Online Left

Things That Make You Go….Hmmm

So, why is it acceptable for members of the Mormon religion to overwhelmingly support a candidate from their faith, Mitt Romney, while Republican pundits suggest political blindness as African Americans support one of their own, President Barack Obama?

Inconsistent, much?

Something to Consider

Campaigns are an extension of the candidate and the candidate's family. People who want to personalize and lead with negatives, I disassociate myself from them. Politics has become a business: these advisers in Washington force candidates into alleyways from which there's no return. But the American public in today's world is dramatically in need of serious debate, and I don't think they feel there's a lot of bandwidth left for personal attacks.

Former 2012 candidate for GOP nomination, Jon Huntsman

That Changes Everything!

 In response to the announcement that Former Ambassador Jon Huntsman was dropping out of the race for the GOP presidential nomination, the people in South Carolina yawned. Fresh off his third-place finish in New Hampshire, where Huntsman's campaign had spent millions of his and his father's dollars, most people were surprised to hear that Huntsman was still in the race.

The Long GOP Nightmare Is Almost Over

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has opened a wide lead over his rivals in the South Carolina primary election race, trouncing Newt Gingrich and gaining momentum in his march toward the party's nomination, a Reuters/Ipsos poll shows.

Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, could all but quash his rivals' presidential aspirations with a victory in South Carolina on January 21 after winning the first state-by-state nominating contests in Iowa and New Hampshire.

If Romney, does indeed, win South Carolina in a walk -- it's over. If Gingrich, Santorum, Perry, and Huntsman's supporters have money left to spend, I would suggest the hundreds of national charities who could benefit from the millions of dollars to be saved.

Stop wasting your money. If Romney wins South Carolina, it's over.

Like it or not, he's now your guy.

Four GOP candidates fail to make Virginia primary ballot, judge rules

A federal judge on Friday ruled against four GOP presidential candidates seeking a spot on Virginia's March 6 primary ballot, saying they waited too long to file their claims.

Left off the ballot are Texas Gov. Rick Perry, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former U.S Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman.

(Via CNN Political Ticker)

Church: It's Were the Laws Aren't Followed

WASHINGTON — In what may be its most significant religious liberty decision in two decades, the Supreme Court on Wednesday for the first time recognized a “ministerial exception” to employment discrimination laws, saying that churches and other religious groups must be free to choose and dismiss their leaders without government interference.

Makes sense to me. The one place in the country not required to follow the laws are in church. Maybe that's why so many right-wing avengers now attempt murders of doctors and petition to have guys permitted in the congregation.

Sheldon Adelson, a Billionaire, Gives Gingrich a Big Lift

MANCHESTER, N.H. — For weeks this winter, as Newt Gingrich’s presidential hopes faltered under the weight of millions of dollars in attack ads paid for by backers of Mitt Romney, a small group of Gingrich supporters quietly lobbied for help from one of the richest men in America: Sheldon Adelson, a billionaire casino owner and Mr. Gingrich’s longtime friend and patron.

Mr. Romney’s supporters were also calling, imploring Mr. Adelson to stay out of the race.

By the time Mr. Gingrich limped into New Hampshire, some of his top backers had given up on Mr. Adelson and begun prospecting elsewhere, including among erstwhile supporters of Gov. Rick Perry of Texas, to finance the counterattack they believed could salvage Mr. Gingrich’s campaign.

But on Friday, the cavalry arrived: a $5 million check from Mr. Adelson to Winning Our Future, a “super PAC” that supports Mr. Gingrich. By Monday morning, the group had reserved more than $3.4 million in advertising time in South Carolina, a huge sum of money in a state where the airwaves come cheap and the Republican presidential primary is just 11 days away. The group is planning to air portions of a movie critical of Mr. Romney’s time at Bain Capital, the private equity firm he helped found. <

The last-minute injection underscores how last year’s landmark Supreme Court ruling on campaign finance has made it possible for a wealthy individual to influence an election. Mr. Adelson’s contribution to the super PAC is 1,000 times the $5,000 he could legally give directly to Mr. Gingrich’s campaign this year. Read the entire article here:

(Via The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia)

McCain: Super PACs will result in scandal, corruption

Republican Sen. John McCain on Monday blasted the Supreme Court's 2010 ruling that eventually paved the way for the rise of super PACs, blaming it for the election cycle's increasing ad wars.

"Now it's the system under which we operate, which leads to this kind of campaigning and will lead to corruption and scandals. I guarantee it." McCain said on CNN's "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer."

In the 2010 "Citizens United" case, the Supreme Court made it legal for groups to raise and spend unlimited amounts of money for a candidate, as long as the group does not coordinate with the candidate or contributed directly to his or her campaign.

Calling it the "worst decision in the last 50 years," McCain said the Supreme Court "basically unleashed–without transparency and without accountability–huge amounts of money from these so-called 'independent campaigns'."

His remarks follow announcements Monday of multi-million dollar ad buys in South Carolina from groups supporting Republican presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich.

The group that backs Gingrich, "Winning our Future," is expected to run aggressive ads against Romney's record, ahead of South Carolina's first-in-the-South primary on Jan. 21.

The move comes after the pro-Romney group, "Restore our Future," pursued a similar tactic against Gingrich in Iowa before the state's caucuses last week.

But McCain, who recently threw his support behind Romney, said he's not worried about the upcoming ad campaign against the former Massachusetts governor.

The 2008 Republican presidential nominee also warned against Gingrich's new campaign strategy, which aims to draw sharp contrasts between his record and that of Romney.

"But, look, I lost my general election campaign, so I'm a little bit reluctant to tell people how they should campaign," McCain said.

(Via CNN Political Ticker)

GOP candidates in circular firing squad

It isn’t every day that political candidates are asked whether the 10th Amendment allows states to nullify federal laws, but that was precisely the question Rick Santorum faced at a forum here a few days ago organized by a libertarian-leaning group.

To his credit, Santorum did not pander to the nullifier. “We had a Civil War about nullification,” Santorum said with a smile. “I’m not sure I want to go there.”

But Santorum’s experience raises a larger question about this year’s Republican primary contest: Rather than strengthening the party for the coming battle against President Obama, will it instead leave it more marginalized from the views of swing voters? Have the party’s candidates, particularly Mitt Romney, had to spend too much time and energy wooing voters far to the right of the mainstream?

(Via Today's Opinion Columns)

Fat Man Threatens to Eat Protesters

This is another story that reminds me that for Republican politicians, truth is not a necessary commodity. It is frustrating, depressing, and maddening at the same time.

Seems Gov. Fat Boy of New Jersey was appearing at a rally in support of Mitt Romney's campaign, and was interrupted by protests throughout the event. Without campaign signs, buttons or slogans, Gov. Fat Boy blames it all on President Obama and strongly suggests the protesters are somehow connected to the Obama campaign.

Christie blamed President Barack Obama for encouraging the actions of such protesters, who continued to chant sporadically throughout the rally.

"You're disoriented by the ways of hope and change," the first-term New Jersey governor said, referencing the president's famous 2008 campaign mantra.

Christie has frequented the campaign trial in support of Romney, the former Massachusetts governor and GOP presidential frontrunner. On Sunday, he accused the president of running a re-election campaign based on cynicism and anger.

"It is the most cynical re-election strategy you could ever think of," Christie said. "The president is encouraging people to be angry at me, angry at Mitt, because we stand up for what America believes in."

Apparently it's not cynical to lie on other politicians, but it is cynical to protest. Once again, the Constitutional rights of Americans and the Bill of Rights present obstacles to fat Republicans.

(Via CNN Political Ticker)