Ron Paul's Reaction to the Supreme Court's Ruling on Obamacare

Here is Ron Paul's official statement regarding the Supreme Court's ruling on Obamacare: Link to Ron Paul's Statement. He said:

     - "I strongly disagree with today’s decision by the Supreme Court, but I am not surprised.  The Court has a dismal record when it comes to protecting liberty against unconstitutional excesses by Congress. 

June 29, 2012 - Morning Headlines

- European leaders claimed they have reached a breakthrough in the European debt crisis. Struggling countries such as Spain and Ireland will be able to receive the capital needed to work towards solvency (CNN): http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/29/business/eu-summit-deal/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

- Uncertainty awaits Attorney General Eric Holder after he was found in contempt of Congress yesterday (Fox News): http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/06/28/unpredictable-road-ahead-after-holder-contempt-congress-vote/

- Another green initiative White House-sponsored company has failed (CBS News): http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31727_162-57463156-10391695/another-green-energy-firm-bites-the-dust/?tag=stack

- President Obama has declared a disaster in Colorado to assist the state in fighting the massive wildfires raging there (ABC News): http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/obama-declares-disaster-colorado-fires-burn-16676007#.T-2Jexem-Wg

*** Be sure to vote in the weekly LME Obama Immigration poll on the left side of this blog ***

Also, check out the new rating system below. You can now rate each post from 1-5 on how much you agree/like it, or how well you think it is written.

BREAKING NEWS: The Supreme Court Ruling on Obamacare

 See the Supreme Court's decision here: http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/11pdf/11-393c3a2.pdf

10:06am - CNN broke news that the individual mandate has been ruled unconstitutional in and of itself as a mandate, but may be upheld as a tax. More to come.

10:33am - According to CNN's live blog:

" The Supreme Court has upheld the entire health care law by a vote of 5 to 4, Supreme Court Producer Bill Mears said. That includes the medicare provision."

"Kate Bolduan reports that the Chief Justice John Roberts issued a long opinion in which he said the controversial individual mandate may be upheld and is within Congress’ power under the taxing clause rather than the commerce clause."

10:44am - Key Points from CNN: 

• Court rules 5-4 to uphold individual mandate
• Court says the requirement to have insurance is a tax, and is constitutional.
• Court says on Medicaid that the federal government may not take Medicaid from states that refuse to take part. (That is a limited ruling, without striking it down. In the ruling the court offered the government a way to remedy this potential problem.)
• Court vindicates, affirms Presidential and congressional power in an important issue like health care.

June 28, 2012 - Morning Headlines

- The Supreme Court is expected to give its official opinion on the fate of the American Care Act known as "Obamacare" today (CNN): http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/17/politics/health-care-scenarios/index.html?hpt=hp_c1

*Be sure to check back at The Elephant in the Room for Obamacare ruling information and debate*

- The House of Representatives is expect to hold a vote on whether Attorney General Eric Holder was in contempt of Congress for not turning over Fast and Furious papers to the House Oversight and Government Reform committee (Fox News): http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/06/27/house-democrat-breaks-ranks-to-back-holder-contempt-as-vote-looms/

- Explosions have rocked the Syrian Department of Justice early Thursday morning (ABC News): http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/turkey-deploys-anti-aircraft-guns-syria-border-16666800#.T-w3Bxem-Wg

*** Be sure to vote in the weekly LME Obama Immigration poll on the left side of this blog ***

Also, check out the new rating system below. You can now rate each post from 1-5 on how much you agree/like it, or how well you think it is written.

June 27, 2012 - Morning Headlines

- The massive wildfires currently raging in Colorado have crossed over a containment line and are no heading closer to Colorado Springs (CNN): http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/27/us/western-wildfires/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

- With a nearly $26 million budget deficit, the city of Stockton, California could become the largest US city to declare bankruptcy (Fox News): http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/06/26/stockton-set-to-become-largest-us-city-to-declare-bankruptcy/#ixzz1yyC0NF97

- The 15-member panel at the University of Virginia has unanimously voted to reinstate ousted president Teresa Sullivan after an outcry of public and student support (MSNBC): http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/26/12423051-university-of-virginia-board-reinstates-ousted-president-after-outcry?lite

- UN observers in Syria claim violence in the civil war-torn country is worse than before the cease fire (ABC News): http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/violence-syria-worse-ceasefire-16658045#.T-rmORem-Wg

*** Be sure to vote in the weekly LME Obama Immigration poll on the left side of this blog ***

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The Obama Campaign Deceit Machine Rolls On - And the Washington Post Fact Checker Agrees!

First, let me start by saying that I think I have found the "secret sauce" of the Obama campaign. The plan seems to be simple:

1. Roll out deceitful, misleading ads

2. Allow the liberal mainstream media surrogates to propagate these ads

3. Repeat misleading information in as many speeches as possible

4. Get the American people to blindly believe and repeat whatever misleading information you say

5. Relax knowing that since the liberal mainstream media outnumbers the conservative mainstream media, it will take a long time for the GOP to respond to correct the lies, rendering any attempts at truthfulness to be “too little, too late”

6. Win in November no matter how badly you're doing as President

Simple enough, right?

It all starts with the first part of the plan: Roll out deceitful, misleading ads. I wrote about this 12 days ago (see: this post). In that post, I highlight the 4 key arguments the Obama campaign is currently making (3 of them about Mitt Romney specifically), and I used examples to show how each of these arguments is misleading. With the most recent ads, it appears that the Obama campaign has stepped up its efforts, giving itself a violent shove from "misleading" to flat out lying.

June 26, 2012 - Morning Headlines

- NATO has strongly condemned Syria for downing a Turkish fighter jet last week. The international organization said it will not take any action (CNN): http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/26/world/meast/turkey-syria-plane/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

- Representative Darrell Issa claims the Obama administration use of executive privilege last week was an overstep of authority because some of the documents it aimed to conceal were documents specific to the Fast and Furious program and not specifically prepared for the President (Fox News): http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/06/26/issa-challenges-obama-executive-privilege-claim-on-furious/

- The US Preventative Services Task Force, a government panel within the the Department of Health and Human Services recommends that all adults be checked for obesity (MSNBC): http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47953768/ns/health-health_care/#.T-mULBem-Wg

*** Be sure to vote in the weekly LME Obama Immigration poll on the left side of this blog ***

Also, check out the new rating system below. You can now rate each post from 1-5 on how much you agree/like it, or how well you think it is written.

BREAKING NEWS: The Supreme Court Rules on Arizona Immigration Law SB 1070

In a widely anticipated ruling, the Supreme Court has ruled that most parts of the controversial Arizona immigration law SB1070 are unconstitutional, striking down 3 of 4 major parts of the law. It did uphold perhaps the most important and most controversial part of the law: that law enforcement can check a person's immigration status if there is a reasonable suspicion that the suspect is in the US illegally.

See the Supreme Court's decision here: http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/11pdf/11-182b5e1.pdf

My quick opinion:

I've read through Twitter and have seen that many on the right are saying this is a "major victory" for Arizona and a "major defeat" for the Obama administration. I'm a little confused by this. I'm pretty darned conservative, but not to the point of spinning away truth. I'm looking for clarification, because to me, all feelings about immigration and Arizona's handling of it aside, this ruling seems like a victory for the Obama administration.

How Would YOU Handle This? - Bullied School Bus Monitor Incident (Video)

Disgusting. Appalling. Vomit-inducing. Horrifying. The list of negative adjectives goes on and on. When I first saw the headlines for this disgusting incident, I couldn't watch the video because I was at work. When I got home that night, I watched it the very first opportunity I could. I was speechless; it brought tears to my eyes. 

 

Source: Youtube

June 25, 2012 - Morning Headlines

- Mohamed Morsi has officially be declared Egypt's first democratically elected president (CNN): http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/24/world/meast/egypt-morsi-challenges/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

- Slow-moving tropical storm Debby has already drenched Florida and threatens to bring more flooding as it makes its way towards Louisiana. Up to 25 inches of rain is possible (Fox News): http://www.foxnews.com/weather/2012/06/25/tropical-storn-debby-brings-flood-threat-on-slow-march-through-gulf/?test=latestnews

- While admitting crucial documents sought by the House Oversight Committee would help understand which  high-level officials knew of or were involved in Fast and Furious, Rep Darrel Issa claims he does not believe the White House is involved in a massive cover-up (MSNBC): http://nbcpolitics.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/24/12384435-rep-issa-no-evidence-of-white-house-cover-up-in-fast-and-furious-gun-running-case?lite

- A Bankrate.com survey shows that Americans do not have enough in savings for simple emergencies (CBS News): http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-500395_162-57459596/survey-half-of-americans-have-insufficient-emergency-savings-quarter-have-none-at-all/?tag=stack

*** Be sure to vote in the weekly LME Obama Immigration poll on the left side of this blog ***

Also, check out the new rating system below. You can now rate each post from 1-5 on how much you agree/like it, or how well you think it is written.

Join LME from The Elephant in the Room on The Radio on Saturday, June 23rd

Tune in to The 405 Live on the web at 10:00 am EST, 7:00 am PST on Saturday, June 23rd to listen. Join The Elephant in the Room's main contributor LME for great political discussion. Call in at 877-297-8022. We might even talk about sports, too! The show is hosted by @johng405.  Listen at the following link:

http://the405radio.com/
 (the program's play unit is on the right hand side)

Feedback on the segment is greatly appreciated.

June 22, 2012 - Morning Headlines

- Jerry Sandusky's adopted son claims he was sexually abused by his father. He did not testify (CNN): http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/22/justice/pennsylvania-sandusky-letters/index.html?hpt=hp_c1

- The Supreme Court sided with major television networks over the assessment of fines levied for violating TV decency rules. The decision did not rule on the constitutionality of decency guidelines and free speech (Fox News): http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/06/21/supreme-court-strikes-down-fcc-rules-on-profanity-nudity/?test=latestnews

- Five Taliban militants stormed a hotel in Kabul last night. They took 50 hostages and killed 9 before being overtaken by NATO forces (MSNBC): http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/21/12345102-taliban-kill-at-least-nine-hotel-guests-take-50-hostage-in-kabul-attack?lite

- Basketball star LeBron James won his first championship last night. He and his Miami Heat defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder in 5 games (CBS News): http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-400_162-57458514/champs-james-triple-double-lifts-heat-to-title/?tag=cbsContent;cbsCarousel

An Incessant Task: Calling Out Hypocrisy

Sometimes this is redundant. Sometimes it's comical. Sometimes it just happens over and over and over, and you feel as if you're going in circles. Regardless, debates should occur, and people should learn from each other in order to understand the world around them. This article discusses two recent cases that I would deem blatant hypocrisy by the Obama administration (as well as the liberal media), and liberal celebrities.

The following article appeared on CNN yesterday: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/06/20/more-than-60-million-raised-in-support-of-obamas-re-election/. It claims Obama's re-election campaign raised more than $60 million in May. $60 million! Romney's campaign raised $23 million. When looking at other campaign finance funds (something the media mixes around; the difference between a campaign's fundraising and a political group like the DNC's fundraising), the Obama campaign's victory fund along with the DNC reported it had $114 million cash on hand while the RNC/joint Romney fund held $107 million.

June 21, 2012 - Morning Headlines

- The Sanford, Florida city manager has fired Police Chief Bill Lee for his handling of the Trayvon Martin shooting incident (CNN): http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/20/justice/florida-martin-case-police-chief/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

- The defense rested in the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse trial without Sandusky himself taking the stand (ABC News): http://abcnews.go.com/US/jerry-sandusky-testify-defense-raised-significant-doubts-case/story?id=16609379#.T-L9NxcS1WI

- Hamas, the Palestinian political organization considered to be a terrorist group by most western countries, is ready to declare a temporary cease fire with Israel (CBS News): http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57457513/hamas-offers-israel-a-truce-over-latest-fighting/?tag=stack

- The House of Representatives is ready to move forward with a Contempt of Congress vote against Attorney General Eric Holder. Representative Darrell Issa, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform committee says a vote can still be avoided (Fox News): http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/06/20/house-panel-approves-holder-contempt-resolution/

*** Be sure to vote in the weekly LME Mitt Romney v Obama poll on the left side of this blog ***

BREAKING NEWS: President Obama Uses Executive Privilege to Protect Against Subpoena of Fast and Furious Docs

Major news outlets are reporting that President Obama has used executive privilege to protect Fast and Furious documents from being sent to the House Oversight Committee. The move allows the documents to be withheld from the committee even though they've been subpoenaed. Tensions have mounted recently as the House was poised to hold a vote on whether Attorney General Eric Holder was in contempt of Congress for not fulfilling the merits of the committee's subpoena. See the articles below:

CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/20/politics/holder-contempt/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

Fox News: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/06/20/house-republicans-tee-up-imminent-contempt-vote-against-holder/

MSNBC: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/20/12317893-obama-invokes-executive-privilege-over-doj-documents?lite

Now, to me, we shouldn't rush to judgement. None of us are congressmen/women, and we don't know all the information. Of course, we all have opinions, and we have the right to express those opinions.

With that, in the spirit of open debate, what do you think of this news? Have you followed the Fast and Furious case? Is this an overstep of Obama's power? Is this a fair move? Please share your opinions below.

MSNBC's Dishonest Journalism

This certainly isn't the first time dishonest journalism has been blogged about, and this most definitely won't be the last.

MSNBC and Andrea Mitchell have been caught... again. What did they do this time? Well, you decide. Here are 3 links; one from the "right" in Fox News, one from the "left" in The Huffington Post, and a non-mainstream write-up that captured this, too.

June 20, 2012 - Morning Headlines

- Contrary to the ABC News report that claimed Marco Rubio was not being vetted by the Romney campaign as a Vice Presidential nominee, Mitt Romney clears the air (CNN): http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/06/19/romney-rubio-is-being-vetted-as-vp-possibility/?hpt=hp_t2

- With neither side flinching from its entrenched position, a contempt of Congress vote is expected against Attorney General Eric Holder today (Fox News): http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/06/20/holder-issa-set-for-critical-meeting-on-fast-and-furious-documents-contempt/

- A man claiming allegiance to Al Qaeda has taken hostages at a bank in Toulouse, France (ABC News): http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/ap-newsalert-16608578#.T-Gv7hcS1WI

- After conflicting news reports, an Egyptian official says that former Egyptian dictator Hosni Mubarak is on life support (CBS News): http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57456383/official-egypts-hosni-mubarak-is-on-life-support/?tag=stack

*** Be sure to vote in the weekly LME Mitt Romney v Obama poll on the left side of this blog ***

June 19, 2012 - Morning Headlines

- Prosecutors allege George Zimmerman and his wife talked in code on jailhouse phones to hide personal assets and seek a lower bond (CNN): http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/18/justice/florida-zimmerman-calls/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

- With time running out for Greece before its government runs out of funds, Germany is left with few options for saving the ancient nation (MSNBC): http://economywatch.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/18/12285966-germanys-merkel-faces-growing-pressure-at-home-abroad?lite

- Republicans claim rising GOP star Marco Rubio is not being vetted to run as Mitt Romney's Vice President running mate (ABC News): http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/06/marco-rubio-not-being-vetted-to-be-mitt-romneys-running-mate/

- The Customer Financial Protection Bureau will launch a new website today that will allow citizens to see complaints filed against large financial firms (MSNBC): http://redtape.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/19/12286631-what-credit-card-firm-attracts-the-most-complaints-new-consumer-agency-launches-tell-all-website?lite

- A gunman dressed as an Afghan policeman turned his gun on American troops killing one and injuring 7 (CBS News): http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57455732/afghans-in-uniform-kill-u.s-serviceman/?tag=stack

*** Be sure to vote in the weekly LME Mitt Romney v Obama poll on the left side of this blog ***

READER'S POST #16 - Observations From the Grocery Store

By: 32slim32

I am sure we have all been to the grocery store and seen someone pay for their groceries with their food stamp card.

On one occasion, I saw a lady run through all of her groceries and swipe her EBT card. She was informed that one of her purchases was not covered (a Monster energy drink I think it was). Then she noticed that she was charged sales tax on that item. She was livid. “What am I paying taxes on?” she demanded. 

So not only do they get their groceries for free they stiff the state on sales tax too using their patriotic looking card.

June 18, 2012 - Morning Headlines

- Muslim Brotherhood-backed candidate Mohamed Morsi has claimed victory in Turkey's presidential election (CNN): http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/18/world/meast/egypt-election/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

- Pro bailout, pro austerity conservatives have won the majority in the Greek parliamentary elections (Fox News): http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/06/17/greeks-vote-in-critical-election/

- Accused child sex offender Jerry Sandusky is expected to take the stand in his own defense this week (CBS News): http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57454872/jerry-sandusky-trial-shifts-to-former-penn-state-coachs-defense-with-prosecutors-likely-to-rest-case/?tag=cbsContent;cbsCarousel

- Rodney King was found dead in his pool over the weekend. No foul play is suspected. King was 47 (CNN): http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/17/us/obit-rodney-king/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

*** Be sure to vote in the weekly LME Mitt Romney v Obama poll on the left side of this blog ***

The Elephant in the Room on Saturday Morning Radio

Tune in to The 405 Live on the web at 10:00 am EST, 7:00 am PST on Saturday, June 16th to listen. Join The Elephant in the Room's main contributor LME for great political discussion. The show is hosted by @johng405.  Listen at the following link:

http://the405radio.com/

Feedback on the segment is greatly appreciated.

Campaign Slogans

As I've always said, Fridays are an "off day" for readership in the blogosphere. I rarely put up any kind of "in-depth" analysis at the end of the week, and typically I reserve this time for something fun.

With that: Campaign Slogans!

What do you think they should be for Obama? What about Romney? Ron Paul?

My idea for this came from this Yahoo! article: http://news.yahoo.com/sarah-jessica-parker-hosts-obamas-022732730--abc-news-politics.html

In it, President Obama says, "The other side is going to spend $500 million with a very simple message, which is 'You're frustrated, you're disappointed, and it's the fault of the guy in the White House.' And that's an elegant message. It happens to be wrong. But it's crisp. You can fit it on a bumper sticker."

My slogan: Obama 2012 - It's not okay to blame the president now... but it sure feels great to blame the president from nearly 4 years ago! :-)

What do you think? Share yours, have fun, and most importantly, Happy Friday!

June 15, 2012 - Morning Headlines

- President Obama and Mitt Romney officially kick off the general election campaign by giving duel speeches in the major swing state Ohio - Video (MSNBC): http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/47822261/

- President Obama attended two celebrity-studded fundraisers yesterday, pulling in approximately $4.5 million total for his campaign (CBS News): http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57453702/obama-turns-to-nyc-celebrities-for-campaign-cash/?tag=stack

- The sleepy town of Shiner, Texas has rallied around its resident to beat a man to death for attempting to sexually attack his 4 year old daughter (CNN): http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/14/us/texas-abuser-killed/index.html?hpt=hp_c1

- Attorney General Eric Holder has agreed to meet with US rep Darrell Issa and turn over emails regarding the Fast and Furious scandal (Fox News): http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/06/14/house-dems-mount-holder-defense-as-republicans-pursue-contempt-vote/?test=latestnews

*** Be sure to vote in the weekly LME Mitt Romney v Obama poll on the left side of this blog ***

Fill in the Blank: The Obama Campaign is Based on ____________.

Lies? Deceit? Deception? Trickery? False information? Tomfoolery? Pick one. Share your own.

All of these seem to be true. It's as if the Obama campaign thinks Americans are either really dumb or completely incapable of understanding the truth behind some seriously misleading campaign rhetoric. Quite honestly, it's getting pretty old, and I hope the American people don't buy everything Obama is telling them. You will see why below.

Now before you jump up and say, "well, it's being done by the Romney campaign, too," me and the writers of this blog say, "okay, we are open to it... let's see it." If you have something that you think the Romney campaign is doing that is misleading, please share it in the comments section below. Frankly, I'm not seeing it yet. But if it's out there, please share it. It's all about learning and sharing information.

June 14, 2012 - Flag Day - Morning Headlines

- Federal authorities have dropped its charges against John Edwards (CNN): http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/13/justice/edwards-charges-dismissed/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

- After a bogged-down system started to clear, foreclosures increased in May and look to offset any housing market gains (MSNBC): http://economywatch.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/14/12203711-foreclosure-activity-jumps-in-troubling-sign-for-housing-recovery?lite

- The manhunt continues for a former Army surgeon who allegedly shot his girlfriend at a hospital in Buffalo, NY (ABC News): http://abcnews.go.com/US/buffalo-hospital-shooting-manhunt-continues-surgeon-home-search/story?id=16564204#.T9nDJxdPomE

- President Obama is set to deliver a campaign speech in Ohio today, but is expected to offer no new solutions for creating jobs (Fox News): http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/06/13/obama-not-expected-to-offer-new-jobs-proposals-in-economic-address/#ixzz1xl16Y5ma

*** Be sure to vote in the weekly LME Mitt Romney v Obama poll on the left side of this blog ***

June 13, 2012 - Morning Headlines

- Desmonte Leonard, the suspect in this weekend's shootings near Auburn University, turned himself in after an extensive manhunt (CNN): http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/13/us/alabama-university-shooting/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

- Democrat Ron Barber defeated republican Jesse Kelly in a special election to fill Gabrielle Gifford's House seat (Fox News): http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/06/13/democrat-ron-barber-wins-arizona-special-election-to-fill-giffords-seat/?test=latestnews

- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has accused Russia of aiding the Syrian government with arms and gunships. This could create additional tensions between Washington and The Kremlin as countries work out a solution to the Syrian civil war (MSNBC): http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/12/12190111-clinton-says-russia-is-sending-gunships-to-syria-could-escalate-conflict-quite-dramatically?lite

- Residents of North Dakota have overwhelmingly rejected a measure that would have eliminated state property taxes (ABC News): http://abcnews.go.com/Business/north-dakota-votes-abolishing-property-tax/story?id=16551692#.T9hylhdPomE

*** Be sure to vote in the weekly LME Mitt Romney v Obama poll on the left side of this blog ***

What if Barack Obama Was The Head Coach of a Football Team?

He'd be fired at the end of this season...

Okay, that's the "quick and dirty" answer. Let me start by saying that this isn't terribly scientific. It's not deep like my examination of the "Buffett Rule" (http://loudmouthelephant.blogspot.com/2012/03/tax-rich-obama-class-warfarecampaign.html), or my rebuttal of the myth that teachers pay greater tax rates than Mitt Romney (http://loudmouthelephant.blogspot.com/2012/01/stopping-lefts-propaganda-with-truth.html), but instead it's a near-satirical, wholeheartedly relatable discussion involving the upcoming election (something we're all starting to hate), and football (something many of us love).

June 12, 2012 - Morning Headlines

- The US Department of Justice says it will sue the State of Florida over Florida's attempt to remove illegal voters from its rolls (CNN): http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/12/politics/florida-voting-lawsuit/index.html?hpt=hp_t3

- A victim alleges that accused sexual predator Jerry Sandusky sent him "creepy" love letters as well as gifts in an effort to keep the victim quiet (Fox News): http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/06/11/opening-statements-to-begin-in-ex-penn-state-coach-sandusky-child-abuse-trial/?test=latestnews

- An unmanned Navy drone crashed on Maryland's Eastern Shore Monday (ABC News): http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/06/navy-unmanned-drone-crashes-on-marylands-eastern-shore-186-million-burns/

- Republican candidate Jesse Kelly has made his run to fill Gabrielle Gifford's seat about President Obama and not about Giffords (Yahoo!): http://news.yahoo.com/arizona-special-election-gabrielle-giffords-president-obama-232900761.html

*** Be sure to vote in the weekly LME Mitt Romney v Obama poll on the left ***

June 11, 2012 - Morning Headlines

- A member of Barack Obama's cabinet, Secretary of Commerce John Bryson, has been cited with a hit-and-run in Southern California.It is being reported that Bryson, who was on his own private time in a privately-owned vehicle, suffered from a seizure (CNN): http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/11/politics/california-bryson/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

- Hundreds continue to leave the path of massive wildfires in Colorado and New Mexico (Fox News): http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/06/10/wildfires-in-colorado-and-new-mexico-forcing-evacuations-destroying-structures/

- World markets get a slight boost as world of a $125 bailout for Spain is in the works (ABC News): http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/asia-stocks-euro-rise-spain-banks-lifeline-16538378

- A House committee will vote next week on whether to hold US Attorney General Eric in contempt of Congress (CBS News): http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57450110-503544/house-committee-schedules-contempt-vote-against-holder/?tag=stack

*** Be sure to vote in the weekly LME Mitt Romney v Obama poll on the left ***

The Elephant in the Room on the Radio - Listen on Saturday, June 9th

Tune in to The 405 Live on the web at 10:00 am EST (new time), 7:00 am PST on Saturday, June 9th to listen. Unlike last week where I was featured in a recorded segment, I will be working with @JohnG405 and @NewsNinja2012 live. We will be taking calls, answering questions, and discussing current events. Be sure to call in. It should be fun and a great time for all. Listen at the following link:

http://the405radio.blogspot.com/

Feedback on the segment is greatly appreciated.

In case you missed it (Updated at 12:41 EST on 6/9/2012):

Here is the direct link to The 405 Live's show archives: http://archive.org/download/6-9ShowEdit/6-9ShowEdit.mp3

I was on the 6/9/12 show as a co-host with John and Wayne. Please listen and post any and all feedback. Thank you!

Talking Point Friday

Well, it's Friday, and since I'm a "numbers" guy I know this is The Elephant in the Room's lowest traffic/visitor day. It's not ideal, but what are you going to do? People have better things to do on their Fridays. :-)

I thought I'd have a little fun and see if people wanted to share their favorite talking points or "gotcha" phrases. Now truth be known, I'm personally not that big on talking points. They're pretty shallow (even if they're true), and rarely offer the backing needed to solidify one's position. I'd much rather delve deeply in to something, and create, back, and defend a position using sound (preferably economic) analysis. For example, when someone messages me on Twitter with "well, you know, Mitt Romney only paid 14% in taxes while the average American who makes $57k pays 28%," I'd prefer to say, "okay, well, let's take a look and see if you know what you're talking about or just blowing smoke." It turns out, with that exact example, the person who made that claim was just blowing smoke. Check it out: http://loudmouthelephant.blogspot.com/2012/02/exploring-tax-myth-what-tax-rates-do.html

June 8, 2012 - Morning Headlines

- Senator Rand Paul, son of Congressman Ron Paul, has officially endorsed Mitt Romney (CNN): http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/06/07/sen-rand-paul-endorses-romney/

- Bill Clinton is "very sorry" and changes position on extending the Bush-era tax cuts (Video - Real Clear Politics): http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2012/06/07/clinton_on_undermining_obamas_stance_on_tax_cuts_im_very_sorry.html

- Suicides by US servicemen/women are surging to a rate of about one per day (Yahoo!): http://news.yahoo.com/ap-impact-suicides-surging-among-us-troops-204148055.html

*** Be sure to vote in the weekly LME Mitt Romney v Obama poll on the left ***

Should the US Intervene in Syria?

This topic seems to be approaching inevitability. As news reports of massacre and crimes against humanity pour out of Syria, the discussion about US involvement will increasingly become more important. The UN has tried and failed to curb the violence between pro-government and rebel forces, and sadly, civilians are paying the price.

I (and the other admins of this blog) do not yet have an opinion on this issue. I'm not terribly knowledgeable in this subject, and I prefer (though not entirely) to stick to economic analysis. With that, I wanted to open up a debate forum that is centered on this issue. I think it's an important national/international subject, and I don't want it to go unnoticed and un-discussed. I also think that if people come here to share their opinions on both sides, we can all learn more about this situation.

What do you think? Should we intervene at all? If we did, how should we do it? I've heard of many possible solutions from arming the rebels to a full out attack on the Bashar regime. Should we stay out of this altogether? Would another conflict spread us too thin?

This is an open forum; all comments and opinions are greatly appreciated.

June 7, 2012 - Morning Headlines

- President Obama attended a $5,000 per person fundraiser, collecting an undisclosed amount from the LGBT community (CBS News): http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57448718/obama-showered-with-praise-cash-from-lesbian-gay-backers-at-los-angeles-fundraiser/?tag=stack

- At least 40 women and children are among the 78 victims of the latest Syrian massacre near Hama (MSNBC): http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/07/12098202-activists-40-women-children-among-victims-of-new-syria-massacre?lite

- Defense secretary Leon Panetta said the US is losing patience with Pakistan as it has recently discovered that the South Asian nation is becoming a stronger safe haven for terrorists (Yahoo!): http://news.yahoo.com/panetta-afghanistan-talks-amid-rising-violence-042354880.html

- Death threats against Wisconsin governor Scott Walker are being investigated by authorities (Fox News): http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/06/06/wisconsin-authorities-investigating-death-threats-tweeted-to-governor-scott/?test=latestnews

*** Be sure to vote in the weekly LME Mitt Romney v Obama poll on the left ***

Don't Let The Media Spin Away Scott Walker's Victory

Congratulations to Scott Walker for a decisive recall election victory!

Here we are on the day after the recall election and as the dust settles, the media tornadoes are kicking it up again. The liberal media truly seemed prepared for this. They were making claims and publishing headlines well before the polls even opened. It's as if they knew Walker would win (pretty much every poll confirmed this), and they were ready with the follow-up spin. As expected, they now highlight and broadcast a hot-button issue and one that played an important roll in this election: campaign finance.

June 6, 2012 - D-Day - Morning Headlines

- Scott Walker defeats recall efforts by larger victory than in 2010:

          - CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/05/politics/wisconsin-recall-vote/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

          - Fox News: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/06/05/polls-close-in-wisconsin-voter-turnout-reported-heavy/

          - MSNBC: http://nbcpolitics.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/05/12074595-walker-emerges-victorious-in-wisconsin-recall?lite

- California's controversial Prop 8 will eventually make it to the Supreme Court after an appeals court refused to take up the case (CBS News): http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57447548/calif-prop-8-fight-heading-for-supreme-court/?tag=stack

- A sharp drop in tax revenue has Greece on track to default in early July (CNBC): http://www.cnbc.com/id/47700847

*** Be sure to vote in the weekly LME Mitt Romney v Obama poll on the left ***

The Scott Walker Recall Election

BREAKING NEWS: SCOTT WALKER IS VICTORIOUS IN RECALL ELECTION

Original Post: 

Today is a very important day. Voters go to the polls in Wisconsin to keep or recall their current governor. This is only the third time in American history a sitting governor has faced a recall election, and unless you live under a rock, you've probably heard about it. As it was in 2010, (minor candidates aside), embattled republican governor Scott Walker faces Milwaukee mayor Tom Barrett. This is the second time in less than two years that Walker has faced Barrett head-to-head.

Image source: Walker/Barrett

June 5, 2012 - Morning Headlines

- Today in Wisconsin, voters go to the polls to recall or keep Scott Walker as the state's governor. This crucial race could have national implications in November:

          - CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/05/politics/wisconsin-recall/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

          - Fox News: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/06/05/wisconsin-voters-head-to-polls-in-recall-to-decide-whether-to-keep-or-oust-gov/#ixzz1wtHJEtJk

          - CBS News: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57447116/wisconsin-recall-a-test-for-obamas-reelection-bid/?tag=cbsContent;cbsCarousel

- Al Qaeda's suspected #2, Abu Yahya al-Libi is believed to have been killed in a US drone strike (MSNBC): http://openchannel.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/04/12054560-senior-al-qaida-leader-targeted-in-us-drone-strike-that-killed-15-in-pakistan?lite

- Jury selection is set to begin today in the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse trial (CNN): http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/05/justice/pennsylvania-sandusky-trial/index.html?hpt=hp_t3

- The overall economy has slowed further. In addition to weaker than expected jobs gains, manufacturing has slowed, too (ABC News): http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/us-economic-outlook-worsens-jobs-report-16495834#.T83mnbBPomE

*** Be sure to vote in the new weekly LME Mitt Romney v Obama poll on the left ***

June 4, 2012 - Morning Headlines

- The search for survivors in the Lagos airplane crash. Officials fear more may be dead than originally expected (Fox News): http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/06/03/passenger-plane-crashes-in-nigeria-largest-city/?test=latestnews

- The EU, China, and Russia will be meeting to discuss the civil war in Syria this week (CNN): http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/04/world/meast/syria-unrest/index.html?hpt=hp_t3

- Democrats and republicans are working to avoid the automatics defense spending cuts they agreed to last year (MSNBC): http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47669971/ns/politics-the_new_york_times/#.T8yUWbBPomE

- George Zimmerman surrendered and returned to jail after a judge revoked his bond (ABC News): http://abcnews.go.com/US/george-zimmerman-return-jail-bail-revoked-trayvon-martin/story?id=16484963

*** Be sure to vote in the new weekly LME Mitt Romney v Obama poll on the left ***

The Elephant in the Room on the Radio

Tune in to The 405 Live on the web at 9am EST, 6am PST on Saturday, June 2nd to listen to the interview:

http://the405radio.blogspot.com/

I wanted to thank John Grant for giving me the opportunity to speak about our blog, our views, and some current events. He was a wonderfully gracious host, and I would happy speak with him again. For followers of www.loudmouthelephant.com, I recommend following @JohnG405 on Twitter and his radio show, too.

Feedback on the segment is greatly appreciated.

The May 2012 Jobs Report

Here is the May 2012 employment situation report from the BLS: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf

Key Highlights:

- The unemployment rate increased to 8.2%. Non-farm employers added only 69,000 new jobs. 77,000 jobs were added in April. Employment gains averaged 226,000 from January through March.

- The number of unemployed persons increased from 12.5 million to 12.7 million.

- The civilian labor force participation rate increased to 63.8% from 63.6% in May as 461,000 people returned to the workforce. This is an improvement from the 551,000 discouraged workers that left the workforce in April.

- The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 14.8% if you include those who were looking for work but dropped out and are no longer counted in the labor force.

Share your thoughts, feelings, and analysis below.

June 1, 2012 - Morning Headlines

- Embattled former presidential candidate John Edwards was acquitted on one charge of campaign fiance fraud while a mistrial was declared for the remaining 5 charges against him. He is unlikely to be retried (Fox News):  http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/05/31/jury-reaches-verdict-in-edwards-trial/

- Near the beginning of his term, President Obama ordered increased cyber attacks against Iran's nuclear program and nuclear infrastructure (MSNBC): http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47641889/ns/world_news-the_new_york_times/#.T8ig0bBPomE

- The US increases its pressure on Russia to change its course and take a harder stance on Syria (CBS News): http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57445116/u.s-is-heaping-new-pressure-on-russia-over-syria/?tag=stack

- Bill Clinton praises Romney's business record, calls it "sterling" (CNN): http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/31/bill-clinton-predicting-obama-win-calls-romneys-business-career-sterling/

Updated: To continue the debate on CNN's shoddy reporting, I thought I'd throw in this sorry excuse for a histogram. It is a screenshot taken from money.cnn.com. I thought it was pretty funny (click the image for an expanded view):

*** Be sure to vote in the new weekly LME Mitt Romney v Obama poll on the left ***