Where I’ve Been And Changes To Double Dip Politics

People have wondered why there haven’t been any updates lately. It’s a series of changes that have impacted this site and its future.

I have been working with four different political campaigns since early July, which has taken much of my time. I will continue working with these campaigns until the election in November. I am also working with two causes and their prospects for positive outcomes via the election.

In addition, I have moved to a new platform for my writing. If you didn’t know, I’m now posting content for Examiner. I have moved some articles from Double Dip Politics over to Examiner, as well as created new content.

I have enjoyed the year writing on Double Dip Politics, but time constraints, career opportunities, and financial needs have created a situation where the new changes matter.

You can still follow my work by subscribing to my feed at Examiner.

Thanks to each and every one who helped me learn and grow along the way.

Shannon

 

15 Socialist Practices In America Using The GOP Definition

English: Scanned image of author’s US Social Security card. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

After defending the good name of socialism from the Republican party time and time again, today we’re going to give people something to think about. Since Obamacare is not socialist, yet the right-wingers believe it is, here are 15 other practices in the United States that would be socialist using their definition. 

“I Built This Business By Myself!”

Tags

Assistance, Distribution, education, government, Internet, Mitt Romney, politics, President Obama, RNC, Shipping, Small Business, Society, veterans, You Didn't Build That

 

Orlando Businessman Takes Out Billboard To Show Ignorance (Photo by: FoxNewsOrlando)

Since the RNC and Romney campaign have continued hammering away at President Obama using the out-of-context quote of “You didn’t build that”, a number of photos showing Fox News viewers posting banners and signs claiming they built their business themselves, with no help from the government.

You may remember the subject of Romney’s ad having received small business loans and government contracts to build his company. This underscored President Obama’s point, yet has not deterred those making the claim as an attack.

Today, we’re laying the smack-down on anyone who claims they built their business entirely on their own. 

Virginia Tea Party Members Assign Obama’s Record To Scott Walker

Tags

Harold Ford, Mitt Romney, Norfolk, Policy, politics, polling, positions, President Obama, Richmond, Scott Walker, Survey, Swing State, Virginia, Warrenton

English: US Representative Michele Bachmann (R-Minn) addressing a Tea Party Express rally outside the Minnesota state capital building. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

While down in Virginia, Keith Broward, a friend of Double Dip Politics, conducted another experiment examining how informed voters in a critical swing state are. Yesterday, we exposed the results of how popular President Obama’s actual record is amongst registered Republicans. Today, we pull back the curtain on a different non-scientific study we conducted.

This time, we spoke with 280 Tea Party members in Warrenton, Richmond, and Norfolk Virginia. The results were not surprising to us given the sordid history of the Tea Party and previous reporting.  

President’s Record Popular With Virginia Republicans

Tags

cuts, drilling, fauxbama, Fox News, gun control, job creation, Mitt Romney, oil production, politics, positions, President Obama, republicans, Study, Survey, Swing State, tax cuts, taxes, Virginia

The Republican party claims President Obama needs to be removed from power because of his policies. When pressed, 9 out of 10 registered Republicans could not name a specific policy from President Obama that was based in reality or that supported their claims.

Barack Obama (Photo credit: jamesomalley

We ran another Double Dip Politics non-scientific poll in swing state Virginia. Our friend Keith Broward spent three days down in Richmond, VA polling registered Republicans. He spoke with 1,250 Republicans in total, asking them their likelihood of voting for a particular candidate. The results stand in stark contrast with the claims made by the Tea Party and Republicans in general. 

Double Dip Mailbag – Paul Ryan Edition

Tags

billionaires, Bush Tax Cuts, Democrats, dnc, equality, LGBTQ, mailbag, marriage equality, medicaid, Medicare, millionaires, Mitt Romney, nominee, Paul Ryan, platform, politics, Republican, tax cuts, vice president

 

Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

After a week off, we’re back with our August mailbag. As always, real questions, real people, real answers.

 

What’s your view on Mitt Romney picking Rep. Paul Ryan as his running mate? ~ Alexx M. from St. Louis, MO. 

A Look At Social Welfare Programs In America

Tags

age discrimination, costs, food stamps, Fox News, laid off, medicaid, Medicare, people, personal stories, politics, SNAP, statistics, stories, terminated, unemployment, welfare

Homeless (Photo credit: Hanibaael)

The Conservative Facebook world has been up in arms over welfare programs over the past two weeks. It’s a constant barrage of posts claiming those on welfare programs are drug users, lazy, uneducated, and are bankrupting America. They cite Fox News as the source of their information. Others claim the never-reliable CNSNews.com as informing their views on welfare recipients.

Tired of the bickering, we’re laying out the facts on welfare programs in America while providing stories of four people who are currently living on welfare.

Romney to Reid: You’re a Liar. It Was Seven Years, Not A Decade.

Tags

bain capital, Decade, Harry Reid, humor, Income Tax, Mitt Romney, Release, satire, spoof, Tax Audit, Tax Dodging, Tax Returns

 

Romney Poster Meme (Photo credit: uvw916a)

 

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) told the media Mitt Romney did not pay taxes for ten years. Reid claimed his source was an anonymous investor with Bain Capital, refusing to provide the identity of the tipster.

 

George Romney, Mitt Romney’s father, released 12 years of tax returns when he sought the White House in the 1960s. Mitt Romney has released his 2010 return and a 2011 estimated return. Romney has stated he is not certain if he paid lower than the 13.9 percent tax rate in any previous year. 

Mitt Romney To Israel: Your Universal Health Care System Rocks!

Tags

error, foreign policy, Gaffe, government, health care, Israel, London, mistake, Mitt Romney, Newsweek, Obamacare, Olympics, Romneycare, spending, walk-back, Wimp

Flag of Israel with the Mediterranean in the background. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When you’re running for President of the United States, you often take a few trips during the summer to tout your foreign policy credentials. Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican candidate, is following the same script.

Having bombed horrendously in England, he took off for Israel, one of the United States biggest allies. While in Israel, Romney continued to make mistake after mistake, culminating in one which may haunt the Republican candidate more than any other come November: He praised the Israeli health care system for its ability to reduce costs and treat patients. 

What The GOP Hopes You Don’t Realize: They Have No Ideas Left

Tags

economy, GOP, gun control, health care, job creation, Mitt Romney, Nothing, policies, politics, President Obama, republicans, Romneycare

President Barack Obama (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The longer the 2012 election cycle goes on, the clearer it becomes that the Democrats have policy ideas, plans for how to fix America, plans for dealing with the economy, and how to get Americans back to work.

The Republicans? They have a lot of fancy words and vague statements. Beyond statements of no substance or calls to return to economic policies rated the worst in American history in terms of job creation, wealth creation, employment, job security, and stability of the economy. The biggest idea they’ve floated is Bush Economy 2.0, now with austerity! 

Does Faith Turn Voters Against Their Own Self-Interests?

Tags

bible, christianity, Class Warfare, Faith, politicians, politics, religion, Self-Interest, Values, voters, Voting

 

English: Looking south on Potomac Street in downtown Hagerstown, Maryland, United States. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

There is an idea floating around that people of faith make poor voting decisions based on religion rather than their own self-interests. It is the idea that people vote God rather than voting for the best candidate, the best ideas, or the best solutions to the problem. This notion has been featured in documentaries on Real Time With Bill Maher and YouTube videos.

 

Over the past month, myself and two friends have visited four towns in four states conducting an experiment regarding faith and politics. We visited Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland to ask people whether they would vote for or against a series of proposals. The results were stunning. 

Romney’s Latest Attack Ad Blitz Hits Snag – Mitt Romney

Tags

attack ads, Elizabeth Warren, Grants, Loans, media buys, Mitt Romney, Olympics, politics, President Obama, Salt Lake City, SBA, Success, These Hands, You Didn't Build That

Close-up of 2002 Winter Games Olympic Torch (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

For Mitt Romney, yesterday was a day he’d like to forget. His latest attack on President Obama suddenly appears to be another Romney distortion, beyond taking lines out of context from a lengthy speech.

Romney has attacked President Obama for punishing success and attacking small business owners through shoddy clip and paste lines. Now, those attacks by Romney have put the focus on Romney, instead of President Obama.