From Couric's interview:
COURIC: Why isn't it better, Governor Palin, to spend $700 billion helping middle-class families who are struggling with health care, housing, gas and groceries; allow them to spend more and put more money into the economy instead of helping these big financial institutions that played a role in creating this mess?
PALIN: That's why I say I, like every American I'm speaking with, were ill about this position that we have been put in where it is the taxpayers looking to bail out. But ultimately, what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the health-care reform that is needed to help shore up our economy, helping the—it's got to be all about job creation, too, shoring up our economy and putting it back on the right track. So health-care reform and reducing taxes and reining in spending has got to accompany tax reductions and tax relief for Americans. And trade, we've got to see trade as opportunity, not as a competitive, scary thing. But one in five jobs being created in the trade sector today, we've got to look at that as more opportunity. All those things under the umbrella of job creation. This bailout is a part of that.
Link
---------
huh?
You know what -- I'd love to give Sarah the benefit of a doubt here -- but there's no more benefit to be given unfortunately. So assuming she was trying to articulate the common GOP/Republican mantra here: "we gotta give it to the rich so that it can filter down to the middle and lower class..."
Trickle down economics would be fine if it worked ... except that it doesn't. Moreover, if a full-blown Republican government couldn't make it work -- what makes us think that John McCain is selling anything different? But let's take a look at the tale of the tape for proof that McCain/Palin's economic policy is nothing more than a farce. Because when we look at when things were supposed to be at their "best" (dare we even utter that) -- things were still *WORSE* than they were under the Bush regime:
a.) Unemployment has never gotten close to what Bush inherited
b.) Salaries have actually DROPPED to what Bush inherited
c.) GDP may have risen, but the dollar has tanked thanks to the Bush presidency
d.) Our debt has DOUBLED in eight years after Clinton managed to score a budget surplus towards the end of his Presidency
e.) The cost of energy, the rising cost of our goods and services continue to out pace our salaries and wages
By Sarah's measure -- the economy should've been robust, exciting and lots of jobs, raising salaries and a lot of growth confidence..... oh, but it hasn't been like that for the middle and lower class, has it? It was great for the upper class with their fancy schmancy golden parachutes, obscene profits to shareholders while forgetting about the employee who watched their job go 'bye bye' overseas. Oh -- life was purdy for those folks. But it's evident that the Republican mantra simply sides with big business so that they can squeeze the average person out of the equation. Trickle down economics -- clearly only works if you're at the top of the heap and not shoveling it up from the bottom. It simply doesn't work and yet this ticket seems to think that all we need to do is hand over $700 BILLION and all smile for the camera.
The $700 BILLION also isn't going to change a damn thing. Not unless there's a drastic change in how we regulate and oversee the markets. This is why Republicans are adamant against closing provisions like the Enron Loophole. It's why the likes of McCain's adviser Lindsey Gramm (and his wife) slipped in the measure to remove the regulation processes that were installed after the Great Depression.
Why is the American taxpayer being asked to bail out those that have made it their practice to greedily take their money and run when they've failed to self-govern, self-report, and self-regulate as McCain wants them to do? Why is the American taxpayer responsible for those who continue to exploit every loophole and continually shrug off any attempt at self-responsibility or accountability so they can secure their hefty profits that inevitably screw the the rest of us? Why is it that the Republican nominee has surrounded himself with the corrupt folks responsible for this mess to begin with?
It's painful to constantly watch McCain talking out of both sides of his mouth because of the house he currently holds. It's painful to think that Bush saw this coming months ago and that's why they started working on a "PLAN" back then. If Bush had the audacity to craft a plan months ago -- THEY KNEW this was coming and did nothing to stop it. McCain "warned us" and yet continued to vote against regulations that would've kept the markets at bay. If he was "warning us" back then -- where is that legislation he put out there that could've nipped this all in the bud? Hell, I can predict that we'll reach $4.00 a gallon for gasoline -- but that doesn't mean I'm prophetic or anything.
It's really tough to trust anything having to do with his message.
Especially when he employs 7 top advisers who were operating in the THICK of this crisis -- who PERPETUATED this crisis -- and even LIES about their "alleged" involvement in the collapse of these markets. It's AMAZING that he just doesn't get the IMPROPRIETY that poisons his campaign. How the hell are we supposed to TRUST and BELIEVE this from someone who adamantly defended his campaign manager as having NO TIES to the failed Freddie Mac for the last 2 years .... only to reveal that not only was Rick Davis getting benefits from Freddie Mac as recently as a month ago .... come to find out he is *still* getting benefits from them for the foreseeable future!!
It's a single issue -- where we find the McCain/Palin wheels just coming off the bus -- one after another. It's indicative of someone who has played the politics of Washington for the last 25 years and who can't deliver the promise of change that over 80% of Americans demand while supporting the policies of a failed president over 90% of the time.
This is why John can't stay on point - it's why John can't debate the issues - it's why John has to make up facts and hope at least some of them stick because he has nothing else. It's tragic in a way - because it could've really brought out the "Maverick" approach to what he was back in 2000. The campaign is utterly confused what its message is because it has no viable policy to cling onto that can't hold any water.
If John was given a "do-over" for his Veep nod -- he probably should've chosen someone who has a working tub of knowledge about economics -- instead of locking in the beauty queen who has the beauty queen answers for everything locked down pat. Unfortunately, the vice president has to be able to lead the country instead of trying to muddle through it like we all expect it to "snap into place" come January.
Tune in folks ... Palin has to score large in order to re-write some of her most potent gaffes to date, but at least we know why she's been kept in the closet this entire time. She can undermine the message and even inadvertently back the message of their opponent.....
The ship is in trouble John...
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
I've Ranted, I've Raved, but....
Anyone who knows anything about me, knows that I have a love and thirst for politics. I minored in it when I was in college and I've paid careful attention to the world around us ever since. I guess that's why I get so passionate about the direction of the country and who I think is best to lead.
Regardless if you agree or disagree with my particular political viewpoints -- you play an integral part in the future of this country. Even though it would disappoint me if you subscribe to the R-point-of-view, your participation in the process is far more important and crucial to the success of the freedoms we have been granted over the last 200 years. Your participation is reflective of the sacrifice of the men and women who have paid dearly to defend this country to preserve that freedom. To turn your back on the process negates that fight of everyone who dedicated their lives and who invested every ounce of their being towards protecting our freedom of choice, our freedom of speech and our freedom to elect who we believe is the best candidate to lead us into the future.
If you sit idle - and do nothing, not only do you lose your right to complain about how bad things are, but you scorn the memory of those who fought to give you that right in the first place. Don't take it for granted.
That's why I call upon YOU - to get involved in the process and to register to vote. Registration deadlines are quickly approaching and there's a place online you can go to see if you are registered. Click here. Yes, I realize it takes you to an Obama site, but they don't collect your information and you don't have to worry about getting littered with Obama stuff. It checks the national registry to see if you're registered or not.
Go register and then on November 4th go vote. If you're Republican - your day to vote is November 5th .... (okay okay, just kidding....)
Regardless if you agree or disagree with my particular political viewpoints -- you play an integral part in the future of this country. Even though it would disappoint me if you subscribe to the R-point-of-view, your participation in the process is far more important and crucial to the success of the freedoms we have been granted over the last 200 years. Your participation is reflective of the sacrifice of the men and women who have paid dearly to defend this country to preserve that freedom. To turn your back on the process negates that fight of everyone who dedicated their lives and who invested every ounce of their being towards protecting our freedom of choice, our freedom of speech and our freedom to elect who we believe is the best candidate to lead us into the future.
If you sit idle - and do nothing, not only do you lose your right to complain about how bad things are, but you scorn the memory of those who fought to give you that right in the first place. Don't take it for granted.
That's why I call upon YOU - to get involved in the process and to register to vote. Registration deadlines are quickly approaching and there's a place online you can go to see if you are registered. Click here. Yes, I realize it takes you to an Obama site, but they don't collect your information and you don't have to worry about getting littered with Obama stuff. It checks the national registry to see if you're registered or not.
Go register and then on November 4th go vote. If you're Republican - your day to vote is November 5th .... (okay okay, just kidding....)
Another Memo to McCain...
John, John, John.... Whoa....
Advice: Next time you try to come clean that no one in your campaign had any involvement in something ... you may actually want to double-check and make sure they don't...
McCain on 60 Minutes touted that his campaign manager "had nothing to do with Freddie Mac since 2005..."
This "Whoops" moment is brought to you by the New York Times and Newsweek: "One of the giant mortgage companies at the heart of the credit crisis paid $15,000 a month to a firm owned by Senator John McCain's campaign manager from the end of 2005 through last month, according to two people with direct knowledge of the arrangement. The disclosure contradicts a statement Sunday night by Mr. McCain that the campaign manager, Rick Davis, had no involvement with the company for the last several years. Mr. Davis's firm received the payments from the company, Freddie Mac, until it was taken over by the government this month along with Fannie Mae, the other big mortgage lender whose deteriorating finances helped precipitate the cascading problems on Wall Street, the people said..."
I forget ... how many lies is Johnny Mac up to now?? And the Republicans continue to support this kind of fraud blindly?? *sighs*
Advice: Next time you try to come clean that no one in your campaign had any involvement in something ... you may actually want to double-check and make sure they don't...
McCain on 60 Minutes touted that his campaign manager "had nothing to do with Freddie Mac since 2005..."
This "Whoops" moment is brought to you by the New York Times and Newsweek: "One of the giant mortgage companies at the heart of the credit crisis paid $15,000 a month to a firm owned by Senator John McCain's campaign manager from the end of 2005 through last month, according to two people with direct knowledge of the arrangement. The disclosure contradicts a statement Sunday night by Mr. McCain that the campaign manager, Rick Davis, had no involvement with the company for the last several years. Mr. Davis's firm received the payments from the company, Freddie Mac, until it was taken over by the government this month along with Fannie Mae, the other big mortgage lender whose deteriorating finances helped precipitate the cascading problems on Wall Street, the people said..."
I forget ... how many lies is Johnny Mac up to now?? And the Republicans continue to support this kind of fraud blindly?? *sighs*
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Nice spin by the Treasury Secretary...
I find it ironic that Treasury Secretary comes out today and says:
"Taxpayers should be protected. This should not be a handout to Wall Street. It should be structured in a way that maximizes the ability of taxpayers to recoup their investment."
Whoa whoa whoa whoa WHOA!
The American tax payer isn't INTERESTED in "INVESTMENT" in the incredible debacle on Wall Street. I'm absolutely appalled that Paulson could have the nerve to call this an "investment" for the American taxpayer. That notion implies that all of us somehow WANTED to bail out Wall Street as opposed to being told we ARE going to bail out Wall Street to keep the market from collapsing.
That's not an "investment" -- they call that a LOAN.
The only thing is: you and I will never see any "dividends" from our "investment"... hell, we'll be lucky if that money even gets re-paid to us.
So that's why I think Obama is right here: if we're going to bail out Wall Street -- then it's time to also bail out Main Street. Bush and McCain seem comfortable letting CEOs and Big Oil score incredible profits -- hand over fist ... but when they screw up, then it's up to the American taxpayer to bail THEM out when they spent foolishly and made incredibly poor business decisions.
I don't want to see the market crash and all of us suffer -- but I'm not satisfied how the American taxpayer is going to be able to "cash in" after Paulson's comment. Let's see what the flip-flopper has to say about this....
"Taxpayers should be protected. This should not be a handout to Wall Street. It should be structured in a way that maximizes the ability of taxpayers to recoup their investment."
Whoa whoa whoa whoa WHOA!
The American tax payer isn't INTERESTED in "INVESTMENT" in the incredible debacle on Wall Street. I'm absolutely appalled that Paulson could have the nerve to call this an "investment" for the American taxpayer. That notion implies that all of us somehow WANTED to bail out Wall Street as opposed to being told we ARE going to bail out Wall Street to keep the market from collapsing.
That's not an "investment" -- they call that a LOAN.
The only thing is: you and I will never see any "dividends" from our "investment"... hell, we'll be lucky if that money even gets re-paid to us.
So that's why I think Obama is right here: if we're going to bail out Wall Street -- then it's time to also bail out Main Street. Bush and McCain seem comfortable letting CEOs and Big Oil score incredible profits -- hand over fist ... but when they screw up, then it's up to the American taxpayer to bail THEM out when they spent foolishly and made incredibly poor business decisions.
I don't want to see the market crash and all of us suffer -- but I'm not satisfied how the American taxpayer is going to be able to "cash in" after Paulson's comment. Let's see what the flip-flopper has to say about this....
Saturday, September 20, 2008
The issue no one wants to talk about....
Even though nearly every Obama opponent denies it -- it would appear that race is going to be a determining factor in the 2008 election. Now before anyone gets all huffy puffy about it, let me make something perfectly clear: if you're finding yourself in support of McCain after being misled on the facts about Obama and/or his policies -- then you haven't been truthful about the reasons why you don't support Obama or you're not being truthful with yourself.
I say that because the most idiotic reason people have been saying why they aren't voting for Obama is the obliquitous thought that he's Muslim. It's false. An all out lie. An utter distortion and malfeasance by the right-wing designed to do but one thing: to smear, to capitalize on the fact that his last name happens to be close to our malicious evil foe: Osama..... Bin Laden. So for those that want to believe that Obama is a Muslim -- then you're merely looking for a reason why you don't want to vote for him.
At the very core of your honor -- you should at least pick a rational explanation why you don't support him instead of hiding behind the lie and making that your self-anointed justification for not supporting the man.
The Muslim shtick is just one in a long line of Karl Rovian political tactics that are approved by John Sydney McCain III. Which is exactly what happened most recently when he touted that Obama was advocating for sex education to be taught to kindergartners -- a bold face lie. For anyone with partial brain function can figure out that Obama's plan was set forth to educate school children who might not KNOW they had been sexually assaulted or touched inappropriately. That's why Obama's plan is to set out guidelines for teachers to conduct AGE APPROPRIATE education in the matter of sexual assault.
It's utterly and completely morally reprehensible that we even NEED to teach our very young children the dangers of sexual predators -- but this is the REALITY we live in. But "this message is approved by John McCain" was sent out instead to the fear-laden parents, scaring them into thinking that Obama wants to teach your kindergartner what contraceptives are for. It worked in 2000 and worked again in 2004. You'd hope that America was smarter than that. Oh -- they are smarter than that, but it's clear some need an Oprah moment to clear away their conscience a bit and start healing from whatever racial wrongs they think they've endured.
The Karl Rovian tactics are designed to do one thing: to put rocks in your shoes. In your mind, all you need is a single reason why you don't want to support Obama. That's why when you're asked why you don't support him, your reason settles on the Muslim tactic -- then you were merely looking for a reason, ANY REASON that would satisfy your little universe. It's unfortunate really. Because whatever malformed opinion you have of the Democratic nominee for President - the tragedy here is it's the basis of the color of his skin that matters most of all. The fact he's black supersedes any concern you must have about our standing the world, the economy and the growing problems we face. It's tragic that it's the hue of his skin - not the man, the soul behind the policies and causes of hope sought to inspire Americans to step up and do something about the tragic mess the Republicans have made for us.
I only ask that you at least have the guts to show up and stand up to say THAT is your real reason. Then that way the discussion can end because it would be overly apparent that someone who can't look beyond the color of one's skin -- doesn't deserve anymore dialogue to be had. Because no matter what counter-sources I can find to deflate your little Muslim antics -- it's never going to matter because at the end of the debate ... Obama is still a black man.
If only I could get you to look beyond your inner racism ...
....deep down, I think you want change.
Because deep down I don't think America wants another 4 years of the last 8 years. Deep down, I don't think America is really satisfied with the"progress" failures of this administration. Deep down, I don't think you feel John McCain is the "best" the Republican Party could offer. Deep down, I don't think you support the incessant flip-flopping, throwing every sail in the wind to catch a break - McCain - because this is what you're going to get when you vote for him.
Look at the headlines in just the last week alone....
- He was against regulations before he was for it despite having a rather illustrious history in his 26 years in the government adamantly opposing any regulation measure that crossed his desk (see: The Keating Five for more information)
- He was against bailouts before being for it, then against it again.
- Now he wants to make health care to be as de-regulated as our banking market right now -- despite the fact we're going to have to suck up and pay $1 TRILLION to clean up the mess that his trusted adviser Phil Gramm crafted in the early 1990's.
- But let's trust that the "economy is fundamentally sound" before retracting it under a heavy spray of water that "oh, what he really meant was...."
So while I will continue to hear your every bone-head excuse from "uppity" to questioning his patriotism ... then at least have the guts to come out with your real reasons and stop continuing to spread the lies just to hide your layers inner prejudice.
And if you're willing to find some REAL reasons why you can't support Barack Obama -- let me know. I want to hear what you have to say.
I say that because the most idiotic reason people have been saying why they aren't voting for Obama is the obliquitous thought that he's Muslim. It's false. An all out lie. An utter distortion and malfeasance by the right-wing designed to do but one thing: to smear, to capitalize on the fact that his last name happens to be close to our malicious evil foe: Osama..... Bin Laden. So for those that want to believe that Obama is a Muslim -- then you're merely looking for a reason why you don't want to vote for him.
At the very core of your honor -- you should at least pick a rational explanation why you don't support him instead of hiding behind the lie and making that your self-anointed justification for not supporting the man.
The Muslim shtick is just one in a long line of Karl Rovian political tactics that are approved by John Sydney McCain III. Which is exactly what happened most recently when he touted that Obama was advocating for sex education to be taught to kindergartners -- a bold face lie. For anyone with partial brain function can figure out that Obama's plan was set forth to educate school children who might not KNOW they had been sexually assaulted or touched inappropriately. That's why Obama's plan is to set out guidelines for teachers to conduct AGE APPROPRIATE education in the matter of sexual assault.
It's utterly and completely morally reprehensible that we even NEED to teach our very young children the dangers of sexual predators -- but this is the REALITY we live in. But "this message is approved by John McCain" was sent out instead to the fear-laden parents, scaring them into thinking that Obama wants to teach your kindergartner what contraceptives are for. It worked in 2000 and worked again in 2004. You'd hope that America was smarter than that. Oh -- they are smarter than that, but it's clear some need an Oprah moment to clear away their conscience a bit and start healing from whatever racial wrongs they think they've endured.
The Karl Rovian tactics are designed to do one thing: to put rocks in your shoes. In your mind, all you need is a single reason why you don't want to support Obama. That's why when you're asked why you don't support him, your reason settles on the Muslim tactic -- then you were merely looking for a reason, ANY REASON that would satisfy your little universe. It's unfortunate really. Because whatever malformed opinion you have of the Democratic nominee for President - the tragedy here is it's the basis of the color of his skin that matters most of all. The fact he's black supersedes any concern you must have about our standing the world, the economy and the growing problems we face. It's tragic that it's the hue of his skin - not the man, the soul behind the policies and causes of hope sought to inspire Americans to step up and do something about the tragic mess the Republicans have made for us.
I only ask that you at least have the guts to show up and stand up to say THAT is your real reason. Then that way the discussion can end because it would be overly apparent that someone who can't look beyond the color of one's skin -- doesn't deserve anymore dialogue to be had. Because no matter what counter-sources I can find to deflate your little Muslim antics -- it's never going to matter because at the end of the debate ... Obama is still a black man.
If only I could get you to look beyond your inner racism ...
....deep down, I think you want change.
Because deep down I don't think America wants another 4 years of the last 8 years. Deep down, I don't think America is really satisfied with the
Look at the headlines in just the last week alone....
- He was against regulations before he was for it despite having a rather illustrious history in his 26 years in the government adamantly opposing any regulation measure that crossed his desk (see: The Keating Five for more information)
- He was against bailouts before being for it, then against it again.
- Now he wants to make health care to be as de-regulated as our banking market right now -- despite the fact we're going to have to suck up and pay $1 TRILLION to clean up the mess that his trusted adviser Phil Gramm crafted in the early 1990's.
- But let's trust that the "economy is fundamentally sound" before retracting it under a heavy spray of water that "oh, what he really meant was...."
So while I will continue to hear your every bone-head excuse from "uppity" to questioning his patriotism ... then at least have the guts to come out with your real reasons and stop continuing to spread the lies just to hide your layers inner prejudice.
And if you're willing to find some REAL reasons why you can't support Barack Obama -- let me know. I want to hear what you have to say.
new look - getting ready for the last surge!
Many thanks to Darby for updating my blog look here.
My twitter feed is on the left hand side so that you can easily find out what I'm reading during the day. A lot of news out there and instead of dedicating a full blog entry to it -- I'm twittering it instead.
We're almost 40 days away from the November 4th election. Buckle up, don your hard hat -- you're going for a ride.
My twitter feed is on the left hand side so that you can easily find out what I'm reading during the day. A lot of news out there and instead of dedicating a full blog entry to it -- I'm twittering it instead.
We're almost 40 days away from the November 4th election. Buckle up, don your hard hat -- you're going for a ride.
Posting a response....
(I'm posting the full response to a friend of mine who had a comment left in her Facebook about McCain and the current economic mess. Suffice to say, I think we're going to disagree...)
With all due respect -- our GDP was soaring pretty good in the 1990's. Our unemployment was lower than what this administration has accomplished. Our energy prices was significantly lower than what we face today. We had a very strong dollar and we even had a budget surplus of a true sign of things to come.
So when you're claiming that "raising taxes isn't going to help this economy" there's a surprising disconnect between what was accomplished in the 90's and today. The Democrats want to restore taxes to the levels they were in the 1990's -- which -- by the measures I've already indicated, still functioned incredibly well in a perfectly fine flourishing economy.
Yet when you compare the national spending over the last 30 years it would seem that the economy did better under Democratic leadership and not that from the Republican party. Reaganomics may have jolted the economy, but at the expense of an explosion of our national debt -- something that Bush 41 and Bush 43 has continued to pile on.
Bottom line: Trickle down economics hasn't benefited the American economy -- in fact, the spigot is looking pretty dry at the moment. Not when jobs are going overseas and our work force has to shell out more money for education so that they can support their families. Not when salaries continue to stagnate or even start to dip.. Not when the average tax-paying American family can barely keep up with the rising cost of living, cost of health insurance while enduring a substantial spike in energy prices. You can forget the entire notion of investing because most families are simply trying to make ends meet. Trickle down economics seeks to preserve the incredibly obscene profits that CEO's and stockholders who stand to benefit at the expense of the hard working American worker.
If you inject the American tax-payer more money -- they will spend more. Look at the comparison of rising salaries and consumer spending. So why not put MORE money in the hands of the consumer while re-instating our taxes back to a period of time that actually worked.
However, I am in agreement that borrowing from other nations is an exceptionally horrid problem -- but when we have Republicans cutting taxes and willfully spending to their fingers break off -- then I'm dumbfounded how you can support the likes of John McCain.
Especially after his chief adviser is Phil Graham -- who orchestrated the extensive deregulation process when he was Senator. Especially after McCain has come out completely in favor of deregulation that we currently have -- as well as FUTURE deregulation when it comes to his health care plan. He wants to make the deregulation efforts of the banking industry to become the template for his plan for health care!
We also can't forget that McCain's own association and portrayal during the entire Keating-Five scandal should lay a pretty significant precedent to his thoughts on deregulating the markets and letting them crumble as they have. Taking a laissez faire approach to the economy -- letting them sort things out -- is the kind of inaction that got us in this financial mess in the FIRST PLACE!
I'm also a little shell-shocked of the apparent approval of our foreign policy. Why do you think other nations look at the United States with a sense of scorn and dis-taste? Why do you think the world doesn't really take us seriously right now? When you thumb you nose at the world, do whatever you want to do (invade whatever country you want to invade), and then sit and stay quiet like some petulant child who didn't get their way ... that's not a well established foreign policy.
Iraq will falter - because this administration has refused to address the Shia problem. Our agreement with North Korea appears to be falling apart. We stoked the incursion of Russia into Georgia by calling for the deployment of a missile shield in Turkey. We are currently in a stand-off with our "ally" after trying to go after Al Qaeda and the insurgents in the mountain ranges between Afghanistan and Pakistan. All the while we've let Al Qaeda grow back to pre-9/11 levels by not addressing the existence of their camps in northern Africa and Southeast Asia. Oh - and we continue to sit idle and let the genocide to continue in the Sudan.
And for someone (McCain) who has continually supported the decisions of this administration -- foreign and domestic -- if you're absolutely sold on the idea that we need another 4 years of the last 8 years -- then that makes absolutely no sense. If you believe that we don't need any change -- if you believe we don't need to regulate our markets or to continue this perverse approach to being a world leader by unilaterally bombing countries who had no linkage to 9/11 .... and if you think we don't need change .... then .... then .... what else can I say, but I'm shocked.
With all due respect -- our GDP was soaring pretty good in the 1990's. Our unemployment was lower than what this administration has accomplished. Our energy prices was significantly lower than what we face today. We had a very strong dollar and we even had a budget surplus of a true sign of things to come.
So when you're claiming that "raising taxes isn't going to help this economy" there's a surprising disconnect between what was accomplished in the 90's and today. The Democrats want to restore taxes to the levels they were in the 1990's -- which -- by the measures I've already indicated, still functioned incredibly well in a perfectly fine flourishing economy.
Yet when you compare the national spending over the last 30 years it would seem that the economy did better under Democratic leadership and not that from the Republican party. Reaganomics may have jolted the economy, but at the expense of an explosion of our national debt -- something that Bush 41 and Bush 43 has continued to pile on.
Bottom line: Trickle down economics hasn't benefited the American economy -- in fact, the spigot is looking pretty dry at the moment. Not when jobs are going overseas and our work force has to shell out more money for education so that they can support their families. Not when salaries continue to stagnate or even start to dip.. Not when the average tax-paying American family can barely keep up with the rising cost of living, cost of health insurance while enduring a substantial spike in energy prices. You can forget the entire notion of investing because most families are simply trying to make ends meet. Trickle down economics seeks to preserve the incredibly obscene profits that CEO's and stockholders who stand to benefit at the expense of the hard working American worker.
If you inject the American tax-payer more money -- they will spend more. Look at the comparison of rising salaries and consumer spending. So why not put MORE money in the hands of the consumer while re-instating our taxes back to a period of time that actually worked.
However, I am in agreement that borrowing from other nations is an exceptionally horrid problem -- but when we have Republicans cutting taxes and willfully spending to their fingers break off -- then I'm dumbfounded how you can support the likes of John McCain.
Especially after his chief adviser is Phil Graham -- who orchestrated the extensive deregulation process when he was Senator. Especially after McCain has come out completely in favor of deregulation that we currently have -- as well as FUTURE deregulation when it comes to his health care plan. He wants to make the deregulation efforts of the banking industry to become the template for his plan for health care!
We also can't forget that McCain's own association and portrayal during the entire Keating-Five scandal should lay a pretty significant precedent to his thoughts on deregulating the markets and letting them crumble as they have. Taking a laissez faire approach to the economy -- letting them sort things out -- is the kind of inaction that got us in this financial mess in the FIRST PLACE!
I'm also a little shell-shocked of the apparent approval of our foreign policy. Why do you think other nations look at the United States with a sense of scorn and dis-taste? Why do you think the world doesn't really take us seriously right now? When you thumb you nose at the world, do whatever you want to do (invade whatever country you want to invade), and then sit and stay quiet like some petulant child who didn't get their way ... that's not a well established foreign policy.
Iraq will falter - because this administration has refused to address the Shia problem. Our agreement with North Korea appears to be falling apart. We stoked the incursion of Russia into Georgia by calling for the deployment of a missile shield in Turkey. We are currently in a stand-off with our "ally" after trying to go after Al Qaeda and the insurgents in the mountain ranges between Afghanistan and Pakistan. All the while we've let Al Qaeda grow back to pre-9/11 levels by not addressing the existence of their camps in northern Africa and Southeast Asia. Oh - and we continue to sit idle and let the genocide to continue in the Sudan.
And for someone (McCain) who has continually supported the decisions of this administration -- foreign and domestic -- if you're absolutely sold on the idea that we need another 4 years of the last 8 years -- then that makes absolutely no sense. If you believe that we don't need any change -- if you believe we don't need to regulate our markets or to continue this perverse approach to being a world leader by unilaterally bombing countries who had no linkage to 9/11 .... and if you think we don't need change .... then .... then .... what else can I say, but I'm shocked.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
McCain's Economy...
Headlines from The Huffington Post says it all:
"ECONOMICS IS NOT SOMETHING I'VE UNDERSTOOD AS WELL AS I SHOULD"
'AMERICANS ARE BETTER OFF NOW THAN THEY WERE EIGHT YEARS AGO'... "WE'RE WORSE OFF THAN WE WERE FOUR YEARS AGO"... "THE FUNDAMENTALS OF OUR ECONOMY ARE STRONG"...
WE'RE IN A "TOTAL CRISIS" CREATED BY WALL STREET "GREED"...
MAJOR SUPPORTER: MCCAIN COULDN'T RUN A COMPANY...
Coming from the guy who just the other day said: "our economy is fundamentally sound...."
Banks going bankrupt...
Housing mortgage crisis...
Unemployment on the rise...
Gas prices TRIPLED in the last 8 years...
Energy prices skyrocketed...
Wages down...
Commodities, goods and services steadily rising...
Dollar suffering...
Stocks collapsing...
Trillion dollar budget deficits...
Doubling the national debt...
Sucked into an 6-year war spending BILLIONS each month...
Fundamentally WHAT?!?!?
Exactly what planet is he from!?!?
"ECONOMICS IS NOT SOMETHING I'VE UNDERSTOOD AS WELL AS I SHOULD"
'AMERICANS ARE BETTER OFF NOW THAN THEY WERE EIGHT YEARS AGO'... "WE'RE WORSE OFF THAN WE WERE FOUR YEARS AGO"... "THE FUNDAMENTALS OF OUR ECONOMY ARE STRONG"...
WE'RE IN A "TOTAL CRISIS" CREATED BY WALL STREET "GREED"...
MAJOR SUPPORTER: MCCAIN COULDN'T RUN A COMPANY...
Coming from the guy who just the other day said: "our economy is fundamentally sound...."
Banks going bankrupt...
Housing mortgage crisis...
Unemployment on the rise...
Gas prices TRIPLED in the last 8 years...
Energy prices skyrocketed...
Wages down...
Commodities, goods and services steadily rising...
Dollar suffering...
Stocks collapsing...
Trillion dollar budget deficits...
Doubling the national debt...
Sucked into an 6-year war spending BILLIONS each month...
Fundamentally WHAT?!?!?
Exactly what planet is he from!?!?
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Palin bubble goes "pop"??
"The polls reflected the early success of her strategy. In the three days after Palin joined Team McCain--Aug. 29-31--32 percent of voters told the pollsters at Diageo/Hotline that they had a favorable opinion of her; most (48 percent) didn't know enough to say. By Sept. 4, however, 43 percent of Diageo/Hotline respondents approved of Palin with only 25 percent disapproving--an 18-point split. Apparently, voters were liking what they were hearing. Four days later, Palin's approval rating had climbed to 47 percent (+17), and by Sept. 13 it had hit 52 percent. The gap at that point between her favorable and unfavorable numbers--22 percent--was larger than either McCain's (+20) or Obama's (+13).
But then a funny thing happened: Palin lost some of her luster. Since Sept. 13, Palin's unfavorables have climbed from 30 percent to 36 percent. Meanwhile, her favorables have slipped from 52 percent to 48 percent. That's a three-day net swing of -10 points, and it leaves her in the Sept. 15 Diageo/Hotline tracking poll tied for the smallest favorability split (+12) of any of the Final Four. Over the course of a single weekend, in other words, Palin went from being the most popular White House hopeful to the least.
What happened? I'd argue that Palin's considerable novelty is starting to wear off. In part it's the result of a steady stream of unhelpful stories: her unfamiliarity with the Bush Doctrine during last Thursday's interview with Charles Gibson (video above); her refusal to cooperate with the Troopergate investigation; her repeated stretching of the truth on everything from earmarks to the Bridge to Nowhere to the amount of energy her state produces. That stuff has a way of inspiring disapproval and eroding one's support. (Interestingly, Palin's preparedness numbers--about 50 percent yes, 45 percent no--haven't budged.) But mostly it's the start of an inevitable process. Between now and Nov. 4, voters will stop seeing Palin as a fascinating story and starting taking her measure as an actual candidate for office. Some will approve; some won't. It remains to be seen whether Palin's recent slide will continue, or hurt John McCain in the polls. But it's hard to argue that the journey from intriguing new superstar to earthbound politician--a necessary part of the process--doesn't involve a loss of altitude.
Just ask Barack Obama."
full article here
But then a funny thing happened: Palin lost some of her luster. Since Sept. 13, Palin's unfavorables have climbed from 30 percent to 36 percent. Meanwhile, her favorables have slipped from 52 percent to 48 percent. That's a three-day net swing of -10 points, and it leaves her in the Sept. 15 Diageo/Hotline tracking poll tied for the smallest favorability split (+12) of any of the Final Four. Over the course of a single weekend, in other words, Palin went from being the most popular White House hopeful to the least.
What happened? I'd argue that Palin's considerable novelty is starting to wear off. In part it's the result of a steady stream of unhelpful stories: her unfamiliarity with the Bush Doctrine during last Thursday's interview with Charles Gibson (video above); her refusal to cooperate with the Troopergate investigation; her repeated stretching of the truth on everything from earmarks to the Bridge to Nowhere to the amount of energy her state produces. That stuff has a way of inspiring disapproval and eroding one's support. (Interestingly, Palin's preparedness numbers--about 50 percent yes, 45 percent no--haven't budged.) But mostly it's the start of an inevitable process. Between now and Nov. 4, voters will stop seeing Palin as a fascinating story and starting taking her measure as an actual candidate for office. Some will approve; some won't. It remains to be seen whether Palin's recent slide will continue, or hurt John McCain in the polls. But it's hard to argue that the journey from intriguing new superstar to earthbound politician--a necessary part of the process--doesn't involve a loss of altitude.
Just ask Barack Obama."
full article here
Another round of wonderful news...
...brought to you by the Republican Party...
Palin Fundraises With Ohio CEO Of Company Behind Job Losses
McCain's Very Bad Day
"McCain's campaign has been all over the place today - from the economy, to his criticism of morning show anchors, to whether he invented the BlackBerry and on Sarah Palin's inability to run a company. And to make matters worse, conservative pundits are turning against McCain.
The biggest flub came this morning when McCain slammed Wall Street "fat cats" even though his single biggest donor is Merrill Lynch. After denouncing the very people that help pay for his campaign, McCain suggested the government set up a commission to look into what went wrong."
Less than comforting reviews for the Republican Vice President nominee...
Palin Fundraises With Ohio CEO Of Company Behind Job Losses
McCain's Very Bad Day
"McCain's campaign has been all over the place today - from the economy, to his criticism of morning show anchors, to whether he invented the BlackBerry and on Sarah Palin's inability to run a company. And to make matters worse, conservative pundits are turning against McCain.
The biggest flub came this morning when McCain slammed Wall Street "fat cats" even though his single biggest donor is Merrill Lynch. After denouncing the very people that help pay for his campaign, McCain suggested the government set up a commission to look into what went wrong."
Less than comforting reviews for the Republican Vice President nominee...
Biden goes after McCain and his sudden shift on the economy
""It seems like John's had an epiphany. Nine o'clock yesterday morning, John thought the economy was going great guns and the Bush administration was doing well, and today he thinks it's in crisis," Biden said on CBS' "The Early Show."
Biden said the Democratic presidential campaign's solutions for the economic crisis include giving middle-class taxpayers a substantial tax break, putting an end to Bush administration tax cuts that favor the wealthy, investing in infrastructure, and changing bankruptcy laws to help people facing foreclosure.
"My lord, take a look at what — who got us in this hole, whose policies," Biden said. "This has been a Republican philosophy of letting Wall Street do what they want and the middle class be damned. It's about time we change it. If I sound like I'm angry, I am fighting mad for middle-class people who have been the scapegoat of this economy because of the policies of the McCains and the Bushes.""
more here
Biden said the Democratic presidential campaign's solutions for the economic crisis include giving middle-class taxpayers a substantial tax break, putting an end to Bush administration tax cuts that favor the wealthy, investing in infrastructure, and changing bankruptcy laws to help people facing foreclosure.
"My lord, take a look at what — who got us in this hole, whose policies," Biden said. "This has been a Republican philosophy of letting Wall Street do what they want and the middle class be damned. It's about time we change it. If I sound like I'm angry, I am fighting mad for middle-class people who have been the scapegoat of this economy because of the policies of the McCains and the Bushes.""
more here
Monday, September 15, 2008
McCain Lie number ....?
Oh - so NOW McCain says that Obama didn't call Palin a pig....
"Did he call her a pig?" McCain was asked. "No, I but know that he chooses his words carefully, and it was the wrong thing to say," he responded."
Flippity Floppity
And this is what the R's have for integrity in the White House?? A guy whose camp touted: "They were offended, they said, because it was a slam against Palin, who told a joke involving lipstick at the Republican convention."
"The charges were incendiary enough to shift the discussion, forcing Obama off message, and into a defensive posture. By week's end, he had declared his intention to run a more aggressive campaign. But in the meantime, Obama had to defend himself against charges of sexism at a Virginia library appearance that was originally designed to increase his appeal among women voters. It almost did not matter that McCain had prompted a backlash from the press who repeatedly pointed out that both claims were wildly misleading."
read more here...
Once again I ask -- is this the BEST that Johnnie Mac can do??
Because if all he's capable of doing is lying and pouting like some insolent child -- then he doesn't even qualify to being considered for the CHEF of the Commander in Chief test....
What an absolute JOKE!!
"Did he call her a pig?" McCain was asked. "No, I but know that he chooses his words carefully, and it was the wrong thing to say," he responded."
Flippity Floppity
And this is what the R's have for integrity in the White House?? A guy whose camp touted: "They were offended, they said, because it was a slam against Palin, who told a joke involving lipstick at the Republican convention."
"The charges were incendiary enough to shift the discussion, forcing Obama off message, and into a defensive posture. By week's end, he had declared his intention to run a more aggressive campaign. But in the meantime, Obama had to defend himself against charges of sexism at a Virginia library appearance that was originally designed to increase his appeal among women voters. It almost did not matter that McCain had prompted a backlash from the press who repeatedly pointed out that both claims were wildly misleading."
read more here...
Once again I ask -- is this the BEST that Johnnie Mac can do??
Because if all he's capable of doing is lying and pouting like some insolent child -- then he doesn't even qualify to being considered for the CHEF of the Commander in Chief test....
What an absolute JOKE!!
The R's have officially lost any backbone...
You know it's bad when your party's presidential nominee can't defend anything when he goes on The View.. It's interesting to read Cindy McCain's epitaph where "they picked our bones clean" when clearly the R's simply have gone on waaaaay too long without any level of accountability..
Here's what Cindy had to say about the way her husband John was treated on the View:
"In spite of what you see …in the newspapers, and on shows like The View — I don't know if any of you saw The View yesterday, they picked our bones clean — in spite of what you see, that's not what the American people are saying and what they are believing," said McCain, in a recording obtained by ABC News. "They are now seeing a clear difference with these candidates, and they are seeing who is going to make the best president, and that's why we're pulling ahead."
read more here
Here's what Cindy had to say about the way her husband John was treated on the View:
"In spite of what you see …in the newspapers, and on shows like The View — I don't know if any of you saw The View yesterday, they picked our bones clean — in spite of what you see, that's not what the American people are saying and what they are believing," said McCain, in a recording obtained by ABC News. "They are now seeing a clear difference with these candidates, and they are seeing who is going to make the best president, and that's why we're pulling ahead."
read more here
Obama .... awesome!
We just got done today chasing Barrack Obama throughout the Grand Valley -- pictures to come.. It was exciting - watching his plane pulling in - the escort - the buzz of people - and here's Obama: talking on his phone :)
I say it playfully because I'm sure he's got a lot going on all the time - so when he's not in the air, he's catching some time on the phone with whomever.. Of course it could've been Michelle or some other staffer.. The news of the day where McCain clearly doesn't GRASP the "basic fundamental of our economy..."
Still - it was exciting, it was fun - and it was nice having Obama here..
Thanks Barrack!
I say it playfully because I'm sure he's got a lot going on all the time - so when he's not in the air, he's catching some time on the phone with whomever.. Of course it could've been Michelle or some other staffer.. The news of the day where McCain clearly doesn't GRASP the "basic fundamental of our economy..."
Still - it was exciting, it was fun - and it was nice having Obama here..
Thanks Barrack!
Market in Chaos...
Two major brokerage firms are on the verge of collapse at a time when numerous banks have been bailed out by the government ... why??
It seems that when you continually protect the likes of "Big Oil" -- and turn your attention completely away at the notion that a constant spike in energy prices is going to affect the health of the economy....
Oh - NOW the Republicans get it.....
No matter how much you try to reason with them, when it's THEIR portfolio suddenly in danger -- oh, they're going to start paying attention...
....and they want to privatize social security with investments handled with the likes of these brokerage firms....
Yeah -- I'd have to say the R's don't have much to stand on anymore.. I'm sure if they can spin this towards Clinton -- they soon will...
It seems that when you continually protect the likes of "Big Oil" -- and turn your attention completely away at the notion that a constant spike in energy prices is going to affect the health of the economy....
Oh - NOW the Republicans get it.....
No matter how much you try to reason with them, when it's THEIR portfolio suddenly in danger -- oh, they're going to start paying attention...
....and they want to privatize social security with investments handled with the likes of these brokerage firms....
Yeah -- I'd have to say the R's don't have much to stand on anymore.. I'm sure if they can spin this towards Clinton -- they soon will...
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Palin's Religious Problem...
...and we think Jeremiah Wright was bad??
Funny how we don't hear about her denouncing 3 out of 4 of her churches that promote the startling "Jesus Camp" approach to religion...
Oh - I guess we're just picking on the Republican Veep nominee, aren't we...
(ironic how all of those critics about Obama's pastor are seemingly silent about militarizing teenagers to fight on behalf of the Lord...)
Funny how we don't hear about her denouncing 3 out of 4 of her churches that promote the startling "Jesus Camp" approach to religion...
Oh - I guess we're just picking on the Republican Veep nominee, aren't we...
(ironic how all of those critics about Obama's pastor are seemingly silent about militarizing teenagers to fight on behalf of the Lord...)
McCain: why so negative??
Come to find out - it was a change of tactics because they weren't getting the press than Obama was.. The only time the Republican nominee would make the headlines was whenever he did one of his infamous gaffes..
So - bring out the mud....
Interesting look at McCain's "straightless talk express..."
So - bring out the mud....
Interesting look at McCain's "straightless talk express..."
Qualified?
Great for oil companies and gun nuts ....
... but clearly an eye for cronyism ... (just look where that got us the past 8 years...)
a rather extensive look at the Republican governor and veep nominee..
... but clearly an eye for cronyism ... (just look where that got us the past 8 years...)
a rather extensive look at the Republican governor and veep nominee..
...and what about all that foreign policy experience?
Now it seems that just being close to Russia is enough for her to execute a foreign policy, but she doesn't even know what Bush's policy is?? more...
Next -- the McCain camp is coming off the ascertain that she even went INTO Iraq.. She never did except for going to the Kuwait/Iraqi border.. read more...
Now it seems that when she's floating her foreign policy credentials to places like Canada and Mexico -- it was for vacationing.. So snorkeling improves your foreign policy credentials?? The Republicans have successfully lowered the bar of acceptance even LOWER (as if that was humanly possible after Shrub) than before..
*sighs* How wonderfully blissfully ignorant we have for our Republican vice president nominee...
Next -- the McCain camp is coming off the ascertain that she even went INTO Iraq.. She never did except for going to the Kuwait/Iraqi border.. read more...
Now it seems that when she's floating her foreign policy credentials to places like Canada and Mexico -- it was for vacationing.. So snorkeling improves your foreign policy credentials?? The Republicans have successfully lowered the bar of acceptance even LOWER (as if that was humanly possible after Shrub) than before..
*sighs* How wonderfully blissfully ignorant we have for our Republican vice president nominee...
R.I.P. "Straight Talk Express"
"AP's Babington writes, "Even in a political culture accustomed to truth-stretching, McCain's skirting of facts has stood out this week. It has infuriated and flustered Obama's campaign, and campaign pros are watching to see how much voters disregard news reports noting factual holes in the claims. McCain's persistence in pushing dubious claims is all the more notable because many political insiders consider him one of the greatest living victims of underhanded campaigning. Locked in a tight race with George W. Bush for the Republican presidential nomination in 2000, McCain was rocked in South Carolina by a whisper campaign claiming he had fathered an illegitimate black child and was mentally unstable."
More...
...
Let's just fudge the numbers a bit to make us look better:
"In recent days, journalists attending the rallies have been raising questions about the crowd estimates with the campaign. In a story on Sept. 11 about Palin's attraction for some Virginia women voters, Washington Post reporter Marc Fisher estimated the crowd to be 8,000, not the 23,000 cited by the campaign."
but...
"``Since day one, this campaign has been consistent that we're not going to win or lose based on crowd size but the substance of John McCain's record,'' Bounds said."
Whoa whoa wait... Crowd size isn't going to win or lose, but the substance of John McCain's record?? Perhaps Mr. Bounds needs to go back to civics 101 because the person with the most votes traditionally wins and has very little to do with the "substance of [insert your candidate's name] record..."
But then....
"Until Palin, 44, joined him on the campaign trail, McCain, 72, had limited his political events to smaller town hall meetings and rallies of a few hundred people. His Democratic rival, Barack Obama, an Illinois senator, routinely draws thousands of people to his speeches, a phenomenon McCain has tried to use to his advantage by labeling Obama, 47, a celebrity."
Maybe that's because more people support Barack Obama than the 72 year old Arizona Senator perhaps.... hmmmmm....
More...
...
Let's just fudge the numbers a bit to make us look better:
"In recent days, journalists attending the rallies have been raising questions about the crowd estimates with the campaign. In a story on Sept. 11 about Palin's attraction for some Virginia women voters, Washington Post reporter Marc Fisher estimated the crowd to be 8,000, not the 23,000 cited by the campaign."
but...
"``Since day one, this campaign has been consistent that we're not going to win or lose based on crowd size but the substance of John McCain's record,'' Bounds said."
Whoa whoa wait... Crowd size isn't going to win or lose, but the substance of John McCain's record?? Perhaps Mr. Bounds needs to go back to civics 101 because the person with the most votes traditionally wins and has very little to do with the "substance of [insert your candidate's name] record..."
But then....
"Until Palin, 44, joined him on the campaign trail, McCain, 72, had limited his political events to smaller town hall meetings and rallies of a few hundred people. His Democratic rival, Barack Obama, an Illinois senator, routinely draws thousands of people to his speeches, a phenomenon McCain has tried to use to his advantage by labeling Obama, 47, a celebrity."
Maybe that's because more people support Barack Obama than the 72 year old Arizona Senator perhaps.... hmmmmm....
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
The R's lies finally catch up with them....
The only thing that remains is the "media victim card" to be played next....
It must be really hard when the media actually starts holding you RESPONSIBLE for the stuff one spews: Gutter Politics: McCain Campaign Called Out For Half-Truths
And nearly every other major media outlet also calling out the campaign:
- The New Republic
- Mark Halperin
- The Washington Post
- The McClatchy Papers
- Time
- CBS
- ABC
- The Atlantic
- Salon
- MSNBC
- AP
- Paul Begala
- David Corn
- Atlanta Journal Constitution
- The Chicago Tribune
- Slate
- The American Prospect
- Politico
.......
And as if THAT wasn't enough -- there's the little diddy that'll be circulating that McCain told the press in a news conference today that he regrets the negative campaigning: "if only Obama would've agreed to having Town Square forums across the nation" then it wouldn't have to be this way..
What kind of petulant 4-year old hissy fit is this?!?! He condones this type of political bullcr*p when things don't go his way!??!!? This doesn't show that McCain is a better leader -- it proves that he's a much sorrier loser when he doesn't get his way..
Kinda sounds familiar from the administration who pouts when they don't get their way -- or when they condemn the Dems from trying to TALK to our adversaries instead of thumbing our noses at them like only an out of control child would do..
Frightfully sickening that those people who support a candidate and his pageant winner -- when he clearly doesn't get the concept of leadership by way of example than by running the dodge and smear campaigns that has been run..
It must be really hard when the media actually starts holding you RESPONSIBLE for the stuff one spews: Gutter Politics: McCain Campaign Called Out For Half-Truths
And nearly every other major media outlet also calling out the campaign:
- The New Republic
- Mark Halperin
- The Washington Post
- The McClatchy Papers
- Time
- CBS
- ABC
- The Atlantic
- Salon
- MSNBC
- AP
- Paul Begala
- David Corn
- Atlanta Journal Constitution
- The Chicago Tribune
- Slate
- The American Prospect
- Politico
.......
And as if THAT wasn't enough -- there's the little diddy that'll be circulating that McCain told the press in a news conference today that he regrets the negative campaigning: "if only Obama would've agreed to having Town Square forums across the nation" then it wouldn't have to be this way..
What kind of petulant 4-year old hissy fit is this?!?! He condones this type of political bullcr*p when things don't go his way!??!!? This doesn't show that McCain is a better leader -- it proves that he's a much sorrier loser when he doesn't get his way..
Kinda sounds familiar from the administration who pouts when they don't get their way -- or when they condemn the Dems from trying to TALK to our adversaries instead of thumbing our noses at them like only an out of control child would do..
Frightfully sickening that those people who support a candidate and his pageant winner -- when he clearly doesn't get the concept of leadership by way of example than by running the dodge and smear campaigns that has been run..
Big Oil + Republicans??
Further proof that this administration is in LOVE with Big Oil....
"WASHINGTON — Government officials handling billions of dollars in oil royalties engaged in illicit sex with employees of energy companies they were dealing with and received numerous gifts from them, federal investigators said Wednesday.
The alleged transgressions involve 13 Interior Department employees in Denver and Washington. Their alleged improprieties include rigging contracts, working part-time as private oil consultants, and having sexual relationships with _ and accepting golf and ski trips and dinners from _ oil company employees, according to three reports released Wednesday by the Interior Department's inspector general.
The investigations reveal a "culture of substance abuse and promiscuity" by a small group of individuals "wholly lacking in acceptance of or adherence to government ethical standards," wrote Inspector General Earl E. Devaney."
Is this change you can believe in??
Where's McCain's outcry against this kind of abuse??
Where's Palin's?? Oh, except that Palin has her hands wringing in oil -- having been rather intimate with the oil industry in her state.....
Whoops...
"WASHINGTON — Government officials handling billions of dollars in oil royalties engaged in illicit sex with employees of energy companies they were dealing with and received numerous gifts from them, federal investigators said Wednesday.
The alleged transgressions involve 13 Interior Department employees in Denver and Washington. Their alleged improprieties include rigging contracts, working part-time as private oil consultants, and having sexual relationships with _ and accepting golf and ski trips and dinners from _ oil company employees, according to three reports released Wednesday by the Interior Department's inspector general.
The investigations reveal a "culture of substance abuse and promiscuity" by a small group of individuals "wholly lacking in acceptance of or adherence to government ethical standards," wrote Inspector General Earl E. Devaney."
Is this change you can believe in??
Where's McCain's outcry against this kind of abuse??
Where's Palin's?? Oh, except that Palin has her hands wringing in oil -- having been rather intimate with the oil industry in her state.....
Whoops...
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
She Can't Handle the Truth....
Palin's latest hissy fit is nothing short of contemptible..
"Associated Press reporters were not on the plane, but an aide told the journalists on board that all Palin flights would be off the record unless the media were told otherwise. At least one reporter objected. Two people on the flight said the Palins greeted the media and they chatted about who had been to Alaska, but little else was said."
Only want the plant questions I bet ... where's that "straight talk express" bullcrap again??
"Associated Press reporters were not on the plane, but an aide told the journalists on board that all Palin flights would be off the record unless the media were told otherwise. At least one reporter objected. Two people on the flight said the Palins greeted the media and they chatted about who had been to Alaska, but little else was said."
Only want the plant questions I bet ... where's that "straight talk express" bullcrap again??
More obfuscation??
Why is it that when a Republican screws up -- "we just need to make this go away" but when it's a Democrat ... oh ... we must hang them from the tallest flagpole.. At least the R's are consistent here ... No sense of anything relating to justice..
Republicans try to throw Democrat from Palin investigation into "TrooperGate"
Chalk this one up for republican hypocrisy dot org...
Republicans try to throw Democrat from Palin investigation into "TrooperGate"
Chalk this one up for republican hypocrisy dot org...
The Surge?
Bob Woodward of "All the President's Men" fame has a new book coming out in which he portrays the effects of the "Surge" as not quite being the successful juggernaut as we've all heard about time and time again.. In fact, the Surge did help at least in part -- but as Bob correctly displays there were two other major components that went into the success of downward violence in Iraq:
1.) Redeploying did help quell the surge in parts of Iraq
2.) The Anbar Awakening movement which called for Sunnis to turn against Al Qaeda
3.) Al Sadr calling for a halt to violence by his Mahdi army
So while the White House spin-meisters try to say that the surge enable the other two parts from happening .. again .. shows of their gross incompetence to understanding the volatility of the region and what the absence of power in Iraq has done to the Middle East..
The fact that there is a very prominent Shia population remains un-noticed is incredibly unfortunate.. Al Sadr is not done yet -- nor will Iran remain idle during this process.. But you can thank the Republican machine for screwing up the balance in the Middle East.. Way to go boys....
I guess that's why it's important to have someone like Palin in the Veep chair when she touts that she really hasn't paid attention to what has happened in Iraq.... Yeah, that's experience we need {end of sarcasm....}
1.) Redeploying did help quell the surge in parts of Iraq
2.) The Anbar Awakening movement which called for Sunnis to turn against Al Qaeda
3.) Al Sadr calling for a halt to violence by his Mahdi army
So while the White House spin-meisters try to say that the surge enable the other two parts from happening .. again .. shows of their gross incompetence to understanding the volatility of the region and what the absence of power in Iraq has done to the Middle East..
The fact that there is a very prominent Shia population remains un-noticed is incredibly unfortunate.. Al Sadr is not done yet -- nor will Iran remain idle during this process.. But you can thank the Republican machine for screwing up the balance in the Middle East.. Way to go boys....
I guess that's why it's important to have someone like Palin in the Veep chair when she touts that she really hasn't paid attention to what has happened in Iraq.... Yeah, that's experience we need {end of sarcasm....}
Cause and Effect....
The "R's" just flip when this happens: government intervention that actually positively affects the stock market....
"NEW YORK — Stocks rallied Monday as investors placed bets that a recovery in the financial and housing sectors is more likely to occur following the U.S. government's move to bail out mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The Dow Jones industrials gained nearly 300 points."
Link here
So to all the nay-sayers that believe that government intervention is bad -- now is time for you to take your medicine..
"NEW YORK — Stocks rallied Monday as investors placed bets that a recovery in the financial and housing sectors is more likely to occur following the U.S. government's move to bail out mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The Dow Jones industrials gained nearly 300 points."
Link here
So to all the nay-sayers that believe that government intervention is bad -- now is time for you to take your medicine..
Monday, September 08, 2008
GOP: Politics as usual....
In the party of hypocrites:
"President Bush plans to keep the number of U.S. troops in Iraq near the current level through the end of the year and will pull home about 8,000 U.S. troops by February, when the next president will be in charge of wartime decision-making."
I thought this administration was convinced we had to be there 100 years...
....
"John McCain and Sarah Palin criticized Democrat Barack Obama over the amount of money he has requested for his home state of Illinois, even though Alaska under Palin's leadership has asked Washington for 10 times more money per citizen for pet projects."
Oh - how convenient...
....
So - to follow the same Karl Rove philosophy of American politics, it's fine to criticize your opponent, but you're going to play every card in the deck when it's unfair for your candidate..
Once again -- instead of debating the issues the only thing you can do is run your typical smear and cry political policy??
....and the blind will continue to follow them to the ends of the earth and watch them fall off....
"President Bush plans to keep the number of U.S. troops in Iraq near the current level through the end of the year and will pull home about 8,000 U.S. troops by February, when the next president will be in charge of wartime decision-making."
I thought this administration was convinced we had to be there 100 years...
....
"John McCain and Sarah Palin criticized Democrat Barack Obama over the amount of money he has requested for his home state of Illinois, even though Alaska under Palin's leadership has asked Washington for 10 times more money per citizen for pet projects."
Oh - how convenient...
....
So - to follow the same Karl Rove philosophy of American politics, it's fine to criticize your opponent, but you're going to play every card in the deck when it's unfair for your candidate..
Once again -- instead of debating the issues the only thing you can do is run your typical smear and cry political policy??
....and the blind will continue to follow them to the ends of the earth and watch them fall off....
McCain and Palin - together in perfect harmony...
Some are calling John McCain's speech at the Republican National Convention to be the worst since Jimmy Carter back in 1980.. Anytime I hear this man speak -- I want to gouge out my ear drums.. The fake smile bit along side that pitiful giggle snort that reeks of someone who simply tries way too hard or someone who doesn't seem to grasp the qualities of delivering one of the most important rallying speeches you could..
Then you bring in the pageant princess -- who apparently couldn't settle on a college (having gone to 5 different colleges in a 6-year span.. She's now trying to thaw the ice that has been developing between her and the media.. It's a bit self-serving to want to try to guide the media outlets to your own ends if no one can criticize your experience the way that the media has done for every other candidate that's rolled down the pike..
But if anything ....
and this is the real sad sad thing ....
It proves that it simply doesn't matter.. It doesn't matter how flat your speech is.. It doesn't matter if you're brimming in scandal, inconsistency and full of a bunch of hot air..
What matters ... simply ... is that you're a "D" or you're a "R.."
Because the majority of Americans want change and yet -- the "R" side of the issues.. Regardless of the mannequin that stands on the podium .... regardless of the scandals they are rooted in or the "flip flopping" that has riddled their campaign from the word GO!
Regardless of ALL of that ....
Folks on the "R" side of the aisle will only vote for those who blithely support a heavily flawed candidate because they want their issues to win..
So when it comes down to it -- any Republican who even DARES to punt using the "character" card is absolutely full of it.. It's a shining sight of their hypocrisy and their never-ending fear of actually having REAL change you can believe in .... take office of the Presidency come January 2009..
Then you bring in the pageant princess -- who apparently couldn't settle on a college (having gone to 5 different colleges in a 6-year span.. She's now trying to thaw the ice that has been developing between her and the media.. It's a bit self-serving to want to try to guide the media outlets to your own ends if no one can criticize your experience the way that the media has done for every other candidate that's rolled down the pike..
But if anything ....
and this is the real sad sad thing ....
It proves that it simply doesn't matter.. It doesn't matter how flat your speech is.. It doesn't matter if you're brimming in scandal, inconsistency and full of a bunch of hot air..
What matters ... simply ... is that you're a "D" or you're a "R.."
Because the majority of Americans want change and yet -- the "R" side of the issues.. Regardless of the mannequin that stands on the podium .... regardless of the scandals they are rooted in or the "flip flopping" that has riddled their campaign from the word GO!
Regardless of ALL of that ....
Folks on the "R" side of the aisle will only vote for those who blithely support a heavily flawed candidate because they want their issues to win..
So when it comes down to it -- any Republican who even DARES to punt using the "character" card is absolutely full of it.. It's a shining sight of their hypocrisy and their never-ending fear of actually having REAL change you can believe in .... take office of the Presidency come January 2009..
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
This Is Gonna Hurt....
The R's are being more whiny than usual..
So when McCain senior adviser Steve Schmidt pouts: "This nonsense is over" it absolutely REEKS once again that the R's refuse to take responsibility or to aptly defend their myopic slant of the world when it shines in their faces...
....but it's okay to rake Obama over the coals, yet you don't hear "This nonsense is over" from the D's side..
Maybe Steve Schmidt ought to grow a backbone because it's only going to get worse by trying to shove Palin out on stage when you met her but 5 minutes before the show was about to start..
Americans deserve better than a party that cowers at a relatively mild form of scrutiny, but it's okay for them to lash out against Obama and the whole Muslim angle.. Yeah -- I'm not feeling one damn bit sorry for the R's today.. In fact, I'm relieved because we're finally getting to see their true colors and most Americans seem to be seeing this as well..
So when McCain senior adviser Steve Schmidt pouts: "This nonsense is over" it absolutely REEKS once again that the R's refuse to take responsibility or to aptly defend their myopic slant of the world when it shines in their faces...
....but it's okay to rake Obama over the coals, yet you don't hear "This nonsense is over" from the D's side..
Maybe Steve Schmidt ought to grow a backbone because it's only going to get worse by trying to shove Palin out on stage when you met her but 5 minutes before the show was about to start..
Americans deserve better than a party that cowers at a relatively mild form of scrutiny, but it's okay for them to lash out against Obama and the whole Muslim angle.. Yeah -- I'm not feeling one damn bit sorry for the R's today.. In fact, I'm relieved because we're finally getting to see their true colors and most Americans seem to be seeing this as well..
Media Criticized for vetting Palin...
I had to laugh this morning.. Former mayor Rudy Giuliani came out against the media for being "unfair" and "indecent" about how they are vetting Republican Veep nominee Sarah Palin..
Well considering that she wasn't INTERVIEWED until the DAY BEFORE she was announced to be the Veep nominee, I'm not quite sure the R's successfully vetted Alaskan governor successfully before McCain's incredible gaffe of nominating her in the first place.. The Washington Post article goes on to say that The McCain camp didn't even KNOW that her teenage daughter was pregnant out of wedlock until the LAST INTERVIEW, the day BEFORE McCain announced her..
Plain and simple: The R's dropped the ball HUGE with Palin and now they're playing every "sexism" card or "unfair" and "indecent" swipe that they can.. Forget the fact that they probably should've spent more than 3 minutes considering the "Number 2" position as some are calling: "one heartbeat away from the Presidency..."
Way to go R's.... It's no wonder you guys have been floundering around quite a bit over the last several years -- at least now we know why.. If the R's gave as much consideration of the will of the people, listening, and asking the tough questions before they acted -- I doubt very seriously they'd be in this muck..
They brought it upon themselves though -- better for the Democrats, no so much for the Republicans..
Well considering that she wasn't INTERVIEWED until the DAY BEFORE she was announced to be the Veep nominee, I'm not quite sure the R's successfully vetted Alaskan governor successfully before McCain's incredible gaffe of nominating her in the first place.. The Washington Post article goes on to say that The McCain camp didn't even KNOW that her teenage daughter was pregnant out of wedlock until the LAST INTERVIEW, the day BEFORE McCain announced her..
Plain and simple: The R's dropped the ball HUGE with Palin and now they're playing every "sexism" card or "unfair" and "indecent" swipe that they can.. Forget the fact that they probably should've spent more than 3 minutes considering the "Number 2" position as some are calling: "one heartbeat away from the Presidency..."
Way to go R's.... It's no wonder you guys have been floundering around quite a bit over the last several years -- at least now we know why.. If the R's gave as much consideration of the will of the people, listening, and asking the tough questions before they acted -- I doubt very seriously they'd be in this muck..
They brought it upon themselves though -- better for the Democrats, no so much for the Republicans..
Monday, September 01, 2008
A cautionary tale of sexism...
Laura Bush recently touted that Democrats should be careful in how they treat Palin -- under veiled threat: "The other side will have to be particularly careful," Bush said in an interview on Fox News from St. Paul, "because that’s something we all looked at."
Oh really....
That's nice since you don't seem to speak out against all of those Muslim attacks on Barack ... or the questioning of his patriotism ... or the attacks on a pastor who wants to speak his mind that this is not the same America he recognizes anymore..
What unmitigated gall the first lady has for even trying to make this a clean race ... perhaps she should spend some time with Johnny boy and tell him he needs to clean HIS act up before trying to pull the "sex card.."
Oh really....
That's nice since you don't seem to speak out against all of those Muslim attacks on Barack ... or the questioning of his patriotism ... or the attacks on a pastor who wants to speak his mind that this is not the same America he recognizes anymore..
What unmitigated gall the first lady has for even trying to make this a clean race ... perhaps she should spend some time with Johnny boy and tell him he needs to clean HIS act up before trying to pull the "sex card.."
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