Romney: 47% of Americans are losers, don't care about 'em

[Admiral Yi]

You can always hedge it on intrade, right?

Not really.  Even if the thought of losing $25 made me lose sleep the $5 Intrade fee would pretty much kill my arbitrage opportunity.

[Jacob]

You can always hedge it on intrade, right?

Not really.  Even if the thought of losing $25 made me lose sleep the $5 Intrade fee would pretty much kill my arbitrage opportunity.

You guys need to start betting Romney-like amounts.

[Admiral Yi]

You guys need to start betting Romney-like amounts.

"You guys?"  It's a participatory activity Yake.

[Jacob]

You guys need to start betting Romney-like amounts.

"You guys?"  It's a participatory activity Yake.

Heh. Maybe one day

[garbon]

I think it is. By itself and even for most of that article it seems to suggest that the majority of people that Romney described as Obama-voters actually vote for the GOP.  The update points out that actually a sizable portion of those individuals likely not to pay income tax in Red states actually break for Obama.

Or it could meant that Romney was right - there are a bunch of shifty, freeloading Democrats in those states, so that makes everyone else vote full out Republican in response.

That's a rather unlikely reading.

[Jacob]

That's a rather unlikely reading.

That's down to your own prejudice

[garbon]

That's a rather unlikely reading.

That's down to your own prejudice

Sure.

[Martinus]

One wonders though if this statement drives anyone away who wasn't already not going to vote for Romney anyway.

I don't know about the US politics and how much Romney has been hated until now, but I would assume so.

I have to say I had some sympathy for the guy when he was being hounded for his practices at Bain - because, while not very "presentable" to the media largely ignorant of equity markets, I didn't find anything out of ordinary there. So I assume that there might have been moderates/independents there who were considering voting for him.

His taped comments - not just the ones about "losers", but also his implied racism and his disparaging comments about his wife - turned me off completely from him, and I suppose a lot of voters would react like that.

Essentially, from various tidbits we know about him in private (his treatment of the family dog; his hazing/bullying behaviour in the past; his favourite college pasttime of impersonating an officer to intimidate people; and now his comments off the record), there emerges a pretty consistent picture of a rather nasty piece of shit. He is not a charisma-less suit like Kerry - he is much worse than that.

In fact, I imagine that there might be a part of moderate Republican voters who were going to vote for him along party lines, but may decide to stay home now for this very reason.

I'm going to risk engaging Marti in political discussion.  Hold me, I'm afraid.

These comments obviously don't help him win over undecideds and moderates.  No disagreement here.  But if you are a consistent Republican voter, I don't think you get turned off by them.  There is some fundamental truth to what he said.  There is a certain percentage of the population (not 47%, and not everyone who receives government benefits) who aren't going to vote for Romney no matter what.  It's probably closer to 30-40% of the population that will vote Democrat no matter what - and the same thing goes for Republicans.  So Romney was right in saying you target your message not to everyone, but to the people who you might be able to persuade to vote for you.

If you're a committed Republican, you still think Romney "shares your values" more than Obama does, and this isn't going to change it.

And I still think you put too much emphasis on stuff that happened 30-40 years ago.

Please read what I said - I actually don't think the 47% comment was the worst of all he said. His racism and disparaging "jokes" about his wife were worse, imo. Are these also values Republicans share?

[Razgovory]

Yes.

[Ideologue]

I take that back.  I accept your offer of 75 to 25.

I can offer the same deal.  I'm getting tired of waiting on the $100 savings bond you're keeping for me to mature.

(So, I'd owe you $175 in the event of a Romney victory.)

[Admiral Yi]

I can offer the same deal.  I'm getting tired of waiting on the $100 savings bond you're keeping for me to mature.

(So, I'd owe you $175 in the event of a Romney victory.)

Deal.

Same terms as everyone else.  Payable at $50 dollars.  I.e., if you win, I have a $25 debit balance until it reaches $50.

[Grey Fox]

I take 10% of every transaction. It's the Pizzo.

Or the IRS is on your asses.

[Ideologue]

I can offer the same deal.  I'm getting tired of waiting on the $100 savings bond you're keeping for me to mature.

(So, I'd owe you $175 in the event of a Romney victory.)

Deal.

Same terms as everyone else.  Payable at $50 dollars.  I.e., if you win, I have a $25 debit balance until it reaches $50.

I didn't know that was part of the program.  Since we only have one near-term bet, I don't like the idea of potentially getting my $25 in 2020 too.

[CountDeMoney]

Deal.

Same terms as everyone else.  Payable at $50 dollars.  I.e., if you win, I have a $25 debit balance until it reaches $50.

Sounds suspiciously like a redistribution of wealth.

[Admiral Yi]

I didn't know that was part of the program.  Since we only have one near-term bet, I don't like the idea of potentially getting my $25 in 2020 too.

Then walk away. :shrug: