Obama Has Huge Electoral Vote Advantage Despite Failures (For 2/4/12)

In spite of high unemployment, a very flawed healthcare reform bill, extending all of the Bush Tax Cuts through the end of this year, and failure to break up the Big Banks, President Obama still is likely to get re-elected this November. He has also signed bad trade deals, still has not ended all of George W. Bush's wars, expanded offshore oil drilling, and failed to reform the tax code. Twenty states with 259 electoral votes have him currently leading the Republican candidate. Republicans have only 106 electoral votes from 15 states in good shape for November. There 173 electoral votes up for grabs. Bill Clinton had 153 votes from 14 states at the same time in 1996 and cruised to re-election. The Republicans are fielding their worst field of candidates in a long time. Approval ratings are at 35% for Mitt Romney and 30% for Rick Santorum. Only 26% of the public approves of Newt Gingrich. Stephen Colbert, as a comedian who uses his sarcasm to do great impressions of conservatives, has a 38% approval rating. Most conservatives, though, do not see how bad he makes them look. Most Occupy Wall Street protesters, on the other hand, want the GOP to realize their failings. They certainly would like to see an opposition party that challenges Obama to come up with better solutions and bolder ideas to our economic problems. http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/11449339-shocker-obama-holds-huge-electoral-vote-advantage-in-statebystate-polling-

Mitt Romney Could Have Waited Decades to Pay His Taxes (1/22/12)

Mitt Romney pays an federal income tax rate of about 15% and says he is "not going to apologize for being successful." Someone who earns a wage of $60,000 also pays about this rate. Dividends and capital gains, which comprise most of his income, have tax rates of 15%. As someone who manages an investment partnership such as Bain Capital, Romney can make income now and report it as carried interest. This allows him to defer tax payments for decades. He promises to release many years of his tax returns. He put $100 million aside for his sons. What he is paying taxes on will remain a mystery if he does not release tax returns from 1984-1999, when he ran Bain Capital. This will surely spur the debate for serious tax reform. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/22/column-what-romney-tax-re_n_1218453.html?ref=business

Romney: My Tax Rate is Lower Than Most Americans (for 1/17/12)

Mitt Romney says he pays about 15% taxes on his income. The investments he previously made comprise much of his yearly income over the past decade. He also gets income from his book and giving speeches. Noted investor Warren Buffett has railed against the 15% rate for being lower than average Americans and wants Congress to stop favoring the wealthy. For the year ending February 2011, Romney received over $300,000 for giving speeches. This is not much for him, which speaks to his immense wealth. Tax rates for dividends and capitol gains are only 15%. Democrats do not like seeing people who teach, keep our streets safe, or do hard, physical labor pay higher income tax rates than multi-millionaires like Romney. Even Newt Gingrich wants Romney to make his tax returns public. This should spur tax reform to make the Top 1% pay higher minimum taxes. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57360230-503544/romney-admits-he-pays-lower-tax-rate-than-most-americans/

Fox News: Majority of Americans (for 1/15/12)

According to a Fox News poll as of December 2011, 51 percent of American voters think President Obama has done a poor job in his first three years in office. But, Democrats have an 82%/11% approve-to-disapproval rating of Obama's overall performance across the entire term to date. Poll participants stated at a 94% rate that the struggling economy needs improvement or growth. But, Obama still stands a good shot at re-election due to GOP's failure to produce a strong candidate who would reform the tax code and clean up the corruption in the banking system. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/12/09/fox-news-poll-disapproval-president-obama-is-up/