I'll Be Back...

I had to take a break after that fiercely fought presidential campaign.  But in the immortal words of Arnold...

"I'LL BE BACK"

Completely Wrong? I Think Not.

Mitt Romney is now saying that his caught-on-video remark about the 47% was "completely wrong".  He says:

"Clearly in a campaign with hundreds if not thousands of speeches and question and answer sessions, now and then you’re gonna say something that doesn’t come out right,”

True enough, had this been a normal campaign stop giving a speech in front of a group of your supporters.  But it wasn't.  His 47% remark was made at a fund raiser in front of a slew of wealthy supporters looking to give him money in order to put him in the White House.  Not the same thing.  In his original press conference he defended the remarks as being:

"...not elegantly stated, let me put it that way. I was speaking off the cuff in response to a question," 

Speaking "off the cuff" is defined as "candid" or "impromptu".  So what we see in the video is Mitt Romney speaking - by his own admission - candidly to his wealthy donors regarding a segment of the population that he basically called freeloaders and deadbeats because they do not pay federal income taxes. 

Of course, he also forgets that there are numerous of his wealthy friends in that elite top 1% who, through the use of various legal deductions and shelters, pay no income tax either.

But that's OK.

More Romney Lies

Mitt Romney thinks people are stupid.  Mitt Romney believes that he can say anything and not be held accountable.  Mitt Romney believes that if he repeats something long enough that it will eventually become the truth - something he accused President Obama of last night at the debate.  This is typical of Romney's "pot calling the kettle black" campaign strategy.  

Now he and his partner in crime, Paul Ryan, are telling another one and it's a whopper.  They are saying that if President Obama is re-elected he will raise taxes on the Middle Class.  Let me tell you something, Mitt-ster.  We the people of that Middle Class know that it is President Obama who has our back - just as we have his.  We the people of the Middle Class know that it is YOU Mitt Romney who will look to hammer the Middle Class with higher taxes at the same time you favor your wealthy friends.

Mitt Romney, you are the most pathological liar that Americans have ever seen running for the highest office in this country.  Tell your lies.  Just don't expect us to believe them.  They just make you look foolish.

A Disgraceful Vote

I am outraged.  I am outraged and pissed off and every single person in this country who calls himself an American should feel the same way.  

Why?  

Because yesterday Senate Republicans blocked a vote on the Veterans Job Corps Act of 2012.  What is that you ask?  This was an entirely bipartisan, fully paid for piece of legislation that would have created a $1 billion jobs program designed to lower the high unemployment rate among military veterans by giving grants to federal, state, and local agencies if they were to hire veterans.  But now it's dead at the hands (votes?) of Senate Republicans.  The result of this action is that this bill cannot be brought up for a vote again this year.

What could possibly be wrong with a bill like this that would cause Republicans to block it?  Who in America doesn't feel we have a debt to pay to all vets who have fought this country's wars.  Since the draft was ended and America transitioned to an all-volunteer military less than 1% of the population has been tasked with protecting the remaining 99%.  Honestly, I could write pages but it is easier if you click here to read about it or here to see a video report by Rachel Maddow from her show on 9/19.  Now, there are many people that do not agree with Rachel's politics, but take my word for it;  you NEED to see this.  This story should by the top story on every network and in every newspaper.  All of America needs to know what the Senate Republicans did to our veterans.  

Every Republican - save for 5 that did cross party lines to vote for it - should be ashamed of himself.  If there was any doubt that Senate Republicans are obstructionist this should lay that to rest.

It's disgusting.  It's embarrassing.  It's a disgrace.

 - In a totally hypocritical turn of events; House Speaker John Boehner came out today saying that the presidential campaigns had gotten off the real message that Americans care about.  That message?  "Where are the jobs"?

The veterans know.

     

The Freedom of Speech and the Libyan Attack

I got into a discussion with a co-worker today about the events surrounding the attack on the American Consulate in Libya.  At the time the belief was that this was a result of a anti Muslim video - something now that appears not to be the case.

My friend's position was that the production of the video was an example of freedom of speech and we should defend that freedom.  People, according to my friend, should be allowed to say anything anytime and not have to worry about "hurting some one's feelings".  Now, I am not one to deny anyone their constitutional rights - the Second Amendment not withstanding - but I have to draw the line here.  Everyone knows that freedom of speech does not mean that you can shout "fire" in a crowded movie theater.  I see this as much the same thing.  By now we know that things of this nature can stir anti-American, sometimes violent, reactions from Muslim fundamentalists.  We know this.  We know because Salman Rushdie was targeted for assassination after publication of his book "The Satanic Verses".  When Florida Dove World Outreach Center pastor Terry Jones' planned "International Burn a Koran Day" American General David Patraeus said, "It could endanger troops on the ground and could endanger the overall effort in Afghanistan."  

We know this is a bad idea.  Free speech?  Sure.  But free speech must be tempered with common sense and consideration for what the result of that speech is going to do. When those kids bullied the bus monitor wasn't that freedom of speech?  Yet those kids were roundly criticized and held to account - as we expect all bullies to be - for their actions.  I'm all for free speech, but if you know someone could die because of what you say do you stand on your "Free Speech" soapbox and say it just to make a point?

I think not.  

I, Too, Will Never Ever Forget

When I was working for Thirteen/WNET in 2006 I was asked to do an event as the Cyberchase character (AKA my alter-ego) Digit at the South Street Seaport.  The event was a holiday party for the benefit of children of police officers and fire fighters who had been killed in the line of duty.  I had done a number of publicity gigs as Digit but somehow I knew this would not be the usual run-of-the-mill appearance.  

Right from the start I could see it was a celebrity studded event with many well known actors making an appearance in support of these children of heroes.  Digit was photographed with the likes of James Gandolfini, Martin Short, Albert King, David Blaine and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly among others.  But it was the kids that I was there to see and entertain and there was one little girl who caught my attention and became my shadow for much of the event.

She had long brown hair tied back with ribbons and wore a beautiful green dress.  And she was adorable.  She asked for and received Digit's autograph.  We walked the floor hand-in-hand and danced.  Oh, how we danced.  She giggled as Digit twirled her and laughed as he applauded her skill on the dance floor.  We danced alone and with some of the other kids.  She had such life.  At this point I had no idea who she was or what was coming my way.

As I got down on one knee to give her a hug and pose for a picture with her I noticed that she was wearing a necklace with what appeared to be a picture on a locket of some sort.  I pointed to it and mimed that I wanted to know who that was.  Her reply was emotionally devastating:  

"That's my mom.  She was one of the heroes on 9/11."

As I hugged her tight and posed for more pictures I was crying my eyes out inside that costume.  I released my grip on her and signaled to my handler that I needed to take a break.  I made my way to the break room as quickly as possible considering that I could hardly see due to the flood of tears.  I entered the room, took off the big Digit head, sat down and bawled my eyes out.  As I sat there taking an extended break I thought about the courage that little girl showed and how matter-of-factly she told me about her mother.  It was such a simple statement but had such amazing power behind it.  Her mother was a hero.  Her mother had been killed rescuing others.  That fateful day in September of 2001 brought up close and personal was hard to take.  I went back out for my final appearance and we spent some more time together before the event came to a close.  I knew I would never forget that day but, even more so, that little girl with the green dress and ribbons in her hair who broke my heart. 

I was so touched by her that, upon my return to work, I spoke to some friends and they gathered some Digit/Cyberchase swag and sent it to that little girl whom I now learned was Patricia Smith.  I read online about how her mother, NYPD Office Moira Smith guided dozens of people to safety that day.  And how she went back into the South Tower to rescue more but was killed when it collapsed before she could make it back out.  She was the only female member of the NYPD to die that day.  Officer Moira Smith was a true hero.  I knew I would never forget her.

I got up this morning on a beautiful September day and, in accordance with my usual routine, brought in the Sunday paper to read over breakfast.  I pulled the paper from its protective plastic bag and spread it open on the table.  Tears immediately filled my eyes as on the cover of the Sunday Newsday I was looking at that same little girl who broke my heart 6 years ago.  Except now she is a beautiful 13 year old.  I opened the cover and read the story, eager to know how she is doing now 6 years later.  Through tear filled eyes I learned that she has taken on the role of representative of her mother’s legacy.  That she has met Presidents Bush and Obama and even British Prime Minister Tony Blair.  And that for the first time she will not be at the Ground Zero ceremony this year.  Instead she will be in school surrounded by her friends as her mother would want her to be.  She wears a blue rubber bracelet that reads:  “9-11 Never Forget P.O. Moira Smith."

I know I never will.

Mitt Romney's Foreign Policy Team

Let's just state some facts:

Mitt Romney has ZERO foreign policy experience.

Paul Ryan has ZERO foreign policy experience.

Mitt Romney is a HUGE fan of Dick Cheney.

Out of the 24 foreign policy advisers for Mitt Romney 17 served in the Bush/Cheney administration.

Think about that.

The Romney-Cheney Doctrine - By Representative Adam Smith | Foreign Policy:

Vote Obama/Biden to keep us out of war.

'via Blog this'

Placing the Blame Squarely Where It Belongs

Mitt Romney and company continue to blame President Obama for the condition of the U.S. economy but the polls continue to show that people believe otherwise.

Never before in our history have we fought a war - never mind 2 wars - while cutting taxes at the same time.  These acts are primarily to blame for the huge deficits we are seeing today. 

Jeb Bush: Obama needs to 'move on' from blaming my brother - POLITICO.com:
'via Blog this'

The Foundation of Democracy

 This next entry was supposed to delve into the issue of the Keystone pipeline and whether it should or should not be built.  However, another hot-button issue has jumped out into the forefront:  The prevalence of voter suppression bills that have been passed by Republican state legislatures all around the country.  This is a huge issue facing this country and one that should not just offend, but deeply piss off, any person who truly calls himself an American.

The right to vote is the foundation of any democracy.  it is a right that most of us take for granted and one that defines America as a democracy.  It is the standard by which we judge other countries and it is a right guaranteed in the Constitution.

Look at this picture.

These are Iraqi police showing their ink stained fingers - proof that they voted in Iraq's first free election in 2005.  In 2010, despite mortar attacks, bombings and grenades that claimed 36 lives, Iraqis turned out in droves to vote.  This is what democracy is all about.  It was the foundation for George W. Bush's foreign policy in the Middle East.  Remember that? 

And yet, here, in America, the country that gave birth to Democracy, Republican legislatures all across the country have been passing new restrictive voting laws that in the end will suppress the voting rights for millions of Americans - the majority of whom are elderly, poor or minorities. All of whom generally vote Democratic.

The Republican Party.  The party that wraps itself in the American flag.  The party that came up with the Patriot Act.  The party who for generations has claimed the mantle of Protector of America.  I don't have the space here to report on all of the voter suppression efforts but you can click here to read all about them for yourself.  I encourage you to do so. 

I can hardly contain my anger about this subject.  I am pissed.  I mean really really pissed.  There are posting going around now that say "If you have to prevent people from voting, then your ideas suck!".  Funny.  Yes.  True.  Also yes.  But it is so much more than that.  There is something incredibly... profane about denying American citizens their fundamental right to vote.

I am pissed.  You should be too.    

I Don't Buy It

Nope.  Representative Akin, you said it.  You own it.  We have seen the video.  You went on and on making your point about what your position is on abortion and rape.  When first called out on your disgusting comments you took the cowards way out claiming you "misspoke".  We just don't buy it.  Now, with your senate campaign heading into the toilet as even those in your own party disavow your comments, you come grovelling to us with an "apology".

Well, Representative Akin, apology NOT accepted.  So, you can just pick up your campaign and go home.  You will not be going to the Senate.  Oh, and Claire says. "Thanks!"

Trust Me

The birthers called for President Obama to release his birth certificate saying he had to do it to prove what he said was true; that he was indeed born in the United States.  Even though this was a blatantly racist "papers please request", one that had never been made of a sitting president ever, he released it.  Despite the fact that this man was thoroughly vetted before he even became a candidate for president, he released it.  

Now, a recent poll shows that 63% of the people, including almost a third of Republicans, say that Mitt Romney should release more of his tax returns to prove that what he says about what is in those returns is true.

Mitt says he doesn't have to.  Mitts says "trust me".  We were not supposed to trust Barack Obama, but we are now asked to trust Mitt Romney, probably the most pathological liar any party has ever run for president.

I don't.  I say prove it.  I say put up or shut up.  Come on Mittens, put your money where your mouth is.  Show us the money.

Just a Small Island...

In addition to totally embarrassing himself yesterday, both before and after his arrival in England, we now have this little gem:

"England (sic) is just a small island. Its roads and houses are small. With few exceptions, it doesn't make things that people in the rest of the world want to buy. And if it hadn't been separated from the continent by water, it almost certainly would have been lost to Hitler's ambitions."


That's the Mitt-ster from his 2010 book "No Apologies".  Yessir, gotta hand it to Mitt.  This guy really knows how to win friends and influence people.  He even has his own hash tag now:  #RomneyShambles

Completely Indefensible!

Today Grover "Raise No Taxes Ever" Norquist added his voice to the growing GOP chorus condemning Representative Michele Bachmann for her accusations that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's aide, Huma Abedin is a member of the Muslim Brotherhood.  Although this sounds magnanimous on his part, could it be because he once found himself in the same position having married Samah Alrayyes also a Muslim?

No Jobs For You! - The Vote!

Yesterday I blogged about Senate Bill S. 3364 that would have gone a long way toward bringing jobs back to America by eliminating the deductions for corporations who move their companies overseas and giving tax breaks to companies who bring them home.  Sounds like a great way to get Americans working again.  What's the down side?  What's not to like about this bill?  Who could possibly not vote for this?  Who indeed?  That would be the GOP Senators.  Surprised?  In all fairness, 4 Republicans broke rank and voted with the Democrats, but in the end the bill fell 4 votes short of the number needed just go bring it up for debate.


The GOP: NO JOBS FOR AMERICANS.  


At least not until they use the lack of jobs as a weapon against President Obama for the November election.

An Important Vote for Jobs in America

Tomorrow, Thursday, July 18, the Senate will vote on Senate Bill S. 3364.  The name of that bill is the Bring Jobs Home Act.  What this bill proposes is this:

Bring Jobs Home Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to:

(1) grant business taxpayers a tax credit for up to 20% of insourcing expenses incurred for eliminating a business located outside the United States and relocating it within the United States, and

(2) deny a tax deduction for outsourcing expenses incurred in relocating a U.S. business outside the United States. Requires an increase in the taxpayer's employment of full-time employees in the United States in order to claim the tax credit for insourcing expenses.

This is a bill designed to create jobs for Americans.  Stop outsourcing or off shoring - whatever you want to call it - and bring those jobs back to this country.  The government will give your business a 20% tax credit to relocate your business back in the U.S. and you will be denied a tax deduction as a business expense if you instead still choose to outsource.


With over 8% unemployment this sounds like the proverbial no-brainer, right?  This is a JOB CREATION bill.  This is what everyone says this country needs. This is what the Republican party campaigned on in 2010 when they won back the House.  Remember?  It was jobs, jobs, jobs.  


So how many Republicans will cast a yea vote to bring jobs back to America?  If their recent voting record holds true I think we will see the Republicans voting to a man to defeat this bill.  Then, they will again point the finger at President Obama and say nothing is being done to improve the economy.  


How sad for all those Americans that are out of work.  How said that the Republicans just cannot do the right thing for those Americans.  

It's All About Demand

This is the third in a series.
We left off with the real key to job creation.  Demand.  Remember your widget company and the tax cut you received "to create jobs"?  Well, in reality, the only time you are going to hire additional workers - AKA create jobs - is when you need to produce more product.  In your case that would be widgets.  The only time you are going to hire a new widget maker for your business is when DEMAND outpaces PRODUCTION.  Right?  And it can't be for, say, if demand goes up to 105 widget per week.  You can probably cover the extra 5 widgets with a little over-time.  This is still cheaper that hiring someone and having even that additional 5 extra widgets that you have to store every week.  

In fact, you could probably institute some new procedures that, with the extra over-time, will enable you to produce, oh, say, 115 widgets per week.  And it's really not taking much from your bottom line.  Just that little bit of OT.  The real fact of the matter is that you are just NOT going to hire a new widget maker until the demand for your widgets is high enough that you can no longer meet that demand with your current staff.  Then and ONLY then will you hire that new widget maker.


As a business man, hiring new staff is the LAST RESORT.  That's it!  Think about it.  Really think about it.  The "job creators" have had 10 years of tax cuts and I ask you, WHERE ARE THE JOBS?  If tax cuts create jobs we should have every American who wants a job employed today.
But we don't.


I don't know about you, but I just don't see the relationship.  Nope.  Just don't see it.


We, you and me, the American Middle Class, are the real job creators.  Cut OUR taxes.  Put more dollars in OUR pocket and we are going to spend it.  Most of us have to just to survive!  There's a reason why savings is at an all time low - but that's a topic for another day.


Face it.  The Republicans are just plain wrong about this.  They just will not not screw the 1% that is paying their way.  


If you don't believe me.  Check out this guy.

The REAL Job Creators

This is the second part in a series.


I don't know about you, but I am soooooo tired of the term "job creator".  Every time I hear it I feel like I want to throw up.  I mean, really.  Listen to any Republican talk about unemployment or tax increases and invariably they will use the term when talking about the upper 1%; the very wealthy of this country.  


And they repeat it and repeat it and repeat it and.... Well, you get the idea.


It's all part of their strategy.  If you repeat a lie enough times, people will eventually accept is as the truth.  


So let's examine this concept of the 1% as job creators further.


Let's say that you own a business manufacturing those widget thingies that are in such demand.  You employ 10 people who each work 40 hours a week and are able to produce the 100 widgets each week that you need to meet that great widget demand.  Now, some politician decides that if he cuts your taxes that you will take that extra money, that cash, that wind-fall of moolah and put it into your business and use it to create a job.  You are going to hire a new employee.  Yep, that's what you are going to do.  Right?


My question to you is.... Why would you?


You are selling 100 widgets a week and your current staff of 10 is manufacturing 100 widgets a week so what is that extra person going to do?  Being an experienced widget maker (why would you hire anyone else?) he is going to produce an extra 10 widgets every week.  Now your widget factory is producing 110 widgets a week.  But that's a problem because demand is still 100 widgets a week.  What are you going to do with those additional 10 widgets?  You run a tight ship so you don't have much storage room - never needed it.  Damn.  You might even have to consider a move to a larger space just to have room to store the extra inventory.  Hmmmmm... This isn't working out so well.  You are paying this new guy a salary plus a generous benefits package and now you may have to move to larger quarters because you need the extra space to store all those widgets he's making that are piling up.  This job creating can really cost you!


The answer to my question is that you wouldn't.  You are going to take that extra cashola wind-fall and and put in into your pocket.


Here's the thing that the Republicans just don't get about job creation.  Here's what they continue to ignore.  Here is the secret to real job creation:  


Demand.

More about how that works in my next blog.  Stay tuned.

Free Outdoor Rock and Roll

We interrupt the political blogging to bring you a concert review.  I just returned from catching a Rolling Stones tribute band in a free outdoor summer concert at one of the local community parks here on Long Island.
The Glimmer Twins put on a rock and roll show tonight that plowed through some of the biggest hits of the Greatest Rock and Roll Band in the World.


Opening with Start Me Up, a Stones favorite, the Twins were a more than credible re-enactment of the Stones.  During their hour and forty minute show they easily moved between hard rockers like Satisfaction, Paint it Black and Honky Tonk Women to ballads like Angie and Ruby Tuesday.


Mick Jagger impersonator Keith Call had all Jagger's moves as he sashayed across the stage with that famous Jagger pout.  Guitarist Bernie Bollendorf as Keith Richards easily replicated Richards' riffs and provided strong backing vocals.  the remainder of the band; Mike Rubino on guitar, Chris Bollendor on drums, Rob Ekstedt on bass, Mike Dancik on keyboards, Bobby Michaels on sax and flute and Valorie Steel on vocals were tight and more than up to the task.


If you are as disappointed as I am that the Stones decided not to tour this year, the Glimmer Twins will help fill that void until the real Stones tour again next year.

Bad Jobs Report but Good News Too?

This is the first in a series about jobs and job creation.
  
Last Friday the Labor Department released the latest report on job creation and the news did not look good.  It showed another month of weak growth as only 80,000 jobs were created closing out the weakest quarter of job growth since 2010.  Predictably, Republicans were quick to pounce on this with Mitt Romney calling it "a kick in the gut".  According to the Wall Street Journal, however, there were actually some encouraging signs if you really looked into the data.   

Just Can't Escape it!

No use in ducking Mitt...



Personally, I think he should be bending over more because that's where he's really getting this!

States Can Opt Out of the Affordable Care Act

After the Supreme Court Decision upholding the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie criticized the decision saying: 

"I’ve been clear from the very beginning that I do not believe a one-size-fits-all health care program works for the entire country and that each governor should have the ability to make decisions about what works best for their state. Today’s Supreme Court decision is disappointing and I still believe this is the wrong approach for the people of New Jersey who should be able to make their own judgments about health care. Most importantly, the Supreme Court is confirming what we knew all along about this law – it is a tax on middle class Americans.”

Christie obviously isn't paying attention to what is going on around the county.  Minnesota, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Montana are all in various stages of endorsing a single-payer system.  The California legislature kept passing bills for state single-payer health care but Governor Schwarzenegger wouldn't sign them.  

Last year Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin signed into law a bill establishing a single-payer health care plan for the state, making Vermont the first state to do so.  The law is set to take effect in 2014.

In order to accomplish this Vermont will need to secure a waiver from the Affordable Care Act because under that law states are not permitted to opt out to implement alternative plans until 2017 as long as those plans provide equally comprehensive, affordable insurance coverage to at least as many residents as the Affordable Care Act provides. And these plans would have to do so while insuring that they would not add to the federal deficit  

In February of this year President Obama supported the idea of moving that date up to 2014.

Senate Bill S. 248 and House Bill H.R. 844: The Empowering States to Innovate Act are designed to accomplish this.

Christie could look for an alternative for the people of New Jersey also.  But Chris Christie has no ideas.  He has no other plan.  Just a lot of criticism for the man who finally was able to accomplish something that no other president has been able to accomplish. 

Reform health care.

Need a Reason to Vote Democratic in November?

Are you pissed off at the Citizens United decision?  

Did the SCOTUS Montana Anti-Citizens United reversal make you want to bash your head into a brick wall in frustration?  

If you still need an extra incentive to vote Democratic in November, consider this: The next president could be in the position to appoint 2 new justices to the Supreme Court.  These potential appointments would affect court decisions for years to come.  And it's not just about getting President Obama re-elected.  We need to also give him a Democratic Congress to work with him because it will be these members of Congress that will be sitting on the panel that will confirm potential appointees. 

So, there you have it kids.  Vote Democratic this November or look forward to more Democracy-killing Citizens United decisions handed down by a partisan Supreme Court.

Contrasting Visions

I've always like the way Gary Trudeau simplifies an issue and makes it understandable to the masses.

This is the choice for Americans this November.  Thanks Gary!

It's About Character and Honesty

There are a lot of things being bantered back and forth between both parties in this run-up to the November election.  Everyone is looking at the economy and jobs to be the focal point of this election.  Who is better at improving your condition.  Who is better at creating jobs and lowering the unemployment rate.  All of these are valuable questions and should be answered but from what we are seeing and (not) hearing from Mitt Romney and the Republicans is a repudiation of the birther issue that has dogged this president for years now.

Although this myth that Obama is not an American citizen and, thus, is not eligible to be president, has been debunked ad nauseum, it is once again coming front and center as various factions of the Republican party try to discredit Obama's citizenship.  The latest and greatest of them all is Donald Trump!  Again.  Remember when The Donald sent a team of investigators to Hawaii to dig up evidence that President Obama was not born there?  Recall that he claimed the birth certificate was missing and that his investigators had found amazing things that he would divulge at a later date?  Whatever happened Donald?  Why did we never hear or see this "evidence"?  Because there is none.

So, why is this so important?  It comes down to assessing a candidates character.  I think we can all agree that a person's character should be taken into account when we evaluate his fitness to be elected to the highest office in the country.  Now here's the thing.  Mitt Romney, instead of coming forward and repudiating the birther attacks on President Obama, has embraced Donald Trump and is actually offering a dinner with the two as a fundraiser.  Unbelievable, right?  Not for Romney.  Which brings us back to this issue of character.  Back in the 2008 election there were allegations brought forth by the McCain campaign that Barack Obama was a terrorist and a Muslim.  Remember that?  People at his rallies were all stoked with fear that Obama was an Arab terrorist.

But here's the difference.  John McCain did not allow that to stand.  John McCain stood up to boos from his supporters when he defended Obama at one of his rallies.  THAT is character.  THAT is honesty.  Mitt Romney, having embraced the birther issue, lost his John McCain moment.  Mitt Romney has demonstrated how little character he really has.  We have seen this lack of character from Mitt before.  Remember during the GOP debates when they fielded the Don't Ask Don't Tell question from the soldier in Iraq?  I do.  Remember the chorus of boos that came from the audience?  I do.  Remember how Mitt stood up for that soldier?  Remember how he blasted the audience for booing a member of our military that is over in Iraq voluntarily putting his life on the line for you and me?  Remember?  No, I don't either because it didn't happen.  It didn't happen because Mitt Romney lacks character.  Mitt Romney does not have enough of a backbone to stand up to those saying blatantly outrageous things about the president.

And it is this lack of character that makes Mitt Romney unfit to occupy the highest office in this country.  It's about character.