I KNOW this is a code, but what does it mean?

[Are_grits_groceries]

"The trees are the right height."

I am an expert at decoding dog whistling to evangelicals.
I am at a loss when it comes to this phrase. Tree cullers can't be a huge group.

[CAPHAVOC]

1. It means Romney is insane.

Case closed.

[randome]

2. It means...

"Gatherer There Highest Tithe". It's so obvious.

[flying rabbit]

3. He is appealing to the Goldilocks

constituency that believes that everything should be a bland homogeneous ideal. You know; the way America used to be.

[B Calm]

4. It's over our heads. .

[woodsprite]

5. Who said it? Wasn't there something else that

Was said about trees back when Bush was Pres? Someone
made a strange quote about trees in an investigation or
something. Was it Aspen trees?

[Are_grits_groceries]

6. Romney said it in a speech in Michigan. nt

[babylonsister]

10. Yes it was; something about 'the aspens are turning'.

I'm thinking Judith Miller and Scooter Libby, something to do with them? I think I blacked out them both in my memory bank.

Edit to add link: http://www.theleftcoaster.com/archives/005743.php

[lunatica]

11. Scooter wrote her a note about the Aspen tree roots being interconnected

He fancied himself a writer. He even had a book published of which I only remember people talking about a caged bear raping young girls.

[2pooped2pop]

14. that was Scooter

trying to remind Miller while she was in jail for not talking, that all their roots were connected like the aspen trees at their puke tank Aspen Institute. Seems that a row of aspens roots are all intertangled and they change color as a unit, not as a rogue tree, turning the wrong way. He was trying to tell her not to turn against them.

Or, at least that's what I took it to mean.

[lunatica]

7. Is he talking about the height of hanging trees, or Christmas trees?

There's a difference you know.

[Are_grits_groceries]

9. I have no idea, and

I doubt he does either.

[randome]

8. The trees are made of people!

[lunatica]

12. No, no, no! The trees ARE people, my friend.

[muriel_volestrangler]

13. It's pandering to the 44% of people who dislike California

As this article mentions, they must not like the towering redwoods: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/23/california-most-hated-state_n_1297843.html

When broken down into self-identified groups, the figures for California for "somewhat conservative" are 12% favorable, 65% unfavorable; and "very conservative" 10% and 74%. If you want to pander to Republicans, you can't go wrong with "I hate California".

http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/2011/PPP_Release_US_022112.pdf

[Sheepshank]

57. I thought the same thing

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=347371

It's code for hating on Californians.

[Enrique]

15. it means the Aspens turn in clusters

[EmeraldCityGrl]

16. Strictly from a layman's point of view,

Romney sounds almost as if he has a cognitive problem, possibly early dementia.
I'm observing a well educated man comfortable with public speaking struggle for
the simplest words. Something is very wrong and I wonder what professionals in
the field are thinking.

While he's currently the butt of jokes, as these instances continue he has my pity.

[surrealAmerican]

17. I think it was merely an attempt at small talk.

He ought to know by now that small talk is not something he is capable of.

[rurallib]

18. I think he means that since we have cut down the old growth forests

and replaced them with shiny new pines each one exactly the same height, width etc., it is a money man's dream.
A guy can much more easily inventory a forest like that and figure exactly how many board feet of lumber and pine scented hanging things can be made.
Yep. - just the right height. Saw 'em down.

ETA - I live in Iowa. When I drive by the corn fields with each row, each stalk the same height in exact rows, it spooks me. Nature ain't supposed to be like that.

[woo me with science]

19. I think it's a reference to the Rush song, "Trees."

I have heard quite a few Republicans mention it when trying to describe Obama as a socialist who wants to chop down all the wealthy and make everyone the same.

The irony is that he is as much a one percent corporatist as any of them.


RUSH LYRICS

"The Trees"

There is unrest in the forest
There is trouble with the trees
For the maples want more sunlight
And the oaks ignore their pleas

The trouble with the maples
(And they're quite convinced they're right)
They say the oaks are just too lofty
And they grab up all the light
But the oaks can't help their feelings
If they like the way they're made
And they wonder why the maples
Can't be happy in their shade

There is trouble in the forest
And the creatures all have fled
As the maples scream 'Oppression!'
And the oaks just shake their heads

So the maples formed a union
And demanded equal rights
'The oaks are just too greedy
We will make them give us light'
Now there's no more oak oppression
For they passed a noble law
And the trees are all kept equal
By hatchet, axe and saw

[HopeHoops]

20. It means, "I'd fuck that chick over there."

Guy speak isn't all that hard to decipher.

[pnwest]

30. rofl!!!

[HopeHoops]

34. "Excuse me stewardess. I speak Jive."

[Schema Thing]

21. He's trying to say "this is my home" but he delivers the lines

in such a manner, (and has a history of saying "screw Michigan's auto industry&quot , that no one believes him and instead thinks "wtf is he on about?".

[renie408]

22. Actually, in this one instance I know what he means.

He means that he grew up in that area and things feel familiar to him. The trees are the 'right height'.

But then I am freeperish and jingoistic enough to feel tied to my home town, also, so I guess that's why I understood.

[Iggo]

27. Well good gawd, why didn't he just say that!

Fuckin dipshit. If you ain't folks, don't try to be folksy, Dogroof.

[Are_grits_groceries]

35. Dogroof!

Great nickname!

[Iggo]

47. LOL...yeah, that's my favorite.

"R-money" is probably the best one, but "Dogroof" is fightin' words of the inescapable kind.

[ananda]

23. It means they're Stepford trees...

... that appeal to Stepfordlike Romneyesque eyes.

[Yooperman]

24. Didn't he make a comment about how nice the grass was in Michigan...

Maybe it was that.... kinda like Chance the Gardener in "Being There"....

Those that have seen the movie will completely understand.

to Chance the Gardener

YM

[randome]

28. Here, here!

[JoePhilly]

25. The subroutine responsible for segues to "amber waves of grain" failed.

[warrior1]

26. He's talking about

Pleasantville.

[Generic Other]

29. He's an elitist dingleberry

Homeboy thinks the trees are the right height in his hometown. They are an established community. They have roots that go down into the ground. Unlike the upstart communities planted with thin short saplings that he has visited previously.

He's gross. Michigan should laugh him outta their state.

[GoCubsGo]

31. Got to wonder if he's referring to the state politics.

I am sure he is thrilled about all of the anti-labor crap, and the state's hostile takeovers of tows and cities they deem "fiscally unfit". (See: http://motherjones.com/politics/2012/02/michigan-emergency-manager-pontiac-detroit). Either that, or he's pointing out that they are at the right age where they can all be cut down and sold for lumber.

[WingDinger]

32. It is simple. You must first look at his intention.

He was trying awkwardly, to ingratiate himself upon them, after saying let GM burn.

He was referring to an area, that has huge unruly trees. Not those miniature perfectly groomed shrubs, they prefer in gated communities.

PARTICULARLY tiny La Jolla. I experinced the same thing, moving back to Orange County Ca. from La Jolla.

[jwirr]

33. Just a guess: the time is right for the harvest - end times reference.

[Rex]

36. Follow the trees...

who else talked in code about trees...think about it. Some years ago. Friend of the BFEE.

[Goblinmonger]

37. Check out the responses

here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/24/mitt-romney-michigan-trees_n_1299937.html

My favorite is the 2nd one by PG13. Brick FTW!

[grantcart]

41. I love lamp

Brilliant

[11 Bravo]

38. Just perfect for a lynching.

[MrScorpio]

39. Next he'll be going off about Purity Of Essence nt

[MisterP]

40. tldr version, he's Marmalard from "Animal House"

[hughee99]

42. I'm not sure exactly what it means, but I'm sure it's offensive to women,

minorities, atheists, unions, lgbtqqi, the disabled, children, conspiracy theorists, domesticated animals and the Belgians.

[NorthCarolina]

43. It's code for "I'm socially retarded". nt

[undeterred]

44. here ya go

[FarLeftFist]

45. MALFUNCTION! MALFUNCTION! SYSTEM ERROR!

[FarLeftFist]

46. MALFUNCTION! MALFUNCTION! SYSTEM ERROR!

[etherealtruth]

48. Is this really code

I am not sure in this case ... Romney really cannot communicate with regular folk ... his attempts fall flat (at best) or horrify ... I think this was one of those attempts to be one of us falling flat ...? who knows

[-..__...]

49. John has a long mustache...

The chair is against the wall.

[backscatter712]

50. Right height for a noose?

Maybe he's pandering to the white-sheet-wearing demographic...

[spanone]

51. i guess his people thought that if he repeated this crap, it would appear normal

he's really challenged.

[JNathanK]

52. This means something...

[IDemo]

53. He wants to see a return to clearcutting practices

[Chemisse]

54. It sounds idiotic, but it does make sense

If you consider someone who has been traveling all over the country and seeing different landscapes, then it does make sense.

But just like everything else this guy utters, it rings an odd note.

[Motown_Johnny]

55. He must be Pro Dutch Elm Disease

it isn't a dog whistle, it is a lizard brain

[yellowcanine]

56. It means logging has been allowed to keep the trees from getting too big.

Romney apparently loves just about everything except big trees. Big trees frighten him.