The Real Mitt Romney

[Adak]

Originally Posted by BigV

Well Adak? What's your position on all the secret money bankrolling Romney?

Both candidates have secret money behind them. You know those "Obama mobile phones" that are going out to Obama supporters?

Those were financed by Carlos Slim - who's the worlds richest man, and not even an American.

So no, Romney's money sources don't bother me any more than Obama's.

To be honest, these big $$$ men, REALLY like having some association with those in the White House. Even if it's just to visit and share a drink, maybe a dinner, and a chat with the President - they LOVE it. It gives them a great deal of pleasure.

But the President has constraints. He can't cater to their needs too much, even if he wanted to, because he's such a major figure that everything he does is watched and reported (nowadays).

[BigV]

regarding secret money

Originally Posted by Adak

Both candidates have secret money behind them. You know those "Obama mobile phones" that are going out to Obama supporters?

Those were financed by Carlos Slim - who's the worlds richest man, and not even an American.

So no, Romney's money sources don't bother me any more than Obama's.

To be honest, these big $$$ men, REALLY like having some association with those in the White House. Even if it's just to visit and share a drink, maybe a dinner, and a chat with the President - they LOVE it. It gives them a great deal of pleasure.

But the President has constraints. He can't cater to their needs too much, even if he wanted to, because he's such a major figure that everything he does is watched and reported (nowadays).

Yes, both do have secret money in their campaign. That is troubling. Both have foreign money supporting them, also troubling and illegal to boot. But the relative amounts are not balanced, much, much more untraceable money is being devoted to Romney's campaign. They're both wrong, but Romney's got a huge lead on this score.

Cite.

Most of the foreign-connected PACs put their money on Republicans. They sent $7.5 million to Republicans and $5.3 million to Democrats. This diverges sharply with a recent Gallup International poll, which found that the world favors Obama by 81 percent.

The local subsidiary of Singapore’s largest container shipping company, Neptune Orient, gave $6,000 to Democrats and $29,000 to Republicans. An exception is Japan’s Sony Entertainment, which gave $98,000 to Democrats and $72,000 to Republicans.

Few of the foreign-connected, corporate PACs made direct donations to Mitt Romney (Obama does not accept PAC money). However, another potential route for corporations to influence elections is to encourage their US employees and their relatives to do so. Credit Suisse, the financial giant, gave zero to Romney through its US corporate PAC. But the company’s employees and relatives gave $554,000 to Romney through hundreds of small donations. Credit Suisse employees gave $38,500 to Obama, according to data analyzed by the Center for Responsive Politics.

Cite.

[DanaC]

You know, I've been thinking about this thread and the 'True Conservative' thread, and I think I should retract an element of what I have said in here:

For ease, I've been using the labels 'conservative' and 'republican'. But actually the views expressed by Adak in this thread, though in line with much of what we see of republicanism/conservatism through news and political commentary, doesn't seem so in line with mainstream conservative views. Certainly judging from other conservative dwellars.

I probably should withdraw the labels 'conservative' and 'republican' and replace them with extreme republican, or right-wing conservative. I suspect they are no closer to many ordinary conservative or republican Americans, than the Socialist Workers' Party is to me.

[ZenGum]

Carrier? I didn't even lift her!




Just saying.

[Griff]

=ZenGum;835994

Just saying.

China's single crappy carrier isn't depicted either. The point still stands that we are insanely over-committed to our Navy. Romney's ideas in this department make no sense whatsoever. This is one area where Romney seems like he's had a consistent position, so we can maybe believe he will throw Eisenhower under the bus.

[Lamplighter]

Why does Thailand need a carrier ?

My first thought was it must be scrap iron from the our Reagan years.

[Ibby]

Originally Posted by Lamplighter

Why does Thailand need a carrier?

Originally Posted by Wikipedia, Royal Thai Armed Forces

Thai–Laotian Border War (1987–1988)
The war was a small conflict over the territories surrounding three villages between the Sainyabuli Province in Laos and Phitsanulok Province in Thailand. The war ended with a Laotian victory, and return to status quo ante bellum. No settlement was made the two nations suffered a combined casualty of about 1,000.
East Timor (1999–2002)
After the East Timor Crisis, Thailand together with 28 other nations provided the International Force for East Timor or INTERFET. Thailand also provided the Force Commander in Lieutenant General Winai Phattiyakul.[7] The force was based in Dili and lasted from 25 October 1999 to 20 May 2002.

Iraq War (2003–2004)
After the successful U.S. invasion of Iraq, Thailand contributed 423 troops in August 2003 to nation building and medical assistance in post-Sadam Iraq. The forces mostly from the Royal Thai Army was attacked in the 2003 Karbala bombings, killing 2 Thai soldiers and wounding 5 others. The Thai mission in Iraq was considered successful and the forces withdrew in August 2004. This mission is considered the main reason the United States decided to designate Thailand as a Major non-NATO ally in 2003.

Southern Insurgency (2004–ongoing)
The ongoing Southern Insurgency began long before 2004, waged by the ethnic Malays and Islamic rebels in the three southern provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat. The Insurgency intensified in 2004, when terrorist attacks on ethnic Thai civilians from the insurgents escalated. The Royal Thai Armed Forces in turn responded with heavy armed tactics. The casualties currently stands at 155 Thai military personnel killed against 1,600 insurgents killed and about 1,500 captured, over the backdrop of about 2,729 civilian casualties. Currently there is a plan by the Royal Thai Government to hand over responsibility of the conflict to a civilian body, a move the military does not favour.

Cambodian–Thai border stand-off (2008-ongoing)

They seem pretty militarily active lately compared to some places.

[DanaC]

Umm, thought we went down to 1 carrier in 2011?

[ZenGum]

Uhhh .. pic was on a page dated 2011 ... I saw it "somewhere" a few days ago and dug it up.

[DanaC]

I suppose it depends also on whether or not you define the Invincible class as a true aircraft carrier. I think we still have one in service.

[DanaC]

Yehbut, being militarily active and needing an aircraft carrier aren't the same thing.

I was a little surprised they needed one. Not because I think they don't have any military engagements going on, just that I didn't think they went far enough afield to need carriers.

[Ibby]

For a coastal nation, with as much coastline and as many islands as Thailand, and military concerns across the southern pacific... hell, if they can find the budget for it, i can imagine it'd be totally useful and great to have.

[DanaC]

Yeah. Once I started thinking about it, it did make sense :p

[Ibby]

it's just down to cost priorities. If the Thais think they'd rather have a carrier than... however many smaller boats, or airfields, or whatever, that they could buy/maintain for the same price, I'm SURE they'd put it to good use.

Hell, I bet Mongolia would buy an aircraft carrier if they figured out how to afford it. Why WOULDN'T you want a carrier if you could afford it?

[tw]

Is Adak still posting Tea Party propaganda about a smallest US military since 1887?