Opinion Talk

By Evelyn

May 13, 2008 11:07 AM | Link to this

Of course it can and likely will!

By Skeptic Tank

May 13, 2008 11:25 AM | Link to this

In reality, he’ll probably pull a few thousand votes from McCain and a few hundred from Obama.

Unfortunately, Barr’s message resonates more with the general public than any of the major party candidates’, but money and publicity is what wins elections, not the message of the candidate.

It’s what makes our great nation….not-great-at-all.

By Dave

May 13, 2008 11:27 AM | Link to this

who cares…Obama wins no matter what! Bring back the GOOD years! AS “liberals” have ALWAYS made the stock market tick upward. GO search it out before you post…even look it up in the Wall Street Journal…the stock market has ALWAYS performed better under dems…

LIBERAL=a “badge” of honor these days…conservative means….screw you children…screw your grand children…and their children…as WE DO NOT CARE about the lives you will have to live…it’s ALL about ME!

Obama…the “new” Kennedy…. either way folks….the “empire” is dead….dubya/cheney and co killed it….they just made a boat load of money along the way for their oild friends, themselves…and those that profit from the “industrial military complex”…..

but you thought you were voting “against” gay marriage and abortions still being legal…

well my friends…

GAYS are STILL GAY! (amen)… and ABORTION is STILL LEGAL! (amen again)…

By Copyleft

May 13, 2008 11:32 AM | Link to this

The question assumes that McCain even has a chance WITHOUT Barr’s (or Paul’s) influence. This is silly.

The race won’t be anwhere NEAR ‘close,’ so Barr’s impact will be minimal.

By Steve

May 13, 2008 11:47 AM | Link to this

I agree that Obama wins no matter what…but at what cost. He will win by making promises of wealth redistribution and cradle-to-grave entitlements. His presidency will be the start of turning America into a socialist country. He will appoint liberal judges, allow all illegals to stay here AND bring in more. These people will of course be democrats and with an estimated 50 million person influx (12 million already here plus bringing in thier families)it will end put an end to the republican party. In ten years this nation will start to crumble under his socialist rule and will soon resemble the soviet union of the seventies.

By jamie

May 13, 2008 11:59 AM | Link to this

i sure hope so.

By Fix-It

May 13, 2008 12:10 PM | Link to this

Hey Dave, you are right, liberals have been “in-charge” two years now. So far gas has doubled in price, healthcare up 20%, food up an average 17%, the prices keep going up and the dollar goes down. When will the liberals fix my pay, shouldn’t my pay out pace the rise in liberal pricing? NOT Dave you are just not getting the big picture.

By Skeptic Tank

May 13, 2008 12:22 PM | Link to this

Steve

Sorry to say it, but Obama will NOT be the catalyst of destroying the Republican Party.

George W. Bush took care of that.

By the way, your vision of an America in the throes of socialism is almost as frightening as the America we live in today, under a Republican regime: indebted to the Chinese for generations to come.

By CDog

May 13, 2008 12:41 PM | Link to this

Bob Barr does not have Ross Perot’s money to give his campaign any traction. Look at what Harry Browne did in 2000 and that will give you some idea of what Barr will do.

On another note, lost in the media coverage of the polls is the electoral college. John McCain has that pretty much wrapped up against Obama. Clinton would be a much stronger candidate against McCain in the electoral college. Go to http://www.electoral-vote.com/evp2008/Obama/Maps/May13.html

By I Need Help

May 13, 2008 12:47 PM | Link to this

The Republican Party is just too confusing.

First of all, we have McCain. A former moderate Republican, who I thought should have been the R nominee in 2000, but was beaten out by Bush who made up attacks who made the Saxby/Chambliss incident look like childs play.

Now, I listen to McCain, and if I close my eyes, I hear the same nonsense I’ve been hearing for the past 8 years.

Okay, then we have Bob Barr, a former rabid neo-con whose goal in life was to take down the evil Bill Clinton no matter what it took.

Now, Bob Barr is a champion of civil liberties, a very harsh critic of the war in Iraq (i.e. Bush critic), has switched parties and is now running as Libertarian.

Will someone please explain all this? It’s like they’ve switched bodies or something.

By gttim

May 13, 2008 1:04 PM | Link to this

“He will win by making promises of wealth redistribution and cradle-to-grave entitlements.”

Wealth redistribution? What do you think the GOP has been doing? Instead of feeding children born into poverty however, they have been giving your money to the wealthy corporations and agribusiness. Funny how you GOPers hate feeding poor children but have no problems with the GOP stealing your money to increase the wealth of the rich. Right now the oil companies are selling the public’s oil drilled in the US and not paying any royalties on it. Agribusiness is grazing their herds on public land without the public getting nay compensation. The government helps fund drug companies research into new drugs, but the drug companies keep the patents and all profits. The GOP government is bailing out companies of the mortgage industry mess they created by giving loans to people they knew would never be able them off. The GOPers passed a bankruptcy bill to make it harder for individuals to go bankrupt, but also made it easier for corporations to shed debt but retain assets- with bailouts by the taxpayers.

Instead of worrying about a poor child getting a free lunch, worry about the fat cats getting fatter off your tax money. They are getting way more than a few poor people. Your kids are being born with a huge debt on their shoulders because of the GOP.

By Dave

May 13, 2008 1:35 PM | Link to this

awwwww….. Fix it…YEAH…it’s the lib’s fault…as Exxon and haliburton making record profits are their fault…

Read and learn… The Clinton-Gore Economic Record: The Longest Expansion In History And Over 22.4 Million New Jobs..

(let me add…the stock market has ALWAYS performed better under dems…since its founding….look it up in the Wall Street Journal…all You repubs do is SPEND SPEND SPEND…like a free credit card…just like Dubya’s daddy gave him in college….he forgot the part about paying it BACK!!!!

READ: http://clinton4.nara.gov/textonly/WH/new/html/FriNov31348172000.html

“Today, the Bureau of Labor Statistics Released a New Employment Report Showing that Over 22.4 Million Jobs Have Been Created Since January 1993. In 1992, when Bill Clinton was elected President, the American economy was barely creating jobs, wages were stagnant, and the unemployment rate was 7.5 percent. President Clinton’s bold, three-part economic strategy has focused on three objectives: fiscal discipline, investing in education, health care, science and technology; and opening foreign markets. This strategy has helped create over 22.4 million jobs and contributed to the longest economic expansion in U.S. history.

22.4 Million New Jobs Created Under the Clinton-Gore Administration. Since January 1993, the economy has added 22.4 million new jobs. That’s the most jobs ever created under a single Administration — and more new jobs than Presidents Reagan and Bush created during their three terms. Under President Clinton, the economy has added an average of 240,000 jobs per month, the highest of any President on record. This compares to 52,000 per month under President Bush and 167,000 per month under President Reagan.

92 Percent — 20.6 Million — of the New Jobs Have Been Created in the Private Sector. Since President Clinton and Vice President Gore took office, the private sector of the economy has added 20.6 million new jobs. That is 92 percent of the 22.4 million new jobs — the highest percentage since Harry S. Truman was President and presiding over the post-World War II demobilization.

The Unemployment Rate Was 3.9 Percent in October — Nearly the Lowest in Three Decades. The unemployment rate stayed low at 3.9 percent in October — nearly the lowest in three decades. The unemployment rate has fallen for seven years in a row. It has remained below 5 percent for 40 months in a row. For women the unemployment rate was 3.9 percent — nearly the lowest since 1953.

African American and Hispanic Unemployment Rates Are the Lowest on Record. The unemployment rate for African Americans has fallen from 14.2 percent in 1992 to 7.3 percent in October 2000 for an average of 7.6 percent in the first ten months of 2000 — the lowest rate on record. Unemployment for Hispanics has fallen from 11.8 percent in October of 1992 to 5.0 percent in October of 2000 — the lowest rate on record.”

By Steven

May 13, 2008 2:23 PM | Link to this

Oh those poor very rich folks, paying the taxes they paid in the booming 1990s…my heart bleeds for them.

By jasper

May 13, 2008 2:42 PM | Link to this

Hey Dave, don’t forget that the manufacturing sector had the greatest decrease in labor as well as movement to foreign soil under Clinton Gore than all previous administrations combined, 27% strinkage. Clinton Gore’s labor increases were 46% in the service sectors and 38% in technology, mostly associated with the dot.com fiascos.

You can choke on the stats if you want. We’re in a global economy now. I’m sure its hard for you to comprehend with your inner city public education background. You would do better to study economics rather than statistics, but I’m sure that’s all they give you at the campaign headquarters.

All the GOP has done is show that it can give money away just like the DEMs. But to think any new DEM is going to bring “Change” to DC, well that’s just smoking crack.

Vote for term limits and tax reform!

By Afraid

May 13, 2008 2:44 PM | Link to this

I do not find any of the candidates qualified. I’m afraid that if Obama wins, our entire country will be another Clayton or Dekalb county. I’m afraid if McCain wins, we will continue to be a “war” country. And Barr, well I’m just afraid. Where are our true statesmen?

By jasper

May 13, 2008 2:47 PM | Link to this

Barr won’t hurt McCain. How can you trust or vote for a man who only grows part of a mustache.

By Ed

May 13, 2008 2:56 PM | Link to this

Whoever wins the current presidential election will end up having to work with Congress and the two candidates who did not win the election. In a sense this is similar to the everyday work and household experiences of many Americans. The choice is working together towards common goals or fighting against each other while nothing gets done.

The one republican and two democratic candidates will play a significant role regaining the future of our international relationships and the U.S economy. All three talk about the love they have for our country. The three of them working together as a TEAM before and after the election is needed

In the book Teamwork-Moving Beyond Teambuilding Exercises successful approaches for leaders to consider are covered. Regardless of your political perspective or party TEAMWORK is what is needed from the three remaining senators to move the country forward.

By Ed

May 13, 2008 2:56 PM | Link to this

Whoever wins the current presidential election will end up having to work with Congress and the two candidates who did not win the election. In a sense this is similar to the everyday work and household experiences of many Americans. The choice is working together towards common goals or fighting against each other while nothing gets done.

The one republican and two democratic candidates will play a significant role regaining the future of our international relationships and the U.S economy. All three talk about the love they have for our country. The three of them working together as a TEAM before and after the election is needed

In the book Teamwork-Moving Beyond Teambuilding Exercises successful approaches for leaders to consider are covered. Regardless of your political perspective or party TEAMWORK is what is needed from the three remaining senators to move the country forward.

By Chuckling out loud

May 13, 2008 3:06 PM | Link to this

I think it is so funny that the GOP is peeing their pants about losing the White House. I say Run, Bob, Run… Shades of Nadar… Obama=socialist? I thought you GOPers didn’t smoke that stuff. Hope you like the color Gray so favored in the USSR… OOOHHH I’m so scared!!!! What a riot.

By Chuckling out loud

May 13, 2008 3:12 PM | Link to this

Where can I get my yard sign?

By Blind Homer

May 13, 2008 3:34 PM | Link to this

Barr won’t have much impact. Too bad as he is the only smaller government candidate. McCain is just as soft as Obama on immigration, as were his role models, Reagan and Bush. So the choices are really war/no war and tax cuts/no tax cuts. I’m voting for Barr.

By DJ

May 13, 2008 3:56 PM | Link to this

nothing will hurt john mccain more than being a todie to the worst president in the history of the republic.

you like george bush? want more of george bush? vote for john mccain - it’s that simple.

maverick? i think not. beaten sychophant? absolutely. now that’s what i want in a leader.

By DaveE

May 13, 2008 3:58 PM | Link to this

I think the libertarian party is trying to reach too far ahead of itself. In order for them to have any trust and attention from voters, they need to show that they can govern well on a local and then a state level. They should be working to get candidates for mayor, city council and state representative - possibly a House of Representatives seat. But no farther. Until they show that they can handle that, there’s no reason for the public to know what they stand for or how they’d govern given a governor’s mansion or the White House.

By bob

May 13, 2008 4:14 PM | Link to this

Don’t blame G.W.Bush, for the economy,blame yourselves, if you think, it is going to be a walk in the park with Obama as President you are kidding yourselves. remember, a house divided does not stand. just sit back a wait.

By Kevin

May 13, 2008 5:03 PM | Link to this

What kind of name recognition does Barr have outside of Georgia? If non-Georgians know who he is, how positively people do they view him? He may possibly be another Ron Paul / Ralph Nader. He and Cynthia McKinney might share that this year - HA! If he does make an impact, could Hillary sense an opportunity and enter an independent bid? What about others such as Ed Koch? The election could turn out to be even more interesting than the primaries.

By ralphie

May 13, 2008 5:21 PM | Link to this

In a straight-up fight I say Barr takes McCain in three rounds. Now in his younger days, I think McCain opens a can of whoop-a$$ on Barr.

Oh, you were talkin’ about the election…my bad.

By A Real Conservative

May 13, 2008 6:04 PM | Link to this

I sure hope votes are taken away from McCain. Republicans need to be taught another lesson…and I used to be a Republican. It’s Bob Barr or Chuck Baldwin (Constitution Party) for me. We need to restore Constitutional principles, liberty, and limited government back into American Politics. McCain isn’t the person to do that.

By Pepper

May 13, 2008 7:18 PM | Link to this

If the republicans were smart, they would get as far away from the neocons as they can get. They can begin by realizing that only Ron Paul has the slightest chance of beating the dem candidate.

I would pressure your various county officials and elected reps to the republican convention to vote for Ron Paul and then get out of the way and watch the wave of voters bury Obama and Hillary since they were always meant to team up together to keep somekind of news going in the press.

McCain was chosen out of all those candidates to lose to Hillary and Obama. Its the dems turn this time around. In 8 years it will be the repubs turn again. Watch and see a Jeb Bush run in 2012 or someother nefarious psychopath from that family. I knew it when I read that Obama had “6 CFR ADVISORS” on his campaign staff.

Remember the CFR? They are the ones who wrote those recommendations to regionalize this continent. So Globalization is the goal and all three candidates would follow their masters except for Ron Paul. He is OURS AND OURS ALONE. Let pressure the super delegates and tell them their jobs are on the line if they don’t vote for Ron.

Its time we exercised some gumpa instead of whoosing around like a bunch of scared cry babies. Otherwise its Bob Barr for me IF HE IS NOT ASSOCIATED IN THE PAST OR TODAY WITH THE CFR. Otherwise he is toast too and I will write in an absentee ballot for Ron Paul for Pres and Judge Napolitano for VP. Screw them all.

By Dave

May 13, 2008 7:20 PM | Link to this

Jasper….say all you want…Clinton Gore added nearly TWICE as many jobs every single month they were in office as your hero..Reagan. yet Clinto inherited a huge deficit and handed over the keys with a surplus. Now we have the largest deficit in history. We have a dollar that is worthless around the world. McCain will only bring more of the same. All of his policies point in that direction. It is also a FACT (one you failed to address) that the stock market has ALWAYS done better under a dem. president compared with a republican administration. Republicans are NOT good for the economy….they are ONLY good to their friends who OWN those business they give huge contracts to. Under Reagan/Bush1 and Bush2…we have seen over and over again that “trickle down” economics do NOT work. They don’t share the wealth. Under both of those administrations the gap between rich and poor expanded. The middle class got screwed both times.

Whatever…it does not matter… by you morons voting for dubya TWICE…you just handed over dem. control for the next 40 years. ABout how long it will take to fix this current mess. But for those that voted and went to the polls because of these next reasons…get this: Gays are STILL GAY! ABORTION is STILL LEGAL!

it’s time to start fixing your mess. China is now the ONLY super power in this world. it’s their turn to run with the next “empire”…ours is done…but that’s OK..all things die. Just stop believing in heaven and hell and work on caring about THIS world we spin upon…as there is only ONE world we all share. China now rules it. We either learn to “play nice with the others” or we get squashed to death….. We can only achieve that under Obama. Period…..

By Pepper

May 13, 2008 7:22 PM | Link to this

I think that comment is funny. We have a White House and Congress full of so called “experienced” politicians who have run this country right straight into the ground and your worried about a libertarian????

Hahahahahaha Wake up and see what is currently going on without any libertarians. It would be a welcome change from the corruption and incompetence that currently pervades this white house and congress. My goodness ANYBODY IS BETTER THAN THESE GUYS. Who picks these idiots with IQ’s under 100 anyway???? Oh, thats right, the CFR and bankers….. LOL

By GaLiberal

May 13, 2008 11:01 PM | Link to this

One can only hope so. Rethuglicons have faced little third party challenges while Democrats have always had to faced losing votes. Ralph Nader “gave” Bush the election in 2000 (I’ll bet a lot of them were just protest votes because people thought Gore was a given). If not for Nader, Gore would have received several thousand more votes and FL would have been his.

I doubt if Bob ‘Impeachement’ Barr will get the nomination, but for some right-wing nutballs McCain is too “liberal.” Hopefully, these people will jump ship and not vote for McCain. It’s time a third party “gave” the Democrats an election.

When you vote Rethuglicon, you vote against your own best interests. And John McCain is living proof.

By Pablo

May 13, 2008 11:11 PM | Link to this

Bob Barr’s candidacy is making so much noise because he seems, at least in paper, like an alternative to the corrupt parties that have been tearing our great Nation down over the years. I would love to see a third party candidate teach the big party b******* a lesson…

By MM

May 14, 2008 3:13 AM | Link to this

So the stock market does better under the Demoleft? Check out Jimmy “Stagflation” Carter vs. Ronald Reagan’s economy : largest peacetime economic expansion in history under RR. It was Ronnie, not Bubba Bill who gave us the good times. Bubba inherited the economic boom, forfeited by clueless liberal Repub George Bush I with his idiotic tax increase, tricked by the Democrats, who then stabbed him in the back. He thus made himself a one-termer.

By Dave

May 14, 2008 6:56 AM | Link to this

Excuse me MM? CLinton was handed both a large deficit AND a RECESSION on the day he was handed over the keys. It was 12 years of Reagan/Bush and their “trickle down” economic theory that gave us the recession.

And you are wrong again about who had the longest and largest economic expansion in US history…it was Clinton/Gore again…here the the FACTS (as stated by Bureau of Labor Statistics):

“Today, the Bureau of Labor Statistics Released a New Employment Report Showing that Over 22.4 Million Jobs Have Been Created Since January 1993. In 1992, when Bill Clinton was elected President, the American economy was barely creating jobs, wages were stagnant, and the unemployment rate was 7.5 percent. President Clinton’s bold, three-part economic strategy has focused on three objectives: fiscal discipline, investing in education, health care, science and technology; and opening foreign markets. This strategy has helped create over 22.4 million jobs and contributed to the longest economic expansion in U.S. history.

22.4 Million New Jobs Created Under the Clinton-Gore Administration. Since January 1993, the economy has added 22.4 million new jobs. That’s the most jobs ever created under a single Administration — and more new jobs than Presidents Reagan and Bush created during their three terms. Under President Clinton, the economy has added an average of 240,000 jobs per month, the highest of any President on record. This compares to 52,000 per month under President Bush and 167,000 per month under President Reagan.

92 Percent — 20.6 Million — of the New Jobs Have Been Created in the Private Sector. Since President Clinton and Vice President Gore took office, the private sector of the economy has added 20.6 million new jobs. That is 92 percent of the 22.4 million new jobs — the highest percentage since Harry S. Truman was President and presiding over the post-World War II demobilization.”

With regards to the stock market…again it is a FACT that it performs better under Democratic administrations… so here…read this: http://finance.yahoo.com/expert/article/futureinvest/3022 look at the chart provided on the link in the article..

Quote: “The table tells the story. Since 1948, Republican Administrations have controlled the White House 57.2 percent of the time. But during the period that the GOP was in office, stock returns have averaged only 9.53 percent per year, while under Democratic administrations, stocks returned 15.25 percent per year, more than five percentage points higher”

“Stocks did best over the 8 years of the Clinton administration”

There are you FACTS….now show me yours my friend…I’ll be waiting.

By anson

May 14, 2008 7:17 AM | Link to this

Probably no more than mccain will hurt mccain!!!!!!

By AntiDave

May 14, 2008 7:22 AM | Link to this

The key to the successes seen in the Clinton years was the presence of a conservative republican congress. Congress actually passed budgets back then and they balanced it. Clinton aided in that; at least he didn’t veto it. I’m no Bush fan but he was cursed with a liberal democrat congress. That is one of the reasons for the state of the economy now.

And whats with this “feeding poor children?” What poor children are the democrats feeding? That is so full of crap. Obviously there should be a safety net for when families fall on hard times but that safety net has grown to a support system for people who refuse to get an education and/or work. This “feed the children” is simply liberal rhetoric for “give me more of your money”.

That said, the republicans have a major problem. They have to decide if they are conservative or not. You simply cannot spend money and grow the government like traditional liberals while fighting a war and cut taxes at the same time. That’s just stupid. You can’t be everything to all people. At least the democrats see that they need to raise taxes to pay for their socialist system. Republicans under Bush have wanted to build a socialist type system and charge it to our kids and grandkids.

Until the republicans remember who they are and favor smaller government and less government intrusion, they cannot beat the democrats.

By Dave

May 14, 2008 7:32 AM | Link to this

Anti-ME :) Please don’t blame the dem. congress for Bush & Co.’s miserable economic failure. He had 6 years of total Rebulican control of all 3 houses. He put many of his failed policies into place during that time. The dems have only controlled the other 2 houses for a year and a half now. The blame still lies with Bush and Co. Every single picute painted shows that he has GROWN government in every direction, not made it smaller.

By Dave

May 14, 2008 11:11 AM | Link to this

Lets add this to the pot…the national debt clock… http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock/

Guess what republicans? This is NOT our own money we are giving away…we are borrowing it. Who do we owe money to? Hmmm…China, Japan, etc.

This might go down in history as one of the stupidest things we have ever done to stimulate the economy. Increasing how much we owe as a nation is not only stupid…it’s criminal! Enjoy you new TV… make your car payment…put it towards your mortgage…all it has done is create more debt. Republicans should NEVER be given control of OUR money. They have no clue as how to handle it it a responsible way! That is been shown to us over and over and over. Time and Time again….

I hope all of you spend that “rebate” check wisely…because if you have kids…it’s going to be them, and their children that need to pay off this debt. Borrowing money (as we as a nation are broke) to give away “free money”…is not wise…

Nor is it “free”…it’s exactly like paying your credit card bills by taking cash advances on other credit cards…all it does in the long run…is dig the whole much much deeper! Good move Bush/Cheney!!!