Washington, U.S.A. — Hudson Institute Chief Economist Tim Kane is available to comment on U.S. employment numbers and his recent analysis of unemployment in the swing states.

Kane says: ”If voters in the swing states ask themselves if they are better off than they were four years ago, the answer will be no. Comparing official data in 2008 to September 2012 (the latest data available), we see the unemployment rate has increased in every one of the nine most hotly contested swing states. Ohio saw its unemployment rate rise by half a percentage point from 6.5% in 2008 to 7.0% today, but Nevada suffered more than anywhere with its level rising from 7.0% in 2008 to 11.8% today.

“If President Obama loses the election next Tuesday, he has nothing but his economic policies to blame. In early 2009, Obama’s top economists promised that the unemployment would come down nationally to 5.5 percent by the end of his first term if Congress would enact the stimulus package. Despite Republican warnings, a hyper-partisan vote in Congress with Democratic majorities in both chambers did pass the stimulus. The result has been a jobless recovery, with unemployment rates two-and-a-half full points higher than promised, which doesn’t include the millions of discouraged Americans who have stopped looking for jobs and so are not officially counted as unemployed.”

Tim Kane often provides analysis on major television networks and radio outlets. He is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy with a Ph.D. in economics from the University of California, San Diego. He is co-authoring a book (with Glenn Hubbard) entitled, Balance: Why Great Powers Lose It and How America Can Regain It, forthcoming from Simon & Schuster in early 2013.

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This is the question the Republican Party has been waiting to ask for four years as part of its strategy to undermine President Obama and his reelection. It began as a group of sore losers after the 2008 election, and ever since there has been every attempt to prevent President Obama’s success. Congress has behaved like a bunch of two-year-olds having an ongoing temper tantrum, screaming, “no, no, no” to everything the President has put forth to solve our nation’s problems. We must send a clear message to Congress and the Republican Party, that obstructive government is no government at all and tell them, emphatically, that we will not have it.

Has President Obama failed you? I think not. He inherited a huge national debt, two wars, massive Wall Street and corporate corruption, wide-scale unemployment, a severely depressed housing market amid mounting foreclosures, a dying American automobile industry, uncontrolled health care costs with the burden of care for the uninsured, plus an era of baby boomers reaching retirement age and straining the already stressed Social Security and Medicare systems.

No, he hasn’t done it all in four years. How could anyone? He said in his 2008 campaign “We can do it,” not “I can do it,” and it will take all of us to do our part. Have you done yours? Vote! Don’t let Big Money buy us, or their lies sway us, or allow them to get away with suppressing votes. Tell the Republicans we have had enough of their BS!

What President Obama has done is miraculous. Thanks to the Affordable Health Care Act, I, as an RN, can get back to caring for patients instead of charge slips and insurance companies.

Osama Bin Laden is dead. The war in Iraq has ended. Our soldiers are pulling out of Afghanistan. If your soldier came home alive, you no doubt know that you are better off.

Thanks to President Obama the auto industry is alive and well. The stimulus has kept capitalism alive. Unemployed workers got extended unemployment benefits. Programs were developed to prevent foreclosures and offer down payment assistance to make homes affordable to those in need and to stimulate the plummeting housing market.

President Obama is fighting to save Medicare and Social Security so our retirement money and care do not become resources for private investors to risk. Thousands of undocumented students will benefit from the Obama Administration’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. He is committed to protecting the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness for all of our people, not just the top 2 percent.

Voters I ask you: Who would Martin Luther King Jr., Caesar Chavez, Rosa Parks and Eleanor Roosevelt vote for? Would they let anyone take their vote away? Go to the polls.

Save yourself. Save your country. Save us all. Vote Barack Obama!

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Atlanta, U.S.A. — During the October 16 U.S. Presidential debate, Republican nominee Mitt Romney said President Barack Obama waited 14 days to declare the attack in Benghazi an “Act of Terror” before the president protested, interrupting, “Get the transcript,” which he claimed refuted Romney’s assertion.

Videotape from the live event shows debate moderator Candy Crowley with what appears to be the transcript of the President’s Rose Garden speech in hand, waving it about as if on cue from the President.

The video, distributed by Job Creators Solutions, demonstrates how that exchange should prompt the media and the public at large to ask why Ms. Crowley held up a document at that critical moment in the debate.

“The debates are a sacred part of our democratic system,” said Herman Cain, co-founder of Job Creators Solutions and former presidential candidate. ”The American public deserves to know if that system was subverted. This video raises enough questions to make us all deeply uncomfortable until we know the answers.”

To assist the public in its own evaluation, Jobs Creators Solutions has produced the video showing the moment when, prompted by President Obama, Crowley produces what appears to be the transcript of the September 12 remarks. The “TranscriptGate” video can be viewed at http://bit.ly/SgGXMt.

Images Courtesy of Austen Hufford | Gage Skidmore

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New York, U.S.A. — The kids of the United States have spoken and President Barack Obama has been elected the winner of Nickelodeon‘s 2012 Kids Pick the President ”Kids’ Vote.” Since it began in 1988, kids have correctly picked the winner (in advance of the national election) five out of the last six times. More than half a million votes were cast in the network’s online poll as part of Nickelodeon’s Kids Pick the President initiative to build young citizens’ awareness of, and involvement in, the election process.

President Obama received 65% of the vote and former Governor Mitt Romney received 35%. In order to more closely replicate the actual election, and to ensure the results were more authentic, this year the voting was limited to one vote per electronic device. Kids were able to cast their votes online from October 15 to October 22.

On Monday, October 22, at 7:30 p.m. (ET/PT), Linda Ellerbee, the Emmy Award-winning host of Nickelodeon’s Nick News, announced the winner of the Kids Pick the President ”Kids’ Vote” on the network.

“What politicians do definitely affects kids but for me, it’s not about who wins,” said Ellerbee. “It’s about creating tomorrow’s voters. Democracy takes work. We’re the practice field.”

Leading up to the Kids Pick the President online vote, Nickelodeon aired two election-themed Nick News with Linda Ellerbee specials this year, which ranked as the series’ highest-rated episodes for 2012 to date. In “Kids Pick the President: The Issues” (Sept. 17), kids nationwide ranked the campaign issues most important to them. “Kids Pick the President: The Candidates” (Oct. 15) provided an opportunity for the two major party U.S. Presidential candidates to answer kids’ questions. This year’s candidate special featured President Obama sitting down with Nick News at the White House to answer kids’ questions and previously taped video clips of Romney addressing issues raised by kids.  Romney was unable to participate in the special.

Image Courtesy of  U.S. Embassy New Delhi

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New York, U.S.A. — NewsOne.com, an urban digital media company, Interactive One’s African-American news website, published on October 23, an exclusive op-Ed penned by First Lady Michelle Obama that speaks directly to the country’s nearly 39 million Black Americans. The op-Ed addresses the importance of every vote in this November’s presidential election and Mrs. Obama encourages those who can, to vote early this year for her husband President Barack Obama.

“Now that so many states have early vote—including Ohio, North Carolina, Nevada, Colorado, Wisconsin, Florida, New Mexico, and Iowa—we can make our voices heard well before Election Day,” explains First Lady Michelle Obama. “So, if you live in a state with early voting, pledge to cast your ballot early—and then reach out to everyone you know and make sure they vote by November 6, too.”

Before reminding voters of the close results of the 2008 presidential election, the first lady recalls the long strides previous generations made to ensure the civil liberties all Americans enjoy today. She makes clear, however, that it “doesn’t mean our work is finished.” Mrs. Obama states, “Make no mistake, here in our time, it’s more important than ever that we show up to vote, not just this year, but every year and in every election. Every voice must be heard and every vote must be counted.”

Mrs. Obama’s op-Ed comes on the heels of an exclusive story published by NewsOne on October 11 where the first lady addressed issues affecting Black female voters. In the story she discusses President Obama’s latest debate performance, what’s at stake in this year’s presidential election, and whether the president has the support of Black women.

“NewsOne.com is the definitive source for news most relevant to the African-American community and our recent exclusives with First Lady Michelle Obama demonstrate that fact,” said Tom Newman, President, Interactive One. “The importance of Mrs. Obama’s message cannot be overstated. All of us at Interactive One eagerly encourage our readers to make their voices heard by voting and encouraging others to vote in next month’s election.”

To read First Lady Michelle Obama’s op-Ed, and for more information about NewsOne.com, visit their website.

Image Courtesy of Joyce N. Boghosian, White House photographer [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

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Toronto, Canada – Wave Accounting, the disruptive creators of award-winning free small business accounting and payroll software, announced on September 11 the results of its small business opinion poll on the 2012 U.S. Presidential Election. Wave polled the U.S.-based portion of the company’s more than 300,000 customers regarding their opinions on the candidates’ potential impact on small business.

Key findings include:

• On the question, “Who is better for small businesses,” 53% of respondents chose Romney/Ryan, 39% chose Obama/Biden.
• Reducing government red tape is the number one issue for Republican voting respondents, with an overwhelming 90% citing this issue as “crucial.”
• Among voters intending to vote Democrat, the most important issue is improving health care options for small businesses (77% called it “crucial.”)
• Size matters: Support for Romney/Ryan grows as company size grows. 47% of companies with 6-9 employees say they are definitely voting Romney/Ryan, vs. 45% among companies with 2-5 employees, and 43% among one-person businesses.
• Support for the GOP ticket is strongest in the South where 57% of businesses favorRomney/Ryan.

“These insights represent the real opinions of real small businesses in America,” said Kirk Simpson, CEO of Wave Accounting.

Recent “small business” surveys have included opinions from companies with hundreds of employees and many millions in revenue. Because Wave specializes in online solutions for real small businesses with 9 employees or less, the company can access key insights from a unique and significant segment of the market.

“This group makes up 95% of businesses in the U.S., yet their voices are badly underrepresented in media and politics,” said Simpson. “Their opinions and needs are interesting, in some cases unexpected, and deserve to be heard.”

The complete Wave Small Business Opinions Report — 2012 U.S. Presidential Election is available at www.waveaccounting.com/election2012.

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In the past weeks the political campaign has focused in social issues like Medicare, abortion and rape; all of these are areas in which President Obama has an advantage over Mitt Romney. According to the last AP-GfK poll, President Obama is seen much more capable of handling social issues. But now Mitt Romney has tried to focus in his energy plan to boost his economic plan.

Mitt Romney is now trying to refocus the national debate to economic issues in which Obama is weaker. The high unemployment rate has been one of Obama’s weaknesses; the Obama campaign has released a new ad called “Clear Choice,” which features former President Bill Clinton, saying that this election is an opportunity to decide which candidate would be able to get the country back to work.

Clinton explains the Republican plan intends to cut taxes on the wealthy and get the country back to the regulation that got the country in so many problems. On the other hand, Clinton explained that Obama’s plan would rebuild the country investing in innovation and creating jobs. Clinton added that the plan would only work with a strong middle class, such as the one that existed when he was president.

Romney is now working on his energy plan, which he says would be able to create three million jobs by 2020. It would also open more areas for drilling off the coast in two swing states the Republicans lost in the 2008 election: North Carolina and Virginia.

Romney will be traveling to different states with his energy proposals, so voters will have the opportunity to hear them. His plan is supposed to result in $1 trillion in revenue for federal, state and local governments. Also, Romney intends to give each state the liberty to establish the form of energy production they want on federal lands, which is quite different from Obama’s administration energy policy in which the federal government currently controls these lands.

Romney’s plan will have a lot of opposition in Congress and will lead to protests from different environmental groups, especially if the oil drilling is done in the mid-Atlantic, where it is currently banned. In order to prevent these protests, the energy production would be banned in areas that are currently designated as off-limits. Romney has a big plan to finally execute the Keystone XL pipeline project, which is a pipeline that would run from Canada to Texas refineries.

Mitt Romney has recently received almost $7 million from oil executives from fundraisers in Texas. During a fundraiser in Arkansas, Romney promised that “”North America will be energy-independent by the last year of my second term.”

Steve Holland in a Huffington Post article explains that the “Republicans are eager to make greater use of the U.S. energy supply to increase jobs for Americans suffering amid an 8.3 percent unemployment rate. They would curtail some federal regulations to permit more production.”

Holland, speaking about the environmental controversy that Romney’s plan could cause, said “the plan makes little mention of climate change or greenhouse gases. Romney policy adviser Oren Cass said Romney supports green energy and government spending on energy research, but opposes loan guarantees for green companies.”

Image Courtesy of  Gage Skidmore

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Accusations from Republicans, especially Rick Santorum, against Obama continues, as Santorum also explained that, according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, “Obamacare” would cost taxpayers almost two trillion dollars. Santorum added that, in 10 years, “Obamacare” would leave nearly 30 million people uninsured and would not solve the urgent problem of the increasing costs for healthcare.

Santorum also mentioned China’s economic situation to criticize Obama’s economic policies. China has largely increased its manufacturing base and its economy grew almost two trillion dollars in the past year. Santorum explained that in the United States, Obama increased taxes on most manufacturing businesses, which killed more job opportunities and puts the country at a great disadvantage against China.

Mitt Romney has also taken advantage of Europe’s crisis to criticize President Obama saying that the Americans shouldn’t let the United States become Europe under Obama’s leadership. Romney also compared California’s difficult economic situation under Democrat leadership with the Greek economic crisis.

But these haven’t been the only accusations Republicans have made against Democrats. Recently, Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, accused Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) of lying for saying that Mitt Romney had not paid income taxes in 10 years. Romney defended himself, saying that his 2010 tax report has already been released and the 2011 report will be released when it is completed. Currently, only Romney’s tax return for 2010 has been publicly released.

Most of Santorum’s accusations are similar to what other Republicans are using to attack Obama. One of the most hurtful ones has been Romney’s campaign ad accusing Obama of gutting former president Bill Clinton’s welfare reform by dropping employment requirements. In response, Clinton released a statement on August 7 denouncing the ad.

An article on The Atlantic, written by Molly Ball, explained that “the Obama administration issued a memo telling states they could apply to have some aspects of the law’s work requirements waived. Some on the right were outraged by the supposed attempt to weaken the law’s emphasis on getting people off welfare and into employment, which the administration denied would result from its order.” That is why Romney’s campaign released an ad claiming that the Obama administration wants to get rid of the work requirements in order to receive the welfare check.

The article further explains that the Obama administration responded to Republican accusations saying that they don’t want to drop work requirements but they do want to give benefits to more people who aren’t working in the way it is currently defined, finding the requirements restrictive.

Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich also accused Obama of gutting Clinton’s welfare reform. Gingrich, who was one of the Republicans who negotiated the welfare reform with Bill Clinton, accused Obama of “setting up a dramatic reduction in the work requirement.”

Image Courtesy of  Gage Skidmore

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Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney and many other Republicans have been criticizing President Obama for what they consider to be failed economic policies and are accusing him of trying to get rid of work requirements in order to receive a welfare check.

Former 2012 hopeful Rick Santorum recently posted on his blog about “Obamanomics,” a term used to explain that Obama’s economic plans, instead of “spreading wealth around, in reality only spreads poverty and economic decline.”

The former Republican presidential candidate wrote that Obama does not understand the challenges many working families are facing. He thinks that the government’s economic management has led to a situation that forces companies to outsource jobs, while many American families are losing them.

Santorum asserts that the situation is so chaotic that 41 months have passed with the unemployment rate above 8 percent, something that hasn’t occurred since the Great Depression. Since WWII, no president that served while the unemployment rate was above 8 percent has been reelected. If this continues into November, President Obama will have to challenge history for reelection.

Santorum also added that one out of six Americans is currently below the poverty line and that one in four children is receiving food stamps.

The other aspect Santorum criticized from Obama’s government is unnecessary spending. Santorum wrote, “national debt has grown by over $5.2 trillion to $16 trillion dollars—an increase of 49 percent.”  Santorum also explained that this is the fourth consecutive year in which the deficit exceeds one trillion dollars.

Another accusation Santorum made against Obama is that he has only made cuts in the defense spending budget, which Santorum considers wrong. He believes that the defense system should be a priority for the federal government, but Obama’s cuts have exceeded one trillion dollars.

President Obama has defended himself from this type of accusations, an example is on a speech on Cleveland in June he explained that the Bush tax rate cuts where somehow guilty for the recession, not his economic policies. Obama stated: “The failure to pay for the tax cuts and the wars took us from record surpluses under President Bill Clinton to record deficits. And it left us unprepared to deal with the retirement of an aging population that’s placing a greater strain on programs like Medicare and Social Security.”

Obama defended his economic policies on Cleveland, he stated: “We acted fast. Our economy started growing again six months after I took office and it has continued to grow for the last three years.” He added: “Our businesses have gone back to basics and created over 4 million jobs in the last 27 months; more private sector jobs than were created during the entire seven years before this crisis, in a little over two years.” But this is exactly what Republicans like Rick Santorum are criticizing, they accuse him of not reacting in time and maintaining the unemployment rate above 8% for too long.

Image Courtesy of  pennstatelive

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Los Angeles, U.S.A. — With many citing the economy as the most important issue for the 2012 presidential election, Loop21.com, a leading digital source of emergent Black culture, and a coalition of top black civic, entertainment and media organizations, conducted The State of the Black Economy (SOBE) survey, a study of African American public opinion on the issue. The study, conducted from July 9 to July 27, tapped into a panel of more than 5,000 regular African American visitors to the Loop21.com website.

According to polling results released today, Loop21.com’s African American panel respondents are more pessimistic about the national economy than they are on their own personal finances, however, 86% approve of President Obama’s performance on the economy. While overall the president’s economic job approval number have been hovering around the mid to low 40s; African Americans see him as doing much better than the public at large.

The panel respondents tend to blame the current economic problems on former President George W. Bush, Wall Street, and Congress, more so than President Obama. Panel respondents also tend to think that President Obama’s race influences the public criticism he receives when people speak about his economic job performance.

When panel respondents who disapproved (14%) of the President’s performance on the economy were asked who could do better than President Obama the most common response suggested no one. The second most common response among disapproving respondents was that a Democratic Congress could do better.

The distant third most common response (9%) was a third-party Presidential candidate. The list of responses—panel respondents could only check one—included a Republican President (1%), the Republican Congress (<1%), a Democratic other than Obama (6%), a Democratic Congress (20%), a non-Democrat or non-Republican president (9%), a different African American (1%), none of the above (44%), and unsure (17%).

Asked specifically about how much President Obama “cares about the needs of Black people” compared to “past presidents” and compared to “former President Bill Clinton,” respondents said that Obama cared more than past presidents, but equal amounts said he cared “the same” as or “more” than former President Clinton.

Panelists also offered opinions about job policy priorities. When asked about the issue of jobs in the United States, a majority of panel respondents say job creation should be more important than reducing the deficit and that tougher immigration enforcement would not lead to more job opportunities. The panel respondents were split on the issue of whether tax decreases for business would stimulate job growth.  Panel respondents also preferred “issue targeted” policies over “race targeted” policies.

On the issue of race, (70%) of the panel respondents see “African Americans” as sharing more common experiences than “Americans” in general, (55%).  The survey also found that panel respondents perceive more racial bias for other African Americans than they experience in their own daily lives; yet, list “workplace discrimination” among their greatest concerns for job security.

Racial perceptions influenced African Americans panel respondents’ assessment of criticism leveled at President Obama. The overwhelming majority of respondents hold the view that all “Americans” and “African Americans” hold President Obama to a “higher standard than other presidents.” When asked why, nearly 9 out of 10 responded that both “Americans” and “African Americans” hold President Obama to a higher standard “because of his race.”

Image Courtesy of   pennstatelive

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Tampa, U.S.A. — This month’s Republican National Convention is expected to bring approximately 50,000 visitors to Tampa and drive delay times on the city’s major roads by 18 percent. The insight, released today by INRIX, the largest global traffic intelligence platform in the world, unveils a number of likely problem areas for drivers including:

• Routes South of Whiting Street will be closed, including the Platt Street Bridge and the part closure of the Selmon Expressway, between Willow Avenue and 50th Street
• Traffic will likely reroute to the I-275 or Kennedy Boulevard with delays increasing to more than 25 minutes on the busiest days, from an average of 10 to 15 minutes
• Overall traffic volume will significantly rise, with 350 charter buses and more than 500 private vehicles expected, with no plans to set aside specialized lanes on the interstates
• Short traffic signals could bring downtown Tampa to a standstill, with the biggest concerns being traffic signals on Kennedy Boulevard and Ashley Drive
• Road closures are anticipated to be lifted after 6PM on Friday August 31 st and will start from Saturday August 25 th

Jim Bak, Director of Community Relations, INRIX, shares advice to Tampa commuters: “There will likely be a conference session that clashes with the morning rush hour on Monday August 27 th and commuters should get an early start to avoid the anticipated delays. Staggering work hours around peak commuting times and working around the road closures as much as possible should help alleviate some of the pressure on the roads, we advise drivers to plan journeys in advance as much as possible.”

Current Top three worst bottlenecks in Tampa:

• I-275 Southbound from Floribraska Ave/28th Ave/Exit 28 to US-92/Dale Mabry Hwy/Exit 23,  traffic moves through this 4.2 mile stretch of road at rush hour at 33 mph for 24 hours each week
• I-275 Northbound from FL-60/Cypress St/Exit 39  to FL-574/Exit 46B where traffic crawls through this four mile stretch of road at an average speed of 22 mph for 13 hours each week.
• Veterans Expy/FL 569 Southbound where it intersects with Linebaugh Ave/Exit 7 is a half mile stretch of road where cars crawl at an average speed of 23 mph for 10 hours a week.

The Republican National Convention runs August 27 th to August 30 th 2012 across various locations in Tampa.

image Courtesy of    Voices Empower with Alice Linahan

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Tampa, U.S.A. — A unique gathering of advocacy groups urged the Republican Party Committee on Resolutions (the platform committee) to consider all faith viewpoints when it comes to the country’s most pressing social issues—including access to reproductive healthcare and the freedom to marry.

In response to increasingly heated rhetoric about religious freedom, leaders of Republicans for Choice, Catholics for Choice and the National Council of Jewish Women, which are members of the Coalition for Liberty and Justice, joined the Log Cabin Republicans on a panel, “Republicans in Good Faith: Making Room for All Voices in the GOP,” during Republican Party platform committee meetings.

New polling data from Republicans for Choice revealed that the leadership of the Republican Party does not reflect the views of rank and file Republicans when it comes to reproductive healthcare issues. Eighty percent of those who identified as Republicans believe that, when it comes to abortion, the decision should be made by a woman. Three percent said it should be made by the government.

“Republicans in good faith don’t use faith to discriminate. They recognize the hypocrisy of advocating government to get out of the boardroom but not the bedroom. They understand that they need to welcome and embrace voters of all religious persuasions, not just the few who have dominated the discussions in the recent past,” said Ann Stone, national chairman of Republicans for Choice.

Jon O’Brien, president of Catholics for Choice, said, “Polls done across the political spectrum show the majority of Republicans, like the majority of Americans, do not agree that abortion should be illegal. The leadership of the GOP should better reflect the views of Republican voters—who are overwhelmingly pro-choice.

Too many Republican leaders agree with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops that recent advances in the provision of family planning are an attack on religious freedom. This is completely bogus. In bending the knee to the Catholic hierarchy, these leaders have taken on values that are held by a tiny minority of Catholics and are anathema to Republican ideals of freedom and fairness.”

Image Courtesy of   Talk Radio News Service

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Two new polls have appeared demonstrating the same thing: Obama is still slightly ahead of Romney. The surveys have been elaborated by AP-GfK and The Wall Street Journal/NBC News. Not even the nomination of Paul Ryan as Romney’s running mate has made the Republican comeback a sure thing, but Republicans still hope their Tampa Convention will turn things around.

The NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll shows the Obama-Biden ticket has the support of 48 percent of registered voters ,and the Romney-Ryan ticket gets 44 percent.

In the July poll the results were almost the same. Let’s remember that during that month Ryan had not yet been designated as Romney’s running mate. The Obama-Biden ticket had 49 percent of registered voters’ support, and Romney had 43 percent. Even through all of the Republican effort, only a slight difference has been seen in the polls from July to August.

Romney’s tax record, and his Medicare plan, which is not popular, is costing him serious trouble. These are the main issues he must solve to have a serious comeback opportunity. President Obama, on the other hand, is having trouble with the unemployment rate and the nation’s direction; he must convince the voters that in four more years he will be able to take the country in the right direction.

But not all of the polls look negative for Romney. If you consider just 12 key state battle grounds: Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin, Obama’s advantage over Romney has gotten smaller. He now leads 49 to 46 percent, when in the same poll on June and July he had an 8 percent advantage in these same key state battlegrounds.

Obama still has minorities’ support; Hispanics and African Americans are behind him. So are women, which makes it seem that the Democrat’s campaigning regarding Republicans’ war with women has succeeded.  Romney is leading Obama on white, rural and senior voters, respectively.

The AP-GfK poll shows similar results. One of the poll’s results worthy of consideration is that amongst people who think Medicare is a very important issue, 49 percent would vote for Obama and 44 percent for Romney. This proves that Obama’s Medicare plan is more popular. On the other hand, voters still think Romney is more capable of handling the economy, 48 percent favor him and 44 percent favor Obama.

According to this poll Obama is also seen as much more capable of handling social issues, such as abortion and same-sex marriage, 54 percent of them think Obama is much more capable of handling abortion, while only 33 percent think Romney is more capable.

Obama is also seen as a strong, honest and trustworthy leader, whilst Mitt Romney needs to work on his personal image in order to have a serious chance of winning this election.

Republicans are hoping their Tampa Convention will make them jump in the polls. They have prepared a Convention with speakers that could turn things around, like Chris Christie (key-note speaker) or Marco Rubio (who will introduce Mitt Romney). Also, the Convention will be an opportunity for Romney to work on his personal image and for people to know Paul Ryan’s proposals firsthand.

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Washington, U.S.A. — Following Congressman Akin’s controversial remarks on Sunday, the Romney-Ryan campaign quickly released the following statement: “Governor Romney and Congressman (Paul) Ryan disagree with Mr. Akin’s statement, and a Romney-Ryan administration would not oppose abortion in instances of rape.”

After praising Congressman Ryan’s pro-personhood record in a press release last week, Personhood USA has now expressed concern about the appearance of compromise on the part of Congressman Ryan.

“Personhood USA does not endorse political candidates, but we had hoped that Congressman Ryan would be a good influence on Governor Romney, considering Romney’s liberal abortion record,” explained Jennifer Mason, Communications Director for Personhood USA. “Reading today that babies conceived in rape should suffer the death penalty under a Romney-Ryan administration is extremely concerning, and indicates that Congressman Ryan’s pro-woman and pro-baby positions would have little influence if he wins the office of Vice President of the United States.”

In December, Personhood USA asked GOP Presidential hopefuls to sign a “Personhood Pledge,” affirming the Republican party platform and following in the steps of President Ronald Reagan. Governor Mitt Romney declined to sign the prolife pledge.

Personhood USA spokesperson Rebecca Kiessling, who was conceived in rape, has had the opportunity to speak to many presidential hopefuls over the past five years. When speaking with Governor Mitt Romney several years ago, Rebecca commented that he was largely unresponsive and seemingly disinterested. By contrast, Rebecca’s conversation with Texas Governor Rick Perrymade headline news, with Governor Perry stating, ”Looking in her eyes, I couldn’t come up with an answer to defend the exceptions for rape and incest.”

“As someone who really cares about rape victims, I want to protect them from the rapist, and from the abortion, but not the baby. A baby is not the worst thing that could ever happen to a rape victim — an abortion is,” explained Kiessling. “We need to educate the American public on the truth in this matter and not make public policy based on myth and misinformation.”

“Governor Romney claims to be prolife, but it appears he is prolife with exceptions – if the baby was conceived in rape, it seems that Romney does not believe that baby has a right to life. This position is contrary to the Republican party platform and contrary to the beliefs of prolife Americans nationwide. All babies have a right to live, regardless of the circumstances of their conception,” concluded Mason

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The Obama campaign has announced that Vice President, Joe Biden, has plans to be in Tampa next week. This wouldn’t be an important announcement, but the same days he is planning to attend Tampa are the same days the Republican National Convention will be taking place in the city.

The White House released a statement saying: “Next week, on Monday, August 27 and Tuesday, August 28, Vice President Joe Biden will travel to the Tampa area and other cities for campaign events.” The Republican National Convention is scheduled to take place from August 27 to August 30 at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus has already responded to Biden’s plans saying that the Republicans will respond to any attempt from the Democrats to interfere with the convention.

Priebus even threatened the Democrats that if they interfere with their convention, they should not be surprised if the Republicans interfere with theirs: “I think it’s pretty common among parties to play with each other’s conventions, and we’ll have a pretty big presence in Charlotte as well,” Priebus added that “the nice thing about going first is that whatever they do to us, we can do ten times over to them.” This was a very serious threat; it seems Priebus believes that if the Democrats attack their convention the Republicans should counter-attack harder.

When Priebus was asked that if his declarations meant that Romney would be in Charlotte for the Democratic Convention, he responded: “You never know where we are going to be.”

This political campaign has been very aggressive, with both campaign teams trying to interfere in each other’s activities.

Joe Biden has been also involved in recent controversies because of the declarations he made on a speech in Danville, Virginia to a crowd that included many African Americans, in which he said that Romney’s Wall Street plan was going to put the people “back in chains.”

An Obama campaign official told ABC News that ““as the full quote makes obvious, the Vice President was clearly using a metaphor to describe the devastating impact of deregulating Wall Street and the financial industry, as well as how Governor Romney’s policies would take us back to the same failed formula that led to the 2008 financial crisis – the same failed formula that benefited a few, but crashed our economy and hurt the middle class.”

The Obama campaign official defended Biden, saying that he did not intend to make racial comments for political purposes, as many analysts have criticized.

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Paul Ryan recently made a speech in front of many elderly and beneficiaries of Medicare citizens  at The Villages in Florida, one of the key states in which the Republicans are receiving hard critics for their Medicare plans, which the Democrats claim would hurt American seniors.

Paul Ryan is considered to be a great speaker; the first thing he did during his Florida speech was to introduce his mother (Betty) to the crowd. He said that under Obama’s leadership the United States has become a “nation deeper in debt and further in doubt,” he added that now more than ever the country needs a leader that would make tough decisions to get the country back on track. He also criticized that President Obama and other politicians have “become more focused on their next election than on the next generation.”

Ryan also said that it is true that Obama “inherited a difficult situation,” but the problem is that he made it worse. He added that his speech is not hope and change anymore, it has now changed into anger and frustration.

Paul Ryan also talked about Romney’s credentials. It seems he has taken seriously the job of making his running mate seem as the leader America needs in this difficult situation. He talked about Romney’s business records, which have been one of his most criticized aspects by Obama’s campaign, by saying that Romney has helped in creating successful businesses many people know about like Sports Authority or Bright Horizons.

He also talked about Romney’s political experience, saying that Romney was a Republican governor in a Democratic state like Massachusetts, and he was able to negotiate with the Democrats in the legislature to balance the budget without increasing taxes.

Ryan also spoke about Medicare, the controversial issue that has been debated during the past few weeks. Democrats claim the Republicans want to turn Medicare into a voucher system and the Republicans claim Obama has taken $716 billion out of Medicare to support his own program (Obamacare).

Ryan said he wants a debate over Medicare and that a debate is needed. While talking about Medicare he referred to his mom, who is retired in Florida and is enrolled in Medicare. The vice presidential candidate said that for him Medicare is not a “bunch of numbers,” it is the program that his “mom relies on.”

Ryan explained that his mom is enrolled in Medicare and planned her retirement on the promise the government made her, because she paid her payroll taxes in order to become a Medicare beneficiary. Paul Ryan added that Obama has taken $716 billion from the program to pay for Obamacare and this will cut benefits from seniors.

He also added that Obama put a board of bureaucrats in charge of Medicare to fulfill his plans. The Wisconsin congressman said that because of the way Obama has handled Medicare, millions of seniors are projected to lose their benefits. He clearly stated: “Medicare should not be used as a piggy bank for Obamacare.”

The vice presidential candidate said that Romney and him would not let this board of bureaucrats “mess with [his] mom’s healthcare.” He also responded to recent accusations that he would end Medicare as it is known right now and make seniors pay more for their health programs by saying that if you are 55 or over, the Romney-Ryan plan for Medicare would not affect your benefits. He added that in order to save Medicare for the generation of 55 or over, a Medicare for his generation is needed, so the program does not go bankrupt when his generation wants to retire.

Ryan also explained the plan they intend to follow to save Medicare originated in the Clinton’s Commission Plan to Save Medicare, and it would not change benefits to people who are 55 or above. Instead, it provides a choice for the kind of medical coverage the younger generation wants to receive, including the traditional Medicare plan.

Ryan explained that this forces the insurance providers to compete between each other to gain customers. Ryan added that instead of being begging for mercy from bureaucrats to get health insurance, this Medicare reform would provide the opportunity to choose the insurance plan that suits each senior better.

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After the euphoria that followed Romney’s nomination of Paul Ryan as his running mate, two issues are now at the forefront of debate: Medicare and Romney’s tax record. Democrats are asserting that Romney has not paid taxes in a decade. The way the candidates manage these controversial issues could decide the election.

Democrats have made claims that Romney has been dishonest in how much he has really paid in taxes. On Aug. 2, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid declared on the Senate floor, “The word’s out that he hasn’t paid any taxes for 10 years. Let him prove that he has paid taxes, because he hasn’t.”

In his defense, Romney has said that he has paid at least 13% of his income in taxes each year during the last decade. But Romney has only made public his 2010 tax return and has stated his 2011 tax return will be released when they are ready. Romney said in a recent press conference, “I did go back and look at my taxes and over the past 10 years I never paid less than 13 percent. I think the most recent year is 13.6 or something like that.”

Obama’s campaign has been taking advantage of the fact that Romney’s tax return records are not public and recently offered him a deal in which they promise to stop attacking him for this matter if he releases five years of tax return records. The offer came in a letter made by Jim Messina, campaign manager for Obama for America, after Romney released his statements.

He stated, “Governor Romney apparently fears that the more he offers, the more our campaign will demand that he provide,” and added, “So I am prepared to provide assurances on just that point: if the Governor will release five years of returns, I commit in turn that we will not criticize him for not releasing more–neither in ads nor in other public communications or commentary for the rest of the campaign.”

Romney’s campaign manager, Matt Rhoades, responded to Messina’s offer, stating “It is clear that President Obama wants nothing more than to talk about Governor Romney’s tax returns instead of the issues that matter to voters, like putting Americans back to work, fixing the economy and reining in spending.”

Another issue that has become controversial in this campaign is the future of Medicare. Romney, in a recent political rally, used a whiteboard to explain the difference between Mr Obama’s plans for Medicare and his own. He explained that Obama’s plans would lead to bankruptcy and that his plan’s would give solvency to Medicare. Both sides have said they want a serious debate about Medicare, an issue that has not been of similar importance in recent political campaigns.

Jim Messina immediately responded to Romney after he used the whiteboard through Twitter, “Next time Romney uses a whiteboard to explain his Medicare plan, he should probably use this one.” In his whiteboard picture Messina explains that Obama would not make cuts on Medicare benefits. On the contrary, he adds that Romney would give the insurance companies $150 billion.

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New York, U.S.A. — The Nobel Watch Company, a manufacturer and importer of high quality Swiss watches, released an attractively designed watch that supports the election of Governor Mitt Romney and Congressman Paul Ryan. The company’s Board of Directors strongly supports Governor Romney and has resolved to aid his election by producing this quality election timepiece.

“As a business owner, I have firsthand experience on how the downward economy is affecting people all across America,” says Iszy Genuth, President and Founder of Nobel Watches. “The Nobel Team has decided to produce a special watch for Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, since America needs a comeback team that will make us strong again.”

Nobel Watches has partnered with the Veteran’s Watchmaker’s Initiative to produce the timepiece. The Initiative teaches the important skill of watch making to disabled veterans so that they can develop a respectable profession. “What greater way to support our country than by having all the watches assembled in the USA by disabled war veterans?” said Mr. Genuth.

In addition to creating valuable jobs in the US market, Nobel Watches will be donating $4 of each watch sold to the Republican National Committee as another way to show their support for the Republican ticket. Nobel is also donating a $1 to the Veteran Watchmaker’s Initiative for each watch sold. The watch is quickly becoming a collector’s item, and people who buy it can display it proudly, knowing they are helping to contribute to a more robust economy and a better future for our country.

A proven name in luxury Swiss watches, Nobel’s watches are not only backed by their unique styling and affordable prices, they’re also supported by years of combined experience.

“Only the Nobel name is instantly associated with man’s greatest achievements, and with the release of our new timepiece we hope to help America achieve its potential and become great once again.”

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Obama’s campaign released a new ad called “Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan plan to end Medicare as we know it,” which explains how the Republican ticket intends to transform Medicare into a voucher system and how Paul Ryan, as Mitt Romney’s running mate, will affect Romney’s success in key battleground states like Florida.

The Democrat’s strategy has focused on inspiring fear among Medicare beneficiaries. It has tried to convince them that if the Republican ticket gets into the White House they would end Medicare in its current form. They have also tried to make Paul Ryan look radical as an architect of a budget plan that would only affect the most vulnerable Americans.

The new Obama ad even had world-famous economist Paul Krugman state that if Medicare is replaced by a voucher system, millions of elderly people would not have the money to afford insurance.

The ad also suggests that Ryan’s plan to cut Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security could hurt Romney in a state with a large retired population like Florida. The video also asserts that Romney lied when he declared that President Obama was the one who was really destroying Medicare to fund Obamacare by introducing Romney saying that Obama “has taken $716 billion out of the Medicare trust fund to pay for Obamacare.” The ad shows a news anchorman saying that benefits to seniors have really increased during Obama’s legislation as proof that Romney’s statement is false.

Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, wrote a Townhall.com opinion article defending Romney and Ryan’s plan to save Medicare. Priebus wrote that, although Obama does not have a plan to save Medicare, he has taken billions of dollars from it to support Obamacare.

Priebus further explains that Medicare is predicted to go bankrupt in 2024 and the Democrats do not have a plan to save it, adding that they are using an old strategy to instill fear into the minds of senior citizens by lying about the Republican plans, hoping that the truth would not be known before the election.

But one thing that is clear about Ryan is that he has energized the Republican Party’s most conservative wing: 24 hours after his designation the Romney campaign had already received $3.5 million in online donations. And if Ryan could hurt Romney in some states, he would definitely help him in others. As a Tea Party member, Ryan would energize and mobilize Tea Party supporters in other battleground states.

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The most popular buzz in the political world this weekend has to be the revealing of Governor Mitt Romney’s Vice President pick, Paul Ryan. Ryan, Wisconsin’s representative, has been one of the many who were being vetted for Romney’s VP in the past few months. People and the media have been wondering who Romney would pick, whether it would be Paul Ryan, Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, Marco Rubio of Florida, or Rob Portman of Ohio. In the end, on August 11, Romney tweeted:

“I am proud to announce @PaulRyanVP as my VP. Stand with us today. http://mi.tt/Romney-Ryan #RomneyRyan2012″

Ryan, also know as the chair of the House Budget Committee, is known for his fiscal policy. His personal website says that “He is a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over tax policy, Social Security, health care and trade laws.” With a strong background in economics and budget plans, he is a smart addition for the Romney team.

However, the media has much to say about Romney’s decision. Obviously, not everybody is going to love Paul Ryan. Some are saying Ryan is good for the Democrats, that he is “bad for women,” and hates medicare. Many Americans are worried about Ryan’s Medicare plan. Ryan’s budget plan, which is somewhat controversial, intends to to make Medicare something called “premium support,” meaning that the government will offer seniors a set amount of money to spend in a health insurance exchange. This would allow seniors to choose their own private insurance, or use the government-run insurance. Once the senior has a plan, they would have to pay more out of pocket.

Current Vice President, Joe Biden, recently said that “Ryan’s plan to privatize Social Security was irresponsible.” Along with this, CBS news said that, “Ryan, a seven-term congressman and chairman of the House Budget Committee, wants to slice away at Medicare, food stamps and virtually all domestic programs, with military a notable exception.”

Besides fiscal policy, budget plans, and Medicare ideas, the media has also been showing another side of Ryan. Ryan is young, smart, and apparently a fitness buff. The ever so popular internet meme of Ryan has gone viral. Based off of the Ryan Gosling meme, that often starts off with “Hey Girl..” to melt women’s hearts, the Paul Ryan meme is very similar, having some that say “Hey girl, unlike the debt, our love will never hit a ceiling.” The memes have gone viral, and are the topics of many Ryan headlines.

Also headlining for Ryan, is his physique. Politico recently published an article called, “Forget the budget, Paul Ryan is hot.” It details how Ryan is included in the Hill’s top 50 Most Beautiful List and one of the top suggestions for google when one types in Paul Ryan, is “Paul Ryan shirtless.”

Romney’s decision has caused a spark in the political world. Paul Ryan’s budget plan, fiscal policies, internet memes, and pictures of him shirtless will definitely keep him in the media for a while. The question is if his budget plan and six pack will help Romney win the election in November.

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Paul Ryan has been chosen as Mitt Romney’s running mate in the upcoming US elections. After his nomination he updated his new Twitter account @PaulRyanVp with the following: “I’m honored to join @MittRomney on America’s Comeback Team. http://mi.tt/Romney-Ryan  #RomneyRyan2012.”

Paul Ryan was born in the community of Janesville, Wisconsin. He is a graduate of Joseph A. Craig High School from his home town and earned a degree in economics and political science from Miami University in Ohio.

Ryan has served in Wisconsin’s first congressional district since 1999, but as of August 11, Ryan became the Vice President hopeful in Romney’s campaign.

As the Chairman of the House Budget Committee he gained notoriety by working to bring fiscal deficit and accountability to the government. He is seen as a “fiscal hawk,” representing what some believe Obama is not. He has criticized the exaggerated government spendings of the past years. He proposed a new plan that would eliminate medicare. He plans to change it from an insurance program to one where seniors get government subsidy to buy their own private insurance. Ryan’s ideas are clear: small government and low taxes.

In Ryan’s first speech he first thanked Romney for the opportunity of being his running mate and said that the former government is the leader the country needs during these difficult times. Ryan also introduced his family to the crowd, his wife, his daughter and his two sons.

Paul Ryan is only 42 years old. In his speech he said he is committed to putt his Congress ideas and experience into Romney’s administration. He declared that Romney is the one that would put America back into the prosperity road. Ryan connected easily with the crowd with simple words and stories, for example he told a story about his dad who died when he was young. He told that his dad always said: “Son, you are either part of the problem or part of the solution.” He added that Barack Obama has become part of the problem and Romney is the solution.

The Republican nominee also admitted that Obama did not inherit a good economic situation, but he explained that during the first two years in which the Democrat’s where in control of Congress and in which Obama was able to pass nearly “every item in his agenda, but that didn’t make things better.” Ryan criticized Obama’s economic management, saying that his has been “the worst economic recovery in 70 years, unemployment has been above 8% for more than three years, the longest run since the Great Depression.”

Ryan also said that the U.S. has now the biggest deficit and the largest government since WWII, and said that Obama’s government has a record of failure. He also criticized Obama for not being willing to make difficult decisions to fix the country because he is only thinking about the next election.

Ryan also made a declaration that pleased the conservatives. He said that our “rights come from nature and God, not from government.” He added that “this idea was founded on the principles of liberty, freedom, free enterprise, self-determination and government by consent of the governed.” Paul Ryan said that this idea is now under assault, freedom and security are being threatened and Ryan promised that if they were elected they “won’t replace the founding principles, they would reapply them.”

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A new Mitt Romney ad is accusing President Obama of endangering the religious freedom in the nation. The video invokes Pope John Paul II and criticizes that Obama is forcing religious institutions to act against their beliefs because of his contraception coverage rule.

Romney’s ad is not the first or the last time Barack Obama will be accused of threatening religious freedom in the United States, many have already expressed their rejection for Obama’s health-care reform claiming it violates freedom of conscience.

Kathleen Parker, Washington Post opinion columnist, explained that Obama’s health-care reform was forcing the Catholic institutions to pay for an insurance that would cover abortive drugs, which is clearly against the Catholic Church fundamental beliefs.

In this new reform Catholic churches and their direct employees are exempt from the rule, but other Catholic-sponsored entities, among which we can find schools and hospitals that employ non-Catholics are non-exempt from the rule. So they are forced to complain or to pay fines in order to avoid the rule that is against their faith.

Timothy Dolan, Wall Street Journal Opinion columnist, said “Religious freedom is the lifeblood of the American people, the cornerstone of American government.” Dolan quotes many of the nation’s founding fathers defending freedom of conscience; he wrote that George Washington declared: “The conscientious scruples of all men should be treated with great delicacy and tenderness; and it is my wish and desire, that the laws may always be extensively accommodated to them,” and added that James Madison also said that “conscience is the most sacred of all property.”

What Dolan criticizes more is the fact that Obama’s administration proposed a religious employer exemption, but this is very narrow because it only applies to religious organizations that mostly serve people of their own religion. Dolan says the Obama administrations has refused to exempt other religious institutions like schools, charities or hospitals, from this rule, which mandates the employers to purchase contraception methods.

Some critics also think the Catholic Church is exaggerating, the L.A. Times editorial states: “Is religious freedom suddenly under attack in America? That’s what the nation’s Roman Catholic bishops and some non-Catholic allies would have you believe. But reports of the demise of this fundamental liberty are greatly exaggerated.”

But the Romney ad has taken advantage of all the criticism Obama has received, a narrator in the video says, “Who shares your values? President Obama used his healthcare plan to declare war on religion,” and adds that “Mitt Romney believes that’s wrong.”

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David and Charles Koch, better known as the “Koch brothers,” are important figures among the Republicans and one of Mitt Romney’s most important campaign donators. Because of their support to the Republicans, they have received a lot of criticism; one of the latest comes from Hollywood. The comedy ‘The Campaign’ features two wealthy donors called the “Motch brothers,” which is a clear reference to the co-owners of the energy giant Koch industries, who try to manipulate political campaigns.

‘The Campaign’ protagonists are Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis, who is well known for playing Alan in ‘The Hangover’ movies. Galifiankis told the New York Daily News that it was obvious that the “Motch brothers” were made after David and Charles Koch. ‘The Hangover’ actor added that he disagrees with everything the Koch brothers do. He even called the Koch brother “creepy” and said “it is not freedom what they are doing.” 

In the movie the “Motch brothers” are played by Dan Aykroyd and John Lithgow. They are financially backing the ridiculous candidate Marty Huggins, who is played by Galifianakis.

David and Charles Koch have an estimated combined fortune of $50 billion. They are the owners of Koch Industries, the second largest privately owned company in the United States. They have donated an estimated amount of $100 million to Romney’s campaign. They recently hosted a fundraiser for Mitt Romney in Southampton, New York, in which the suggested contribution was $75,000 per couple. This caused a protest lead by Kean University professor Stuart Leonard Led, in which banners with phrases like “Your $50,000 ticket equals my child’s education,” were shown.

Galifianakis, whose uncle was a Democratic congressman for North Carolina from 1967 to 1973, thinks that, as a comedian, he has the right to criticize the political system. He stated: ”everyone can agree that there are a lot of outside influences in American politics that are not good for the system. There’s just too much money,” Galifianakis also added that ”the comedians are the first to rebel against a corrupt system, like the one that is preventing me from watching the Olympics right now.”

The Koch brothers reaction was quickly heard. One of their spokesmen released a statement to remove importance from Galifianakis’ declarations, ridiculing him:

“Last we checked, the movie is a comedy. Maybe more to the point is that it’s laughable to take political guidance or moral instruction from a guy who makes obscene gestures with a monkey on a bus in Bangkok,” said the Koch brother’s spokesman, Phillip Ellender.

A recent post on Obama’s official website also makes reference to the Koch brothers. It quotes Obama’s campaign donor, Daryl, who is a salesman from Pennsylvania, stating: “I donated in 2008, and now I’m back at it. I certainly can’t compete with the Koch Brothers or the other billionaires on Mitt Romney’s side, but I can do a little bit.”

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While campaigning in Colorado, Barack Obama warned the voters that Mitt Romney was planning to kill his health reform and get rid of Planned Parenthood.

Obama criticized that Romney’s policies were more suitable for the 1950s than the 21st century. To defend his position Obama stated that woman’s health decisions are “not up to politicians, they’re not up to insurance companies, they’re up to you.” The President is making a big effort to insure the female voters support in swing states like Colorado.

President Obama made a direct reference to his wife and his late mother; he said that women issues resonate in him because of them. Obama argued that he wanted his wife to be able to have control over her health care choices, that’s why he is insisting so much in this health-care reform. He defends that it will bring many benefits to women.

Also Obama made a very sentimental statement referring to his late mother to defend the Obama care benefits, he said she would have been 70 this year, if she had not died from cancer almost 20 years ago. He stated: “I often think about what might have happened if a doctor had caught her cancer sooner.”

Obama made a harsh criticism directed to Romney, saying that the next president “could tip the balance in a way that turns back the clock for women in the next decade to come.” It seems the Democrats are making a big effort to confront the Republicans with the female voters, arguing that if Romney wins, women will lose many of the rights they have conquered in recent years.

Sandra Fluke, the famous Georgetown student who has become one of the leading voices supporting Obama’s health reform, was the one that introduced Obama in Colorado to a crowd formed mostly of women. Fluke became popular after being called a slut by talk show host Rush Limbaugh.

Limbaugh said during his radio talk show that Fluke went before a “Congressional Committee and essentially said that she must be paid to have sex.” Limbaugh added that her comments made Fluke a whore because she wanted to be paid to have sex. Fluke demanded before the Congressional Committee that insurance coverage should cover contraception methods. Limbaugh said that Fluke is “having so much sex that she can’t afford the contraception, and she wants you and me, and the tax payers to pay her to have sex.”

During Obama’s introduction, Fluke said that when she was “verbally attacked”, Barack Obama was one of us. She added that Obama defended her right to speak without being verbally insulted, and condemned the criticism she had received. Fluke also had some words saved for Mitt Romney, she said that “if Mr. Romney can’t stand up to extreme voices in his own party, then he will never stand up for us.”

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Both presidential candidates are doing a tremendous effort to gain female and working-class voters support. Both of them know how crucial these votes will be in key states and are already doing all they can to gain their sympathy.

Mitt Romney on August 11 is making a trip to some of the swing states that could decide this election: Virginia, North Carolina, Florida and Ohio. During these visits he will be accompanied by three of his possible vice-presidential picks: Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell, Florida Senator Marco Rubio and Ohio Senator Rob Portman. There is a possibility that during these visits he will announce who will be his running mate.

It is not a coincidence that five out of eleven speakers announced for the Republican National Convention are women. Romney has also been accusing Obama of planning to double out taxpayer dollars, even for people who are not trying to find work. This accusation has the clear goal to gain working-class voters favor.

President Obama on the other hand had an appearance scheduled for August 8 with Sandra Fluke, the famous Georgetown University student who became a leader for pro-choice women. Fluke became known nationwide after being called a slut by conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh for her support of Obama’s health care that requires insurance companies to cover contraception.

The President wants to take advantage of Fluke’s popularity to gain female voters support. Democrats have been accusing the Republicans of starting a war against women because of their opposition of the Affordable Care Act, which according to the Democrats will give the women many benefits and crucial protections. Obama is currently leading in female voters’ intentions in key states like Florida and Ohio.

President Obama has been insisting during his entire campaign that Romney wants to cut taxes for the rich and increase taxes for the middle class, and Obama on the other hand wants the rich to pay a little bit more, so in that way taxes for the middle class don’t have to increase. But Romney is intending to show that Obama plans would affect the middle class. Romney has warned that Obama is intending to undo Clinton’s welfare reforms by offering waivers to the states, in other words he is trying to convince the voters that Obama is a liberal, who wants to give the poor a free pass in expense of the middle class, which is the one he is supposedly defending.

The Democrats have not ignored these accusations, White House spokesman Jay Carney told Romney’s accusations were “categorically false and blatantly dishonest.”

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An action committee that supports President Obama is launching a new television spot, in which they continue to criticize Romney’s business record at Bain capital. Romney on the other hand has released an advertisement criticizing Obama of “gutting the welfare reform.”

The ad that criticizes Romney is sponsored by Priorities USA Action; it’s a very sentimental ad, in which a former employee of GST Steel tells us the story of how he lost his job and insurance when Bain closed the Kansas plant in 2001 and because he couldn’t afford the insurance his wife died of cancer.

This ad is not the first of its kind. Priorities have already launched five ads criticizing Romney’s business record. This new ad is now running in five key battleground states:  Florida, Ohio, Iowa, Virginia and Pennsylvania.

Romney’s campaign also launched an ad criticizing Obama; it accuses Obama of simply wanting to pass welfare checks without the work requirements that were adopted during President Bill Clinton’s welfare overhaul. The ad clearly says that in 1996 Clinton’s Welfare Reform required work for welfare and that in 2012 Obama is dropping work requirements from the reform. The ad finishes saying, “Mitt Romney would restart the work requirement because it works.”

The Obama campaign has criticized this ad; they accuse Romney of twisting the facts. President Obama said he is just giving the states the flexibility they asked to make the program more efficient. An interesting fact is that back in 1995 some Republican governors signed a letter asking for more “waiver authority,” and Mitt Romney was among those governors.

The Romney campaign accuses the President of thinking that a big government can solve every problem, They also accuse him of wanting to give the poor a free pass, and charging it to the middle class. Lanhee Chen, Romney’s policy director, said that Obama’s policies “will take America backward — back to the discredited liberalism of a bygone era where bigger government programs and bigger government checks were the answer to every problem, and accountability was not on the agenda.”

Also, the welfare ad is trying to create a gap between Obama and  Bill Clinton, who is still a very popular politician. Clinton has recently taken a serious role in Obama’s reelection campaign. Obama is trying to take advantage of Clinton’s strong economic record while he was in office.  Bill Clinton will have an important participation in the Democratic Convention in Charlotte in September.

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Who Mitt Romney’s running mate will be is still uncertain. Expectation levels are high because the elections are only a few months away. Republicans around the country know that this decision will be crucial in their aspirations of returning to the White House.

Florida Senator Marco Rubio has a serious chance of becoming Mitt Romney’s running mate. He would certainly help the Republican Party in their aspirations of regaining the Hispanic voter’s support, which currently favors the Democrats. Rubio served in the House of Representatives from 2000 to 2008 and was elected as a Senator in 2010. Senator Rubio’s political skills, which include a fluent Spanish and high popularity among  Hispanics, would definitely help Mitt Romney to win states with high Hispanic population like Florida, New Mexico and Arizona. 

Ana Navarro, a Politico columnist, referred to Senator Rubio as the anti-Palin. She explained that the population of Alaska during Sarah Palin time as a governor was of 700,000, on the other hand, Senator Rubio represents a state of more than 19 million people, Florida is also a state with a variety of cultures in which practically every U.S. demographic group is represented.

Condoleezza Rice is another name that has appeared as a possible candidate for the vice-presidency. The Former Secretary of State will surely be able to help Romney in foreign issues.  But Condoleezza Rice’s deep involvement in George W. Bush government might not help her because of the bad public image that Bush government has in these days. Also, the fact that Rice is not married doesn’t make her an ideal candidate to the most conservative base of the Republican Party.

Ohio Senator Rob Portman also has great possibilities. He is the Senator of Ohio, one of the swing states that could determine this election. He was elected in 2010; he won with a margin of 57 to 39 percent, winning 82 of Ohio’s 88 counties. His campaign focused on common-sense conservative ideas to help create jobs and get the deficit under control. He helped Romney in the victory against Santorum in the Ohio primaries and the public opinion sees him as a safe pick.

Republican strategist Mark Weaver said that Senator Portman’s organization level in Ohio is very deep and he also “has so many people that are committed to helping him that would all come the way of Mitt Romney.  And in a close state like Ohio, the difference of having someone like Portman on the ticket could be the win.”

Another possible vice-presidential candidate is Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal; he recently referred to President Obama as “the most liberal, most incompetent President in the White House since Jimmy Carter.”  Governor Jindal also responded to President Obama’s declaration that the private sector was doing fine by saying: “The private sector is not doing well when 23 million Americans are unemployed and underemployed in this great country. This president, the private sector is so foreign to him he might need a passport to actually go visit and he might need a translator to help him talk to folks in the private sector.”

Governor Jindal supported Texas Governor Rick Perry in the Republican primaries; he started supporting Mitt Romney until Rick Santorum dropped on April 10. This particular aspect could be taken into account by Romney and does not benefit Jindal at all, because it is clear that Governor Jindal preferred Governor Perry as the Republican candidate, but still Bobby Jindal would have his chances because he is considered one of the rising stars of the Republican Party.

These were just some of the names of possible vice-presidential candidates. There are many more, like New Jersey Governor Chris Christie or the former Florida Governor Jeb Bush. Who knows if there might be a surprise in Romney’s nomination, like there was in the 2008 election when John McCain announced Sarah Palin as his running mate?

Image Courtesy of  Gage Skidmore

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Swing states, or those with undefined political preferences, will decide who will be the next president of the United States. In the 2008 election President Obama obtained 365 electoral votes, when only 270 are needed to become president. The result proved his overwhelming success compared to the previous President George W. Bush, who only obtained 286 electoral votes in the 2004 election. But in November, reelection will not be that easy for President Obama because of the swing states.

In the 2008 election, Barack Obama won back crucial states to the Democrats, such as Florida or North Carolina, which had been in Republican control since the 2000 elections. But this could change this year; the Republicans want to regain control of Florida and hosting the Republican Convention there is proof of it. The Democrats want to remain in control of North Carolina, explaining why they organized their convention in Charlotte.

President Obama’s road to reelection will not be an easy one. Although the last two presidents have achieved reelection, the economic crisis has weakened Barack Obama, and that’s why Mitt Romney will have a chance, since he is seen as someone who knows how to handle economic problems. A recent Gallup poll shows that 60% of the people surveyed said Romney would do a good job handling the economy over the next four years; 52% said president Obama would.

The recent Gallup poll showed in which aspects Mitt Romney is stronger, but it also shows his weak points: he doesn’t generate enthusiasm from his voters and he hasn’t been able to establish a strong connection with the people. The results of the poll show it, and Obama is perceived as a much more likeable candidate with an advantage of over 27 points against Romney.

USA Today/Gallup lists twelve states that can determine this election: Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin.

One state that is not considered a swing state, but could become one at any moment, is Arizona. In the U.S. electoral history this state has only voted for the Democratic Party once since President Truman, but the number of independent voters has grown in recent years in this state. This scenario makes Mitt Romney’s victory uncertain because there are a large number of undecided voters waiting to hear proposals, and that’s why closed elections are expected.

An interesting case of another closed state is New Mexico. In the 2008 election President Obama won with 56.7% of the votes. The Hispanic vote was decisive in this state, but the Arizona Republican Governor Susana Martinez, who has high approval ratings, and the economic crisis, has given Mitt Romney a slight chance to win this state.

The swing states are the ones that will determine the election. If the electoral votes for each one of them are summed up, there are 150 electoral votes, and if Arizona is added, which may become a swing state at any moment, that brings it up to 161 electoral votes that don’t have a clear destiny: they may go Republican or Democrat. The only thing certain about this election is that it would be a close race and if Obama wins, it may not be a comfortable victory like in 2008. Both candidates will have to work hard to achieve the magic number of electoral votes: 270.

Image Courtesy of  Steve Adamson / Shutterstock.com

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Outside of the U.S., if you read the book “Diplomacy” by Henry Kissinger, you realize that Democrats and Republicans do not follow parallel or even similar foreign policies.

On November 6, 2012, the colors of red and blue will once again confront to each other and spearheading the event will most likely be President Obama and Republican candidate Mitt Romney. Two different schools of thought, fighting to occupy a seat in the White House. It could bring a complete change in American foreign policy and consequently spread to affect the policies of their allies.

Foreign policy of a powerful nation has repeatedly throughout history proven to have great influence in the countries that surround it. In Spain, they know through experience that the support of the right-wing President, Jose Maria Aznar, in the Iraq war contributed to the final result of the Spanish elections and allowed the Socialist party to win the Presidential post, despite popular beliefs.

And the trend goes the other way around too – who knows if the Arab Spring and President Obama’s support of the people in the Arab world will have built relations that could influence new movements in the future.

Even though the Republicans have always had a more clear foreign policy, while Democrats have had a more changing vision, it seems that many trust President Obama’s foreign policy so far. Obama’s vision of the world helped him win his first elections by declaring his opposition of the war in Iraq.

That could happen again. Even today Obama’s supporters give him credit for his fight against terrorism and for inspiring democracy in the Arab world: Osama Bin Laden, Anuar al Aulaki, and Muamar Gaddafi are out of the game, Al Qaeda is against the ropes, and three Middle Eastern countries have begun the transition into democracy. Last but not least, no more American soldier will die in Iraq after this year, and a date has been fixed for the complete removal of American troops from Afghanistan.

In spite of all the good results yielded by the Obama administration’s foreign policy, the flipside is ever present. Republicans accuse President Obama of compromising American interests in the Middle East by supporting the Arab Spring and other movements for uprising. Some are also criticizing Obama for not supporting the movement until it was clear that success was within reach.

It has been further questioned why there is no support for democratic movements in other dictatorial regimes such as Saudi Arabia, Yemen or Bahrain, all traditional allies of the U.S.A.

It is still widely recognized that the American support to democracies in the Middle East could open up new opportunities for the United States and its relations with Arab countries. Still, it is to be seen if the American people can agree with this policy in the long run and value it when they vote this fall.

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