by getting tough on China.

“They’ve been able to put American businesses out of business and kill American jobs,” he told workers at a Toledo fence factory in February. “If I’m president of the United States, that’s going to end.”….

The Post documents a series of cases in which Bain-related companies relocated customer-support, call-center and manufacturing operations overseas to cut costs and raise profits. In addition, Bain was deeply involved in the creation and expansion of Modus Media, which specialized in helping other companies relocate manufacturing facilities overseas:

“Modus Media grew rapidly. In December 1997, it announced it had contracted with Microsoft to produce software and training products at a center in Australia. Modus Media said it was already serving Microsoft from Asian locations in Singapore, South Korea, Japan and Taiwan and in Europe and the United States.

Two years later, Modus Media told the SEC it was performing outsource packaging and hardware assembly for IBM, Sun Microsystems, Hewlett-Packard Co. and Dell Computer Corp. The filing disclosed that Modus had operations on four continents, including Asian facilities in Singapore, Taiwan, China and South Korea, and European facilities in Ireland and France, and a center in Australia.

“Technology companies, in particular, have increasingly sought to outsource the business processes involved in their supply chains,” the filing said. “. . . We offer a range of services that provide our clients with a one-stop shop for their outsource requirements.”

According to a news release issued by Modus Media in 1997, its expansion of outsourcing services took place in close consultation with Bain. Terry Leahy, Modus’s chairman and chief executive, was quoted in the release as saying he would be “working closely with Bain on strategic expansion.” At the time, three Bain directors sat on the corporate board of Modus.”

For Mitt Romney the business person, such a record would be unremarkable. A lot of people have made a lot of money in the last 25 years by moving jobs offshore, and if Romney and Bain Capital were pioneers in the field, as the Post suggests, there was nothing unusual, illegal or even unethical in what they did. Speaking strictly in business terms, their job was to wring out inefficiencies and maximize shareholder profit in a global economy, not to protect the jobs of American workers, and as the Romney campaign likes to stress, they did their job very well and were well-rewarded for it.

For Romney the presidential candidate, however, the situation becomes more complicated. It’s one thing for Lee Raymond, then head of Exxon Mobil, to say that “I’m not a U.S. company and I don’t make decisions based on what’s good for the U.S.” In a business sense that may be understandable; in another sense it comes across as a grating reminder that the search for profit makes no allowance for national loyalty.

In Romney’s case, will an attitude that’s acceptable and perhaps even necessary in a modern business executive be equally acceptable in a person seeking to lead the country? For some Americans — especially those who have watched as their jobs were moved overseas — the details of how Romney achieved his remarkable financial success may turn out to matter a great deal.

– Jay Bookman

598 comments Add your comment

Lord Help Us

June 22nd, 2012
10:46 am

‘The thing is though even though beckel is a complete loon he makes more sense than Bookman and the minnows that follow him…’

He is, as you yourself say, a ‘token.’ A cheap foil that helps Fox further the image of a ‘liberal’ for their sheep.

You, of course, buy it…hook, line, sinker…

USMC

June 22nd, 2012
10:46 am

“USMC thanks for your service. ITS STILL ALL BUSHS FAULT.”–George Bush’s Fault

I am just going to chuckle and say “touche” because that was funny, G’DUB.
At least you have a sense of humor unlike most of the dishonest and miserable Leftwing Trolls on this blog. To you sir… Have a great Day! :-)

rightwing troll

June 22nd, 2012
10:46 am

“Romney Tailors ‘First 100 Days’ Ads to Swing States”

Looks like just surrounding himself with former Bushies isn’t sufficient, now he’s recycling Newt’s strategies…

Erwin's cat

June 22nd, 2012
10:47 am

“…China dumping cheap steel into our markets…”

using raw materials from China is a failure waiting to happen

Detroit

June 22nd, 2012
10:47 am

How could the U.S. ever be concerned about rebuilding Iraq when we have cities like Detroit that have and continue to suffer worst than New Orleans did with Hurrican Katrina! Shame on America!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=JhwGHZ8lFO8&feature=fvwp

josef

June 22nd, 2012
10:47 am

JM

“Froggie

Rubbish may be useful for a frog

Less so for everyday people”
*********

So, we may deduce that you are not everyday people? :-)

TaxPayer

June 22nd, 2012
10:48 am

WaterGate – Setting a standard of GOP “excellence” since 1972.

rightwing troll

June 22nd, 2012
10:48 am

“No wondder you lot are all bitter… ”

Another highly edumacated tea tard/wingnut spouts off…

Normal Free...Pro Human Rights Thug...And liking it!

June 22nd, 2012
10:48 am

kayaker 71

June 22nd, 2012
10:31 am

No crazier than the right wing saying President Obama’s lack of movement on gun control is a plot to remove the Second Amendment from the Constitution…

Stevie Ray

June 22nd, 2012
10:49 am

Butch, due to the high cost of union labor and what are otherwise given domestic entitlements, the middle class is priced out of the global market particularly in skilled and unskilled heavy industry labor…again, we can’t remotely compete in production costs of steel and haven’t been able to for years.

Your judgement of my interest in destroying whatever you deem the “middle class” is a stretch….our economy is become more serviced based and to get back these types jobs will require either isolationism by our government and/or better technology to reduce cost of goods. Either way, material problems for workers remain….

Butch Cassidy

June 22nd, 2012
10:49 am

sfd – “That’s really quite chilling, the notion that it would be “screwing taxpayers” if we are to pay a living wage to workers on a construction project.”

Exactly.

Steve Atl

June 22nd, 2012
10:50 am

Hey Jay,

If you were the hiring manager….who would you hire to clean up your distressed/debt ridden company/country?

A Community Organizer/Lawyer/Great Teleprompter Reader or an Experienced/Proven/Business Owner?

Joe Hussein Mama

June 22nd, 2012
10:50 am

S. Ray — “Understood but if you were a California taxpayer,forgetting the fact that they they are virtually bankrupt, and you had a $400M bid from overseas compared to say an $800M bid, would you still pay for overage?”

If CA is in such bad shape, then I don’t think they should be considering the expenditure at all.

“As an aside, it’s been years since US could produce steel anywhere near as competitively with China. Part is due to expensive union labor as well as China dumping cheap steel into our markets…Would you pay twice for a lesser quality US manufactured auto?”

Given what I’ve seen of Chinese cars (Geely and Chery being the two brands I’ve looked at closely), I don’t think they *make* any that are higher quality that US manufactured cars.

In my experience, Chinese products are often shoddy, unreliable and poorly made. And the Chinese products that *aren’t* shoddy tend to cost close to what I’d pay for a comparable Western-made product anyhow, so why not just buy American to start with?

barking frog

June 22nd, 2012
10:52 am

Jm
frogs do not have rubbish.
we buy it and sell it to the
chinese to make your iphone.

Doggone/GA

June 22nd, 2012
10:52 am

“No crazier than the right wing saying President Obama’s lack of movement on gun control is a plot to remove the Second Amendment from the Constitution”

And what is REALLY CRAZY is that they seen to have no idea that he couldn’t do that even if he wanted to. The Constitution is not painted on the side of a barn.

TaxPayer

June 22nd, 2012
10:52 am

using raw materials from China is a failure waiting to happen

Acceptance of a product that is not subject to customer specifications is a definite source of potential failures. One should always strive to provide the lowest cost product that fully meets or exceeds customer requirements.

USMC

June 22nd, 2012
10:53 am

MSNBC/Politico Reporter: Romney Only Comfortable Around ‘White Folks’
http://freebeacon.com/politico-reporter-romney-only-comfortable-around-white-folks/

Here it is folks, the tired old Socialist/DemocRat bag of “tricks” of Racist politics…
When you can’t win on your RECORD or IDEAS, pull out the “Bain Capital” nonsense and/or the trusty ole Identity/Racial politics CARD.
I guess it really is getting hard to defend this President.
“I see WHITE people!” OMG! :-)

Steve Atl

June 22nd, 2012
10:54 am

GE CEO Jeffrey Immelt, The Head Of Obama’s Jobs Council, Is Moving Jobs And Economic Infrastructure To China At A Blistering Pace

Jeffrey Immelt, the head of Barack Obama’s highly touted “Jobs Council”, is moving even more GE infrastructure to China. GE makes more medical-imaging machines than anyone else in the world, and now GE has announced that it “is moving the headquarters of its 115-year-old X-ray business to Beijing“. Apparently, this is all part of a “plan to invest about $2 billion across China” over the next few years. But moving core pieces of its business overseas is nothing new for GE. Under Immelt, GE has shipped tens of thousands of good jobs out of the United States. Perhaps GE should change its slogan to “Imagination At Work (In China)”. If the very people that have been entrusted with solving the unemployment crisis are shipping jobs out of the country, what hope is there that things are going to turn around any time soon?

Mark in mid-town

June 22nd, 2012
10:54 am

Jay, as usual, you are nothing more than a shameless hack. No self-respecting journalist would stoop to the degrees you do to be a hack. But journalism is dead because it contains so few willing to actually engage in journalism. As I’ve pointed out in the past, the obvious reason you do this is you feel it’s what you have to do to stay employed in the corrupt msm. It’s a shame because you actually do have some talent, unlike many if not most of the other shameless hacks in the msm.

Steve Atl

June 22nd, 2012
10:55 am

How ’bout them apples….Mr Bookman?

stands for decibels

June 22nd, 2012
10:57 am

The Constitution is not painted on the side of a barn.

heh. I got that.

Still guarding Napoleon, Dog? ;)

TaxPayer

June 22nd, 2012
10:58 am

Perhaps a con or two or however many of them it takes can get their collective together and tell us all about how those Bush tax cuts reduced the debt and how much more the debt will be reduced using the Ryan budget proposal that Romney is supporting. A link to some analysis showing that said debt reductions do not require a 2.8% unemployment rate before the savings can kick in would be a good starting point for discussion.

Joe Hussein Mama

June 22nd, 2012
10:58 am

Steve — “GE has announced that it “is moving the headquarters of its 115-year-old X-ray business to Beijing“. Apparently, this is all part of a “plan to invest about $2 billion across China” over the next few years.”

As I said, strip ‘em of part of their tax breaks. If that division is moving completely to China, then remove 100% of their tax breaks.

Provide US jobs, get US tax breaks. Move jobs overseas, leave tax breaks behind when you turn out the lights.

USMC

June 22nd, 2012
10:59 am

“How ’bout them apples….Mr Bookman?”–Steve

Silly Steve, you missed the memo…

“The Obama Administration is NOW pivoting to JOBS, JOBS, JOBS!”

I heard it on MSNBC, no special editing or anything, it must be true! :-)

Pass the Cheesy Grits Please

June 22nd, 2012
11:00 am

As I’ve pointed out in the past, the obvious reason you do this is you feel it’s what you have to do to stay employed in the corrupt msm.

Isn’t the mainstream media Fox News ? I mean as we are told constantly they have the most viewers.

And isn’t talk radio dominated by conservatives.

The main stream media is very very conservative.

Jm-pass TSPLOST silly people

June 22nd, 2012
11:00 am

Josef- dude, I have little use for jay’s rubbish or any other rubbish. Me = everyday peoe. Though I do recycle.

Frog- yes, china does our recycling for us

Mama Says

June 22nd, 2012
11:00 am

Anyone ever stop to think that Obama was never asked about his business experience.

Wonder why ?

what is that saying ? better to have walked a mile in old shoes than never to walk at all

geo

June 22nd, 2012
11:01 am

Bain? Phooey. Obama’s doing a great job – just look at those labor and employment statistics!! I hope my check’s in the mailbox today!!

josef

June 22nd, 2012
11:01 am

Hey Jay,

STEVE”

If you were the hiring manager….who would you hire to clean up your distressed/debt ridden company/country?

A Community Organizer/Lawyer/Great Teleprompter Reader or an Experienced/Proven/Business Owner?”
*********

Since I live and work in a community based on law, I’ll opt for the former.

Doggone/GA

June 22nd, 2012
11:01 am

“A Community Organizer/Lawyer/Great Teleprompter Reader or an Experienced/Proven/Business Owner?”

Well, given the past performance of the business owner…*I* would go with the community organizer

Steve Atl

June 22nd, 2012
11:02 am

Jay…Are you going to execute “Blogger Privilege”?

Pass the Cheesy Grits Please

June 22nd, 2012
11:03 am

Perhaps a con or two or however many of them it takes can get their collective together and tell us all about how those Bush tax cuts reduced the debt.

Never gonna happen. Bush cut taxes while simultaneously starting two wars he had no idea how to end or pay for, Cutting taxes during wartime is not only incredibly stupid it was also unprecedented.

And people wonder why we are in the shape we are in.

Williebkind

June 22nd, 2012
11:03 am

“those of us who are clear-eyed and rational–are justified at looking at *anyone*, Republican or Democrat who is touting his years of experience in the global business world as a supreme qualifier for holding public office.”

Liberals are such liars especially when they say they are clear-eyed and rational. I know that is a lie he has never voted conservative and I know this without watching over his shoulder seeing him making the check mark.

Bruno

June 22nd, 2012
11:03 am

In Romney’s case, will an attitude that’s acceptable and perhaps even necessary in a modern business executive be equally acceptable in a person seeking to lead the country?

Jay–If Romney’s only experience in life was as a venture capitalist who shipped jobs overseas, you might have a point. In case you missed it, he also has had significant experience in the public sector, both as an Olympic executive and as Governor of Massachusetts. From all accounts I have seen, he handled those other responsibilities well, and left both the Olympics and Mass. in better shape than prior to his arrival, with no significant outsourcing of jobs to China in those other capacities.

As Grasshopper so succinctly pointed out in his 10:01 post, our choices are as follows:

“A business leader, governor, and Olympics president vs. law professor, community organizer (still trying to get a defintion of that one) and failed President.”

josef

June 22nd, 2012
11:03 am

JM

Just doing my EOI duties here, but you do seem to get a lot of mileage out of “Jay’s rubbish…”

Doggone/GA

June 22nd, 2012
11:03 am

“Still guarding Napoleon, Dog”

Sorry, that whooshed right past me!

Steve Atl

June 22nd, 2012
11:03 am

Jay is Googling like crazy right now to refute the Immelt story…hilarious.

getalife

June 22nd, 2012
11:04 am

We are recovering from the w collapse.

The mindless cycle of the gop destroying our country then the dems clean up their mess can stop by not voting gop.

It is that simple.

TaxPayer

June 22nd, 2012
11:04 am

How’s that Party of No doing on the job front since their last “jobs” campaign.

stands for decibels

June 22nd, 2012
11:06 am

Liberals are such liars especially when they say they are clear-eyed and rational.

Cite, please.

josef

June 22nd, 2012
11:06 am

STEVE

I doubt Jay’s paying much attention to what’s going on here…

TaxPayer

June 22nd, 2012
11:07 am

Are there any, ANY, Republicans in the house that can share with us some details on just how much the Ryan budget proposal that Romney supports will reduce the debt per year. ANY at all.

John Birch

June 22nd, 2012
11:07 am

With the Republican WH, House and Senate next year they can reduce Corporate tax to 0%, where it should be, and then foreign businesses will relocate to the US, and we’ll all live happily ever after. When will libs comprehend basic economics? Corporations they don’t pay taxes, they just pass those costs through to their customers. making their goods and services more expoensive then foreign competitors with lower taxes. By taxing US corps and adding Obamacare and expensive regulations you drive business offshore resulting in the Obamaconomy, which created 5 million jobs. Unfortunately 4.5 million of them are at Walmart and Taco Bell!

Butch Cassidy

June 22nd, 2012
11:07 am

Steve Atl – “Jay is Googling like crazy right now to refute the Immelt story…hilarious.”

Or, he’s off doing other things and ignoring you completly. But hey, whatever gets you through the day.

Georgia Unemployment

June 22nd, 2012
11:07 am

Question? In 2010 there were “several” states that reversed the course and voted in legislatures that were majority “Republican”. They ran on a platform that they were concerned about the economy and “JOBS” were their number one priority. It has been two years, a deadlock Congress and Georgia STILL has a very high unemployment rate! How can Georgia’s problems be President Obama’s responsibility? Sonny Perdue was elected and then Nathan Deal followed by a complete Republican administration.Georgia, where are the JOBS?????????????

stands for decibels

June 22nd, 2012
11:09 am

Sorry, that whooshed right past me!

Ah… in this book, they wrote the Seven Commandments on the side of a barn so that those few literate citizens could read them. Of course those rules were edited, and ultimately… well, I don’t want to spoil the ending.

Anyway, the Dear Leader of that outfit (Napoleon) raised dogs to guard him.

Butch Cassidy

June 22nd, 2012
11:09 am

John Birch – “and then foreign businesses will relocate to the US, and we’ll all live happily ever after.”

Apparently John wasn’t aware that Honda, Mercedes BMW, Kia, Toyota, VW, Porsche and many many more are already here.

getalife

June 22nd, 2012
11:10 am

The jobs are gone.

They outsourced them for cheap labor.

The cons bowed down.

Jm-pass TSPLOST silly people

June 22nd, 2012
11:11 am

Josef – only as a foil, generally speaking

Ken

June 22nd, 2012
11:11 am

Again, totally hillarious that we still fight over which side is the best- they are all sycophants for the wealthy campaign contributors…at least Romney might, just might outsource some government jobs and fire those who have been sucking on the taxpayer dole for years. But on a serious note- R’s outsourcing, other businesses’ outsourcing and arbitraging, folding companies purchased into other companies and eliminating duplication, raiding pensions, etc is part of the reason we are in this mess. No one is focusing on the loss of the middle class and won’t until we stir up that hornet’s nest. Soomeone who has the time and organizational skills needs to start a middle class lobby, raise money and find candidates to represent us. The Tea Party was a great concept, but alas, they turned out to be a bunch of retired government workers, including teachers who wanted to protect their own small group- raise up middle class and seize the moment!

Don't Tread

June 22nd, 2012
11:11 am

Last election, we had the choice between a veteran who fought for this country and spent years in an enemy POW camp vs. the community organizer crackhead.

Guess which one got elected…the crackhead. (With the support of the other crackheads, no doubt.)

And still people wonder how we got here…

josef

June 22nd, 2012
11:12 am

SFD

That one swooshed by me, too! Good one… :-)

Steve Atl

June 22nd, 2012
11:12 am

Jay should care…I posted an article about Jeffrey Immelt (Obama’s Job Czar) that completely invalidates Jay’s whole blog.

In one fell swoop(cut and paste)…Jay’s blog is a hypocritical/biased piece of junk.

stands for decibels

June 22nd, 2012
11:13 am

With the Republican WH, House and Senate next year they can reduce Corporate tax to 0%, where it should be, and then foreign businesses will relocate to the US, and we’ll all live happily ever after.

I really assumed this was parody, until I saw the author.

TaxPayer

June 22nd, 2012
11:13 am

Corporate income tax revenues collected in 2010 amounted to 9% of the total federal revenues collected that year. Elimination of that would do what, precisely. I’m thinkin’ it would increase the size of CEO compensations and maybe even the size of Apple’s dividend.

josef

June 22nd, 2012
11:13 am

JM

“– only as a foil, generally speaking”

Ah, raw material for your chapeau, eh? :-)

Doggone/GA

June 22nd, 2012
11:13 am

“Ah… in this book, they wrote the Seven Commandments on the side of a barn so that those few literate citizens could read them. Of course those rules were edited, and ultimately… well, I don’t want to spoil the ending”

Hmmm…the book I had in mind was Animal Farm. Wasn’t it that book where the animals painted the social contract on the barn, and nefarious elements in the community would change it during the night?

Butch Cassidy

June 22nd, 2012
11:14 am

Don’t Tread – “Last election, we had the choice between a veteran who fought for this country”

And yet you still elected Bush for a second term. No worries, I thought Kerry was pretty dry myself.

getalife

June 22nd, 2012
11:14 am

The gop ran on jobs in 10 and their speaker cries where are the jobs?

To sane Americans, this proves the gop are job killers.

Williebkind

June 22nd, 2012
11:14 am

Cite = ABC, NBC, CBS , & MSNBC. Talk shows such as Bill mahr, oh hell all the liberal talk shows including the ladies.

TaxPayer

June 22nd, 2012
11:15 am

Did Immelt work at Bain? Is he running for president?

Peadawg

June 22nd, 2012
11:15 am

“The gop ran on jobs in 10 and their speaker cries where are the jobs?

To sane Americans, this proves the gop are job killers.”

Haven’t we had positive job growth for over a year now? Just sayin…

Georgia Unemployment

June 22nd, 2012
11:15 am

Last election, we had the choice between a veteran who fought for this country and spent years in an enemy POW camp vs. the community organizer crackhead.

___________________

He fought for his country but under what conditions?

The War Secrets Sen. John McCain Hides

http://www.vvof.org/mccain_hides.htm

Towncrier

June 22nd, 2012
11:16 am

“In Romney’s case, will an attitude that’s acceptable and perhaps even necessary in a modern business executive be equally acceptable in a person seeking to lead the country?”

While Romney (or any of the GOP candidates who were running this year) was not my first choice, he is in my view a vastly better option than Obama. He will nominate justices who will adhere to the Constitution and not “deconstruct” it; he will not seek to impose a tyranny of the minority upon the majority in issues like marriage (rather than leaving that to states); he will act like an executive rather than a community organizer or an academic; he will tackle our great economic problems with a fervor and competence lacking in Obama; he will not play the race card for political gain; and he may just surprise us by tackling a lot of other problems that need to be fixed (like immigration and the tax code).

It is interesting to see people like Jay constantly hammer away at “issues” like Romney’s work at Bain and his wealth. The focus on the latter “issue” is really telling since I don’t believe these same people (or others like them) ever made a fuss about the wealth of John Kerry, Al Gore, LBJ, RFK or FDR.

I wonder if there is a verifiable correlation between situational ethics and a certain comfort with double standards.

getalife

June 22nd, 2012
11:17 am

“CORPORATE COURT: CHAMBER OF COMMERCE UNDEFEATED WITH SUPREMES” Aol.

You know how they will decide.

Does the coc want to repeal ObamaCare?

JamVet

June 22nd, 2012
11:17 am

Corporations they don’t pay taxes, they just pass those costs through to their customers.

Which fake conservative was the first to come up with this absurd nonsense? And is it that supposedly educated people parrot this crap???

Given that logic (LOL!!!) no individuals pay taxes either.

Republican economics 101. Chapter One: I like getting screwed.

stands for decibels

June 22nd, 2012
11:18 am

Cite = ABC, NBC, CBS , & MSNBC. Talk shows such as Bill mahr, oh hell all the liberal talk shows including the ladies.

in other words, you’ve got nothing. Thanks.

getalife

June 22nd, 2012
11:18 am

Pea,

Yes, thanks to our President.

They should pass his job bill but this election is more important to you cons.

Bruno

June 22nd, 2012
11:19 am

But, since your theory seems to be that prior experience in life irrevocable influences one’s later job performance, maybe we should take a moment and review Obama’s experience as a community organizer for clues. Granny was kind enough to provide a few links earlier.

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/070826/3obama.htm

From the link: “In 1985, he moved to Chicago to work with local churches organizing job training and other programs for poor and working-class residents of Altgeld Gardens, a public housing project where 5,300 African-Americans tried to survive amid shuttered steel mills, a nearby landfill, a putrid sewage treatment plant, and a pervasive feeling that the white establishment of Chicago would never give them a fair shake……

Obama lived a few miles away in a modest Hyde Park apartment, but he quickly became part of “the Gardens” community. He played pickup basketball. He walked from house to house to discuss what needed fixing. Wearing his trademark outfit of neatly pressed slacks and button-down shirts with no tie, he spent many hours meeting in kitchens, parlors, and churches…..

Perhaps his most confrontational effort was to pressure city authorities to remove asbestos from the apartments in 1986. When the on-site manager didn’t take action, Obama nudged the residents into confronting city housing officials in two angry public meetings downtown. These generated “a victory of sorts,” Obama said later, as workers soon began sealing the asbestos in the buildings. But the project gradually ran out of steam and money. In fact, some tenants still have asbestos in their homes, according to current resident Linda Randle, 53, who worked with Obama in the ‘86 anti-asbestos campaign.”

From my read, it appears that Obama’s “Villains and Victims”, “Beer Summit”, “Let’s Throw Money At It” world-view was galvanized early on by his experiences in Chicago. So, maybe there’s something to your theory, Jay. The burning question then becomes “How has this served our country well??” From my perspective, not well at all.

Peadawg

June 22nd, 2012
11:19 am

“I like getting screwed.”

That’s what she said.

Normal Free...Pro Human Rights Thug...And liking it!

June 22nd, 2012
11:19 am

“That one swooshed by me,”…

Ha, ha , ha…I got it first time! Er, what? ~ Mitt Romney

Erwin's cat

June 22nd, 2012
11:20 am

“Did Immelt work at Bain? Is he running for president?”

no and no he’s consulting him

They BOTH suck

June 22nd, 2012
11:20 am

“I wonder if there is a verifiable correlation between situational ethics and a certain comfort with double standards.”

Guess you haven’t listened to many Republicans in office, running for office, read many right leaning editorials or listened to any talk radio.

Come on TC, that is a two way street…… if you take off the blinders

Williebkind

June 22nd, 2012
11:20 am

Well the unions superpac got a blow by the supremes. They can not charge non union members union dues for politcal contributions. See this is how liberals work. Unions can you tell politics goodbye?

Peadawg

June 22nd, 2012
11:21 am

“Yes, thanks to our President.” – The President did it aaaaaaall by himself? I didn’t think he was dictator.

“to you cons.” – There’s your sign.

Peadawg

June 22nd, 2012
11:23 am

“They can not charge non union members union dues for politcal contributions.” – That should be common sense. How can a union charge non-union members anything to begin with?

getalife

June 22nd, 2012
11:23 am

“Overall, Obama has support from 63 percent of Latino voters in the five states, while 27 percent prefer Romney, according to the poll. Take out Florida, though, where Romney’s support from Latino voters is highest at 37 percent, and Obama has an even greater advantage. In Arizona, 74 percent of Latino voters said they will vote for Obama, and 18 percent said they would choose Romney.” Aol.

Great news.

stands for decibels

June 22nd, 2012
11:23 am

the book I had in mind was Animal Farm.

yeah, wasn’t that what I linked to…? yep. Guess I shoulda just spelled it out, sorry for being — I think the expression is “too clever by half.”

getalife

June 22nd, 2012
11:25 am

Pea,

The gop fought against our recovery and you know it.

Shut it.

Oblama

June 22nd, 2012
11:25 am

Why can’t Obama just observe the laws that are on the books? Is there grounds for impeachment for this “above the law” arrogance?

Erwin's cat

June 22nd, 2012
11:25 am

“too clever by half.”

I haven’t heard that one in ages

Peadawg

June 22nd, 2012
11:25 am

“Obama has support from 63 percent of Latino voters”

” In Arizona, 74 percent of Latino voters said they will vote for Obama”

Golly gee I wonder why. I guess Obama’s move worked.

stands for decibels

June 22nd, 2012
11:26 am

And DGA, those weren’t “nefarious elements” changing it. That was the government.

That’s how they imposed their rule–just making sh-t up as they went along, and claiming that the rule had always been (for instance) “No animal shall sleep in a bed WITH SHEETS.”

In my benevolent dictatorship, everyone would have to re-read Animal Farm at least once every ten years.

Pass the Cheesy Grits Please

June 22nd, 2012
11:26 am

Last election, we had the choice between a veteran who fought for this country and spent years in an enemy POW camp vs. the community organizer crackhead.

The one before that we had a choice between a veteran who fought for this country and was wounded in combat vs. A sissy who had his powerful daddy get him out of it.

Guess which one got elected … The sissy. ( With the support of others who never served no doubt.)

And still people wonder how we got here …..

Peadawg

June 22nd, 2012
11:26 am

“Shut it.”

You’re so cute sometimes. Bless your heart.

Mama Says

June 22nd, 2012
11:27 am

Tax Payer,

so by your logic Obama has had no affect at all on any state although he is the president.

What about New York State, Washington State, California

they are all lib states and their economies are in worse shape than ours.

To say Obama has had no affect on Georgia may not be a good idea since he is the President and told us he would change the economic picture. Dont recall him saying his policies would only help Democratic states

Normal Free...Pro Human Rights Thug...And liking it!

June 22nd, 2012
11:28 am

“The gop ran on jobs in 10 and their speaker cries where are the jobs?”

Then they all jumped up and passed a passel of anti-abortion bills…to the GOP jobs must equal anti-abortion legislation…

HOT AIR

June 22nd, 2012
11:28 am

TBS – Is a closet Obama supporter trying to “pass” for unbiased. It’s obvious. Lack the courage to admit your preference? “get a backbone.com.”

Doggone/GA

June 22nd, 2012
11:29 am

“Which fake conservative was the first to come up with this absurd nonsense?”

Sorry, JamVet…but that one is true. Companies don’t print money, they get it from their customers. The customers pay for EVERYTHING related to the business, and that includes taxes.

Towncrier

June 22nd, 2012
11:29 am

“Guess you haven’t listened to many Republicans in office, running for office, read many right leaning editorials or listened to any talk radio. Come on TC, that is a two way street…… if you take off the blinders.”

Hypocrisy is everywhere, even in you and me, TBS. But my point was that for those who don’t hold to an unchanging moral code (and that can certainly include ostensibly “religious” Republicans), the “cognitive dissonance” one might feel from transgressing the code might be not as great. I do believe the ethics of liberals tend to be more situational than for conservatives.

Doggone/GA

June 22nd, 2012
11:31 am

“yeah, wasn’t that what I linked to…? yep.”

And I missed seeing the link! I only read that book once, and that was MANY years ago. The only part of it I really remember is the contract on the barn being change during the night.

Doggone/GA

June 22nd, 2012
11:32 am

“And DGA, those weren’t “nefarious elements” changing it. That was the government”

They aren’t mutually exclusive!

Towncrier

June 22nd, 2012
11:32 am

“From my read, it appears that Obama’s “Villains and Victims”, “Beer Summit”, “Let’s Throw Money At It” world-view was galvanized early on by his experiences in Chicago.”

Why do accounts of Obama’s past seem to read like a novel? That should tell you something, right there.

getalife

June 22nd, 2012
11:32 am

Our President is crushing willard.

The gop deserve to lose.

stands for decibels

June 22nd, 2012
11:33 am

I guess Obama’s move worked.

Sheriff Arpaio and Governor Brewer did all the heavy lifting there, already.

stands for decibels

June 22nd, 2012
11:34 am

I haven’t heard that one in ages

ha ha. Y’know, as I was typing those words, I was actually thinking “does anyone SAY this any more?”

Get Real

June 22nd, 2012
11:35 am

More liberal hate from Jay…I am so shocked

getalife

June 22nd, 2012
11:35 am

crybaby,

It tells us you are another lying con.

Lies do not work here.

Try kyle’s echo chamber blog.

TaxPayer

June 22nd, 2012
11:35 am

Mama Says,

Would you provide a hint as to what you reference in your post to me.

TiredOfIt

June 22nd, 2012
11:36 am

The only way the GOP will get near Romney is with rubber gloves on. They don’t even like him.