MSNBC: Romney's Focus — On The Economy And Obama
On August 8, 2011, MSNBC's First Read reported:
More from MSNBC's First Read after the jump"As Mitt Romney is out on the stump taking credit for Massachusetts ratings upgrade, he is conspicuously leaving out that he was able to achieve this by raising revenue," said Ty Matsdorf of American Bridge in a memo released this morning. "Perhaps it is because just last week he was decrying the president for trying to take the same balanced approach to solving the debt ceiling crisis."
Company Headed By Sen. Olympia Snowe's (R-ME) Husband Targeted By Dept. Of Justice
Sen. Snowe’s husband, former Maine Governor John “Jock” McKernan, has been a corporate officer in Education Management Corporation since 1999. Today, the Justice Department filed a whistle-blower lawsuit against EDMC over their payment scheme. This is in addition to an earlier report from the GAO, which detailed abusive practices at for-profit colleges. For years, the for-profit college industry has lured in unprepared students, most of whom do not graduate despite accumulating enormous debts. Companies like EDMC achieve this largely by incentivizing their employees to accept any student no matter what, the allegation at the heart of today’s filing. When Congress tried to crack down on the practice, EDMC lobbied them hard—spending over a million dollars on lobbying in the last two years, and sending McKernan himself to meet with White House officials.
McKernan is central to the alleged illegal payment scheme, and Sen. Snowe has directly benefited from her husband’s employment through their joint income.
Detailed research document after the jump.
Romney Wants To “Add At Least 100,000 Troops To Our Boots On The Ground Capability"
ROMNEY: If, if there are some [bases] that are, that no longer have strategic significance for us, then those clearly can be closed, and we can bring troops home here, I don't believe in reducing the number of troops, I would add at least 100,000 troops to our boots on the ground capability. I also don't believe in cutting the military budget. You might say 'but isn't there a lot of waste in the military budget?' Absolutely, and I would go after that waste and streamline to the extent possible our defense op-operation, but I would use those funds to, one, expand our number of troops and number two to update our Navy and our Air Force.
VIDEO: Romney Said He "Loves " The Idea Of A Flat Tax
ROMNEY SAID THIS WEEK HE LOVES THE FLAT TAX – JUST NOT THOSE THAT GIVE BREAKS TO WEALTHY AMERICANS
Romney Said He Loved The Flat Tax. At a town hall in Nashua, New Hampshire, Romney said, “I love a flat tax.” [Romney Town Hall, 8/8/11] Research after the jump.VIDEO: Bachmann Says Health Insurers Shouldn't Be Required To Pay For Birth Control
Transcript after the jump.
Pawlenty's Credit Rating Double Standard
Pawlenty Called Obama “Inept” In Response To S&P Downgrade. Pawlenty issued a statement in August 2011 responding to news that S&P had downgraded the country’s credit rating: “This is a sad moment for the United States, but it's a reflection that our country is in trouble. President Obama is inept when it comes to creating the conditions or job creation and economic growth. It's time for a new direction and a new President." [Pawlenty Statement, 8/6/11] More research after the jump
MEMO: Republican Candidates And The Debt Limit
To: Interested Parties From: Rodell Mollineau, President American Bridge Date: 8/5/11 RE: Republican Candidates and the Debt Limit This past week we witnessed the Republicans and their Tea Party allies play a dangerous game of chicken with our nation’s economy. They drove the economy right to the brink threatening to let our nation fail to pay its bills for the first time in history. And while eventually the Republican leaders came to their senses and agreed to raise the debt ceiling, what was truly frightening was how Republican candidates for both President and the Senate ran to the far right advocating either default or the dangerous economic policies, deemed “cut cap and balance,” that would have sent our economy right over the cliff.
Background:
All respected economic experts agreed we had to raise our debt ceiling and instituting the “cut, cap, and balance” would be a death knell to our economy.“This would be an unprecedented event in American history. A default would inflict catastrophic, far-reaching damage on our Nation’s economy, significantly reducing growth, and increasing unemployment… Default would not only increase borrowing costs for the Federal government, but also for families, businesses, and local governments – reducing investment and job creation throughout the economy.” [letter from Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner, 5/13/11]
NBC News: Justice Asked To Probe Mystery Donation To Pro-Romney Group
On August 4, 2011, NBC News reported:
"Two campaign reform groups are asking the Justice Department to investigate a mysterious $1 million contribution to a political committee backing Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney from an obscure company that shut down shortly after making the donation. The contribution to Restore Our Future, a so-called “super PAC” formed by three former Romney political aides, drew scrutiny following an NBC News report on Thursday . The firm that gave the money, called W Spann LLC, was formed in March – with no listed officers or directors — made the contribution in April, then dissolved itself in July, according to corporate records."More from NBC News after the jump
Washington Post Editorial: An early flip-flop for Senate candidate George Allen
An August 3, 2011 Washington Post editorial wrote: AS A ONE-TERM Republican senator, George Allen voted four times to…
Plain Dealer editorial: Josh Mandel's opportunism
The Plain Dealer editorialized on Josh Mandel's opposition to the debt deal. Mandel's position may appeal to the Tea Party…