Revealed: Bain & Company advised Obama on auto bailout, recommended cutting dealerships; Update: CNBC retracts story, misidentified Bain
posted at 10:00 pm on January 12, 2012 by Allahpundit
Does it matter that Romney hasn’t worked for Bain & Company in nearly 20 years or are the optics of this one bad enough to make it newsworthy regardless?
The car dealership episode was one of the most controversial of the auto bailout — as many dealers across the country complained they were being put out of business by government fiat. A special inspector general looking into the matter concluded that the decision to slash dealerships resulted in the loss of thousands of jobs. But the Obama administration argued at the time that there were too many dealerships chasing too few customers and streamlining them was an important piece to getting GM and Chrysler back on their feet…
A 2010 report by the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program reveals that Bain — referred to as “Bain Consulting” — was one of several private sector firms the Obama auto team turned to for advice as it wrestled with what to do about the dealerships. (Romney spent years at Bain Capital, a spin-off of Bain & Company, and also served as interim chief executive of Bain & Company during a turnaround effort.)…
“An expert from Bain Consulting also stated many dealerships have too much inventory relative to their market area, particularly in smaller markets or markets where there are more dealers than necessary, because they have to have sufficient diversity in their inventory to cover the manufacturer’s entire portfolio and to meet varied customer needs,” the inspector general’s report said.
“This leads to higher floor plan financing costs per vehicle. In addition, because it is difficult for a smaller dealership to match its mix of inventory with actual customer demand, they end up with higher quantities of slow moving inventory that can lead to a need for increased customer and dealer incentives to sell their vehicles.”
CNBC speculates that this might explain why Obama’s “car czar,” Steve Rattner, ended up slobbering all over Bain in a surprising op-ed in Politico today. Rattner purported to offer “full disclosure” in that piece by acknowledging that he’d worked with Bain Capital “on several projects” after Romney left, but he didn’t mention that the White House had been advised by its sister firm, Bain & Company (which Romney led briefly during the early 90s), on closing down dealerships as part of the GM restructuring. Maybe he figured Bain’s role in that was bound to come out sooner rather than later and decided to go on record as being a fan before reporters demanded to know why he accepted advice from those darned job-killing corporate vultures so despised by Democrats. An interesting quote given what happened with the dealerships: “While no one likes seeing jobs disappear, eliminating unnecessary overhead and even entire divisions if they cannot be made sufficiently profitable is at the heart of a successful economy — the process Joseph Schumpeter famously described as ‘creative destruction.’ How strange for conservatives like Newt Gingrich and Perry to be questioning the core of free market economics.”
And maybe this also explains why Romney was willing to implicitly equate what Obama did with the auto bailout to what Romney himself did at Bain Capital in the private equity industry. Romney may have calculated that if he tried to draw a sharp contrast between his own work and the White House’s handling of GM, the connection to Bain & Company would eventually trickle out and be used to embarrass him no matter how valid his point about the contrast. As it is, he has a ready-made defense once Obama starts demagoging him on jobs in the fall: If The One has such a problem with the Bain group’s perspective on layoffs, how come he accepted advice from the Bain group on layoffs? Now, the question: Will this end up increasing the pressure on Romney to release his tax returns? The NYT reported recently that to this day, as part of the deal he negotiated when he left, Romney still gets a share of Bain Capital’s profits. Whether he still gets anything from Bain & Company is unclear because not much is known about his finances; if he does, Gingrich could argue that he benefited financially from the fees Bain received for its advice on closing the dealerships even though Romney left the firm decades before.
I’ll leave you with this, from TPM:
“I would have preferred to wait, yes, to keep the bottle of whup-ass fresher,” one Obama campaign strategist told TPM. “At the same time — and this is important to note — having the Republicans eat their own actually makes the Bain story more potent than we ever could because it instantly validates it as a line of attack and falls on independent ears as a matter of legitimate debate, not as a partisan line of attack.”
And when the real Bain attack comes, it will be anything but old news to the voters it needs to reach. After all, it’s hardcore Republicans who are paying the closest attention to the GOP campaign and its Bain moment right now, and they’re not voting for President Obama anytime soon.
Update (1/13): Go ahead and scratch everything I wrote above. This is what I get for having trusted CNBC:
A previous story incorrectly reported that Mitt Romney’s former firm, Bain & Co., was part of a team of consulting companies that advised President Barack Obama on a decision to shutter car dealerships during the auto bailout.
Bain & Co. said it has no connection to the “Bain Consulting” firm referenced in government documents.
Apologies to Team Mitt for having passed along bad information.
Blowback
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He didn’t “support that right” in MA. He signed pro-life legislation. As I stated, when he ran he supported the law on the books because he personally could not do anything about it. When he became GOV and the opportunity to vote on pro-life or abortion he VOTED and signed PRO-LIFE legislation. It is on the record. So, yes, he did show what side of life he is on.
g2825m on January 13, 2012 at 10:28 AM
How many baby-killing judges did he put on the bench? How many babies have been killed under Romneycare?
Frankly, if you are right and he’s truly personally pro-life and always has been, I don’t know how he can live with the knowledge that he had a direct hand in killing human beings created in God’s image. But that’s me. I’ve got a conscience. I would not be able to sleep at night.
Stayright on January 13, 2012 at 10:31 AM
Flora Duh on January 13, 2012 at 10:22 AM
Mornin’, Beautiful!
*In a totally hetero female way. LoL*
annoyinglittletwerp on January 13, 2012 at 10:33 AM
Not a new thing for them…
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-march-4-2009/cnbc-financial-advice
libfreeordie on January 13, 2012 at 10:33 AM
Hey, you’re preaching to the choir. I was a Romneybot in 2008 and I’m a Romneybot now. I like Allahpundit’s writing, I think he’s very talented, but I also follow his twitter and between that and his posts, he’s as anti-Romney as I am pro-Romney. My biggest regret isn’t that erroneous information was posted, but that the utter lunatic, haters go completely crazy and starting making up all kinds of crap on these threads.
BettyRuth on January 13, 2012 at 10:33 AM
I don’t know if these are the best, . . . but,
He is smarter than Rick Perry, (I know, that isn’t saying much.)
He is better looking than Newtron, (I know, that isn’t saying much.)
He whines less than Santorum, (I know, that isn’t saying much.)
He is more sane that Paul, (I know, that isn’t saying much.)
He is NOT B.H. Obama, and that is saying a lot.
Gunlock Bill on January 13, 2012 at 10:34 AM
I do KNOW what he believes as I stated in an earlier post. As a member of our Church and the positions he has held you CANNOT be PRO-Abortion as the Democrats are and still be a leader, as he was and is, in the Church. SO, YES, I DO KNOW HOW HE BELIEVES. He also has stated HIMSELF that he has always been personally against abortion. His mother’s stance is not Romney’s.
Even Sen Harry Reid, who is a member of the LDS Church, is personally against abortion BUT he supports his party’s political platform which to me makes him twisted.
ALSO as stated above, Romney has signed PRO-LIFE legislation so we do know where he stands. Where do you come up with your information?
g2825m on January 13, 2012 at 10:34 AM
Less than before Mass-care was instituted.
But maybe reducing the number of abortions isn’t important enough for people like you.
Gunlock Bill on January 13, 2012 at 10:36 AM
Why is this headline still posted, since both it and its source have been completely discredited??
landlines on January 13, 2012 at 10:37 AM
Clearly you have no concept that Bain CAPITAL and Bain & COMPANY are not one and the same.
byepartisan on January 13, 2012 at 10:37 AM
I do KNOW what he believes as I stated in an earlier post. As a member of our Church and the positions he has held you CANNOT be PRO-Abortion as the Democrats are and still be a leader, as he was and is, in the Church. SO, YES, I DO KNOW HOW HE BELIEVES. He also has stated HIMSELF that he has always been personally against abortion. His mother’s stance is not Romney’s.
Even Sen Harry Reid, who is a member of the LDS Church, is personally against abortion BUT he supports his party’s political platform which to me makes him twisted.
ALSO as stated above, Romney has signed PRO-LIFE legislation so we do know where he stands. Where do you come up with your information?
g2825m on January 13, 2012 at 10:34 AM
Unless you know him personally, you don’t know squat about what he really believes. But if you are correct, what does it say about him that he was so willing to set-aside his personal beliefs about something as important as baby-killing in order to gain public office? There is simply no way to paint him as admirable on the issue of abortion.
Stayright on January 13, 2012 at 10:37 AM
Romney is still profiting bigtime from whatever business Bain is in today. Good luck trying to say how he earns his income is irrelevant. You know very well that invites an inquiry into what Bain has done since he left in 1999. Moreover, we have no idea whether or not he still has an involvement with Bain.
Stayright on January 13, 2012 at 10:06 AM
Clearly you have no concept that Bain CAPITAL and Bain & COMPANY are not one and the same.
byepartisan on January 13, 2012 at 10:37 AM
I merely said it’s relevant where he gets his money and you know it is. Plus, he has tens of millions in holdings in Bain Capital AND CLOSE TO 20 RELATED ENTITIES.
Stayright on January 13, 2012 at 10:39 AM
Stayright, let me know when you have a clue about how business operates.
byepartisan on January 13, 2012 at 10:40 AM
That is just poor, right there. Romney was a Governor of hugely Democrat state. He was not like Gov Perry who had a wide choice of Republicans lined up. I am sure he elected the best judges that would pass State Congressional approval and also lined up the best they could with his views.
To say Romney had a “direct hand in killing human beings” is poor, poor, poor. Again, Mormons cherish and VALUE human life and is the reason why we have large families, as Romney does. We believe abortion is abhorrent and ONLY necessary in the case where it endangers the life of the mother or in cases of rape (even here I have my own thoughts).
I am perfectly fine with Romney’s PRO-LIFE stance and say IA, NH, and hopefully soon the rest of the country are as well.
g2825m on January 13, 2012 at 10:41 AM
It was unfortunate.
But it certainly exposed the utter hatred that drives the ABRtards.
And it is unfortunate that most of them will continue to believe the lies. But hey, what is one more, among so many?
Gunlock Bill on January 13, 2012 at 10:41 AM
How ya doing ALT? I’m preparing for tomorrow’s weather. Supposed to be in the low 20′s in the morning. Yes, in Florida.
Flora Duh on January 13, 2012 at 10:44 AM
Oh NO!!!
He has more money than you.
Envy isn’t a pretty thing.
Gunlock Bill on January 13, 2012 at 10:44 AM
There are 2 Bains. He worked for both.
He was recruited for Bain & Company in 19977, and left Bain and Company in the 1980s to form Bain Capital. He left Bain Capital 20 years ago to briefly return to Bain and Company, and then went back to Bain Capital, which he finally left in 1999 to run the Salt Lake City Olympics.
Del Dolemonte on January 13, 2012 at 10:45 AM
stayright,
I just stated that he has stated HIMSELF he is PERSONALLY against abortion. That is all that he needs to say. BUT he backed up by SIGNING pro-life legislation. So it is on the RECORD. We do know how he believes.
g2825m on January 13, 2012 at 10:45 AM
Romney appointed a pro-abortion judge (Nestor), expanded access to abortion pills, put Planned Parenthood on a state medical board but failed to put a pro-life group on the same board. And Romney signed government-mandated health care with taxpayer-funded abortions.
He had a choice and he chose to be Gov of a liberal state and go along with the liberal status quo…
right2bright on January 13, 2012 at 10:45 AM
Allah is a very intellectually honest blogger. Started reading him at his old site and have followed him here for years. On a side note the folks that bother me the most are the ones who come to the kegger, pee on the carpet, hurl on the sofa, don’t help clean up and leave.
Bmore on January 13, 2012 at 10:46 AM
Really, Allah?
Mitt Romney’s former company, Bain & Company, …. advising President Obama’s administration on the auto bailout. You really think such a story would be coming out just now after all these months? This has the smell of poop all over it. This is just Allah continuing to sit on his perch, not getting his feet wet, attacking a safe, easy target who is disliked by his readers. Low risk, high reward, except the risk came back to bite this time.
But in the end you’re right, I can’t really blame you for trying to get in on a juicy story as it comes out. But I’m going to grumble damnit.
It’s hard to find a case more symbolic than this. Mitt Romney isn’t nearly as horrible as you think he is.
RINO on January 13, 2012 at 10:47 AM
Stayright, let me know when you have a clue about how business operates.
byepartisan on January 13, 2012 at 10:40 AM
You are a clown. You don’t know the first thing about me. I was a Wall Street attorney for 17 years, a mergers and acquisitions specialist. I worked on the some of the most famous Wall Street deals ever done. I’ve got more than a clue. I bet I know just a bit more than you do, friend. The first time I retired I was 32 years old. After six months of golf I was bored, so I went back for more and stayed into my forties. I finally did retire from Wall Street and moved back to the South, where I’m from. I’m still a transactional lawyer, just on different type deals.
Stayright on January 13, 2012 at 10:48 AM
What a candidate states and what he does is to entirely different things…if that was so, than when he stated he was not a conservative you accept that?
When he stated what Bain did was exactly what Obama did with GM you accept that?
If so, than you can’t be a conservative and support Mitt…but I have a feeling you overlook the obvious, the facts, and will still support Mitt.
right2bright on January 13, 2012 at 10:48 AM
That’s the point. It doesn’t matter what Willard believes in personally. It’s what his positions will be as president. And his history as governor shows he will support the abortion lobby just like Harry Reid.
angryed on January 13, 2012 at 10:48 AM
Oh NO!!!
He has more money than you.
Envy isn’t a pretty thing.
Gunlock Bill on January 13, 2012 at 10:44 AM
I’m a one-percenter myself. I could care less about his money. But lots of others do care.
Stayright on January 13, 2012 at 10:49 AM
Nice Hannity talking point. You’re a great American Bill.
angryed on January 13, 2012 at 10:50 AM
Allahpundit- as Roseanne Roseannadanna put it: “Never Mind.”
profitsbeard on January 13, 2012 at 10:51 AM
And yet the keep coming back for more. :-)
Flora Duh on January 13, 2012 at 10:51 AM
Right2Bright,
We have been over and over and over all this before…Romney did not go along with the status quo…THEY asked him back from Utah to come FIX their state where he had been living that was in a mess! He fixed their budget issues, cut taxes, closed loopholes LIKE REAGAN, left a 2 billion surplus, appointed the best people he could from what he had in his cupboard (including judges)…the other points are talking points I have read on other sights and been debunked.
Go Romney!
Remember the opponent is Obama…
g2825m on January 13, 2012 at 10:51 AM
The weakest excuse…I was force to do it because it was a liberal state…funny, I think Reagan had a dem congress, both sides to contend with, I don’t remember him whining…Bush the same, don’t remember him whining…Mitt chose to be Gov. and he chose not to be a conservative, those are choices a man makes.
right2bright on January 13, 2012 at 10:52 AM
Even Sen Harry Reid, who is a member of the LDS Church, is personally against abortion BUT he supports his party’s political platform which to me makes him twisted.
g2825m on January 13, 2012 at 10:34 AM
That’s the point. It doesn’t matter what Willard believes in personally. It’s what his positions will be as president. And his history as governor shows he will support the abortion lobby just like Harry Reid.
angryed on January 13, 2012 at 10:48 AM
That’s my point in a nutshell. Who cares what he believes in his heart of hearts? What matters is what he did as governor. What matters is that he is partially responsible for the deaths of some Massachusetts babies. When he had a chance, he failed. He’s a severely morally compromised man. There is no way to put a positive spin on baby-killing.
Stayright on January 13, 2012 at 10:52 AM
Remarkable isn’t it?
Bmore on January 13, 2012 at 10:52 AM
So then take down the thread. Doesn’t Hot Gas have a Memory Hole?
Akzed on January 13, 2012 at 10:53 AM
Yep he was. And he governed to please the liberals in that state.
But we’re supposed to take a leap of faith that as president he will be a conservative.
This would be like a Dem governor of Wyoming running for the DNC nomination and people saying, yea he was pro-life, he cut taxes, he cut spending and appointed nothing but right wing judges to the bench.
But trust us, as president he will be another Barrack Obama.
You’d be laughed out of the room.
angryed on January 13, 2012 at 10:55 AM
Ah yes, when SNL was actually funny. I still LOL when I think of “Jane, you ignorant sl*t”.
Flora Duh on January 13, 2012 at 10:55 AM
How ya doing ALT? I’m preparing for tomorrow’s weather. Supposed to be in the low 20′s in the morning. Yes, in Florida.
Flora Duh on January 13, 2012 at 10:44 AM
Supposed to be 45 tomorrow here-then back to 60′s.
Since Chicago is around 20 and just got EIGHT inches of snow…45 will be just fine. LoL
annoyinglittletwerp on January 13, 2012 at 10:57 AM
Angryed,
between you, right2bright, and others HE SIGNED PRO-LIFE LEGISLATION AS A GOVERNOR Awwwwwww!!! We do know how he would govern. Also I said that Reid was against it to prove my point of how the LDS Church believes in abortion. I said Reid was twisted because he supports a platform that goes against the Church’s teaching. ROMNEY HASN’T.
g2825m on January 13, 2012 at 10:58 AM
If the opponent is Obama…give me Romney’s best debate point.
Let’s start with the most important issue, ObamaCare…give me Romney’s best debate point to destroy ObamaCare, where Romney instituted a fed gov. sponsored health care plan forcing people to purchase health care…than let’s move onto TARP, you know the program that Mitt heavily supported, now let’s move onto the other bailouts, you remember from just a couple of days ago, when Mitt said that his work at Bain was the same as Obama’s takeover of GM.
Now let’s look at Mitt’s top ten supporters…oh look, all ten the rogues gallery of wall street investors, well let’s look at the top twenty…oops, let’s not.
Pal, Mitt is a great guy, intelligent, great family, great hair, lot’s of money…but a loser in national elections.
Follow the money…and look at who his real supporters are…middle America won’t be able to relate to Goldman Sachs being his number one contributor, and all the other nine…he is an elitist and will be painted, stuffed, and hung up on a wall as one more trophy.
right2bright on January 13, 2012 at 10:58 AM
Look in the mirror. You were leading attacks on Palin consisting of nothing more than lies and allusions, never on the merits of her positions. And now it’s Mittness’ turn to get
PalinizedBainized.Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah, whaaaaaaaaah, waah, waaah, waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah. Snort. Pure Schadenfreude. Snort. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.
Zips away.
AH_C on January 13, 2012 at 10:59 AM
Nope, I think its all on our permanent records. You feel like pitching in to hand
strikestrike every entry on the thread?Bmore on January 13, 2012 at 10:59 AM
What legislation? Specific legislation number, date, etc.
angryed on January 13, 2012 at 10:59 AM
This is specious logic angreyed. He didn’t rule as a liberal or kowtowing to the wishes of his mostly Democratic consitutents. He vetoed all kinds of legislation as Governor of Mass and tried to steer the ship more to the right while he was there.
but just because a lot of Democratically inclined legislation passed while he was governor doesn’t necessarily mean that he’s a liberal.
“Romneycare” is a prime example. Romney vetoed 8 sections of the health care legislation, including the controversial employer assessment. Romney also vetoed provisions providing dental benefits to poor residents on the Medicaid program, and providing health coverage to senior and disabled legal immigrants not eligible for federal Medicaid. The legislature promptly overrode six of the eight gubernatorial section vetoes, on May 4, 2006, and by mid-June 2006 had overridden the remaining two.
SauerKraut537 on January 13, 2012 at 11:01 AM
The cynical side of me views Allah’s update and CNBC’s retraction as bad news.
This could have been en effective defense against Barry’s inevitable FLOODING of 30 second ads mentioning the EVIL Bain over and over again in the General.
cdog0613 on January 13, 2012 at 11:01 AM
Some of you are amazing at what lengths you go to distort Romney and his ACTUAL record. Many reasonable conservatives across the country are fine with Romney’s strong conservative beliefs as we do not twist his words and record as some do here on HA.
All many of us can say is: IA, NH, soon to be SC, FL, MI, NV, etc…
Obama is and should be the focal point.
g2825m on January 13, 2012 at 11:02 AM
Haven’t seen you in some time…Your candidate is doing well. Hope he can get this Obama madness behind us AND turns out to be as conservative as you keep telling us.
lynncgb on January 13, 2012 at 11:03 AM
Quote of the year for the Mittbot brigade.
angryed on January 13, 2012 at 11:07 AM
Are you stating that Romney did not sign a universal health-insurance law in Massachusetts that included taxpayer funding for abortion…that Mitt, once the law took effect, announced that Catholic and other private hospitals were not exempt from dispensing emergency contraception.
Really, with the facts and his signature on those bills, you are stating that someone else signed them?
Really?
You are stating that he placed a Planned Parenthood advocate on the board but not an anti-abortionist to counter?
Really?
So he never signed those bills…or he signed them because he had no other “choice”…
You see, like many things Mitt, he supported both sides, and that is the problem, he hasn’t taken a stand.
Against tax increases…but raised the most fundamental “fees”, which doesn’t require a vote.
Now I bet you will say he was really against TARP…that he really is against ObamaCare…
right2bright on January 13, 2012 at 11:07 AM
Thanks, Lynn! I was home on leave from Afghanistan over Christmas for my first time since 2004 and thoroughly enjoyed it! I think I only logged onto HA once or twice as I wanted to spend most of my time with my family. Now I am back over here in the fight again…trying to also fight the battles on HA…haha
g2825m on January 13, 2012 at 11:07 AM
Bueller, Bueller? Frye? Anyone?
angryed on January 13, 2012 at 11:08 AM
But, but, but they’re not taxes, they’re fees. Because $1 I give to the govt as a “fee” is fundamentally different than $1 collected as a tax by the govt. The $550M in new fees Romney collected is in now way shape or form the same as collecting $550M in new taxes.
You just don’t understand the nuance of money because you’re a stupid head who doesn’t see the genius of Romney.
angryed on January 13, 2012 at 11:11 AM
Romney’s bane is Bain. Period.
sunshinek67 on January 13, 2012 at 11:13 AM
You don’t get it…Obama is the focal point…not one Mitt supporter has come up with a debate point that will take down Obama, from Mitt’s perspective, because Mitt has given up all the important points to Obama.
It is about Obama and who can defeat him…and Mitt can’t defeat him when he is viewed as Obama lite…
ObamaCare—RomneyCare, TARP–TARP, GM takeover-Bain takeovers, Obama against Wall street rogues–Romney heavily supported by Wall Street…it is about Obama and who can defeat him, and we have to find the one that can.
Unfortunately, in a way, Newt is the one that can debate and defeat Obama in the debates. Perry is a “better” conservative, but can’t debate…Bachman is too whinney, Santorum is too Beta, and Mitt can’t connect with the American people, and will be even worse after some of the debates and hit pieces…once again, look at his top ten financial supporters to his campaign, middle America won’t tolerate it.
right2bright on January 13, 2012 at 11:13 AM
Q: Why such a dramatic and profound change after pledging never to waiver on a woman’s right to choose?
A: I was always personally opposed to abortion, as I think almost everyone in this nation is. And the question for me was, what is the role of government? And it was quite theoretical and philosophical to consider what the role of government should be in this regard, and I felt that the Supreme Court had spoken and that government shouldn’t be involved and let people make their own decision. That all made a lot of sense to me. Then I became governor and the theoretical became reality. A bill came to my desk which related to the preservation of life. I recognized that I simply could not be part of an effort that would cause the destruction of human lift. And I didn’t hide from that change of heart. I recognize it’s a change. Every piece of legislation which came to my desk in the coming years as the governor, I came down on the side of preserving the sanctity of life.
Source: Meet the Press: 2007 “Meet the Candidates” series , Dec 16, 2007
I took action as governor to preserve the sanctity of life
Q: Do you believe life begins at conception?
A: I do. I believe from a political perspective that life begins at conception. I don’t pretend to know, if you will, from a theological standpoint when life begins. I’d committed to the people of Massachusetts that I would not change the laws one way or the other, and I honored that commitment. But each law that was brought to my desk attempted to expand abortion rights and, in each case, I vetoed that effort. I also promoted abstinence education in our schools. I vetoed an effort, for instance, to give young women a morning after pill who did not have prescriptions. So I took action to preserve the sanctity of life. But I did not violate my word, of course.
Source: Meet the Press: 2007 “Meet the Candidates” series , Dec 16, 2007
Voting Record as Governor:
Vetoed emergency contraception for rape victims. (Jul 2005)
Vetoed stem cell research bill. (May 2005)
g2825m on January 13, 2012 at 11:18 AM
It’s the exact same Bain Consulting that Bain used to siphon hundreds of millions of dollars to as fees and dividends is it not?
astonerii on January 13, 2012 at 11:19 AM
“apologies to Team Mitt”..
HA HA HA HA!!!
Maybe HotAir should put that at the top banner since most of HotGas is Mitt bashing.
Jailbreak on January 13, 2012 at 11:20 AM
And yet you totally ignored responding to the part of Sauer’s post I just bolded.
Care to spin that?
Del Dolemonte on January 13, 2012 at 11:20 AM
What Angreyed? Got nothing to add other than another snarky remark like you’re so poor at doing?
Romney vetoed all kinds of democractically inclined legislation while he was governor. Can you deny it? Do you even know how many vetoes he wielded?
SauerKraut537 on January 13, 2012 at 11:22 AM
Right2Bright,
I will make it simple:
Obama Economy sucks
vs
Romney has PROVEN Economic success
NOV 2012
ROMNEY WINS!
g2825m on January 13, 2012 at 11:23 AM
Nice try. Both those vetoes were overridden by the legislature. Romney vetoed them knowing fully well they’d still become law. But he could then claim to be “pro life”.
angryed on January 13, 2012 at 11:23 AM
I’m sorry I couldn’t hear the lamintations of the you women due to dim of true change our recent JOB NUMBERS here in Texas:
The Texas unemployment rate dropped to 8.1 percent for November 2011, down from 8.4 percent in October 2011.
The Texas unemployment rate has been at or below the national rate for 59 consecutive months.
We’re cashing checks here in Texas, feeding our families, saving, spending…
It what we Texas have due to clear solid leadership. Go ahead and by into the “Rick Perry is stupid” meme. Keep on that and see where that gets us.
Conger on January 13, 2012 at 11:24 AM
right2bright on January 13, 2012 at 11:13 AM
Oops! happened in November 9 debates ago. Perry has been solid since.
Mitt can’t beat Obama cause it will look like Wall St. is buying the White House.
It’s that simple.
Perry has the best record and he’s running against the status quo.
If conservatives buy the phony Mitt they get what the media told them is important a smooth talker…a Reality TV failed politician Wall Street Insider to go against the Reality TV historic politician who will win.
workingclass artist on January 13, 2012 at 11:24 AM
G2825m:
You said Romney signed pro-life legislation. I’m still waiting for an exact piece of legislation that he signed. Vetoes of a bill do not count as “signed legislation”.
angryed on January 13, 2012 at 11:25 AM
He vetoed obscure sections to the main bills. He signed the section that contains the mandate. He signed the section mandating state paid abortions. But we’re supposed t jump up and down that he vetoed a section for veteran immigrant getting Medicaid. Give me a break.
angryed on January 13, 2012 at 11:27 AM
Don’t you feel stupid for posting this? You don’t have a clue…pathetic how stupid some posters are.
right2bright on January 13, 2012 at 9:32 AM
Why would anyone try to have a conversation with you? You contested a fact that someone brought up about this article having a false premise, have been proven wrong, and dropped that issue altogether sans apology and moved onto arguing about someone’s pro-life stance when you have absolutely no clue and are working against both apparent legislative and religious history. Romney has already addressed his court appointments as the only ones that could be passed by the state legislature. You’re rehashing old talking points that have been addressed countless times by countless people. If you haven’t believed them up until this point, why do you think people would want to waste their time repeating what you’ve already obviously heard but chosen to ignore?
Kriggly on January 13, 2012 at 11:28 AM
Obama supported TARP…Romney supported TARP
Obama takeover of GM…Romney agrees
There is no separation, to keep it simple, where does Romney disagree with Obama?
Of course Obama economy sucks…keep it simple, how is Romney different?
They both expanded their governments…keep it simple, who are they different?
Both raised taxes (fees)…keep it simple how are they different?
right2bright on January 13, 2012 at 11:29 AM
LMFAO!!! Oh my god angryed! You’re such a poor joke you know that? Get rid of the conspiratorial aspect of your personality.
Romney ran as a conservative and governed as a conservative, but his vetoes were stymied at every turn by a legislature that is 85% Democrat.
You sir, are the real joke of HA.
SauerKraut537 on January 13, 2012 at 11:30 AM
That’s the excuse for everything Romney did as governor. He had a Democrat legislature. So did Reagan as president. And he appointed a whole bunch of conservative judges. He also lowered the tax rate from 70% to 28%.
Romney will very likely have a Dem legislature in 2015 and 2016. So, I guess he’ll just roll over and do whatever Harry and Nancy tell him to do huh? After all what can he do, he’s got Dems in the legislature, right?
angryed on January 13, 2012 at 11:32 AM
Jailbreak on January 13, 2012 at 11:33 AM
Confused? Maybe Bain consulting is a consulting firm founded by a guy named Newton Bain. BTW, CNBC is now reporting that Rick Perry will be joined at the next rally by his sister Katy Perry.
galtani on January 13, 2012 at 11:33 AM
Yep. Indeed.
He raised $550M in new fees unilaterally (that means by himself without a vote by the legislature) in his first year as governor. That was also because of those mean and nasty Democrats in the legislature. Right?
angryed on January 13, 2012 at 11:34 AM
ten minutes after Allah posted the article and about 25 posts into 7 pages so far…
Ricki, great job. Cred, you has it.
DanMan on January 13, 2012 at 11:34 AM
D’OH! Well, what do you expect from anything tarred with The Peacock? Nothing But Communists network.
Philly on January 13, 2012 at 11:35 AM
Mr. Conservative:
$309 million in higher taxes:As governor, Romney increased various taxes on businesses by $309 million annually, via three “corporate loophole” closing packages, one each in 2003, 2004 and 2005. (Note that Romney originally proposed an even higher amount of increased taxes on business but reduced or dropped some proposals due to opposition from business and/or lack of Legislative support.)
As governor, Romney increased state fees on residents on businesses by $432 million annually. These fee hikes were all proposed by Romney; they were not items originated by the Legislature. (Note that Romney originally sought an even higher amount, but the Legislature reduced or rejected some of his demands for higher fees.)
angryed on January 13, 2012 at 11:36 AM
Allah babe,
You know as well as I do that the Internet is filled with lots of lies. The fault lies with the CNBC reporter who could have called Bain and Company and in two seconds be told that the information was incorrect. My Bain source told it to me in about a nano second after I read him your piece. He knew right away it was BCG. BCG and McKensey do Government work– Bain and Company doesn’t not have a public sector practice.
As for blogging for you, what fun. Next time I have something interesting to say I will send it to you and you can see if you want to publish it.
Ricki on January 13, 2012 at 11:37 AM
Might not occurred to you that fees are incurred by people who use the service. Should someone else pay to have your GED certificate printed and sent to you?
galtani on January 13, 2012 at 11:37 AM
If I am “hiring” an employee (POTUS) for my company (USA) for a specific need my company requires (fix economy) I would look at every applicants resume and see which had the MOST experience to fill my specific need (fix economy). There is not another person’s resume I would need to look at after reading and interviewing Romney. He is the ONLY qualified candidate for the job I need accomplished having fulfilled my need in PAST employments. All the other applicants are good people but they do not fill my specific need and they are just distractions to what I need fixed at my company.
g2825m on January 13, 2012 at 11:38 AM
Apparently you did not follow the thread, and are severely handicapped with knowledge.
The person attacked Allah for posting a national article…if Allah waits days for a possible retraction, we would have nothing to discuss that is current or relevant…He has to rely on national reporting, he wasn’t “stupid” for reporting a national news item, and not stupid for allowing it to play out.
Now onto Romney, Romney didn’t have to sign any bill he thought was improper, you don’t sign something you don’t believe in, you allow your veto to be overridden, that’s a policy…unless you want to make a statement that you concur.
Romney appointed a Planned Parenthood advocate, he could have also appointed an anti-abortionist to counter, but he did not…these are telling policies, part of his history that many do not know. He also appointed as federal judge, a pro abortion activist, those are things that a person who is an anti-abortionist would not do.
He may be kind of sort of against abortion, but not enough to “make a stand” good enough for some, not enough for others, and not known by most.
right2bright on January 13, 2012 at 11:38 AM
“Romney ran as a conservative and governed as a conservative.” SauerKraut537, please define conservative?
Conger on January 13, 2012 at 11:39 AM
The list of fees include:
– car registration
– driver licence
– gun licence
– hunting licence
– fishing licence
– UMASS student fees
– marriage license
– business license
The fees applied to virtually every person in the state in one form or another.
At the end of the day $550M was removed from the private sector by Romney and put into the government sector.
angryed on January 13, 2012 at 11:40 AM
And they were all old fees that hadn’t been raised in like 10 years. Like a family (who has this right to rent forever) could rent the same parks and rec house on a lake for 8 weeks for $400 for the whole summer. Was it wrong to raise that?
The fees are suppose to pay for the overhead to provide the service, and trust me the cost of public sector employees had gone through the roof, so the fees weren’t covering any of the services.
Ricki on January 13, 2012 at 11:41 AM
He wasn’t as liberal as Ted Kennedy.
angryed on January 13, 2012 at 11:41 AM
Car registration was not raised because the legislature is the only one that can do that under the statute. Gov Weld tried to raise the car registration in the early 90′s and the legislature took the right away.
Ricki on January 13, 2012 at 11:43 AM
Obama v Romney
Romney – We have to repeal Obamacare
Obama – Thanks Mitt for lending me your team to draft national healthcare…Americans appreciate that.
Romney – Obama is losing Jobs
Obama – We are gaining jobs (Uses Texas Data without saying it’s Texas) and Mitt you did a rotten job as governor in Ma. which was #47 in the nation. Folks I just need more time and Bill Clinton is helping me…Remember the 90′s…yay!
Romney – Obama has increased the deficit to unprecedented highs and we are in debt.
Obama – Hey Mitt the GOP under Bush did that and I ended two wars he started.
Romney – Obama is over-regulating and wants to overturn tax cuts that will kill jobs.
Obama – Hey Mitt you believe in global warming like the rest of the mart people in the world and I’m trying to help save the planet like I saved the Gulf after the Oil Spill. Besides you had such high tax hikes in MA even the democrats balked at taxing the blind. Why don’t you & your rich Wall St. pals pay your fair share anyhow?
Romney – Obama has a horrible foreign policy…
Obama – Hey I got Osama Bin Laden and toppled the tyrants Kaddafy & Mubarak..And the Queen liked my iphone…dude!
Yeah….Obama will win against Romney.
workingclass artist on January 13, 2012 at 11:43 AM
Newt’s SuperPAC just wasted thousands of dollars creating an attack ad about this. They’ll probably recycle some of the footage for use in another attack ad about capitalism.
Philly on January 13, 2012 at 11:44 AM
You’re finding obscure examples that apply to a handful of people. If it was only those fees, it wouldn’t be a big deal.
90%+ of adults own a car and have a licence. They all paid more to drive and register a car. Anyone who got married in those 4 years paid more for a license. 100% of business owners paid more to license their business which in turn the cost was passed on to 100% of MA residents through higher prices.
angryed on January 13, 2012 at 11:44 AM
romneycare has been running for president since 2006, his last year in office in his only term. According to wikipedia, in 11 months that year he was out of state campaigning for president.
So instead of doing his job that he was elected to do he was out campaigning. This makes you understand why he was 47th out of 50 states in job creation.
Now romneycare has been running for president for 6 years gaming the system. How has he made money to do this, he doesn’t have a job. He’s done it w/his trust fund that was made w/government bailouts, tax subsidities for his companies. He couldn’t lose.
So if you like Wall street, bank, tarp, automobile etc. bailouts you’ll love romneycare. If you love obamacare, you’ll love romneycare. If you love closing deficits w/tax increases you’ll romneycare.
If people only knew the truth instead of the propaganda, they woulf never vote for this fraud.
Danielvito on January 13, 2012 at 11:45 AM
Bluedogs in Texas are more conservative than Romney
workingclass artist on January 13, 2012 at 11:45 AM
The emissions testing was. You need an emissions test every year before registering a car. Again, you’re looking for technicalities to obscure the real issue….
Romney imposed $550M of new fees. $550M was removed from the private sector and put into the govt sector. You can squabble all you want about the minutiae of what fee went up and when. The big picture is he greatly increased revenue for the state. Does that not bother you in the least?
angryed on January 13, 2012 at 11:46 AM
Really?
And letting America think Wall St. is buying the White House is a good election strategy for the GOP in this economy?
workingclass artist on January 13, 2012 at 11:47 AM
Your an idiot…the only Mormon’s I have bashed are the ones who have been pedophiles (and a couple of Mormon’s who post on here who are just plain ignorant of their history), never have I bashed anyone else for being a Mormon…a typical lie from people like you.
I have consistently, for years, have said Mitt would be a great VP or high cabinet member, hardly a bash to propose someone to be the second most powerful person in the world, or one of the inner most policy decision makers. Imagine supporting someone to be the second most powerful person in the world, and than be called a “Mitt basher”. Mitt’s a great guy, but he can’t win a national election…take a look at his top ten supporters, Obama will tear him apart for that.
I have never supported “Obama”, one of the most foolish statements ever made by a poster, what this post by you shows is how desperate and ignorant Mitt supporters are. How they will stoop to telling or saying anything to win…btw, not too far from what liberals do.
Now tell me, since you are such a Mitt supporter, tell me his most remarkable debate policy he will use to defeat Obama…so far not one of you have been able to come up with anything at all…except personal attacks on a posters character.
right2bright on January 13, 2012 at 11:48 AM
Angryed…
Let me post this for you on Fees by Ronald Maximus Reagan:
- Fees:
Reagan: “Good tax policy decrees that wherever possible a fee for a service should be assessed against those who directly benefit from that service. Our highways were built largely with such a user fee — the gasoline tax. I think it makes sense to follow that principle in restoring them to the condition we all want them to be in.”
Reagan: “These taxes and fees will raise approximately $1 billion per year over the next five years, which should provide adequate, stable, and equitable financing for the program. I strongly believe that funds used to pay for the program should be generated entirely through these dedicated sources, not the general treasury.”
Reagan: “The third component of the deficit reduction program involves user fees, or more appropriately, the recovery of costs borne by the taxpayers generally, but that predominantly benefit a limited group of businesses, communities or individuals … it is simply inexcusable and intolerable that yacht owners escape without paying even a small part of the Coast Guard services; or that commercial and general aviation are not paying the cost of the air traffic control system that ensures their safety; or that ship and barge operators do not pay a fair share of the costs of waterways maintained by the Federal Government. Our user fee package corrects these and similar shortcomings in current budget policy and will contribute significantly toward reducing the deficit.”
Romney ASKED his State Legislature that for him to FIX the DEFICIT of 3 BILLION he was going to have to raise fees on many services that had not been changed for DECADES and also CUT taxes which is anathema to Democrats. They knew how much trouble they were in financially and is why they did NOT block Romney in doing this…
When Romney is in office he will likely have a sit down with the American people and say “look, we are in a dire situation and I am going to have to CUT spending, possibly raise fees on items that will ONLY affect those that use those services, and many other budget crunching items.” BUT we as Americans, if we are serious about fixing our economy will need to face this music.
g2825m on January 13, 2012 at 11:48 AM
Exactly…has nothing to do with Romney’s character or intellilect…
and you left out one item, TARP, they both shake hands on what a good job…and GM takeover, good job Obama, just like we did at Bain….good grief, it is so obvious…but Mitt has great hair and a lot of money…
right2bright on January 13, 2012 at 11:51 AM
The argument boils down to this….you think $1 paid to the govt as a fee is different than $1 paid as a tax.
To me, it’s the same. Whether the govt wants to call it a fee or a tax or a golf club, at the end of the day I have $1 less, the govt has $1 more.
We have a spending problem, not a revenue problem. We need someone who will not play word games between tax and fees but instead CUT SPENDING. And Romney is not that guy.
angryed on January 13, 2012 at 11:54 AM
Romney’s bane is Bain. Next~
sunshinek67 on January 13, 2012 at 11:54 AM
I think many of you are just mad that Romney is…WINNING!
g2825m on January 13, 2012 at 11:55 AM
These are the fees Romney raised:
– marriage licence
– driver’s licence
– college tuition/fees
– hunting license
– fishing license
– business license
Sorry, but these are not a “limited group”. These fees affect close to 100% of people.
angryed on January 13, 2012 at 11:57 AM
Also g2825M,
He didn’t cut spending nor did he lower taxes. The state income tax remained at 5.3% his entire tenure. Spending by the state of MA increased every year during his tenure.
I could accept increased fees if taxes were cut and spending was cut. Romney did not do that.
angryed on January 13, 2012 at 12:00 PM
I DID NOT say that…please do not speak for me.
I pointed out to you Reagan’s philosophy on fees is the same as Romney’s and vice versa.
I do not have an issue with the gov’t raising fees if they were established in the 1950′s and have not been touched in 50-60 years when there is a budget deficit and people are still benefiting off of a service where the cost does not cover the service provided. All taxpayers end up paying for it to cover that gap unless you raise the fees. Reagan said the same thing.
I agree that spending is the problem and Romney is for Cut, Cap, and Balance.
bottom line though is no matter what any Romney supporter says to you, right2bright, et al, you DO NOT like Romney and are not going to change your opinion no matter what we say. Right? Right. :o)
g2825m on January 13, 2012 at 12:01 PM
I bet you don’t, “friend.” But I don’t go around trying to impress random strangers.
byepartisan on January 13, 2012 at 12:04 PM
About those fee increases…
From National Romney Online:
Romney believes it’s okay for government to tax our God-given fundamental rights. Or does he not even believe that our freedoms come from God rather than government?
flyfisher on January 13, 2012 at 12:06 PM
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