Fri Aug 10, 2012, 09:46 AM

bigtree (49,268 posts)

Romney's 'Iowa Farmer’ Also Millionaire Real Estate Mogul W/Spaceship House And Personal Car Wash

Last edited Fri Aug 10, 2012, 12:18 PM USA/ET - Edit history (3)

from Think Progress: http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2012/08/10/667431/romney-visits-iowa-farmer-who-is-also-a-millionaire-real-estate-mogul-with-a-personal-car-wash/?mobile=nc

____ In an attempt to show his concern for farmers hit by the devastating drought that has swept 78 percent of the country, Romney had a photo-op with Iowa “farmer” Lemar Koethe. However, Koethe isn’t exactly the rugged down-home farmer struggling to keep his operation going that you might expect.

Or should I say operations — 54 of them. Yes, according to the Des Moines Register, Koethe owns 54 soy and corn farms. And that’s just one of his jobs.

In previous reports on his activity over the years from the Des Moines Register, Koethe is also a described as a millionaire, a real estate mogul, and a former concert promoter who booked acts like Slipknot at his 24,000 square foot event center . . . according to figures from the EWG Farm Subsidies database, Koethe has received $130,575 in conservation payments from the federal government . . .

Making this farmer’s life that much different from the average person, Koethe lives in the spaceship house pictured below. It might not have a car elevator like Romney’s planned home, but it’s got its own car wash bay and recreation center:

Here’s how the home was described by the Environmental Design Group:

Arguably one of the most distinctive homes in Iowa-if not the nation-this personal residence takes unique architecture to a new level. It contains an underground garage equipped for multiple vehicles, as well as a car wash bay. The lower level also contains a large recreation center with an art display area. Grade-level entry provides access to the elevator and a spiral staircase rising 35 feet to the main living area. The main level provides an amazing panoramic view of the area.

. . . really, Romney? Out of the hundreds of thousands of farmers being impacted by the drought — many of them family farmers struggling to keep their heads above water — you had to meet the millionaire real estate mogul who lives in a spaceship house with an underground car wash and recreation center?

read more: http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2012/08/10/667431/romney-visits-iowa-farmer-who-is-also-a-millionaire-real-estate-mogul-with-a-personal-car-wash/?mobile=nc

more cornfield pics: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021094288

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83 replies	Author	Time	Post
Romney's 'Iowa Farmer’ Also Millionaire Real Estate Mogul W/Spaceship House And Personal Car Wash (Original post)	bigtree	Aug 2012	OP
wow...wow, damn...wow...this guy is so 1%, he can't even fake be next to normal people	uponit7771	Aug 2012	#1
I'm not one to judge from appearances, but one can tell by looking that that man is not a	Brickbat	Aug 2012	#2
That is not Koethe	DoBotherMe	Aug 2012	#33
changed that	bigtree	Aug 2012	#34
Toldja I'm not one for judging from appearances!	Brickbat	Aug 2012	#54
Wow ... does the guy own a NASCAR car too?	JoePhilly	Aug 2012	#3
No Elevator?!?!	maddezmom	Aug 2012	#4
Yes, there's an elevator on the "Grade Leve"....	uponit7771	Aug 2012	#5
Yes, it has an elevator..	Fumesucker	Aug 2012	#8
Only for humans (aka corporations), not for cars.	Motown_Johnny	Aug 2012	#9
My homesteading grandpa (in heaven) is shaking his head and saying naughty Gaelic words.	JohnnyLib2	Aug 2012	#6
What a hoot! Can't they get some "regular guy" for these promos?	Laurian	Aug 2012	#7
To Mitt, this is a "regular guy".	Motown_Johnny	Aug 2012	#11
He met some regular people earlier on in the campaign, and told them	TwilightGardener	Aug 2012	#14
"Almost like Mitt is afraid to meet regular people for any purpose?" Almost like? Almost like?	LongTomH	Aug 2012	#61
Everything MittWitt does is fake	Rambis	Aug 2012	#10
Stubby and Tubby	Berlum	Aug 2012	#12
Cool looking house until you consider the view.	Scuba	Aug 2012	#13
Maybe he was showing RMoney	SirRevolutionary	Aug 2012	#15
"What, you're not supposed to eat this?"	klook	Aug 2012	#16
Mitt or Cornholio?	smirkymonkey	Aug 2012	#67
What do you mean by do a Michele Bachmann with this?	47of74	Aug 2012	#70
"So this is what's been up my ass in my magic underwear?"	BlueToTheBone	Aug 2012	#17
"and where did those missing kernels go?"	sad sally	Aug 2012	#63
oh my	BlueToTheBone	Aug 2012	#64
Heh. Koethe is a "farmer" like Ted Turner is a "rancher."	yellowcanine	Aug 2012	#18
"Aw shucks, it is jest a little old farm house...."	yellowcanine	Aug 2012	#19
That's not a spaceship house.	slackmaster	Aug 2012	#20
Is that the house that was used in "Body Double"?	opiate69	Aug 2012	#26
Could be.	WinstonSmith4740	Aug 2012	#28
Nope. Sleeper.	slackmaster	Aug 2012	#44
Ahh.. right you are... this is the Body Double house	opiate69	Aug 2012	#50
I grew up in La Jolla, CA near the beaches north of La Jolla Shores	slackmaster	Aug 2012	#56
man, the view from that house must be incredible....	opiate69	Aug 2012	#57
The house has nearly 180 degrees of unobstructed ocean view	slackmaster	Aug 2012	#58
I bet he walked around the whole time with that one piece of corn in his hand	snooper2	Aug 2012	#21
And his pudgy hands have no callouses, his face isn't leathery brown, and	Skidmore	Aug 2012	#22
But, is he a NASCAR owner?	Sheepshank	Aug 2012	#23
If that guy's a farmer I'm an astronaut.	The Velveteen Ocelot	Aug 2012	#24
This is one of those "family farmers" whose heirs stand to lose millions because of the "death tax"	klook	Aug 2012	#75
They look like they're lost in one of those corn mazes.	The Velveteen Ocelot	Aug 2012	#25
This is the repug campaign uniform.	louis-t	Aug 2012	#49
Sure doesn't look like my grandfather's farm -- or my cousins' either.	JDPriestly	Aug 2012	#27
That figures. LOL! - more pics here...	Kadie	Aug 2012	#29
this is the funniest OP I think since	Voice for Peace	Aug 2012	#36
Romney appears to be doing some complex mathematical calculations	Voice for Peace	Aug 2012	#30
Related to corn subsidies -- financial math he can handle...	JHB	Aug 2012	#43
What Flip-Flopper is thinking	bongbong	Aug 2012	#60
let's see.. one corn cob equals how much? times .. hmm	Voice for Peace	Aug 2012	#62
The Rmoney Farm Plan: A spaceship on every farm AND	Coyotl	Aug 2012	#31
so this is Mittens' "Joe the Plumber?"	WestWisconsinDem	Aug 2012	#32
Must be the most incompetent campaign team in history.	JBoy	Aug 2012	#35
"I understand farmers. I know a lot of farmers with multi-million dollar houses."	HopeHoops	Aug 2012	#37
I'm willing to bet they're lamenting the loss of slave labor as much as any drought.	TahitiNut	Aug 2012	#38
Neither is dressed for the photo op.	JohnnyRingo	Aug 2012	#39
Remember, Nixxxon trying to "look casual" on the beach? So phony. So Republican.	Berlum	Aug 2012	#48
hahahahahahaha! I'd forgotten that one.	JohnnyRingo	Aug 2012	#55
Mitt: "If this drought gets any worse, my friend, you may need to sell some stock"	DefenseLawyer	Aug 2012	#40
All the better to see his acres and acres and acres of corn and soy	lunatica	Aug 2012	#41
This is fucking HILARIOUS - this is the farm they pick for the photo-op?	hatrack	Aug 2012	#42
Please God make it stop!!!!!!!	TalkingTina	Aug 2012	#80
Does Rmoney know ANY ordinary people?	CanonRay	Aug 2012	#45
"Does Rmoney know ANY ordinary people?"	Spitfire of ATJ	Aug 2012	#47
Are you fucking kidding me?	47of74	Aug 2012	#71
"it’s got its own car wash bay and recreation center:"	Spitfire of ATJ	Aug 2012	#46
If Repubs that concerned about drought, why did they skip town without passing farm bill?	JPZenger	Aug 2012	#51
Make him take his shirt off so we can see if he has a farmer tan!	hedgehog	Aug 2012	#52
nice house!	Liberal_in_LA	Aug 2012	#53
Quote From Flip-Flopper	bongbong	Aug 2012	#59
Wait. Why is the end of that corn brown?	Warren DeMontague	Aug 2012	#65
On Al Sharpton's show they were talking about the 'farmer' but I caught only the tail end	Tx4obama	Aug 2012	#66
real farmers who are really suffering are NOT that hard to find in Iowa	renate	Aug 2012	#68
nope, not hard to find at all	bigtree	Aug 2012	#72
You know what this reminds me of?	smirkymonkey	Aug 2012	#69
scary and then some - somepin' ain't right with that Romney	tomm2thumbs	Aug 2012	#77
Malachi!	smirkymonkey	Aug 2012	#83
Kick! Let us not let this story die.	Tx4obama	Aug 2012	#73
kick to the top for the night peeps	DonRedwood	Aug 2012	#74
Romney almost seems to be saying 'what exactly am I holding?'	tomm2thumbs	Aug 2012	#76
House is tornado bait. nt	SDjack	Aug 2012	#78
I know where you can put that corn cob mittens....	obxhead	Aug 2012	#79
I don't know, just had a flashback	Iwillnevergiveup	Aug 2012	#81
Mitt just does not know how to relate to the common people. It's the gift that keeps on giving.	Initech	Aug 2012	#82

Response to bigtree (Original post)

Fri Aug 10, 2012, 09:47 AM

uponit7771 (16,155 posts)

1. wow...wow, damn...wow...this guy is so 1%, he can't even fake be next to normal people

Last edited Fri Aug 10, 2012, 09:50 AM USA/ET - Edit history (1)

Romney's 'Iowa Farmer’ Also Millionaire Real Estate Mogul W/Spaceship House And Personal Car Wash

1. wow...wow, damn...wow...this guy is so 1%, he can't even fake be next to normal people

2. I'm not one to judge from appearances, but one can tell by looking that that man is not a

33. That is not Koethe

34. changed that

54. Toldja I'm not one for judging from appearances!

3. Wow ... does the guy own a NASCAR car too?

4. No Elevator?!?!

5. Yes, there's an elevator on the "Grade Leve"....

8. Yes, it has an elevator..

9. Only for humans (aka corporations), not for cars.

6. My homesteading grandpa (in heaven) is shaking his head and saying naughty Gaelic words.

7. What a hoot! Can't they get some "regular guy" for these promos?

11. To Mitt, this is a "regular guy".

14. He met some regular people earlier on in the campaign, and told them

61. "Almost like Mitt is afraid to meet regular people for any purpose?" Almost like? Almost like?

10. Everything MittWitt does is fake

12. Stubby and Tubby

13. Cool looking house until you consider the view.

15. Maybe he was showing RMoney

16. "What, you're not supposed to eat this?"

67. Mitt or Cornholio?

70. What do you mean by do a Michele Bachmann with this?

17. "So this is what's been up my ass in my magic underwear?"

63. "and where did those missing kernels go?"

64. oh my

18. Heh. Koethe is a "farmer" like Ted Turner is a "rancher."

19. "Aw shucks, it is jest a little old farm house...."

20. That's not a spaceship house.

26. Is that the house that was used in "Body Double"?

28. Could be.

44. Nope. Sleeper.

50. Ahh.. right you are... this is the Body Double house

56. I grew up in La Jolla, CA near the beaches north of La Jolla Shores

57. man, the view from that house must be incredible....

58. The house has nearly 180 degrees of unobstructed ocean view

21. I bet he walked around the whole time with that one piece of corn in his hand

22. And his pudgy hands have no callouses, his face isn't leathery brown, and

23. But, is he a NASCAR owner?

24. If that guy's a farmer I'm an astronaut.

75. This is one of those "family farmers" whose heirs stand to lose millions because of the "death tax"

25. They look like they're lost in one of those corn mazes.

49. This is the repug campaign uniform.

27. Sure doesn't look like my grandfather's farm -- or my cousins' either.

29. That figures. LOL! - more pics here...

36. this is the funniest OP I think since

30. Romney appears to be doing some complex mathematical calculations

43. Related to corn subsidies -- financial math he can handle...

60. What Flip-Flopper is thinking

62. let's see.. one corn cob equals how much? times .. hmm

31. The Rmoney Farm Plan: A spaceship on every farm AND

32. so this is Mittens' "Joe the Plumber?"

35. Must be the most incompetent campaign team in history.

37. "I understand farmers. I know a lot of farmers with multi-million dollar houses."

38. I'm willing to bet they're lamenting the loss of slave labor as much as any drought.

39. Neither is dressed for the photo op.

48. Remember, Nixxxon trying to "look casual" on the beach? So phony. So Republican.

55. hahahahahahaha! I'd forgotten that one.

40. Mitt: "If this drought gets any worse, my friend, you may need to sell some stock"

41. All the better to see his acres and acres and acres of corn and soy

42. This is fucking HILARIOUS - this is the farm they pick for the photo-op?

80. Please God make it stop!!!!!!!

45. Does Rmoney know ANY ordinary people?

47. "Does Rmoney know ANY ordinary people?"

71. Are you fucking kidding me?

46. "it’s got its own car wash bay and recreation center:"

51. If Repubs that concerned about drought, why did they skip town without passing farm bill?

52. Make him take his shirt off so we can see if he has a farmer tan!

53. nice house!

59. Quote From Flip-Flopper

65. Wait. Why is the end of that corn brown?

66. On Al Sharpton's show they were talking about the 'farmer' but I caught only the tail end

68. real farmers who are really suffering are NOT that hard to find in Iowa

72. nope, not hard to find at all

69. You know what this reminds me of?

77. scary and then some - somepin' ain't right with that Romney

83. Malachi!

73. Kick! Let us not let this story die.

74. kick to the top for the night peeps

76. Romney almost seems to be saying 'what exactly am I holding?'