I caught a glimpse of a news conference by the Heritage Foundation's Michael Franc. He is the Government Relations VP for the Foundation. I am well aware of some of the support the Heritage Foundation receives. However, I have been of the view of that any idea that would help provide a roadmap is absolutely crucial to be looked at. I would be analyzing the report annouced by Heritage and providing guidance on it as part of OV's Election Watch Series over the ensuing weeks.
I welcome the Heritage Report because it is how things should be. There was one thing that Michael Franc also noted that I also agree with: incremental change is simply not acceptable. There needs to be the courage to truly work to transform for the greater good.
This past week has been amazing. According to the pundits, the election is already over and we should all just pack up and go home. John Boehner, I suppose, is probably beginning to gear up to take over the speakership and all the key "ranking members" of the house are getting ready to be called "Mr. Chairman". But, here is a newsflash, though: This is July 21. Elections are not going to be held till November. So, to borrow a phrase from Mark Twain, the reports of the death of Democrats is highly exaggerated
The Republicans are truly emboldened. Eric Cantor came out last week and boldly predicted that the House will be taken over by the Republicans. MondayÂs Front Page story in the Wall Street Journal talked about how the GOP can also take control of the Senate too. A number of the US Senate campaigns are rough going. Barack ObamaÂs old seat is one. But, it appears that Charlie Crist in Florida has gotten his second wind and seems to be charting a new path after the Marco Rubio juggernaut forced him out of the Party. The PresidentÂs Spokesman, Robert Gibbs, added fuel to the fire during his appearance on Meet the Press two weeks ago when he noted that there is a chance that the Democrats will lose. I viewed Robert Gibbs pronouncement as a wakeup call to all Democrats to pull together. I am with Joe Biden that Democrats will surprise the Country in November.
The news that the filibuster over Unemployment benefits was broken was good news for those who have no other means to get some money to put food on the table for their families. What was sickening was how the Republicans pushed the fiction of people becoming ÂLazy as they continued to get unemployment benefits. It shows an absolute lack of care and concern for the person on the street that is simply beyond belief. But, the rest of the billÂs provisions were stripped out to allow it to pass. The provisions included help to keep teachers on board and other provisions that unfortunately will no longer be available. It took the two courageous Maine Ladies to side with the Democrats. I suppose there are at least a few reasonable Republicans left. I continue to yearn for the party that gave us Javitz, Goldwater and Reagan. I wonder if those stalwarts will truly recognize the Republican Party of today.
There is no question that the Democrats have profound challenges. The Republicans have done a magnificent job of dominating the debate. I marvel at GOP.Gov and the excellent publicity machine. The reality is that People have no jobs. When there are six applicants for every job opening, people become ever more afraid and will turn to whoever will promise them the world. But, their prescription is basically more of the same. They say they have common sense solutions. But, turning Medicare into a voucher program (under the guise of choice), tinkering with Social Security and pushing more tax cuts seems like the exact policies that got us in the mess we are in now. The Republicans ideological twins, the British Tories, have also instituted austerity. That austerity package has included tax increasesÂsomething that the New Republicans seem not to want to touch.
The right, though, seems to somehow want to not let go of the past. As the left continues to be chastised for noting how George W. Bush was handed the election of 2000, some group that calls itself the Minnesota Majority touted this Âinvestigation it conducted noting that Al Franken was handed the election because convicted felons voted. This is, of course, after an exhaustive State Process and a lawsuit by Norm Coleman. It did not get much tractionÂbut it was sure amusing!!!!
The fascinating player, to me, remains Sarah Palin. She is becoming quite a force to be reckoned with. I wrote about it in OVÂs Sister Site, Kitten Politics. What I found especially startling was spending $ 210,000 on consultants. ThatÂs quite a bit. Although I am sure she feels she got her moneyÂs worth, the fact remains that the pronouncements that the ghost writers put out are half-truths and not based on the facts. But, she has a following and my hatÂs off to her for how she has been able to truly build a brand through a strategic approach as she gears up for a White House Bid. I think she would go for itÂthe question is whether she has the credibility to do so. But, she is one of many. Mitt Romney is around. He also had a book and has been making the rounds. There are many others. The Democrats, also, have their own star too: Bill Clinton. He would be quite a site to see in the Campaign. Whatever one may think of him, even his detractors note that he has got a keen political mind and is one of the best there is. He did stumble during Hillary's Campaign--but he has gotten his groove back especially with his work in Haiti. Some in the left, though, disagree profously in light of how things continue to be as dire as ever there.
For the Republican juggernaut to slow down, there are some key questions that must be asked of them: What are they going to do to spur job growth? How are they going to make sure banks starting lending out some of the $ 1 Trillion Dollars in cash they are currently sitting on? How are they going to make sure that Corporations will also let go of some of their hoards of cash? What will they do to replace healthcare? Are they going to allow the healthcare companies to continue their old ways?
The President has been able to get quite a bit done. The question is whether the momentum he has sought to maintain will be sustained. The one thing the Democrats must drive through is this: Simply saying cut taxes and cut spending is not going to do. They have to present more substance. Staying on the sidelines and saying No is fine. Governing, though, is a whole different ballgame.
The Republicans have been on a continued warpath to circumvent Barack Obama's agenda at every turn. The healthcare debate has shown that all they are interested in an outright power grab to implement their narrow idelogical vision on the country. They are opposed to anything that remotely insures that the average person has a fighting chance. Paul Ryan's plan to replace Medicare with vouchers is just one of those extreme examples.
While the Republicans have continued to dominate the airwaves and win the public relations war, the real world goes on. There was a spike in unemployment not withstanding the 51,000 hires for the Census temporary jobs. The "real" unemployment rate stands at 16.8 Percent, on par with Spain. What Republicans should take notice of is a speech by the US Chamber of Commerce President Thomas Donohue. He spoke and made five key points
This is a new feature I have decided to introduce that talks about the Political Tidbits and to briefly reflect upon them. The talk of the town, of course, was Harry Reid and his comments about Barack Obama. I was frankly amused as to the air time that the talking heads gave to it over the past twenty four hours. To me, it was frankly much ado about nothing. The Republicans have had a field day over it, though.
The other Tidbit of News was Sarah Palin. She's a start and has got loads of fans. I am fascinated by how Brand Palin has shot into the stratosphere. Everyone was talking about her ascendancy d her continued ascendancy. She joined Fox News as an analyst. I really wondered what took her so long. Of course, she resigned the governorship, mades loads of money making speeches and wrote a blockbuster best seller. Not withstanding the spin by some, she still made loads of money from it. She will also be guaranteed to be a blockbuster at Fox. The only problem I see is how she is going to live down this "truth
A very good friend turned me on to the National Priorities Project Website. With the Continued challenges we face in America, I was fascinated by what they had done. There is a cool feature that actualy analyzes what could have been done if the monies spent would have somehow been routed towards long-term sustainable development. I realize that some will question the analysis and the rationale. But the implications are staggering:
Mr. Obama went before the Congress to speak on the State of the Nation. He began by reminding the country and the world about the crisis America faces, but he said that "..we will recover". As I reviewed a preview of the speech on the White House website, I was moved by a quote form Ty "Sheoma Bethea, a 8th Grader from South Carolina. She is a student in a run-down school. She took to writing to her members of Congress asking for help for her school. She borrowed the money from her principal to mail out the letter. She reminded the members of Congress that , "....we're not quitters". This is what the American Spirit is all about
The world is right now fascinated with Davos. The rich, the famous and the powerful are all there in paradise talking about the world and all the problems. There is enough being said by all pundits which will speak for itself on Davos. But, two key things occured which I wanted to note:
1) Turkey's Prime Minister Edrogan stormed out of a discussion with Shimon Peres during discusisons on Gaza. Edrogan was given a minute by David Ignathius of the Washington Post to rebute a lengthy comment by Shimon Peres. I think the gesture by Mr. Edrogan must be taken seriously by Israel. It shows the frustration with Israel and the fact that as Amr Mousa said, Israel "does not listen". I was quite disappointed by David Ignathius when he did not grant equal time during the discussions. It seems to me that Dinner could have waited
The first result is in: Dixville Notch, New Hampshire is the first in the nation to cast its vote for Barrack Obama. Although this one was lopsided, I think the results will be a lot closer. The candidates have been at it and at it hard. Right now, I am awaiting to see John McCain to appear at a rally in Phoenix. CNN is reporting that he will be going on to Colorado and New Mexico later on today to gain that final vote. It appears that Senator Obama may pound the pavement as well. I suppose if I were in their shoes I would do th same. I was also sorry to hear that Senator Obama's "Toot", her Grandmother, passed away. May her soul rest in peace.
I had a chance to meet my local candidate for Congress. He was working to canvass his local neighborhood to urge folks to get out to vote. He also had a GOTV operation at his campaign headquarters which was in full swing. It was great to see Democracy in action
Throughout Sunday, I checked out what both campaigns were up to. I have had a blast. Both candidates, it seems, will continue to go all out until the very end. I am kind of saddened that it is all ending. I wonder what SNL, Letterman and all the rest of them will find once this is all over. As we have learnt to live with 24-Hr Newstainment, now we have entered the edge of the permanent campaign.
Whatever happens on November 4, all of us have a lot to do to help bring America back from the edge of the abyss. Tomorrow does start November 5. I hope it is a brighter tomorrow for the sake of us all
As the campaign draws to a close, I wanted to get a sense of what the conservatives thought about. I read about Bill Kristol's opposition to John McCain. But, being the loyal conservative he is, he went on the Daily Show and spoke up for John McCain. I thought he was as effective an advocate for Senator McCain and the Conservative cause as any. After Senator Obama's interview, I thought equal time was in order:
The candiddates are going all out. I would not have it any different. Senator Obama found time on Wednesday to get on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Here it goes:
As I thought about Barack Obama's informercial, I really thought about America. I really thought about how he was indeed America and lived the life that is America. The America that Sarah Palin and John McCain talk about is not the America that I have come to know. As I heard Sarah the attack dog yet again, I got another interesting bit of news: Senator McCain was the head of an organization that gave $ 500,000 to an institute founded by the same Rashid Khalidi. If he was OK then, then why is he all of a sudden a bad guy now? I am not smart enough to explain it.
Now, as I write this, Barack Obama and Bill Clinton have appeared at a late night rally in Florida. I also caught a glimpse of Jimmy Smits who was on West Wing and played the last Democratic President. The campaign depicted on the West Wing in large measure was played out during the past twenty months. Barack Obama just finished speaking. Bill Clinton, as always, made one of his ever-eloquent speeches as he has ever made. The two key things that resonated with me was the need to understand and the committment to do what was right. Barack Obama passed the test when he decided on Joe Biden and how he reacted to the financial crisis. He consulted before he came out with his reaction to it. So, the stark choices are indeed there
What will happen to the Republicans after November 4? I have been continuing to think about and assess the state of punditry on this. I had talked about Sarah Palin running in 2012. What was talked about in this segment of Olberman was a different view. It is true that Alaska politics is in a flux after "Uncle Ted" was convicted and all the negatives that have come out about Governor Palin. Don't write her off...no matter what the pundits say:
CNN is right now reporting that Ted Stevens, the Senior Senator from Alaska, has been found guilty of ALL charges. This is a slam dunk!!!! The government got him. This is what America is about. The law is supreme no matter what. We ought to be proud of that. I am just amazed that Senator Stevens allowed himself to be subjected to this. I am sorry for him and his family. But this is a reaffirmation of America and it should be a cause for celebration.
On a side note, I just read quite an obiturary on the Bush II years by Ed Rollins. He once again reminds us what a historic election this is and what a colossal failure Bush Jr. Is. I think the only guy that truly does not recognize it is W himself. He destroyed his party, almost destroyed the country in the name of power. At least towards the end he has had enough sense to put grown-ups back in charge. The question in my mind is how big the win is going to be? Senator Obama will need all the help he can get!!!
As the new week starts in America, I ran across this that Ron Howard put together. I thought it to be funny. There are 8 more days til Election Day in America:
Senator McCain has been on CNN and MSNBC. He has been the sunny optimist. I commend him for it. Right now, from what I have seen, it seems to me that Senator McCain believes that he is going to win. I think that they are wrong. Senator McCain truly was on the offense especially on NBC. As I watching his interview with Tom Brokaw, I saw the fighter in John McCain. Senator Obama must not rest. If Senator Obama thinks that he has it in the bag, he is dreaming!!!
Now, Senator McCain did push his standard arguments about Senator Obama being a Socialist, inexperienced and out of the mainstream. One of the things that struck me was the manner in which he made . Governor Palin, according to Senator McCain, has more executive experience that Senator Obama. Senator McCain fails to realize just what Senator Obama has been able to achieve over the last two years alone. Whatever one may think of Senator Obama's policies and outlook, the organizational prowess and the discipline shown is quite an achievement that will be the subject of case studies for years to come. Senator Obama's cool demeanor is also beginning to be the stuff of legends in my view. The man did not flinch in the midst of all the attacks by the rightwing. I was frankly disappointed in Senator McCain today when he did not repudiate Rush Limbaugh when he "claimed" that General Powell's endorsement was because of race. Rush has no shame. Rush and his buddies on the right wing talk circuit (Michael Savage, Laura Ingram and others) have done much to stiffle dissent and discussion more than anything else. They have the First Amendment with them. I will never advocate them to be stiffled. They have to accept the fact that there are others who love and appreciate America just as much as they do. They seem not to understand that. Unfortunately, I have a profound problem with that
Bill Bratton, the LA Police Chief, co-wrote an article about the possiblity of a terrorist attack against financial institutions and how it would sway the election. I also have been concerned about media reports about Osama Bin Laden favoring McCain. It was exactly this kind of hype that helped undermine John Kerry in 2004. I believe in the American People, though. I think that the American People will be wise enough to choose what they think is right. I am confident that I am right. Osama can do whatever he wants. He is a decpicable character that is not even worth being mentioned. This does not mean that he should be forgotten. It is far from it!!!
When I saw this earlier today, It simply floored me. I have written about honoring Senator McCain and his service to America. For Senator McCain's sake, I hope that what was discussed here is simply wrong. But, when the issue of being pals with terrorists comes up, one has to wonder. What about Obama being a "socialist"? This is terrifying, if true:
John McCain seems to love Bill Ayers. He and his running mate were on NBC Nightly News. John McCain again blasted Senator Obama for the Ayers Ties. For a tired campaign, it seems as if he has nothing better to say. I am sorry for Senator McCain and what the Republican Party has come to. The folks who are fleeing the ship are quite impressive. When Scott McClellan came out for Senator Obama, that should tell the country something extra ordinary. What about the Goldwater family turning on Senator Goldwater's successor?
Senator McCain finally came down to blasting the Bush Administration today in a Washington Times interview. When asked about spending $150,000 on clothes, McCain's comment was "...she needed clothes..". But, it is too little too late. All polls, so far, shows that Barack Obama in a commanding lead. I say, so what? Obama can't be complacent and has to fight all the way to the end. There is still twelve days left. Obama's Prime Time Special is on next week. Obama has to seal the deal next week. We'll see
In my quest to quench the thirst I have continued to develop, I want to continue to understand. One of the alternative views has been Professor Choamsky. I am always overwhelmed when I hear him speak. Here are his thoughts on the election (courtesy of the Real News):
John McCain has been talking about the fact that he's at a funding disadvantage. Apparently, his campaign is running low on cash. Now, the Republican National Committee and a whole host of 527's are doing quite a bidding for him. So, this notion of somehow feeling sorry for the McCain campaign running out of cash during the final two weeks of the campaign is just rubbish. This is just a simple, yet petty reason why I am not feeling sorry for the Republicans: The Republican National Committee spent $ 155,000 on clothes for Governor Palin. When I heard that this morning, I said to myself--good grief. So much For Governor Palin speaking for the "regular folks". It is sad. But it shows how truly out ot touch the Republicans are.
As the campaign draws to a close, I eagerly await the destruction of the Republicans. I am anxious to see the back of Elizabeth Dole, Mitch McConnel, Norm Coleman, Gordon Smith and John Snunu. I am sure that they will survive and make a fine living going to the American Enterprise Institute and the Heritage Foundation. So, no one should feel sorry for them. I won't. So far, it looks like that Mary Landreau is in a strong position to win re-election in Louisiana. I am also fascinated by the Udall Cousins in Colorado and New Mexico. From the reports I have seen, they have a solid shot to winning their Senate seats. Both made some truly courageous moves and spoke up against the war when it was truly unpopular. It will an interesting Congress in 2009
General Powell went on the record earlier on U.S. National Television. He has endorsed Barack Obama for President. I found his near repudiation of the right-wing shift of the Republican Party especially pointed. Senator McCain's judgement was the key question, as I saw it. As I listened to General Powell, what especially drove me was how General Powell addressed the question on Muslims on in America:
The Endorsement floodgates have opened up. The LA Times and the Chicago Tribune have come out in favor of Barack Obama. To that, one has to add the Washington Post. John McCain just snatched a major endorsement from a newspaper in Tampa, Florida. The issue I have with it whether it all matters or not. At least there is a realization that things have to truly change and change now.
The big one, though, is Colin Powell. He is scheduled to appear on NBC's Meet the Press later on today. I read about speculation that Colin Powell may endorse Barack Obama. I am certain that Barack Obama will welcome the endorsement. I am one who also respects Colin Powell. To me, though, the war in Iraq and his speech at the UN put a big dent in his reputation, though. Secretary Powell should have not agreed and should have resigned then in my view. He should have taken the principled stance that Cyrus Vance took when he resigned after the decision to launch the hostage rescue mission in 1980. Not withstanding my profound concern in this regard, I salute Colin Powell for his 40 years of service to the United States and think that his unique insight will continue to be valuable to all. I wonder what the world could have been like if George W. Bush would have listened to Colin Powell vs. Dick Cheney and the neo-con cabal running U.S. Foreign Policy
The daily barrage of polls and analysis continues. History can be a harbinger of things to come. It is important to note that some of the poll analysis noted that in 1980, 2000 & 2004, the Republicans candidates were down in the polls. Yet, the same candidates went on to win. So, who knows frankly what is going to happen. If the Democrats think they have it in the bag, they are frankly smoking crack or something!!??!! They have to work as hard as they can to earn every vote. Because the Republicans will be just as aggressive in their attacks.
Governor Palin continues his "culture war" against the Democrats. As I caught a brief glimpse of her on CNN, she talked about how "unpatrotic" Barack Obama is. I continue to be sickened by the ugly tone of the McCain campaign. John McCain and Sarah Palin have perpetuated a lynch mob mentality that in my view does a profound sense of disservice to the country. They are trying to be able to perpetuate a case of trumped up charges of voter fraud and the supposed alleged ties to ACORN. Interestingly enough, the Atlantic Monthly reports that John McCain spoke at an ACORN rally two years ago. The diversion being done is simply sickening. The fact that even one person is calling for Senator Obama to be killed is absolutely wrong. Senator McCain claimed that the same crap being said at his campaign is being said at Obama rallies. That's an absolute lie. Senator McCain simply makes himself look like an idiot by trying to shift the debate. The McCain campaign is all over the map. One day Senator Obama is a family man. One day Senator Obama is a risk. I am trying to figure out which is it
The Troopergate report on Governor Palin's Troopergate scandal has been released by teh Alaska Legislature. The report has been adopted unanimously by the bipartisan Alaskan Legislative Council. It found that Governor Palin abused her power and violated ethics rules when firing the Alaskan Public Safety Commisioner. The push to have the ex-brother-in-law was a contributing factor. It states that, "..."Governor Palin knowingly permitted a situation to continue where impermissible pressure was placed on several subordinates in order to advance a personal agenda..." The full report is available at Palin Report . The report was adopted unanimously by the legislative council.
Now, the McCain-Palin spinmasters have been hard at work already saying that the report shows that she "acted within the law". They also noted that it was ran by Obama supporters. The first thing the fools in the McCain-Palin campaign seem to forget is that there is the issue of judgement. This is what they have partly based their campaign on. Who is the fool now? If this is how she is going to act as Vice President, the Constitution and laws be damned!!! Governor Palin talked judgement and outlook today during a rally in Missouri. She accused Senator Obama of putting ambition above country when he was in Iraq meeting with the Iraqi Leadership. According to the Washington Times Story ( Washington Times On ObamaSenator Obama advised the Iraqi leadership that the status of forces agreement had to have Congressional Approval. Governor Palin said that she was "frusturated" that the report did not come out sooner. I wonder why the Washington Times sat on the story as long as it did. I also wonder who these so called Campaign aides are who "confirmed" the story
We're truly living in extraordinary times. I laughed when I read about Larry Sabato's characterization of the economic policies of Barack Obama and John McCain. Larry Sabato noted that one of them is living in Disneyworld and one is living in Disneyland. Right now, the U.S. is bankrupt. The U.S. is Ten Trillion (that is Trillion with a "T") Dollars in Debt. The number is so high that the U.S. National Debt Clock ran out of digits. With the way committments are being made right now, the debt will only go through the roof.
As markets are falling and wealth is being wiped off, there is no substantive discussion of the issues. The McCain-Palin ticket continued the pathetic path of guilt by association again today with the release of the new video on association with Ayers. The country and the world need enlightened leadership and a renewed sense of purpose to give folks hope. All they have to talk about is Bill Ayers. They are even going to talk about Jeremiah Wright. "Someone" at a rally "begged" Senator McCain to take it to Senator Obama. "Guilt By Association" may come back to haunt both Senator McCain and Governor Palin. For instance, Governor Palin has apparently attended Alaskan Independence Party Convention with all their rather "interesting" views
The debate ended a while back. The whole world will be weighing in through polls and the analysts will have their say. I think Senators Obama and McCain held their own. Although some may disagree, a number of key points Senator McCain raised during his comments which I disagree with.
Iraq is the defining issue right now. It has been trumped by the economy for sure. Many of the questions centered on it. However, the war in Iraq is draining American Resources. Senator McCain noted that "..we are winning in Iraq.." and that the Iraq surge principles should be applied to Afghanistan. First of, Senator McCain is absolutely wrong on the surge. He forgot to mention the local mercenaries and the ethnic cleansing that has occurred. No one seems to talk about it. I also think Senator McCain must realize that even Secretary Rice noted the long difficult road that Iraq has been in her remarks during an award ceremony for Ambassador Crocker and General Petraus. When General Petraus himself has noted that he won't declare victory in Iraq, I wonder why Senator McCain continues to push this fiction of "winning". As for applying the surge to Afghanistan, I commented on the thoughts by the Senior British Military Commander in Afghanistan earlier. Tom Brokaw did raise it with him. Senator McCain went back to his "stock" answer of applying the surge principles. Afghans, Iraqis and Westerners are dying every day. The dying and the suffering has to stop. There has to be a better way
Sean Hannity has a weekly show called "Hannity's America" on Fox News. Apparently, according to the New York Times story, Obama got the nth degree. Hannity blased him for his ties to "radicals" and talked about again Obama being a Muslim.
I have periodically listened to Sean Hannity on his syndicated Radio Show, have read his work and have seen him on Fox. He has done some commendable work in support of Veterans and I regard him as caring American. I do however draw the line when he goes out there to destroy the character and intergrity of others. This is not America. We do not elect saints as President. I want a human who understands. As for Bill Ayers, the man has never been convicted of a crime. He has dedicated his life to Education. He has been at the forefront of school reform. So, my question to Sean Hannity is, so what
John McCain pulling out of Michigan stunned me!!! The fact that he has given up on the state's 17 electoral votes does not speak well so far on the state of the campaign. I thought Mike Murphy's characterization on the Sunday edition of Meet the Press was "striking". He noted that His "..Barn was on fire..".
I also thought about William Ayers again. With all the "hype" about the guy, I thought I actually go out and check him out. The Google hits came back with over 363,000 hits. I was interested in what he had done since the 60's than what he had done during the 60's. I happened to visit his blog at http://www.billayers.org to see some of his writings and other activity. Let's judge folks on what they have done with their lives after their youthful indiscretions. America is the land of second chance. John McCain was redeemed after the Keating Five scandal and understood the mistakes he made. This "Guilt by Association" that Paul Begala talked about can be indeed more of a problem for Senator McCain than he realizes
With thirty days remaining in the campaign, the McCain-Palin campaign has adopted swift-boat III. Governor Palin was out apparenlty yesterday calling William Ayers, a 60's radical, a Pal of Barack Obama. I was glad to see that the Obama Campaign came out with a swift response. This is the kind of gutter politics that must not b tolerated by anyone. I spoke up for Governor Palin. I do condemn her stance in thinking that she's more American than the rest of the us who disagree with the Republican Ticket. I have seen NOTHING except talk about reform. Many of us are trying to look ahead. Yet, our conservative friends and the McCain-Palin campaign seem to want to fight the last election. Let's focus on the future!!!
The role of the Vice President of the United States is outlined in Article 1 of the Constitution. Every student of American Government understands that. The role has expanded becuase the world has changed. As I thought about Governor Palin's view of the role of the Vice President, it simply scared the daylight out of me.
The conservatives continue to be excited by Governor Palin. They should be!!! She is their answer and may well have a shot at further national politics if the election was close enough. Despite my reservations about her policy views, I view her ascendancy to the Governorship of Alaska as a great achievement. I will note that if a third candidate was not running, Tony Knowles would have probably had his job back. One can make the argument that a minority of Alaskans elected her. In addition, there are many in Alaska who have profound disagreements with her. There is of course the so-called Troopergate Scandal that is going on which the McCain campaign is trying to put in a freezer until th election. If there is nothing there, why are they afraid? What's the deal with all this talk of partisanship
The U.S. Vice Presidential debate has just concluded. Before I talk about the debate itself,the role of the debate moderator must be mentioned. I think Gwen Ifill did an outstanding job. All this hype about her book and her apparent "tilt" towards Obama turned out to be crap!!! So far, the moderators have done a great job. With Tom Brokaw and Bob Schieffer moderating the next two debates, I think it will only get better.
Senator Biden and Governor Palin went toe-to-toe. I think Senator Biden side-stepped Governor Palin in a rather deft way. He was quite restrained, but on top of his game. He was my candidate twenty years ago. He was not my candidate this time simply because I was duped by John Edwards. But, I think Senator Obama's decision to choose him was a master stroke. Senator Biden has spoken his mind. I was impressed when he made two key points: 1) He reminded the world that the idiot Ahmadinejad does not control the Iranian Security services. He was surprised that that Senator McCain was not aware of this fact and 2) He reminded the world of Senator McCain's record
Right now, I am listening to a live feed of C-SPAN as the Senate is gearing up to vote on the bailout package. There seems to be consesus that something has to be done. Supposedly, there are provisions to take care of "Main Street". I find that to be a good thing. Let's see what happens. We are in the midst of a profound storm. I trust that our leaders are wise enough and courageous enough to do the right thing. Blaming each other for partisanship is simply not going to cut it. Bernie Sanders of Vermont is having his say. I always enjoy hearing him speak. He is the only declared socialist. I pray that voices like Bernie Sanders are not silenced. Our democracy is better for it. As I write, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Harry Reid of Nevada, the Senate Leaders, are speaking.
The Senate is gearing up to vote on it. Whatever the Senate does, the House still has to vote tomorrow and then there has to be a conference committee. So, we're not out of the woods just yet. But, signifcant progress has been made. What I am particularly pleased about is the fact that the only amount to be released immediately is 250 Billion Dollars. In addition, the deposit limit is being raised. They have just fixed the AMT, among other things. There are also so-called "payment in lieu of land" for Federally Owned Land. I did not know a signicant percentage of the State of Nevada was owned by the Federal Government and they are yet to receive any payment for the expected income. I find these to be really great ideas. One thing that has to be also understood is that the balance of the $ 700 Billion is subject to further approval. The balance is subject to further approval
The U.S. House of Representatives has bailed on the bailout. What was laughable was the reason given by the House Republican Leader about how Republicans were offended by the House Speaker's speech. I briefly caught Senator McCain later when he lambasted "Senator Obama and his allies" for being partisan. As I listened to it, I just sighed. This inaction caused the dow jones to lose almost 800 points. I can only imagine what other markets will do when they open in about 8 hours or so. I just can't believe how broken and irresponsible our leaders are. I found Barney Frank's comments funny, yet sad at the same time:
MSNBC had Steve Schmitt & David Axelord on to do a debate on the debate. I had a lot of fun listening to it. I think that this debate shows the idiocy of the rhetoric coming out of the McCain campaign. Steve Schmitt claims that Senator McCain put the country first. Steve Schmitt is a liar because it was a political stunt--nothing more.
Steve Schmitt pushed the fiction of victory in Iraq. Our troops have performed brilliantly. I am proud of the fact that I have a cousin who is on the frontlines risking his life every day. But, the essence of the policy is the question. The war started on a lie and a fiction that John McCain and George W. Bush never owned up to. That is the problem I have. General Petraus said I would never declare victory in Iraq. Iraq is ethnically cleansed. The Awakening Councils have been part of this. So, the surge itself did not work. It was just not Senator Obama who was against the war. It was the Joint Chiefs of Staff who were side-stepped as well. I found it especially shocking with General Shockmaker, the former Chief of Staff of the Army (handpicked by Don Rumsfield) who spoke up against the surge because he understood the stress on the troops. As I was reading the excerpts in the Washington Post, my only reaction was "Oh My God!!!" I was concerned that Iraq has been dumbed down and I was concerned that Senator Obama did not call Senator McCain on it. The debate will continue as reflected in the discussions earlier today
I saw the debate between Senator Obama and Senator McCain last night. They went at it. I think Jim Lehrer did a fantastic job, first of. He asked the tough questions, did not let them get out of line and kept things in place. Both Senators were prepared and provided their perspectives on where they want to take this country. I did not think anyone scored a knockout punch. I think, though, that Senator Obama held his own on the issues of Foreign Policy against Senator McCain despite Senator McCain's constant reminders to the audience and the world that "...Senator Obama just does not understand...". The fact that Senator Obama acknowledged that Ahmadinejad is not the most powerful man in Iran proved to me that he did his homework.
Both candidates are both going to Washington right now to be available to vote on the bailout measure. The Congress is in a week-end session. The consesus is that something must happen and happen now. There is also an apparent agreement that main street must be protected as well. Let's see if they rise to the occasion. I think they will
Reports are coming in right now that The House Republicans have rebelled against the bailout plan. There is no agreement!!!! The meetings in Washington have broken down. The Republicans have their own plan now. This is after a whole week!!!! This proves a simple, yet crucial point: The Republicans have no moral authority or legitimacy now. The Republicans are playing politics--pure and simple. In the meantime, the ordinary folks in main street are suffering. The irresponsbility of the Republicans is absolutely appalling.
President Bush spoke late Wednesday to the country and the world. He underscored how tough things are. He has called for a bipartisan meeting at the White House later on today to discuss the bailout package and the way forward. I think the President has risen up to the challenge to bring all parties together. Although I wish he would have governed in this fashion, better late than never!!!
I view this event as quite significant. I also am heartened by the joint statement issue by Senators Obama and McCain. There is no question that we have arrived at the moment of reckoning. The President was absolutely right on when he said that in times of crisis throughout history, everyone has risen up to the challenge. I am confident that the leaders will do so yet again. The people expect no less
Bill King appeared on Larry King's programs on CNN earlier. Bill Clinton's shortcomings has been discussed, it seems, forever. But even his detractors and enemies respect him for his keen political insight and skills. This was evident in this clip:
The U.S. is in debt to the tune of 9 trillion dollars. It is soon to be almost 12 trillion. As I was reading on the analysis of the plan and the reaction from U.S. Political leaders yesterday, I have come to the simple conclusion: the U.S. is broke. The plan to bail out the banks means an average family will have to pay out $ 10,000. This means that proposals do something about healthcare and infrastructure will either have to be put on hold or cancelled all together. There will be painful budget cuts. We have started down a road that may indeed lead to nowhere. There is word that somehow main street may be helped. Whether in fact it happens or not is another question. Markets are nervous and rightly so.
FBI has begun an investigation of the companies involved, though. I am glad that the government is looking at it. Some people may end up going to jail. I don't know how that will help the average guy on main street, though
The Political Candidates, The Pundits and Government Officials have been at it. The proposed 700 Billion Dollars bailout is now before the Congress. Although there is enough information and analysis out there right now, what Robert Scheer noted was worth mentioning: President Bush vetoed S-Chip becuase it cost too much money. Yet, somehow, the country can come up with 700 Billion Dollars to bailout Wall Street. An interesting idea HIllary Clinton had was to have the bank to freeze the foreclosures to avoid the spike while allowing banks to work through the challenges?
Let's not rush to judgement and truly insure that all ordinary folks interests are indeed protected. Some decisions needs to be made soon, though. So far, the markets seem to have given a big thumbs down to what has been proposed. As I write this, markets in Asia are falling after the big fall on Wall Street. When will this all end
Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley changed their charter to bank holding companies. This will allow them to start taking commercial deposits. That's a good thing, I suppose. It allows them to have access to the borrowing window of the Federal Reserve. So, the restructruing of investment banking is now complete. Investment banking as we have known it for hundreds of years is gone!!! It is high time indeed.......
As the new week begins, it appears that the U.S. Government's decision to take on the "Toxic Assets" to the tune of 700 Billion has been embraced by markets around the world. I am cautiously optimistic. However, there has to be further steps taken to insure that the middle class is protected from the freefall that it is faced with. I view the economy as the central overriding factor in the election as in 1992. Gallup's daily tracking poll has shown that Senator Obama has lost his edge by about a percent. Other polls, though, continue to call it even. I think it is still even despite Senator Obama taking the lead because of the economy. I continue to view the upcoming debate as a turning point. It should be a blockbuster
The polls are starting to show that Governor Palin's star is fading. The Gallup Daily Poll taken on September 19 shows a 5 point lead by Senator Obama. He has continued to gain as the U.S. and the World has undergone an economic implosion that has been unprecedented and is probably indeed the biggest challenge since the Great Depression. The markets were up when Hank Paulson annouced the basics of the plan taking on all "bad debt" off the balance sheets. The markets liked it and they rallied worldwide.
But, the politics of the day still played itself out. There was a story in the September 18, 2008 edition of the Los Angeles Times. The report was on Governor Palin saying "yes to a road to nowhere". She changed her mind on the bridge to no where that has been the central tenant of her stump speeches. But, as folks have continued to investigate her record, the truth is starting to come out. So, the fiction that somehow she is "clean" is starting to unravel. Of course, the McCain-Palin campaign's standard line has been that it is the "elite media" that has been digging things under the guise of democratic operatives. Governor Palin pushed this "fiction" when she noted that organizers of an anti-Iran rally in New York pulled an invite from her under pressure from Democratic Operatives. Interestingly enough, Fox News also reported that Governor Palin will be at a Monday Reception hosted by President Bush. My assumption is that all candidates will be there to be "introduced" to other world leaders as well
Senator Chuck Hagel, one of the Senior Republicans on the Foreign Relations Committee, questioned Sarah Palin's experience to serve as President. He discussed this during an interview with his hometown paper, the Omaha World-Herald. Here is the link: Hagel
Mike Pouraryan
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