Death Tax or Dearth Tax?

Real Fox News fun fact; what percentage of estates actually pay estate tax? Is it 10%, 5%, or 3%? Actually it's less than that, in fact it's less than 1%, in fact it's one-eighth of 1%. So rather than call this the "death tax" a term endearingly used by so many very rich right-wingers, it should be called the dearth tax, because it's so darn rare. Death Tax or DearthTax?

Facts for 2012

The great Daniel Moynihan  said "This is America; everyone is entitled to their own set of opinions but not their own set of facts", and the facts are in for this year especially on Wall Street. And here they are; the Dow is up 7.26%, the NASDAQ is up 15.91%, the S&P 500 is up 13.4%, so as the "princess of quite a lot" would say, if you want to live like a Republican vote like a Democrat.

ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN

If I owned a major newspaper (or even a smaller one) my front page on Monday would be as follows: 28 pictures of 28 victims, with only their first names underneath so we might know them just a little bit, like those who will forever miss them did. And underneath I would write just this: Can we please talk seriously  about revisiting the assault weapons ban, please?

Friday Fauxlosophy

It is safe to say that avoidance is a much more dominant human trait then proactivity

THE GREAT MARVIN MILLER

In the summer of 1973, while in Majorca, Spain, due to my failure to
grasp his historical importance, I missed an opportunity to meet retired
baseball player Curt Flood. Mr. Flood died way too young in 1997 at
the age of 59 and I never got another chance. He was of course forever
linked with labor leader Marvin Miller in their fight for major league ball
players’ right to earn free agency, and while they lost their first battle,
they of course won the war. So when it was announced in January of
2011 that Mr. Miller would be doing a baseball meet and sign event,
maybe his only one ever, I did not miss that time. He was articulate,
introspective and genuinely kind, and I am forever glad for a personal
conversation where I had the joy and privilege of his company.
To those who debate if he did more harm than good for baseball,
and resent millionaire ball players, I would suggest they consider the
attitude of billionaire owners who would have kept these men in
contractual servitude indefinitely if they’d been allowed to. Mr. Miller
never lived to see himself inducted in the Baseball hall of Fame, but
ironically got to witness the admission of George Steinbrenner who
as much as any owner ever, employed Mr. Miller’s breakthroughs in
financing his championships. But as to the question as to whether he
helped make baseball better or worse, he without doubt made things
better for baseball players and the rights of people employed in other
sports and venues as well. His legacy is that he outlived the archaic
attitudes of most of his opponents, and the breakthroughs he achieved
will outlive us all.

Jesus's favorite Super PAC?

The religious right is so fond of referring to Jesus and his teachings and thoughts, and maybe they know more about it than we do. But when he said that the money lenders should be kicked out of the temple, we never got the sense that he then recommended that they be replaced by super PACs.

FRIDAY FAUXLOSOPHY

As said by the late Jack Bender; "In what would have been prescient advice to our president in his next debate, if a man like Gov. Romney misrepresents seven times, call him on it seven times. If he does it 17 times, call him on it 17 times. And on into the night...

50 SHADES OF VAGUE

According to the Tax Policy Center and virtually every other group of economic analysts that arent under the thumb of Rupert Murdoch and/or Fox News the tax cuts proposed by the Romney/Ryan team are roughly (and that's pretty rough) 5 trillion (5,000,000,000,000) dollars. They claim it is "revenue neutral" and will be made up by closing loopholes and deductions. But forgive the play on words, their solutions amount to "50 shades of vague". Because if you divide 5 trillion by 300 million (as in the number of Americans) it would amount to over $16,000 in "savings" from every man, woman, child and infant in America. Where to begin, well were they to cut the funding of PBS that would amount to $1.35/year for each of us, or to go from the ridiculous to the sublime, less that 0.3 cents/day. Sounds like we are not quite half way there.

Just the Facts, Thank you Ma’am

A sports talk show host advised people to do their civic duty and watch the debate with hopefully
the Yankees comfortably in front, which they were. He said turn on MSNBC and then FOX and you
would see two different universes. I would add to then turn on Brian Williams to find out what really
happened. On Brian Williams we had the best set of fact checkers. Particularly Andrea Mitchell, who
went forward with her “truth squad” and maybe the biggest single debate was the President’s claim and Mitt Romney’s strong denial that he did not promise a $5 trillion tax cut.
He would make the Bush tax cuts permanent.
He would cut all rates an additional 20%.
He would repeal the Alternative Minimum Tax.
And permanently repeal the Estate Tax.
The tax policy department currently headed by two former Bush addvisors said it would cost $4.8 trillion over 10 years. Not $5 trillion, but pretty darn close. And obviously all the deductions in the world, and Romney still won’t say what they are, won’t cover $4 trillion dollars. Unfortunately, Mr. Romney's level of truth came nowhere near his level of rhetoric.

AIR MITT

Air Mitt or should we say err Mitt (as in e-r-r) has surfaced in one of the more interesting press conferences held by Willard Mitt Romney. In fact, this past Saturday he was talking about the electrical fire on the plane which Mrs. Romney was flying and thank heaven everyone was okay, and he went on to say the problem with such a thing is that you have no place to go on a plane.  Well we knew that at Real Fox News.  But then he went on to say that “because you can’t open the windows for ouside oxygen and why haven’t they figured out how to do that.  And our answer would be because an open window or windows at 400-500 miles per hour would have some other logistical difficulties. Okay, we did say that Republican compassion is to compassion as Republican science is to science.  But really Mitt, power windows on a flying jet aircraft?  Seriously?

Honestly, It’s Good That Linda McMahon Is Running For Senate.

It’s good that Linda McMahon is running for senate.  It’s good for the people who were out almost a million dollars from the banks in 1975.  Of course, I’d be curious to know just what that computes in today’s dollars, in lost opportunity, etc.  But it’s good for them because she’s planning on paying it back.  It’s good for all the printers who get her business.  Many printers have benefited over the years from her in New Hampshire.  More recently it appears some in CT because they would not if she wasn’t running for senate.  And it’s good for the state of CT because she is now caught up in our taxes in the “luxury mansion.”  Good for her.  And to repeat, it is honestly good she is running for senate.  But of course if she were all that honest she wouldn’t have had to run for senate to pay back all those debts of those people who trusted her that she burnt; to pay the taxes she had due.  And maybe she’ll even get around retroactively to giving her former employees health care and benefits they never had.  In fact if we could keep Linda McMahon running for office and losing, we think she could do a lot of good.

SHANA TOVA!!!

 Real Fox News wishes all its readers and fans a Shana Tova, a happy and healthy sweet new year!

FRIDAY FAUXLOSOPHY

CONVENTIONAL FACT CHECKING

The fact checkers have spoken after both political conventions and there seems no doubt that the Democrats ideology has been framed by the facts and the Republican facts were framed by the ideology.

WORDS OF A FEATHER

We must apologize again for plagiarizing in advance, as we did yesterday to the great Stephen Colbert. In the USA Today published September 6, I had the following submission;

http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/letters/story/2012-09-05/are-you-better-off-4-years/57616604/1

 Clobert closed last night saying “Mitt, you just keep demanding that Americans answer the question are you better off than you were 4 years ago. But just don’t answer it yourself, because that would mean releasiung more than 2 years of ur tax returns.

Conservatives want to be John Wayne

Hey, because conservatives aren’t all that bad, when it comes to the defending in this country, they all want to be John Wayne. You know, play a soldier but never for a minute actually be one.

Are you better off than...

“Are you better off than you were 4 years ago” is a question that Mitt Romney has every right to ask, and the Democrats are going to have to answer. That said, my problem with Mr. Romney is not his query but  his approach, as he constantly uses  the word “you” in describing economic challenges, and he never, but never uses the word “we”. And I can’t help but wonder if that is because he personally is much better off than he was 4 years ago. But the American people can’t get that answer because unlike every presidential candidate in recent memory, including his own father, McCain, Obama, Kerry, Bush, Clinton et al, he has not released a representative number of his own tax returns. It’s as if someone had regularly shouted down Vietnam War protesters and then avoided the draft himself. Oh wait, Mitt Romney did that too. Really Mr. Romney, your lack of candor is taxing our patience, because regarding Republican presidential candidates we are certainly not more informed than we were 4 years ago.

LYIN RYAN

Here is a quote. “Ryan’s speech was an apparent attempt to set the world’s record for the greatest
number of blatant lies and misrepresentations slipped into a single political speech. That was by Sally
Kohn and she works for an organization called Fox news. OMG when someone on the right lies too
much for Fox we at real Faux News need to point it out. And we have a new knick-name, it’s Lyin’ Ryan.

YOU DIDNT BUILD THAT

When Mitt Romney got the endorsement of Jenna Jamison, the world’s leading porn star, whose
exploits are legendary, and who certainly got the interest of her on screen male partners and viewers.
Wasn’t it fair to contradict Obama when you see the reaction of these men, and say to Mr. Obama, “You didn’t build that?”

Compassionate Conservatism - Round 2

Who could forget candidate George W. Bush’s phrase that he was a “compassionate conservative”, directly implying that an entire political philosophy need such a qualifier. Well, given past and current Republican attitudes towards the poor, ill, disadvantaged and women who could say that Mr. Bush was not prescient? Now Congressman Todd Akin comes along as the latest case in point, running as a Republican for Senate in Missouri and said “if it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down”.

An amazing attitude to be sure, but what’s more amazing is his current role in this conservative Republican House of Representatives, namely that he serves on their science committee. Which leads any thinking person to the inescapable conclusion that conservative compassion is to compassion as conservative science is to science.

What’s In A Name?

John Stewart made that very point when commenting on the LIBOR scandal by noting that the two lead protagonists were named Rich and Diamond, when Stewart said, “Are you kidding?” 

Well, we at Real Faux News have another entry for the "What’s In A Name" sweepstakes from the breaking news on the banking scandal at SCB.  It seems that they are accused of having made illegal trades involving the government of Iran and pocketing commissions of hundreds of millions of dollars in the bargain.  So why do “What’s In a Name?”  Because a New York bank regulator who has taken it upon himself to initiate the investigation is named Ben Lawsky.  So the greedy guys at LIBOR are named Diamond and Rich and the banking enforcer is named Lawsky!

So stay tuned because we’re waiting to find out if the guy behind the Republican Super Pacs is named Hiddenbucksman

Friday fauxlosophy

A bigoted Jew must have alzheimers.

IN THE USA TODAY

In USA TODAY the following two letters appeared:

Norman Bender wrote (“Renew assault-weapons ban,” Letters, Monday)

“James Holmes bought his weapons, including his assault rifle, legally.

In 2000, while running for president, candidate George Bush supported the extension of the assault-weapons ban.  And, given the carnage in Aurora, Colo., who could argue against that?  Alas, as president, Bush didn’t press Congress that hard to extend the ban and allowed it to expire in 2004.  What followed is part of our uniquely tragic American gun narrative.

History will judge how great a president Bush was, but part of the body of evidence in an assessment must surely include the body count of innocent victims of this not-so-innocent weaponry.

Philosopher Edmund Burke famously said “All that’s necessary for the forces of evil to win in the world is for enough good men to do nothing.”  Well, it’s time to do something.”

Also printed in that USA Today was a letter by Randy Soos from Tennessee (“Founders understood need for guns used responsibly,” Letters, Monday) where he says;

“As people argue anti-gun and pro-gun points, put me down as pro-gun.  USA TODAY reader Aaron Spital wrote, “There is no place for assault weapons in civilized society…killing machines that the authors of the Constitution never imagined” (“Stand up to gun lobby,” Letters, Tuesday).

If the history I learned in school is of any value, I would think that the folks who took on the British, including our Founding Fathers, would have very much appreciated an automatic weapon.  You have only to look around the world and see what it means for oppressed civilians to be without weapons.  I believe that to be the gist of the Second Amendment.

Yes, there is a place for assault weapons: in the hands of law abiding civilians.”

We find a number of Mr. Soos’ comments quite interesting.  First, if our Founding Fathers, amateur soldiers, fighting on their own terrain had assault weapons, we’re just guessing the British and Hessians would have had them too, which could well have negated our home field advantage.  Second, it is generally accepted that when you wish something were different historically it is to achieve a better outcome, and while I have never read a history book printed in Tennessee, it’s my strong impression that we actually defeated the British, and we most definitely do not speak with an English accent.

Slightly Off Base

Baseball, a precision game, has a lot of imprecision in its language.  When a batter comes up and the team is down by a run in the bottom of the ninth they say he’s “the tying run.”  No, he’s the “potential” tying run.  He has to get on base or hit such that he scores.  There are a number of other rather silly baseball phrases and one of the most common is after 4.5 innings the announcer says we’re half way through.  No you’re not half way through, because one team has batted 5 times and the other team only 4. So you’re not half way through.  What you’ve done is play 4.5 innings.  Another involves scoring and the term “sacrifice” fly.  That’s where a person hits a fly ball deep enough so a runner from third can tag and score.  Sometimes a batter might be deliberately doing that, sacrificing himself; other times if it’s a big difference in score and he just happens to hit a fly ball where a runner happens to be on third with less than two outs.  It’s a scoring aberration that has become a custom.  But, for a number of years, believe it or not, a fly ball which scored a runner from third was an RBI, but it counted against your batting average,  The idea was that you were trying to get a hit, but failed.  This rule actually existed in 1941 when Ted Williams had 406 and he would have hit somewhere in the neighborhood of 415.  Again, baseball, a precision game in terms of stats and analysis has some remarkably imprecise language.

Friday Fauxlosophy

In reference to Mitt Romney tax returns: Every dollar he doesn’t pay, is one the American people have to.

Mitt Romney, Bain’s “Sole” Man

The Bain Capital SCC Filing says as follows: “Mr. W. Mitt Romney is the sole shareholder, sole director, chief executive officer and President of Bain Capital and thus is the controlling person of Bain Capital.” Yet he says he had nothing to do with it in those years when he signed their filings. Maybe he was just helping by inspiration. Maybe he wasn’t the sole man, maybe he was their soul man. Or maybe he’s being just plain disingenuous.

Mitt, Your Calendar Doesn’t Fit

Mitt Romney had a fundraiser planned for Jerusalem, obviously to attract Jewish folks. It’s to be a $50,000 per plate affair so we assume the food will be at least pretty decent, possibly even kosher. But, what Mitt’s people didn’t do, as have the Evangelicals in the past (so Mormon’s and Evangelicals may be more alike that we think), is to actually look at a calendar. That day, which is actually the 9th of Av is a solemn fast day in the Jewish calendar. It is done to commemorate the destruction of both temples. Apparently, this was no oversight. The Romney people knew it was a day of fasting, and therefor only wanted it to be "small" event. Huh? As going back years when the Evangelicals supporting Robert Dole had a planned Yom Kippur lunch for American Rabbis, which didn’t have high attendance, once again, these folks that love Jews so much and respect Jews so much don’t seem to be terribly aware of the Jewish calendar when they plan so much. So Mitt, your calendar did not fit.

BRING BACK THE TRUTH IN POLITICS, BY GEORGE!

It is undisputed that we live in a polarized political age. This unfortunate dynamic just might be improved if we had increased transparency, because what one knows they are less likely to fear. However, no candidate in anyone’s memory has been less transparent, particularly regarding his very complicated personal finances, than has Gov. Mitt Romney. And while the facts must be known to be judged, it’s hard to envision multimillion dollar bank accounts in Switzerland and the Cayman Islands helping to create US jobs. Romney’s approach stands in stark contrast to that of his father, Gov. George Romney, a wealthy and successful man in his own right, who released 12 years of tax returns when he ran for president. The American voting public should demand loudly and repeatedly; that Mitt Romney bring back the truth in politics, by George. He would then be honoring the memory of his father and respecting the intelligence of the American voter.

Fast And Furious Has A Past That’s Curious

We’ve all heard of Fast and Furious, the program by which our government agency sold guns to Mexican drug lords for purposes of tracing where they were, where they went, which somehow got lost in the condemnation of the President who is, as we shall see, not the initiator. Attorney General Eric Holder won’t release these documents which he said would endanger agent lives. We find it was started in ’06 by George W. Bush. Interesting. Not sure what will come out of this, but Fast and Furious does have a past that’s curious.

CAMPIAGN ADS

Mr. Romney likes to bet $10,000 at a clip. I’ll bet him the American people’s trust. I’ll bet him he can’t do what I’m doing and make no pledges to any outside interests just to work for their jobs. No pledges to people who are financed by billionaires who are going to give me tax policy. Pledge to give every one of my income tax returns. Again transparency. And a pledge to say honestly what I have to gain or lose, by the Bush tax cuts being extended or not. I will tell you what I personally have at stake so you will know I’m involved with what you personally need to have happen. That’s my pledge.

Disney Ain’t Dizzy

The Walt Disney Company acted in a very straight forward, non-dizzy manner and this is not junk talk, they’re taking their junk food ads off the Disney Channel. Wowwy. Less junk food ads means less junk food consumed which mean less obese children. The next thing people are going to tell me is that cigarette ads started forty years ago really worked. Well, they did if you believe 19% of the population not smoking signifcantly less than the 40% then. Again, Walt Diney, well balanced, not dizzy.

A Post WWII First, No Vets To Vet

For the first time since WWII, neither Presidential candidate has worn our country’s uniform. The reasons vary. In the case of Mitt Romney he got a draft deferment to work as a Mormon missionary, which they often do in hazardous, desolate places, although Mr. Romney’s was in Paris France. Often their conditions are harsh, virtually Spartan. In his case he lived in a palace with a busboy and a cook assigned to him. Nonetheless Barack Obama was challeneged by theMcCain people as the where was he on the Tete offensive and the Democrats incorrectly answered that he was six years old. He was in fact seven. But be that as it may, for the first time since WWII there are no former people in uniform in the Presidential race.

Birthers, Wifers, Weavers

We all know what the "birthers" are, the people like Donald Trump who despite actual birth certificates, nurse witnesses and newspaper announcements, still claim that Barack Obama was not born in Hawaii. The (shall we say) energetic, Bill Maher has taken up a parallel approach on Romney calling himself a “wifer” saying he’s not saying all Mormon’s have many wives. He hopes it isn’t so. But he just questions among other things, “How, if Mitt has one wife, all his children are thirty?” They just of course look that way. But we have a group of our own at Real Fox News. Since Donald Trump is the center of the Birther controversy, we are the "Weavers". We’re not saying what percentage of his hair is real or not, we’re not saying the time that it takes to address it each day, and we’re certainly not suggesting that someone in the crowd impromptu, vs the pie in the face that Bill Gates got some years ago (and that was wrong), try a bucket of water over the top to see what happens. No, we’re just saying that we hear these questions and we certainly hope they’re true, that Mr. Trump and his hair are equally genuine.

When Is The Political Right, Right?

Republicans have given us predictions that unemployment would rise to 9%, it’s now around 8. They said that that consumer confidence would go down, it’s now the highest it’s been since 2007. They said that gas prices would continue to go up and they’re down. When is the Right, ever right? Currently, historically, philosophically, economically? We’d be happy to view such instances. Could they be produced?

One Man, One Women, and No More Than One Generation

Mitt Romney speaking at Liberty University founded by Jerry Falwell, where blacks and whites were not allowed to hold hands; yes, that bastion of tolerance said that marriage must continue to be defined as one man and one woman. But that was a complete sentence and not a complete truth; because the complete truth would have been going back no more than one generation. Because if you go back two generations, Mitt Romney’s grandfather didn’t have just one wife, or two or three or four, no, he had five. Which is, not to judge Mitt Romney on the behavior of his grandfather but as noted conservative religious theorist Ralph Reed said he’s with Mitt Romney because he supports a principle that’s going back 5,00 years. Which brings us to one last thought; we know the Mormon’s are long lived, but did Mitt Romney’s grandfather go back 5,000 years?

WORD OF THE WEEK

This is our word of the week and we don’t have words every week. But it’s where someone knows just enough political facts to make wrong arguments and make them in a reasoned way another version of course was a complete sentence versus a complete truth. This weeks word is "braindangerous".

Gitmo Texas

For three years President Obama tried to get the masterminds of the 9-11 attacks tried in civilian court. They will now be tried in Gitmo as the change in venue received too much resistance. Civilian courts have had a pretty good track record (actually, a perfect record) of putting terror suspects away. We thought of a compromise: If you can’t be in a military court, and if they wont allow a cilvilian court, why not compromise? Try them in Texas.

Jane Has Cancer, Well No

"Jane has cancer and has no health insurance" is the actual title of a website by a lady who put in for a compassionate public to help her with her “breast cancer challenges.” Over $8,000 was raised and she did spend it, well, on her breasts, actually for any augementation as opposed to any health measures. She did have a problem with her breasts as in her own self image and she wanted them larger. She took the money, and she’s under arrest. Bless the people who gave to her so that they don’t feel like boobs. Sorry, couldn’t resist it. But, she does get to keep them. Who says crime doesn’t pay or at least augment.

Let’s Nip This Crap In The Bud

Pine Ridge is one of the largest Native American reservations in the country. Alcohol is forbidden. However the liquor stores in Whiteclay, Nebraska, population 10 (that’s right t-e-n) sells more than 4,000,000 cans of beer and liquor annually as Anheuser-Busch uses that as it’s gateway into the Indian economy where they are not legally allowed to sell. 90% of the arrests by tribal police are alcohol related as are a similar percentage of juveniles. Frankly, if Anheuser Busch would have the capacity for shame they would probably have it, but they don’t. Mockery and money are the only way things get changed in this world and what little we at Real Faux News can do, we recommend agreeing with Nicholas Kristoff in calling for a nationwide boycott against Anheuser-Busch. They can’t feel but they can count.

YOU MIGHT GET SHOT, BUT YOU WONT GET WET

At the Tampa Republican convention this year due to the heavy NRA influence over the state of Florida they will be allowed to block people carrying squirt guns which look like weapons but just not real guns. That’s correct, there will be no way the State of Florida or the local police can prevent people from walking around with real guns strapped to their hip locked and loaded up to 30 round magazines, but squirt guns however are forbidden. So you might get shot but you won’t get wet.

Bit By Bit Mitt defines Mitt

So according to Federal law the nature of Mitt Romney’s donors finally came out and only nine percent gave $200 or less. It’s one on one literally, the one percent of the one percent for the one percent. Or, to paraphrase Abraham Lincoln, government of the one percent by the one percent for the one percent.

Re-plagiarizing in Advance

We are re-plagiarizing in advance again and it’s the great one. We are complimented and of course apologetic to have plagiarized in advance as we have so often done, and this time it’s the great Steven Colbert. Not only did we pre-empt his thunder, but we've been doing it apparently repeatedly for many months with our phrase when people are giving the go ahead to the former speaker "the aye of the Newt". And last night that was his lead segment, exactly that of the "aye of the Newt". We are at once gratified and as we said a little chagrin because we have plagiarized in advance in the past. We sometimes used most of someone’s phrase, this time we used all of it. Hope you can forgive us.

Making Legal Waves, Micro Style

This is a new one but at the Grand Hyatt in Denver they have a microwave if people wish to reheat their coffee. Which they will kindly do, if … you sign a waiver stating that you understand that microwaving might affect the taste. You fill out the form, sign it, date it, print your name then they will microwave your coffee. Talk about making microwaves on a legal scale.

What’s Broken in Florida

What’s broken in Florida is not George Zimmerman’s nose. The lawyer for George Zimmerman had said he claimed his nose was broken in the fight and he also had a gash in the back of his head. So he brings up the argument for self defense. So let’s look at the photos. Oh wait, he took none. But there are some surveillance videos shot after Trayvon Martin was lying there dead and it shows Mr. Zimmerman with the police and his head and face are visible the whole time and they are unmarked. What has left a mark is Florida justice and hopefully this makes a mark on people. You gotta wonder how these self appointed yahoos can carry guns and do what police can’t, shoot people without reports or accountability. No policeman can do that nor should they. And this guy, unmarked, un-bloodied and in their attitude un-bowed, never even has to make a report on how he took another human life. There is a lot broken in Florida but none of it is George Zimmerman’s nose.

WOULD THE REVERSE BE ADVERSE?

This marks the beginning of a new feature. Also done as a stand-up act at Real Fox News in which we describe a rumor and or factoid about a person in the public's eye and say if it had been about some one on the opposite side of the argument would have been major, minor, or non existent issue. But would the reverse have been adverse? What if we were to tell you that George Zimmerman the shooter of Trayvon Martin had been involved with drugs and suspended from his daily rounds because of it? Important or no? What if we had told you that Trayvon Martin had been arrested for a violence in his household and a different time for an assault on a police officer. Important or no? We are guessing people might not think that marijuana with George Zimmerman was not all that big a deal but they did when it was actually Trayvon Martin and it actually wasn’t so. And we might think that people would make a big, big, big deal if Trayvon Martin had been arrested for assaulting a police officer and violence in his home, but actually that was never the case, what was the case with George Zimmerman who was arrested for domestic violence one time and assaulting a police officer another. You have to ask yourself in this “liberal media” as portrayed on Fox News, is it a big deal that those are facts about George Zimmerman’s background? And again how do you get involved in a self defense situation “standing your ground” if you are pursuing someone after the 911 people tell you not to? Reverse, adverse more to come.

Good "job"news

Good job news is that the economy for a third month did show solid gains and did add over 225,000 jobs. All patriotic Americans are overjoyed, particularly Republicans. Well, not as much. Many suckers had improvements, some didn’t. But again the old joke: The difference between a recession and a depression is in a recession you don’t work; in a depression I don’t work, so unemployment is still very individual and very personal. Mitt Romney pointed out that 25 million people in America were still unemployed or under employed and he only laid off a portion of them. Gas prices are hurting, but in the three years that Obama has been there, the reversal of private job losses has stopped and the growth of government has also been stopped. The biggest shrinkage has been public sector jobs. That’s what Republicans wanted, isn’t it? Well, maybe only if they could take credit. And again, Mitt Romney and Bain are not responsible for the majority of these people still unemployed.

Bit By Bit, Mitt Won’t Support Mitt?

There was a good movie with a great title called “Other People’s Money.” Since the title’s been taken one won't be able to make a movie looking back on the Romney campaign and call it that name. But it is that. Mitt Romney’s actually finally getting tight for money despite having outspent Santorum 4-1 in Ohio and having outraised all other Republican challengers combined. Yet he has yet to contribute a single dime to his own campaign and says basically he doesn’t intend to. He’s basically telling donors and complaining because he has the lowest percentage of the small donors of any the Republican candidates, you contribute, I won’t. Is this another Mitt “I don’t know if I’m rich” moment? But bit by bit, Mitt won’t support Mitt, at least not from his own pocketbook.

Cigarette warnings of smoke and mirrors

There is recent news on the smoking habits of America’s youth and it’s not for the good. Apparently 3800 high school students per day are taking up this odious habit and 80% of those who do so will continue for life. Speaking of life, obviously the fact that it will be both impaired, and shortened, is not enough of a deterrent. And that’s because threats of mortality are immaterial to the young that consider themselves immortal. So, let me have the temerity to suggest that cigarette packages should display a warning that will portent a fate worse than death to the young who are making this decision. It would read as follows; if you use this product as directed you will stink and your looks will suck.!!!!!

Bit by Bit, Mitt Defines Mitt

Mitt Romney has raised a lot of money, or we should say a lot of money has been raised for him by his big donors. Most of them have now reached the legal limit. So then there’s all those many, many, many small donors which fueled Obama in 2008 and also in 2012, which are fueling Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum now. But where are they? They’re not. There’s almost no small donors for Mitt Romney. Now here’s a funny thing about the Mitt Romney donations. Here’s one untapped person who hasn’t given anything to the Romney campaign….Mitt Romney. Oh my gosh, the jockey don’t want to bet on his own horse. Obviously he’s not running Secretariat. Bit by bit, it gets tougher to explain Mitt. !!!!!

Ann Frank and Daniel Pearl Got It Right The First Time

This has nothing to do with the Born-Agains. This has to do with this Mormanism-After-Death-Religion-Agains. (Don’t know if there’s a category for that but it’s really starting to get nauseating). It seems the Morman Church has taken this custom of POSTHUMOUSLY baptizing people who were born, lived and died as Jews. Some of the more famous names of the past and now it comes out in the present include slain journalist Daniel Pearl. Mr. Pearl’s parents were surprised and were anything but pleased.Their quote is “We realize the Morman ministers who baptized our son posthumously meant to offer him salvation in the most honorable way they know how.” They go on to say they appreciate the good intentions but as they have said, and anyone who knew Daniel Pearl knew, he lived and died as a proud Jew. When we hear of things like that with religions, I hope these people don’t put it in the same paragraph as wishing for a non-intrusive government, because they have a pretty intrusive style.!!!!!

“Bipartisanism” Frankly Speaking

Barney Frank, D-MA coined the phrase; that my gosh, has resonance the more you think of it from the Jim DeMints etc; oh the phrase, “Anti-Semites for Israel.” It has a ring. It has factual basis. There’s Sarah Palin who was heavily involved in the movement Jews For Jesus, and we all know that’s a contradiction in terms. But strong for Israel: Sarah Palin. Michele Bachmann the evangelical her way or no way, but she worked on a kibbutz. So, anti-Semites for Israel, you just can’t stop saying it. But it is in its own strange way the ultimate bipartisan coming together of what should maybe be a party?!!!!!

Bit By Bit - Mitt Defines Mitt

Mitt Romney says forget religion, forget the social issues, he says it’s the deficit, it’s the fact that this country is hemorrhaging money and not spending responsibly. Mitt makes that point while having raised over $1.3 million during January through his SuperPac. Now, spending money they raised is fair. Here's the interesting part, they spent $3.1 million. Mitt Romney’s own SuperPac dedicated to promoting financial stability has spent over 2.5 times what it received. People will be waiting to get paid while he misspends their money. Gee doesn’t that sound like something bit by bit Mr. Mitt might have critisized our government for?!!!!!

Bit By Bit - Let Mitt Explain Mitt

A study by the government accountability office in 2008 found that 55% of American companies pay no federal income taxes at least 1 year in a 7 year period. Now, Mitt Romney claimed that corporations are people. He also claimed that how about the people who don’t pay any federal income tax overlooking the withholding, etc. But the amount of people who don’t pay federal income tax are well under half of the population, whereas in the corporate world it’s well over half. And since to repeat Mitt says corporations are people, will he crack down? Or bit by bit, will we learn more about Mitt?!!!!!

She Truly Had Hart For Her Craft And Her Calling

Delores Hart was going to be the next great beauty after Grace Kelly. A natural beauty, untouched by cosmetic enhancements, dazzling on the screen, co-starring with Elvis Presley in King Creole and also Where The Boys Are. She was engaged to marry one of the most successful realtors in California when she suddenly realized she had a higher calling. She felt she had to work for the Lord. She joined a nunnery where she is to this day, but is still an Academy voting member, as she kept her membership. Her former suitor visited her several times a year as they would walk and hold hands. This went on for 40+ years until he passed away. She apparently never regretted her life which imitated the art in which the lovely lady decides to become a devoted nun. You gotta give Delores Hart credit for the heart that she had for her beliefs.!!!!!

A NEW MILITARY ORTHODOXY

Traditionally in this country and sometimes in Israel as well, Orthodox Jewry has been noted for standing on the political right and all the proactive military policy that goes with it. That said, this might be changing soon, at least in Israel, since the Israeli Supreme Court has just invalidated military exemption for the ultra-Orthodox Jews who were previously allowed to use their engagement in religious studies as an exemption. As a Vietnam era draftee who witnessed so many of his most conservative friends engage in waving the flag (copiously) and working on their personal draft exemptions(passionately and usually successfully), I have to chuckle. The ultra-Orthodox who are known as Haredim, (translation; those who tremble before G-d), may now find themselves trembling before their drill Sargent, I sure did. From grounded in the Torah to soldier on the ground, who knew?!!!!!

No Dame Sense

An appeal on contraception was held recently in Washington and it was the usual approach for women’s issues – all run by men. There wasn’t a single female person on the panel. Which brings us back to a statement we made some years ago when we said in an ideal world there’d be a universal draft for men. Only of course, men would have charge of women’s contraception and women would run all the draft boards. Signing on guys?

OH, THE KID

The sportsworld is saddened by the passing of hall of fame catcher Gary Carter. He was apower hitting, clutch hitting, team leading player who was the best at hisposition defensively for his era. As a player on the 1986 Mets, he wasinstrumental in making them world champions. During that time he became knownfor his love for the fans, the audience, the photags, and thus was dubbed “Camera”by his fellow players. But speaking of nicknames, his signature one in factwhich fit him so well was “Kid” Carter. It’s been said about baseball, you’vegot to have a lot of little boy in you to play that game. Well Gary Carter the “Kid”indeed had a lot of little boy in him, a lot of game, and he will be missed.

Common Cents

Right now it costs over $.02 to make every penny and over $.11 cents to make every nickel. The Obama administration has requested a change in metal being used so that common sense will make common cents!!!!!

1%, 2%, Taking Stock On The Great Warren

Warren Buffet, the Oracle of Omaha (one of the many complimentary names he’s called), has said the stock market is the place to be, stay with equities and bonds are a bad investment. What is heartening is that Europe, which is just 2% of our exports, as they go up and down is actually not tail wagging (at least for the moment) our Dow Jones dog. Stay tuned if the market does the fall but for now it appears like there’s a lot to be said for not listening to the 2% on equity investing, let alone the 1% on tax policy.!!!!!

Plagiarizing in Advance Again

www.CapitolShleps.com with contributions from the band Ironix have emphasized Mitt Romney’s bending, twisting, working the crowds to the tune of of Joanie Mitchell’s Both Sides Now. David Brooks babbles not when his article “The Crowd Pleaser,” about Romney bending to every crowd, says exactly the same thing. We owe the erudite Mr. Brooks an apology as far as plagiarizing in advance. This trend of ours pops up from time to time. We’re not sure quite how to cure it. Again we hope Mr. Brooks will understand and keep on keeping on.!!!!!

Happy Nays Are Here Again

Republicans should be happy but they’re saying nay. The patriotic party which loves this country should revel in the fact that we’ve had the best jobs report in the last 3 years, and the best stock market for their rich base in the last 4 years. But they don’t seem to be. They’re smiling to themselves but they’re publically complaining because that can’t admit Barack Obama can do anything right even if he said that Monday followed Sunday. The happy nays are here again.!!!!!

Republican Turn Out – Taking The Low Road

People are commenting on the “scorched earth” campaign Newt Gingrich has taken against Mitt Romney, which he certainly did against Newt in turning FL around. Just as bit by bit Mitt explains Mitt, what explains why all the Republican primaries and caucuses have a lower turn out than in ‘08? Was it the great energy of John McCain, or the intellect of Sarah Palin? Were the disinterests of this party and their candidates and the reluctance of, let’s say it, the support of a Mormon? We don’t know but the fact that all these major primaries both in FL and (we understand) in South Carolina and definitely in Nevada had much, much lower turnouts than last time around. At least participation-wise the Republicans are taking the low road.!!!!!

Trumping Reason - Bit By Bit Defining Mitt

Donald Trump has made the endorsement people expected not of whom they expected, namely he went with Mitt Romney instead of Newt Gingrich. Interesting gift he’s given since three times as many people in national polls say they are less likely to vote for a candidate that Trump recommends than they are likely to vote for Trumps recommendation. Trumping common sense, but how does Mitt Romney pay the Donald back? Maybe Donald wants a share of Mitts real hair?!!!!!

SUPER, SUPER BOWL

The nation and much of the world was treated last night to a super Super Bowl, especially from the view of the Giants fans (disclaimer; that includes me). That said, we saw two very contreversial plays; 1. Why you should not always score a touchdown (at least not just yet) and 2. Why an obvious penalty turns into a real benefit. First the touchdown; Ahmad Bradshaw thought about it, stumbled and then fell backwards into the end zone, giving the Giants a 21-17 lead, but allowing the magnificent Tom Brady almost a minute to work with to come back and score. The Giants could have and probably should have run more time off the clock. Second, an obvious penalty against the Giants hurt the Patriots due to a flawed rule. With 17 seconds to go, the Giants defense had 12 men on the field (accidentally on purpose?), and thus was able to double cover every deep receiver. The cost to the Giants was only 5 yards. The cost to the Patriots was eight irreplaceable seconds of the remaining 17 in the game, helping prevent their potential comeback from happening. Watch for the NFL to make part of the penalty replacing lost time on the clock in such situations. But so it ended, the Giants are the champions in a very Super, Super Bowl!!!!!!

TRADITION TRADITION TRADITION

When Mr. Romney runs against Mr. Obama in the presidential race this fall, they can each claim having introduced a certain tradition to the Jewish folks. In the case of Mr. Obama he began the custom of Passover Seders in the White House. In the case of then Governor Romney, as reported today by the NY Post, he had the idea of saving money on kosher meals while letting residents of a Jewish home for the elderly eat pork. Mr. Romney’s idea was “vetoed,” but hey, the thought was there. Tradition, tradition, tradition.!!!!!

To Would Be Terrorists (the Navy Seal Of Approval) Yet Again

Just before our President gave his State of the Union Address we found that a bunch of Somali pirates holding hostages, one American and one from Denmark, once again were treated to the Obama terrorist/dictator retirement plan. That’s ‘cause our head of state gets them shot in the head. Like the first Somali pirates who commandeered that ship, like Bin Laden, like Mr. Gadhafi, like the other 21 members of Al Quaeda since Mr. Obama became President, and probably an Iranian scientist or two, or five. They have basically been dealt with in the same manner. The manner in which they deserve. But I think these people, whether it’s the Iranians advertising for other scientists or the surmise of future pirates could kind of take this lemon and make it lemonade and say as follows: “We pay you more now because when this guy in the White House talks about people retiring, he obviously doesnt mean you. So there's no need for a 401K.”!!!!!

BAIN WAS THE BANE OF MY EXISTENCE

From the Diary of Mitt Romney Bain was the bane of my existence, and now as I’ve dealt with that suddenly they’re all up in arms over my tax returns. I’m going to give them one full year, not a partial year, a full year, which is within 11 of what my Dad gave. He was wrong…you don’t give people information – they won’t think the worst. I don’t know if I’m rich? They tell me I made over $40 mill in 2010. Is that technically rich? I paid almost 15% taxes and the great news is under the plans of Newt Gingrich in which there’d be zero capital gains, I’d pay no taxes. Should I vote for Newt?? I love this old Beatle’s stuff. See how cool I am. Mitt fades off in the background – drifts asleep Let me tell how it will be More for you, 15 for me It’s my tax scam, ya ya it’s my tax scam Should 15 appear to small Be thankful that I pay at all Cause it’s my tax scam ya-ya, it’s my tax scam !!!!!

Romney & Gingrich: The Draft Dodgers That Want to Send Your Kids to War

When it came time for Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich to serve in the armed forces during the Vietnam War in the 1960s, both Presidential candidate weaseled out of their duty to “serve their country”. Now they espouse hawkish rhetoric, vehemently back the occupation of Afghanistan, think it was a mistake to pull combat troops out of Iraq (a result of a Bush-era agreement with Iraq),and more recently have touted the need to invade Iran. Just as it’s easy to spend money that isn’t yours, it’s just as easy to send kids to war that aren’t your own. That’s the crux of what Mitt Romney and Gingrich have advocated and what they intend to do if either of them are elected to the highest office in the nation. Living in a palace in France during a mission for the Mormon church, Mitt Romney didn’t get to witness the horrors of the Vietnam War, where over fifty-thousand Americans died. Romney received a deferment in order to further spread his religion in France for two and a half years. While American troops were fighting the Viet Cong in jungles deep inside of Vietnam, Mitt Romney was quoting verses of the Book of Mormon and improving his French. The Parisian mansion Mitt Romney was living in also had a chef and a houseboy. According to the Deseret News, in 1966, before Romney headed off to France under a church obtained draft deferral, he was a part of a counter-protest at Stanford University against a group that was staging a sit-in in opposition to draft status tests. It seems like Romney’s flipflopping career began even before his political career did. Gingrich, on the other hand, received one of his many deferments on the basis of starting a new family with his wife and kids. These are the same kids and cancer stricken wife, who he left just a few years later. While he wholeheartedly believed in sending young Americans to their graves in Vietnam, he cowered away from military service stating in 1985 to the Wall Street Journal, “Part of the question I had to ask myself was what difference I would have made.” Newt believed that one individual, particularly himself, going to Vietnam wouldn’t have made a difference. Robert Scheer over at the LA Times put it eloquently, The media have basically accepted him on his own terms as a righteous champion of family values determined to do battle with the “counterculture” and big government in Washington. Yet here is a professional politician who walked out on his own family with two young children at a time when his wife had cancer. Those kids were the basis of this super-patriot’s draft deferment during the Vietnam War. Now, there’s something to be said about military service: It isn’t for everyone and there are many, many legitimate reasons for not joining the Army. The issue with Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich is one of hypocrisy; the notion that they did everything they could to escape the draft into a war while at the same time verbally backing that war and now backing more interventionist wars abroad.They don’t seem to have a problem with bloodshed so long as it isn’t their own blood. This isn’t only true of Romney and Gingrich; it’s true of most neoconservative warhawks like Bill Kristol and Richard Perle whose jingoist rhetoric has resulted in thousands of dead American soldiers and thousands of families missing a son, daughter, father, or mother. The one other frontrunner in the Republican race for President definitely deserves a mention. That’s Ron Paul–the doctor that served in the US Air Force as a flight surgeon during the Vietnam War, who also has the most support from active duty troops. Isn’t it striking how the only Republican frontrunner who actually served in the US military is the one diametrically opposed to the neoconservative agenda of spreading our troops around the globe and endangering us at home?!!!!!

Ho, Ho That’s Rich

Such your phrase on bygone days in the world of comedy was sort of a highly patronizing acknowledgement of someone’s attempt at humor. Obviously that’s rich with humor was the implication. But what’s even richer with humor is when candidate Mitt Romney; sorry, forgot to use his RealFauxNews name of Flitt Romney; maintains that he’s not sure if he’s rich. He’s also yet to release his tax returns. He says if it’s customary he would do it, now he’s talking about April? Why not now before the SC primaries? Because it’s going to show that a man worth almost a quarter of a billion dollars might actually be rich. But the humor, he doesn’t know that that description applies to him…well, that’s taxing.!!!!!

TAXING COMMON SENSE

Mitt Romney’s tax plans would have cuts for every income group, but not all of every income group. If you make: --Less than $10,000 the cut would be .3% and percentage of people who get a cut would be 13 --$10,000-$20,0000 of those who get a cut (and it would be less that 1%) the cut would be 44.2%, --$20,000-$30,000 would get a cut of 2.3% going on up to, --If you make $200,000-$500,000 99.9% of you will get a cut of an average 6.9%, and if you make --More than $1,000,000 well 100% will get a cut and it will average 14.5%, --And the average person making more than a million will get a tax change of $290,000 to the good…or to the bad if you believe America is an upwardly mobile society. And that tax is common sense? !!!!!

CURB YOUR EXUBERANCE

Word to the following political personas: Pres. Obama Mr. Romney Mr. Gingrich Curb your exuberance. For Mr. Obama, when you were sure or hoped that the unemployment rate would drop much faster than it did, rather than being a little more measured conserving your expectation about it going to the 8% and 7%, which it may well do, but your comment was ahead of schedule, and that embarrassed you. Mr. Romney who was convinced he was about to sweep all 3 primaries only to find out Iowa got switched around and in SC he got turned upside down, it was obvious that he had too much exuberance. When early polls showed Newt Gingrich had Iowa he was giving “Ayes to the Newt” and said it was obvious he would be the nominee. He got waxed in Iowa, beaten soundly in NH, and suddenly aided by Mr. Romney’s inept debate performance and explanation of his personal finances, there again were Ayes for the Newt. But everyone should remember to keep expectations calm. Curb your exuberance. Don’t spike the ball on the 10 yard line, or in the case of some of these guys, the 20 or the 30; score first. !!!!!

Where There’s A Will There’s A Sway

Thank you George Will for summarizing the “winning” record of Mitt Romney going back to his 1994 Senatorial primary. He has been in 25 races and he’s only lost 19 of them. That would be a pretty good six-pack if it had been like six or seven or eight races. Yes that’s right Mitt, or as we like to call him in RealFauxNews, Flitt Romney is 6 wins 19 losses in 25 contests. Electability? You bet. He’s like the guy that you listen to his picks in sports ‘cause you know you make money by betting against him.!!!!!

Bit by Bit We’ll Know Mitt By Mitt

This will be a new feature from RealFauxNews in which we will do no negative advertising on Mitt Romney. We will simply quote Mitt Romney on Mitt Romney. Today’s thing is he doesn’t know if he’s rich and he made $45,000,000 last year. Bit by bit we’ll define Mitt by Mitt.!!!!!