11,000 Square Feet. Mitt Romney will have an 11,000 sf CA beach house.

[Brigid]

And that is AFTER he bulldozes the one that is already there in order to build it. And that is just ONE of his homes. Now I ask you: is this what you want in the White House trying to solve our economic problems? My place is TEN TIMES smaller than that, and I only have one -- which is plenty, BTW. An 11,000 sf beach house? Who on earth needs that? :banghead:

[Sarah Ibarruri]

1. Our country is suffering because of the things the mega-rich have done -

and we need this mega-rich a-h why?

[RKP5637]

2. All bow and praise the capitalistic overlords in a corrupt rigged system, and

going along per their plan. The system worships greed, corruption, hoarding of wealth and brutalizing others to get ahead.

I could not imagine most citizens voting for this ass, but certainly some would, "'cause he's gonna make me rich just like him."

[Sarah Ibarruri]

4. I've honestly come to believe that Americans are not very bright. Just looking at their voting

tells the story.

[RKP5637]

8. There is definitely something wrong. I'm amazed at how many vote in their

worst interest not even attempting to understand the issues, and then many defiant if you attempt to politely point out to them that their choice of candidates will not serve them well.

I'm particularly amazed at how some Americans just do not seem to get how they are being financially screwed in this country, and it's because of how they vote falling for the propaganda.

I was talking with one person one day and they said it's just too complicated to understand, so they vote as their TV and pastor instructs them to vote. I'm just at a loss to help correct that kind of Stupid.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

9. What is the truth? Are Americans really stupid people? Do they have a servile, inferior spirit? nt

[Ishoutandscream2]

12. Sarah, definitely agree with "a servile, inferior spirit."

A sense that the richest are our "betters." Many of our citizens seem to feel quite inferior to the likes of the Paris Hilton's of the world. And that is just incredibly sad.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

15. If that's true, then we Americans are a pathetic lot, aren't we? (With a few exceptions) nt

[hifiguy]

69. Yep. And so many of these dopes think

that they are gonna be rich one day. :rofl: They think of themselves as temporarily inconvenienced millionaires. Denial, stupidity, fantasy, inability to accept reality as it is. They get what they deserve. The sad thing is that they will take the rest of us down with them.

[RKP5637]

19. IMO they have been dumbed down sooo much. Some Americans do care and

know what's going on as evidenced on DU. There are a number of people in this category.

However, IMO, many others are lethargic and just assume the system will somehow plod along. They have also not been taught how to acquire knowledge and many are completely void of any critical thinking capacity. Additionally, many have not lived through the times of real struggle in this country for rights. They just inherited these rights and somehow just tacitly assume they will be there for them forever.

Layered on top of this is this inane mess of propaganda we call MSM. MSM in this county is a joke. I find myself constantly watching RT, AJZ and BBC to get decent news. Anything but American news.

And IMO we have a great many of citizens in the same category as what happened in UK. Soooo disfranchised from the system that they just do not care. And additionally many Americans are so stressed out trying to survive they just do not care.

We have in this country what I call a lack of generational knowledge. The struggles and wins of this country do not seem to have been passed down and so we have this false patriotism and strange religious mix for many people. Their knowledge they consider factual is based on lure than hard facts.

It's not organic stupidity, but rather conditioned stupidity. I'm startled that most of the republican candidates get any following at all, but the level of capitalistic corruption in this country and the complicit MSM ensure they will get a following.

It's all amazing to me. I think in retrospect history will demonstrate the past decade and the future decade to be among two of the worst in American history. We are at a very major turning point in this country and I fear a theocratic dystopia for most.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

34. I love what you explained....

Concerning this:

"We have in this country what I call a lack of generational knowledge. The struggles and wins of this country do not seem to have been passed down and so we have this false patriotism and strange religious mix for many people."

What causes/caused the above, in your opinion?

[RKP5637]

41. IMO it's the glaring failure of MSM to provide good unbiased factual journalism to the

masses that is educational, informative, but yet not boring. For the most part what we see is really often goofy and idiotic snippets of tabloid news biased to a particular media outlets preferences.

With MSM fully owned and controlled by a handful of mega-conglomerates it really could not be otherwise. And for many viewers, those that just turn on the TV, alternative sources, such as, RT, AJZ, Thom Hartmann, KO and others are not readily available.

So, IMO, for many viewers they get biased tabloid information. MSM controls the minds of many in the US, and they will vote as told by propagandistic MSM.

Anyway, IMO, that's why we have a gap in generational knowledge today. So, we get false patriotism and a strange religious mix for many people. Some of the TV evangelists, for example, are off their rockers IMO.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

45. Well, in all fairness, the media consists of corporations. The last thing they want is to tell the

truth.

[RKP5637]

49. Yep, that is the root cause of it all, isn't it ... The US is run/controlled by money. Wall street,

banking interests and corporations are now synonymous with our government, and their interests take precedence over "we the people." And the propaganda runs deep. That said, I don't know how this is going to be dug out of to restore fairness in the system.

In one of your postings you mentioned you and your manager meeting with the husband/wife clients wherein she lambasted Obamacare with all of the RW talking points, wherein that could have helped her. When I read that it illustrated to me how effective the brainwashing of America is and how far it has come. People strike out to destroy what could help them. This, is an amazing period of history in the US, I hope we survive it as a country.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

50. You're so right in all you said. The brainwashing here has been perfected. nt

[Odin2005]

58. Most human beings are stupid and easily manipulated, not just Americans.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

42. Could they really be that stupid, that they still believe in trickle down after 31 years of bs?

If so, they're seriously stupid.

[DJ13]

3. For people like him

Thats a small vacation home, not much bigger than the servants quarters.

You know how cramped something that small is to his kind?

[sfpcjock]

5. Truly creepy that he is down the coast in La Jolla. n/t

[struggle4progress]

6. But it may be a good thing for his dog, if he likes keeping the dog on the roof

Much more space than on top of the car

[A HERETIC I AM]

7. "Who on earth needs that?"

Well, he DOES have an enormous ego, not to mention.....head...

and hair.

And ego that big needs lots of room, especially with all that hair and headness.

[amborin]

10. La Jolla has zoning regs.....needs variance...(and big bribe)

[in_cog_ni_to]

11. Uncouth, ostentatious, and tasteless. Warren Buffet: PURE CLASS:

He still lives in the same small 3-bedroom house in mid-town Omaha that he bought after he got married 50 years ago.

THAT is a person to be admired. Buffet could buy all the 11,000 sq.ft. homes he wants, but has chosen not to flaunt his wealth.

For Romney to do this in this economy when so many people are suffering is just really, really bad taste and insensitive.

[amborin]

16. um,

i like Buffet, too, but he has a huge mansion just up-coast from Romney, in Corona Del Mar....

[in_cog_ni_to]

17. He does? Well I'll be damned.

All these years I thought he still lived in Omaha, doesn't carry a cell phone and doesn't have a computer on his desk....just an average, everyday Joe.

Shit.

Never Mind. :(

He's still a great human being...compared to Willard.

[amborin]

18. my bad..it's in Laguna Beach

http://southcoasthomes.ocregister.com/2009/02/12/be-warren-buffets-neighbor-for-13m/

[Hippo_Tron]

23. He lives relatively modestly compared to most wealthy people

And yes he does still live in the house in Omaha. But he does indeed have a big vacation house in California and I think he did at some point buy a corporate jet for his company.

I think the guy does genuinely try to stay down to earth and live a relatively middle class lifestyle from day to day. I can't fault him for buying a few extravagant things when he's worth billions.

[Recovered Repug]

21. I suppose those who will have jobs working on the house

won't really give a damn if it is "uncouth, ostentatious and tasteless".

[sammytko]

28. The house is not that small - his father was a US Congressman

so its not as if he came from nothing. The small house is worth about $700K. Its not that he doesn't like nice things, he just doesn't have time to think about them. He likes numers. I read part of his book - somewhat interesting, but not enough for me to finish it - lol.

[Major Hogwash]

13. "Thank gawd I'm not homeless" he says.

Being a rich Mormon means he doesn't have to worry about helping others.

[hay rick]

14. Keeping up with the McCains.

John McCain wasn't even sure how many houses he had (8).

If Romney has fewer houses but more square footage, who wins the competition?

[TheCowsCameHome]

20. Heck, he's just an average working stiff, trying to relate to the average Joe

.....you know, corporations are people, too.

[WingDinger]

22. People, let's try to keep up. He will do a home renovation reality show when he loses.

[Hippo_Tron]

24. Honestly, I couldn't give any less of a shit than I did about Teresa Heinz Kerry's houses...

The only reason I think this is worth noting is that the Republicans are huge hypocrites with regards to this "elitism" nonsense.

[Lucinda]

26. I agree

:)

[Modern_Matthew]

25. No one needs a house that large. I started a meme in my family about stories like this:

"Not taxed enough."

[Festivito]

27. Who? Someone trying to figure out why he was born rich.

... and not doing an effective job of it.

[itsallhappening]

29. Why does this matter?

Should voters in 1960 have taken into account the fact that JFK was richer than Nixon?

[hay rick]

30. Keeping taxes low for the rich is a central issue now.

So,yes, the fact that Romney has a dog in this particular race is fair game.

[itsallhappening]

32. With all of Romney's flip-flopping and shameless pandering

to whichever group he's speaking to on any given day, I don't see how pointing out that he's rich and has a big house is an effective strategy.

If someone with a 20 billion dollar fortune was able to create jobs and reduce the deficit without raising taxes on anyone, what would you think of that person's record?

[WinkyDink]

35. Do you think Romney will eschew his Presidential salary, as did JFK? Is Romney campaigning to help

the have-nots, as JFK (and other Democrats) did?

[itsallhappening]

38. I don't know.

What would his presidential salary have to do with reducing the unemployment rate?

Regardless, the guy isn't going to win so I guess it doesn't matter.

[slackmaster]

37. As a "local," it disgusts me whenever someone replaces a nice old home with a McMansion

The house he plans to demolish was remodeled in 1980 but has essentially the same footprint that it shows in a 1953 aerial photo, which you can find at http://www.historicaerials.com

The address is 311 Dunemere Dr., Zip code 92037.

La Jolla used to be a quiet, friendly beach community with a healthy mix of middle class, old money, and a few poor people who worked for the old money folks. There were a lot of intellectuals - Writers, university professors, prominent scientists, etc. It got taken over, starting in the early 1970s, by shitheads with more money than they know what to do with, and no concern for the atmosphere of the town.

BTW, the Romneys bought that house in 2008 from a high school classmate of mine, who had bought it in 1989 for a mere $2,825,000 in cash.

[itsallhappening]

39. We tore down an old home and built a new one.

It's in what's considered the "historic" part of our town. The existing houses are old and pretty small. The lots are big enough to support much larger houses.

A few people in the area had the same view as you. However, the loudest complainers were people who don't even live in our neighborhood. I told one busy-body lady that if she wanted these homes to stay, buy them all.

[slackmaster]

44. The problem with building UP in that particular area is that it hurts other peoples' property values

Views are worth a lot on the coast in La Jolla. Neighbors who object to the Romneys adding a second story have a legitimate, tangible beef.

[itsallhappening]

51. Same in this area.

This is a waterfront neighborhood. People who aren't on the waterfront are the ones complaining. But the simple fact is, they own what they own and I own what I own. There's no reason for us to build within some arbitrary limits set by people who don't like it.

[Odin2005]

60. Right, it's all about YOU, fuck what everyone else thinks.

This is why I hate Property Rights Fundamentalists.

[Carolina]

54. and when he won, JFK donated his

salary to charity!

[hack89]

31. Construction jobs and more property taxes for local government.

is that so bad?

[Earth_First]

33. I keep trying to point that out...

However I am met with lots of anger, frustration and claims that despite my username, are anti-environmental.

I am in the landscape construction industry, in a medium-sized shop that depends on several of these large jobs per year.

A job of this size usually equates to $50,000-$90,000 worth of revenue that keeps 15 guys employed, paying their bills, mortgages, rasing young families...

[WinkyDink]

36. Wow. So maybe there should be ONE trillionaire who builds ONE billion-sq-ft domicile?

Because the peons will HAVE JOBS TO LET HIM LIVE LIKE CROESUS??

Ain't that fab! And then the peons can go back to their...oops! Foreclosed!

Well, anyway, at least the peons will have ....oops! No more pensions!

Thank goodness the wealthy allowed us to have...oops! Nope! Social Security and Medicare "went broke"!

But the mega-yachts still sail, and their grateful obedient builders still have their wages while they defend and support and vote for policies protecting the fantastically wealthy.

Including illegal wars of aggression and theft.

[amborin]

46. it's a shame

that some jobs mean environmental destruction, but that's the sad truth

southern California has been almost trashed by rampant development, housing subdivisions, Mcmansions, malls, etc.....

it's hard to find areas that aren't developed

yes, construction provides jobs.....to raise families.....which leads to need for yet more jobs for those offspring.....until the entire planet is solid concrete.......we're heading toward 9 billion people fairly soon, but i digress....

not too long ago there was a huge battle over constructing a new road in so cal, that would go right through a crucial
wildlife habitat near San Clemente's trestles area.....

we saw the same arguments: this road would provide badly needed jobs

but a line has to be drawn : what are we willing to sacrifice in the name of job creation and what gets saved?

the really sad thing is: job creation does not have to mean environmental destruction; there are jobs that are a net plus; just takes ingenuity and leadership to create them

[gratuitous]

40. The property taxes are nice

But I'm unaware that the town of La Jolla is experiencing much of a budget crunch. As for the construction jobs, how many and how long will they last? A dozen for a year or so? That's decidedly fewer jobs of shorter duration than the alleged "non-jobs" (because they would be generated by government stimulus funds) created by bumping the tax rate on folks like Mitt (who apparently has so much personal wealth he doesn't know what else to do with it). This also leaves aside the question of whether Mr. Romney will be able to forge some kind of sweetheart deal with the local tax agency to achieve an abatement of his property taxes, and I wouldn't bet against that.

Finally, at the conclusion of it all, the people of the United States don't get a new or improved road, a modern school that will educate students for another generation, or even a Timberline Lodge that generates revenue for 80 years and beyond. No, the benefit to society at large is another residence for a man and his family that they don't need and can't occupy full time. Seems like a very poor trade off to me.

[hack89]

43. Since the alternative is that he doesn't spend his money

I don't see the problem. So he wants a big house - so do I if given the opportunity. Name a single prominent Democrat that doesn't have a real big house as well.

Builders employ people by finding as many short term projects (ie building or renovating houses) as they can find. This expansion will help keep a local company solvent and keep it's employees employed.

Why do you think the people of the US have any expectation that they must benefit from this? It is his property and his money - the public has no claim on it what so ever as long as he breaks no laws.

[amborin]

47. "it's his property and his money" sorry, but that's why we have zoning regs

developers all over want to build as much as possible, until everything is solid concrete


where does one draw the line?

the public has rights, too.....that's why municipal regs were created

and we all have an obligation to preserve the environment...

[hack89]

52. Hence my comment about him obeying the laws

if the zoning laws permit it, then what's the problem?

[amborin]

66. the zoning regs probably prohibit it, hence need for a variance...to circumvent

which is where the developers try to circumvent the laws

[Horse with no Name]

48. Dennis Kucinich.n/t

[hack89]

53. I did say prominent. nt

[Horse with no Name]

61. and of course I gave you the name of a PROMINENT and HONORABLE member of Congress

who works everyday to represent the PEOPLE but...since you seem to be a third way kinda guy--I would expect you to dismiss a REAL Democrat just as I dismiss the ones that are corporate whores.

Kind of tit for tat, reap what you sow, divisive shit that the Third Way likes to hump on. Carry on.

[hack89]

65. Touchy aren't we?

he is not prominent if by that you mean effective. He is a gadfly that progressives love.

[amborin]

67. pretty bad....and that's why local gov't can be swayed so easily...

where does it end?

concrete everywhere.................

[progressiveinaction]

55. Is Romney's house going to be bigger than Al Gore's?

[proud patriot]

56. what an odd thing to say

?

[Odin2005]

57. Obscene. Nobody should be allowed to have a house that big.

[Ganja Ninja]

59. "Who on earth needs that?" - Somebody with 11,000 Sq Ft of Benjamin Franklin's

[Bozita]

62. Let's hear it for "We the People"

[indurancevile]

63. which beach?

[Dreamer Tatum]

64. Al Gore has at least that. nt

[wpelb]

68. What is the average size of a typical presidential candidate's home?

Has anyone done the math?

Here is a big house that a number of politicians (including some presidential candidates) should live in.



United States Penitentiary, Leavenworth