At least I had the good sense to feel insulted by the Ryan comments, and, I'm just not into the elite stuff. Does liking intelligent conversation count as elite?

we all must vote ! please.

Bauer's quote on voter fraud: "even with the dead Democrat votes in Chicago, Cleveland and Detroit...we will win". How blatantly racist can one be, with no shame whatsoever.

Most GOP are greed, rich and stupid I agree Mr. Santorum ... this coming from Rick Santorum a LAWYER...oh boy. oh boy no wonder the country is going to the dogs. If GOP get more power we will become the next "Taliban State"

Wow really crazy talk from those on the right makes me want to slap the television. ICBIR I can't believe it's Ryan. But it is on film therefore he does exist. Demote him.

Proud to be of that demographic. They have me pegged, and I don't imagine supporting any of them in this lifetime. My values won't let me.

How many employees at Staples are on food stamps? I'm tired of subsidizing these private little countries called corporations that give nothing back to the collective.

I'm also tired of giving free stuff to rich people, I paid 30% in taxes Romney paid a less than 14% he made 20 million that means I gave him $3 million of free stuff. I guess he bought a horse for his wife or some new snowmobiles. I want him back! I'm tired of subsidizing rich CEOs for their employees public services, what a scam! I don't know the exact number but it's an unacceptable amount of full-time employees at Wal-Mart that are on food stamps because the owners are too cheap to pay their employees what they're worth and want the rest of them to subsidize their Corporation.

Romney stopped taking free stuff now!

Lesbob

Lesbob we really do not know how much Mitt made in income but I will bet that it far accedes 20 Mil last year. The theory is that these people create money but we all know that each dollar really comes from the blood sweat and tears of someone working at the bottom. It just so happens that someone at the top will take that as his own.

Let use run some numbers. I think it was 2010 that seven Hedge Fund Managers each had pay and bonus's over one billion dollars. That is 1000 1000 1000 yes 1000 three times. If you take the center 1000 put one zero to the left 1000 you get 10,000 and put the remaining two zeros to the right 1000 you get 100,000. Now we have 10,000 and 100,000 so what will we do with this? If some working stiff in poverty (low income job) made an extra $10,000 he would probably move out of poverty right? The 100,000 now comes into the picture... 100,000 now out of poverty, funny how you can manipulate mathematics isn't it. OOPS forgot their was 7 hedge-fund managers, I guess that means we now have 700,000 working stiff no longer in poverty and it only took ($krued) seven billionaires out of one years income.

Lets leave them each with 2 mil, after all they work their a$$'s off to earn it and the 700,000 probably will not even notice the slight decrease in their extra $10,000.

Taxes? Far more taxes will probably end up taking care of infrastructure etc. from the 700,000 than the $krued 7. You know that there are many more than just hedge fund managers out there who take tremendous cuts off the top and do not even think of all those under them that had to do without.

Did you know that conservatives believe that income redistribution should only go in one direction and that is up. And 99% of them do not realize that it is their income that is going up, I mean up to the top as they themselves get a lower pay check.

Look if anyone is still even considering voting GOP this should pretty much settle it. They just flat out said only stupid people are voing for them. You aren't REALLY that stupid are you? Christians, sincere Christians, if you are paying attention at all you cannot in good conscience vote for this ticket. I am a creationist, a homeschooling parent and a very strong Christian. I cannot in good conscience elect someone I know to be a liar, a manipulator and a fraud to run our country. I cannot in good conscience cast a vote for this party when I know that it throw so many people into poverty, deprive children of food, elders of medicine and money to survive, not to mention the effects it would have on the disabled and United States Veterans. These two are fossil fuel industry puppets, like the rest of the teaparty and gop.

values voters is code for prejudice voters. they value their right to be prejudiced against others,another issue how they misrepresent their views to make it sound better, ie. pro life, when they are against everything that prolongs life.

As to the origin article, the following 14 Characteristics are the rules I go by now in the analysis of any statements made by so-called conservatives.

I believe the article can be said to reflect characteristic eleven and fourteen. The usual reaction to pointing this out while using the list is either something totally ballistic or complete silence. I have never seen one "conservative" realign their thought processes after reading the list. They are where they want to be and that is probably where they will remain.

If we could get everyone to use this list of characteristics in debunking the more blatant statements, I think our conversations might start to improve. Remember ballistic... a trajectory away from your location or the other item, silence. Who knows, you might even find someone who will start engaging in meaningful conversation. P.S. Do not use list face to face or ballistic could be a trajectory toward your location.

Characteristics Of Fascism
By Dr. Lawrence Britt
Source Free Inquiry.co
5-28-3

Dr. Lawrence Britt has examined the fascist regimes of Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia) and several Latin American regimes. Britt found 14 defining characteristics common to each:

1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism - Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, songs, and other paraphernalia. Flags are seen everywhere, as are flag symbols on clothing and in public displays.

2. Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights - Because of fear of enemies and the need for security, the people in fascist regimes are persuaded that human rights can be ignored in certain cases because of "need." The people tend to look the other way or even approve of torture, summary executions, assassinations, long incarcerations of prisoners, etc.

3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause - The people are rallied into a unifying patriotic frenzy over the need to eliminate a perceived common threat or foe: racial , ethnic or religious minorities; liberals; communists; socialists, terrorists, etc.

4. Supremacy of the Military - Even when there are widespread

domestic problems, the military is given a disproportionate amount of government funding, and the domestic agenda is neglected. Soldiers and military service are glamorized.

5. Rampant Sexism - The governments of fascist nations tend to be almost exclusively male-dominated. Under fascist regimes, traditional gender roles are made more rigid. Divorce, abortion and homosexuality are suppressed and the state is represented as the ultimate guardian of the family institution.

6. Controlled Mass Media - Sometimes to media is directly controlled by the government, but in other cases, the media is indirectly controlled by government regulation, or sympathetic media spokespeople and executives. Censorship, especially in war time, is very common.

7. Obsession with National Security - Fear is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses.

8. Religion and Government are Intertwined - Governments in fascist nations tend to use the most common religion in the nation as a tool to manipulate public opinion. Religious rhetoric and terminology is common from government leaders, even when the major tenets of the religion are diametrically opposed to the government's policies or actions.

9. Corporate Power is Protected - The industrial and business aristocracy of a fascist nation often are the ones who put the government leaders into power, creating a mutually beneficial business/government relationship and power elite.

10. Labor Power is Suppressed - Because the organizing power of labor is the only real threat to a fascist government, labor unions are either eliminated entirely, or are severely suppressed.

11. Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts - Fascist nations tend to promote and tolerate open hostility to higher education, and academia. It is not uncommon for professors and other academics to be censored or even arrested. Free expression in the arts and letters is openly attacked.

12. Obsession with Crime and Punishment - Under fascist regimes, the police are given almost limitless power to enforce laws. The people are often willing to overlook police abuses and even forego civil liberties in the name of patriotism. There is often a national police force with virtually unlimited power in fascist nations.

13. Rampant Cronyism and Corruption - Fascist regimes almost always are governed by groups of friends and associates who appoint each other to government positions and use governmental power and authority to protect their friends from accountability. It is not uncommon in fascist regimes for national resources and even treasures to be appropriated or even outright stolen by government leaders.

14. Fraudulent Elections - Sometimes elections in fascist nations are a complete sham. Other times elections are manipulated by smear campaigns against or even assassination of opposition candidates, use of legislation to control voting numbers or political district boundaries, and manipulation of the media. Fascist nations also typically use their judiciaries to manipulate or control elections.

Well, he got it half right.. They will never attract smart people..

But, who is trying to tell us what to do? Who is trying to dictate to women what they can & can't do with their own body and health issues? Who is telling us who can and cannot marry? Who is trying to limit who can and cannot vote?

I think he should have said We will never have the elite, smart people on our side, Because they believe we should not micromanage everyones personal life from goverment dictatorship.”

I thought they gave up on smart people when they nominated Bush!

Ryan is right. Romney went to Harvard Law School and he is definitely ruining the chances for the GOP getting in the white house. The theory is fact. Way to go Mittens!

Romney sucks, what about all these elderly people who have worked there entire life, an now are in rest homes because they can't take care of themselves. I live in Lane County Oregon, an seems where ever I go there are rest homes all over the place. Then you have the people who are disabled and don't pay taxes. Hello Romney, you haven't done your homework. Then we have a problem with all the homeless people they don't pay taxes either. Sorry people, but things may be different if we had Hillary. This is all b.s., Politics need to stop blabbing their mouths off before doing their homework. Stupid, I don't even pay taxes because of disability. Thanks VOTE OBAMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It takes a second term for him to do the things he wants to do for AMERICA. He had to clean up the last Presidents mess. DUH!!!!

Giving up on attracting SMART People? I think they already have just ask Palin, Bachman, Gomert, West, Cain, King, Walsh, and all the rest I think they succeeded in their plan.

According to the SPLC (southern poverty law center) the meeting was full of white racist supremacists. How pathetic that the likes of Ryan, Cantor and other prominent politicians caters to those people. No wonder those politician's will say rhetoric favorable to the racists

More than 70% of the american people think they belong to the 47% , so the problem that Romney has is not with 47% but with 70% of the american people .

Can someone address this ugly looking alteration of our Flag that they are saying the Pres Obama did with no stars and another with just his face in the middle. Fox News has no shame when they are losng. Please someone tell those stupid people it's not true. I'm telling you that kind of trash is what caused Ann Richards lose to George W, White lose to Perry here in Texas and George W win over McCain. They tell ridicules tales and people buy it. My President has better taste if he would lose his mind and alter the flag right before an election.