[www.theatlanticwire.com]

GOP Will Tout 'We Built This' In Arena Built With Public Funds

Alexander Abad-Santos Aug 22, 2012

"We Built This" (the GOP's "Call Me Maybe" ), is the catchphrase of the season, and it'll be a major theme of the Republican National Convention at the end of this month. The irony? They'll be holding that convention at the Tampa Bay Times Forum, formerly the Tampa Bay Ice Palace, which was publicly financed.

The Daily Dolt, a humor/politics site pointed out the irony first and according to the National Sports Law Institute of Marquette University Law School, 62 percent of the funding that built the Tampa Bay Times Forum a.k.a. The Tampa Bay Ice Palace in 1996 came from public funds to the tune of about $86 million. Kind of kills that idea that it doesn't take a village, right? The arena's recent $40 million renovation, though, was privately funded. There's also the $20 million that the RNC is spending on renovating, which includes a $2.5 million stage for Mitt Romney. That's something they can proudly say they built.

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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/25/2012 03:16PM by decay.

There is no "public" money. It is only people's money. Quit pretending the government has money all its own.

Actually, putting "We" in the phrase "We Built This" in the political context it's trying to poke fun at is ironic in itself.

It will also be interesting to see all these Republicans travel to Tampa without using a public road, FAA-monitored airspace or safe cars--or without using prostitutes who have used any public health services.



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 08/25/2012 03:31PM by Acer.

At least they are not speaking at the Bank of America Arena. Party of little people, my foot.

The fact is, they are flogging a pretty well dead horse. I can't believe they are going to make this the theme. Watching the Republicans pat themselves on the back for building things is hardly going to win over independents and undecideds. You have to offer solutions to people, not just sit around chuckling about how great you are/were. I honestly don't believe that most people are concerned about whether or not they can build a small business (alone OR with help). Most people are concerned about more immediate things these days.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/25/2012 03:40PM by $tevie.

>>Watching the Republicans pat themselves on the back for building things is hardly going to win over independents and undecideds.<<

They don't need to. Keep telling them they are losers.

Independents back Romney by 42-32 percent (one in four is undecided). Independents were vital to Obama’s 2008 victory, backing him over Republican John McCain by 52-44 percent

Read more: [www.foxnews.com]

stadiums and arenas USED to be built by the owners of the pro sport team that lived in the area, but owners of pros sport teams realized that it's so easy to get municipalities to take on the expense for them.

Boooo! The Sacramento kings and the Oakland/LA Raiders perfected the technique and now EVERYONE wants the municipality to pay for their place of business. Else they will move on to another town with an inferiority complex and no big time pro team.

When Sacramento landed the Kings, they were SO HAPPY to be part of the big boys club.

booooo!

Thanks for the history lesson. Now explain the party of little people

So Obama's contempt and complete disrespect for middle class Americans wanting little more than to be proud of their accomplishments is OK because both political parties have little choice but to rent large venues for their 4 year Conventions.
OK.

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"So Obama's contempt and complete disrespect for middle class Americans..."

Where do you people get such insane ideas?

"So Obama's contempt and complete disrespect for middle class Americans..."

only when taken out of context, willfully ignoring the bits about infrastructure.

You have to discount what billb and the other trolls present; they are nothing but obedient water carriers and do not fully understand what they are saying. Pretty sad that put so much effort into these forums, really.

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john dough
You have to discount what billb and the other trolls present; they are nothing but obedient water carriers and do not fully understand what they are saying. Pretty sad that put so much effort into these forums, really.

billb is not a troll - he's more of a "pick something from what someone posts where I see some hypocrisy and reveal it in a cryptic message" sort of guy (not that that is exclusively his modus operandi)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/26/2012 11:21AM by Ted King.

barnaclebill's a contrarian, not a troll.

Fine, he is not a troll.

Apologies, billb, for lumping you into the troll group.

Cryptic and contrarian, most definitely.

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Cryptic and contrarian, most definitely.

At a minimum.