Romney Campaign Adopts Square For Transactions

Today the Romney for President campaign announced a convention-wide rollout of Square, the innovative device leading the mobile donation industry.  Square-enabled phones and devices will be used throughout the 2012 Republican National Convention providing a quick and easy way for delegates and visitors to make donations and buy souvenirs with a simple swipe of their credit card on a mobile device.
"We are excited to be the first Presidential campaign to make serious use of Square devices at a major event like a national convention." said Zac Moffatt, Digital Director of the Romney for President campaign.  "More importantly, we are excited to empower a national grassroots movement by providing each attendee the ability to take their Square devices back to their home state and engage with their communities."
The Square feature enables the Romney for President campaign to mobilize supporters of the campaign and empowers them to accept credit and debit card contributions on their mobile device on behalf of their organization.
Once a supporter signs up, they download the free Square Card Reader app and receive a free card reader. When supporters collect payments, funds are deposited in the campaign’s bank account the next business day. The campaign ensures FEC compliance by easily collecting the required information within the app during the contribution process.
Square devices will also be provided to each Victory location.
Visit Online at: www.MittRomney.com/Square

Naked Bike Ride Philly Plans, Route Announced

Here's a special message from the folks at Philly Naked Bike Ride:

Hi there everyone!

We are STOKED for the Philly Naked Bike Ride 2012 happening
THIS SATURDAY, August 25th at 4pm.
Meet at: Pier 53/Washington Avenue Green at the intersection of Washington Avenue and Columbus Boulevard.
There is a small paved area and park there that is part of the Delaware River Bike Trail. It is just south of the U.S. Coast Guard Station. We’ll have signs and flags so you’ll see where it is. The path only allows for bikes to enter, so if you’re driving, see parking advice below.

The route will wind through Center City at a fairly slow pace up to PYT at the Piazza where Tommy Up will be hosting us with an exclusive PNBR Dance Party and drink specials.

Click here to see a map of the route: http://goo.gl/maps/ImYE1

Parking: PNBR recommends that those who absolutely cannot bike or take public transport to the ride use the facebook group to set up carpools: https://www.facebook.com/groups/phillynbr/10151253413039892/?comment_id=10151257388674892&notif_t=group_activity
Otherwise, you can park at these untimed/unmetered spots:
The Piazza parking lot at 2nd and American streets.
Under I-95, between Wharton and Mifflin streets and Front and Water streets. Entrances are on Reed, Dickinson, Tasker, and Mifflin streets.

For your safety and information:
During the ride, the Medical Team will have red flags and red crosses painted on their backs.
The Street Team (they guide riders and bank traffic) will have orange flags and street lights painted on their backs.
The Mechanical Team will have blue flags and blue wrenches painted on their backs.

Exciting things happening at pre-ride:

Performances by George Urgo and his band http://georgeurgoblues.com/the-george-urgo-band/ and MusicBox Dynamo
https://www.facebook.com/musicboxdynamo http://www.musicboxdynamo.com/  !

Artists to help you get all gussied up for a small donation - they’ll have glitter!
Body Paint Sharing Area - bring a tube or two of tempera or acrylic, swap with people for other colors. Dick Blick has donated some paint for us this year and every year in the past. Show them some love by buying your supplies there: http://www.dickblick.com/stores/pennsylvania/philadelphia/
Mechanical Team providing last minute repairs for a small donation
Official PNBR Bike Lights for $5!
Distribution of info from the Bicycle Coalition of Philadelphia about bike safety and cycling laws
People on hand to answer your questions
Friend-making
Merriment-sharing
Overall joyousness

PNBR Preparedness Checklist:
Shirt (wrap it around your bike seat for added comfort)
Other clothing (tape it to your frame)
Shoes
Water
Sunscreen
A few $ for body painting, lights, mechanical help and drinks or snacks at PYT
A friend
Cell phone
Route
Helmet (not required but encouraged)

There is still time to print some posters and invite your friends! Download posters of various sizes here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/e2vj0bflzlwupww/D5z7ctE1TH

Don’t forget to take advantage of this awesome deal from WashCycle Laundry: Get 50% your first delivery when you go here: https://secure.washcyclelaundry.com/registrations/new and use the coupon code "phillynakedbikes". WashCycle will donate 5% of the proceeds to PNBR! 

We can’t wait to see you on Saturday!

Much love,
The Philly Naked Bike Ride

Under Obama Income Fell For Almost Everyone

HOW OBAMANOMICS FAILED: American incomes declined more in the three-year period that was supposed to mark our "recovery" from the Great Recession than during the period preceding it.
Median household income fell 4.8 percent on an inflation- adjusted basis since June 2009, more than the 2.6 percent drop during the 18-months before that, the research firm’s Gordon Green and John Coder wrote in a report today. Household income is 7.2 percent below the December 2007 level, the former Census Bureau economic statisticians wrote.
“Almost every group is worse off than it was three years ago, and some groups had very large declines in income,” Green, who previously directed work on the Census Bureau’s income and poverty statistics program, today. “We’re in an unprecedented period of economic stagnation.”

Jews Who Voted For Obama Express Buyers Remorse

One in a series of ads by the Republican Jewish Coalition, highlighting the real stories of real people who give voice to the nagging doubts that many in the Jewish community feel about President Obama.

The REAL Issue: Obamanomics Has Failed

“In President Obama’s imaginary recovery the ‘middle class is coming back’ and the ‘private sector is doing fine.’ But struggling families aren’t living in the same world, with stagnant unemployment, shrinking household incomes, and a crippling national debt that will burden the next generation. As president, Mitt Romney will actually deliver a middle-class recovery with 12 million new jobs and higher take-home pay.” – Ryan Williams, Romney Campaign Spokesman

After Nearly Four Years In Office, The Obama-Biden Team Thinks “The Middle Class Is Coming Back” And “The Private Sector Is Doing Fine”:

Vice President Joe Biden: “The Middle Class Is Coming Back.” BIDEN: “Folks, the middle class is coming back, they have been ravaged. They have been ravaged. But they are starting to come back.” (Vice President Joe Biden, Remarks At A Campaign Event, Minneapolis, MN, 8/21/12)

President Obama: “The Private Sector Is Doing Fine.” (President Barack Obama, Press Conference, Washington, DC, 6/8/12)

But Middle-Class Americans Are Suffering In A “Lost Decade” With Falling Incomes And Fewer Jobs:

Jobless Claims “Climbed Last Week To A One-Month High, Showing Little Progress In The Labor Market.” “The number of Americans filing applications for unemployment benefits climbed last week to a one-month high, showing little progress in the labor market. Jobless claims rose by 4,000 for a second week to reach 372,000 in the period ended Aug. 18 … The four-week moving average, a less volatile measure, increased to 368,000. … ‘It’s still very sluggish, and growth itself is implying we should not see any acceleration in hiring at this point,’ Yelena Shulyatyeva, a U.S. economist at BNP Paribas in New York, said before the report. … The Labor Department revised the previous week’s figure up to 368,000 from an initially reported 366,000.” (“Jobless Claims In U.S. Climb For Second Week To One-Month High,” Bloomberg, 8/23/12)

• CBO: “The Unemployment Rate Will Stay Above 8 Percent For The Rest Of The Year…” “The unemployment rate will stay above 8 percent for the rest of the year, CBO estimates, and the rate of inflation in consumer prices will remain low.” (“An Update To The Budget And Economic Outlook: Fiscal Years 2012 To 2022,” Congressional Budget Office, 8/22/12)

Pew Research: “The Middle Class Has Shrunk In Size, Fallen Backward In Income And Wealth…” “Since 2000, the middle class has shrunk in size, fallen backward in income and wealth, and shed some—but by no means all—of its characteristic faith in the future.” (“The Lost Decade Of The Middle Class,” Pew Research, 8/22/12)

• “For The First Time Since The End Of World War II, Mean Family Incomes Declined For Americans In All Income Tiers.” “Their downbeat take on their economic situation comes at the end of a decade in which, for the first time since the end of World War II, mean family incomes declined for Americans in all income tiers. But the middle-income tier—defined in this Pew Research analysis as all adults whose annual household income is two-thirds to double the national median —is the only one that also shrunk in size, a trend that has continued over the past four decades.” (“The Lost Decade Of The Middle Class,” Pew Research Center, 8/22/12)

“The Great Recession Officially Ended Three Years Ago, But Most Middle-Class Americans Are Still Feeling Pinched.” (“The Lost Decade Of The Middle Class,” Pew Research Center, 8/22/12)

42 Percent Of Middle-Class Adults Say Their Household’s Financial Situation Is Worse Now Than It Was Before The Recession. “The downbeat short-term perspective is not surprising in light of the heavy economic blows delivered by the Great Recession of 2007-2009 and the sluggish recovery since. About four-in-ten (42%) middle-class adults say their household’s financial situation is worse now than it was before the recession, while 32% say they are in better shape; an additional 23% volunteered that their finances are unchanged.” (“The Lost Decade Of The Middle Class,” Pew Research Center, 8/22/12)

“After Commencement, A Growing Number Young People Say They Have No Choice But To Take Low-Skilled Jobs…” “After four years of college, many graduates are ending up in jobs that only require the ability to operate a cash register with a smile. After commencement, a growing number young people say they have no choice but to take low-skilled jobs, according to a survey released this week. And while 63% of ‘Generation Y’ workers — those age 18 to 29 — have a bachelor’s degree, the majority of the jobs taken by graduates don’t require one, according to an online survey of 500,000 young workers carried out between July 2011 and July 2012 by PayScale.com, a company that collects data on salaries.” (Quentin Fottrell, “Trading Caps And Gowns For Mops,” Market Watch, 8/22/12)

President Obama’s Overspending And Skyrocketing Debt Will Leave Trillions Of Dollars That The Next Generation Will Be Forced To Repay:

“The Federal Budget Deficit For Fiscal Year 2012 … Will Total $1.1 Trillion … Marking The Fourth Year In A Row With A Deficit Of More Than $1 Trillion.” “The federal budget deficit for fiscal year 2012 (which ends on September 30) will total $1.1 trillion, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates, marking the fourth year in a row with a deficit of more than $1 trillion.” (“An Update To The Budget And Economic Outlook: Fiscal Years 2012 To 2022,” Congressional Budget Office, 8/22/12)

Federal Debt Held By The Public Will Reach The Highest Levels Since The 1950s. “Federal debt held by the public will reach 73 percent of GDP by the end of this fiscal year—the highest level since 1950 and about twice the 36 percent of GDP that it measured at the end of 2007, before the financial crisis and recent recession.” (“An Update To The Budget And Economic Outlook: Fiscal Years 2012 To 2022,” Congressional Budget Office, 8/22/12)

And What About The Private Sector? Business Owners Are Burdened By More Regulations And Greater Uncertainty In The Obama Economy:

Regulations Are Reducing Manufacturing Output By As Much As $500 Billion, Casting “Doubts On President Barack Obama’s Efforts To Trim Red Tape In The Federal Government.” “Regulations on U.S. manufacturing may reduce output by as much as $500 billion this year, according to an industry-sponsored study that cast doubts on President Barack Obama’s efforts to trim red tape in the federal government.” (Brian Wingfield, “Rules Reduce U.S. Manufacturing By $500 Billion: Study,” Bloomberg Businessweek, 8/21/12)

“The ‘Cost Of Health Insurance’ Continues As The Number One Small-Business Problem, A Position It Has Held For 25 Years.” (Holly Wade, “Small Business Problems & Priorities,” National Federation Of Independent Business, 8/12)

Over A Third Of Small-Business Owners Rate “Uncertainty Over Government Actions” As A Critical Concern. “Almost equally challenging for small-business owners is ‘Uncertainty over Government Actions’ which ranks fourth and is critical for 35 percent. In the last four years, the federal government approved legislation to overhaul the financial industry, the healthcare system and promote economic stimulus. The upheaval in policy changes is immense and will continue as the regulatory system works to implement the laws’ directives. In addition to the headline reform efforts, regulators of other government agencies are also broadening rulemaking efforts in areas of employment and the environment.” (Holly Wade, “Small Business Problems & Priorities,” National Federation Of Independent Business, 8/12)

“‘Environmental Regulations’ Leads The List Of Those Problems Moving Up The Ranking…” “‘Environmental Regulations’ leads the list of those problems moving up the ranking with a 20 percentage point climb from the 47th to 27th position. Small-business owners clearly felt the change in regulatory policy over the last four years. The severity of this problem differs greatly by industry, but across the board, all industries rank this issue as more severe than four years ago and find it more critical.” (Holly Wade, “Small Business Problems & Priorities,” National Federation Of Independent Business, 8/12)

Video: Bakery Owner Not Sorry He Spurned Biden

BRAVO! Cardinal Dolan To Speak At GOP Convention

Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, head of the U.S. Catholic bishops' conference, has been invited to offer the closing prayer at the upcoming Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla.

The news was announced by presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney in an exclusive interview with Raymond Arroyo, host of EWTN's news program The World Over.

Cardinal Dolan will give the concluding benediction prayer on August 30, the final night of the GOP convention, where Mitt Romney is slated to accept the presidential nomination for his party.


BTW: Mitt Romney will appear in an exclusive interview on EWTN-TV tonight at 8 PM. Don't miss it!

Chris Christie: Didn't Come Here To Be 'Prom Queen'

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie was in Camden at Rutgers yesterday to sign the landmark Higher Education Reorganization Act and in his own inimitable way, he once again laid it all on the line.
Christie, who caught a lot of heat for his sweeping proposals to merge, consolidate and expand major New Jersey universities and medical schools said he expected all along that his plan would involve a difficult battle.
"I knew this was gonna be tough, " Christie said. "I knew there would be protests. I didn't come here to be elected prom queen."
Christie said he came in with a sweeping proposal but he never expected all of his ideas to become law. "When you have a legislature of the opposite party, you know going in that you're not going to get everything you want," he explained.
Christie noted that other governors before him tried to reorganize higher education in the state and they failed. The Governor said this is why he asked former Governor Tom Kean to chair a broad-based group to help steer the proposal in the right direction. "When I asked Governor Kean what my chances were of getting this adopted, he simply smiled," Christie explained. "We're very grateful to Governor Kean that he once again stepped forward to serve the public."
When asked if there may have been an easier way to accomplish the reorganization, Christie answered "No" and added: "We had to get this done. And I set a July 1 deadline because I knew that July 1 was when the legislature would be going on its summer break."
To students who were upset about all the turmoil that the plan caused, the Governor said: "This is the way life is. Grow up. This is the real world. This is how things get done."
The Governor also took note of the importance of South Jersey and its educational and medical facilities. "I want to assure you that I care every bit as much about this part of the state as I do Central Jersey and North Jersey."
Christie described his relationship with the Democrat legislature this way: "You know, in Washington and in a lot of the states, Democrat and Republican officials fight and they call each other names and they issue press releases." Then the Governor paused. "Well, we do that here too," he added. "But then we sit down and we try to work things out. We work together."
In other matters, the Governor was asked to give a preview of his keynote speech at the GOP convention next week but he demurred. "All I can say it, it's hot and humid in Tampa in August. Can you imagine me down there? I'm gonna need a freezer," Christie joked.
It was a good day for the Governor who shared the triumph with State Senate President Steve Sweeney and others.
We had a chance to chat with the Governor after his remarks and he seemed in high spirits and not the least bit concerned about not getting the call to be Mitt Romney's running mate. He said he is looking forward to keynoting the convention and once again expressed thanks for our (and your) continued support.
Photos copyright 2012 by Dan Cirucci.

Video: Christie Lauds Higher Ed Reorganization

Obama Struggles To Spell O-H-I-O On Campus

TRUE: President Obama needed a do-over to spell “Ohio” correctly on the campus of Ohio State University this week.