FACTS
not that it makes any difference, but hate to see anyone mis-state facts. DEMs had a house majority in 2009-10. DEMs had/have a majority in the senate. they did/have NOT have/had 60 votes in senate which is needed to control.

GOPs stated JOB #1 was to make BO a one 'termer'.

OPINE
regardless of majorities; it's difficult for BO (any president) to turn the economy around, when the opposition's JOB #1 is to make the president a one 'termer' and increase the wealth of the 1%...vice creating jobs and improving the country's general welfare.

BO (any president) often are unable to do the 'stuff' they proposed...eg, all presidents from truman to BO proposed health care reform...none til BO did anything.

Stanley,

Do you think the democrats objective in 2004 was to make george bush a 2 term president? The war on bush started immediately after he was elected. Also, why do you hate the so-called 1% so much? They pay 37% of all federal income taxes and this percentage has doubled in the last 30 years. The real war should be on the bottom 50% of tax payers who pay virtually no federal income tax. Now, save the argument on sales taxes, excise taxes, and payroll taxes the top 1% pay more of those taxes as well. How has the GOP made it their goal to increase the income of the top 1%? Do they think they can win elections by capturing only that 1%?

Jeannie, you are so right. Keep praying, because that is really the only way this country is going to get out of the mess we are in.

PROUD CONSERVATIVE WOMAN ..... PRAYING is NOT going to get us out of this mess.... it's much worse than that. WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ! ! !

The problem with your comment maisenbluedoc is that OBAMA is the only one trying to work with both parties. Obama fully understands the problems and has produced bills to do so just to be tabled in the house, whoes only mission is to make Obama fail at the country's expense. Did you not learn anything when the REPUBLICAN party was holding the country hostage for an extension of the very expensive Bushy tax gifts??? Did you not learn anything when our credit rating was down graded due to the REPUBLICAN obstuctionism?? I believe by buying into the fear mongering the Republican are selling is simply accepting their adolesant behavior. I think the best thing for this country is to REELECT Obama and DEMAND that his ideas be given a chance. We gave the failed Republican policies a chance and have paid dearly for it. The REPUBLICAN party is this country's biggest threat at the moment. KICK THE ENTIRE Grover Norquist, Koch snorting brother gang to the FRACKING curb.

@mimi - well said

when people insult the readers here with completely made-up information, only because they think other readers lack the intellect to see what they're trying to pull, then I can insult right back.

Show me one time you've used facts Gretchen? If you can you'll likely see the people who aren't in the bag regressives either shut up or acknowledge your fact.

I can point to your post at 12:50 pm Friday night for an instance where you posted false information. The first post of this thread is from a regressive is false.

Morons who say that anytime somebody insults a moron it's because they lost the argument only solidify their standing as a moron. Nobody is calling you stupid because you're right bob, you're wrong on (almost?) every thing I've see you post. Significantly wrong most of the time, like exactly the opposite of what is true. All in the name of hoping to convince people of your ideological view? If your view is based on lies then nobody but the very naive or very stupid will share it. Which is I guess why the GOP is where it is today.

You mean like you Gretchen asking if I am on WELFARE??? To answer you delusional question I am not a corporation so how could I be on welfare????

Exactly! He ALWAYS plays the blame game...

Nope. He had 59. And a guaranteed walk-through needed 60. Keep it real, Gretchen.

Well Gretchen I don't know if you are intentional lying or you simply don't understand the process of passing a bill. You see the only time Obama had a FILIBUSTER proof control was for his first FOUR months. You do remember Scott Brown don't you??? Futhermore Gretchen when you have a party (THE REPUBLICANS) who has one mission from the FIRST DAY OBAMA took office to bring him down at all cost, I can't see how you can condone the behavior of the Republican party and blame ONE man who doesn't even have a vote. Don't you find that kinda strange??? Why is it Gretchen that the house has been sitting on Obama's jobs bill for over a year??? Why is it Gretchen that when Obama gave the house a budget they marked it up with nonsense to ensure NOBODY would vote for it??? Furthermore Gretchen MOST economist predict that with Obama's policies in place that 2013 will be very good for all. At least if your going to try to debate an issue Gretchen you should at least understan both sides not just the side you learn from FAUX comedy show. Just saying
Obama 2012 the only sensible choice.

The problem with OBAMA is he cannot bring the GOP and DEMS together. He is unable! Look at Clinton and Bush. They were able to pass bills because they could bring all parties together. Obama is too much of a narcissist to do that. He has to be the CENTER OF ATTENTION at all times.

STS ... at the time OBAMACARE was passed he had the votes. YOu are right ... not one REPUBLICAN voted for that horrible bill.

The Republican party is firmly under the control of the 1%. People like the Koch brothers, with Grover Norquist as their enforcer and their stooge Carl Rove to do their dirty work. Any Republican politician who even breathes "compromise" or "cooperation" will be ostracized by the party and will never be reelected. That is the primary reason that the Republican party of today is radically idealistic, partisan, and obstructionist.

The Affordable Care Act passed with ZERO cooperation from Republicans. Why was that? Why weren't the Republicans in Congress interested in helping to craft a bill that would appeal to everyone? Are we to believe that NO ONE in the Republican party, none of the hard working men and women who voted for these people, thinks that health care reform was an important issue?

Between 2000 and 2010, health insurance premiums have increased 114% and workers' contributions to premiums (that the part that you and I pay, whether you're a Republican OR a Democrat) have increased 147%. Health care spending has outpaced economic growth in this country for the past four decades and now consumes 17.9% of our Gross Domestic Product. With health care costs skyrocketing for decades, and millions of Americans, our brothers and sisters, without insurance, SOMETHING HAD TO BE DONE.

So all you "ObamaCare" bashers out there have no one to blame but your own party. If you aren't going to participate in the process, you don't get to complain about the results!

Actually the ACA got passed with Republican support and then the Democrats passed it in the senate. You will never again see the Republican work together as long as you accept the behavior from them over the last 4 years. If you don't take a stand and send a crystal clear message to the Republicans that it isn't always their way or we will hold the country hostage they will only think your silence is agreeing with them. Obama needs to be reelected and those that were put in the house promising jobs and have spent their time on abortions and obstruction need to be voted out. Do you even realize what turmoil electing those social interest group have created in the Republican party??? When is it acceptable for a US congressmen to pledge alligence to someone or something besides the American people?? Who the heck elected Grover Norquist???? When did it become ok for billionaire such as the Koch Brother to decided for all of us??? You might not like the facts, but they are true.
Obama is the only solution FOR BOTH parties

@mimi - Thanks for the correction, I wasn't counting the House.

@Gretchen

It is interesting that, on the one hand, you fault the president for the "terrible" unemployment rate while, on the other hand, you rejoice that over 600,000 public sector workers have lost their jobs (as I noted above, 70% of them in Red States since 2010) and cheerfully admit that you wish 50% of those remaining would lose their jobs, too.

Beyond the mean-spirited sentiment and the inconsistency of blaming the president for something you're happy about, it might be important to remember that (1) the vast majority of public sector employees are not what you call "bureaucrats," but hard-working laborers (they collect your garbage, keep your sewer cleaned out and water running, keep public buildings clean and repaired, build and repair many of your roads, etc.), teachers, law-enforcement personnel, firefighters, First Responders, air-traffic controllers, food inspectors, building inspectors, secretaries, clerks; i.e., people without whom your life would be much more difficult and far less safe, (2) every public sector employee is a real person for whom a lost job can be catastrophic for him/her and his/her family, (3) 600,000 people without money to spend makes any economic recovery just that much harder, and (4) the loss of 600,000 public sector jobs has led to the loss of tens of thousands of private sector jobs.

I'm done. You exemplify a tone and tenor of visceral anger that destroys dialogue, so I'm gonna' leave you and your buds with it.

Only in your delusional fantasy land presented to you by FAUX comedy show and your inability to tell the difference between fact and fiction. Tax cut please

Just face it Gretchen the only viable candidate you had was John Huntsman and you let the lunatics amongst you run off the only chance your party had or returning to reality. BYE BYE Gretchen

Now lady that is funny you can't trust Robme or Ayn Ryan to do anything other than hand out tax cuts to the rich at everyone's else's expense. I don't know which track your hoping to get back on but no thanks I think I will ride the Obama train forward.
Take 2 tax cuts and call me in the morning

According to your own source, Obama had nothing to do with the delays in budget reports it details. The Republicans themselves are trying to find someone to blame, the article says - "Republicans have tried to tie the tardiness to the failure of the Senate to pass a budget resolution for the last three years." In what way, then, is this a reflection on the president?

totally agree

CBS didn't say every American should see it; one CBS affiliate posted a column by Scott Paulson (which is titled "The Right Politics," complete with GOP logo) about the "film." The affiliate even had to post a disclaimer at the bottom of his review, too.

The only people that need to see the FICTIONAL conspiracy theory comedy is delusional people like you Gretchen that would believe just about anything. Gullible come to mind???

It's libel you half baked troll.

With unclear identities of many of our commenters, I'm pretty sure it can't be libel or slander, but your point is well-taken. We do want to respect all of our readers and commenters, however.

All the ones that articulate and debunk Mr. Martins nonsense.

the gentleman doth protest too much, methinks

in case one didnt have time to read links...

link provided by joseph robert. for the record GOP JOB#1 team.

Reps. Eric Cantor (Va.), Kevin McCarthy (Calif.), Paul Ryan (Wis.), Pete Sessions (Texas), Jeb Hensarling (Texas), Pete Hoekstra (Mich.) and Dan Lungren (Calif.), along with Republican Sens. Jim DeMint (S.C.), Jon Kyl (Ariz.), Tom Coburn (Okla.), John Ensign (Nev.) and Bob Corker (Tenn.). The non-lawmakers present included Newt Gingrich and Frank Luntz, GOP wordsmith.

BS Stan. If you don't argue with the idiots then other people will have nobody to follow but the idiots. Always confront liars and morons that speak up. Always.

And if an idiot is beating you with "experience" then you aren't trying very hard. They're idiots.

@JoSCh

tend to agree...and that's why i continue to post on PATCH...another reason i post, it provides practice in avoiding personal attacks...but;

i like the one liner...and it shouldn't be about who's the idiot...it should be a search for the truth.

think 'beat you with experience' implies they have more experience being idiots...

This is seriously the worst post I've ever seen on patch, and that is saying something considering how awful much of the stuff you people post. On every level this post is just sh*t. Say ANYTHING that is based on fact, just once. Literally anything and it's going to be the first time. Talk about how you mowed the lawn or the line was long at the grocery store, you'll blame it on Obama. You dumbfvcks are DESTROYING the GOP and America.

Maizenbluedoc: You're not seriously comparing the President to someone who murdered 7 million people are you?

@Shawn Drury '...not seriously comparing the President to someone who murdered 7 million people are you?

unfortunately BO-haters are serious...their vitriol 'speaks volumes' (to use an over used phrase) to their prejudices...they give GOPs a bad name...but hope springs for the GOPers...

eg ,

Older Woman: "I have read about him. He's an Arab".
MCCAIN: "No, ma'am. No, ma'am. He's a decent, family man, citizen that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues and that's what this campaign is all about."

sad all too few follow mccain's example...'au contraire' GOP leaders pander to the baser element...and as we know too well:

"The only thing needed for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing" [burke?] and sadly good GOPs do nothing.

BTW there are NO facts in the rhetoric of hate...

Do your terms and conditions have any stipulations on posting facts? If so I expect to see this thread down to about 15 posts, and most of them by reg.

Thank you, Chris, for your explanation.

MBD: OK, well it's good you haven't completely lost your mind. How you have extrapolated that he thinks of himself as a Supreme Ruler seems a bit of a stretch, but much the same was said about FDR, and the country seemed to have survived, if not thrived.
The last time I checked, the last Congress held up its end of the checks and balances system, by blocking pretty much anything meaningful the president tried to do--including the passage of a jobs bill that would have added a million people (and their taxes) to the workforce.

And FWIW, president Obama has had 32 recess appointments up to January of this year, president Bush had 171 in his terms.

@Shawn Drury '... the same was said about FDR, and the country seemed to have survived, if not thrived.'

many parallels to pre 1929 policies and FDR; and pre 2008 policies and BO

america and the middle class did thrive...under DEMs and GOPs until... the great divide (1%:99%) began with RR; with a reprieve under slick willie; then culminated with W tax cuts and the great 08 recession.

opine: BO will be on rushmore...well OK probably not...but history will rate him among the great...just wish i could hear a little FRD from him...eg, 'i [FDR] welcome their hate.'

although I certainly don't like most Republican officials of late, I think the only "ignorance" of republican voters is a lack of knowledge on who their current slew of party leaders and elected officials are. They aren't actually "Republican" -- they're self-serving fools. They don't do ANYTHING for constituents, just their donors and themselves. You will always find folks like that in both political parties, of course, but for the last 20 years in particular, it seems that the GOP isn't doing anything that benefits citizens, just companies. They holler for small govt, but they only mean that when it comes to business - they pass laws that actually take away freedoms and privacy, but that let businesses do anything they want, even if its harmful to citizens. Dem voters and GOP voters agree on many, many things, and can always compromise on other issues. But this current crop of GOP isn't actually GOP .... its *ME*-O-P, because they only help themselves and no one else. And that's what's running this country into the ground.

That's the problem in a nutshell, reg.

Because lord knows there isn't any middle ground where Obama has done a good job despite the challenges and admittedly some of his own mistakes. Where an inexplicably small and quiet section of Republicans are well informed and well intentioned.

Why is there only black and white for you? Why is rational and reasonable not part of your dialect? You compared the sitting president to Hitler? Are you insane? Seek help.

"any 1%-er want to change places with a bottom 50%-er...so as to pay no income tax"

The top one percent would trade places with the bottom 50% as much as the middle 50% would trade places with the bottom 10% income earners. What kind of question is that. People who earn their money naturally want to keep it and people who do not earn money will naturally take someone elses if offered, all morality aside that is. So...take more from the people who earn it and give to the people who don't ? So continues the war on "fair" distribution of income. Heritage Fountation also saw the mistake they made and have since reversed,
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/06/28/individual-health-care-insurance-mandate-has-long-checkered-past/

much like Obama did in fighting against the "bush tax rates" but then stated that taxes should not be raised in a reccession and then endorsed keeping those rates. What position do you take on Obama supporting he Bush tax rates? Was he doing his job in expanding the mythical 1% 99% divide? He knew that the Bush rates gave a greater percentage tax rate cuts to the "middle class" than the higher tax brackets.

I call them the Obama tax cuts now. I think he is a politician, so he either got paid off or he got duped by the "job creators." America has given our most prosperous citizens the confidence of having near historically low tax rates in exchange for them exercising their financial strength and creating jobs. Instead of holding up their end of the bargain they moved (or kept) their money in tax shelters and replaced American workers with cheaper foreign labor or technology. Hell, that is WHY 50% of Americans don't pay taxes, you don't think the tax code was written so that most of us don't pay, do you? The job creators failed us. They stole our money and our resources.

Mythical divide? Are you saying that wealth distribution inequality ISN'T at its highest in American history since the 20s?

An analysis of a CBO study indicates that only 20% of wage earners contribute about 67% of the income tax portion of federal revenues. This along with the 50% not paying any taxes at all is in my opinion is a bad thing and not evidentiary of the priceless contribution of the job creators that I read from some conservative sources. Half of all wage earners don’t even make enough to pay taxes.

On Meet the Press yesterday, Mitt Romney indicated that his economic plan involved tax reform vs. tax increases. Is he going to create an environment of unprecedented prosperity that the 50% will leapfrog a couple of tax brackets? Is he going to have adjust the brackets? He says the answer is to close loop holes that the upper income tax payer enjoys. To me this furthers the rift.

Here's the link; http://www.politifact.com/texas/statements/2012/aug/27/lamar-smith/lamar-smith-says-top-20-percent-income-earners-pay/

I agree AND disagree with that info in your link, John. Yes, higher income pays a higher percentage of income taxes than the rest, that's true. That's from 2009, though, and that's after the temp tax breaks under Recovery Act. Also, the source says that 49.5 is the "percentage of people who paid no federal income tax" - PEOPLE, not wage earners. (Of course, that line's from Heritage Foundation, which hopes we won't recognize that children and seniors are people, too - they don't work, they don't have wages ... they pay no income tax.)

Nope,
Stats are from IRS.gov and reflect only indviduals who are reporting income. Does not reflect anyone who is a child or not in the work force. 2009 is the most recent data provided by IRS at this time. Sad but true 50% of americans don't pay federal income tax.

nope, duck - the source itself says that the figure was calculated as "percentage of people" - NOT percentage of income earners. Common trick of the Heritage Foundation, which has been called out on using this tactic before.

And again, do you believe that the 50% that don't pay taxes is because the tax code was written that way or because the job creators failed to live up to their end of the deal where America extended their near record low tax break? If over a decade of near record low tax rates aren't enough, what is? They're extorting America, holding their promised jobs hostage until we give them... everything?

@Dr. John

...true 50% of americans don't pay federal income tax...

and what is the point...assume they followed same IRS rules/regs as mitt and other 1%-ers...they came up with a 0% rate and mitt came up with a 15% rate.

is anyone saying the rules should be changed for the 50% (whatever) and not for the 1%...

To Reg; Here’s the link from the CBO. https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2Wzr4_cemD5OTJKbWlpX01SeVU/edit?pli=1
As I read a little of the supporting document, I would revise the reported 49.5% of *people* paying no taxes at all. The report indicated that the lowest quintile (assuming one fifth equal 20%) of *household*incomes pays 0.3%. This I found in the summary on page 4. See the notes on the Definition page for an explanation of a household, before tax income, and taxes as the chart compares the two latter.

Does the 49.5% report include all members of those households? Stated another way, does the lowest 20% of taxpaying households contain half the population of the US? I think something is wrong with the 49.5% number or the two are comparing apples to oranges.

Data is only available thru 2009. Supplemental reports indicate that the gap is widening in 2010 and 2011. Also found on page 4.

The main point I am making the fact that so many households are too poor to pay taxes or contribute significantly extending to the 2nd and middle quintiles.
My assessment is Romney’s plan is to heap more on the red bar on the highest quintile of households while granting reprieve on capital gains vs. Obama’s plan to return to 1990’s taxation rates starting at $250,000.00 to distribute the tax burden on a portion of households in the other quintiles maybe just the 4th. Roberton Williams, a senior fellow at the Urban Institute-Brookings Institution Tax Policy Center indicates that a single person household would make the top 20 at a $74,000 per year salary, $104,000 for a two person, and $148,000 for a four person?? Is this where child labor becomes an issue? (sarcasm).

Little surprise that nothing gets done in Washington. Mention a particular news medium (or allow someone to connect you with a particular medium) and immediately, you become the scourge of the planet. One must be for or against ANYTHING, there is NO compromise or middle ground. The question I always ask, "If the do-nothing politicians in Washington are so great, why do they always seem to get elected?" Our government has become so corrupt, I have little faith that anyone can fix it. It is a sad commentary, but that is the way it appears.

Our government has become so corrupt, I have little faith that anyone can fix it.

I agree on the first part, I'm more optimistic on the second. I think citizen groups like Occupy and the remnants of the Tea Party will continue to raise awareness of the issues and America will respond.

You do understand that the most corrupting influences in politics are championed by the GOP, right? Citizens United, big business (agri, pharma, oil) and their lobbying. I'm not saying the Democrats aren't culpable, but at least they act like they're against them.

We still need to try. However in 2012 choices are a lot clearer.

PS
re: much like Obama did in fighting against the "bush tax rates"

you mistate BO's position, ignore context, and make up 'your' facts...

BTW the 1%:99% is not mythical...it's fact...google charts.

Stanley,

You will notice in my post discussing the 1%/99% that I did not bring political party into it. You however make the leap to GOP being the 1%. Where did the rich democrats go? Well if your a good liberal you give rich liberals a pass, and if your a rich liberal all you have to do is mouth liberal policies and you immunize yourself from political scrutiny. So, are they immune, despite the fact that your opinion is that their level of achievement is bad? Are we also to believe that by extending the Bush tax rates that Obama was strengthening his position by extending them? How am I taking him out of context when I am only explaining that he spoke out against the rates up to the point where he stated it was a good idea to extend them. Was this a democratic "dog whistle tactic" that he thought would help illustrate and defend his position. Did extending the tax cuts give his supporters a better context? You are going through quite a bit of contortions here in his defense. Heritage took the idea of a self reliant principle for everyone to buy health insurance. But quickly realized that the policies in play were for everyone who could afford would buy it plus pay extra for those who could not or would not pay for insurance. This defeated the ideological principle of self reliance. Once they saw the mandate would only serve to subsidize others they reversed. They saw the perverted way self reliance for some was being used to discourage it in others.

@Dr. John

again you present false premises...than argue, ad nauseam, against your false premise...

indeed liberals are in the 1%...eg, buffett, gates, soros, ...what you ignore and contort is the liberal 1% oppose GOP tax policies that created the divide...and they support the individual mandate...

re heritage foundation, etal...you really are reaching beyond the pale to justify your position and defend the greedy GOPs...ie;

defend the no-reg, failed, free market, philosophy of friedman and the atheist rand...RR's voodoo, trickle down (well UP), economics...sigh...

sorry you mis-understand BO's position on taxes and dont understand context...

Wilbur, thanks for the contribution, but I think you have your houses of Congress confused. The Republican controlled House of Representatives passed the Paul Ryan budget plan, but the Senate, led by Democrats, voted it down.

Interesting article that you linked to though, I was unaware of the arcane budgetary rules in play, and that piece lays it all out nicely. I see that the writer Thomas Edsall is a journalism professor at Columbia University, so I'm more apt to give what he has to say some credence than I would be a similar post from DailyKos or TPM, or something from a site biased in the other direction. Thanks for the contribution.

I do not believe there actually was a vote in the Senate at all. Harry Reid has a tendency to throw stuff in the waste basket without any vote. The President did present a budget to the Senate. Again since NO Democrat Senator would have voted yes in the waste basket again.

Energy Guy, actually both of those budgets got votes in the Senate, in fact the 97-0 defeat of the budget Obama proposed was a much cherished Republican talking point for a while, and I'm sure if you listen for it you'll hear it again before Election Day. The Senate vote on Ryan's budget was a bit closer, but it was still defeated 57-40, note that four of the 45 Republican Senators voted with the Democrats in defeating the Ryan Budget.
(both votes in the same story) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/25/paul-ryan-budget-medicare-senate-vote_n_867126.html
Also the Senate is set up so that the party with the majority of the seats gets to call the shots, which includes what bills reach the floor for a vote. Schoolhouse Rock had a great segment "I'm Just a Bill" that explained how the legislative process works and the various places where a bill can be killed before it ever reaches the floor for a vote. Essentially, no matter who controls the Senate agenda there will be lots of legislative proposals finding their way into the waste basket every two years. There are plenty of legitimate issues on which to criticize Harry Reid, the inner workings of a legislative body set up approximately 150 years before the man was born is not one of them.

/for everyone that's humming the "I'm Just a Bill" song now, here's the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyeJ55o3El0

So Ryan's budget received a 55% greater percent of votes for his budget than Obama did for his, what are we to think of that?

@Jonathan
So I can conclude that it is the Democrats that are at fault for there being no budget.

Energy Guy, you can blame whoever you like. I think however if you hold one party or the other sacrosanct you are missing out on a lot of nuance. Partisan politics have degenerated to the point where one side marches in nearly lock-step unison to oppose anything and everything proposed by the other side (both parties have been guilty of this - you can argue to what degree either is more or less culpable, but neither is innocent), and it has deteriorated to the point where without 60 Senate votes nothing (other than "budget reconciliation" bills) passes. In the current Congress, with the exception of the few "moderate" Senate Republicans, the GOP has steadfastly refused to compromise on anything, which is just as responsible for the lack of a budget as anything Harry Reid has done. Regardless of the talking points Pres. Obama is a center-left moderate. A Socialist would not have worked so hard to pass a healthcare bill that funneled millions of new customers to private insurance companies (originally the individual health insurance mandate was an idea created and promoted by the Heritage Foundation), he would have worked for a single-payer nationalized healthcare system. I point this out only to illustrate the perception I have from following political news that the aversion to compromise, which I contend is the major reason we don't have a budget, is coming more from the Republicans than from the Democrats at this time. However there is plenty of blame for both sides.

Obama Energy Blunder #1
Amonix Solar: – manufacturing plant in North Las Vegas, subsidized by more than $20 million in federal tax credits and grants given by Obama Administration, has closed its 214,000 square foot facility a year after it opened.
http://www.lvrj.com/business/amonix-closes-north-las-vegas-solar-plant-after-14-months-heavy-federal-subsidies-162901626.html
dividedstates

Obama Energy Blunder #2
Solar Trust of America: - Filed Bankruptcy in Oakland, CA, April 3, 2012 – On April 2, 2012
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/02/us-solartrust-bankruptcy-idUSBRE8310ZV20120402
dividedstates

Obama Energy Blunder #3
Bright Source: - Bright Source warned Obama’s Energy Department officials in March 2011 that delays in approving a $1.6 billion U.S. loan guarantee would embarrass the White House and force the solar-energy company to close. Lost Billions of dollars but Getting More Money To Keep Trying. Can you say, “This isnt working?”http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20120627-714633.html
dividedstates

Obama Energy Blunder #4
Solyndra: - Obama gave Solyndra $500,000,000 in taxpayer money and Solyndra shut its doors and laid off 1100 workers in August 2011 After Billions in Losses due to failure to make a solar product that works!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20120907/us-solyndra-bankruptcy/
dividedstates

Obama Energy Blunder #5
LSP Energy: - LSPEnergy LP filed bankruptcy protection and a sale of its assets in Feb 2012
http://www.thedeal.com/content/energy/lsp-energy-powers-on-chapter-11.php
dividedstates

Obama Energy Blunder #6
Energy Conversion Devices: – On February 14, 2012 Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. and its subsidiaries filed for bankruptcy
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bankruptcy-court-confirms-liquidation-plan-for-energy-conversion-devices-inc-and-united-solar-ovonic-llc-164495696.html
dividedstates

Obama Energy Blunder #7
Abound Solar: - Abound Solar received a $400 million loan guarantee from Barack Obama announced in June, 2012 that it would file for bankruptcy
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/29/business/energy-environment/abound-solar-says-it-will-file-for-bankruptcy.html
dividedstates

Obama Energy Blunder #8
SunPower: – SunPower stopped producing solar cells last year at near bankruptcy restructured only with help of, get this, oil giant TOTAL who owns 60% stake. Irony! Still struggling…
http://calcoastnews.com/2011/11/sunpower-reports-huge-loss/
dividedstates

Obama Energy Blunder #9
Beacon Power: – Beacon Power Corp filed for bankruptcy Oct 2011 just a year after Obama approved $43 million loan Government loan guarantee
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/beacon-power-declares-bankruptcy-second-loan-guarantee-recipient-to-falter/2011/10/31/gIQACNAaaM_story.html
dividedstates

Obama Energy Blunder #10
Ecotality: - ECOtality, a San Francisco green-tech company that never earned any money on the verge of bankruptcy after receiving roughly $115 million in two loan guarantees from Obama
http://capoliticalnews.com/2012/03/25/obama-gives-another-corrupt-%E2%80%9Dgreen%E2%80%9D-company-with-115-million-of-your-tax/
dividedstates

Obama Energy Blunder #11
A123 Solar: -A123 received $279 million from taxpayers thanks to President Obama’s Department of Energy loan guarantees and after Solyndra bankruptcy is getting another $500M from Obama and it has lost $400M
http://www.smallcapnetwork.com/AONE-VLNC-ENS-Is-A123-the-Next-Bankruptcy-Candidate/s/via/3445/article/view/p/mid/1/id/546/
dividedstates

Obama Energy Blunder #12
UniSolar: - Uni-Solar filed for Ch 11 bankruptcy in June 20 this year laid off hundreds got more Obama money still failing but still in business
http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/montcalm_county/unisolar-parent-file-for-bankruptcy
dividedstates

Obama Energy Blunder #13
Azure Dynamics: - Azure Dynamics files for bankruptcy in June ten millions in Obama “Stimulus”
http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/30/azure-dynamics-files-for-bankruptcy-protection-transit-connect-electric/
dividedstates

Obama Energy Blunder #14
Evergreen Solar: - Evergreen Solar received $527 Million in Taxpayer money from Obama filed bankruptcy
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-08-15/evergreen-solar-seeks-bankruptcy-protection-with-debt-of-486-5-million.html
dividedstates

Obama Energy Blunder #15
Ener1: received more than $100 million in government funding from the Obama administration filed for bankruptcy January 2012
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-02-08/ener1-battery-maker-seeks-chapter-11-bankruptcy-protection.html
dividedstates

Source:
http://www.dividedstates.com/list-of-failed-obama-green-energy-solar-companies/

You should check your own sources before posting them as "Obama Energy Blunders", Energy Guy. And should also learn what Chapter 11 is, too - for example:
Amonix Solar - your source says "Amonix received $6 million in federal tax credits for the North Las Vegas plant and a $15.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy in 2007 for research and development." Obama took office when? Oh, yeah - 2009
Solar Trust - did Chapter 11, and because its foreign majority owner filed bankruptcy in its country; as your source says - "filed for bankruptcy protection after its majority owner began insolvency proceedings in Germany." But you blame Obama.
Bright Source: your source says it was part of the Chapter 11 liquidation of Solar Trust (see above) ... and Obama had what to do with that? Your source doesn't verify one word of your claim, or even mention it.
LSP Energy - been around since '96; filed Ch. 11 because one of its three generators broke, and it needed to liquidate to fund replacement. Your source says it had $214.85 million in debt; this one (http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/fb85347ff9484d01bb2233f656c13882/MS--LSP-Energy-Bankruptcy) says it just sold for $286 million. that's 33.1% profit. And you say Obama has "fault" in this, though, which is yet another one of your cites that has nothing to do with fed gov period, let alone Obama

Energy Conversion Devices - been losing money consecutively since 2007 - http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204795304577222991181931050.html - but you blame Obama.
Abound Solar - it received $400 million in 2010 - paid back all but $70 million in less than two years. Has liquid capital of $136.1 million, so that's ....IN-THE-CLEAR! http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/news/2012/09/11/bankrupt-abound-solars-equipment-to.html?page=all But you say Obama's grant (which was done by DoE, not Obama) is a loss???
Sun Power - has since regained (by 24.2%, in fact)....and not once missed on paying its loan.
Beacon - still owed 39.1 mil at time of liquidation, had liquid assets over $72 mil .... LOAN PAID http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-10-31/beacon-power-backed-by-u-s-loan-guarantees-files-bankruptcy.html
ECOtality - the new company took in $115 mil in DoE loans, alright; and quickly got contracts that produced $230 mil http://www.ecotality.com/featured/ev-project/ - now has a new contract with VW, too
A123 - your source lists a drop in its stock value; 10 days later, it was up 20% http://www.streetinsider.com/Insiders+Blog/A123+Systems+(AONE)+Rips+Higher+Following+New+Energy+Storage+System+Contract/7593705.html filed for bankruptcy? nope
UniSolar - your source says it got money when it opened in 2006 ... doesn't mention Obama or DoE - and it's losing to China http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2012/06/uni-solar-energy-economy-greenville-biello

Azure - your source says it's a Canadian company (tip: Canada uses the dollar as its currency, too) - IT RECEIVED NO FUNDS FROM US DoE
Evergreen - RECEIVED NO FUNDS FROM US DoE - please cite some source for this "$527 million from Obama" claim, because your own source doesn't say that.
Ener1 - you claim it received "more than a $100 million" - but your source says the company only got $55 million. And let's go over what Chapter 11 is again - payment arrangements for full debt without liquidation. It's not Chapter 7 (which you are hoping everyone else will assume).

In general, there are two reasons for the recent difficulties in solar and non-fossil fuels: corporate resistance and foreign competition. On corporate resistance, see Who Killed the Electric Car - http://www.whokilledtheelectriccar.com/ Motor companies and oil companies have driven that one into the toilet; to hell with consumers, they say. On foreign competition, Bush policy on trade with China came close to burying solar power here - US companies send the materials to China, let them build the final products, then send them back to sell here. Seriously hurting that development here in the U.S. One of your own sources cites company officials blaming GOP trade policy with China for their near downfalls.

And one crucial piece of advice: consider your primary source on all of these. "Divided States" is a scam site - doesn't even list who owns/operates it. (The owner is one Jonathan Cooper with office on 5th Ave in NYC, though.....and the company he pays to host that site is Canadian! How hypocritical of him, dontcha think?)

Well said stan and reg regarding him needing to simply post the one link. Why the deceptive tactics Energy Guy?

Did you know in many states you can get solar power at a fixed monthly rate far lower than you pay a legacy power provider? Sort of shoots the whole "solar industry which has NEVER proven to produce a single working product. Like Socialism, no evidence ot works" regressive talking point from your biased source right in the face.

Yet another sample from Energy Guy that has absolutely nothing to do with the president or the DoE funds

@reg

'...absolutely nothing to do with the president or the DoE funds'

SOP for some PATCH posters...

irrelavent cherry picking aside...it is difficult to evaluate 'DOE loan program'...the following CLIP seems reasonable:

[CLIP] An independent review of the DOE loan program [enguy's bo blunders], headed by former Treasury official Herb Allison, also “failed to turn up the waste and incompetence that critics said riddled the programs,” the Los Angeles Times noted, though it did call for better oversight after companies are awarded contracts. The review also concluded the program could lose as much as $2.7 billion on loans to green-energy companies, but that was actually less than the $10 billion anticipated by Congress...
The Allison report was criticized by some Republicans as incomplete, particularly since the panel did not evaluate Solyndra [so add $500M to $2.7B] as part of its review. [end clip] http://factcheck.org/2012/06/romneys-solar-flareout/

PS

re: 'Yet another sample [of misc bankuptcies]'

just wondering if people know the difference between bankruptcies in general and the relative few with DOEn loans...

if they know the difference, why do they purposely mislead...

never mind i know...

That should terrify the GOP that these are the results from SC.

um, bob? This is not a scientific poll. This is a reader poll from one concentrated region, and the demographics of which are not proportional to the demographics of registered voters. Thus, this poll you cite is in no way reflective on the upcoming election.

in SC:
Mitt Romney 282 (50%); Barack Obama 267 (48%

this should terrify the GOP that these are the results from SC [josch]

if jim crow voterID laws are ruled unconstitutional...BO will win SC...and;

renew faith in my beloved SC...and my 'kingdom by the sea'...summerville.

Stanley,

I rarely get involved in "party politics". That is GOP/DEM battles . I try to stay based on ideology, but I agree with you. It is about time we get the white southern democrat Jim Crow laws off of the books for good

True enough. It's too bad they vote not for whom would be best for their and their countries interest, but who they've been convinced by outright lies and propaganda to be afraid of. I wish someone in the GOP would demand a stop to the lies; the ones that stand idly by are now complicit in America truly having only one rational choice.

Lucky me, I get to burn my vote on Gary Johnson.

*but against who they've*

Edit button Patch!

Personally i think a president that can't even make a public speech with out screwing it up shouldn't be reelected. Yeah he is trying to reform are healthcare by making everyone that don't accept his healthcare pay a fine so we have to accept his decision or get penalized. When he was elected he stopped drilling in the gulf but when reelection is up drill drill drill. He just preaches what he wants the public to hear not what he is going to give us. Which is basically what anyone that is trying to get elected does. But what has obama really done for the country. Just because bin laden was killed it wasn't because of him he was just in office don't give him credit for it we need change period.

what, exactly, was this public speech you refer to, brian? And as for this "fine" - you mean how no one can join a private insurance group immediately before a needed surgery, then drop out right after, meaning everyone else pays for that coverage? You also don't know what you're talking about on offshore drilling - he's reminded companies of offshore opportunities since late 2009, and without any modifications to existing restrictions. And who gave the orders on bin laden, brian? Shoot, Bush called it off and said it wasn't a goal - now, the terrorist is out. You're a clear example of a troll; you pursue old stories to post last minute comments that are all false.

Trolls post things that are at the very least provocative. I'm afraid brian isn't a troll, just a partisan liar.

http://www.trollingacademy.org/