Ann --Everything?
I know your life is full -- with work, or school, or family -- and yet you still find the time to help out when you can.
You may have a tight budget, but you give what you can afford.
A woman recently told the campaign her family skipped a pizza dinner at their favorite place so that they could make a difference in this election.
That is the commitment that drives this campaign.
If you can support Barack with a donation today, please know it makes a huge difference. If we win, it will be because of what you did at moments like this....
Thanks,
Michelle
P.S. -- It meant a lot to me to speak with you and everyone else last night. Thank you for everything you do.
September 5, 2012
Michelle Obama sends me email, saying "Ann, thank you."
That's the subject line. Inside, she continues this way:
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If the question is whether we have to mean what we say, Michelle's answer would have to be no. But the really important thing is: did it make you feel better getting such a nice, warm, personal message from her. She's just going ahead, trying to make your day.
Other than your comments calling her speech pointless and demeaning, she says.
"Please...give up your food so my husband can help others give up their money."
"Please...give up your food so I can have another four years of opulent vacations at taxpayer expense."
Yadda yadda yadda.
Well, gee, if he's more important than pizza, maybe I've been wrong about Obama.
Why not vote for Romney so maybe next time you don't have to skip pizza in order to give a donation?
She could have signed her name "Moochelle".
Why not vote for Romney so maybe next time you don't have to skip pizza in order to give a donation?
She'd have better luck if people could donate food stamps instead of pizza night.
I reported myself to their Truth Squad, full name and address, and now I get those emails.
Thank you for everything you do.
That's the tag line for most of the email I get from the DNC, not just from Michelle. It is a bit cloying.
Is that some new phrase that emerged recently? Or just something cooked up by DNC marketing?
It seems I've heard it in a commercial somewhere.
"Thank you for everything you do.
"
I hate hate hate that sentence.
It is said here at work on occasion, by administrators who don't know you and don't care what you did or didn't do, but are obliged to generically thank you for something, though they know not what.
Meaningless, smarmy, unctuous, insouciant, odious.
It's heartening to see that skipping pizza night is all the commitment Obama seeks from his supporters.
People shouldn't give up pizza night with their family to donate to any politician. The campaign should give that money back to the family.
"Thank you for everything you do."
Every time I hear it, I wonder if a knife is going to slip between my ribs.
Makes me wanna hollah!
I guess the owner of the pizza place isn't too happy. That's alright, he owes it to the President for building the roads or something.
She spoke "with you and everyone else last night"? She sure was rude -- didn't let you get a word in.
Pogo, I'm sure they'd apologize if you were offended.
Actually that story is emblematic of Obama's administration. Don't use your money to spur the economy, give it to me instead.
ask her how big a contribution she and Barack made and have they considered loaning the DNC SAY $3 MILL?. After all, the 2016 candidate can help them pay off the loan...
Feels like a pizza night at our house tonight! And when the delivery guy arrives, I will tell him, "Thank you for everything you do."
Don't worry...I'll tip him. "Vote Romney."
@ mccollough:
People shouldn't give up pizza night with their family to donate to any politician. The campaign should give that money back to the family.
No, that money came from the Social Security Pizza Night $40 Tax Holiday. Time to give it back!
Pizza
So, the question should probably be...
Her *staff* doesn't write these things, right? Because they're paid out of a different fund than campaign expenses.
Yes, Ann, thank you for everything you do. Now, who are you again?
Give up pizza!
I already put the Obama campaign on my wedding gift registry.
"Pogo, I'm sure they'd apologize if you were offended."
We're sorry if you were offended by anything we've done.
Freepers are totally prepared for Civil War.
Can the campaign take food stamps?
"If we win, it will be because of what you did at moments like this...."
Meaning if you didn't comply, when they lost, they are going after you.
First they came for my wedding gifts, I said nothing; then they came for my pizza dinner, I said that's enough. Michelle can lighten up her $5000 dresses and taxpayers funded Antoinette tours and pay for their god damned campaign.
"A woman recently told the campaign her family skipped a pizza dinner"
Oh yea? That's nothing. I gave him 1/3 of my income for the last 3 years and all I got was blamed for his screw ups. I would gladly have rather sent him a large pizza every day, with arugula of course. People like the Obamas, who have suffered through poverty, could really appreciate that.
I can't say for sure, but I think Michelle desperately needs us to send her a pizza.
(Wait until Barack finds out she blew the food budget on those darling summer hats at Macy's! She'll have some 'splainin to do!)
I'm so confused. First Anna Wintour invites me to try my luck for dinner with Barack - a $40k-a-plate value - then Me-chelle expects me to forgo my pizza dinner AND move my little hips. How can I muster the energy?
Pizza is more important than anything.
If that woman had really wanted to score points, she should of told Michelle she had to skip the arugula at Whole Foods.
They can have my pizza when they pry it. Pound chicken Michelle.
With work or school or family. Separate functions, not together. Brilliant. Please vote my husband into office again so he can promote government as the arbiter of good works doled out to the American people on behalf of it's welfare.
There needs to be a send the Obama's all of your empty pizza boxes response.
For all you do, this death panel's for you.
Because we've alienated all our big donors.
Richard Dolan said...
If the question is whether we have to mean what we say, Michelle's answer would have to be no. But the really important thing is: did it make you feel better getting such a nice, warm, personal message from her.
Just like the one her husband sent to the families of the SEAL Team members.
In hell or purgatory, wherever my sorry ass lands, the first words I will hear will be "Thank you for everything you do.", said with a bloodless smile.
Did I mention I hate that phrase?
edutcher said...
Because we've alienated all our big donors.
These requests, and the ones asking for $3, aren't about the money. First they know if someone donates they're vastly more likely to vote. Their secondary purpose is to drive up the total number of contributors so they can claim their average contribution is lower. Then they market the theme that their money is cleaner than those dirty Republicans's money.
"Everything"
Well, you do try to appease/satisfy your disgruntled cons on a daily basis.
Not a small task!
Did I mention I hate that phrase?
It came up.
She wants me to give up a pizza? For her?
Well the heck with that. As matters would have it my wife and I were out for dinner last night at a nice Italian restaurant (sure as heck not watching Moochelle) and I had a personal pizza!
Moochelle can take that pizza from my cold dead hands.
I dislike all of these psuedo-personal emails, whether they come from Republicans or Democrats. The Republicans send them, too. They strike me as insincere, and make me want to take any money I gave them right back. I don't expect them to be my friend. I want them to be my responsible representative. And I don't want to hear from their wives or girlfriends at all.
It won't belong before Sally Struthers is pitching for Obama.
"You didn't eat that. Someone else ate that."
So Ann, why didn't you tell her during in the imaginary conversation you supposedly had with our most expensive FLOTUS (EVAH) that you didn't like her very much?
Do you think that she would think a blond blogger might be raaacccist?
I assume that pizza store owners would prefer that people not take Ms. Obama's advice.
My Dear Lady!
If only Michelle could graspe how little it is that you actually do!
You are a teacher after all!
Skipping pizza? Those are CODE WORDS. Remember, Mitt Romney = Domino's and Herman Cain = Godfather's. And don't forget that Papa John's guy and his Obamacare doom...
"If we win, it will be because of what you did at moments like this...."
How many more "moments like this...." until these grifters go away?
Too damned many, that's for sure.
Maybe Michelle should just ring up George Soros.
"If we win, it will be because of what you did at moments like this...."
Instead of asking for working families to give up their pizzas, she should ask all those Sandra Flukes to fork over their contraceptive allowances, seeing how they forced the health insurers to cover it for "free."
Quid pro quo.
The Chicago Way.
It should be easy for them.
The Obamas are proud to take your dinner money.
Says it all.
Perhaps some of the Obama voters could get less expensive abortions so they can help defray the costs of the campaign?
They could have the baby and then kill it.
You know that Barry would be behind that all the way!
Michael Haz said...
"Maybe Michelle should just ring up George Soros."
No doubt they have; Soros probably told them he didn't get rich doubling down on losers.
An upcoming Democratic e-mail:
Did you know that you can make donations to Obama straight from your EBT card?
PS You shouldn't be feeding your fat kids pizza anyway. It wouldn't hurt them to skip a few meals while they get some exercise putting up Obama campaign signs around your neighborhood. Let's move!
"If we win, it will be because of what you did at moments like this...."
Alternatively, maybe Michelle should ask the Sandra Flukes to uhm, you know, since they now have "free" birth control, put their, uh, assets to work.
And to cough up ten percent to the "Obama for President, again, and more free shit and stuff" campaign" as a protection fee.
For if "free" contraceptives aren't protection, nothing is.
Dear Michelle,
You and your husband want to take my disposable income?
Fuck you! You already have!
Ann Romney, to women, "Mitt will be there for you". Aw, that's so nice.
First they came for those they deemed overweight, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't overweight.
Then they came for the video games, and I didn't speak out because I didn't play video games.
Then they came for my wedding gifts and I didn't speak out because I wasn't invited to any weddings anyway.
Then they came for my pizza. So I just said, "Hey, Michelle, thank you for everything you do too.
Now shoo!"
Oh, I bet it's not everything, Ann!
I'll give you my pizza when you pry it from my cold, dead hands
In the spirit of matching the sincerity (or complete lack thereof) of Me-chelle's message, I have decided to donate my pizza to the Obamas. Tomorrow. After I process it. Enjoy the change!
It could be fun to mail a pizza with a note: "I'd already spent the money on this when I got your letter. I wanted to do everything I could, so here's the pizza."
"Just as Moslems fast on Ramadan, we are asking you to fast for Barack! Please stop eating, and send your grocery money to "WorshipBarack2012.com" And just think what this will do for the obesity crisis!
I'm gonna send the price of ten pizzas to Romney so that this idiot woman (if she even exists) will have to give up nine more dinners in order to "make a difference in this campaign."
Send a penny.
Nobody likes pennys really. Its worth less than the face value, it is a frequent tip given for very poor service, it will take them time to deal with it, and you can tell your liberal friends you donated to the Obama campaign.
Include a note that it was Michelles idea more or less because you still had to pay for food you eat and the price of food is skyrocketting.
Using Instapundit's headline:
MICHELLE OBAMA: So how about your family skips pizza for dinner and you send the money you save to Barack?
I have a better idea. So how about you knock off all your fancy expensive vacations, and send the money you save back to us? It was ours before it was yours, you know.
The saddest part of all of this is, nothing we do as voters will change anything, but the faces, in Washington, DC.
The saddest part of all of this is, nothing we do as voters will change anything, but the faces, in Washington, DC.
I'd personally rather have a faith-based, hard working businessman with a virtuous First Lady than the clowns/frauds/elitists that are there today. You're right, it is still politics. But at least we can de-louse the place a bit.
We cancelled pizza night because the rise in gas prices took away the extra $40 we spent at the small business you built.
Michelle is not virtuous?!
Oh noooooo!
Hey, is this a cheezy way to get back at the Pizza John guy for saying the price is going way up because of the costs of Obamacare? The timing is very suspicious if you ask me.
Because we've demonstrated such respect for the American people's money in the past, you should trust us with your family's dinner money.
You don't have to completely skip pizza, just make it a Chef Boyardee, and send the rest to Obama. It's the least you can do.
The more I read about their desperation for donations and am reminded about the totally asinine comments BOTH of them made - from the arugula one, to bankrupting coal companies to 'bitter clingers' to THIS one today the more appalled I am by them, not only their policies but by their lack of humility and humanity.
Seriously, the FLOTUS sees nothing wrong with people giving up FOOD to help them win re-election.
Disgusting.
If a Rep candidate had said 10% of the garbage that Obama did he would have been hounded from the race.
AllieOop said...
Ann Romney, to women, "Mitt will be there for you". Aw, that's so nice.
Better than Moochelle saying, "We're coming for your firstborn".
Oh, man, but that is smarmy.
Michelle is not virtuous?!
Well, on the Sin end of the scale she exhibits envy, pride, greed, and wrath.
On the Virtue end of the scale she exhibits temperance and vigilance. I'll give her the benefit of the doubt regarding chastity.
Why not just send a pizza. Nearest Domino's (202) 639-8700.
She likes sausage,he likes chihuahua, extra fetus for both.
AllieOop said...
Michelle is not virtuous?!
Oh noooooo!
Why do you babble this way, you insipid harpy? Are you gunning for Garage McFatfucks position?
Shootist said...
The saddest part of all of this is, nothing we do as voters will change anything, but the faces, in Washington, DC.
Maybe this will turn out true. But Romney says he's running as a businessman to fix spending. What would a turnaround CEO do? First he'd look to see what he could excise completely. I personally doubt there's going to be much of that [other than Obamacare I hope]even though there should be. Getting rid of the Departments of Education and Agriculture in total isn't going to happen.
But the next step is to tell every department they have to cut X amount of spending and see what they do. If they claim the only thing they can do is close the Washington Monument you fire them on the spot. If they come back with a workable plan you go through it and identify the sacrifices we're best able to live with.
Isn't this what Walker did in Wisconsin? It can be done, if you have the will to do it.
I ain't giving up pizza for nobody. Not even for one night.
Meth head, to say Michelle is not virtuous is something that only people with shit for brains might say. Get that bird off your head, it shat.
Hey! C'mon, Obama will make sure everyone gets their fair share of government cheese on their pizza!
That letter is using the template of letters begging for money from tv ministries. Wonder if they had to pay a fee to use that.
Hey! C'mon, Obama will make sure everyone gets their fair share of government cheese on their pizza!
If we win...
Geez, thinking of comments made earlier today in a different thread, it sounded like anyone here who didn't know that Obama is going to win is delusional.
Allie, Michelle is involved in high level American politics. She by definition is not virtuous. It comes with the territory. Lying is required, and she does it with charm.
My opinion of her virtue was pretty much formed when I learned about the doubling in salary she got at U of C hospital when her husband was elected United States Senator. It was pretty clear what that was all about.
No it wash't illegal. It's just how things are done in Chicago. Blago's wife's real estate brokerage became more and more lucrative as he climbed the political ladder. It's not illegal. But it's not virtuous.
Michelle is not virtuous but garage is fat so it all works out.
What this comment thread is missing is Methadras.
Said no one, anywhere. Ever.
I don't know that Michelle is any less virtuous than Anne. (Ann?) But I have to admit that I can't figure out how *anyone* working at a Hospital should have been paid what she was paid. Maybe the brain surgeon or the very very top CEO? But she had some sort of advocacy something or other... no? I'm not sure what it was. I just know that hiked up insurance and medicare claims paid for her, because the money has to come from some place.
I don't mind people doing well, but that's a crap load of money added to the expense of receiving care at that hospital.
Organizations only pay that sort of money if they make more money than that in return. It makes the suggestion that her "job" was "payment" for State Congressman Obama's (or whatever he was) political favor serious enough that someone *should* have investigated it.
A virtuous woman might say that she does not need a completely separate taxpayer funded half million dollar plane ride so she can get to her Hawaii vacation 6 hours before her husband does. She might not fly at government expense to Spain to vacation with her wealthy friends. She might not spend hundreds of thousands of dollars a year on clothing while professing concern about poverty. She might object to demonizing millions of Americans for their political-religious views in opposing abortion (without having to change her own viewpoint, mind you.)
As you may remember from other posts, I kind of like Michelle. It's ok to take the goodies while she can. Certainly she has to give up things as well in her position. But virtuous? When did you last get your salary doubled in a year?
Just a reminder, since the Republicans won't bring it up, that Michelle's trip to Spain cost you, gang, $467 million. The shameless mooch is a walking obscenity.
Religious-type fasting for a political campaign?
467 million to travel to Spain?
LOL. What are you drinking ricpic?
"Michelle's trip to Spain cost you, gang, $467 million."
That sort of puts Solyndra in perspective.
How virtuous it makes Ann Romney that her horse gets her a $77,000 tax credit.
Vagina costumes with sparkle don't come free, you know.
I'm sorry, Allie. I thought we were talking about Michelle Obama's virtue. Does the Romney tax credit make Michelle more virtuous? If so, how?
How's that doubling of your salary coming along?
Michelle's only regret is that her consort hasn't degraded America - yet - to the level at which she will be able to emulate her role model, Winnie Mandela, and necklace to her heart's content. But "We're gettin' there, hon'" is their nightly pillow talk.
Ann Romney's horse at least pays a few salaries.
Look it up, asshole garbage, look it up.
Allie: Meth head, to say Michelle is not virtuous is something that only people with shit for brains might say. Get that bird off your head, it shat.
The speech was excellent - mostly bullshit, particularly about their humble upbring - but excellent.
Michelle is part and parcel of the Chicago political machine from birth. Virtue ain't part of the deal and if you think otherwise, you are living in an alternate universe.
For the first time in my lifetime, I'm proud to have skipped a pizza dinner.
Very questionable to make someone feel obligated to give to your campaign who would have to give up a family pizza dinner to do so.
I remember Juanita Broddrick's open letter to Hillary Clinton Oct 15, 2000: "As soon as you
entered the room, you came directly to me and grabbed my hand. Do you remember
how you thanked me, saying "we want to thank you for everything that you do for
Bill". At that point, I was pretty shaken and started to walk off. Remember how you
kept a tight grip on my hand and drew closer to me? You repeated your statement,
but this time with a coldness and look that I have seen many times on television in the
last eight years. You said, "Everything you do for Bill". You then released your grip
and I said nothing and left the gathering."
Chicago political machine from birth?! So anyone born in Chicago is not virtuous, LMAO.
AllieOop said...
How virtuous it makes Ann Romney that her horse gets her a $77,000 tax credit.
Actually they had a 77k tax loss disallowed under hobby loss rules until they have income to offset it against. Do you have any other glaringly erroneous DailyKos accusations you'd like to repeat?
Organizations only pay that sort of money if they make more money than that in return. It makes the suggestion that her "job" was "payment" for State Congressman Obama's (or whatever he was) political favor serious enough that someone *should* have investigated it.
One of Obama’s Earmark Requests Was for the Hospital That Employs Michelle Obama
Dan Riehl notes, via Amanda Carpenter, that in the list of earmarks he requested, $1 million was requested for the construction of a new hospital pavilion at the University Of Chicago. The request was put in in 2006.
You know who works for the University of Chicago Hospital?
Michelle Obama. She’s vice president of community affairs.
As Byron noted, “In 2006, the Chicago Tribune reported that Mrs. Obama’s compensation at the University of Chicago Hospital, where she is a vice president for community affairs, jumped from $121,910 in 2004, just before her husband was elected to the Senate, to $316,962 in 2005, just after he took office.”
Looks like that raise was worth it.
That sort of puts Solyndra in perspective.
We spend 20 billion per year in Iraq and Afghanistan. On air conditioning.
Look it up, asshole garbage, look it up
I did. It was 467,000, not 467,000,000. Bit of a difference, eh?
Allie: How virtuous it makes Ann Romney that her horse gets her a $77,000 tax credit.
Good lord, claiming tax credits is unvirtuous?
What is wrong with you?
Does it matter if it was $467 thousand or million? I am surprised that Garage would equate principal to the amount of money squandered. (Not stolen, Garage. The beauty of the entire system of political corruption these days is that it can be engaged in perfectly legally. Obama can fly around the country politicing and the taxpayer pays for it. Ann Romney gets--or Allie says she gets--a $77,000 tax credit for her horse. O sells a sliver of land to Rezko so he can finance a house. Harry Reid gets rich on a Congressional salary. George H.W. Bush gets $2 million for a speech in Japan shortly after he leaves office. It's all legal. Hey. it's only money. We can always borrow more. For now.)
"How virtuous it makes Ann Romney that her horse gets her a $77,000 tax credit"
You wouldn't take it? I would, because I can't think of a less virtuous thing to do with money than give it to this government. Most, if not all, of the money the Romenys save on taxes get used better by them than it does if they give it to the treasury. A large percentage is given to charity, and much of the rest is invested in businesses that create jobs and economic activity. We should all be thankful they get such a credit. They already pay the tax burden for hundreds of other citizens.
What is not virtuous in this regard is buying personal vacations and amenities with money that has been extracted by force from people like the Romeny's, or you and me.
Members of Mitt Romney's faith skip two meals once a month for a 24 hour fast (eat dinner, skip breakfast and lunch, eat dinner). They donate the money saved by not eating those two meals to the poor. The Romney campaign should counter Michelle's email with a request that people skip a meal and donate the money to their favorite charity, not a political campaign.
I am surprised that Garage would equate principal to the amount of money squandered
Point me to your principled objections to Laura Bush's vacations. Nobody cared how much money was spent on that. Nobody really cares now either, but some people just hate Michelle Obama. With some, it's a bizarre and creepy hobby, of sorts.
The saddest part of all this is, nothing we do as voters will change anything, but the faces, in Washington, D.C.
I sorta kinda agree. Except that the Republicans have the sense to squeeze the golden goose, not wring its neck. And that translates to a significantly less harried peasantry (all of us outside the DC buttercup).
Allie: Chicago political machine from birth?! So anyone born in Chicago is not virtuous, LMAO.
Her father was a ward heeler who was paid $42,000 a year to open a water pump (more than most Chicago teachers in those days). Her family was on political patronage during her entire childhood and she went to work for Daley when she got out of school.
Do you Obots know anything about the people you idolize? (Not that I think it would make any difference in the idolatry, mind you. Think Ted Kennedy, Bill Clinton.)
Allie, Michelle lost he virtue in the traditional way. She gave it away when she wanted something. Now she wants to keep something. There are far, far worse than Michelle Obama. I'm sure that she is virtuous in many things she does. I would bet a large amount that she does not cheat on Barack. She clearly tries to be a good mother. She's taking care of her mother. etc, etc. But calling someone virtuous is like saying they are a virgin. Either you are or you are not. In personal morality anything less than virtue is ambiguity. All the way to downright evil. In other words human. Do you want us to say that Michelle is not human? Or do you just want her to be beyond criticism? Why should be the first in her position beyond criticism?
You should skip dinner tonight and send someone some money, Allie. Anyone. It will do you good.
That's a great idea: diet for charity.
Eat less and give the money saved to a good cause. Win/Win.
Michelle Obama:
P.S. -- It meant a lot to me to speak with you and everyone else last night. Thank you for everything you do.
everything you do. You didn't do that. Someone else made that happen.
I'm giving up organic vegetables.
Hombre, no links to prove your scurrilous assertions? Why am I not surprised?
Machelle Obama is insisting on you sending her husband money for his reelection. So, I though I would check to see how much money she has sent others for their elections. OpenSecrets.org allows such a search for federal candidates for the last 22 years. Such a search shows her giving $0 to federal candidates. (Barack does slightly better, in that he gave money to Hillary Clinton in 2008 as part of getting her endorsement. But he gave no money to others from 1990 to date.)
I'm going to have pizza for lunch tomorrow, and I'm NOT going to send any money to the Sun King and Michelle Antoinette!
Chew on that, Michelle!
"Point me to your principled objections to Laura Bush's vacations."
I remember someone fussing about Laura's designer clothes. (I don't fuss about Michelle's clothes. OR Sarah Palin's. It's part of the *job* not to look like a bag lady.)
What vacations did she take, garage?
If people were fussing about her clothes (so requiring explanations that they were mostly *borrowed* from designers) I don't see how anyone would give her a pass on expensive vacations.
Bush went to Texas and cleared brush on his "take a break from DC" vacations. Where did Laura go?
Or are you just ASSUMING that she was jet setting with a war-time security entourage and it never made the news?
Comment deleted
This comment has been withheld by the author.
Dont Tread -
Tonight I'll take the stage in Charlotte to talk about why my husband -- and our president -- is the right man for the job.
Twenty-three years ago, I fell in love with Barack because of his passion, sense of purpose, and his determination to make life better for other people. It's just who he is -- and it's who he continues to be every day in the White House.
And for these next two months, we've got to give it everything we've got so that we have the chance to finish what we started.
Already this week, folks have chipped in more than 120,000 grassroots donations to help build this organization. That's just incredible.
So let's see how many people we can get to chip in by the end of this convention. If you think Barack's the right man for the job, please show your support with a donation of $3 or more today:
Thanks,
Michelle
No one should be beyond criticism David, but slandering someone for political purposes isn't at all virtuous. Michelle was a political operative from birth, huh?
I don't object to Laura Bush's vacations. Or to Michelle's, though there is a bit of a contrast in the spending level. I do object to saying that Michelle is some paragon of virtue. Let Michelle go around the world on the taxpayer dime to meet her friends on trips with minimal public purpose. It's ok. She probably gets some good will for the USA by being somewhere. Her choices are legal. They are in the range of traditional behavior for someone in her position. But they are also expensive at someone else's expense and self indulgent. So don't tell me how virtuous she is.
I don't think the presidential families are entitled to spend any of our money on vacations - Bushes, Obamas, Romneys, all of em. Who goes on vacation, and gets their employer to pay the bill. Pay for your own damned vacation. We should pay for security, and safety expenses, but that's it.
We need to start seeing this as the job it is - not some royalty bullshit.
Did I ever say from birth? I surely did not. I said that the political context she chose as an adult requires certain (uh) compromises. She has made some of them, resisted others.
No David, you didn't say it, Hombre did.
Michelle Obama:
P.S. -- It meant a lot to me to speak with you and everyone else last night. Thank you for everything you do.
everything you do. You didn't do that. Someone else made that happen.
Made a mistake, it was $467 K. As to garbage? Even a stopped clock...
" it was $467 K"
That's still a lot of pizzas, and a lot of children starving for the night, and it all could have been avoided. An unnecessary tragedy.
bagoh20 said...
"How virtuous it makes Ann Romney that her horse gets her a $77,000 tax credit"
We should all be thankful they get such a credit.
Except they don't.
First, there is no credit. It's a potential loss. A credit is deducted against the tax libaility, a loss or deduction is subtracted from income before the tax rate is applied.
Second, the Romneys reported the expenses related to the horse so that if and only if the horse generates income in the future they can offset the expenses and pay tax only on their net income. This follows a principle that expenses to generate income are deductible, otherwise you'd be taxed on revenue rather than net or taxable income.
All of this is completely unobjectionable except by the ignorant and dishonest.
For those who need their facts confirmed by leftists I include this:
http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2012/06/19/clarifying_the_record_on_mitt_romney_s_77_000_losses_olympic_horse_rafalca.html
"The government is the only thing we all belong to".
Isn't it awesome how if you just listen long enough, leftists will simply tell you what they think, in between all their lies.
Bags, if you take your position to the extreme, they would never go anywhere. If Michelle travels, security demands the full entourage. That's the way it is. But it does not demand Spain over someplace less expensive to the taxpayer, or a separate trip to the Vinyard or Hawaii to get there a few hours earlier. She has the right to make those choices. But they are not "virtuous" choices.
Every First Lady I can remember (and I can remember Bess Truman) has taken crap for this or that. But now they are taking extensive and expensive public roles. Only Laura Bush tried to dial that back, and maybe Mrs. Carter. But since Kennedy they have taken a different role, and now we seem to demand it. But we don't have to swallow bullshit like Allie's about how fabulous they are. If a first lady wants to be spendthrift with public money, it's fair to criticize.
What vacations did she take, garage?
Plenty. Just Google it.
AllieOop said...
No one should be beyond criticism David, but slandering someone for political purposes isn't at all virtuous. Michelle was a political operative from birth, huh?
She must mean unless they're Republican. She certainly showed no remorse about slandering the Romneys.
It's always a double standard. Denying that someone is virtuous is neutral. She objects to that when directed at a Democrat. But spreading lies about a Republican? Not only is that ok, she does it herself.
The question, Marshall, is whether the horse is a hobby or a business. Despite it's therapeutic value, it sure as hell was not a medical expense.
A virtuous approach might have been to concede from the outset that the horse thing was a personal hobby not a business.
You probably are right that the amount was a deduction not a credit. I do not think that there are tax credits for show horses. She will have to recapture that deduction if but only if she ever makes a profit on the horse. Making a profit is of course one of the elements of whether an entreprise is a genuine business.
I don't think the Oopster knows what slander means. Hint: it's not drawing a conclusion about someone's character based on her behavior.
"But we don't have to swallow bullshit like Allie's about how fabulous they are. If a first lady wants to be spendthrift with public money, it's fair to criticize."
No we don't, and yes it is.
And it isn't necessary to justify either.
Leftists know the civility meme was hatched to silence dissent.
And they should be ignored with prejudice.
I could care less about the travel of presidents or their wives and children for pleasure or r and r. I do care when we pay for campaign trips.
OH MY GAWD... I googled it.
A week at a national park every summer and other than that... five trips? To national parks. One to Africa which was considered "official."
OH MY FREAKING GAWD... Laura Bush is one expensive Beyotch.
Typing "Laura Bush" "vacation" into the Google, this was first:
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_many_vacation_days_did_Laura_bush_take_while_her_husband_was_president
And then there is this...
"Michelle Obama has 16 paid staff which cost the American taxpayers $1,256,700. Laura Bush had 10 paid staff which cost the American taxpayers $764,900. A difference of $491,800."
Michelle could raise funds for hubby by auctioning off the butts of the cigarettes he's been smoking.
Synova types faster than me. So, what was your point, garage?
I don't think the presidential families are entitled to spend any of our money on vacations - Bushes, Obamas, Romneys, all of em. Who goes on vacation, and gets their employer to pay the bill. Pay for your own damned vacation. We should pay for security, and safety expenses, but that's it.
We need to start seeing this as the job it is - not some royalty bullshit.
Give them a budget for travel. If they go over, they can pay out of pocket or got to Congress for more.
That is the common sense way to handle it. Also the most transparent
It is being reported as a hobby, that's why there is no deduction unless there is income. Are you telling me that you believe that when a hobby generates income you should not deduct the expenses to generate the income? So if you fix old cars as your hobby when you sell them you shouldn't deduct the cost of the parts you purchased to restore it?
Something is amiss.
If it's a hobby there is nothing to report.
That was to Dave, somehow I cut this...
David said...
The question, Marshall, is whether the horse is a hobby or a business. Despite it's therapeutic value, it sure as hell was not a medical expense.
A virtuous approach might have been to concede from the outset that the horse thing was a personal hobby not a business.
David said...
Something is amiss.
If it's a hobby there is nothing to report.
Untrue. Google Hobby Loss Rules. There's a special section for horses.
Going to a national park seems less extravagant than going just about any place else. The *optics* are middle class and frugal.
In practical terms, the secret service probably loves it.
Wow. Without pizza, I'd just be... cold. -CP
Allie: Hombre, no links to prove your scurrilous assertions? Why am I not surprised?
Check Michelle's bio in Wikipedia, Denial Troll. There is no difference between a "precinct captain" and a "ward heeler."
Finding the link to her Dad's salary was easy yesterday, and impossible today. I wonder why.
I wish ... oh how I wish ...
our family could afford the luxury of going out for pizza without feeling badly about it.
We were so rich in 2005. Sigh.
No one should be beyond criticism David, but slandering someone for political purposes isn't at all virtuous.
What's the slander?
Michelle was a political operative from birth, huh?
I'm sure she was one of those apolitical Daley hires. :)
"Bags, if you take your position to the extreme,"
But I didn't. I said we pay for security, so they can go anywhere they would go if they were private citizens, and spend just as much on everything else as they would if it wasn't on someone eles's dime.
Frankly it's a shame we can't elect people with enough conscience to behave this way voluntarily.
I would never make my company pay for my vacation as an expense, even if it was legal. It's disrespectful of other people who work there. They are paid according to company performance, and that would, in effect, be stealing from them.
How about I sit on my ass and wait for the Democrats to give me TWO pizzas covered with yummy government cheese?
Tonight, two pizzas on order for movie night - one sausage/onion and green pepper and the other pepperoni. Really. Not kidding.
How about I sit on my ass and wait for the Democrats to give me TWO pizzas covered with yummy government cheese?
Tonight, two pizzas on order for movie night - one sausage/onion and green pepper and the other pepperoni. Really. Not kidding.
Clearly, this woman is nuts.
"Finding the link to her Dad's salary was easy yesterday, and impossible today. I wonder why."
Rush brought it up on his show today and stated it was $52K and added that with adjustment to inflation that would be 208K today, which I just verified is correct. Michelle's mother also worked as a secretary for a large corporation, so they were never poor or even average.
I bet Rush is the impetus to making that info disappear. They don't like a lot of sunshine, especially during convention week..
The horse tax situation is not as murky as some have made it.
Anny Romney and two other people, including the horses rider, have a partnership that owns the horse. Ann loaned money to the partnership to buy the horse, and she receives and pays tax on interest on the loan.
The partners treat the partnership as a business. It files an information return and its income and losses flow through to the partners proportionate to their interest in the enterprise.
For the year in question, Ann Romney was allocated a share of the partnership's losses (it's expenses over income) of $77,000. Because she did not claim to be actively engaged in the business, she had a so called passive activity loss. That loss can not legally be deducted against interest, capital gains, compensation income, capital gains and other types of investment or compensation income. Because Ann (and perhaps Mitt) had no active business income, they could not deduct the $77,000 loss against income for the year in question. Thus their taxes were not reduced by the loss.
The losses carry forward to future years, so if Ann ever has income from the partnership, that income will be offset by the loss carry forward. That loss might also offset any "active business income" Mitt has in the future. Active business income is a technical term and it is fairly rare. Mitt and Ann had no such income in the tax year in question despite their wealth and the complication of their return.
The question of whether the activity is a business or a hobby is still an open one, and depends on a lot of circumstances.
Bottom line: (1) no tax credit at all, (2) the tax loss of the partnership did not reduce the Romneys' takes, (3) the losses carry forward against future profit if the partnership ever makes one, (4) the question of hobby vs. business is open to audit and can change in the future depending on the facts.
No scandal. Totally legal and above board.
Also more lefty bullshit and outright lies on the issue.
You are right, bags. Sorry.
Marshall:
The rules on whether an activity is a hobby or a business are exactly the same for horse activities as for anything else. The only difference is that most activities are presumed to be a business for tax purposes of they make a profit in three of any five consecutive years. For horse breeding, trading, showing or racing, the taxpayer is entitled to the presumption of they show a profit in two of any seven consecutive years. That is the only special provision for horses, and it goes only to the question of the presumption.
So I say again: if the activity is a hobby, nothing would be filed. If it is a hobby, losses are never deductible in any form.
The rules go to the question of whether there is a hobby or a business.
You have the cart before the hobby horse.
I get emails from Debi Wasserman Schultz. Except that I signed her onlin "save health care" petition as Vladimir Lenin. So every time I get an email from her, it's addressed to Vladimir Lenin.
"Dear Vladimir!" "Dear Mr. Lenin."
A woman recently told the campaign her family skipped a pizza dinner at their favorite place so that they could make a difference in this election.
Penalize your kids to support the Resident? Good message.
Apparently, sacrifice is for the little people.
It's heartening to see that skipping pizza night is all the commitment Obama seeks from his supporters.
It's disheartening, though, that Obama himself won't give that much of a commitment for anything.
http://wonkette.com/483266/freepers-excited-about-prospects-of-new-civil-war-yet-again
Holy shit, SOMEBODY READS WONKETTE?
Does garage have nothing better to do in his life at all? Couldn't you at least masturbate or something?
How virtuous it makes Ann Romney that her horse gets her a $77,000 tax credit.
What hand has Mitt or Ann ever hand in drawing up tax policy?
Obama was in the Senate and named a tax cheat to run the Treasury, so he has some hand in that pie.
Michelle says "Thank you for everything you do."
And yet Shiloh, Garage and others say you encourage cons on this site. Well, the next time they start, let's just remind them that Michelle herself thanked you for "everything". I'm going out for pizza with double cheese and anchovies. (The Dems just finished booing God and the Jews.)
In the 80's the Clintons donated their used underwear to charity and itemized the value at $2 a pop.
AllieOop said...
Meth head, to say Michelle is not virtuous is something that only people with shit for brains might say. Get that bird off your head, it shat.
I was talking about your, not Mrs. Obama's virtuousness, which clearly is in question whenever she opens her mouth, you shitty excuse for a female.
garage mahal said...
What this comment thread is missing is Methadras.
Said no one, anywhere. Ever.
Why? Was your mom not available for commentary? Clearly, you could have taken her off her bridle for a little hoof typing.
AllieOop said...
How virtuous it makes Ann Romney that her horse gets her a $77,000 tax credit.
That's just outright jealousy and clear class envy since the IRS denied his mother getting a tax credit like Ann Romney's did. They refunded him back in hay.
David said...
So I say again: if the activity is a hobby, nothing would be filed. If it is a hobby, losses are never deductible in any form.
The rules go to the question of whether there is a hobby or a business.
The rules start with identifying what is a hobby, but they don't end there. Hobby expenses are only deductible to the extent of related income. If your desciption of hobby rules were complete where does this one come from?
We're dealing with a subset of hobbies, hobbies that can produce income. The tax rules state you don't have to pay tax on gross hobby income, you're allowed to deduct the related expenses first. But you have to document and report the expenses as they occur. The 77k on the Romney return is this amount.
If the Romneys did not report this figure they would eventually be required to pay tax on the gross proceeds from any sale of the horse. So let's say the 77k is the purchase of the horse (it's probably not, but it doesn't matter for illustration). Then let's say they sell the horse for 50k after this season (since the Olympics are over). Do you believe they should pay income tax on 50k when they incurred a 27k loss?
AllieOop said...
Chicago political machine from birth?! So anyone born in Chicago is not virtuous, LMAO.
I'll put it to you this way, you fucking moron. If anyone born in Chicago in the last century is virtuous, they have been in hiding for their lives.
Diogenes the Cynic should stay away from Chicago .. there are no honest men there.
"Thank you for everything you do."
Doesn't that make you feel you have to do something nice in return?
There is this psychology thing, in which if you accept something from someone, then you feel obligated. So if you feel you are a good person, and you were just personally complimented by MO herself, don't you feel like giving back something?
Personally, I think it ought to come in the form of a vote for the opposition, but that's just me.
"There needs to be a send the Obama's all of your empty pizza boxes response."
Oooooooh, AllenS, that's pure genius!
What a great idea! Very cute and what a personable gift! I would love for you to come link up your blog to my Get social Sunday link party!
airlines contact numbers
we want to thank you for everything that you do for
Bill
Juanita Broaddrick with some choice words for Hillary.
http://www.apfn.org/apfn/juanita.htm
Meh, you voted for him. This is your fault. It's still about 50 years too early for you to be commenting on anything Obama related in any context other than groveling apology.
Hi I'm a Dem here. This is made in good faith! Thought I'd write in an explain why what she wrote in this e-mail might actually appeal to people who support the Democratic Party. We are the party of working people, and until the Voting Rights Act drove the Dixiecrats over to the Republican side, there was no question of that. You may disagree, but that is how we see ourselves. We are running for president a fellow who only paid off his student loans after he was in the senate. You are running for president a guy who is very rich, and was born that way. You may disagree but that is how we see it. You see a candidate's wife asking broke people to give money to their campaign. I see a candidate's wife appealing to people in our economy right now who are taking it on the chin, but are willing to chip in more to make sure we don't elect another plutocrat like george bush. Obama and Romney both got law degrees from Harvard. Only one of them went into debt to take that chance. Obama and Romney both fundraise from bankers and hedge funders. Only one of them is actually still collecting dividends from corporate raiders.
I don't know about the others, Elias, but you've changed my mind!
So why, Elias, was John Kerry's fantastic wealth not a problem for your party? Why was W's falsely alleged lack of military service an issue, but Obama's actual lack of service was not? It's almost like you people are lying hypocrites with no ideas, integrity, or actual policy arguments. Your entire party is premised on worshiping a babbling, lying doofus while the Republican party is presenting a qualified candidate.
I'm kind of amazed that a college graduate wouldn't recognize the difference, but speaking "at" you is NOT speaking "with" you.
"Thanks for everything you do." I think what she meant to say was, "You didn't do that. Someone else did what you did so that you could be thanked for what you didn't do."
Elias, why did Obama remove the job requirement for welfare if you are a working party?
I find it interesting that a conservative blogger would receive fundraising requests from the Democratic Party, but perhaps you subscribe to get a balanced view. That being said, I am subscribed and get a plethora of fundraising request from Obama's campaign and the Democratic Party, amongst other organizations. NOT ONCE have I received the letter above, and therefore, in my opinion, consider it a fraud. Also, this letter differs from another purported SIMILAR letter on another website, but they are not exactly the same. Amazing that a blanket e-mail somehow is different? Trust me, I've ran my own campaign, that this is a dead giveaway you're being hoodwinked by liars......I'm sure the one on THIS website will change to match....BUT I HAVE SCREEN SHOTS OF BOTH NOW.....LOL. And a friend of mine at Google has archived both as well.....LMAO.
http://dougpowers.com/2012/09/05/flotus-fundraising-email-how-about-you-lardasses-skip-dinner-and-donate-the-money-to-baracks-campaign/
We have enough real issues to debate let alone trying to resort to misinformation. How sad and pathetic this makes you look, and even worse if the readers don't demand the truth.
.....I'm even happier now to have left the GOP several years ago....
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