Romney Party Yacht Flies Cayman Islands Flag

[Ichingcarpenter]

Source: aBC news

By MATTHEW MOSK (@mattmosk) , BRIAN ROSS (@brianross) , MEGAN CHUCHMACH (@megcourtney) and RHONDA SCHWARTZ
Aug. 29, 2012

Gov. Mitt Romney's campaign toasted its top donors Wednesday aboard a 150-foot yacht flying the flag of the Cayman Islands.

The exclusive event, hosted by a Florida developer on his yacht "Cracker Bay," was one of a dozen exclusive events meant to nurture those who have raised more than $1 million for Romney's bid.


"I think it's ironic they do this aboard a yacht that doesn't even pay its taxes," said a woman who lives aboard a much smaller boat moored at the St. Petersburg Municipal Marina.

Romney's Cayman-based investments have come under fire during the campaign.

The event, attended by no more than 50 people, along with Romney relatives, including older brother Scott, appeared on no public calendars. ABC News obtained a schedule of the Romney campaign's "Victory Council" and waited dockside to speak with members.


Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/romney-party-yacht-flies-cayman-islands-flag/story?id=17105028#.UD5JiY7v3bz

---

I wonder if they paid 13% ?..... This should go well

[Erose999]

1. The yacts name was "Cracker Bay". How appropos, hahahahah

[patrice]

19. he, he . . . ain't poetry great!!

[shawn703]

2. Cracker Bay...

[Berlum]

3. OMG - Willard is flying his Tax Dodge Cayman Island Flag?

Is he going to fly his Republican Draft Dodger Flag as well?

[Roland99]

9. ah ha ha ha!!

[wordpix]

32. "The Castaways from Cracker Bay" starring Tax Dodger Mitt

Perfect Thanks for the psd

[Berlum]

34. Here's the whole Sea-sickening Republican crewe. Newtie is so cute (not) in this

[wordpix]

57. get me the Dramamine!!! blech!!!

[wordpix]

70. who's that on the far right and in front of Mitt far left?

and where is Paul Ryan? He needs to be in there

[skeewee08]

52. I can't stop

Laughing

[Warren Stupidity]

4. Could you imagine if John Kerry hosted a party on a foreign flagged yacht in 2004?

He rode a bicycle and that became an issue.
He sailed a windsurfer and that became an issue.

Will our Glorious Leaders make this idiocy an issue?

I certainly fucking hope so.

[One_Life_To_Give]

7. Where were you hiding?

Did you look on the seaward side of Rhowes Wharf?

[Scairp]

30. It was so much worse than that

Wilgoren of the Times <gag> gave a rundown of dishes and prices on a menu at a restaurant they he wasn't eating at. I could not stop being furious, no matter how many letters to the editor or emails to the ombudsman I sent. They just let her do it. I don't think I will ever get over it. It was appalling.

[Historic NY]

59. They made a big issue when he moved a yacht to N.H. to avoid taxes...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/23/john-kerry-saves-500000-b_n_656985.html

But last I new New Hampshire is part of these Untied States and the Grand Caymans not so much.

[Cali_Democrat]

5. "Cracker Bay"

[NYC_SKP]

40. CRACKER BAY???

[One_Life_To_Give]

6. Don't look in the mirror

RNC is not the only convention to have a bunch of CI registered mega-yachts in attendance.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

8. Photo

[nykym]

10. Seems to be a common practice

among our elected elite.

http://bostonherald.com/track/inside_track/view/20100723senator_skipper_skips_town_on_sails_tax

[freshwest]

11. That's because both parties are just the same, right?

[Ichingcarpenter]

12. The Flag Kerry flies is US not Caymen... its not about the boat

its about his Caymen island bank accounts.

[hughee99]

14. But the big difference is...

Romney doesn't own the boat. Regardless of where it's registered, it wouldn't show up on Rmoney's taxes anywhere, since it's not his boat.

Besides, Kerry was just berthing his boat in RI, and, as a completely coincidental side-effect, getting out of hundreds of thousands of dollars of MA sales and excise taxes as a result.

Actually, that's not fair to say. While Kerry seems to be the user of the boat which was made for him in a foreign country (so much for buy American, I guess), he doesn't actually own it. It's owned, as your article says, by Great Point LLC, which I believe is a trust set up for his wife. In any case, I'm sure that purchasing the boat through the trust instead of personally, and then berthing it in a neighboring state has nothing to do with taxes or finances.

So I guess neither of them owns the boats being discussed, so that's not a difference at all.

[JDPriestly]

16. Kerry is not running on the Democratic ticket for president this year.

Obama is, and Obama does not own a yacht.

The Cayman Islands flag thing is a joke. The point is that not only does Romney hide money in the Caymans, but he even holds a fundraiser on a boat flying the Cayman Islands' flag. It's a joke.

It's the general attitude of the rich including Kerry and his wife toward seeking havens where they can reduce their taxes at a time the nation is planning to cut programs for the poor that is wrong.

In good times, people don't care so much. But please don't talk about cutting Medicare and Medicaid and Pell Grants if you are avoiding paying a fair share of taxes.

[jillan]

18. That's a mighty big AMERICAN flag John Kerry has on his boat.

[wordpix]

35. Great Point LLC owns Kerry's boat? WTF?

What IS that?

[nykym]

42. a Pittsburgh, Pa.-based limited liability company

"Pittsburgh is home to Kerry's ketchup heiress wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry."
SO they put 1 and 1 together and...
Still when we are in the financial pit - shouldn't our elected representatives at least try to look like they are standing with us and not behave like those on the other side of the aisle.

[FailureToCommunicate]

55. Well, John Kerry made good and paid the different taxes owed. Has Mitt done anything?

Oh, yeah, he continues to hide untold millions away from US tax reach.

[Marrah_G]

67. Actually he would have paid RI sales tax, not no sales tax at all

And I do believe the issue was that the boat needed a deep water port. It has a very large keel. Newport has that deep water port. I know when I head to Newport or Providence it rarely crosses my mind that it's a different state....it's sort of like a suburb of MA ..heh.

[patrice]

13. FOREIGN MONEY FOREIGN MONEY FOREIGN MONEY FOREIGN MONEY FOREIGN MONEY FOREIGN MONEY FOREIGN MONEY

LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR

[Skinner]

15. Ha ha!

[jillan]

17. I see an Obama commercial in the very near future.

[DallasNE]

20. Obviously The Romney's Are Unconcerned About Appearances

I mean, how can it be wrong to host millionaires on a yacht flying tax haven Cayman Island flag. More "you people" messaging that the Romney's are incapable of understanding where it goes wrong.

[beac]

21. What was on the menu?

Swiss Cheese and Bermuda Fish Chowder?

[Cha]

24. Yes, plus..

Anti-American Anchovies.

[beac]

37. And Soylent Green, of course.

Paul Ryan hand-processed a fresh batch of seniors just for the ocassion.

[KamaAina]

22. Romney for President*!

*-of the Cayman Islands.

[mwooldri]

25. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II would object.

Romney may be Premier instead. He'll have to have a British passport. He'll have to have compulsory health insurance, even if he has no income. There will be social benefits.

Then, that would be a shame. For Romney that is.

[Cha]

23. that's what Clint Eastwood said

when he endorsed willard mitt.. "Cayman Islands need a boost".

mitt for President of the Cayman Island Liar's Club.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

26. "We all must share in the sacrifice" -- Romney keynote speaker

[Johnny Noshoes]

28. Yikes...

he looks like a Vogon!

[lob1]

31. But without the charm.

[LongTomH]

44. You're going to get complaints from the Vogon Anti-Defamation League!

[Johnny Noshoes]

47. DON'T PANIC

nt.

[awoke_in_2003]

49. I sentence him...

to have to listen to Vogon poetry.

[progressoid]

29. Good lord.

[liberal N proud]

33. Speaking of BIG

[wordpix]

36. does that mean Christie will stop eating so much & give some food to the poor?

[ZombieHorde]

27. Funny. nt

[colorado_ufo]

39. Cracker Bay!

You can't make up stuff this good . . .

[NYC_SKP]

41. 147 feet long, crew of 9 for up to 12 guests...

A Summary of Motor Yacht CRACKER BAY

The spacious luxury yacht CRACKER BAY is a motor yacht. This 45 metre (147 foot) luxury yacht was crafted at Hakvoort Shipyard in 2002. CRACKER BAY used to be Campbell Bay. Superyacht CRACKER BAY is a stylish yacht that can accommodate up to 12 guests on board and has a total of 9 professional crew. Finished and launched in the year of 2002 her internal styling reflects the merit in the designing of Andrew Winch.

The New Build & Design of Luxury Yacht CRACKER BAY

The yacht's wider design collaboration came from Diana Yacht Design and Felix Buytendijk. The professional naval architect plans are the work of Diana Yacht Design. Motor Yacht CRACKER BAY received her stylish interior designing from the interior design office of Andrew Winch. In 2002 she was actually launched to celebration in Monnickendam and post sea trials and finishing touches was thereafter handed over to the owner who commissioned her. Hakvoort Shipyard completed their new build motor yacht in the Netherlands. Her main hull was built out of steel. The motor yacht superstructure is made mostly with aluminium. With a width of 8.8 m or 28.9 feet CRACKER BAY has fairly large size. She has a fairly shallow draught of 2.8m (9.2ft). She had refit improvement and changes carried out by 2005.

The Performance - Main Engines For M/Y CRACKER BAY:

CRACKER BAY subsumes two agile CATERPILLAR diesel engine(s) and can touch a impressive max speed at 14 knots. The main engine of the yacht gives 1014 horse power (or 1363 kilowatts). Her total HP is 2028 HP and her total Kilowatts are 2726. For propulsion CRACKER BAY has twin screw propellers. For stabalisers she was supplied with Quantum Zero Speed. This yacht’s high cruise speed is 13 knots which makes a range of 5000.

Superyacht CRACKER BAY Has Accommodations:

The spacious luxury yacht motor yacht CRACKER BAY can sleep up to 12 guests in addition to 9 professional crew.

http://www.charterworld.com/index.html?sub=yacht-charter&charter=cracker-bay-2770

[LongTomH]

45. The perfect symbol for the New Gilded Age....complete with Cayman flag!

[CoffeeCat]

66. Isn't that the yacht...

...that Goldie Hawn fell off while yelling, "Oh my hair!"

I bet life aboard "Cracker Bay" is similar to life aboard the yacht in the movie "Overboard. I would almost bet that Ann Romney complains incessantly about bugs mucking up her pedicure as they land on her wet toenail polish.

Yup, Ann Romney is Joanna Stayton

[NYC_SKP]

69. Love that movie!

"I swallowed a bug!"

[LarryNM]

43. Periscopes Up n/t

[Major Hogwash]

46. This is not one bit funny to me.

While many of my former co-workers have lost their jobs, and some even lost their homes, these #!@&%*()! are running around the decks of yachts, drinking champagne, cocktails, and having the times of their lives --- totally disaffected by the recession that the GOP, under Bush, caused the country to deal with for the last 4 years.

A recession that the same GOP party refuses to help solve, by filibustering, blocking with poison pill amendments, or refusing to pass clean jobs bills to create jobs in this nation!

There are 3 empty houses on my block now.
2 of the owners walked away from their mortgages after the companies they were with either went bankrupt or they lost their jobs.
The first one was evicted by the bank foreclosing on their home.
That family had a special needs child, but the bank didn't make any allowances for that.
All 3 houses were homes for American families, people who wanted to make a better way of life for their kids.
People who had hopes and dreams, all dashed to the ground by BushCo and the GOP during the decade before President Obama was elected to the White House.

These people who are celebrating and partying on a yacht now solely because they are filthy rich, just because they got to get some "personal face time" with Mitt, couldn't care less if America ever pulls out of the recession -- just as long as they get their Bush tax cuts!!!

Romney is the richest candidate to ever run for the office of the President. He is reported to be worth more than $250 Million Dollars, a quarter of 1 Billion Dollars.
Think about that before you decide how to vote and ask yourself, what do you have in common with him?

Yet we, the people, don't have the right, according to Mitt, to see his past income tax returns to verify how rich he really is.
So, this fall, I will be voting for President Obama.

[onecent]

48. K & R n/t

[warrprayer]

50. if the Bama campaign

... doesn't make a commercial out of this....

[theinquisitivechad]

53. K&R!

I'm sayin'!

[krispos42]

51. Looks like the Bermuda flag to me

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_overseas_territories#Current_overseas_territories



http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bf/Flag_of_Bermuda.svg

[Nine]

58. now I'm confused

Last edited Thu Aug 30, 2012, 11:54 AM - Edit history (1)

Maybe it is the civil ensign as posted below.

[Coyotl]

60. Here, take a closer look

[Ash_F]

65. It's the civil ensign

http://www.fotw.net/flags/ky.html#gov

[krispos42]

68. Excellent point

It would seem to be most inefficient to make two flags look that much alike.

[citizen blues]

71. You're right it is the Bermuda flag.

And Romney doesn't own the yacht, a wealthy supporter does.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

72. Article doesn't say he owned it, just that it's the yacht for "Romney party" event. nt

[yonder]

54. "yeah, so, but where's Obama's flag pin"? huh?

[DaveJ]

56. Gee, I wonder what his $1million+ donors are disusing

On that yacht, I wonder if they are discussing how to make life better for everyone. Hmm

Do ya think they are talking about...

...how to get people out of housing debt, how to create a respectable environment for all seniors regardless of their finances, more time off for people who work, health care for 100% of Americans, issues affecting women, college education for everyone who wants it, repairing our infrastructure, maintaining a clean environment....

J/K

[NBachers]

61. Sure would be a shame if someone infested it with rats, roaches, and bedbugs

[The Wizard]

62. Talk about

giving everyone the big finger. Fuck this guy.

[applegrove]

63. USA! USA! USA!..........hey wait a second...

[rks306]

64. Draft Dodger

Why doesn't he invest in America. Greed is not good.