Well, the first of the 2008 presidential debates is behind us.
Whereas the debate was scheduled to cover foreign policy, the first section covered the financial fiasco that has locked the country in a state of financial turmoil with banks and investments companies failing daily. Neither McCain nor Obama provided solutions to the current mess. Obama claimed to have warned two years ago of the looming problem while McCain has a record to back his warnings. Obama took large amounts of money from Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae and ranked second in donations (since 1989) from these two GSEs despite having been in the US Senate only since 2005. So his claim of warning is suspect. McCain, on the other hand, has demonstrated his toughness on Freddie and Fannie and has a voting record to back it up.
McCain won the financial round.
On foreign policy Obama came across as professorial; lecturing, a know-it-all in the Clinton mode and appeared to talk down to us from his lofty legal perch. Do we really want another smart-ass lawyer to run the executive branch? Obama gives pretty speeches and this ability attracts emotion based supporters who either do not think through Obama's policy proposals or do not care what happens to the nation in the long run. McCain appeared less old than he is, was prepared, gave good answers - otherwise, why did Obama agree with McCain a dozen times? And McCain has a long record of being his own man and a history of service to the nation which Obama lacks. Obama's past is devoid of any service to the nation - other than in the US Senate from which he started running for president as soon as he arrived. Obama's ego is clearly larger than McCain's.
All in all, it was a boring debate as debates go. I wish McCain had been more forceful in pointing out Obama's left wing ideology and how Obama votes 97 percent of the time with his party bosses. McCain needs to point out Obama's lack of reaching across the political aisle to work with Rs because the news media will never cover it.
Obama was packaged - a Madison Street creation - a mirage of wispy rhetoric floating away in the wind of inspection.
McCain was experience talking - a testament of American Exceptionalism.
More to come.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
Another Fine Mess
"Congress, it's another fine mess you got us into."
And it is the fault of Congress!
The financial "crisis" is the making of the politicians in DC who forced the mortgage industry to lend to people who could not afford the loans. The idea of getting more people into home ownership is a good idea. However, it is NOT a good idea to lower lending standards to where borrowers did not have to have a credit history and were not required to prove income sources.
That is why we face a financial crisis today.
Both political parties are at fault and there is ample blame to share among the parties. I wish all 535 members of Congress would lose in Novenber although there are a few members who tried to warn of the looming problem. McCain was among them.
I told my wife last night that if we selected 535 people off the street they could not possibly do a worse job than the current crop of professional politicians. How could they?
Congress cannot pass appropriation bills on time. Congress loads most legislation up with tons of pork to buy votes. Congress exempts itself from the laws it passes. Congress gives itself pay raises without floor votes. Congress meddles and intereres in what is left of our free market system. Congress spends OUR money like drunken college kids away from home for the first time.
What can we do? We are only taxpayers and voters.
More and more I think Mark Twain was correct many years ago when he said the only uniquely criminal class of people in the Nation was the Congress.
What do you think?
And it is the fault of Congress!
The financial "crisis" is the making of the politicians in DC who forced the mortgage industry to lend to people who could not afford the loans. The idea of getting more people into home ownership is a good idea. However, it is NOT a good idea to lower lending standards to where borrowers did not have to have a credit history and were not required to prove income sources.
That is why we face a financial crisis today.
Both political parties are at fault and there is ample blame to share among the parties. I wish all 535 members of Congress would lose in Novenber although there are a few members who tried to warn of the looming problem. McCain was among them.
I told my wife last night that if we selected 535 people off the street they could not possibly do a worse job than the current crop of professional politicians. How could they?
Congress cannot pass appropriation bills on time. Congress loads most legislation up with tons of pork to buy votes. Congress exempts itself from the laws it passes. Congress gives itself pay raises without floor votes. Congress meddles and intereres in what is left of our free market system. Congress spends OUR money like drunken college kids away from home for the first time.
What can we do? We are only taxpayers and voters.
More and more I think Mark Twain was correct many years ago when he said the only uniquely criminal class of people in the Nation was the Congress.
What do you think?
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Is Joe Biden his Time?
Where is Joe Biden?
Since Joe stuck his whole leg into his mouth last week with the comment that Hillary would have been a better choice as the annointed one's running mate, Joe has been Biden his time.
Poor Joe.
I once watched Senator Biden question a Supreme Court nominee for 30 minutes. Biden used 27 minutes of the 30 to babble on and on and on in a non-legal stream-of-consciousness ramble that had even Biden admirers, yes, there are a few, shaking their heads in disbelief.
But wait.
What will happen to Biden when he meets Sarah face to face in a debate? Will Biden wet his pants when confronted with a strong and independent woman from Alaska? The comparison of the drab and negative Senator Biden who has been in DC since the early 1970s with the fresh and positive Palin will make for revealing TV. The corrupt DC insider versus the happy outside reformer says it all.
I like my politicians positive and forward looking in the Reagan style.
When have we heard anything positive about America, the economy, foreign affairs, health care, the War on Terrorism (remember, the Democrats saying the War in Iraq was lost just last year and most Ds refuse to acknowledge the success of the surge), or on energy.
The opportunities are numerous for McCain and Palin to demonstrate the vast differences between their positive forward-looking approaches and the backward-looking negative polices of Obama and Biden his time.
Since Joe stuck his whole leg into his mouth last week with the comment that Hillary would have been a better choice as the annointed one's running mate, Joe has been Biden his time.
Poor Joe.
I once watched Senator Biden question a Supreme Court nominee for 30 minutes. Biden used 27 minutes of the 30 to babble on and on and on in a non-legal stream-of-consciousness ramble that had even Biden admirers, yes, there are a few, shaking their heads in disbelief.
But wait.
What will happen to Biden when he meets Sarah face to face in a debate? Will Biden wet his pants when confronted with a strong and independent woman from Alaska? The comparison of the drab and negative Senator Biden who has been in DC since the early 1970s with the fresh and positive Palin will make for revealing TV. The corrupt DC insider versus the happy outside reformer says it all.
I like my politicians positive and forward looking in the Reagan style.
When have we heard anything positive about America, the economy, foreign affairs, health care, the War on Terrorism (remember, the Democrats saying the War in Iraq was lost just last year and most Ds refuse to acknowledge the success of the surge), or on energy.
The opportunities are numerous for McCain and Palin to demonstrate the vast differences between their positive forward-looking approaches and the backward-looking negative polices of Obama and Biden his time.
McCain and the Witches
Did you see John and Cindy McCain on the "View"?
I saw clips from the show on news programs. I fail to understand why any sane person would watch this show in the first place. It is a typical mindless day time TV show. And the people on the show, with one exception, are witches. They are ugly, mean, rude, and biased to the 10th degreee.
Why did McCain go on the show? Did he think he would get a fair shake from the three witches? What was his staff thinking when they scheduled it?
Or did McCain know beforehand the witches would pick his bones and further alienate a large portion of the American people.
Hmmmmmmmmmmm.
I saw clips from the show on news programs. I fail to understand why any sane person would watch this show in the first place. It is a typical mindless day time TV show. And the people on the show, with one exception, are witches. They are ugly, mean, rude, and biased to the 10th degreee.
Why did McCain go on the show? Did he think he would get a fair shake from the three witches? What was his staff thinking when they scheduled it?
Or did McCain know beforehand the witches would pick his bones and further alienate a large portion of the American people.
Hmmmmmmmmmmm.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Politics 2008 and More
The race is set.
We know the two major party candidates and the conventions are done - thank you!
Every four years we hold national elections to decide the leadership of the federal goverment - specifically, the executive branch of the national government. Change is always a topic so there is nothing new about change. Elections are always about change.
In 2008 the Democrats have made "change" a major issue. It is the campaign slogan of the Obama/Biden ticket. They use the term loosely to mean shifts in national policy on foreign policy, on the War against Terrorism, on tax policy, on the size and scope of the federal government, and other unknown shifts that will effect our daily lives. McCain/Palin are running on Country First insisting that Washington must return to serving the people first and drop the "politician first" mentality McCain says has infected DC during the past several years. McCain promises to rid our federal budget of "earmarks" - the pork barrel spending that enables the pols to buy votes and remain in office for a lifetime.
Obama selected Joe biden as his running mate. Biden is an old Washington insider having served in Washington since 1972 - ten years longer than McCain. How Biden represents change is a puzzle. Biden may have been selected because of his "foreign policy" experience. To which I ask, what foreign policy experience? In my opinion Biden has consistently been on the wrong side of foreign policy - on the ash heap of history - throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Biden opposed President Reagan's extremely successful policies of the '80s and history proved Reagan correct and Biden et al wrong. According to The National Journal Biden is the third most liberal (read left) US Senator. Obama was rated the most liberal.
McCain selected a little known governor as his VP running mate. Gov Palin of Alaska is unknown outside her state, but her performance at the RNC demonstrated ability, toughness, a sharpness of mind and presence that will fluster Biden and Obama. I think she is a fantastic choice because she is removed from the elities of the extreme coasts which is why she was attacked so savagely by the mainstream media. Why imagine the nerve of McCain to appoint someone the media elites had not vetted and even worse, was not one of their peers. Palin is young, attractive in many ways, an outsider, and appeals to mothers and fathers whereas Biden is older, an insider, who has had two serious medical problems in recent years.
As to the top of the tickets Obama is an unknown quality despite all the attention-superfical in most respects- the mainstream media lavishes on him. There have been no penetrating analysis of his record, his past connections with shady characters, and the people behind the screen pulling the strings. One thing we all know about McCain is his record. He has a long record open to scrutiny - in camparison to Obama who has little or no open record for voters to judge. McCain is a maverick meaning he opposed President Bush and the GOP on many issues unlike Obama who votes lock step with his party leaders. McCain supports the War on Terrorism whereas Obama appears ambivalent about using American power to destroy international terrorism wherever it appears.
The next 60 days will be telling. Which direction will the country go?
More to come.
We know the two major party candidates and the conventions are done - thank you!
Every four years we hold national elections to decide the leadership of the federal goverment - specifically, the executive branch of the national government. Change is always a topic so there is nothing new about change. Elections are always about change.
In 2008 the Democrats have made "change" a major issue. It is the campaign slogan of the Obama/Biden ticket. They use the term loosely to mean shifts in national policy on foreign policy, on the War against Terrorism, on tax policy, on the size and scope of the federal government, and other unknown shifts that will effect our daily lives. McCain/Palin are running on Country First insisting that Washington must return to serving the people first and drop the "politician first" mentality McCain says has infected DC during the past several years. McCain promises to rid our federal budget of "earmarks" - the pork barrel spending that enables the pols to buy votes and remain in office for a lifetime.
Obama selected Joe biden as his running mate. Biden is an old Washington insider having served in Washington since 1972 - ten years longer than McCain. How Biden represents change is a puzzle. Biden may have been selected because of his "foreign policy" experience. To which I ask, what foreign policy experience? In my opinion Biden has consistently been on the wrong side of foreign policy - on the ash heap of history - throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Biden opposed President Reagan's extremely successful policies of the '80s and history proved Reagan correct and Biden et al wrong. According to The National Journal Biden is the third most liberal (read left) US Senator. Obama was rated the most liberal.
McCain selected a little known governor as his VP running mate. Gov Palin of Alaska is unknown outside her state, but her performance at the RNC demonstrated ability, toughness, a sharpness of mind and presence that will fluster Biden and Obama. I think she is a fantastic choice because she is removed from the elities of the extreme coasts which is why she was attacked so savagely by the mainstream media. Why imagine the nerve of McCain to appoint someone the media elites had not vetted and even worse, was not one of their peers. Palin is young, attractive in many ways, an outsider, and appeals to mothers and fathers whereas Biden is older, an insider, who has had two serious medical problems in recent years.
As to the top of the tickets Obama is an unknown quality despite all the attention-superfical in most respects- the mainstream media lavishes on him. There have been no penetrating analysis of his record, his past connections with shady characters, and the people behind the screen pulling the strings. One thing we all know about McCain is his record. He has a long record open to scrutiny - in camparison to Obama who has little or no open record for voters to judge. McCain is a maverick meaning he opposed President Bush and the GOP on many issues unlike Obama who votes lock step with his party leaders. McCain supports the War on Terrorism whereas Obama appears ambivalent about using American power to destroy international terrorism wherever it appears.
The next 60 days will be telling. Which direction will the country go?
More to come.
Friday, September 5, 2008
The Man
(The scene: A bathsuite in a luxury hotel somewhere in America.
A tall skinny man is preparing for another day)
"Man, you look great!" he says to the full length mirror.
"If you were better looking, it would be illegal."
He continued to prep for the coming day; brushing his short black hair, applying a cream to his face after sniffing the fragrance that suddenly filled the spacious suite.
"Top drawer, hot to trot today," he muttered.
He stepped away from the mirror and did a 360 spin, a move he often made on the basketball court.
"Ready for the day, Mocha Man?" he asked.
"Who are you talking to in there|?' a female voice sleepily inquired.
After a lingering look, the tall skinny man disappeared.
(Scene fades into the gilted mirrows)
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Gov Palin
Is she "qualified" to serve as vice president?
Of course, she meets all the nominal requirements just as Senator Obama meets the nominal requirements to serve as president.
Palin has served as governor of Alaska, a mayor of a small town, and other local government posts. Obama served in the Illinois legislature and serves as a US Senator. Palin reformed much of the Alaska government and rid it of corruption. Obama has spent most the past three years running for president. In some peoples' minds running for president qualifies one to be president. I am not making this up. I heard Mort Kondracke say that on a program this week. Kondracke is the ultimate DC Insider who thinks only people with years and years of DC service are qualified to fill DC jobs. Poor Mort!
The media generated noise over McCain's selection of Palin is just that. Noise. The elite salons in DC, in New York, and on the West Coast cannot tolerate the outsider Palin because; (1) She is not one of them, (2) she is from a Red State, (3), she has five kids, one with Down Syndrome and her 17 year old daughter is pregnant (hicks), and (4) McCain did not seek their approval of his selection.
And the media elites, unelected, nonresponsive and biased journalists, will do whatever it takes to knock Gov. Palin from the GOP platform.
Why?
Palin threatens their influence and power in national politics. Palin proves that the media elites are irrelevant in the 21st Century.
If 143 days in the US Senate qualifies Obama to be president, then serving as governor of Alaska surely more than qualifies Palin to serve as VP.
More to come on the media feeding frenzy.
Of course, she meets all the nominal requirements just as Senator Obama meets the nominal requirements to serve as president.
Palin has served as governor of Alaska, a mayor of a small town, and other local government posts. Obama served in the Illinois legislature and serves as a US Senator. Palin reformed much of the Alaska government and rid it of corruption. Obama has spent most the past three years running for president. In some peoples' minds running for president qualifies one to be president. I am not making this up. I heard Mort Kondracke say that on a program this week. Kondracke is the ultimate DC Insider who thinks only people with years and years of DC service are qualified to fill DC jobs. Poor Mort!
The media generated noise over McCain's selection of Palin is just that. Noise. The elite salons in DC, in New York, and on the West Coast cannot tolerate the outsider Palin because; (1) She is not one of them, (2) she is from a Red State, (3), she has five kids, one with Down Syndrome and her 17 year old daughter is pregnant (hicks), and (4) McCain did not seek their approval of his selection.
And the media elites, unelected, nonresponsive and biased journalists, will do whatever it takes to knock Gov. Palin from the GOP platform.
Why?
Palin threatens their influence and power in national politics. Palin proves that the media elites are irrelevant in the 21st Century.
If 143 days in the US Senate qualifies Obama to be president, then serving as governor of Alaska surely more than qualifies Palin to serve as VP.
More to come on the media feeding frenzy.
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