COMMENTARY
 by Robert Reich |
I’ve been struck by the baldness of Romney’s repetitive lies about Obama — that Obama ended the work requirement under welfare, for example, or that Obama’s Affordable Care Act cuts $716 billion from Medicare benefits.
The mainstream media along with a half-dozen independent fact-checking organizations and sites have called Romney on these whoppers, but to no avail. He keeps making these assertions.
Every campaign is guilty of exaggerations, embellishments, distortions, and half-truths. But this is another thing altogether. I’ve been directly involved in seven presidential campaigns, and I don’t recall a presidential candidate lying with such audacity, over and over again. Why does he do it, and how can he get away with it?
The obvious answer is such lies are effective. Polls show voters are starting to believe them, especially in swing states where they’re being repeated constantly in media spots financed by Romney’s super PAC or ancillary PACs and so-called “social welfare” organizations (political fronts disguised as charities, such as Karl Rove and the Koch brothers have set up).
Romney’s lying machine is extraordinarily well financed. By August, according to Jane Mayer in her recent New Yorker article, at least 33 billionaires had each donated a quarter of a million dollars or more to groups aiming to defeat Obama — with most of it flooding into attack ads in swing states.
In early August, “Americans for Prosperity,” one of the nonprofit front groups masquerading as a charity, and founded in part by billionaire right-wingers Charles and David Koch, bought some $27 million in ad time on spots now airing in eleven swing states.
So Romney’s lying machine is working.
But what does all this tell us about the man who is running this lying machine? (Or if Romney’s not running it, what does it tell us about a man who would select the people who are?)
We knew he was a cypher — that he’ll say and do whatever is expedient, change positions like a chameleon, eschew any core principles.
Yet resorting to outright lies — and organizing a presidential campaign around a series of lies — reveals a whole new level of cynicism, a profound disdain for what remains of civility in public life, and a disrespect of the democratic process.
The question is whether someone who is willing to resort to such calculated lies, and build a campaign machine around them, can be worthy of the public’s trust with the most powerful office in the world.
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That someone, or, as is more probable, some group, is willing to do anything to secure power and control, for the interests of a small group of people, is a reflecton of their lack of morality, ethics and any sense of the American ideal. These people, by their actions, have forfeited any, and all, claims to speaking and acting in the name of our principles of democracy.
I agree with Orth. The RNC convention is a celebration of the wealthy, who assume lying and exorbitant spending will simply hand them the election.
zIt is absolute crucial for this party and its gazillionaires to lose and lose big. Otherwise their view that Americans are stupid will be demonstrated as sadly all too true. (I've never believed that, by the way.)
u r right, but we have to get out and vote. if we dont there will be NO middle class. i am on s.s. and need every penny and i know our President will keep it a live.
Lying is the only shot Romney's got to win the election.... of course he's going to use it. I hope Isaac blows away all the repubs in Tampa next week!
It shows that Romney will do anything to win and that is very sad. How can the American people trust someone like him to govern this country. It tells me that he has no integrity and/or principles. It tells me that he will not govern for all.
he cant govern he is in with the wealthy to spend billions to get what the rich want. i am so up set about that wife of his(ann) all he is a little teddy bear. i would not like that little teady bear to lie every times he opens his mouth. the koch brothers are not nice people, they get rid of some people. the only there is there is lot of gangs that would like to get them or thier family and they keep it up they do not care what happens to thier family. they cant buy my vote and they cant by yours.ann the dumby just goes on and on about her husband, i know all i want to know, hes for the rich and only rich and he can be bought.
In your Goodle search engine type "Lying for the Lord" and you will understand why Willard Romney lies so easily and without regret - it's a Mormon thing. Seriously.
Romney wouldn't know the truth if it were standing right next to him... same for Ryan...
“Republicans and their shills are still pathetically trying to make an out-of context statement – what else is new – made by Joe Biden into some big deal, (mostly to cover up what the true content of his comments were... things they'd rather not talk about) by saying the White House in diminishing and denigrating the office of the President.
Of course they're wrong. THIS is how you diminish and denigrate what a person stands for...
From a more recent Romney interview..."You know, in the past, when people pointed out that something was inaccurate, why, campaigns pulled the ad,” Romney said. “They were embarrassed. Today, they just blast ahead. You know, the various fact checkers look at some of these charges in the Obama ads and they say that they’re wrong, and inaccurate, and yet he just keeps on running them."
A closer look at Romney's own ads would show this... from even earlier this year...
“Romney Runs Most Negative Campaigns in Record Year"
Data compiled by CMAG reveals that a total of 11,586 television spots were aired in a one-week span in Florida. Of those, all but 953 of the ads that aired were deemed negative.
"A whopping 99 percent of the 3,276 ads paid for by the Romney campaign were deemed negative... while 100 percent of the 4,969 spots sponsored by the pro-Romney Restore Our Future PAC were considered negative.”
We are sinking, sinking, sunk? Good bye democracy!
YES I have spoke for ROMNEY in this segment!
GO back, dig deep
1 more thing, I know I can't be the middle class white lady THAT HAS NOTICED HIS WIFE ANN " 3 TIMES SHE OPENS MOUTH ALL 3 TIMES SHE TALKS ABOUT MITT" SCREWED UP ALL 3 TIMES " ROMNEY WON'T TAKE THAT CHANCE AGAIN! CASH MUST NOT WORK ON ANN!
Woo hoo dad clears 20 million last yr!
5 sons, NOT ALLOWED TO OPEN MUCH AT ALL!
WAIT!10k for one son who speaks Spanish looks Spanish??
To run AD targeted for Latino vote!
Mom Ann puts foot down dad gives 100k for ad! WAIT NOT MITT'S MONEY DONATIONS!
Let us re-visit a few months back, Romney was born where?
The fact that Romney's farther , and that entire side of his family all have resided in Mexico for decades now!.
Anyone remember when Fox news went to interview them, how they stood around, with the same story!
Until you called, we hadn't heard anything, don't watch much TV in these parts, so you say he is running for President.
Well I hate to disappoint you folks never met MITT, wife 5 sons you say, well golly gee, Romney SR never mentioned it, of course we wish him luck.
1st if Romney has enough money to force his Dad and all his relatives down in Mexico to keep there traps shut! State you have never even seen me!
Romney JR no never seen him here on the compound,
ROMNEY JR's part (read) So I got married, had 5 sons, People in the USA know me best for; king of animal cruelty to dogs.
Mmost of all my favorite past time is, going into small towns, buy a business, borrow on it till I can't,! (forget about my comments during the holidays, when I tell you how these hicks never new what hit them)
By the time the, saps knows what hit them, I am long gone.! YE DOGGY!
We have got to deregulate wall street 1st thing! I am very good snowing the American people, just take the cash down to Mexico, drink some Tequila, no TAXES FOR THE RICH JUST FOR THE DUMB MIDDLE CLASS HICKS!
Sorry about the pun! seeing how Romney has chosen, country music theme for the Convention!
Not only was fox news making big bucks, came with a free lesson on how to hide it tax free!
You may convince his own party, (not much in the smarts, department only Romney dollar signs!)
Refuses to acknowledge them!!!
THIS is THE GREAT WHITE REPUBLICAN Hope for president!!!! Sorry forgot ROMNEY MONEY TALKS, his party don't even smell the bull@!$%# they feed the American people.
I suck at typing, so sorry!
Stayed tuned any minute now!
As the ROMNEY lies turn, come on back now you hear!
Doesn't the Fourth Estate, journalists, reporters, et al, have a mandate, a duty and a responsibility to inform the public? Why does the press, TV moreso than in print, allow those lies to proceed unchallenged? Does caveat emptor apply in the social debate. Euphemisms like Pants On Fire, are insufficient when a candidate for the highest office in the land tells such blatant lies and has such contempt for the truth and for the American people. If such lies are allowed to air they should be with the proviso, This ad is a lie! Plain & simple. Cut & dried. Thank you Dr. Reich for doing your part.
His pants have been on fire for years.
One in eight people can name a Supreme Court justice. That gives you an idea of the depth of the electorate as far as politics is concerned. The folks are more interested in sports. The lies and deceptions are not lost on the ladies. I believe it will be the ladies who will recognize which way the wind is blowing for them and deliver the win for Pres. Barack Obama. That is my hope.
we will get the vote but hope to have a BIG WIN for the President and if men vote we will win come on men help us ladies. the news reporters can not ask about most of what they feel like should be asked, but romney say no. i would think the reporter should stay away. if romney is going to pick what they can ask go a head and give the news hour to our President. i think u guys should help out us ladies out, so maybe get brith control.