How many people here knew That Romney was a registered lobbyist?

[Foxfyre]

Maybe this is one of the reasons why Romney doesn't want to release his tax returns.

But when it comes to the retelling of his Olympics story, Romney never mentions the L word. Lobbyist.

Liberals, man. You do like little word games, don't you? You find a good one then you just keep saying it to each other and poking each other and giggling.

Lobbyist! Ha ha ha. Do it again...

Lobbyist for the Olympics? What did he actually DO you object to? Just the word gave you a giggling fit? That's bad because...

Well, after further research, he WAS a registered lobbyist for the Olympics because that was the only way he could have access to the federal government to work with the Olympics. And while the federal government does not directly fund the Olympics, Mitt was able to get quite a bit of federal funding to upgrade infracstructure etc. critical to the success of the Olympics.

The Salt Lake City Olympics were the most scandal ridden in my memory, but that was not due to Mitt's efforts. I would suggest that the federal funding that went into it was inappropriate, but I don't fault Mitt for doing what he was hired to do which was to save the Olympics that most likely would never have happened that year if it had not been for his efforts whether you approve of the efforts or not.

Currently Mitt is trying to calm down British ire when he questioned whether London was ready to host the Olympics. And they are retaliating by dissing Salt Lake City. But if you give him a job to do, Mitt seems to have the ability to get it done.

I find that encouraging on many different levels. The idea that he had to register as a lobbyist in order to have any voice in Washington and get done what he was hired to do does not bother me in the least. That problem is with the system, not Mitt. For sure he was not working as a lobbyist to make money for himself in any way or as a career choice.

 

[kaz]

I find that encouraging on many different levels. The idea that he had to register as a lobbyist in order to have any voice in Washington and get done what he was hired to do does not bother me in the least.

Had he not done it, the left would be blasting him for that both for not following the rules and for not advocating the Olympics. I'd say that's what you have to do when Obama's your candidate because you're not going to win on issues, but in reality that's more how they get people like Obama as their candidate. And Kerry, Gore, ...

 

[Mustang]

OMG!!! Romney was a lobbyist for the Olympics? That BASTARD!!!! You get the tar, Mustang...I'll get the feathers! (eye-roll)

Seriously, dude...if that's the best you've got...you need to rethink your attack. That's just plain laughable.

I notice you didn't answer the question. Did you know that Romney was once a registered lobbyist?

I didn't. But it kinda makes sense..given that he has advocated for hitting the government up for all sorts of money.

And said he knew how to do it.

It stands to reason that he would have to list himself as a lobbyist on his tax returns for the year 2000, and isn't that one of the years he refuses to provide?

Kinda makes one wonder what else there is that we don't know.

 

[Si modo]

Burn the witch!





(get a grip.)

 

[Foxfyre]

I notice you didn't answer the question. Did you know that Romney was once a registered lobbyist?

I didn't. But it kinda makes sense..given that he has advocated for hitting the government up for all sorts of money.

And said he knew how to do it.

It stands to reason that he would have to list himself as a lobbyist on his tax returns for the year 2000, and isn't that one of the years he refuses to provide?

Kinda makes one wonder what else there is that we don't know.

2000 was 12 years ago. So long as the IRS accepted his tax return as valid, why should anybody care what we don't know about what was on it. Mitt doesn't deny he was a registered lobbyist. Why would it be necessary to see his tax return to confirm that? We CAN see WHY he had to register as a lobbyist in order to do what he agreed to do for the Olympics.

The ONLY Presidential people who have EVER released tax returns going back as far as Obama and Biden have done is purely to force the hand of others opposing them. And nobody gives a tinkers damn about how Obama made his money in 2000. But we WOULD like to know how he funded his college education and how he, as a mediocre student, got into those fancy, mega expensive, prestigious schools. And he isn't telling. Why?

 

[kaz]

It stands to reason that he would have to list himself as a lobbyist on his tax returns for the year 2000, and isn't that one of the years he refuses to provide?

Kinda makes one wonder what else there is that we don't know.

Three questions:

1) You're asking what we "don't" know, but what "do" you know? What did he do that you object to? exactly?

2) What exactly should having registered as a "lobbyist" disqualify him from exactly? Running for President? Serving in the government? What is your proposition exactly?

3) Why should he not have lobbied for the Olympics? Is that bad? I would personally change the system and not have our government involved at all. But at least our government compared to almost any other comparable one helps the team very little already. I'm not clear what you are opposed to exactly. You're a liberal, why do you object to lobbying for the Olympics?

 

[buckeye45_73]

I notice you didn't answer the question. Did you know that Romney was once a registered lobbyist?

I didn't. But it kinda makes sense..given that he has advocated for hitting the government up for all sorts of money.

And said he knew how to do it.

It stands to reason that he would have to list himself as a lobbyist on his tax returns for the year 2000, and isn't that one of the years he refuses to provide?

Kinda makes one wonder what else there is that we don't know.

OMG he's a lobbyist, just like every democrat in the US

 

[buckeye45_73]

Ok lets clarify this discussion, Are you liberals saying that it's bad to be a lobbyist? If not what are you talking about?

 

[Mustang]

I didn't. But it kinda makes sense..given that he has advocated for hitting the government up for all sorts of money.

And said he knew how to do it.

It stands to reason that he would have to list himself as a lobbyist on his tax returns for the year 2000, and isn't that one of the years he refuses to provide?

Kinda makes one wonder what else there is that we don't know.

2000 was 12 years ago. So long as the IRS accepted his tax return as valid, why should anybody care what we don't know about what was on it. Mitt doesn't deny he was a registered lobbyist. Why would it be necessary to see his tax return to confirm that? We CAN see WHY he had to register as a lobbyist in order to do what he agreed to do for the Olympics.

The ONLY Presidential people who have EVER released tax returns going back as far as Obama and Biden have done is purely to force the hand of others opposing them. And nobody gives a tinkers damn about how Obama made his money in 2000. But we WOULD like to know how he funded his college education and how he, as a mediocre student, got into those fancy, mega expensive, prestigious schools. And he isn't telling. Why?

Start a thread on it if you're all worked up about it.

I just find it odd that Romney is trying so hard to conceal so much about his professional past regarding how he made (and makes) his money. That includes when he really left Bain. It includes why they continued to pay him a salary after he supposedly left and had no role in running the company. And it includes his overseas bank accounts, as well. His tax returns seem to be at the center of it, and they could answer a lot of questions that he's seemingly completely unwilling to provide.

Now, has a nominee for any major political party ever been a registered lobbyist prior to running for president? Perhaps, but I've never heard of it. It seems to me that this is possibly just one MORE thing that Romney is trying to conceal by not releasing his tax returns.

 

[MeBelle]

I notice you didn't answer the question. Did you know that Romney was once a registered lobbyist?

I didn't. But it kinda makes sense..given that he has advocated for hitting the government up for all sorts of money.

And said he knew how to do it.

It stands to reason that he would have to list himself as a lobbyist on his tax returns for the year 2000, and isn't that one of the years he refuses to provide?

Kinda makes one wonder what else there is that we don't know.

Not if he didn't get paid!

 

[kaz]

I just find it odd that Romney is trying so hard to conceal so much about his professional past regarding how he made (and makes) his money

He was head of the committee and was REQUIRED to register as a lobbyist to do his job. What is that "trying so hard to conceal" exactly?

Basically, you have:

lobbyist



lobbyist



lobbyist



Typical liberal, intellectual eight year old without the innocence of actually being eight.

 

[Wacky Quacky]

How many people care?

I care. Just as much as I cared about gingrich being a lobbyist, and about Obama flat out lying about not letting lobbyists in his administration.

Not that I was going to vote for that limp windsock anyways. But it re-affirms why I won't vote for him. He's just another insider sleeze that will keep america headed towards that cliff.

 

[Foxfyre]

I didn't. But it kinda makes sense..given that he has advocated for hitting the government up for all sorts of money.

And said he knew how to do it.

It stands to reason that he would have to list himself as a lobbyist on his tax returns for the year 2000, and isn't that one of the years he refuses to provide?

Kinda makes one wonder what else there is that we don't know.

Not if he didn't get paid!

He did get paid, and it is a matter of record that he donated every penny of what he got paid and then some. He didn't keep a dime for himself, nor did he turn in an expense report for any of his out of pocket expenses.

The left of course cannot admire that nor appreciate it. They are digging for any dirt they can find to demonize him. We know more about Mitt Romney's ENTIRE past than we have known about any President in my memory, and that is a looooooong memory now. But they won't rest until they can find some dirt somewhere, and if they don't find any, they'll make it up.

 

[Soggy in NOLA]

How many people care?

I care. Just as much as I cared about gingrich being a lobbyist, and about Obama flat out lying about not letting lobbyists in his administration.

Not that I was going to vote for that limp windsock anyways. But it re-affirms why I won't vote for him. He's just another insider sleeze that will keep america headed towards that cliff.

Whatever....

 

[Mustang]

I didn't. But it kinda makes sense..given that he has advocated for hitting the government up for all sorts of money.

And said he knew how to do it.

It stands to reason that he would have to list himself as a lobbyist on his tax returns for the year 2000, and isn't that one of the years he refuses to provide?

Kinda makes one wonder what else there is that we don't know.

Not if he didn't get paid!

I considered that. After all, Romney was a wealthy man and didn't really need another income stream. And frankly, I would be considerably more likely to believe that if it it wasn't for the fact that Romney has parked a great deal of his money off shore, seemingly in an attempt to avoid US taxes.

Additionally, let's consider what a lobbyist does. He's employed to get a favorable outcome (and a financial windfall in the form of US tax dollars, in the case of a successful Olympic bid) for his employer.

So, what kind of deals were made? I ask because the role of a lobbyist is completely different from the role that Romney later played as the CEO of the Olympic Organizing Committee.

 

[California Girl]

How many people know that Boiking vowed to keep lobbyists off his staff and out of the Oval Office?

How many lobbyists are in his Administration now? I quit counting at 50.

 

[Mustang]

It stands to reason that he would have to list himself as a lobbyist on his tax returns for the year 2000, and isn't that one of the years he refuses to provide?

Kinda makes one wonder what else there is that we don't know.

Not if he didn't get paid!

He did get paid, and it is a matter of record that he donated every penny of what he got paid and then some. He didn't keep a dime for himself, nor did he turn in an expense report for any of his out of pocket expenses.

The left of course cannot admire that nor appreciate it. They are digging for any dirt they can find to demonize him. We know more about Mitt Romney's ENTIRE past than we have known about any President in my memory, and that is a looooooong memory now. But they won't rest until they can find some dirt somewhere, and if they don't find any, they'll make it up.

You may be confusing Romney's job as a lobbyist with his other role as the CEO of the Olympic Organizing Committee.

 

[MeBelle]

It stands to reason that he would have to list himself as a lobbyist on his tax returns for the year 2000, and isn't that one of the years he refuses to provide?

Kinda makes one wonder what else there is that we don't know.

Not if he didn't get paid!

I considered that. After all, Romney was a wealthy man and didn't really need another income stream. And frankly, I would be considerably more likely to believe that if it it wasn't for the fact that Romney has parked a great deal of his money off shore, seemingly in an attempt to avoid US taxes.

Additionally, let's consider what a lobbyist does. He's employed to get a favorable outcome (and a financial windfall in the form of US tax dollars, in the case of a successful Olympic bid) for his employer.

So, what kind of deals were made? I ask because the role of a lobbyist is completely different from the role that Romney later played as the CEO of the Olympic Organizing Committee.

Wasn't all that money Romney parked off shore, after he paid taxes on it, made while he worked at Bain?
Romney didn't draw a salary while he was Governor of Mass either.

I used to work for a trade association, who was at one time attempting to get the Olympics to the state I lived in. All of the Execs had to be registered lobbyists. It does not mean any of us would have made any 'windfall' had the bid been successful.

You should research how Olympics are funded.

 

[WillowTree]

Maybe this is one of the reasons why Romney doesn't want to release his tax returns.

Mitt Romney Registered As Lobbyist For Salt Lake City Olympics


WASHINGTON -- Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney loves to talk about his role salvaging the 2002 scandal-tarnished Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. It's one of the only items on his resume that he will discuss without hesitation. He's so proud of the accomplishment, he wrote a book about it called "Turnaround: Crisis, Leadership, And The Olympic Games."
His Olympics success was pivotal in his winning run for Massachusetts governor in 2002, and it may turn out to be just as important in his current campaign for the presidency. It's why he plans on cheering from the good seats when the opening ceremonies commence for the summer games in London this week.


But when it comes to the retelling of his Olympics story, Romney never mentions the L word. Lobbyist.


Romney wasn't just the head of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee. Romney was also a registered lobbyist for the organization, Utah state records show.


Romney last worked as a lobbyist on Dec. 31, 2000, according to a spokesman for the state lieutenant governor, who oversees the registry.

we don't give a shit we iz voting for him anyways.

 

[Wry Catcher]

How many people know that Boiking vowed to keep lobbyists off his staff and out of the Oval Office?

It's amazing how you seem to hate the President of the United States. Do you know why you are so critical of him? Is it the obvious, you hate him because he's of African heritage and deep down resent a man of color elected to the office of president?

What has he done to incite such anger in you? Obviously such rancor isn't normal unless there was a personal affront, so unless he slapped you down it's likely you have no answer on a conscious level.

Have you considered your station in life, that you are not nearly as successful as he, and the embarrassment you feel has caused you to blame him? Of course on some level you would understand the unreasonableness of such an emotion, though being brainwashed by others who hold the same prejudgments may give you the false sense of sanity.