While Obama Attacks and Takes Lobbyists’ Money, McCain/Palin Propose Reform
By SusanUnPC on September 15, 2008 at 11:33 AM in Barack Obama, Economy, Energy Policy, Federal Lobbyists, Housing & Housing Crisis, Lobbyists, McCain/Palin 2008
Our nation’s financial crisis is dominating the news today — and it is in these times of crisis that we find out what our leaders are made of.
It is highly ironic that Barack Obama chose to respond to today’s shocking news by attacking McCain while McCain/Palin are proposing a reform of federal regulations. Obama is also blaming the Republican party for our nation’s crisis.
Yet it is Barack Obama who is the #2 recipient of lobbying handouts, out of 354 lawmakers, from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. (Don’t miss Jennifer Rubin’s excellent post today, “Whoops!“: “The Agent of Change, it seems, didn’t exactly walk the walk on this one.”) Here is “Crisis,” the new McCain/Palin TV ad:
Here are the script and fact check list from the McCain campaign’s press release:
ANNCR: Our economy in crisis. Only proven reformers John McCain and Sarah Palin can fix it.
Tougher rules on Wall Street to protect your life savings.
No special interest giveaways.
Lower taxes to create new jobs.
Offshore drilling to reduce gas prices.
McCain – Palin.
Leadership, experience, for the change we need.
JOHN MCCAIN: I’m John McCain and I approved this message.
AD FACTS: Script For “Crisis” (TV :30)
ANNCR: Our economy in crisis. Only proven reformers John McCain and Sarah Palin can fix it. Tougher rules on Wall Street to protect your life savings. No special interest giveaways.
· John McCain: “And Under My Reforms, All Aspects Of A CEO’s Pay, Including Any Severance Arrangements, Must Be Approved By Shareholders.” “In times of hardship and distress, we should be more vigilant than ever in holding corporate abuses to account, as in the case of the housing market. Americans are right to be offended when the extravagant salaries and severance deals of CEO’s — in some cases, the very same CEO’s who helped to bring on these market troubles — bear no relation to the success of the company or the wishes of shareholders. Something is seriously wrong when the American people are left to bear the consequences of reckless corporate conduct, while the offenders themselves are packed off with another forty – or fifty million for the road. If I am elected president, I intend to see that wrongdoing of this kind is called to account by federal prosecutors. And under my reforms, all aspects of a CEO’s pay, including any sever ance arrangements, must be approved by shareholders.” (John McCain, Remarks, Washington, D.C., 6/10/08)
· John McCain And Governor Palin Will Reform Our Mortgage And Financial Markets. “Fixing Fannie and Freddie, and reforming our mortgage and financial markets, is critical to getting the housing market and the entire economy moving again. A great deal of the savings and wealth of American families is wrapped up in the value of their homes. A house has traditionally been the wealth-building course to retirement. The housing industry employs millions of Americans. One of us, John McCain, said over two years ago, ‘If Congress does not act, American taxpayers will continue to be exposed to the enormous risk that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac pose.’” (John McCain and Governor Sarah Palin, Op-Ed, “We’ll Protect Taxpayers From More Bailouts,” The Wall Street Journal, 9/9/08)
· John McCain And Governor Palin Will Address The Role Speculation Is Playing In Energy Prices. “Congress already has investigations underway to examine this kind of wagering in our energy markets, unrelated to any kind of productive commerce, because it can distort the market, drive prices beyond rational limits, and put the investments and pensions of millions of Americans at risk. John McCain believes that where we find abuses, they need to be swiftly punished. To make sure it never happens again, we must reform the laws and regulations governing the oil futures market, so that they are just as clear and effective as the rules applied to stocks, bonds, and other financial instruments.” (McCain-Palin 2008, “John McCain’s Lexington Project: A Comprehensive Plan To Break Our Dependence On Foreign Oil,” Press Release, 6/25/08)
· John McCain Fought For Financial Transparency In Stock Option Expensing. “U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) today offered an amendment to the Accounting Reform Bill that would require companies to record the stock options that they grant to their employees as an expense on their financial statements. His floor statement follows: ‘Mr. President, I rise today to offer an amendment that requires companies to record the stock options that they grant to their employees as an expense on their financial statements. If companies want to claim these expenses as a deduction for tax purposes, they ought to be noted as expenses on a company’s income statement. We must end the double standard for stock options.’” (Office Of U.S. Senator John McCain, “We Must End Double Standard For Stock Option,” Press Release, 7/11/02)
· John McCain Has Long Fought For “Transparency Of Our Financial Markets.” “As the incoming Chairman of the Commerce Committee, I plan to conduct rigorous oversight over those aspects of corporate governance that fall under the panel’s purview. I also plan to pursue further reforms that are desperately needed such as expensing stock options. We have an obvious, pressing obligation to investors to ensure the transparency of our financial markets. Reform is a process. It is not a one-time fight.” (Office Of U.S. Senator John McCain, “McCain Declares Reform Crusade Continues,” Press Release, 11/14/01)
ANNCR: Lower taxes to create new jobs.
· John McCain And Governor Palin Will Keep Tax Rates Low. Entrepreneurs are at the heart of American innovation, growth and prosperity. Entrepreneurs create the ultimate job security — a new, better opportunity if your current job goes away. Entrepreneurs should not be taxed into submission. John McCain will keep the top tax rate at 35 percent, maintain the 15 percent rates on dividends and capital gains, and phase-out the Alternative Minimum Tax. Small businesses are the heart of job growth; raising taxes on them hurts every worker. (McCain-Palin 2008, “John McCain’s Jobs For America Economic Plain,” Press Release, 7/7/08)
· John McCain And Governor Palin Will Cut Taxes For Middle Class Families. John McCain will phase out and eliminate the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) — a tax that will be paid nearly exclusively by 25 million middle class families. Repealing this onerous tax will save middle class families nearly $60 billion in a single year. Under John McCain’s plan, a middle class family with children set to pay the AMT will save an average of over $2,700 — a real tax cut for working families. (McCain-Palin 2008, “John McCain’s Jobs For America Economic Plain,” Press Release, 7/7/08)
· John McCain And Governor Palin Will Double The Personal Exemption For Dependents. John McCain believes the tax code should be less of a burden on those, whether they are mothers and fathers or single parents, who are trying to raise a family. He proposes to raise the personal exemption for each dependent from $3,500 to $7,000. (McCain-Palin 2008, “John McCain’s Jobs For America Economic Plain,” Press Release, 7/7/08)
· John McCain And Governor Palin Will Establish Permanent Tax Credit Equal To 10 Percent Of Wages Spent On R&D. This reform will simplify the tax code, reward activity in the U.S., and make us more competitive with other countries. A permanent credit will provide an incentive to innovate and remove uncertainty. At a time when our companies need to be more competitive, we need to provide a permanent incentive to innovate, and remove the uncertainty now hanging over businesses as they make R&D investment decisions. (McCain-Palin 2008, “John McCain’s Jobs For America Economic Plain,” Press Release, 7/7/08)
· John McCain And Governor Palin Will Allow First-Year Deduction, Or “Expensing”, Of Equipment And Technology Investments. American workers need the finest technologies to compete. Expensing of equipment and technology will provide an immediate boost to capital expenditures and reward investments in cutting-edge technologies. (McCain-Palin 2008, “John McCain’s Jobs For America Economic Plain,” Press Release, 7/7/08)
· John McCain And Governor Palin Will Reduce The Federal Corporate Tax Rate To 25 Percent From 35 Percent. A lower corporate tax rate is essential to keeping good jobs in the United States. America was once a low-tax business environment, but as our trade partners lowered their rates, America failed to keep pace. We now have the second highest corporate tax rate in the world, making America a less attractive place for companies to do business. American workers deserve the chance to make fine products here and sell them around the globe. (McCain-Palin 2008, “John McCain’s Jobs For America Economic Plain,” Press Release, 7/7/08)
· John McCain And Governor Palin Will Ban Internet Taxes. John McCain has been a leader in keeping the Internet free of taxes. As President, he will seek a permanent ban on taxes that threaten this engine of economic growth and prosperity. (McCain-Palin 2008, “John McCain’s Jobs For America Economic Plain,” Press Release, 7/7/08)
· John McCain And Governor Palin Will Ban New Cell Phone Taxes. John McCain understands that the same people that would tax e-mail will tax every text message — and even 911 calls. John McCain will prohibit new cellular telephone taxes. (McCain-Palin 2008, “John McCain’s Jobs For America Economic Plain,” Press Release, 7/7/08)
ANNCR: Offshore drilling to reduce gas prices. McCain – Palin. Leadership, experience, for the change we need. JOHN MCCAIN: I’m John McCain and I approved this message.
· John McCain And Governor Palin Will Expand Offshore Drilling To Reduce Gas Prices. McCain: “But I also believe that lifting the moratoria from offshore drilling or oil and natural gas exploration is something that we should place as a very high priority. And again, I don’t want to dictate to the states what they should do, but I think that the states can be provided with additional incentives such as a greater share of the revenues than is presently the case.” (Sen. John McCain, Remarks At Press Availability, Arlington, VA, 6/16/08)
· CNN’s Frank Sesno: “Expectations Of More Production Can Send Prices Down.” FRANK SESNO: “Obama’s criticized McCain for saying more drilling would have a positive psychological impact. But there is psychology in energy markets, worries about soaring demand in China or supply disruptions in Nigeria send prices up. Expectations of more production can send prices down.” (CNN’s “Situation Room,” 6/26/08)
· Harvard Professor And Former Council Of Economic Advisors Chairman Martin Feldstein: “Increasing The Expected Future Supply Of Oil Would Also Reduce Today’s Price.” “Any policy that causes the expected future oil price to fall can cause the current price to fall, or to rise less than it would otherwise do. In other words, it is possible to bring down today’s price of oil with policies that will have their physical impact on oil demand or supply only in the future. For example, increases in government subsidies to develop technology that will make future cars more efficient, or tighter standards that gradually improve the gas mileage of the stock of cars, would lower the future demand for oil and therefore the price of oil today. Similarly, increasing the expected future supply of oil would also reduce today’s price. That fall in the current price would induce an immediate rise in oil consumption that would be matched by an increase in supply from the OPEC producers and others with some current excess capacity or available inventories. Any steps that can be taken now to increase the future supply of oil, or reduce the future demand for oil in the U.S. or elsewhere, can therefore lead both to lower prices and increased consumption today.” (Martin Feldstein, Op-Ed, “We Can Lower Oil Prices Now,” The Wall Street Journal, 7/1/08)
· BMO Financial Group Global Finance Strategist Andrew Busch Wrote That Long Term Solutions To Energy Such As Drilling Can Have A Short Term Affect On Markets. “We need longer term plans to solve the longer term energy problems of United States. In case you aren’t familiar with how markets react, a coherent, logical plan of action towards providing long term solutions will have a positive impact now on the price of energy. Why? Because it will shift the short term psychology of the market away from doom and gloom towards a light at the end of the tunnel scenario. We only need to look at President Bush’s lifting of the moratorium on off-shore drilling to see an example of this in the markets. Did this act significantly change the short term outlook for oil? No, but it changed the discussion on the subject at a time when it was needed. In turn, this aided the shift in market psychology back to some fundamentals like demand…..which is dro pping.” (Andrew Busch, ” Busch: Long Term Energy Plans Can Be Short Term Solutions,” CNBC’s “Guest Blog,” http://www.cnbc.com/id/25803361, Posted 7/22/08)
· Omer Bhatti, The Head Trader At WorldSpreads, Said That The U.S. Offshore Drilling Plan Will Help Lower The Price Of Oil. OMER BHATTI (Head Sales Trader at WorldSpreads): “I think the offshore drilling plan that was agreed in the U.S. kind of helped the scenario to create that pullback scenario.” (CNBC’s “Worldwide Exchange,” 7/28/08)
(Release: November 13)
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watching McCain on Fox now…no link at fox on line to watch…not that I can find anyway…
now it is up
http://www.foxnews.com/
On this list Lehman Brothers was Obama’s third largest supporter.
http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474977263615
Change you can believe in.
Obama is only ahead by 5 in NY. If this holds true over the next few weeks this election will become very interesting.
Yes it is…I hope McCain takes NY….
I plan on voting for McCain and I live in NY, in a PRO REBUBLICAN area..
Yes. New Jersey too. Wild, huh.
And Obama’s slippage is affecting down-ticket races in NY and NJ.
RCP national average has McCain up by 2!
SusanUnPC: do you understand VA politics? Today SurveyUSA released a new poll 9/12–9/14 that has Obama up by 4 (from McCain up by 2 & 4 so it’s an 8 pts differential).
The Democratic brand is damaged in NY. Eliot Spitzer earlier. David Paterson was well-received, but I think he is vulnerable in the next election. The NYT called for Charlie Rangel to step down. It’s getting pretty bad, and Obama only makes it worse.
Obama will get New York into “toss up” territory by the end of September.
I believe it is nearly impossible for McCain to win New York. Yet, the very fact that Obama has to fight him there (which is even more unexpected than Minnesota) is a very bad sign for his campaign, which will have to spend some cash to keep his lead in the state.
I do not think the Republicans have any hope of winning NY and they are probably not spending to much money there. But, Obama is now in a situation where has to spend a lot more of his money there and it has to come from somewhere, meaning less money for states like CO, VA, NV.
Neither of them have been around this area of NY.
I think NY will give BO a run for his money. He hasnt campaigned in the state. He just assumed everyone would follow him after Hillary won the primary.
I say HA
I say HA HA HA.
Obama is going to have to spend a lot of money in New York. He is in for a big shock.
New York will be in the “toss up” category by the end of September.
Agre completely. I say “Ha!” too
McCain has one campaign office in Long Island, but if the polling trends continue… just imagine! If McCain or Palin showed up in NY, Obama would soil his pants.
Sorry oy, but it’s not impossible. The latino vote will be very crucial for 0bama if it stays this close. One swing of the pendulum in this community toward McCain and 0bama’s toast. If he splits the latino vote, there will be a problem. If were McCain, I’d spend my money on some good Spanish advertising. Palin could really appeal to latino women who are very oriented toward motherhood/family. Many are also Catholic so abortion rights is not an issue for them. Her raven looks don’t hurt either.
Also, it’s looking like NY women are a factor as well. There are a lot of upstate Republicans and in the city, look for Staten Island to be red. It always is.
In the beginning I didn’t think my vote would matter. But my motto is now a prophecy for 0bama:
WIN WITHOUT ME!
There are a lot of special needs children among minorities in NYC, because of lead paint, asthma from the pollution and inadequate public schools with rampant ADHD cases. Palin could make inroads there, especially among Hispanics who are Catholic.
Another Hillary supporter turned McCain voter (though I can’t go so far as to say supporter) who thought my vote wouldn’t matter anyway because I live in NY. Swing state? THAT is good news!
They don’t call it the Empire State for nothin’.
As long as BO has chosen to spend Money for support he will only recieve IOU’s.
I can barely containt myself thinking about all those SD’s and Dem’s doing the “take the money and run” dance.
Hey BO! See ya, wouldn’t want to be ya!
Well, if Obama’s ads keep pushing voters away, McCain won’t have to spend any money in NY to win NY. McCain could be saying: “By all means, Obama, spend MORE money in NY.”
I just read a great article over at savagepolitics.com titled “Birds of a Feather.” Sorry, I don’t know how to make a clickable link.
right click on the address at the top of your page, it turns blue,left click, copy, come here, left click, paste.
Thank you, 30yrdem.
I hope it works for you..
I did that wrong
left click, right click, right click
then a left click past TM scroll till you get south of Houston st and right click in front of ….hey!
Was that BO on skidrow that I just scrolled past?
Just copy past it.Go to link right click and the click copy.Go to your email and copy there to send to your delf or copy paste here.
John,
When I read about the NY poll this AM it blew my soxs off!
I thought the one state metric was NJ. Gore was +15.7, Kerry 6.7% and if BOT was < than Kerry the entire Ohio valley was John and Sarah’s.
Well…move over NJ…and HELLLO NEW YORK!!!
There has been a lot of talk about McCain co-opting Obama’s message of change. But I think they are mistaken: McCain has come up with a much more powerful
and appealing message: REFORM. That is what they are talking about.
Reform is a more powerful word for implicit in it is the idea of making something that exists work better. Change is a more radical but iffy word: many are still asking change for what ? And even BO’s supporters cannot explain it. On the other hand, reform that’s easy
to grasp quickly. Reform and “shake things up” is a very appealing and powerful message; and imo it beats “change”.
Yes, I’m afraid Obama’s change would not include the mainstream population and senior citizens would have to leave the counry or be hunted down like dogs. I’m old enough to remember that the mantra of the student revolutionaries was to kill everyone over the age of 30. There were even movies based on that theme. NPR ran a story today about a guy who’s writing a book about how he wishes the boomers would just disappear because IHO we are spoiling his life, taking stuff that he wants for himself, etc. Greedy little bastards.
I thought barack the crack head’s motto was:
change you can believe in
but the signs at his rally of the ignorant say
change we need
what’s up with that? While I was dodging seeing the _______, was the motto changed? You know like changed. like change.
change we need?
that’s pretty lukewarm there obambi.
He killed Hope, too.
‘Change We Can Believe In’ was a dig at Hillary who started with the Change message.
That won’t work with McCain, because you can’t convincingly call him a liar.
So now it’s “Change We Need.”
Because people are like, “What change? Why change?”
It’s an advertising gimmick.
Now it will be, “We need YOU to change…”
ABSOLUTELY!
I agree. Anything can be a “change”, including the weather. REFORM, that’s what Mac and Paling should be driving home with the voters.
GWB brought “change” to the country. See how well that worked out?
GWB was also a uniter, not a divider…
The parallels of Obama and Shrub are plain as the ears on their eggheads…(I think they both have ears that are fun for cartoonists to exaggerate).
The Chickens Come Home
http://foxforum.blogs.foxnews.com/
Thank you, Great message for everyone.
The loosening of credit enabled people to succumb to the fearmongering that they’d be priced out of the real estate market forever. Unfortunately, they trusted the smooth talk of unscrupulous lenders instead of their own better judgment.
I heard on the radio that Obama made a statement referencing the Great Depression. During the worst years of the Depression, unemployment was at 25%.
We may be on the threshold of a recession, but the reality of the Great Depression is much worse than what we are currently experiencing.
After all, the young Obots are fully equipped with their Ipods and all the latest tech bells and whistles, are they not?
Let us not forget that real estate agents and mortgage brokers work on commissions…
When we moved to North Texas five years ago, we had a real estate agent and mortgage broker trying to push houses on us that we could not ever realistically afford on our budget. The taxes alone were over $1000.00 a month.
Both the real estate agent and the mortgage broker made all of the cases for why we could have it all.
Needless to say, we found a different real estate agent and mortgage broker.
yes 30yr!! my Dar God Bless Him, taught me if I didnt have enough money for soemthing I couldnt afford it and had to wait and save. He told me the only thing I should ever buy without all the money was my house and then to get a fixed rate. And I did and am grateful to my Dar today :0)
good old fashioned salt of the Earth common sense and loving according to your means not your dreams :0)
AMEN … and I am at the point where I believe that people who stay behind in a MANDATORY evacuation should have to pay to be rescued. I have to pay for an ambulance to the hospital and it is an emergency …
It’s always interesting to check out TL and see what crap they’re spewing. They have it that McCain is totally clueless on the economy and the Dems can now sweep in and take the lead. Unfortunately, the MSM has it that both candidates are struggling to address the economic issues. If the Dems had a brain they would have Hillary on the ticket and she would be sweeping everyone else under rug!
So sad.
Even more interesting is that the Dems have had two years in Congress with which to address all these issues. What have they done? Write stern letters. So not impressed.
With the collapse of the banking markets over the week-end, who is a major political person we can point a direct finger at?
Obama, after all let’s not forget his own words in Israel last July, “I am proud of the actions of the banking commitee, and it is my commitee”
Just words Obama?
That’s not the committee I once knew.
ROFL….So, how now, Sen. Obama, what is YOUR BANKING COMMITTEE going to do about the banking crisis that happened on your watch?!
Senator Obama said, trying to impress Israeli reporters, that he is a member of the Senate Banking Committee, as he took credit for the passage of legislation regarding Iran.
“[Obama] was trying to brag about how tough he was on the Iranians, and he said his committee, the Senate Banking Committee, had passed a resolution … that would have caused American firms to divest of Iranian interests. And the trouble is, he’s not on that committee. … And he didn’t vote for it…”.
Indeed, the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs membership roster does not list Obama’s name.
But during a news conference, which aired live Wednesday morning during CNN Newsroom, Obama seemed to embellish his resume:
“Now, in terms of knowing my commitments, you don’t have to just look at my words, you can look at my deeds. Just this past week, we passed out of the U.S. Senate Banking Committee, which is my committee, a bill to call for divestment from Iran, as a way of ratcheting up the pressure to ensure that they don’t obtain a nuclear weapon.”
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/brad-wilmouth/2008/07/25/fred-barnes-calls-out-obamas-latest-senior-moment-gaffe
When I think of Biden’s home state Delaware,I think “credit cards” and “high interest.”
Maybe it’s just me.
Well Biden just went on and on about the economic failures in his stump speech and jobs lost in Deleware. Seems to me he is just highlighting his own lack of action.
On FOX, Obama waiting to react to economic issues., continuing to blame McCain. Useless.
Also Lindsay Lohan endorses Obama. She is worried that Lipstick on a pig will overshadow real issues. Well she is the epitomy of lipstick on a pig
AND…
Obama campaign flatly denies making any statemnet about delaying tropop withdrawl.
End of story?
Well, I just e-mailed fox on the Iraq article and said it needed to be up and on their newsite with the commentators 24/7. As a military mom, I demand it. I heard the “we didn’t do that” and told them it better not be dropped. I’ll e-mail them every hour on the hour if need be. Then I’ll take to the street. I’ve had enough of this fraud.
Remember the NAFTA denials?
Obama should be toast… why he seems to survive these credibility issues is a mystery to me.
No mystery. He is the corporate candidate this time around. Prepare to see him sworn in after the Black Panthers and Black Muslims corrupt the voting process to throw the election to him.
My husband was listening to NPR this morning. They interviewed blacks on Obama’s campaign. The people they talked to said they wished Obama would start talking about issues they could relate to. They didn’t know what things like “earmarks” are!
I was waiting on Biden to talk about the situation today but all I heard from his is nonsense about Mc Cain, big news all over the Media on the economy and all Biden could say is John did this and John did that, what a total waste of time.
oh not just you!
we call him Biden *D-MBNA
Biden sold his house to an Exec from MBNA, the credit card company. It sold for the asking price, $1,200,000. That was probably $100,000 over market value but they like Joe at MBNA, they are his biggest Contributors.
Excuse me……but how did Biden afford that house? He only makes like what? $200,000 a year. (He made 2.2 million over 10 years. You do the math. That kind of salary won’t buy you even a $650,000 house.
Go PUMAs go!
Clinton Supporters Never Say Die
By Shawn Zeller, CQ Staff
This is one statistic that has never deviated much since PA (do not recall polls before that). Polls consistently were saying ~23% of Clinton supporters would not support Obama.
Also, the article downstairs proves that the Democrats refused to impeach Dubya because they wanted the country to be in critical shape so they could stage a coup of their own. That’s why they pushed the Clintons out, they are true democrats, true patriots, true Americans. The Clintons are not far left, they are moderate. Durbin & the boys couldn’t have that, so they dug up Oblahma.
Captain BS responds, “Hope, Change, Just Speeches, Fired Up.”
Have you seen this?
http://www.barackbook.com/
That’s a GOP site (not the McCain campaign directly) and makes all the connections us PUMAs have been making for a long time: Ayers, Rezko, etc. From that site was a link to a new RNC radio ad.
Transcript:
I thought it was a joke – wtf?
Check out the newest battleground state: New York!
http://edgeoforever.wordpress.com/2008/09/15/ny-is-battleground-state-5-pts-without-accounting-for-3rd-party/
Climate is Right for McCain to Win Pennsylvania
http://www.newsitem.com/articles/2008/09/15/news/sh_newsitem.20080915.a.pg1.sh15president_s1.1946522_top5.txt
That’s why I always say PA is barely blue, or at least purple. The article says it will come down to the Philly burbs. I guess we’ve got our work cut out for us then!
Here is one Democrat residing in the Philly burbs (Montgomery County) that is proudly voting for McCain/Palin and greatly enjoying the many new McCain signs that pop up every day
Just saw 3 “Women for McCain” signs pop up in my neighborhood over the weekend.
That’s good – maybe PUMA?
I’d give you my contact info so we could brainstorm, but unfortunately the bots are out tonite…
I spoke with a neighbor (Iraq veteran) and he was reluctant to post his McCain sign in his yard until he saw MINE! HA! And I’m a democrat!
He gave me the number of the guy in my district who is organizing folks. I’m going to call him and volunteer to drive seniors to the voting centers so their voices will be heard on election day!
I asked my neighbor if he thought they would care if I was a democrat and he laughed and said “no maam!”
ACORN squash is a popular dish in the Philly burbs I hear.
I have a hard time believing this line:
First, far more people vote in a primary.
Who said that?
Not even close. Way less people vote in primaries.
18 million dem primary votes for ob has to translate to 60 million general election day votes for him to win, which even with pets and dead people he is going to have a hell of a time reaching that huge amount.
30 million this year was high for the Dem primary, but that is still roughly half of the General turnout.
Election 2008: Utah Presidential Election
Utah: McCain 64% Obama 32%
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/utah/election_2008_utah_presidential_election
McCain’s #’s continue to go up
I just saw VA numbers though; SurveyUSA has Obama up by 4: what do you make of this? I don’t understand VA politics much.
I saw this too…It seems like an odd one, a bit of an outlier (sp?) like yesterday’s Diageo national poll.
Rasmussen will release a new Virginia today at 6 p.m. If it mirrors that kind of movement, then it is legit, if not, I’d pass it off as an odd outlier.
Take care,
Patrick
Thanks for the info on Rasmussen; the jump seemed to big ( from -4 to +4 but also if you look at the movements of the various groups men seemed to have gone from +11 McCain to a tie !! I find that hard to believe …
http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReportEmail.aspx?g=c3b77d5f-0d1a-4f6e-b195-ae05355e8eb8
I know BO has been registering voters there very heavily, I don’t see the #’s on how many dem-rep -indy were polled…
http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReportEmail.aspx?g=c3b77d5f-0d1a-4f6e-b195-ae05355e8eb8
You are right I was looking for the same and they have no info on that…
This is scandalous. It is absolutely amazing BO has had the face to attack HRC on lobbysist.
BO serves at the pleasure of BO politcal career.
This is just crazy. A pseudo-corporation with govt-selected boardmembers, such as Jamie Gorelick, who give ‘lobbyist handouts’. Obama is the number two recipient? The whole thing is atrocious. And the entire thing ought to be the biggest scandal being covered right now, and all Republican and Democrat politicians involved in it ought to be being called to task right now by an ‘unbiased’ media.
But I doubt there will even be a peep about any improper activities until well after the elections. Too many critical ‘battlegrounds’ at stake.
What I find even more bizarre is that Hillary never went there.
Anyone seen any Massachusetts polling data? Massachusetts did go for Hillary and I am wondering if Ohitler could lose Massachusetts.
I doubt it…. The Boston is too predominant in the state (that went for BO). The state has a huge number of Independents (mainly Springfield and Western MA–but outside college area– but I doubt it’ll go other than blue even if by smaller margins.
It is very strange there is no polling data though.
True, the last ones where from early August
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/ma/massachusetts_mccain_vs_obama-575.html
Regarding the PA race. I think it may very well come down to PA for the presidency. Why Oh why is not McCain running ads with clips of what Obama said about rural Pennsylvanians?
Runnind ads about O dissing Michigan during the primary? I think I must write to the McCain campaign.
Patience, grasshopper. I think those types of ads will come but much closer to election day for maximum impact.
You should contact the McCain camp and tell them that.
You may not like Obama but c’mon, don’t start making things up.
Just like in the 1890’s, 1929 and the S&L debacle in the 1980’s, the Robber Barons of unfettered Laissez Faire and Republican deregulation have shown that they are incapable of self-regulation. Greed, corruption and Ponzi schemes are the ultimate endgame of right-wing Conservatism and John McCain has been right in the heart of this ideology.
Like the Roosevelts showed (both Teddy & FDR), only government oversight and regulation will keep these free market absolutist thieves from destroying the economy for their own enrichment.
You mean like Fanie-mae and Freddie-mac? Ouch.
You are right in that Republicans have much blame to share for their so-called free market assault on regulated markets. However, don’t imagine that Obama is a reformer. His main variation on the pillaging has been to earmark for minority bankers – some of whom have turned out to be nothing more than dark-skinned robber barons. Furthermore, when you have rightwing icons like Paul Volcker backing Obama, don’t you wonder why? Ever wonder about Obama’s support from people like Immelt of GE, whose stock is under pressure because it is one of the largest financial institutions, whose television asset has done everything it can to elect Obama, and who now has a seat on the NY Fed? Every banking institution getting a bailout right now has donated to Obama. And if we had more stamina for examining corruption, should I say Freddie? Fannie? HUD? Deep cesspool in which you will find Democrats as well as Republicans and enormous support for Obama. Obama is not a reformer, and his choice of Biden of credit card and bankruptcy fame just says it all.
John McCain said in a statement this morning the melt-down on Wall Street is the result of LACK OF REGULATION. Obama said in his statement the melt-down on Wall Street is John McCain’s fault (literally he said: “now I don’t want to uh uh uh say it’s all John uh uh uh McCain’s uh uh uh fault, but…)
Actually, there’s plenty of regulation. Just no one to enforce it. That’s what Bush’s appointments brought about. By the way, these were things Sen. McCain fought him (Bush) on. I don’t remember Barky standing up or saying anything about this while it was going on.
When I worked in the stock brokerage business, back in the 70’s and 80’s, the biggest threat to us was the SEC. Now they’re a joke.
Also, when I wanted to buy a house in the 70’s, it was extremely, highly, and just plain illegal to borrow the down payment. You would go to jail, and so would the banker who lent the money. In recent years, it’s been considered “good business.” I don’t remember those laws being rescinded.
Unregulated markets are nuts.
Greed, corruption and Ponzi schemes…
Or How Obama got where he is today.
When is this nation gonna stop pointing fingers at the other person?
These are malidies are as old as man.
To say “but he does it” is not an excuse for one’s own behavior.
To outright lie about it as BO does is shameful.
I see reports that Obama may have now changed his mantra of change today. Haven’t seen anything in print saying what it now is.
Ah, it is now “Change We Need”
Yes, and who’s to deliver? McCain/Palin.
Recall Bill Clinton:
I love Big Dawg…why yes, I’ll take candidate Y behind the McCain/Palin curtain thank you.
This a response to “just words”.
He is saying BO is all talk, but what a way to say it.
gotta love it.
This morning as A.I.G. circles the drain, John McCain “addressed” the nation’s economic crisis. It pretty much boiled down to this:
Americans are sitting around the dinner table wondering how they’re going to pay the bills. Our economic crisis isn’t hardworking Americans’ fault, contrary to what the republicans’ opponents might say. Americans are the most productive workers in the world. Nope, it’s the result of greed and corruption on Wall Street and in Washington. Years of greed and corruption! Which he and Sarah will reform and fix! They’ll reform Wall Street and Washington, beginning with their first day in office. They’ll go after those earmark porkbarrel spenders. They’ll streamline broken regulatory agencies. They’ll stop multi-million dollar bailouts with taxpayer money. (I think you mean billion, John? A.I.G. is involved with around a trillion dollars, John, and needs to come up with billions in capital within the next few days.) They’ll get rid of outdated regulations that were put in place in the days of the Great Depression.
That’s the plan. Moving right along…
So, the democrats are blaming American workers for our troubles? John implies they do.
How long has McCain been in Washington himself?
Wasn’t it the stripping away of certain “outdated Depression Era banking and investment regulations” by the republicans that allowed greed and corruption to run wild, creating the current situation in the first place? John’s first choice of economic advisors was Phil Gramm, remember? The Enron loophole. Sub-prime lending. Gramm’s deregulation brought us those wonderful opportunities.
And what does earmark porkbarrel spending–which accounts for no more than $18 billion of the 2008 federal budget, have to do with the economic crisis?
On the economic crisis, McCain is clueless.
blow it out your ass
Thanks for your thoughtful comment.
I’m sorry, but it’s the truth. Did you actually listen to McCain’s speech less than an hour ago?
He just tried to somehow wrap the complexities of our deepening economic crisis with his Reform slogan–which so far seems to consist of nothing but a promise to veto earmark spending items.
People don’t seem to be getting how dangerous the situation is becoming. We’re in far more serious danger from what’s happening on Wall Street than we are from terrorists.
And in a time of danger America will not hand over the keys to the whitehouse and the button to someone who sat in a racist church for 20 years and expects us to believe he never heard a divisive comment from his pastor, mentor and friend.
Well Said!
Duhh so let’s elect a useless guy named Barack who bankrupted the $150 million Annenburg Chicago Challenge in 5 years and who has done nothing in his entire career financially except get money from crooks and sleezy Chicago Combine people, makes logical sense to a door knob, is that what you are?
I trust McCain and Palin to help fix this mess much more than I trust Obama, who has absolutely no record of accomplishing much of anything other than a speech.
Who better to understand what this means to working people than working people like the Palin’s?
* Because that is $18 billion that the government could use in a better fashion.
* Because it is THE POINT of pork barrel projects that highlights how Washington needs reformed.
* Because REFORM is the answer, Change is a slogan.
* Because speciously saying that “well, hey, earmarks are small” is the kind of soft reasoning that has helped the democratic party implode.
* Because at least John McCain put forth some PLANS here…showcasing at least that in HIS opinion, these problems need to be solved NOT BY MORE GOVERNMENT, but by a streamlined government that WORKS. Remember, do a FEW THINGS WELL and then get the hell out of the way.
* Because it’s nice to hear a candidate with plans as opposed to one running against the ghost of christmas past. If we here Obama/Biden say four-more years of Bush one more time, we’re going to start needing a rim-shot every time because based on the way the public has correctly ignored that train of thought, it’s now comical.
* Because it is obvious that Obama is in so far over his head.
Take care,
Patrick
…should be ‘hear’ not here…
Also, I am NOT impressed by BO’s main economic advisor, Austan Goolsbee at all….
I’m not impressed with they way Obama manages his campaign spending.
The waste of $18 billion in earmarks is troubling, but in reality $18 billion is nothing compared with the size of our annual deficit.
For the purpose of comparison, we’re currently spending about 12 billion taxpayer dollars on Iraq each and every month. While the protected Iraqi government pockets oil revenues of over $79 billion per year, incidently.
With all respect, the contents of McCain’s campaign ad do not constitute a plan. He needs to start stating the specifics.
Please see ALL the information listed with the ad for specifics.
In my mind (and I know many here respectfully disagree), $18 billion spent in Iraq per month is money well spent, again IMHO.
I’m am extremely happy for you if $18 billion is NOTHING. I can think of a number of taxpayers that would love to get a portion of that $18 billion back…but you can tell the government to keep yours.
Specious logic at best.
Take care,
Patrick
Wwo McCain needs to state specifics, yet Bambi doesn’t, everyone else has to state or produce, but useless Barack doesn’t. Sounds fair for a guy who had lousy grades at Columbia and Harvard and hides them, a do nothing legislative career, but he usre knows what rocks to turn to get his hands on slimy money, yup just what the USA needs to correct everything!
Has Obama/ Biden issued a statement as yet as to how they are going to fix this problem why are they so silent on what they will do, we know its a problem well then tell me how these two financial wizards are going to fix it.
So you honestly believe government spending is NOT out of control?
Obama’s plan is of course superior- blame John McCain- all done.
Amen to that. McCain is a clueless idiot. He freely admitted he doesn’t know jack about the economy.
Well, that clueless idiot is running circles around your candidate. This election was supposed to be a gimme for the Democrats. And Barky is screwing it up. So what’s that make Barky?
Get some new talking points.
Did you hear his McCain’s) statements today? Clearly he is informed.
Obama is the one saying he needs to wait until things play out before he can even make a statement..that’s code for “I have no clue”.
His onlt strategy is to… blame John McCain.
Skiron,
The lot of you that cannot see through Obama is decreasing.
only *sp
“Clearly he is informed.”
It only proves he can read what his campaign aides have prepared for him.
Pot meet kettle..his name is Obama and he’s black.
The same with Obama, and yet he still stutters and uh, um uh. He is clueless, he wants to give 95% of taxpayers a break and yet 40% of them don’t pay any taxes anyhow.So it is a handout. Socialism at it’s best. Obama=Carter and I remember well how that went. No thanks. I’ll take a reformer anyday.
The troll emergency cramming school session is over, I see. What did you learn in juku today, grasshopper?
You and your power-cricket buddies have been told to chirp about the economy. You are trying to create unease and panic.
It won’t work.
Your guy can’t keep his campaign on budget. I don’t want him near mine.
With $77 million cash on hand I would say his campaign is doing just fine, thank you very much.
And by your rationale, I assume you definitely didn’t want Hillary near your budget, as she ran her failed campaign into the red to the tune of tens of millions of dollars.
Obama has been extremely wasteful. Greek columns anyone? World rock concert tour?
Outspend opponents by 4 times , but still have to cheat to win, ACORN anyone?
Middle East money won’t buy Barry any American votes, lemming.
Maybe you should tell your master, he doesn’t seem to get it.
Hillary is not running for President.
When Obama needs to beef up his “executive experience” he gives himself credit for running his campaign. He spends money like it’s going out of style. He’s falling short of his fund raising targets.
Given Obama’s record of burning money, I don’t want him near my check book.
Didn’t Mac get $84M in public financing after the convention? He also got like $40M in his campaign and the RNC has well over $140M in their war chest. How much does the DNC have? Nothing from me, that’s for sure. I sent back two requests for donations in the mail with the words FOR PALIN, YES. OBAMA/SOETORO, NEVER.
Obama has a neverending supply of DOODADS.
I would be curious to know and see who all these donors are that keep feeding his campaign.
Where is the press to start investigating all this record breaking fundraising?
Oh, that’s right they are in Alaska trying to dig up dirt on Palin when she is running for VP and Barry is running for President.
I wonder if all the $$ that was raised by the folks in Nigeria are included in that number?
I wonder if they have not gotten a list of all former DNC donators and magically have them donating to Barry.
I would put nothing past this slick con man.
You think it’s the Obama campaign that’s creating economic fears? Obama has been trying to speak calmly about economic issues for months now. He was drowned out by diversions.
Have you been watching the news for the last few months? You’re aware of the subprime crisis? Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae? Lehman Brothers? And suddenly today, AIG?
Do you know what the unemployment rate is? The actual rate of inflation?
How about the near-record 2008 deficit, and the projected record deficit for 2009?
You do realize the national debt has doubled in 8 years, and that the value of the U.S. dollar has dropped by 41% during the same period?
Iraq is costing us $12 Billion a month. We’ve been borrowing the money, largely from China. They currently hold an estimated 2 TRILLION U.S. dollars. If they dumped them on the world market, we’d be gone. They’re understandably disinclined to extend us more credit. We all know what happens if we just start printing up more dollars to cover our bills.
So, you’re thinking concerns about the economy aren’t a relevant 2008 political issue?
Of course Obama knows about the problems of Fanny Mae and Freddy Mac, as he is the number 2 politician in terms of their political contributions. He is familiar with all of the sinking ships of finance, as he has taken so much money from these finance houses to sponsor bailouts for them. It’s good that he is on such familiar terms with sinking ships, as it may make his own submersion less traumatic.
Did you forget to provide a link to the ‘part II’ where you actually explain how McCain is ‘clueless’ on the economy? Maybe he is, but you didn’t show how.
Also, if I’m going to make a choice between ‘clueless’ and ‘moronic’, please show me how ‘clueless’ is worse than ‘moronic’.
How soon people forget such salient facts.
I haven’t heard McCain’s remarks, but to answer your last remark about the earmarks, they are directly related to the current crisis. Senator X gets “contributions” from Freddie, Fannie and all the bankers, insurance companies, credit card companies, etc., and then turns around and gives them the legislation they want. It should be illegal, and we should call it bribery and put people in jail for doing it. In the meantime, I’d settle for ending earmarking as political payola.
Campaign contributions for political favors is an entirely separate issue from earmarking. That’s lobbying. And if we go there, which candidate has the most lobbyist connections? If you want and example of quid pro quo, consider McCain’s $1.2 million in campaign contributions from Big Oil, which coincided with his reversal on offshore drilling.
Earmarks? $18 billion for 2008. They don’t account for the $410 billion 2008 federal deficit. They’re a drop in a very large bucket. $144 billion can be directly attributed to the continuing occupation of Iraq. Earmarks are often questionable, but generally it involves federal money being diverted for state use. (See the $223 million bridge to nowhere; $200 million for 2008 Alaskan earmarks, including several millions for studies of Alaskan sea crabs; $27 million to an Alaskan town having a population of less than 6,000.) At least earmarked money is generally spent in America, and American taxpayers generally get at least some benefit.
You mean, the bridge to nowhere that Barky voted FOR? Guess he hit the wrong button…again. So uninspiring.
Isn’t it the illegal workers taking jobs away from Americans and sending the money they make back to Latin America (billions, by the way) instead of spending it in this country that is partly to blame and unwise loans to these illegals to buy homes they can’t afford and do not understand the flexible mortgages so they have defaulted and gone into forteiture? Uh, yes.
And who totally supports letting these people keep coming into the U. S. instead of securing the border and upholding the immigration laws? Oh, it’s Barack “I’ll give La Raza anything they want in exchange for votes” Obama.
Great ad. That should just freak Obama out. Maybe that’s why he is attempting to RE REDEFINE himself. Lick name.
ooooops…yuk ….that should have said Click name. sorry.
Well anyone that says McCain and Palin don’t have a detailed plan hasn’t read this post. Thanks for posting this information, I can pass it on to any numnuts I happen to know who still back Obama and think McCain doesn’t have a plan. The new restrictions on CEO pay is badly needed. And tax breaks should be given to everyone, not just people w kids! Single people get screwed all the time on this. The increased deduction should be for every person WHO PAYS TAXES. And no senior citizen should ever have to pay tax on their social security benefits, I don’t care how much they work after retirement age. Most are working anyway for health insurance coverage or they just need money.
That’s the thing that bothers me about McCain’s tax plan. Tax relief shouldn’t be tied to how many children you have.
Most developed countries try to encourage people to have children and provide tax deductions for having them. They should do much more of that in Europe, the natives of those countries have very low birth rates and very high immigration rates from Muslim countries. In 50 years England might be a Muslim country.
Yep- and look at this tidbit…..
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,422661,00.html
Obama and Biden: McCain dishonorable campaign.
McCain: Lets have town meetings to reduce mudslinging.
This is an especially lame ad and pitch, even for the republicans.
All it does is summarize the vagueness of the their platform with a list of vague results that don’t refer to any specific proposals. What tougher rules on Wall Street? For years, the Republican congressional majority was all about eliminating such rules, which were originally put in place by democrats to protect us from what we’re witnessing in the market today.
The only thing you can believe about the ad is that they want to drill drill drill, and that truth is coupled with the outright lie that drilling will bring down oil prices. All of the experts assure us that it won’t.
Maybe not such a bad idea since Ohitler’s whole campaign has been about vagueness and abstraction.
First off, what in EARTH is vague about the citations and meat sent out with the ad? Seriously, are you willfully obtuse?
Second, exactly how much DETAIL can you get in to a :30 ad? Again, are you willfully obtuse or is this genetic?
Honestly, I absolutely LOVE intelligent, heated political debate. My very best friend is an Ozombie. We go at it constantly and it is enlightening and energizing. None of that changes the fact that he’s my best friend.
But your argument, ziggy, is just…
…*sigh*….
The old ‘four more years of the ghost of christmas past’ thingy…
Take care,
Patrick
shut up shit for brains, nobody cares what you have stored in your pea brain anyway.
Who are the experts? Are you one of those who want us to stop holding hands with the Saudis but don’t want us to drill either? No one is saying drilling alone will solve our oil problems. It has to be a multiple line approach, which is what McCain and Palin suggest. And didn’t your great leader say he would consider drilling before the August recess? Yeah, thought so.
Nope. Obama is gung-ho on an alternative energy crash program, to permanently break our dependence not just on foreign oil, but on oil altogether. In 10 years time we could have a well-established and rapidly growing alternative energy infrastructure, and be well on our way to all the cheap, clean, inexhaustable energy we’ll ever need. Transportation would become cheap. Manufacturing would become cheap. We’d be at the beginnings of an American Renaissance, with no end in sight. And the economy would be stimulated immediately, as federal dollars went into permanent, green, un-outsourceable jobs. Oh yeah… And we’d be taking care of greenhouse gas emissions, without spending any additional dollars.
That’s sort of the ultimate way to give the Saudis, Hugo Chavez, and all similar SOBs the finger, in my opinion. Let ‘em figure out another way to fund their anti-American agendas.
“All of the experts assure us that it won’t.”
Absolute Lie, right there!
Even with Ike hitting the Gulf, the price of oil is now down below $100. That means that, ignoring the spike, the price oil for the year has not risen (price same now as in Jan.). Before Ike, the prediction was that oil would drop down into the eighties, and maybe into the sixties with sell-offs. What is causing the drop?
Many economic experts are on record stating that merely the “expectation” of increased oil production can lower prices “now”! Many of the moratoriums are temporary and are set to expire in less than a month, with the Drill Now crowd pushing Congress to NOT renew the bans. The ‘Drill, drill, drill’ campaign, and the anticipation of greater access to US oil supplies is one of the reasons oil is dropping.
BTW, do we need to round up those ‘evil, greedy speculators’ who are now driving the price of oil DOWN?
Well. we know just this week with Ike… the expectation of non-production raises prices… even before there are shortages or even before supplies of cheaper gas and oil are depleted. So, why would the antithesis of this also be true…. that the “expectation” of increased oil production can lower prices?
Do you know how many barrels of oil are available for eventual recovery from domestic reserves by expanded drilling, and how small that number is when compared with the annual rate of consumption?
We use over 25% of total global production each year. We have ony 3% of global reserves. And any oil we pump will go on the global market. It’s price will be determined by global demand.
Global prices have recently declined, even though global demand hasn’t. There’s a U.S. election coming up, and one of the candidates is proposing an alternative energy program that could begin to free us of our dependency on oil for our energy needs in 10 years. So, why might global suppliers be lowering prices in the months before that election?
This isn’t a difficult riddle.
When Bush announced he wanted offshore drilling
DUG took off and has been on an upward trend
since.
Shame on me for not buying at 25. From my research I was convinced oil was in a bubble, but I didn’t pull the trigger. Oh well.
I’ve posted this elsewhere:
The troll emergency cramming school session is over.
Keep your eyes out for the new memes.
They seem to be trying singing about the economy. They are not making sense. But they hope to induce panic and distract us.
Don’t be fooled.
Barack Obama received $365,922 from employees of Lehman, while McCain received $115,800.
They should get their money back.
Sure why not threaten us with that. He’s threatened us with everything else.
The trolls have been told to talk about the economy.
You are supposed to get all scared and ask for Change.
If we allow zeromama to get his hands on the economy, that is all that will be left … change. Look at what he and Ayers did at the CAC. Burned through a lot of money for no results. God he sounds sooooooooooooo much like GWB without a daddy with deep pockets.
John McCain is hell bent on kowtowing to corporate lobbyists and increasing guest worker Visas. He plans to allow anyone who goes to any higher education in the US an automatic green card. This is guaranteed to cost US citizens their jobs. Especially Professional jobs, in other words some of the jobs that would support a family and the middle class.
Obama has promised the same corporate lobbyists the same thing.
So the owners of the Postville, Iowa plant bring in new/legal workers to fill the positions after the raids by ICE, and all of the new workers are quitting because they say that the job is hard and dirty. Nice job, ICE, you’ve destroyed the local economy of another town, and preseved those jobs for ……(crickets)
They need to stop paying unemployment to anyone not willing to take the job. Americans ARE whiners. Phil Gramm is right on that score.
I guess they will have to pay higher wages to get workers. Those meat-packing places just love illegal workers, they don’t have to pay them much and can treat them poorly. I don’t mind paying a little more for meat or having the grass cut if it means we have LEGAL workers
I read his website very carefully today in answering someone on the ABC blog. You need to reread it.
He also addressed immigration issues during his Florida town hall. If you listened, he wants to work with Colombia and reward them for fighting the drug cartels. We can continue to expect illegal immigration unless and until we work with our neighbors to ensure they have a country they don’t want to flee.
Anyone keeping up with the financial news won’t wonder why the economy is the central issue of the 2008 election. Nobody needs to tell anyone to talk about it.
Fear is out there already. It’s a product of actual events. Anyone paying attention should be apprehensive. There’s real danger.
We’ve got to have change. If we don’t get real change, we’re totally screwed. The whole election is about who will actually deliver it.
Please note I’ve just said all of that without making a pitch for either party.
And I appreciate your nonpartisan pitch. In that spirit, I’d say that we are already screwed and are left now in a reactionary mode to the widespread financial corruption that has taken place with Washington’s help. We need reform. On that account, I think there is a somewhat better chance that McCain will deliver it. Neither candidate would be my first choice, but the only indication we have that Obama will deliver this nebulous change is his word, which has been proven itself to be changeable.
This is where I really felt a lift from the Republican convention, to be honest. Even though some of the people they brought out couldn’t give a good speech, so many of them were so proud of the businesses they had started. They had worked HARD to achieve their personal dreams. They don’t want a hand out from the government. They want the government to get out of their way with tax codes that make it impossible for them to run their companies.
Here in Ohio they wanted to put an initiative on the ballot in November REQUIRING a company with 25 employees or more to provide paid sick leave. That would effectively close the doors to new industry. Governor Strickland saw it for what it is. I personally feel that the only reason it is off the ballot is because of the election and the fear that it would bring business owners to the poll in WAVES. I have this stinking feeling that it is not a dead issue.
obama’s whole campaign is doom and gloom. The sky is falling the sky is falling.
They attack mccain for saying our economy’s fundamentals are strong, THEY ARE. The fundamentals our the workers of america. The foundation of the economy is those who work in it.
Also, botboys for poeple who decry our sides supposed lies about obama, what about the constant claim Mac does not know much about the economy?
If you were to put his context in perspective you would see he was speaking of his foriegn policy compared to domestic. BUT, do not let facts get in your way, just keep crying foul and lying.
Also, Obama said basically the EXACT same thing in Nevada. He said he would not be good at running a burocracy but would have the right poeple around to handle it.
Also, Mccain was the head of the commerce committee in the 90’s you know when we had our greatest econmic boom. So your constant mccain does not know much about the economy is FALSE and misleading.
What does obama know? what experience does he have to deal with our economic struggle? The narrative that he is better equipped is based solely on the fact that he is a democrat. HE HAS NO EXPERIENCE AT ALL WITH THE ECONOMY. McCain does. Obama’s campaign has blew MILLIONS in money and poorly handled its finances. 77million on hand is good. but McCain raised 47 million in august and was infused with 85 million in public financing( that obama broke his PROMISE to accept) and the RNC at the end of august had 115million on hand. So,Obama’s goal to have 100 mill a month for dems has been met ALREADY by the republicans.
Also, how do you guys feel about obama trying to delay troop withdrawal while in [ublic saying they need to come home?
You are all so clueless, i love it. The election is passing you by and your still using the same tired lines that havn’t worked since mCain wopn in february.
Um, he himself has SAID he doesn’t know much about the economy.
“The issue of economics is not something I’ve understood as well as I should.”
“I know a lot less about economics than I do about military and foreign policy issues. I still need to be educated.”
Words out of his own damn mouth…kinda hard to refute that.
Recognizing a weakness is not a fault.
He said he didn’t understand economics AS WELL AS he should. Heck, even Alan Greenspan admitted to that. No one understands this era of structured finance.
He said he doesn’t know as much about economics as military and foreign policy.
He did not say he didn’t “know much about the economy.”
Thank you. I get tired of clarifying this point. (I wonder whether those people for whom this is clarified, begin to question the other talking points they blindly accepted from their candidate and his campaign.) Here’s another good description he offers of his economic acumen.
“I think I understand the fundamentals, I talk to people all the time on economics – it’s obviously a vital part of America’s future,” McCain continued. “But I know there are some people who have literally immersed themselves on issues of economics, how Congress works on it, the tax code, that sort of thing. I would look for that kind of talent not in a vice president but in close advisers.”
“They are complicated,” McCain said of economic issues, “and I freely admit I am not an economist.”
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/01/26/mccain_tested_on_economy/
At least he’s not afraid to admit it whereas your stupid messiah still can’t get it right and is following the days of Carter. I have to guess you didn’t live through that. I did and I won’t do it again.
I logged into Yahoo News this morning and say a headline about the Wall Street meltdown. It said something like “Obama Blames Bush; McCain Suggests Reform.”
I think Obama is making a huge mistake trying to peg this on Republicans. We all know who has been the majority in Congress the past two years. And the “McCain = Bush” thing is tired and only plays to Obama’s fervent base. It says nothing to independents.
But keep it up Obama – I want you to lose.
The DOW just dropped over 500 points in a single day, and the day isn’t over yet.
Nobody is going to blame the democratic party for this one. We’ve had a republican president for 8 years. The democratic majority in the House has been there less than 2 years. They haven’t changed any republican financial legistlation. As the republicans never tire of pointing out, the democrats haven’t been able to do much of anything.
Maybe the republicans should try blaming democrats for not fixing what the republicans broke. Remember all of the republican deregulation of the banking and investment industry? The results have been building for several years now.
Chairman is Chris Dodd. Sorry. That dog won’t hunt.
Sorry … meant of Banking committee
The Dems held the majority in congress for quiet sometime now what the hell were they all doing??
What is the use of them holding on to congress when they are all ineffective? Yes its easy to blame the government but exactly what have they done, but the election was coming and they sure as hell did not want to rock the boat with all those big donations now did they?
Butting heads with a stubborn, entrenched republican president and his republican minority, mostly. Remember how long and hard he resisted all democratic efforts to curtail that $12 billion-a-month War in Iraq, or even set some future goal for phasing us out? He pretty much forced them to pass the budget he wanted or take the blame for there being no budget at all.
Always pointing the finger elsewhere. I put the blame on both parties but more importantly on those greedy CEOs for running their firms into the ground.
Never mind the dumb ass Americans who got all hyped up for the “flip my house” craze and who didn’t bother to read the fine print on their mortgages. They are just as responsible. If you don’t understand the financial document you are signing, don’t sign it.
Well, here’s some promising economic news from the 0mama/Imbiben ticket … unless Joe goes to your church:
Sen. Joseph Biden, the Democratic candidate for vice president, released his tax returns for the years 1998 to 2007. The returns revealed that in one year, 1999, Biden and his wife Jill gave $120 to charity out of an adjusted gross income of $210,979. In 2005, out of an adjusted gross income of $321,379, the Bidens gave $380. In nine out of the ten years for which tax returns were released, the Bidens gave less than $400 to charity; in the tenth year, 2007, when Biden was running for president, they gave $995 out of an adjusted gross income of $319,853.
Total Income 10 years $2,450,042 Total Donations 10 years $3,690
Gee. Some tipper he must be ….
Wow. That speaks a LOT to their character, or lack thereof. Rich people who are stingy with charities are assholes in my opinion. I know quite a few rich people who feel that they are blessed and they go out of their way to give.
Given that I give #22/month to sponsor a child, not to mention other organizations I support, I already beat them for charitable giving, and I am definitely not in the top tax bracket.
Sick.
From Jim Geraghty:
$126,000 From Fannie and Freddie? In Four Years?
Obama has two new ads up, both highlighting McCain advisers who have been employed as lobbyists.
If having a staffer who has worked as a lobbyist makes you “on the take,” I wonder what it means when you take more money from companies like Fannie and Freddie than anybody except Chris Dodd. More than, say, 352 other lawmakers, going back to 1989.
Seems like time for a response ad. “When the highly-paid CEOs of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac felt reformers closing in, they needed a defender. They knew where to send their money. The Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd… and Barack Obama. They gave Obama more than $126,000, in less than four years. While Fannie and Freddie was running aground, Dodd, Obama, and Congress looked elsewhere. Ask yourself who can really bring change to Washington, and keep our financial system from running aground.”
.
MY God, what P’sOS the Bidens are!!
However, it is a well known fact that Republicans give tons more out of their income than the Dems. Biden is an embarrassing confirmation of that fact.
Republicans probably track every nickel they give away for tax purposes. They probably demand written receipts from panhandlers…
Reform? With the same economic policies as Bush? Ridiculous.
I’m sure Biden tips at the bar after he orders tequila shots. That’s what he considers charity.
Congress has failed to enact major laws to address money lending institutions since passing the Glass-Steagall Act in the 1930’s. (One of the federal programs created back then was the FDIC.) In those days, only banks lent money to people to buy major consumer goods; now, all sorts of institutions issue credit. But the legislation hasn’t caught up with these new activities. Ask yourself; what has prevented Congress from enacting laws to overhaul the activities of these new money organizations, which, much like banks, lend money (to people who might not be able to pay this back); and sell debt (to businesses with no connection to the borrower or, his or her neighborhood); and issue credit (through bulk mailings)? Especially when in the absence of such legislation, business engaged in these transactions are going bankrupt, often wreaking havoc with the economy?
For SusanUNPC
http://a434.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/21/l_0863c63b8888e63a6c7eb17ecde78029.jpg
Obama Mocks America’s Christian Heritage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn-P3yAaAqI
Baraka Obama attacks the Bible openly
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RkqYUqPSU0&feature=related
Obama did his punch card to see which religion is more faith in the U.S so he can be a snake and try to grt their support.This is laws of other countrys one Obama came from. Wake up!
1. The financial market is failing due to mortgage lenders. Wall Street lost more than 500 points within the first hour of trading today.2. The top contributors to the Obama campaign are the very Wall Street firms whose shady mortgage lenders buried the elderly and the poor and minority under predatory loans.
According to the Black Agenda Report,
(Reference blackagendareport.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=613&Itemi)
Lehman Brothers, the fourth biggest U.S. investment bank, filed for bankruptcy Monday after two most serious buyers Barcklays and Bank of America (BOA) withdrew from talks to buy the firm. New York-based Lehman, the biggest U.S. underwriter of mortgage securities, has lost 94 percent of its market value this year after record losses from investments tied to mortgages.
(Reference english.cri.cn/3130/2008/09/16/1722s405708.htm)
(Also reference washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/17/AR2007041701688.html)
Brokaw called Schumer on how much money Obama is getting from Wall Street on Meet the Press on 9-14-08
3. Obama got $126,000 from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Investments. He is the third biggest recipient of political money from these funds in the last 20 years.
(Reference opensecrets.org/news/2008/07/top-senate-recipients-of-fanni.html)
4. McCain is offering solutions, including calling for stricter government regulations.
5. Obama is blaming the economic policies of the Bush Administration.
Obama-Change we can believe in: Take more campaign money from Wall Street, offer no solutions and blame others.
First the Democrats blindly follow Obama … now, they are willing to blindly follow Reid, Bush and Paulson … in a decision which could dramatically affect every American for decades. Well, thank God, Senator John McCain, Senator Shelby, and hundreds of economists don’t just want to take a few people’s word for it. Already, Reid has tried to tack additional pork, like Acorn, to this bailout. I didn’t think I could dislike inept Harry Reid, with his 15% approval rating, any more than I already did, but this isn’t about Reid being left alone to decide America’s future. It will be interesting to look back at this in retrospect, to see if we really did have to RUSH this 750 Billion dollar decision … and, who really benefitted from pushing it through so quickly.
jersey offshore banking…
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