First things first. After my last diary was placed in 'Trolls", I vowed to never diary again. I'm watching the polls and the other outward signs here in Florida that the POTUS is slipping here. Folks are placing blame on the debate, Romney's lies, etc, etc. I'm going to tell you what's happening as I see it.
I am a registered 'No Party Affiliation' voter here in Florida. I almost always vote for the Democrat in the race, so deride my registration choice if you please, but it's not relevant to this election. This election cycle I have donated to the President's reelection fund, much more abundantly than I have ever donated to any candidate in history ( note, a period of poverty that lasted years made some years devoid of any contributions). Anyway, as a NPA registered voter, I am the 'target' that both sides should be courting for votes in this very divided partisan swing state where the 'independents' and the 'undecideds' (I'm not), will probably decide who takes the state.
Each and every day I get a pile of crap in my mailbox from the far right trying to sway my vote with lies and mischaracterizations of the President's record. I have yet to receive one, JUST ONE, mailer from any group supporting the President or from the Presidents own campaign, except for reactions to my contributions asking for more funding (which I understand). So, if I am just like every other NPA voter in this swing state of Florida, I have to ask "What the hell?"
Daily I get mailers from a group named 'Americans for Tax Reform'. Sounds innocuous, right? Can you say Grover Norquist?
Americans for Tax Reform
1920 L Street NW - Suite 200
Washington DC 20036
Website: www.atr.org
Established: Americans for Tax Reform was founded in the mid-80s inside the Reagan White House. Norquist was tapped to head the group as an in-house operation to build support for the 1986 tax reform bill.
President/Executive Director: Grover Norquist
Finances: $3,912,958 (2004); ATR is a 501(c)(4) organization.
Florida is full of seniors. Norquist's front group's most prevalent lie? That Obama robbed $716 Billion from medicare. Their slick mailers highlight 'quotes' from reputable news sources but when you actually follow them back, you find that some right wing propagandist has been successful in stating a republican talking point as 'fact' and getting it quoted in that source that Norquist's group now publishes as a 'fact' from the reputable source: hence, people believe it! Or worse yet, one of the right wing's 'think tanks' did a 'study' and got traction in the news about it and they cite that as a 'fact'.
ATR is not just attacking Obama here, either, it's lying and attacking Senator Bill Nelson with the same lies and the same tactics.
Norquist is getting away with lying to the swing voters in Florida and apparently is not even being challenged with anything by anyone to refute his lies. Why? What the hell? Obama For America, are you listening? Democrats are you listening? Do you know what type of crap is being placed in the mailboxes of voters you need every day? Lies that apparently you don't even try to refute?
Ok. I'm done now. For all of those who did label me a 'Troll ' after my last diary causing me to vow to you that I would never diary again, apologies. This had to be exposed and needs confrontation NOW. I'll go back under my bridge now.
Do nothing if you wish, but here's who is getting away with lying to the voters the President needs to be persuading.
Romney's hatchet men.
UPDATE: here's a good reference to the most recent polls here, and I'll 'plug' another diarist:
Friday Swing State Polls Analysis