So remember when Mitt Romney produced his super secret, 14 year old audio recording of then State Senator Barack Obama announcing that he supported some wealth re-distribution with the aim of giving everyone a “fair shot?” The audio tape pretty much hit the ground with a dull thud. After all, Obama wasn’t really saying anything more radical than that he supported such things as public education, pre-natal care, garbage collection, police and firefighters (all tax funded programs which are, by definition, possible only thanks to income re-distribution).

Well, it turns out that another politician has an old audio tape floating around, and that man is a fella by the name of Paul Ryan. Only this tape is not quite as old. It’s from 2005, and it was delivered to a gathering of Ayn Rand followers. And if you suspect that Ryan’s not quite so hot on income-redistribution you’d be right. Listen in rapt wonder as Ryan explains that Social Security is “a collectivist system, a welfare transfer system” and issues a thinly veiled call for the program’s privatization: Read more »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKfH_E-NsFQ

[via Political Wire]

“This morning, Gov. and Mrs. Romney filed their 2011 tax return with the IRS. At 3:00pm today, the Romney for President campaign will be posting the 2011 return online… Also posted will be a notarized letter from the Romneys’ tax preparer, PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP (PWC), giving a summary of tax rates from the Romneys’ tax returns for the 20-year period of 1990-2009.” [Romney for President]

“Paul Ryan drew boos speaking to the AARP by attacking ‘Obamacare’ and pledging to repeal it… Ryan was booed repeatedly as he continued to attack the bill, especially after he said the law ‘turned Medicare into a piggy bank for Obamacare.'” [TPM]

“Stop it. This is hard. You want to try it? Get in the ring. This is hard and, you know, it’s an important thing that we’re doing right now, and it’s an important election, and it is time for all Americans to realize how significant this election is and how lucky we are to have someone with Mitt’s qualifications and experience and know-how to be able to have the opportunity to run this country.” —Ann, the Kinder, Gentler Romney, bitching about GOP backseat drivers. [Radio Iowa]

“Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid interrupted proceedings on the Senate floor to announce there would be no more votes Thursday afternoon… He thinks Republicans were fixing the schedule to allow Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) to use evening votes as an excuse to get out of a debate with Elizabeth Warren.” [TPM]

“Mainstream Republicans have confided in Sen. Chuck Schumer that they intend to regain control of the GOP from the tea party wing if Mitt Romney loses the election, the New York Democrat told reporters Thursday.” [TPM]