David Corn says this is just the first wave of Bain exposures

[grasswire]

He said there is a treasure trove of more scandal in the sub-contracts and filings. He expects more "waves" of trouble for Mitt.

Said on MSNBC tonight.

[malaise]

1. Butter?

[TheCowsCameHome]

5. Brrraaaaaaaaaaaaaap!!!!! - 'scuse me.

OD'd on popcorn lately.

This is too good.

[malaise]

20. Seriously this is delish

I can't get enough Bain since it causes ReTHUGs so much pain

[snappyturtle]

45. I'm a sculptor and I am constantly cleaning my hands to get on

my laptop to see what has happened now! This Bain thing just keeps on
giving....wonderful! I'm addicted!

edit...spelling

[DJ13]

11. Buttered Corn?

[malaise]

23. Enjoy

[Aerows]

18. Yes please

I like a lot of butter, and it appears that we will be feasting on popcorn for weeks to come

[malaise]

24. Feast away

[Gold Metal Flake]

47. Don't forget this...

[Yavin4]

74. Can We Get A More Healthy Snack

Some of us are on a diet.

[juajen]

75. Popcorn is the healthiest snack around. Even real butter on top is not bad. New findings

support what I have believed for a long time. Butter gets a bad rap. I grew up on a farm and all our milk products were "plus cream". We were all super healthy, with great teeth, and slim. We also had a lot of biscuits and butter and honey. Even today, I will allow nothing but real butter in my kitchen.

[demwing]

82. Eating lots of buttered biscuits is cool when you work on a farm

when you work in a cubicle it's freaking dangerous

[riderinthestorm]

2. Only if he releases his returns. He will never do that. Its a moot point. nt

[MannyGoldstein]

7. Bain's record is public knowledge

This will go on for months. Grabbing the pension funds of companies they invaded will be the last and best disclosure, I suspect.

[riderinthestorm]

14. I sincerely hope you are right but the American public is going to latch onto sound bites

easy, convenient ones....

This is the latest Facebook meme...
"Apparently I'm supposed to be more outraged by what Mitt Romney does with his money than what Obama does with mine."

This was said at a rMoney town hall a day or so ago and its caught fire. The ignoramuses can't be bothered to actually learn the truth - this is what the Bain scandal has been distilled down to, for them.

We can argue til we're blue, but the counter point is racing down the wires as we speak. I hate that but the Rethug message machine is very, very effective.

[MannyGoldstein]

30. Obama's message machine is also extraordinary when

it's fighting for Obama personally.

[yardwork]

43. A lot of people are morans, but who trusts somebody who is obviously hiding things?

Eventually this is going to hurt Romney. It's not going to go away.

[treestar]

44. Answer to that one:

What is Mitt going to do with yours?

[LiberalFighter]

50. Better yet

Which Romney offshore tax haven will he scarf up your money into? Cayman?

[MissMarple]

69. You guys are very good.

Sometimes you just have to paint them a very personal picture.

[WinstonSmith4740]

54. And the answer is...

So what has Obama done with the fewer tax dollars you're paying that outrages you so much?

These knuckle draggers have bought into the meme that we somehow hate Romney because he's rich. Since those of us here actually have functioning brain cells, and can think on deeper levels, we know that it's not his money we resent. I don't think anyone here resents rich people. Speaking strictly for myself of course, if there's anything I resent, it's how he made it, and how he and the rest of the 1% profess such a love of this country, and then spend a huge amount of money avoiding giving anything back. He talks of how he longed to join the fight in 'Nam, but in Washington there's a memorial to 58,000 men and women who did go, whether they "longed to" or not. He has 5 sons, all of whom were of age when Junior got us involved in 2 stupid wars, but he felt the best way they can "serve" their country is by helping him get elected president. People are still losing their homes, and the simple-minded rightie's think we resent his elevators for his cars?

I try to avoid hating anyone...it's a wasted emotion, and karma can be a bitch. But hypocrisy makes me crazy, and this current crop of repubs pretty much have brought it to levels here to for unseen. Like I said, karma can be a bitch, so I have to hold on to the belief that it will someday jump up and bite the likes of Romney in the ass. Let's just make sure it happens this November.

[Blue_Roses]

57. well said!

[Blue_Roses]

56. My response to that

would be:
"taking millions in jobs and pensions from Americans,only to shift them overseas, DOES concern THOSE who lost THEIR $$$ to Mittons."

And there are many more where that comes from.

[lunatica]

64. this message isn't directed to the Mitt base

It's directed to the rest of the Americans who hardly pay attention but who will come away with a vague idea that Mitt is some kind of shady crooked character who ships jobs overseas for personal gain.

Most people have very little grasp of the facts. But they do pick up on generalizations. Bombarding them with these ads will do the trick.

[demwing]

83. So respond: "How can you trust Romney with our taxes

when you can't trust him with his own?"

[SunSeeker]

86. But Mitt did use our money. He stole those pension funds and made taxpayers make up the difference.

See, here's the thing about Republican talking points: they're LIES. Just like the lying liar that lies them: Romney.

[TheCowsCameHome]

10. He will have to if the heat gets turned up.

Even the (R)s are beginning to be suspicious of what he's hiding.

[jaysunb]

13. No can do !

He'll quite the race before he will. My firm belief

[TheCowsCameHome]

17. That's a good option.

I could support that.

Think of the chaos it would create.

[lark]

73. Don't go there

The Repugs could annoint someone with a shred of intelligence and charm and we'd have a much deeper fight on our hands. Mittens is a good candidate to run against, he's so very flawed.

[Bjorn Against]

15. Even without tax returns anyone who has made hundreds of millions has a long paper trail

David Corn was the first person to report on the SEC documents, he likely knows a lot that we don't know but he will eventually report it.

[DevonRex]

42. You could tell tonight he's already on

another trail. He is SO excited. He's loving this even more than we are.

[snappyturtle]

46. Even tho he looked tired he's got SO much enthusiasm and a twinkle

that I regard as an indiicator of a lot more to come! He's going to make
certain he's got his ducks in a row. imho

[Honeycombe8]

21. The OP isn't talking about tax returns. It's talking about public filings and contracts. Docs filed

with the SEC and other govt agencies are public (or at least most are), and some contracts are filed of record, or can be obtained from other parties.

[PatSeg]

3. I'm getting the feeling

that there is a lot of "stuff" out there. The uncharacteristic confidence of the Obama campaign tells me that there is a LOT of shit and they are going to release it in painfully torturous doses. The psychological implications for the Romney team are mind-blowing.

Not only are we better, we are RIGHT!

[jaysunb]

16. +1 nt

[DevonRex]

4. Yep. I saw it. Said he and Fineman could

each keep 100 reporters busy for 4 months digging into Romney's dealings just from the info they have now from the 3 articles published - Corn's, the Globe's and Vanity Fair's.

[DJ13]

12. he and Fineman could each keep 100 reporters busy for 4 months digging into Romney's dealings

But we all know that wont happen with our current MSM.

That might involve, you know, actual reporting stuff and real work.

That wont happen.

[DevonRex]

19. It has ALREADY happened. Have you read the

first 3 articles? They're superb. And they're not stopping there. They smell blood in the water. Hell, even Luke Russert asked tough questions this morning and dismissed the Romney rep when she stuttered and hemmed and hawed.

[DJ13]

25. Sure, its a hot story now

But in a couple of weeks after CNN finds another missing woman to fixate on, will they stay focused?

I want investigative news, but Im not sure the MSM does.

[blm]

29. I'd bet everything I own on INSURANCE FRAUD. Romney looted the pension funds knowing federal program

insuring pensions of bankrupt companies and funded by taxpayer dollars would pick up the tab.

INSURANCE FRAUD. And that's just ONE company. How many others did he pull this exact same fraud on the American people?

[B Calm]

36. Looting workers pension funds

is standard practice in vulture capitalism. Wouldn't surprise me one bit if Bain did that.

[snappyturtle]

48. Did you see the Dem ad with the former steel worker?

That man said that Bain destroyed pensions and pension insurance programs.
What did Bain do with the existing pension funds?Inquiring minds want to know!

[DevonRex]

39. You just might be onto something there.

One thing I do know is that this is way bigger than what has come out so far.

I have never seen a campaign so confident before. Have you? There is definitely a there there and probably several theres.

Corn is right. This is the first wave and he is determined to pursue his wherever it leads. We already have 3 countries involved: China, South Korea and Iran - just in companies that Bain owned overseas. The first 2 took American jobs. The 3rd is a chemical company in Tehran (doesn't exactly fit his constituency does it?).

Then there are the Cayman Islands, Bermuda, and Switzerland that we know of where he shelters his money from taxes.

He wants smaller government, doesn't pay his fair share of taxes, yet WE pick up the tab in the form of government insurance to pay the pensions for the employees of the companies he looted with borrowed money with hardly ANY investment of his own. If it's not illegal on its face it's certainly unethical and is exactly the opposite of what he claims to believe now. HE is the fraud even if we can't prove specific transactions were fraudulent. But hopefully we can. Great idea, you!!

[antigop]

67. NO! NO! NO! The taxpayer DOES NOT PICK UP THE TAB FOR GOVERNMENT INSURANCE (PBGC)

You said: "WE pick up the tab in the form of government insurance to pay the pensions for the employees of the companies he looted."

http://www.pbgc.gov/about/how-pbgc-operates.html

PBGC receives no funds from general tax revenues. Operations are financed by insurance premiums set by Congress and paid by sponsors of defined benefit plans, investment income, assets from pension plans trusteed by PBGC, and recoveries from the companies formerly responsible for the plan

Taxpayers DO NOT pick up a pension fund shortfall.

[blm]

72. wel, all and all, the consumer is still paying for it in added costs to their insurance premiums

because we know damn sure the insurance companies wouldn't take a hit without letting consumers be the ones to feel the pain.

And a wise person observed that ALL fraud comes down on the taxpayer.

[antigop]

78. once again, the PBGC IS NOT FUNDED BY TAXPAYERS. It's on the PBGC website. n/t

[antigop]

79. the companies with defined benefit pension plans pay the premiums to the PBGC.

It's right there on the link to the PBGC website. (Post #67)

[antigop]

68. the PBGC is NOT FUNDED by taxpayer dollars. I keep trying to tell DU'ers this fact. n/t

[blm]

71. ALL fraud affects the taxpayers. Plus....The article said he socialized the losses.

Did insurance cover the pensions or not?

[antigop]

77. the PBGC covers pensions of bankrupt companies. IT IS NOT FUNDED BY TAXPAYERS!

It is funded by the companies that have defined benefit pension plans. The companies pay the premiums to the PBGC.

I linked to the PBGC website. (Post #67)

I have tried to tell DU'ers over and over that this is how the PBGC works. The taxpayers DO NOT pay the premiums -- the companies who have pensions pay the premiums.

[antigop]

81. Companies pay premiums to PBGC. And the recently passed highway bill increased those premiums.

http://www.pensionrights.org/issues/legislation/pension-provisions-hr-4348-%E2%80%93-moving-ahead-progress-21st-century-map-21-act#premiums

Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation premiums

The Act increased premiums paid by traditional pension plans to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), the federal agency that insures most private pension plans. The flat-rate premium for single-employer plans will increase from $35 per participant to $42 in 2013, $49 in 2014, and will be indexed for inflation in subsequent years. The variable-rate premium, now $9 for each $1,000 of unfunded vested benefits, will be indexed for inflation beginning in 2013 and increased by $4 in 2014 and $5 in 2015. The total variable premium for any plan year will be capped at $400 (indexed) per participant.

For multiemployer plans, the premium will increase from $9 to $12 per participant beginning in 2015 and then indexed to inflation thereafter.

[demwing]

84. So then the Companies pay a higher premium - and guess what that means?

the revenue loss gets pass covered by higher costs or lower wages.

We pay for it, one way or another...

[antigop]

87. but taxpayers don't pay for premiums -- which is what several DU'ers have claimed n/t

[antigop]

89. not necessarily when it comes to pensions...the EMPLOYEES may pay for it, but not necessarily the

general public/taxpayer.

[blm]

85. I do get that, and thanks for posting it I'll correct my wording, but costs ALWAYS get passed on

to the consumers. ALWAYS.

[antigop]

88. not necessarily...in this case the employees may take the brunt..not the general public/taxpayer.

[Blue_Roses]

59. I missed the Vanity Fair article...

Got a link?

[DevonRex]

61. Here it is.

http://m.vanityfair.com/politics/2012/08/investigating-mitt-romney-offshore-accounts

[HipChick]

6. Oh..this is going to be fun..

Drip..Drip..Drip

[Rosa Luxemburg]

8. Like a smugglers cove

aye aye m'hearties!

[BumRushDaShow]

9. Earlier Sharpton said that there were at least 134 documents that Rmoney signed

on behalf of Bain after 1999.

[KaryninMiami]

22. It's not surprising- look how confident the Obama team is

There is more- and I'll bet David Corn isn't the only one who knows some of what is to come. The Obama team has been working on beating Romney for over a year now. Remember that this is the team that beat the Clintons. It may feel like it took an extremely long time for them to begin to officially launch the battle but my guess is this is going to be one, excitingly juicy, popcorn filled ride. Hang on tight- things are just beginning to unravel.

[Blue_Roses]

58. My guess from the way Obama handled bin laden

with such expertise and secrecy, is that they've been holding on to this ripe info for awhile, just waiting for the right moment.

One thing that continues to baffle me is how Obama always seems to be three steps ahead, without playing his hand. That's a good chess player and I would rather have someone like this as my president than one who flys off half-cocked, hanging by the seat of his pants.

[pa28]

26. That's why you push. Peel away one layer of bones in the closet and find another.

Soon you've got a storyline that defines Romney in the eyes of the public and when you are going to be outspent 2:1 being soft is not an option.

[Marie Marie]

27. Oh thank you Mitt.

I haven't had this much fun reading the news since the Presidential election results of 2008.

[jillan]

34. Agreed :D

[randome]

28. "Bain, Bain, Bain, Bain, eatin' Romney's Bain."

"Goodness how delicious! Eatin' Romney's Bain!"

[jillan]

31. It's so nice to be on the giving side for a change.

I'm in my mid 50's and all I can remember is the Democrats having to take it.

This is so much better

[creeksneakers2]

41. The Obama campaign gets it

The only way to stop the Republican smear machine is to keep them on defense all the time.

I'm waiting for later in the election, when all of the things about Romney are tied to his proposed policies. "You paid 13% and you think guys like you are paying too much?"

[lindysalsagal]

52. True. Crazy birther-esque crap won't fly if it's seen as retaliation or the Bain exposure.

This stuff makes it difficult to find voice boxes willing to go on the attack.

[NRaleighLiberal]

32. Kernels of truth from Corn! We are all ears!

(he says in his husk-y voice)

[Blue_In_AK]

37. Groan...

[NRaleighLiberal]

38. I know. I just like puns. guilty!

[nc4bo]

80. oh no. NRaleigh - that was some kind of corny there.

But I must admit that .

[B Calm]

33. I'm curious to know how much corporate welfare

Bain got through the years.

[ailsagirl]

35. David Corn is a very respected author, journalist, and researcher. Bring it on, David! nt

[DallasNE]

40. That Makes Sense

A good tactician would always hold back material in order to keep the story active. I expect it may expand to examine Romney's contract with the Olympic Committee and whether conflicts of interest were resolved in a manner consistent with the contract, what States Romney paid State income taxes and whether he shopped for the cheapest rate and where he voted those same years. Indeed, whether he met the residency requirement to run for Governor of Massachuttes. If some of what is uncovered turns out to be criminal then that is just icing on the cake. Romney's troubles, in other words, are just beginning.

[Octafish]

49. Caribou Barbie is a stalking moose.

[flamingdem]

51. We love you David Corn: even if people tire of this it keeps Mitt off balance

[Marr]

53. I don't understand why this didn't come out in the primaries.

They were all clawing each other apart.

[WinstonSmith4740]

55. Because they were all repugs,

and they think avoiding taxes is patriotic.

[Harley Jacobson]

60. TALK ABOUT BAIN'S OWNERSHIP OF TALK RADIO

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/05/26/1095014/-Bain-Capital-and-Mitt-Romney-s-Best-Kept-Secret-Clear-Channel-Radio

[Overseas]

63. Clear Channel! All that right wing radio. I didn't realize.

[JCMach1]

62. Bane Capital

It should have been called.

[Dalai_1]

65. David Corn

has really been a great surrogate .....his research and reporting
has been great!

[mwb970]

66. Corn is generally right about things.

If he says there's more, there's more.

[ArnoldLayne]

70. I liked it when David Corn said "Kind of like the DDay Normandy Invasion". And someone said David

you would have been a Paratrooper the night before the invasion.

[nichomachus]

76. Can we now pronounce Mitt terminally "Bain Damaged?"