The Juan Percent: Things to Know

1. The tone of the presidential campaign is going to be defined by money. Super Pac money. If you recall John Kerry in his quest did not respond to all the negative definitions that the Karl Rove threw at him, and never got back on track. Money is dirty, particularly since Citizens United enabled corporations and wealthy individuals to secretly pour huge (millions and millions) into the election process. Karl Rove bundles all of this money and floods the media with negative (read - untruthful) messaging. The loyal opposition (Obama) cannot sit back and depend on the average voter to be able to vote intelligently. Being out-budgeted and out-spent, Obama must make the bang for the buck. Fortunately, Romney has provided enough gaffes and disingenuous behavior on tape and audio for an endless "attack ad". This is where we are headed for the rest of the campaign:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/29/us/politics/obama-campaign-takes-gamble-in-going-negative.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20120729&pagewanted=print

2. A look at Obama, Hillary, and Romney. Romney has been prepping 6 years for his bid to be president. If his thud in the UK is a result of poor preparation, no preparation, or just Mitt being Mitt, either way, he has not demonstrated any ability to be commander-in-chief:

http://www.smirkingchimp.com/print/44601/

3. For what it is worth (probably worthless), Dick Cheney says that picking Palin was a mistake. Nothing newsworthy about that, except that we can probably expect Mama Grizzly to respond in some manner:

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2012/07/cheney-palin-pick-was-a-mistake/1#.UBVx2jFYu-p

4. Are you ready to sit down with Justice Antonin Scalia to talk about hand-held rocket launchers, that can take down aircraft, and how they may or may not be covered under the 2nd Amendment? Wayne LaPerrier is going to have to change the name of his group to the National Rocket Association if this keeps up:

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/07/29/scalia-handheld-rocket-launchers-could-be-constitutional/

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2012/07/29/602491/scalia-rocket-launcher/

5. EJ Dionne plays out a good reason that Romney and the Republicans are in a go-for-broke strategy that includes any and all shenanigans, untruths (lies), and fear-mongering. This is the last stand for the GOP, and all money is riding on the guy who dances with horse:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/ej-dionne-mitt-romney-and-the-go-for-broke-election/2012/07/29/gJQAG3m6IX_print.html

6. We interrupt the nasty sound bytes, gotchas, and misspeaking of the presidential campaign to bring you this news - the Earth is slowly burning up. Alternate routes and behavior is advised:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/30/opinion/the-conversion-of-a-climate-change-skeptic.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&ref=opinion&pagewanted=print

7. Mitt Romney and his Repulsivcants are going all out on the War on Women:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/30/opinion/republicans-vs-women.html?ref=opinion&pagewanted=print

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Juan