Roger, good point. Why all the presidential, political polls on patch when so many important local issues are taking place and could be used for polls?

I'm mad he paid 15% in taxes last year! That is 5% more then any of us should pay in total!!! 10% total end of story no. Deductions no this loop hole no bs over here cause your ugly no your uncle smells like goat so you pay less. 10% total (5% fed, 3% state, 2% local) that's all build your budget from there. Heck 51% of this country pays NO federal tax now! Many of them get a check and don't even work.

Who cares of he shows tax returns the BHO still hasn't shown an authentic birth certificate that cant be dismantled in photoshop in 2 seconds, hasn't lowered unemployment, has wasted how much of our tax dollars on failed solar buisnesses, where are his student files, why does he work so hard to hide his past? Lots to hide huh...

Here real simple people forget the R or D after the names ...... do you want a guy who has made money in buisness, can run a buisness, a man who has always been proud to be an American....or the man who wants to take over all buisnesses(his words) like GM, who thinks that government builds buisnesses not the entrepreneurs (his words) , who says if he doesn't cut the deficit in half by the end of hos first term he doesn't deserve to be reelected (his words again) and who lies to your face everytime he opens his mouth.

Yeah great you wanted to show you weren't racist in 2008 now prove your not an idiot and dont vote for him again!

Really Roger? As an Independent voter Mitt will not be getting my vote unless he releases 5 years. What is he hiding? If he has nothing to hide then he should just release them. Until he does I'm going to assume he does have something to hide.

Warren wanted a raise in taxes for American Millionaires but the house and senate didn't want to hear what he was saying. He did release his taxes which came out to he was paying less in a percentage as his Secretary was paying. Most millionaires agreed with him too but the House and Senate didn't want to hear it.
Warren Buffett Tells Congress To Raise Taxes On Wealthy "Warren Buffett, one of the richest men in the country, wants to pay more taxes and thinks his super-rich friends should too.

Buffett, who is estimated to be worth more than $47 billion, called on Congress to commit to "shared sacrifice" and raise taxes on people earning more than $1 million. Buffett said the rich are "coddled" by Congress "as if we were spotted owls or some other endangered species."

"While the poor and middle class fight for us in Afghanistan, and while most Americans struggle to make ends meet, we mega-rich continue to get our extraordinary tax breaks," Buffett wrote in a Sunday New York Times Op-ed."
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/warren-buffett-raise-taxes-wealthy-friends/story?id=14307993#.UDEdRrL3tXY

Yeah Warren wants to pay more taxes.....hahahaha.....hilarious since I haven't seen him write a check yet...not hard its spelled IRS ....no SANE person wants to pay more in taxes... if they did they'd write the check.

steph, I bet you couldn't even read let alone understand the hundreds of pages of his tax return. On the other hand, everybody would understand No-bama's college application if he applied as a foreign exchange student. You must be on the O's truth team. What a joke.

It is up to the Internal Revenue to decide if he has done something illegal or not. Would you even know if he had if you reviewed his tax returns? Speculation is meaningless when it comes to the truth. Investing overseas is not illegal and I can tell you that anyone with a 401K invested in mutual funds is investing overseas, myself included. I say we get back to the real issues.

Amy agree with you 100%, he did the same to Hilary back in 2008. obama needs to go.

Sounds a lot like a president whose college records, law school records, etc. have never been made available. Guess that is just as dishonest.

obama doesn't want us to find out he went to school as a foreign exchange student.

Keeping money in an offshore account is perfectly legal. He has not broken any laws. Romney is a very wealthy man. So is Obama. So is Biden. So is Ryan. Which one of them isn't? The Clintons are. Gore is. They all are. None of them really can identify with most of us, the working people ... working to pay a mortgage, feed our families, pay our taxes (ugh) and try to put a little away.

Right now I have two in college. I am unemployed. My job was ended 2 years ago. I have not been able to find one here. I was getting unemployment. Not now.

I remember who got this country into this shape. The politicians that have been in Washington making lots of money, receiving lots of benefits, living the life of kings and queens. It was more than one. Quit blaming Bush alone. Just like it isn't Obama alone (and I do not like him) who is continually taking this country down the hole. It is ALL of them. From your local government to the federal government.

By all means, remember in November. Remember the ones raising your property taxes, school taxes, income taxes. Remember the vacations they all got. Remember the leased cars they drive on your dime. Remember the dinners, gifts, everything they take. I know I will.

Hiding money offshore is perfectly legal. Something doesn't sound right there. If it were legal then it wouldn't be called hiding it. Do you folks even think before you write some of this stuff?

Margaret I totally agree, according to what he released, he was born in a hospital that wasn't even built yet. obummer needs to release everything that he has hidden including his school records, but he is hiding the fact that he came here as a foreign exchange student.

I couldn't agree more, Margaret...I was going to make the same comment until I saw yours! I believe Obama has pulled off the biggest scam EVER in the United States of America.

Sorry Bill, your ad hominem attack just reveals exactly what you are. Incapable of intelligent debate.

Nice, Bill. Name calling. Classy. Okay, forget the birth certificate. Done deal. Fox News? No one spews more crap and hate than MSNBC. You are right when you state the veterans need help, roads need to be improved, locks/dams need work, etc. But think about this .... Remember the last stimulus where Obama said we were putting all of that money (we did not have) towards SHOVEL READY jobs? Come on, remember. Where did it go? Obama himself said there were no shovel ready jobs that the money went to. So, now Obama wants more to go to Where? Where? You don't think the Obamas have money hidden somewhere? You should get real. Really.

Thank you Bill for making a reasonable comment.

Saying the birth certificate is a done deal doesn't make it so, far from it actually. Producing a forged birth certificate (why would they do that exactly?) doesn't put the matter rest for the people who choose not to blind themselves to the matter. It's relevant here because we're talking about Mitt Romney and transparency. All the while, his opponent is anything but transparent. Unfortunately though, the mainstream media gives a pass (imagine the outcry if George Bush, or any other Rep. for that matter, couldn't produce a simple birth certificate.) A lawyer from Obama's legal team has admitted in court, on record, that the certificate the White House posted on its website was a forgery. Why would they go to the trouble to create an elaborate forgery of his birth certificate? I wonder...

So...you think that you'll be able to verify that his returns are accurate, is that what you're implying? And also, Ann Romney NEVER said "little people." That was Leona Helmsley. If you're going to sling mud, at least get it right. Jeesh.

Agree

Exactly! The kool aid drinkers want to run this tax return thing as long as possible because Obama cannot talk about anything good he has done since in office.

It makes me sick to think there are so many who are NOT paying taxes. For example, the welfare mothers who are getting "paid" to have babies. They get housing, food, cell phone, etc. and transportation and daycare. They can get an education paid for by you and me. But the kicker is when they get a tax refund of several thousand dollars and have the audacity to complain that they are owed something. It makes me sick that they get even a dollar in a tax refund when they pay nothing.

Agree, Obama took my money as well and gave to to worthless businesses who are now in bankruptcy but their CEOs are doing well with our tax money.

Romney was not my first choice on the GOP side but I will vote for him because I believe he does have the knowledge and experience to get this country turned around and going in the right direction. If Obama gets back in, it will be more of the same crap.

Tony you do know Obama had taken more money from people on wall street then Mccain in his campaign!

Unman privatizing seems to work well ask the Pittsburgh zoo or the national aviary. Lets see how well is home schooling and Internet based schooling doing here, compared to public school you know who scores higher in placement exams.

If you knew half the stuff FEMA was up to you would be demanding them to be defunded. Why are Medicare, FEMA, IRS all buying 1,000 of rounds of ammunition maybe they have too much money and need more exciting team building exercises at shooting ranges? Yeah go ahead look it up you're already online.

Don't regret it; vote for Romney; you know in your heart of hearts that Obama is a failure, and not up to the challenges of the office. He's a jumped up Illinois state senator, who was usually MIA when it was time to cast a vote.

It is about being transparent....

EVERY SINGLE person who has ran for President has released 10 years worth...

The fact is.... his side has said, if they release 10 years worth.... that it would give the "other side" meaning Obams side food to attack....

What is in those tax returns that is so damning, that he would rather take this kind of heat , rather than just release them already and be done with it inn a day or 2????

If Obama did not release his tax returns the GOP would hammer on this like NO tomorrow....

and yes... I want to SEE he is on the up and up.....

Release them and PROVE IT....

Even his OWN party wanted to see them..... and many still do....
they are only letting it slide, cuz he is on their side....

and again.... if Obama did not release them, and MItt had..... It would be an all out war....

It is about what is fair......

Hmmmm, I see nobody responds to my questions about what will the information on the tax returns tell you.

The lack of an answer tells me that those asking for the tax information really have no interest or need of the information, but are merely wanting to use the issue as a distraction. Many other posters have already said this. When the challenge is made to tell us why you want or need the information, you go silent.
Your silence is speaks loud, and confirms what many of us have thought previously. Thank you.

Hey everybody! Roger demands an answer! Stop working, slam on the brakes and provide him with his answer!

We want to see how little Mitt currently pays in taxes. That's why people want to see his tax returns. There are a lot of people in this country who think that it is unpatriotic for someone running for president to dodge paying their fair share of taxes.

Perhaps you don't agree with that. That doesn't matter. You wanted to know why people wanted to see his tax returns.

and why is that????

This is not something president release....

fact is.... saying things like this, only makes you look CRAZY....

should he also release his DNA tests????

his eye exams????

His SAT's????

PLEASE.....

Romney's DAD released 12 years worth....

WHY won't Mitt???

I agree. It is not unreasonable to ask for more background on a man whom the AP said was Kenyan born as he ran for the Senate. A man who, from the White House, has released a forged birth certificate. A man who declared his administration would be the most transparent, not employ lobbyists, cut the deficet, etc. All lies! I don't mind men who are rich seeking office. The ones that bother me are the ones who become rich in office.

Do any of you understand and comprehend that he is only required to release the last two years of information? Apparently not, the bleating for more information keeps getting louder. TWO YEARS is all he is required to release. And as so many others have stated, what would you do with that information once you got it? VERIFY IT? Are you able to determine that they are truthful? People let their emotions get the best of themselves, as evidenced by some of the tripe on this board. "Every one else has released 10 years..." is that fact? And even if that is true (highly doubtful), that is more than what is required. Do you have that little to cling to that you want to see tax returns showing information that you can't possibly know is accurate?

America is in trouble. I mean, read this board...people have no concern about the economy, they're whining about tax returns from five years ago??? If we had a more educated voter base, we probably wouldn't be in this situation now. More information processed should equal less sheep...

You can find any of our Presidents School records, real birth certificate except for obama, what is he hiding. Romney complied as he only has to show 2 years and he did. Romney didn't get paid as a Governor, for the Olympics and has already said he wouldn't accept a salary as President of the United States. Lets see obama pass up a salary and his expensive trips and golf outings.

@Roy... Very cool story by our Robinson-Moon Patch reporter about an 86-year-old Navy veteran being honored by Sen. Casey and U.S. Rep. Murphy. If you and others are looking for more local news on The Patch, then I'd encourage everyone here to also offer their congratulations to Mr. Howe on his service... http://moon.patch.com/articles/navy-vet-honored-in-moon-by-sen-casey#photo-11060614

One thing nice is borht Sen Casey and US Rep Murphy will fight for the the Military and Veterans. Murphy fought to save our Base out in Robinson/Moon Area and thanks to Murphy fight for a Commissary for people in the Military and ex Military personal.

thanks Mike for the link went in and thank Walter for his service and told him he is one of the true heros in this country

Very well stated...most people ignore all this, and concentrate on the liberal talking points, forgetting that Obama is the most secretive President EVER! Why no explanation as to why he has a Connecticut Soc number when he was never a resident of the state? Why no release of medical info, full college info including his thesis and any aid applications? Lets not forget Obama's net worth is close to 11 million...look it up

obama gave less then 5% in charity last year because were suppose to feel sorry for him that he has student loans still. didn't he pay them when he got out of college. Unbelievable someone at his age and with what he is making is still paying on loans.

John
If he only cared about making money why didn't he take a salary as governor in mass, why no salary when going to save the Olympics, why has he stated he will take no salary as president? Hmmm ...

Bain capital has saved ...Staples, Sports Authority, and multiple other companies. They are called in to help save a company, just because management has already dug the grave isn't Bain's fault. Many of those companies lasted monthes or years longer then management hoped. Oh but that's right forgot how many people has obama put out of work...how much has he stolen out of our pockets and our children's pockets. Let look at the facts on who the real thief is....psst...he lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue at least til hes evicted in January!

I before E, except after C.
Do you know how much 5 Trillion is? We don't need four more years of his type of economic "fix".
That is all you need to know about your messiah.

I think this is a stupid issue. If you run for President, you don't have a private life anymore. Should just get with the program and show what you're about, how you live your life, how you can relate to the people that you are supposed to be representing on a national scale. I think that the argument on giving in to Dems' request for sharing his tax returns will lead to more requests, questions, and tangents from what the "real issues" are is a cop-out.

Romney was required to release 2 years and he did. What don't you people get, he did what the law asked. Yet we have obama that has everything hidden about his life.

I could care about his tax returns, I'm voting for Romney because the loser in office hasn't done anything for our economy. No jobs, gas was 1.61 to 1.81 when he took office, the price now is 3.65 to over 4.00 for premium. Shoving health care down our throats that 60% of the people don't want. only thing he does in office is golf and goes on lavish vacations at the tax payers money.

Gee, thanks for the unbiased, neutral observations from " The Daily Kos". If they say it's true, it MUST be so!

Really, the Daily Kos? Are you kidding me? WOW. We're in more trouble than I thought.

What's next, the Daily Worker as a source? You are a joke.

I had to laugh at the farce of a web site name. Most of the stuff it is claiming he did is a joke.

Right on Walt. You hit the nail right on the head. What I find interesting is that better than 95% of those commenting favor Romney over Obama. Let us hope that Romney prevails not only in Pennsylvania but in total electoral votes this November.
Obama should go back to Chicago. He fits in with their style of politics.

Wow Mary Ann- I don't know who you are, but I like you!

Mary Ann,

I listened to the Great One today as well and almost threw up when he said that a candidate for President's life becomes an Open Book. Does he really think we are that stupid when there is so much we don't really know about him? Vote Romney in November. Send the Great One back to Chicago.

If he "opens his book " wont be going to Chicago probably be deported to Kenya.

Megan, show us the legal requirement for the two years. Yes, it has been repeated here several times, but never elsewhere. Even in today's press conference, Pres Obama had ample opportunity to dwell on the two year requirement, which he did not.

You're really defending using the Daily Kos as a source? REALLY? I mean, you are honestly referring to their website as a source of your information? I don't have to watch "Faux News" (oh how clever of you) to realize that you may as well cite a guy on the corner as your source...you honestly think that the Daily Kos is a legitimate news source? Then DEFEND it??? Really??? Wow. Just...wow. Are you serious? You have to be trying to BAIT someone on this site. The Daily Kos? Please, please stop. For the love of journalistic integrity, just...stop. It's okay to have an opinion, we all do. But don't ever quote the Daily Kos as a news source. It doesn't make you look very intelligent, truthfully, and it's really hard to take you seriously.

Megan, I will ask you the same question I posed above, which nobody has answered. If he provides tax returns for two years, four years, six years, ten years, what will you do with the information? Why is it important? Will it matter to you if he paid $2,000 in Fed income tax, $20,000, $200,000, or $2,000,000 in Fed Income tax? What will his tax return tell you that is valuable information?

And, "curious" and "just want to know" aren't answers. What could be in the tax returns that will make an impact on your vote? Please be specific.

With your list of accusations, you could qualify to be Senate Majority Leader!

Megan,
You got to be kidding. Where did you pick up all this trash on Romney? You would rather have Obama run this country into the ground and that is what will happen if all you liberals re-elect this jerk. You trust Obama? That is a joke.

Very funny, Megan. You don't want to see "how much tax he did not pay." Really? What will his tax return tell you about his grocery shopping skills? How will you know about any tax evasion? What you are saying: "I am better qualified to know if Mitt Romney evaded taxes, and used a wrong address than the IRS." What makes you better qualified than the IRS on these matters? If you have all this insight that the IRS does not have, I suggest you apply for work in the IRS at a very top level position.

With all due respect, your statements make no sense and are meaningless.

Funny, that wasn't what you wanted to know about his return originally, you got that from another post above. But then, how could I expect someone that quotes the Daily Kos (again, chuckle) to have an original thought. You certainly don't.

Quit saying that everyone that disagrees with you gets their opinions from Fox News. Once again, like quoting the Daily Kos as a legitimate news source (chuckle), it really doesn't make you look very intelligent, and it really makes it hard to take you seriously.

Funny how pointing out how meaningless your posts are means that someone is belittling you. Don't try to talk with the adults if you can't hold your own.

And really, the Daily Kos? You should be ashamed of yourself. CNN? Legit. MSNBC? Legit (and both of those are liberal). Fox News? Legit. Daily Kos? Just...wow. And you actually DEFEND IT!

No wonder more than one person has called your posts meaningless and nonsensical.

Jeezus, is referring to " Faux ' News, or Fox News all that you have in reponse? At best, it's intellectually lazy, at worst, it betrays an inability to reason in a rational and thoughtful manner.
If you actually believe that "Daily Kos" is unbiased, and not in the tank for the annointed one, then it's hopeless.

Robert, it isn't just that the Kos is a liberal shill, it's that it isn't even NEWS. I mean, I could write blogs that were taken just as seriously. It's not regarded as a legitimate news source. Unbelievable that anyone would cite it as a reference! Really, ask around to anyone in the journalism field, it's like listing my kid's blog as a "news source." It's not their politics, because both conservatives (Fox) and liberals (CNN, NBC) are at least legitmate news sources, despite the slant they all put on their delivery. The Kos is honestly like listing a blog that you wrote as a source of news or fact.

Ultimately it's not about the President...and never has been. He's only the executive who answers to not one, but two Boards...the House and the Senate. Remember what Mitch McConnell said following the inauguration, "Our goal is to make him a one term President." When the Senate and House does nothing for four years and won't act on any of the White Houses proposals, including ones that they supported before he took office we have a problem. Blame the right people.

Obama inherited a bad situation and Congress, not the President, made it worse through inactivity. Economists overwhelmingly agreed that the stimulus package wasn't big enough but it was all Congress would agree to support. It gave the economy a kick-start but not enough fuel to sustain the type of growth we need to reduce unemployment. That's not the President's fault...it's the "I promise not to raise your taxes" crew's fault.

Here's one thing I know...never trust a politician who promises to not raise your taxes. It sounds good but the pledge is foolish. You're electing an idiot or a liar. I don't think you want either representing you. The only option opposite raising taxes is cutting programs and that's not always easy, especially when it's a program his constituents want to keep. Corner-paint-idiot. If he reluctantly raises taxes or introduces a fee (another word for tax) then he lied. Like I said...liar or idiot...neither is good.

@Tim – Fact check – the Democrats controlled both houses of Congress the first two years of Obama’s term as President. You might also find it interesting the Democrats still control the Senate.

“Economists overwhelmingly agreed that the stimulus package wasn’t big enough . . . .” Please cite some thing more concrete as this quote contains quite a few “weasel words.”

It’s also probably not a good idea to vote for someone that promises to cut the deficit in half and get unemployment under eight percent. That person is either an idiot or a liar. Not a good proposition either way.

@Tim – Fact checking is a great idea. Let’s fact check you.

Let’s skip over the fact you misquoted Romney is a post regarding research and fact checking to focus on “you people.” You quote these words to set up a class-warfare argument of the “haves” v. the “have nots” rather than taking her words at face value that the “you people” she referred to was Roberts and others in the media that keep asking the Romneys to release additional tax returns. Let’s cut the derisive Occupy Wall Street propaganda if possible.

You then proceed to call Mitt “a modern day robber baron.” Is it a common practice for “robber barons” to give away ten percent of their incomes? Do you give that much away? I’m lucky to give five. Again, here we go with more OWS propaganda.

Next you wax nostalgic about the good old days when politicians cared about their fellow man while conveniently forgetting about big city political machines, court packing, war profiteering, Jim Crow, “Checkers,” Chappaquiddick, and Watergate just to name a few. Politicians are no better or worse than before. There are those on both sides who serve to better the conditions of their fellow man and those who serve to better themselves. The difference is today’s technology gives us greater insight into what politicians do or say. Wow, more OWS propaganda here – not surprising.

Your post was great in theory but lousy in execution. Take heart, maybe a job at OWS is in your future.

When did 'you people' become a perjorative. I must of missed that memo.

Things started going bad when we started 2 wars that we could not pay for because of the Bush tax cuts and we went from having a surplus to a huge deficit. Remember Dick Cheney"deficits don`t matter"? Mary Ann,you have selective amnesia....a common Tea Party affliction.

Carla, that's old news. I'm not even going to bother explaining the facts to you because you don't want to hear them. So why don't you and Megan stick to posting on the Daily Kos instead of here. Because quite frankly, you just making a fool of yourself.

this is not "stolen" money. These are cuts and reductions in payment an increase on taxes to mostly medical corps, etc. Both Ryan's plan (we do not know Romney's) and Obama's plan amounts to the roughly the same amount of "cuts."

What we are really arguing about is how we would like that money reallocated. So rather than accusing Obama of fraud or stealing, we should look into what the money removed from medicare payments or collected in the form of tax is actually going to. Federal spending does not decrease with either candidate. Historically, federal spending never decreases.

Here is a really nice politifact article:
"The Republican response to attacks on the Ryan plan has been to attack back, saying President Barack Obama has cut "$700 billion" out of Medicare. And the Democratic response to that: Well, Paul Ryan cuts that amount, too!"

How ridiculous, right?

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2012/aug/15/stephanie-cutter/ryans-plan-includes-700-billion-medicare-cuts-says/

Politifact should not be your only source, but they really do a nice job of going after both campaigns and remaining nonpartisan. There articles are also easy to read and do not contain the typical hyperbolic ranting. This "stealing" parroting starts with an irresponsible simile (such and such is _like_ stealing) and then gets repeated enough into fact for a lot of people.

How can you trust Forbes magazine? It is such a liberal rag. :-)

Again, this wouldn't be an issue if Romney didn't have a history.

By the way, reducing unnecessary billings like Romney's company was busted for is one of the ways Obama wants to cut the cost of Medicare without reducing benefits. Romney/Ryan simply want to pass the costs on to the next generation of seniors which includes me. The Romney campaign is already talking about increasing the starting age for Medicare and other changes like reopening the "doughnut hole" which Obamacare closed. I guess that doesn't count as reducing benefits, however.

If obama is guilty by association with Rezko (for what exactly?), then by using the same standards of evaluation, Romney is guilty by association with Damon Corp.

Let's set higher standards for ourselves when choosing what to believe. We certainly cannot be critical of Obama maintaining a friendship with a financial donor without being critical of every politician ever.

Carl Davidson? Really? You know, he lives in Beaver County. Why don't you go ask him about his connections to Obama.

What's really unreasonable is the fact that people go to such great lengths to defend Obama. It's like putting your hands over your ears and saying "La la la I can't hear anything you're saying." No one can actually talk about the good things he's done; it's all slander of the previous administration ("he inherited it from Bush") or slander of his opponent in the upcoming election, to the point of using blatant untruths to defend him. It's a joke. He can't run on his record, and most of his supporters (especially on THIS site) deny truths presented to them. "What about Mitt Romney's 2005 Tax Return?" Like that even MATTERS in this election. Clutching at straws. But I guess when your candidate is a corrupt socialist with no intergrity whatsoever, you HAVE to slander the opposition.

How about his record, and I mean FACTS, not blogs (Daily Kos) or opinions? Too much to ask for.

Well said Concerned Citizen. All the calls from both sides for tax returns, birth certicates, school just cloud what the issues really are. I think you have summed it up exactly.

It is not fair to claim to want unbiased facts, and then also claim that anything that anyone comes up with in defense of Obama's presidential record or plans for the future is false.

_Both_ Romney and Obama campaigns/supporters have put out a ton of lies already. To claim that it is only Obama advocates and the Obama campaign that is "using blatant untruths to defend him" is false.

I think what we have to remember is that Republicans mainly view republican news sources and the same is true of Democrats. What does one get on a Republican news source? "the Obama campaign is lying..." What does one get on the Democrat news sources? "The Romney campaign is lying..." I watch both. I know.

Truth: Both campaigns are lying.

So what are the issues that we really care about? And can we talk about them without parroting slander? Case and point, Concerned Citizen refers to Obama as a "corrupt socialist." That right there signals to me that Concerned Citizen is partaking in some very misinformed, biased, and hateful news sources. If one knows anything about socialism or communism, you know that Obama is not a socialist and does not support socialist policy and the PPACA is not socialist policy. I think most people are aware of this, so I am not going to go into detail.

Sue, I am surprised that you would champion someone calling Obama a "socialist," and proclaim that he has summed your feelings up "exactly."

Do you believe that Obama is a socialist?

Stacey...Yes you can look at that so called birth certificate. The most questionable aspect that jumps off the page shows the baby's fathers race as being "African". The term "African American" did not come into vogue until the 90s when black people seemed to prefer that designation verses "Negro". That could lead to a deduction that this document was photo shopped in this decade and not an original from the 1960s.

Mary Ann, the connections you are making with the term "African American" used as a politically correct way of referring to black people has no connection with listing a man's ethnicity as African when he is from Africa.

Sounds like you are league with Rush, Hannity, Savage, Drudge, etc! (Jk, as I am referencing your comment listing a bunch of nonsense information with extreme bias right up to scrutinizing Obama's "dysfunctional" childhood and linking that with "socialism."). You are really making some extreme leaps from one accusation to the next, forming unlikely connections (two examples previously mentioned in this comment), and going with those unlikely connections/leaps as fact.

Criticizing Obama's birth certificate and calling him a socialist and then criticizing the left's attacks of Romney and blogs like the "Daily Kos" is extremely hypocritical. You are only encouraging the continuation of distracting, nonissues put out by both parties.

Erin, I think you are mixing and matching your arguments here. Maybe my rhetoric (calling Obama a socialist) is a bit over the top. But misinformed? Why am I misinformed, because my views are different than yours? I rely on my own judgement to arrive at an opinion; I don't parrot any of the news sources that I get in my information from (and they are varied, from the ulra liberal MSNBC, CNN and Post Gazette to the conservative Fox News, just to name a few). And to imply that I know nothing about socialism or communism is an arrogant thing for you to say.

I am well aware that lies are perpetrated on BOTH sides of the election (and arguments about the candidates). You totally twisted my words around and proved my point about apologists rationalizing everything.

Your posts come across as arrogant. So...if I read what you've posted correctly, no one else is as informed as you (thank GOD you are around to enlighten us) and everyone else is "uninformed"?

You need to re-read what I posted because you obviously have my post confused with another post. My "transgression" was stating my OPINION (that Obama is a socialist) among the facts.

But the way you twisted my words are very appropriate for a political argument, though.

I am sorry that you interpret my posts as arrogant.

You did say that Obama was a socialist, correct?

I am not an Obama apologist. You should hear me go on about Abduhlrahmen Al Awlaki and predator drones.

Mary Ann, with your heavy criticism of the Daily Kos, maybe you can source where you are getting your own information? I have no affiliation with the Daily Kos and do not recall ever referencing their articles, but I do reference many articles.

Are you linking a dysfunctional childhood with socialism?

Obama worked along side the Department of Justice to defend a law that gave people the ability to register to vote when they got their license...This was the only case in which he worked with ACORN. Obama also worked on Project Vote (encouraged people to vote). This group was separate from ACORN, but they both worked on projects that encouraged urban youth and minorities, etc to vote. These are Obama's only ties with ACORN.

I don't have time to address the rest.

One of my favorite professors and greatest supporters in college is a self proclaimed "socialist" from Zimbabwe. I myself am not a socialist. I know one other socialist that is not affiliated with my school or connected to the professor in any way. If I were to run for presidency, people would see a grad school recommendation from a known supporter of socialist policy. If you would know the history behind these movements in Africa and the USA's horrendous involvement with some of these governments, then you would understand why so many Africans tend to be leery of american capitalism which has done a lot of evil in Africa (Apartheid, Patrice Lumumba). Just me recognizing these historical truths would lead you to call out "SOCIALIST!" if I were to run for political office. These are the connections that you are making.

James.....I wish I could go to Waldon Pond and contemplate my navel, however, as we speak the Independent Payment Advisory Board established under Section 3403 of the so called "Affordable Health Care Act" are busy making cost and benefit reductions to Medicare. These recommendations from this 15 member partisan appointed group become law unless they are over ridden by 60 votes of the US Senate (how likely is that to happen).

This panel is functioning under the inspiration provided by Dr. Ezekeial Emmanuel, designer of "the complete life system". What this says in short is that if you are over 55, you are not considered a productive citiizen and the curve of medical care diminishes steeply. If anyone doesn't believe this, read the 2700 page Obama Care Act for themselves. The only way left to repeal this horrible legislation is to repeal Obama on November 6th !

Thank you so much James. I really appreciate your positive input.

It is a very meaningful debate. You twisted Obama's quotes. History is interpretive as any historian will tell you and you are making some grand conclusions and seriously questionable interpretations. So I will maintain that you are not representing history correctly.

Here is the conclusion of the case:
The parties settled the case on May 12, 1998, with an agreement that provided for waiver of some fees for class members, should they reapply for a loan, and also for various procedures to ensure that Citibank followed its own loan policies in a race neutral way. http://www.clearinghouse.net/detail.php?id=10112

Doesn't exactly amount to the crash of banks in september 2008. This case began with one woman claiming she was denied a mortgage based on her race while white people of similar financial situations were approved. Obama was a junior lawyer on a team so not exactly championing this case.

Whether or not you are denying that redlining exists, I do not know. But, when it comes to evaluating history, it is _always_ a mistake to say that one instance (in this case an unrelated instance of racial discrimination that was settled out of court) led to a catastrophe. Obama worked on a lot of cases fighting against discrimination of minorities. That is a good thing.

So are you saying that redlining (discriminating against minorities in the cases of loans and such) does not exist but is actually a cover? A cover for what?

Do you have sources for these heavy interpretations that are not the right wing equivalent of the Daily Kos or other left wing blogs? I cannot find any. I suppose you are saying that ACORN was the money behind this woman's lawsuit, and they hired the firm that Obama worked for but I am having trouble finding any mention of ACORN in the legal documents..,I am not doubting you. ACORN championed many racial discrimination cases. I am just looking for a source.

Well actually, I have to quit now bc I am going to be late for dinner reservations.

I will check back later as I am interested and would love some unbiased, nonpartisan, intelligent sources. I am not always a big fan of Obama, but his minor associations with ACORN were not evil. He was fighting a good fight.

You say that because Obama was a junior member on this panel of lawyers in this case, Obama must have been a part of ACORN's voter fraud and obviously committed some dirty dealings.

I will agree. So using the same reasoning...

Romney was on the board of directors for Damon when they were committing fraud against medicare and sold the company the same month that the subpoenas were issued. So Romney was guilty of fraud.

So why are we not demanding a legitimate third party candidate since both of these politicians, using your own reasoning, are both scandalous frauds?

You say someone twisted Obama's quotes? Like you twisted quotes that have been posted here? When a point is made against Obama, all you can say is that someone is twisting quotes, then spout revisionist history (YOUR version of history) to defend it? JEESH! Sometimes, when the proof is staring you in the face, you need to acknowledge it. Denial is not healthy.

I can tell you were never on a debate team.

Yes mary ann. I loaded that picture. I also loaded a profile. Click on my name and it says that I am 29 years old. I write opinion blogs for the Patch and the editor requested that I load my picture and a profile. You get my real name as well. I don't know if 29 makes me a "very young woman." I'll take it as a compliment though.

I don't know if it is life experience that enlightens one to the "eminent devastation" of this country. I think you mean imminent. And it is Citibank. And it is project vote. and that particular case had to do with one very specific moment of discrimination against one woman, and not "niga loans."

Did you mean "niga loans?" Because that is either a very unfortunate misspelling or you just made an incredibly offensive and racist statement. I am going to believe that it was an unintended misspelling.

The term that you are referring to is "Ninja Loans." NOT "niga loans." You can see how that is a horrendous looking mistake.

I agree with you about an editor having such zeal for one particular side of an argument. Funny how she twists words around to suit her. She made nonsensical rebuttals to my posts too, and I notice that not only did she put words in my mouth, she took issue with me calling Obama a socialist (but the posts above calling Romney a felon are just fine with her).

I think that if you are this passionate about a political debate, you need to host your own blog, not use your position as editor to state your views (and insult others with your arrogance). You made a statement that I don't know anything about communism or socialism because I called Obama a socialist; how do you know that? (no one even mentioned communism, maybe you don't know the difference...?) It's okay to disagree with my opinion, but don't call me stupid because I don't agree with you. You're no better than any of the other namecallers on this site.

I am officially done with Patch. I had been reading it to find out what's going on in my community, but it's not even useful for that anymore. Letting an editor of a site call people names and incite anger is irresponsible, and if your need to weigh in on a political matter with your ultra liberal positions is too great to resist, then maybe you need to step down as editor.

This site is a joke. Not a funny joke either. You can keep it.

Seriously though. What a HORRIBLE editor!

Concerned and Mary Ann... Erin does not work for Patch. She is an unpaid blogger. You and everyone else who follows Patch are more than welcome to blog for us and share your opinions. But I want to be clear that Erin is not a Patch employee and does not speak on behalf of Patch or the local editors who manage the sites.

As for monitoring the comments section, it's very difficult to do when we have hundreds of them coming in each day. It's very difficult to patrol and, unfortunately, things slip through the cracks. Since it seems like things are getting out of control (have been out of control?) I'll discuss with my boss about shutting down the comments section. It's probably time to move onto other topics anyway. And we'd love to have everyone comment on some of the happier stories we post. Take care, and thanks for reading.

blah blah blah who cares