Thinking Right

By Churchill

September 8, 2008 8:52 AM | Link to this

McCain’s Convenient Untruth

When it comes to fighting wars, John McCain stands up and calls for sacrifice. “We never hide from history; we make history,” he declared in his convention speech. But when it comes to taxes, McCain is unwilling to demand even a teensy bit of sacrifice. In a McCain administration, Americans would not have to surrender a dime more of their money to a cause larger than themselves.

Why this bipolar attitude toward sacrifice? Start with the answer that McCain himself provides. “My tax cuts will create jobs. His tax increases will eliminate them,” he said at the convention, offering one of the speech’s few policy contrasts between Obama’s platform and his own. In other words, McCain is not calling for tax sacrifice because he believes it would be counterproductive. On taxes, he is saying, you can selfishly avoid sacrifice — and serve the public good.

This, unfortunately, is a convenient untruth. Tax hikes taken to an extreme can indeed backfire, harming growth and job creation. But it’s a stretch to assert that Barack Obama’s tax plan would do that. And it’s downright scandalous to pretend that the economy can be strengthened in anything other than the short run by unaffordable tax cuts.

Obama is not proposing to raise taxes for most Americans. To the contrary, he would triple the earned-income tax credit for low-wage earners, increasing work incentives at the bottom. He would cut taxes on people in the middle — indeed, he would do so more aggressively than McCain would. It is only the wealthiest Americans who would face higher tax bills under Obama. According to the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center, Obama’s plan would require the richest 1 percent of Americans to sacrifice a modest 1.5 percent of their after-tax income in 2012. By contrast, no-sacrifice McCain would award America’s elite a 9.5 percent increase.

How might this impact jobs and the economy? Under Obama’s plan, top earners would pay a marginal federal tax rate of maybe 46.5 percent (that includes the Medicare tax and Obama’s proposed hike in Social Security taxes), considerably more than the 37.9 percent they would pay under McCain. There’s no doubt that Obama’s higher tax rates would mean weaker incentives to work, take risks and innovate; and stronger incentives to waste time and effort on avoiding the tax man.

But those bad effects must be weighed against a good one: Higher tax rates mean a lower budget deficit. According to the Tax Policy Center, over the course of a decade Obama’s plan would result in a national debt $1.2 trillion smaller than you would get under McCain’s plan. Less government borrowing ultimately means lower interest rates and more private investment. This positive effect may well outweigh the blow to growth and jobs from weaker work incentives.

Tax hikes, in other words, are not automatic job destroyers. Joel Slemrod of the University of Michigan, a top expert on this subject, says bluntly, “There is no compelling evidence that a low-tax strategy is better for the economy over the medium or long run.” Just look at the Clinton era. In 1993, the top marginal rate (income tax plus Medicare) was raised to 42.5 percent — the same rate that Obama proposes but minus the candidate’s proposed increase in the payroll tax. During the rest of the Clinton period, the economy generated millions of new jobs, and careful academic postmortems find that the 1993 tax hike caused little to no damage to the incentives of top earners.

So McCain’s swipe at Obama’s tax plan was something other than straight talk. As a share of the economy, Obama’s plan would create an overall tax burden similar to the one that existed in Ronald Reagan’s time. It would not choke off job creation; rather, it would slow the growth of the deficit and soften inequality. But the really depressing thing is that McCain himself once knew that. He opposed the Bush tax cuts before he supported them, saying that they would deepen inequality. But now he touts a tax reduction that is larger and more radical than even President Bush proposed, and he slams his opponent for holding the view that he himself held until recently.

McCain used to be a real straight talker. On campaign finance, spending earmarks, Iraq and immigration, he has fought bravely for his principles; and that record might have been a trump against an opponent who has taken almost no such risks. But we are now witnessing what might be called McCain’s Palinization. McCain once criticized Christian conservatives as agents of intolerance, but he has caved in to their intolerance of a pro-choice running mate. McCain claims to be devoted to his country, yet he would saddle it with a vice president who is unprepared to serve as commander in chief. In the same sad way, McCain has caved in to his party’s anti-tax fanatics. The man of principle has become a panderer. The straight talker flip-flops.

By TW

September 8, 2008 8:57 AM | Link to this

Is Sarah Palin really parading her special needs child around the country to drum up votes? Gee, Can’t imagine why her underage, unwed daughter is pregnant…

Can we please get to the ‘Final Question’ Round, the Ms South Carolina part of this rightwing joke campaign?

You know, the part where we find out that lipstick on a pig is a more appropriate phrase…

By Ga Values

September 8, 2008 9:01 AM | Link to this

Our 2 RINO Senators sure put the wood to the Georgia Taxpayers with the Bank Bail out. Johnny tucked a little $18 Billion favor in for the Builder/Banker special interest. When will we get Senators that work for GEORGIA rather than SPECIAL INTEREST.

By Ragnar Danneskjöld

September 8, 2008 9:06 AM | Link to this

Good morning all. I agree with Jim that Obama needs to change the conversation – I posted numerous great suggestions to that effect this weekend – but our friend @@ rightly chastises me for wasting my time with a futile effort telling the bad guys what they need to know, so I’ll not waste any more time on that effort.

I disagree that the Muslim stuff is an issue – I don’t hear that anywhere.

Re FNMA and FHLMC, I agree with Jim’s analysis there. That long-term decision will not arise until Jan 21, 2009 – perhaps we will get an intelligent call. Good laugh from the WSJ page A15 this morning, an article on FNMA and FHLMC:

“Sen. Obama has received $105,849 from donors tied to the companies since he ran for the senate four years ago, making him the third-largest recipient in Congress among the top 25 listed in a recent report by the Center for Responsive Politics, which examined contributions dating to 1989.

“Sen. McCain wasn’t listed in the report, and proponents of overhaul say lobbyists have tried unsuccessfully to win him over.

“’There were quite a few lobbyists retained by Fannie and Freddie who tried to influence Sen. McCain, but they never were able to get their hooks into him,’ said Anne Canfield, who heads the Consumer Mortgage Coalition, a leading trade group that has advocated for overhaul of the government-sponsored enterprises.”

By Redneck Convert

September 8, 2008 9:07 AM | Link to this

Well, things is looking up. Us Christians always use the same way of getting elected again. Talk about Patriotism and how good it is to be a American. Don’t mention jobs or nothing like that. Sort of hint that the other side is a bunch of Traders and Commies that will let the Terrists come in and attack us.

Then when we get elected again ram it home. Get a supreme court that will let us lock women up for getting a abortion. Put prayer back in schools and teach Adam & Eve. Get rid of teaching about You Know What and this evolution. Let You Know What be a suprize to the kids when they get older. Get rid of using our tax money to help poor people and other lazy bums. Give the big tax breaks to the people that make the big money. Cut our taxes. It’s the Republican and the American way.

Anyhow, this Obama wasn’t going to get elected anyway. Millions of good White people were just waiting to see to it that we wouldn’t have a jungle bunny and his mad wife in the white house. We told poll people we hadn’t made up our mind but we know who we were going to vote for and against.

Have a good day everybody and Praise the Lord. White is Right!

By Jimmy Joe Bob

September 8, 2008 9:08 AM | Link to this

Yes, we had the Bush tax cuts, but their beneficial, growth-enhancing effects have long since been swamped by an explosion of government spending. As Milton Friedman long ago taught us, government spending is the ultimate tax on the economy: It extracts real resources from productive, private use and puts them to unproductive, public use. And there is the rub.

By Ragnar Danneskjöld

September 8, 2008 9:18 AM | Link to this

Dear Churchill @ 8:52, your long cut-and-past shows you do not get it. Americans reasonably do not sacrifice to causes larger than themselves, only to causes more worthy. While the government is undoubtedly larger, it is not more worthy in any sense. Other than the military, I can think of no desirable purpose for the Federal government. That is a mainstream philosophy, after decades of nanny government.

The big-government mantra is what is killing Obama now. Not even Carter or Clinton ran on a “bigger government” platform. Lyndon Johnson concealed the breadth of his plans, and thus brought the whole “big government is good” philosophy into disrepute. I think Obama needs to seize the discussion with a completely different course. (Apologies to @@ for my lie – but that will be the last speech on the topic.)

By Jimmy Joe Bob

September 8, 2008 9:21 AM | Link to this

Rising public deficits are necessary—in fact, indispensable—to sustaining GDP because so much of the nation’s wealth has been transferred from those who, as a matter of necessity, spend it to those who, as a matter of taste, do not.

By JohnnieB

September 8, 2008 9:21 AM | Link to this

Dear host, These comment sections are a breeding ground for false statements and unproductive speech. They do us no good. Please disable them.

By Hilary Smith

September 8, 2008 9:22 AM | Link to this

McCain = death to the middle-class

By JohnnieB

September 8, 2008 9:23 AM | Link to this

Dear host, These comment sections are a breeding ground for false statements and unproductive speech. They do us no good. Please disable them.

By macca

September 8, 2008 9:38 AM | Link to this

JohnnieB@9:21 While it is true the political discourse in this country is sarcastic, biting, rude, disrespectful, and deceitful, and it’s no wonder the two sides hate each other so much when they get to Washington and find it hard to agree on the color of pen ink. no one is holdng a gun to your head to read this or any other political blog.

By getalife "whiners"

September 8, 2008 9:44 AM | Link to this

The American people will lose again because the spineless dems ran another loser.

By Plae G. Wrist

September 8, 2008 9:46 AM | Link to this

“… the political discourse in this country is sarcastic, biting, rude, disrespectful, and deceitful, and it’s no wonder the two sides hate each other so much when they get to Washington and find it hard to agree on the color of pen ink.”

Read that somewhere else this morning. And, it wasn’t the AJC, but either politico.com or cnn.com.

By No socialism for me, thank you

September 8, 2008 9:49 AM | Link to this

Obama and liberals do not really understand economics. Here is your brief tutorial. Hopefully you will learn something.

Fact 1: We are in an international economy. Businesses now move out of the USA to cheaper labor markets. Even within the USA business moves to states with more favorable tax status.

Fact 2: Capitalism generates the strongest growth of any economic system because people are motivated to produce things of objective value when they get paid in proportion and get to keep that pay. The Soviet Union could not compete with a capitalist system and collapsed in the cold war.

Liberals tend to think of the economy as a fixed pie. To feed everyone, you have to reduce the slices of those who have more. What they fail to see is that the best way to feed the most is to make a bigger pie, or grow the pie.

When you tax business, you incentivize it to move out of the USA, and with it goes jobs, resulting in more hungry mouths to feed in your diminishing socialist economic pie. When you do your best to minimize the burden on business, other businesses want to start up here, which generates more jobs here and grows your capitalist pie, feeding more people.

If you tax the rich too much, eventually they say ‘the hell with it’ and go to some tax haven like Bermuda, and now you don’t have them paying into your tax pool at all. There are plenty of other countries out there who would like to get wealthy Americans to move.

If you have all you need because of government handouts and you are happy with your lot in life in that state, there is little incentive for you to go through the long hard work necessary to retrain/school/earn your way to a better income bracket. It is not easy acquiring a skill set of objective value. When there is pain at the bottom there is strong incentive for people to better themselves. There are plenty of economic opportunities out there.

Now Obama may say that he feels the pain of workers unemployed by businesses who relocate overseas, but the way you get those guys to stay here is by not taxing the living hell out of them. His proposals to penalize businesses who relocate jobs will not encourage them to bring jobs back, it will only encourage them to move the entire operation overseas.

Small business which elects to remain here under a higher tax structure will either (1) lose out to overseas competition with lower tax structure and see business sales decline, or (2) absorb those costs by either increasing the price they charge for their goods (passed along to the consumer in a higher cost of living) or by cutting pay or hours. Either you are hurt by unemployment, or you find your dollars dont buy what they used to.

By Ga Values

September 8, 2008 9:49 AM | Link to this

Under the terms of his employment contract, Daniel H. Mudd, the departing head of Fannie Mae, stands to collect $9.3 million in severance pay, retirement benefits and deferred compensation, provided his dismissal is deemed to be “without cause,” according to an analysis by the consulting firm James F. Reda & Associates. Mr. Mudd has already taken home $12.4 million in cash compensation and stock option gains since becoming chief executive in 2004, according to an analysis by Equilar, an executive pay research firm.

Richard F. Syron, the departing chief executive of Freddie Mac, could receive an exit package of at least $14.1 million, largely because of a clause added to his employment contract in mid-July as his company’s troubles deepened. He has taken home $17.1 million in pay and stock option gains since becoming chief executive in 2003.

Both executives stood to make millions more from restricted stock grants and options, but those awards are now worthless because of the plunge in the companies’ share prices. Even so, their past pay — and the idea that they might receive more — irks some investors.

“This is completely outrageous,” said Richard C. Ferlauto, the director of corporate governance and investment for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, a large pension fund. “It is really a slap in the face to shareholders and homeowners whose loans are at risk and taxpayers footing the bill for a bailout.”

Whether Mr. Mudd and Mr. Syron will collect their severance package is unclear. A spokeswoman for the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the companies’ primary regulator, declined to provide details about their exit packages. F.H.F.A. officials said the compensation of their successors, Herbert M. Allison Jr. and David M. Moffett, both longtime financial industry executives, would be “significantly lower” than that of the departing chief executives.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have enriched their top executives for years. Mr. Mudd’s predecessor at Fannie Mae, Franklin D. Raines, took home more than $52 million while he was chief executive from 1999 to 2004, according to Equilar data.

Mr. Raines later agreed to forfeit several million dollars’ worth of stock and options to resolve personal claims over allegations that Fannie Mae had inflated its earnings to raise executive bonuses. Even though Fannie Mae was forced to restate its earnings, Mr. Raines walked away with at least $25 million in pension benefits, as well as stock options he did not cash in — many of which are now worthless.

Mr. Syron’s predecessor at Freddie Mac, Leland C. Brendsel, took home more than $28.4 million from 1993 to 2003, the only part of his pay package that was publicly disclosed during his 13-year tenure as chief executive.

The shareholders of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, including many employees, will not be so lucky. The companies’ share prices have plunged about 90 percent this year, wiping out about $70 billion of shareholder value. The shares are likely to be worth little or nothing under the government’s rescue plan.

By bearcasey

September 8, 2008 9:51 AM | Link to this

I LOVE IT! The Republican Party is supposed to be the Party of business expertise and financial savvy. Why is it then the three largest economic screw-ups of the last 100 years have ALL happened on the Republicans’ watch?

• the crash of 1929
• the crash of 1987 and Savings & Loan meltdown
• the current mess

* can you say: “greed is good!”

By BS Aplenty

September 8, 2008 9:52 AM | Link to this

Americans tend to look askance at political candidates who tell us, “Do as I say, not as I do.”

Jim, I think the issue many Americans have with an Obama candidacy are based on a life’s record and their opinions are unlikely to be changed by a speech, no matter how well-spoken. Obama’s lifetime is one spent collaborating and associating with fringe-level (Wright & Pfleger) and criminal-level (Ayers & Rezko) leftists and is hard to explain away in a speech. In fact, the mere appearance of trying to “explain away” such a lifetime’s worth of effort is telling.

But more to your point may be his membership at a church which purports to be “Christian” while endorsing and promoting the racist philosophy of James H. Cone. This issue has undermined Obama’s candidacy in many Bible-belt homes as few other can. In an area that still very much views Christian doctrine as sacred, this type of apostasy will not be dismissed by a speech - no matter how well made.

Obama’s dated “Muslim connection”, through his father and youth, are simply additional fuel in the Christian community for this fire. Not the tinder to necessarily start the political fire but additional fuel that keeps it burning. The less Christian he is, due to the nature of his church, the more importance these kinds of Muslim associations will have.

My experience is that a political candidate should never underestimate the country’s desire for a candidate with (Christian) morals.

By lwwmm7

September 8, 2008 9:57 AM | Link to this

By macca

September 8, 2008 10:01 AM | Link to this

Plae G. Wrist:

FULL DISCLOSURE: It was Peter King’s “Ten Things I Think I Think” on SI.COM. Doesn’t make it any less true.

By macca

September 8, 2008 10:06 AM | Link to this

Besides, 90% of the dung on this blog is copied and pasted WITHOUT ATTRIBUTION anyway, so why pick on me?

By Dusty

September 8, 2008 10:11 AM | Link to this

After reading Churchill’s inconvenient untruth and RedNeck’s undercover trash, I may almost agree with JohnnieB. She believes that these comment sections are a breeding ground of false statements and unproductive speech.

Quite true, Johnnie, but if you read long enough you will find conservative diamonds among the unremiting umbrage of liberals. They lay it on thick in desperation as the new St. Joan stands staunchly against the Socialistic sycophant.

So stick around a bit, Johnnie. The repetition of the reprobates gets tiresome but you will get the hang of speed reading.

For entertainment use these words: patriotism, motherhood, faith, Bush, Cheney, flag, POW, ethics, morals and a few lines of God Bless America. You won’t believe the acceleration.

You DO have to have a sense of humor to love a liberal. But they are worth every bit of the entertainment.

By getalife "whiners"

September 8, 2008 10:12 AM | Link to this

Two months to go, McCain is up by 10 and Obama is turning to the ones he called racists to help.

The Clintons can’t help him now but looks like you folks will get more of the same from the gop.

Country first?

BS. Our country and the American people will continue to lose because the spineless dems ran another loser instead of a sure winner

By VOTE NO TO HALF-BLACK UPPITY BLACK RACIST MUSLIMS

September 8, 2008 10:14 AM | Link to this

My mohammedan faith as puked up by Hussein Obama to the oily Greek on Sunday morning on ABC … Amercia’s Barry Channel.

At last Hussein Obama tells the truth to the folks about its open secret truly poisonous religion.

After all if the panderer to illegal leeches Sen McLiar is to have his 100 years in Iraq shamelessly distorted and endlessly repeated by the leftist surrender monkey scum then surely Hussein Obama’s long overdue honesty about its poisonous religious beliefs/faith is equally fair game. But wait …. the nasty half-black black racist hypocrite Hussein Obama always screeches about how ANY honest/fair comment commentary about it is “racist”. Such despicable dishonesty is just the latest demoNcrat attempt at demonising anyone with an objective, non-fawning POV about Hussein Obama.

LMFAO AT THE GLORIOUS NEWS @ THE MCLIAR-PALIN POLL LEAD.

So the black racist messiah is now behind in many of the liberal run polls. The writing is on the wall. McLiar will win this and the moveyourbowels.org and code pinKKKo et al screeching and ranting will be freaking hilarious. Better entertainment than even the AlBore’s inevitable defeat in 2000.

Watching the resident anal stalker on here puking up its trademark PIG ignorance about EVERYTHING, including which league the Foxes play in, is enormously amusing. Glad to see how effortlessly I have managed to get a sick and twisted turdbrained maggot like this to ENDLESSLY obsess over me.

All U have to do on here to get anal sicko lefties to stalk U and obsess over U is state the IRREFUTABLE facts about Grand Cyclops Wright and the hate pig feminaziPelosibitch and smug corrupt criminals freeloading off their family’s gangsta racketeering prohibition days criminal illgottengains - like the alcohol soaked DUI killer Kennedy.

One almost assumes its an anally unfunny wannabe comedian with a sick weird slavish obsession about puking up witless moronic sexual innuendo on here.

DEATH TO LIBERALISM!!!

VICTORY TO McLIAR AND PALIN

By Dusty

September 8, 2008 10:18 AM | Link to this

lwwmm7 @9:57

Talk about entertainment, you take the cake. Fake zeros at Pearl Harbor from the USA? Wow, that’s a new one. I hope you post some more stuff before the little men from your flying saucer carry you to another planet.

(Sorry, Jim Wooten, it is hard to get serious this morning.)

By Common Sense

September 8, 2008 10:23 AM | Link to this

Not really Dusty you should as a so-called Christian love everyone.

Just because people do not agree on issues does not mean we should not like them!

If we are really Christians we are not sending out false information about anyone.

Also tax payers if you believe polictians are morally convicted to do the right thing you really are diluted in your thinking!

By Stop Pretending!

September 8, 2008 10:23 AM | Link to this

“Obama continues to be bedeviled by questions about his religion, something I picked up repeatedly from people who aren’t political junkies. It’s not surprising that Obama lashed out on that issue Sunday. He can’t shake the believe that he is a Muslim, the religion of his father and religion of at least part of his childhood.”

Mr. Wooten, I usually just read your columns and not respond to things no matter how ridiculous they may sound. But you attempt to be helpful to Mr. Obama came across to me as a way to perpetuate this thought on his religion. My father is Methodist and I have attended church with him, but guess what, I’m not Methodist. My parents have been married for over 55 years. My mother made the decision on what religious affiliation her children would be. If you don’t like the man, fine, don’t vote for him. But please don’t pretend to be helpful when that is not your true motivation.

By VOTE NO TO HALF-BLACK UPPITY BLACK RACIST MUSLIMS

September 8, 2008 10:24 AM | Link to this

My mohammedan faith as puked up by Hussein Obama to the oily Greek on Sunday morning on ABC … Amercia’s Barry Channel.

At last Hussein Obama tells the truth to the folks about its open secret truly poisonous religion.

After all if the panderer to illegal leeches Sen McLiar is to have his 100 years in Iraq shamelessly distorted and endlessly repeated by the leftist surrender monkey scum then surely Hussein Obama’s long overdue honesty about its poisonous religious beliefs/faith is equally fair game. But wait …. the nasty half-black black racist hypocrite Hussein Obama always screeches about how ANY honest/fair comment commentary about it is “racist”. Such despicable dishonesty is just the latest demoNcrat attempt at demonising anyone with an objective, non-fawning POV about Hussein Obama.

LMFAO AT THE GLORIOUS NEWS @ THE MCLIAR-PALIN POLL LEAD.

So the black racist messiah is now behind in many of the liberal run polls. The writing is on the wall. McLiar will win this and the moveyourbowels.org and code pinKKKo et al screeching and ranting will be freaking hilarious. Better entertainment than even the AlBore’s inevitable defeat in 2000.

Watching the resident anal stalker on here puking up its trademark PIG ignorance about EVERYTHING, including which league the Foxes play in, is enormously amusing. Glad to see how effortlessly I have managed to get a sick and twisted turdbrained maggot like this to ENDLESSLY obsess over me.

All U have to do on here to get anal sicko lefties to stalk U and obsess over U is state the IRREFUTABLE facts about Grand Cyclops Wright and the hate pig feminaziPelosibitch and smug corrupt criminals freeloading off their family’s gangsta racketeering prohibition days criminal illgottengains - like the alcohol soaked DUI killer Kennedy.

One almost assumes its an anally unfunny wannabe comedian with a sick weird slavish obsession about puking up witless moronic sexual innuendo on here.

DEATH TO LIBERALISM!!!

VICTORY TO McLIAR AND PALIN

By Stop Pretending!

September 8, 2008 10:27 AM | Link to this

“Obama continues to be bedeviled by questions about his religion, something I picked up repeatedly from people who aren’t political junkies. It’s not surprising that Obama lashed out on that issue Sunday. He can’t shake the believe that he is a Muslim, the religion of his father and religion of at least part of his childhood.”

Mr. Wooten, I usually just read your columns and not respond to things no matter how ridiculous they may sound. But you attempt to be helpful to Mr. Obama came across to me as a way to perpetuate this thought on his religion. My father is Methodist and I have attended church with him, but guess what, I’m not Methodist. My parents have been married for over 55 years. My mother made the decision on what religious affiliation her children would be. If you don’t like the man, fine, don’t vote for him. But please don’t pretend to be helpful when that is not your true motivation.

By Truthifier

September 8, 2008 10:30 AM | Link to this

Did I miss Jim’s piece on how Obama lead McCain 50% to 42% in the Gallup poll following the Democratic convention?

By norman ravitch

September 8, 2008 10:33 AM | Link to this

Yes, capitalism is wonderful! Until it bites you, then you suddenly become a socialist — or more correctly a state capitalist which is more or less a fascist.

By SaveOurRepublic

September 8, 2008 10:35 AM | Link to this

Ga Values @ 9:01 AM - “Isakscum” & “Shameless” are typical Neocons who fully embrace & pursue corporate welfare (on the taxpayer (fiat) dollar). Like most of the Republicruds on “Crapitol sHill” (save for rare patriots like Ron Paul), these two Globalist pawns also endorse the myth of “free” trade which means outsourcing of American jobs & insourcing of 3rd rate H-1B visa workers (displacing American workers).

On the flip side (of the same coin) is the Demoncrap’s Marxist “Bacrock Obummer” who spoke on the negative impact of NAFTA, but (of course) stopped short of vowing to end it. Like “Juan McAmnasty”, “Obummer” is merely a servant of the Internationalists.

Uncle Scam’s bailout of the financial sector is just another method of corporate welfare & empowering the private Federal Reserve (arm of the Central Banking cartel). It’s all part of the Globalist Elite’s SOP.

http://www.baldwin2008.com

By Peadawg

September 8, 2008 10:35 AM | Link to this

When Obama goes to Rev. Wright’s church for 20 yrs, of course I’m going to question whether or not Obama is a true Christian.

By Dusty

September 8, 2008 10:37 AM | Link to this

Dear Common Sense,10:23

You are correct. As Christians, we SHOULD love every citizen of this world. I’m not sure we are required to LIKE every thief, murderer, liar and dictator. But I believe that is a discussion for church school not a political blog.

By Common Sense

September 8, 2008 10:37 AM | Link to this

To Mr. Economist,

It’s not that we need bigger government because it does not get any bigger than what we have right now.

Did we actual need homeland security or could we have just use the FBI and expanded the department. WASTE of money!

Also since we are in a global economy our companies seem to leave regardless of the support they receive from their local,state and federal government.

Yes it is true some movement is base upon taxes but a lot of our companies receive tremendous tax rebates from both all our government entities!

How about this our companies need to stop worrying about major shareholders and worry about their employees. America costs more to live-in then third world countries so instead of trying to produce cheap products to maximize profits at the expense of the AMERICAN WORKERS let’s produce quantity products and sell to the AMERICAN WORKERS. After all we are the biggest consumers in the WORLD!

Jim why do you let racist comments on this blog?

By Ragnar Danneskjöld

September 8, 2008 10:39 AM | Link to this

Dear NoSoc and Ga Values, both @ 9:49, great tutorials, well done.

Dear Bearcasey @ 9:51, you are mostly correct: every time the democrats create a ludicrous Rube Goldberg financial entity (FSLIC, FNMA, FHLMC, PBGC) guaranteed by the taxpayers, it always seems to be the serious people, i.e., conservatives, who have to clean up the mess. If you wish to think ahead, let’s say it together: FDIC. In all fairness, the stock market crash was caused by the collapse of international free trade, and that is strictly attributable to republicans (Smoot-Hawley). I think republicans mostly learned from their error, but I note Obama said he wishes to renegotiate NAFTA, the growth engine that made the Clinton years good for economics.

By Ralph

September 8, 2008 10:42 AM | Link to this

Churchill,

You are an idiot. People like you are the problem with the US. Obviously, you idolize Obama, a nobody ‘but’ black, which justifies me saying this. If you attempt to take from the rich the way you and master Obama envision (good luck), they will only move MORE of their money out of the US. I did!

By AmVet

September 8, 2008 10:43 AM | Link to this

But I believe that is a discussion for church school not a political blog.

Probably true, Dusty. It’s just too bad that the Religious Wrong was successful at fully injecting their dogma into national policy via the Republican party.

That’s just one reason for the many daunting troubles facing the neo-cons now…

By glenn129

September 8, 2008 10:44 AM | Link to this

The overpaid salieries, perks, and bonuses of the executives of the Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac were criminal they should be fined for their criminal actions as well as the board which gave them these amounts. In fact jail time would be in order for these crooks. Who do all these people think they were working for, Delta Air Lines?

By Stop Pretending!

September 8, 2008 10:48 AM | Link to this

Peadawg, when people continue to go to Mass at the same churches where priest have been convicted of molesting countless boys, do we question their faith?

By ron

September 8, 2008 10:48 AM | Link to this

Good morning,Freddie and Fannie.’bout time.The excs are gone,but they’ll resurface in another scheme elsewhere.

Obama doesn’t need to do anyting different as far as I’m concerned.Whatever he does to lose is good.

Obama a Muslim? No.

This place is a nest of lies,deceit,innuendos,half-truths and sparkling gems.Entertaining,isn’t it?

lwwmm7 @9:57—Your mind works in mysterious ways.

Did I read somewhere yesterday that Obama thinks now that stopping the Bush tax cuts in January may not be such a good idea after all,given the state of the economy?I think I did.

Mrs Palin’s going on ABC.I don’t get that channel.One PBS station is all I receive.

By maz hess

September 8, 2008 10:49 AM | Link to this

McCain: Dead man walking into presidency?

By Dave

September 8, 2008 10:50 AM | Link to this

TW - keep up your trash mouth. guys like you only help folks realize how scared the demorats have become… thanks

By Stop Pretending!

September 8, 2008 10:51 AM | Link to this

Peadawg, when people continue to go to Mass at the same churches where priest have been convicted of molesting countless boys, do we question their faith?

By pan

September 8, 2008 10:52 AM | Link to this

Wow, do we slant when we write about politics? Who would be stupid and dull enough to even GO to the convention? Is Palin as stupid as her daughter? And, by the way - you article has typos so you are pretty stupid too

By deegee

September 8, 2008 10:53 AM | Link to this

“”This is a historic event,” Brian Gardner, senior vice president at Washington Research, told MarketWatch.com. “It could be the biggest potential government bailout of a generation, much bigger than the savings and loan crises of the 1980s.”

McCain and Neil Bush were prominent figures twenty years ago during the S&L bailout. The underlying cause of that crisis is not much different than the underlying cause of the mortgage crisis. It’s twenty years later and we’re supposed to vote for John McChange. Sure…

By hillbilly ragger

September 8, 2008 10:53 AM | Link to this

Jim, gosh, thanks so much for the unsolicited advice. Rest assured we’ll take it under careful consideration and give it exactly the treatment it deserves!

Love and kisses, Team Obama

By What IF?

September 8, 2008 10:54 AM | Link to this

What if our financial industry had not been de-regulated to the extent that it is? What if our financial institutions, and specifically mortgage lenders, had operated under just a LITTLE more scrutiny in the two decades since the S&L travesty left a few individuals rich (Neil Bush and friends) and the taxpayers stuck with the bill? What if the CEOs and CFOs and had only been required to show a LITTLE more “personal responsibility” with regard to ther business practices, and a LITTLE more “accountability” for their actions and those of their underlings? What if the bloviating worshippers of the “free market” (who do indeed put greed before God) had been a LITTLE less vocal about “executive’s rights” and a little more vocal about common sense business practices?

Hmmmm…. Would we, the taxpayers, be looking at another multi-billion $$ bailout while the perpetrators skate away to their island hideaways with barely a slap on the wrist, IF THAT?

What do you think our economy would be like right now?

By Peadawg

September 8, 2008 10:54 AM | Link to this

*By Stop Pretending!

September 8, 2008 10:48 AM | Link to this

Peadawg, when people continue to go to Mass at the same churches where priest have been convicted of molesting countless boys, do we question their faith?*

As long as that priest is no longer there, no I wouldn’t question their faith. But to keep going to a church w/ someone as hateful as Rev. Wright preaching every Sunday, I do question it.

By Drew

September 8, 2008 10:55 AM | Link to this

Every time I hear crude accusations spread by the whispering campaign against Sarah Palin, it becomes more obvious (and more importantly, transparent) that leftists are just as hateful, sexist and intolerant as any ‘rethuglican’ out there… and it firms up my support for the GOP this year. A leftist media that was reluctant to even investigate Edwards’ infidelities shows no hesitation in reporting mere speculations about Palin. Absolutely transparent.

By Common Sense

September 8, 2008 10:58 AM | Link to this

Rags you should change your name to Dummy!

The Replublicans are bailing out FAnnie and Freddie just like that bailed out the Saving and loans institution when THE SUPERDUPER Ronald Reagan was in office.

I guess that was o.k. since it was a REPUBLICAN who use the tax payers money.

Hey fiscals conservative most righteous and honest people on this planet.

Did you know you GOD Ronnie baby raised taxes 6 times during his adminstration?

Look it up!

To: Save our Replubic

Did you escape from the white jacket?

By rarringt

September 8, 2008 11:00 AM | Link to this

Good morning all,

Regarding the new polling information, I read with interest this morning as to how McCain has seized a post-convention lead clear of the margin of error. This is, of course, the same as what happened with Obama after the DNC.

Basically, bases get energized, independents lean, and the numbers reflect that, until everything settles back down. My point? We shouldn’t make too much out of a lead immediately after the conventions.

Regarding religion, all I really care about is whether the person is of good character, believes in something greater than themselves, and aspires to follow the golden rule of doing unto others. The rest, is really immaterial when trying to push through a new tax code, working a trade agreement that doesn’t involve shipping jobs overseas, or supplying funding for the nation’s beleaguered infrastructure.

By rc

September 8, 2008 11:05 AM | Link to this

maybe the repubs deserve one chance to clean up the mess bush made. can we get mccain to promise us he’ll last one term and keep palin in deep background? if not i think we need the ability to recall the presidency. if this isn’t the late 1920’s …

By AmVet

September 8, 2008 11:06 AM | Link to this

Go ahead “conservatives”! Keep eating your own. And do vote for the RINO. Just maybe he can restore some sanity, credibility and integrity to the debacle that is the Republican Party…

Barack Obama isn’t John McCain’s only opponent. Sometimes McCain sounds like he’s running almost as hard against President Bush and the Republican Party as he is against Obama, his Democratic rival for the White House.

The GOP is guilty of indulging in a spending spree of taxpayers’ money, McCain laments. They haven’t solved huge problems such as the looming insolvency of Social Security and Medicare, passing on huge IOUs and perplexing issues to future generations instead of fixing them as they had promised. He doesn’t name Bush but the implication is clear: It happened on his watch and he signed bills that made the deficit soar.

“We began to value power over principle,” McCain said in Colorado Springs, Colo. Some lawmakers turned corrupt and wound up in jail, he told a rally in Albuquerque, N.M.

By Th

September 8, 2008 11:06 AM | Link to this

I wonder if Sean Hannity knows that he helped pay Obama’s salary as a community organizer that he treats so condescendingly now? Yes, Obama worked for the Catholic Church when he was a community organizer paid for by good Catholics all across America who put their hard-earned money in the collection box at mass. Of course, now that same work is paid by us taxpayers through Bush’s “Faith Based Initiatives” funding. That is really good form to make fun of people who work to make others’ lives better. Kind of tells me where they are coming from.

Obama already made a speech about his religion. He could make 50 and it would do him no good. Abramoff’s good buddy, Michael Scanlon explained pretty well why making a speech will not sway the opinions Wooten heard: “The wackos get their news…”

By Mrs. Godzilla

September 8, 2008 11:09 AM | Link to this

Sarah Palin….

Wants to see creationism taught in schools.

Wants to ban books.

Is currently under ethics investigation.

May have an issue with Brad Hanson.

Wants to overturn Roe V. Wade.

Is against civil rights for gays.

Is a lifelong member of the NRA.

Does not think polar bears should be on endangered species list and is suing the Alaska Department of Interior.

Stood in her former church and stated that the Iraq War was God’s will.

Will award the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act license to TransCanada .

Left Wasilla, AK 20,000,000 in debt.

Stated in public after learning that Obama won over Clinton in the primaries, “ So S@mbo beat the b!tch”

Belongs to church that believes you can pray gay away.

Asked for almost $300 per person in requests for pet projects from one of McCain’s top adversaries: indicted Sen. Ted Stevens. That’s more than any other state received, per person, from Congress for the current budget year. Other states got just $34 worth of local projects per person this year, on average, according to Citizens Against Government Waste.

Won’t Do Interviews Until It Knows She’ll Be Treated with “Deference”. (Does Charlie Gibson do deferential?)

Has connections to the radical Alaska Independence Party.

Supports windfall profits taxes on oil companies.

She will self destruct.

By raise hands

September 8, 2008 11:13 AM | Link to this

Please raise your hand if you have attended obama’s former church for service more than once?

Can someone please tell me what exactly that reverend wright said that was racist.

Before you respond please flip through your thesaurus and make sure you understand the definition of the word racism.

By Ga Dem

September 8, 2008 11:16 AM | Link to this

Drew, this may come as a shock to you, but most Democrats don’t really give a rat’s fuzzy where someone else puts their p—p—. Also, most of us think people’s personal family decisions are their own darn beeswax, too. Heh. Imagine such a world if you can.

Just to make you feel better, here are MY issues with Sarah Palin, that have nothing to do with being hateful, sexist, or intolerant: — Made a big speech about being anti-earmark, when record shows otherwise. — Stated she said “No, thanks!” to bridge to nowhere, when she was all for it before she was against it, and BTW, SHE KEPT THE MONEY! — Having a person one mini-stroke away from the Presidency who was part of a political party who wants their state to SECEDE from the Union! — That she tried to fire a librarian for not banning books, and her brother in law for being a bad boy in his marriage. — That she SNEERED in that ugly hateful way you decry at someone else’s community involvement, helping people make their lives better and support their families instead of going on welfare after their jobs disappeared. — That she parades her pregnant daughter in public so Rove and Hannity can go on for hours about how intolerant the Democrats are to women with children. — That she’s against educating school children about their own bodies, and holds up a failure of that policy as an example of its success (WHA…?) — That GOP spokespeople insult our intelligence by telling us that Alaska’s proximity to Russia constitudes de facto foreign policy experience. — That she thinks the invasion of Iraq, with all its changing justifications, is a “task from God.” — That she likes to shoot animals from helicopters for fun. (Not really a disqualifier for public office, but creepy to many of us.)

By Dusty

September 8, 2008 11:20 AM | Link to this

Sorry, AmVet,10:43

Republicans are no more injecting their religion into politics than democrats are injecting socialism into their politics.

Each American chooses a political leader on the basis of who is the most like them. They do not inject dogma, they choose from what is offered. The choice is seldom perfect.

Assuming that all Republicans are fundamentalists is like assuming that all Democrats are atheists. Not so. Some liberal Democrats go to my church.

If Republicans are in trouble, they sure are happy about it. The Presidential race for Republicans has leaped with joy. Democrats are surging the dogma of innuendos. You may claim to be neither but you are still frowning and fuming.

By Mrs. Godzilla

September 8, 2008 11:23 AM | Link to this

Here’s a great piece about the lies in Sarah Palin’s speech at the RNC….

Can’t tell me she’s a Christian….she’s blown that whole “Thou shalt not lie” thing!

By Dusty

September 8, 2008 11:30 AM | Link to this

Good grief, Mrs. Godzie,11:09

You forgot to mention that Sarah Palin did not feed her family ORGANIC food. Not to mention that she once gave her children SUGAR COATED CEREAL for breakfast. Think of THAT!!

If you are going to nitpick, at least do a thorough job. And no more “lists” from Dem headquarters, please. They sent you an old copy.

By hillbilly ragger

September 8, 2008 11:33 AM | Link to this

Ga Dem, about how “she SNEERED in that ugly hateful way you decry at someone else’s community involvement”

Yeah, of all the lies and distortions spread by the Republican stooges last week, that was probably the nastiest of all.

Not just because it’s hateful on its face—what kind of a jerk would criticize such work in a national forum, with tens of millions watching? after GHW Bush had hailed those individuals as part of “a thousand points of light?—but because it’s so deliberately phony.

Obama, from a quick read of his professional timeline, spent more time (about four years) working in the private sector after graduating from Columbia, then he did as a community organizer. Refresh everyone’s memory, Sarah—how much time did McCain spend working real jobs OFF the government dole, again?

And secondly, his time as a community organizer was the very first work he did out of grad school. The reason he’s justifiably proud of it is because it was a genuine sacrifice—the pay was paltry, he’d amassed huge college loan debts, and he could’ve walked into any number of six-figure gigs out of Harvard.

The only reason you’re hearing this sneering about his relatively short gig as a community organizer is because the Republicans want to make “community organizer” sound sinister. Like—oooh!—a UNION organizer! or—woooo!—a COMMUNIST!

I’m about at the point where if our voters are stupid enough to fall for this crap from these lying stooges, maybe they deserve the government they get.

By Southern Democrat

September 8, 2008 11:37 AM | Link to this

Regarding Senator Obama’s religion, I believe in a court I would object on the grounds of “asked and answered.” Alluding to the Muslim “rumors” is very uncharacteristically irresponsible of Mr. Wooten. And, unless I’m really losing it, I do believe that Senator Obama already had a speech on religion post-Rev. Wright fiasco?

I am okay with the Fannie/Freddie bail-out so long as similar federal guarantees are provided to individual homeowners who overstated their capital and cash on hand to those reviewing their financials. What’s the likelihood of that?

By Dusty

September 8, 2008 11:38 AM | Link to this

Ah Mrs. Godzie,11:23, if I may paraphrase….

Let she who does not lie, throw the first liaraccusation at Sarah Palin. That eliminates you, Godzie.

By Shrugging Atlas

September 8, 2008 11:42 AM | Link to this

The republican party is the party of double standards. Should we recap just a couple…

Slimmy Bill O’Reily and other Repugnants slam the Spears family for unwed, underage pregnancy, but fully embraces Palin’s daughter. As does JWooten, Ragnar Danneskjöld, Dusy, and Ralph.

The McSame group builds their campaign on a theme of experience, and then brings in a VP barely qualified to be a Governor, and even less qualified to be President, if something were to happen to the old guy. Who touted that a VP should be able to take over on day one. Hypocrit.

Palin builds her life around the preaching of abstinance only education (or lack there of), but finds her own daughter sleeping around and getting pregnant. Also, a 40 year old women with 4 kids should think about birth control herself.

Countless repugnants fight against gay rights but yet find themselves at the center of attention for practicing homosexual acts, some in public. By the way where was Larry Craig at the convention? I guess he and Bush were huddled together watching the broadcast.

Ragnar Danneskjöld Please explain to me how you and your party would react if a democratic candidate’s spouse was a member of a political party that fights for the succession of a state from the union? And what if that candidate gave the opening speach at their yearly convention, saying “Keep up the good work”. How is that not being a traitor? This is her, this is her family, this is not the pastor at her church, this is what her husband believs in, and obviously she supports it as well. And really I’m not looking for a long winded diatribe featuring lies and missinformation, I just want an honest answer to the question.

By Jimmy Joe Bob

September 8, 2008 11:50 AM | Link to this

{Ready for more of McSame?](http://budget.house.gov/)

By Shruggin Atlas

September 8, 2008 11:54 AM | Link to this

Dusty

I guess ignorance is bliss. And the mental image of repulican’s “leaping for joy” brings great images of Larry Craig. Thanks for the laugh this morning. Why don’t you seriously tell us why you like this ticket so much, and why it will only take another crappy republican to fix the mess you republican’s have gotten us into? Seriously, why should your party be rewarded for the last 8 years with 4 more years?

By Shrugging Atlas

September 8, 2008 11:54 AM | Link to this

Dusty

I guess ignorance is bliss. And the mental image of repulican’s “leaping for joy” brings great images of Larry Craig. Thanks for the laugh this morning. Why don’t you seriously tell us why you like this ticket so much, and why it will only take another crappy republican to fix the mess you republican’s have gotten us into? Seriously, why should your party be rewarded for the last 8 years with 4 more years?

By Jimmy Joe Bob

September 8, 2008 11:56 AM | Link to this

Ready for more of McSame?

Sorry about the previous post

By Jake

September 8, 2008 11:56 AM | Link to this

hillbilly - You make it sound like Hussein volunteered for the Peace Corps! Obama’s community organizer gig wasn’t exactly about unionizing the grape pickers or feeding the homeless. It was 100% about one single issue, getting out the black vote for the Dailey machine. And while he wasn’t paid very well directly, he was compensated handsomely with Michelle’s salary working for Dailey and then the hospital gig, which she got with Dailey influence.

By PTL

September 8, 2008 12:01 PM | Link to this

Jesus is a community organizer.

Pontius Pilate was a governor.

By Uh-huh

September 8, 2008 12:04 PM | Link to this

Jake, good point! What kind of hateful, intolerant, self-serving scum registers poor black people to vote and encourages them to take part in their communities, lives, and futures, instead of sitting around doing nothing and waiting for your tax dollars to feed them? And in AMERICA, too! The nerve….

By Ray

September 8, 2008 12:06 PM | Link to this

Obama can’t win without a much bigger lead in the polls to make up for the “I would never vote for a black candidate” crowd. Add the Hillary voters and just women in general (just would like to see a woman in the White House), a rejuvenated GOP , backlash against the MSM for being jerks and a fresh face on the scene. Hang it up, libs, the fat lady is singing.

By candide

September 8, 2008 12:07 PM | Link to this

In the movie The Departed Jack Nicholson sees two priest at lunch. He says: “Have a good lunch you coc….kers.”

By Salty Dog

September 8, 2008 12:09 PM | Link to this

Jesus is not a supporter of abortion. Barack Obama is. 40 million and counting.

By John1

September 8, 2008 12:09 PM | Link to this

Take away Obama’s telepromter and he’s not even sure what his message is….

By AmVet

September 8, 2008 12:11 PM | Link to this

Dusty, notwithstanding Wooten’s adoration for your most unchristian, unprovoked, scurrilous, personal attacks on MANY here, your claim, as always, simply is not supported by the facts.

The other tripe about socialism and YOUR blanket statements are irrelevant and childish.

Consider that this president stated how the Bible guides his thinking during an August, 2002 statement on the Middle East, “The choice here is stark and simple. The Bible says, ‘I have set before you life and death; therefore choose life.’ The time has arrived for everyone in this conflict to choose peace, and hope and life.”

Or his campaign remark that Jesus Christ was his “favorite political philosopher”.

Maybe this? In this2003 State of the Union address, Bush quoted an evangelical hymn that refers to the power of Christ. “‘There’s power, wonder-working power,’ in the goodness and idealism and faith of the American people,” he said.

Not enough? In 2000, he suggested that creationism should be taught alongside evolution in public schools since “religion has been around a lot longer than Darwinism.”

Yet more. In “Plan of Attack,” a book about Bush’s decision to go to war by Washington Post Assistant Managing Editor Bob Woodward, the president is quoted as saying that he prayed “for the strength to do the Lord’s will” in Iraq.

And again - the infamous quote, “I believe God wants me to be president”

It is an irrefutable fact that George W. Bush is among the most openly religious presidents in U.S. history. He reads the Bible everyday (supposedly) and he often talks about how Jesus changed his heart. He has spoken, publicly and privately, of hearing God’s call to run for the presidency and of praying for God’s help since he came into office.

He has brought into the inner sanctum and sought the repeated counsel of the greatest frauds and charlatans in American history. And not just Billy Graham, but the odious Falwell, Robertson, Dobson, Reed, and assorted other American Talibaptists, ad nauseum who GREATLY desire to shove their god in everybody’s face at every opportunity and who shamefully wish to pollute the most wonderful document ever written, the US Constitution, with useless definitions of marriage as a way to bludgeon the homosexuals with their Bible.

I do not attempt to disabuse you of your quaint notions, Dusty. All the facts, all the evidence and all of the data in the world are lost upon you and your type. It is for the benefit of other more rational participants here that I provide this information

That you choose not see these obvious truths, nor countless others on a wide variety of topics, does not mean anything but that you have demonstrated time and again that you simply cannot admit any mistakes. Nor learn anything new.

Much like your infallible president…

By PTL

September 8, 2008 12:14 PM | Link to this

Hey Salty, when did you talk to Jesus about his views on abortion? I’ve been reading my Bible and can find no mention of the subject.

By AmVet

September 8, 2008 12:15 PM | Link to this

Dusty, notwithstanding Wooten’s adoration for your most unchristian, unprovoked, scurrilous, personal and hateful attacks on MANY here, your claim, as always, simply is not supported by the facts.

The other tripe about socialism and YOUR blanket statements are irrelevant and childish.

Consider that this president stated how the Bible guides his thinking during an August, 2002 statement on the Middle East, “The choice here is stark and simple. The Bible says, ‘I have set before you life and death; therefore choose life.’ The time has arrived for everyone in this conflict to choose peace, and hope and life.”

Or his campaign remark that Jesus Christ was his “favorite political philosopher”.

Maybe this? In this2003 State of the Union address, Bush quoted an evangelical hymn that refers to the power of Christ. “‘There’s power, wonder-working power,’ in the goodness and idealism and faith of the American people,” he said.

Not enough? In 2000, he suggested that creationism should be taught alongside evolution in public schools since “religion has been around a lot longer than Darwinism.”

Yet more. In “Plan of Attack,” a book about Bush’s decision to go to war by Washington Post Assistant Managing Editor Bob Woodward, the president is quoted as saying that he prayed “for the strength to do the Lord’s will” in Iraq.

And again - the infamous quote, “I believe God wants me to be president”

It is an irrefutable fact that George W. Bush is among the most openly religious presidents in U.S. history. He reads the Bible everyday (supposedly) and he often talks about how Jesus changed his heart. He has spoken, publicly and privately, of hearing God’s call to run for the presidency and of praying for God’s help since he came into office.

He has brought into the inner sanctum and sought the repeated counsel of the greatest frauds and charlatans in American history. And not just Billy Graham, but the odious Falwell, Robertson, Dobson, Reed, and assorted other American Talibaptists, ad nauseum who GREATLY desire to shove their god in everybody’s face at every opportunity and who shamefully wish to pollute the most wonderful document ever written, the US Constitution, with useless definitions of marriage as a way to bludgeon the homosexuals with their Bible.

I do not attempt to disabuse you of your quaint notions, Dusty. All the facts, all the evidence and all of the data in the world are lost upon you and your type. It is for the benefit of other more rational participants here that I provide this information

That you choose not see these obvious truths, nor countless others on a wide variety of topics, does not mean anything but that you have demonstrated time and again that you simply cannot admit any mistakes. Nor learn anything new.

Much like your infallible president…

By Ragnar Danneskjöld

September 8, 2008 12:17 PM | Link to this

Dear Shrugging @ 11:42, “Ragnar Danneskjöld: Please explain to me how you and your party would react if a democratic candidate’s spouse was a member of a political party that fights for the succession of a state from the union?” Side issue, you err in calling me a republican first – I am a conservative first. To your point, if you review the back editions of this blog, you will find one of my posts where I approvingly noted an action by the Oklahoma legislature that could be reasonably called a “secession bill.” I believe each state should have a right to secede from the Union. Further, I wish California and Vermont would do so.

“And what if that candidate gave the opening speach at their yearly convention, saying “Keep up the good work”. How is that not being a traitor?” I open each blog with a similar cheery “Good morning all.” I suppose that does qualify as treason in the leftist blogosphere.

“This is her, this is her family, this is not the pastor at her church, this is what her husband believs in, and obviously she supports it as well. And really I’m not looking for a long winded diatribe featuring lies and missinformation, I just want an honest answer to the question.” Answer: whenever I can.

By Salty Dog

September 8, 2008 12:18 PM | Link to this

Re: The Churchill impersonator on McCain and taxes. Obama’s tax plan has been described as possibly causing a worldwide recession.

Separately, his plan is described as “The New Tax Welfare.”

:”Barack Obama’s tax plan is the opposite of supply-side economics. He proposes to raise marginal rates for just about every federal tax. He also proposes a raft of tax credits that taxpayers can receive if they engage in various government-specified activities.

Moreover, the tax credits would mostly go to those who pay little or nothing in federal income taxes. His trick is to make the tax credits “refundable.” Thus, if the tax credit is for $1,000, but the taxpayer would otherwise only pay $200 in taxes, the government would write a check to the taxpayer for $800. If the taxpayer pays nothing in federal income taxes, the government would pay him the whole $1,000. ” (WSJ, 8/19/08, A17).

Such credits are not tax cuts. Indeed, they should be called The New Tax Welfare. In effect, Mr. Obama is proposing to create or expand a slew of government spending programs that are disguised as tax credits. The spending on these programs is then subtracted from the total tax burden, in order to make the claim that his tax plan is a net tax cut overall.”

Obama supporters—many of them—unabashedly want to use the power of the federal government to take money from productive people who’ve earned it and give it to unproductive or less productive people.

That will kill the goose that laid the golden egg—namely productivity. You can, and may, do it but you do it at your own peril.

By wallyhologram

September 8, 2008 12:18 PM | Link to this

What about the fact that Sarah Palin and her hubby are secessionists as part of the Alaskan Independence Party. A group of rednecks that want Alaska to become a separate and independent nation. And for what? Alaska is 570,000+ sq. miles with a population less than that of delaware. How will they defend themselves? Will they mount M-60’s on grizzly bears backs and perform sweeps. What if Russia rolls tanks into Alaska and start kickin a* and taking names. The other thing is that Sarah Palin is hardcore right winger - and god and guns freak. Those people make me nervous, I don’t like what they stand for and I don’t like how they force their beliefs on others.

By Ragnar Danneskjöld

September 8, 2008 12:21 PM | Link to this

Dear Shrugging, I miswrote. I believe each state has a right to secede from the union, and I wish the Federal government so-recognized that right.

By Ray

September 8, 2008 12:24 PM | Link to this

AmVet,

Why is it so wrong to have a strong religious faith? A lot of important decisions are made based on religious teachings. A post yesterday quoted the pre-amble to all of the constitutions in the all of the 50 states and every one asked for guidance from “Almighty God”. Our country was founded on being free from religious tyranny. The Ten Commandments are placed over the Supreme Court justices, God is on most of our coins, all of the signers of the Declaration of Independence asked for God’s guidance and help in making the decision to break from England. It’s a lonely place out there all by yourself and sometimes it helps to have someone or something to lean on. You might try it sometime.

By Shrugging Atlas

September 8, 2008 12:24 PM | Link to this

Wow, John1 what a thoughtful post. We appreciate you putting your thoughts together and understand you now have to take a nap. Seriously was that post a joke, you’re against telepromters because they’re communist? You and Fred Thompson who, as with all double standard republicans, gives a speach at the convention knocking Obama for using a teleprompter while at the same time reading that line from his own teleprompter. I guess thinking before you speak would be too much to ask.

Salty Dog, if that is your true name, I guess if you were raped by some scum of the earth person you too would keep the baby. I seriously doubt it. Also, another republican double standard. Now you’re all about keeping the family out of things, and that pregnancy should be a private issue (i.e. Bristal Palin), but when it comes to other peoples bodies why do you care. Why don’t you worry about yourself and your family, and keep your thoughts and laws off of everyone else.

By Ragnar Danneskjöld

September 8, 2008 12:25 PM | Link to this

Dear wallyhologram @ 12:18, “and I don’t like how they force their beliefs on others” therefore you would prohibit anyone from seceding from the Union? Leftist logic.

By PTL

September 8, 2008 12:26 PM | Link to this

Thoughts on Governor Palin standing at the side of pastor Ed Kalnins as he spoke about tapping into Alaska’s natural resource wealth in order to fulfill the state’s destiny of serving as a shelter for Christians at the end of the world?

He said: “I believe that Alaska is one of the ‘refuge states’ — come on you guys — in the Last Days. And hundreds of thousands of people are going to come to this state to seek refuge.”

By Salty Dog

September 8, 2008 12:27 PM | Link to this

Obama would be the second term of Jimmy Carter. In fact, Obama is like Carter (same ideas)—but with no executive experience.

Coincidentally, “John McCain bested Barack Obama 50-46 percent among registered voters in the latest USA Today/Gallup poll, jumping 11 points over his previous showing and taking his biggest lead since January.”

McCain/Palin Change You Can Count On. No Belief Necessary.

By tcoach

September 8, 2008 12:29 PM | Link to this

Why is there still crying about the so-called never vote for a black candidate mess. I have not seen one post about Oprah’s pure and out there racism. The sole and only reason that she is not having Palin on is to do everything in her power to help Obama win. That in itself is fine, however in all of her years as a television personality this year is teh first year she chooses to back a candidate, and only he is allowed on her show. Seems surprising that the first candidate she ever feels the need to back is black then she says she will not have any candidates on until the election is over. Funny how she already had Obama on her show. I am the first one to admit there are those who will not vote for Obama because he is black, and should be shown as bigots. On the same note though there are many black people voting for the first time just because a black man is running, or there are black voters who have voted but this time they are voting for teh black guy hands down. These people are the same hate mongers and bigots as teh people who will not vote for Obama. This is typical though as far as race relations have became in this country. It is not ok for a white person to do but it is ok for a black person to do an equal but opposite action and nothing is said. Those of you that believe people are not going to vote for Obama because of race you must also be willing to admit that many of teh votes Obama does recieve will only be because of racist and hate filled voters will vote for him because of him having the same skin tone. What a joke some of your ideologies are.

By Mrs. Godzilla

September 8, 2008 12:30 PM | Link to this

Dusty

As always, all you do is complain rather than refute the charges.

So….using your “logic”

DUSTY AGREES THAT ALL THE THINGS I LISTED IN MY PREVIOUS TWO POSTS ARE CORRECT! SHE CAN”T REFUTE THEM! THEY MUST BE CORRECT

Thanks, Dusty!

By Bud Wiser

September 8, 2008 12:30 PM | Link to this

Mrs G, why don’t you take your crap-filled cut and paste lies from MoveOn, and * *Move on * yourself back over to Jay’s column. It is the fools and tools such as yourself that make it sooooo easy to dislike liberals as a group, even when you know that there should be some good applesout there in the cesspool full of rotten ones. I personally haven’t found any yet that write here, but I’m just playing the odds that there *might be one out there somewhere…….

By the way:

It is not irrelevant if Obama is Muslim or not.

It is not irrelevant if he claims he sat in Rev Wright’s church for 20+ years, and never heard any inflammatory raciallly charged rhetoric. (It only took Queen Oprah Winfrey to sit through about 10 minutes of one before she got up and left) Conversely, it also is not irrelevant if he thinks that everyone (other than stone head libs like you) is stupid enough to believe he never heard it just because he says it to be so. BTW, he already takes for granted that his sycophant followers are that stupid.

It is relevant that he has the most liberal record of any Senator in the entire US Senate.

It is relevant that he has promised to raise taxes.

It is relevant that he claims to be for family values, yet allows his own half brother to live in squalor in Africa.

It is relevant about his associations with criminals such as William Ayers and Tony Resko, and any dealings with such.

So just watch your boy sink in the polls, and watch him attempt to eat his own tongue tonight raw, on The Factor at 8pm on Fox News.

Obama/Biden ‘08 - making it easy to be stupid

By hillbilly ragger

September 8, 2008 12:30 PM | Link to this

Jay, Obama’s career is what it is; laudable, and to your side, quite enviable.

Which is why stooges like Lynn Westmoreland find Barack and Michelle to be “uppity.”

Good luck with that in November.

By Ragnar Danneskjöld

September 8, 2008 12:31 PM | Link to this

Funny, the talk about secession reminds me, until 10 years ago I lived my entire life in Tennessee, and I had a friend there, a democrat legislator, who confidentially noted that Tennessee had no problems that would not be cured by yielding Memphis to either Mississippi or Arkansas.

By Mrs. Godzilla

September 8, 2008 12:33 PM | Link to this

Condi Rice on Joe Biden;

“Biden is obviously a very fine statesman.”

Condi Rice on Sarah Palin:

“She’s governor of a state here in the United States,” said Rice. Pressed if Palin has “enough experience to handle the kinds of things” she handles, Rice added that “there are different kinds of experiences in life that help one to deal with matters of foreign policy”

By Mrs. Godzilla

September 8, 2008 12:35 PM | Link to this

BUD

Always a pleasure taking a nonsense, fluffy, girlie punch from you!

You tickle me!

By Shrugging Atlas

September 8, 2008 12:36 PM | Link to this

Wow, thanks Ragnar. I now put you into the same category with Timothy McVeigh, and Ted Kaczynsky. That’s good company to have, and just proves that you and your side will say and do anything to win. There is no way in hell you and your party would allow a democrat to support those same issues without crucifying them. You’re just as much a hypocrit as Jim, and I knew you wouldn’t be able to give a truthful and thoughtful answer to my question.

I guess another problem with you and your party is that you are a conservative first, when you should be an American first. If you cared at all about the issues, rather than blindly following your party like the rest of the sheep, you would see that. I guess that’s too much to ask though.

And a bill that could “reasonably” be called something is different than full on support for succession. I will call you Benedict Arnold from now on.

By Mrs. Godzilla

September 8, 2008 12:41 PM | Link to this

The Sarah Palin “Flight from TX to AK while possibly in labor” story. A compilation of facts.

Career first?

By Famuan

September 8, 2008 12:41 PM | Link to this

Notice how Wooten says Obama needs to give a speech to prove a lie about him is a lie…but he offers not one comment on Palin’s inability to answer questions on her policy positions past or present with any political journalist at all.

Sarah Palin is Lillian Gish…this is just Birth of A Nation revisited folks

By John Galt

September 8, 2008 12:41 PM | Link to this

Ms. Godzilla, I see you resorting to the shotgun tactic of rattling off a series of charges faster than they can be refuted in the hope that most reading what you write never read responses. Here is what I know so far on some of these issues you state-

First of wanting something and making it happen are two different things. If Palin wanted everyone to be filthy stinking rich, thats nice, but what exactly can she do as president/VP to make that happen? If she can not affect those things you cite then they are immaterial to the discussion at hand.

Creationism- I think even with the threat of federal fund witholding most school systems would not cave to this, and if it were introduced it would be tied up in the court system indefinately. The same holds for book banning. Realistically there is little the president can do to enact these.

In the US you are innocent until proven guilty. Saying you are under ethical investigation does not prove anything. Recall the Kenneth Star 4 year fishing expedition into the Clintons…as each ‘gate’ closed a new ‘gate’ opened, yet many somehow hold the unamerican view that the mere investigation is enough to prove guilt on all charges.

Not sure what the problem with the NRA is. If you were to join the NRA tomorrow, would that membership somehow change who you are as a person? You have to go beyond membership cards, you must actually cite leglislation supported or vetoed to establish a record.

The polar bear population is on the rise. The whole flap with polar bears and global warming is a farce. In the Phanerozoic era 150 million years ago CO2 levels were 5x present day levels as determined by O18 isotope measurements in lake sediments, yet during this time there was a glacial period. Think about that some… FIVE TIMES HIGHER C02 AND A GLACIAL PERIOD. The picture you probably saw of stranded polar bears has been proven to be a normal picture during seaonal ice breakup and portraying it as evidence of habitat impact was a hoax.

I find it really strange that Libs can complain about Palin not giving an interview within a week of being nominated, yet ignore the fact that the only time Obama agreed to do conservative talk shows was to upstage McCain’s speech in the convention. They also ignore the fact that Oprah Winfrey refuses to let Palin on her show.

The full desperation panic Libs are in over Palin is very comforting. First the Alaska Dems pass out Palins social security number and address in a move aimed to intimidate here. Next the press goes on a feeding frenzy regarding her daughters pregnancy, as if by picking on her daughter they can find a target with less executive experience than Obama. Then they imply she is hiding loads of skeletons by not hopping into interviews rapidly enough after nomination. It’s desperation, and the Obama hope bubble will burst soon for a McCain landslide.

By Maniac is accurate

September 8, 2008 12:44 PM | Link to this

Hope that wasn’t “High Speed Chase” Briley. What would be really funny is to cede Memphis unilaterally and watch Mississippi and Arkansas fight over it.

By Shrugging Atlas

September 8, 2008 12:45 PM | Link to this

If Obama is the second term of Jimmy Carter then we all know John McSame is the third term of George Bush. Come up with a different line please. That’s just old. No John McSame pun intended.

By JJ

September 8, 2008 12:47 PM | Link to this

I can’t believe that I’m paying to save a company that did poor business. I don’t even own a home and I’m paying for this? I just don’t understand how this will help me. I really thought that housing prices had sky-rocketed, especially when compared to wages, so I was glad to see the price of homes decrease. I still don’t think it’s decreased to the reasonable level it should be, but it’s still getting closer. Will this stabilize home prices? I don’t know. But this was a problem that I think time would have taken care of. Maybe the price of homes could go down so that a first time buyer can buy something without being crazy in debt. It seems like there has been secret negotiations between realtors, banks, lenders and developers. And now that it has hit the fan all those people that made crazy money won’t pay a dime, but the people who had nothing to do with it will pay, like me?

By Mrs. Godzilla

September 8, 2008 12:47 PM | Link to this

Sarah Palin’s leadership style has admirers and critics Some who have worked with the Alaska governor say her bold approach is lacking in follow-through, and that she punishes those who dare say ‘no.’

From the LA Times….seems like we might get for more Bush years from McCain and 4 more Cheney years from Palin.

Wouldn’t that be grand!

By Famuan

September 8, 2008 12:48 PM | Link to this

Notice how Wooten says Obama needs to give a speech to prove a lie about him is a lie…but he offers not one comment on Palin’s inability to answer questions on her policy positions past or present with any political journalist at all.

Sarah Palin is Lillian Gish…this is just Birth of A Nation revisited folks

By Bud Wiser

September 8, 2008 12:50 PM | Link to this

Richard Roeper must have seen the ratings he draws as a Hollywood movie critic, because he is now apparently is dipping his hand into partisan politics.

from Newsmax.com:

” Richard Roeper took a break from film commentary to try his hand at political commentary about John McCain’s running mate.

About the Alaska governor’s leisure activities of hunting and fishing, Roeper wrote, “Palin sounds like Ted Nugent with a uterus.”

He should stick to things he doesn’t know much about, like movies for instance.

Also from Newsmax: “Palin definitely has defenders such as America’s mayor Rudy Giuliani, who while appearing on “Face the Nation” praised the former two-term mayor, conservation commission chair and current governor of Alaska, and pointed out that when talking about the readiness issue, Obama is the one who has “never run a city, he’s never run a state, he’s never run a business, he’s never administered a payroll, he’s never led people in crisis.”

This election victory for McCain is going to be so sweet.

Obama/Biden ‘08 - making it easy to be stupid

By Mrs. Godzilla

September 8, 2008 12:50 PM | Link to this

WHO IS JOHN GALT!

Atlas not only shrugged….it appears he has dropped the globe and it’s rolling downhill fast!

Best Wishes,

Dagny Taggart

By DBCOOPER

September 8, 2008 12:52 PM | Link to this

LIBS RUNNING SCARED!!!! Their Mascot candidate has run out of gas. The bumper sticker crowd is crying in their beer. Liberals will never convince the everyday people in this country that what they do go to church, own a gun, love their country etc is bad. That ploy will never work. Negative will never work. Putting an America hating socialist who makes a good speech and looks the part doesn’t work. White Libs will vote for him to feel good about themselves. Not what’s good for their country. Blacks vote for him because he looks like they do and he claims to be their champion. However, he’s a stuffed suit handled by behind the scene people wanting to wrest power from the Repubs. WISE UP!

By ron

September 8, 2008 12:52 PM | Link to this

Yesterday on this blog we acquitted Mrs.Palin on the charge of belonging to the Alaska Independence Party.

By hotlanta

September 8, 2008 12:52 PM | Link to this

Great week for white trash. Brittany wins 3 MTV awards and Palin on John McShame ticket. I wonder who takes these polls because no one has ever called me.

By hotlanta

September 8, 2008 12:52 PM | Link to this

Great week for white trash. Brittany wins 3 MTV awards and Palin on John McShame ticket. I wonder who takes these polls because no one has ever called me.

By Ray

September 8, 2008 12:55 PM | Link to this

tcoach,

Not saying I really like it that way but there are a lot of people who do not want a black president. I am not advocating their stand, just being realistic. At least 12%+ of the Demos in many of the primaries said in exit polls that they would have some hesitancy in voting for a black candidate. And that’s not all of those who did want to appear to be other than “politically correct”. We’ll see how they feel in the privacy of the voting booth.
Oprah is certainly biased. Can’t blame her. What’s wrong with backing your candidate? So is Tucker, Bookman, Luko and most of the AJC, not to mention you and all of the other lib posters on this blog. Some voters are opposed to a black candidate because of the gigantic racial divide in this country. Alma Powell didn’t think that the country was ready either when she forbade Powell from running. It is the 1,000# elephant in the living room which no one seems to be comfortable discussing. But it is reality, like it or not.

By Mrs. Godzilla

September 8, 2008 12:57 PM | Link to this

Oh and John Galt….

if they are coming too fast for you….

try harder to keep up!

By tcoach

September 8, 2008 12:59 PM | Link to this

Ron you deal in the realm of fact, why would you expect a lib. to do research on anything but a blog or a slanted media outlet,.. moveon, dividedwefail.. Those are their bibles.

By tcoach

September 8, 2008 12:59 PM | Link to this

Ron you deal in the realm of fact, why would you expect a lib. to do research on anything but a blog or a slanted media outlet,.. moveon, dividedwefail.. Those are their bibles.

By Just asking

September 8, 2008 12:59 PM | Link to this

Question regarding the Oprah and the “racist” issue: Since most rednecks are caucasions, but not all caucasions are rednecks, and Oprah is refusing to put redneck mother on her show, is she racist, or does she just have a low tolerance for STUPID?

By Mrs. Godzilla

September 8, 2008 12:59 PM | Link to this

The Palin administration won’t release hundreds of emails from her office, claiming they cover confidential policy matters. Then why do the subject lines refer to a political foe, a journalist, and non-policy topics?

Do I smell sameness?

By Shrugging Atlas

September 8, 2008 1:03 PM | Link to this

ron, you can take your acquital and shove it where the sun doesn’t shine. I agree she was not a member of the party, but her husband was, which would be fine if we were talking about the PTA. What person speaks to a group they don’t support and says keep up the good work? give me a break.

Ray regardless of what you say we can all see your true racist beliefs.

By Mrs. Godzilla

September 8, 2008 1:03 PM | Link to this

Holy Cow!

Sarah Palin even lied about being Miss Congeniality in the Miss Alaska pagaent.

The real Miss Congeniality Amy Gwin is none too happy!

By Bud Wiser

September 8, 2008 1:04 PM | Link to this

I love this one somebody sent me:

The World’s Shortest Books, check out today at your Library!

THINGS I LOVE ABOUT MY COUNTRY by Michelle Obama & Cindy Sheehan. Illustrated  by Michael Moore   MY  CHRISTIAN ACCOMPLISHMENTS & HOW I HELPED AFTER  KATRINA by  Rev Jesse Jackson & Rev Al Sharpton

THINGS I  LOVE ABOUT BILL by Hillary Clinton   Sequel: THINGS I LOVE ABOUT HILLARY By Bill  Clinton

MY LITTLE BOOK OF PERSONAL HYGIENE by   Osama Bin Laden

THINGS I  CANNOT AFFORD by Bill Gates

THINGS I KNOW TO BE TRUE by Al Gore & John  Kerry

A COLLECTION of MOTIVATIONAL SPEECHES by   Dr J Kevorkian

GUIDE TO DATING ETIQUETTE by Mike Tyson & Bill Clinton

THE AMISH  PHONE DIRECTORY

MY PLAN TO FIND THE REAL KILLERS by  O.J. Simpson

HOW TO DRINK & DRIVE OVER BRIDGES by   Ted Kennedy

MY BOOK OF MORALS by  Bill Clinton with introduction   by The Rev. Jesse Jackson

and, just added! : COMPLETE KNOWLEDGE OF MILITARY STRATEGY! By Nancy  Pelosi

Obama/Biden ‘08 - making it easy to be stupid

By Mrs. Godzilla

September 8, 2008 1:06 PM | Link to this

Perhaps keeping Sarah Palin away from the press is a good idea….

Economists and analysts pounced on the misstatement, saying it demonstrated a lack of understanding about one of the key economic issues likely to face the next administration.

By Jay Black

September 8, 2008 1:08 PM | Link to this

Ha!! Screw McCain and Palin!!

By Mrs. Godzilla

September 8, 2008 1:08 PM | Link to this

The founder of the Alaska Independence Party — a group that has been courted over the years by Sarah Palin, and one her husband was a member of for roughly seven years — once professed his “hatred for the American government” and cursed the American flag as a “damn flag.”

Country First?

Which country? The USA or the Republic of Alaska?

By mavsreader

September 8, 2008 1:09 PM | Link to this

What I heard the candidates say,

Obama: “The bail-out might be necessary. But let’s make sure we’re not bailing out buisnesses that made record profits and did questionable things. How is this going to affect average Joe?”

McCain, “It’s necessary to provide stability.”

No accountabilty through the entire Bush adminstration. Why start now? The republican party is good on talking about accountability, never practicing it.

By Shrugging Atlas

September 8, 2008 1:09 PM | Link to this

Bud nun-Wiser, we see that you too can copy and past. Bravo!! I saw that stale email years ago with republican names. I’m a little disappointed in this post from you. I expected more, but oh well, I guess you can only crap so much before you’re empty.

By AmVet

September 8, 2008 1:10 PM | Link to this

Ray,

First, like Dusty, you miss THE salient point of the discussion with your question, “Why is it so wrong to have a strong religious faith?”

I could care less if you or the president for that matter, believe in aliens mating with monkeys, Ra, Odin and Zeus or as you so quaintly put it, a “strong faith”.

Just keep the mythology to yourself and out of political policy. It is not useful.

Secondly, it would seem you have it bass-ackwards: A lot of important decisions are made based on religious teachings.

Many (most?) of the great tenets of religious teaching (Golden Rule, etc…) all predate the Christian mythology.

And even so, those are NOT the issue. Again, the over-infusion of the dogma and BushCo’s “crusades” into national policy is.

And for me, the Democrats religiosity is just as misguided. Look at the Rev. Wright for evidence.

Ditto for Islam. And not surprisingly, as an MOT, I find Judaism the least offensive and intrusive. But as with the evangelicals and fundies in this country the Zionists have hijacked it to the point of barely being recognizable.

One day in this country. perhaps in the not too distant future, we will have a VERY brave man who will stand up to the church and its power brokers and say NO THANK YOU, it is not for me. And we don’t need it to be moral and just and righteous.

I do not find fault with the founding fathers references to the god of nature. Or divine providence. They simply did not have the information we now have. And they have a VERY mixed bag on the topic. Even then they could see the frauds for what they were.

Like it or not, the worst of these theocrats and “agents of intolerance” have been dragged kicking and screaming into a modern age of reason where the earth is not at the center of the universe and where the stories about Adam & Eve are now completely repudiated as childish and irrelevant.

Sorry, don’t shoot the messenger. But if you’re hanging around for the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, good luck with that…

By tcoach

September 8, 2008 1:15 PM | Link to this

Ray I agree that there are definatly a group of voters, republican, democrate, independent; that will not vote for a black president. Not at this point in time, there are too many people who wish to hold on to how things used to be. I am confused as to why there is not the same amount of attention given to the fact that there are many black people out there that will cast their vote in favor of Obama for the same reason others will not vote for him. What do you think the polls would look like if you took away either set of votes. My point is I feel it is mute to say that people voting against him because he is black line. He is picking up as many votes for being black as he is loosing them for not being white enough. Until there is a recognision that racism exist on both sides nothing will be resolved. Many white people think about things like will this make me look racist, eventhough they are not in any way. How many times does the media and popular culture try to force this feeling upon black people as a whole.

By Ray

September 8, 2008 1:21 PM | Link to this

Atlas,

Why the racist comment? I don’t like this situation any more than you do but if you ignore it, you do it at your peril. A good article in the Phil Inquirer yesterday on the same subject. I think you and the Dems just picked the wrong black guy just like I think Kerry picked the wrong white guy( looks like we were right, after all about Kerry). Everything is not about race and when you make it that way, you cut off constructive discussion. If you think that Obama can win an election for president in this country with the races so far apart, you are living in a fantasy land.

By Bud Wiser

September 8, 2008 1:21 PM | Link to this

Well Slumping Atlas, at least I observe blogging etiquette and state that I am using someone else’s material, as opposed to idiots like yourself and Mrs G & Co who continually ‘cut and paste’, observing no etiquette whatsoever, and no class to bring to bear to use it even if you find it.

BTW, I also expected a tool like you to insult me anyway, because your tiny mind is capable of no more.

Come back when you get a little smarter, which I suspect may be never. You clowns couldn’t muster an original thought if you tried: why don’t you just go ahead and admit you cut from Huffington Pus/POS like Mrs G does? At least she’s honest about it.

Obama/Biden ‘08 - making it easy to be stupid

OR, in your case, just acting naturally

By Bud Wiser

September 8, 2008 1:25 PM | Link to this

you need to see this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG4fe9GlWS8]

By McCain in 08

September 8, 2008 1:29 PM | Link to this

I think it is interesting to look to the VP candidates to measure executive appointment prowess of the respective candidates.

McCain in the moderate/maverick/aisle crosser role had alienated the hard right of the Republican party who were dejected about Romney losing. He picks Palin, bringing the hard right to the table and unifying the party behind him in an electrifying manner.

Obama having gone through a long and brutal fight v. Ms. Clinton had the chance to unite the Democratic party behind him by nominating Hillary as his VP. He went with Biden, leaving many Hillary supporters out in the cold, disgruntled, and wondering just who is this Sarah Palin.

You know, even with his vast community organizing experience, he sure lacked the basic political smarts to organize his own party at the convention by picking Hillary. Perhaps he needs to do another stint as community organizer.

By deegee

September 8, 2008 1:34 PM | Link to this

Ray, why do you think that Obama is unelectable when he is favored to win in states like CT, DE, HI, ME, MD, MA, OR, RI, VT & WA? States like IA and MN are leaning in his direction. Please, give white people some credit for putting substance before form.

By Shrugging Atlas

September 8, 2008 1:38 PM | Link to this

Ray I do applogize for explicitly calling you a racist.

Bud Wiser Have another one buddy. Such hostility is indicitive of your frustration and lack of communication ability. Certainly don’t take it personally I wasn’t talking about you, I was only talking about your views.

By Jay Black

September 8, 2008 1:39 PM | Link to this

tcoach

The people that are voting for Barack because he is black are probably the same people that voted for white candidates in the past. Taht’s the difference this year. If Barack were white, those people would have no choice but to vote for a white guy. This is the first time in history that peolple actually get a chance to make an informed choice. Some people will vote for McCain because Barack is black, but nobody is voting for Barack because McCain is white. If blacks just wanted a black man in office, Jesse Jackson would have gotten more than his 186 votes when he ran for president. What about then?

By Tray

September 8, 2008 1:43 PM | Link to this

Last time i checked, it was protected by the constitution if a state decided to seceed (sp) or not.

Anyways, all that junk aside, check out this link: http://www.campaignmoney.com/political/contributions/monir-edwan.asp?cycle=08

IT’S PROOF THAT OBAMA’S CAMPAIGN IS PARTIALLY FUNDED BY TERRORISTS!!

Last blog i tried to post this link, and AJC blocked it because it’s the truth, let’s see what happens this time…

By getalife "whiners"

September 8, 2008 1:46 PM | Link to this

For once, McCain told the truth:

“Everything is f—-ing spin”

Yup, three strikes and our country is out.

By Ragnar Danneskjöld

September 8, 2008 1:46 PM | Link to this

Dear Bud @ 12:30. I would respectfully magnify Southern Democrat and Shar as two well-balanced sorta-leftists. I enjoy engaging each in discussion. Funny list @ 1:04, except the Gore/Kerry book would not need the last three words in the title.

Dear Shrugging @ 12:36, great list of epithets there, hard to do that without any substantive thought at all, I’m impressed. I understand your breed of leftist is into “control” of others, and that you cannot abide those of us who magnify freedom. “I guess another problem with you and your party is that you are a conservative first, when you should be an American first.” Actually I magnify my religious beliefs first, and regard all citizens of the world as my brothers. (That is why I am not into enforcing immigration laws.) I magnify freedom second, as that is the second most precious gift from the Creator. You will rarely find me doing the rah-rah stuff, although there is no greater source of pride in my life than my younger son’s service in the US Navy. My “Americanism” is no more important to me than my “Georgianism” – heck, I still identify closely with Tennessee too, and have been there the past two weekends. And my “Gwinnett Countyism” is as important to me as my Americanism or my Georgianism. I suppose all of that sounds a bit complex to you – it’s a conservative-libertarian (small “L”) thing.

Dear Manic @ 12:44, no, and for the sake of my friend – wouldn’t want him associated with a lunatic – I choose not to identify him. I suppose short straw should get stuck with it.

Dear JJ @ 12:47, I agree. That is the real evil of big government, the innocent pay for the sins of the guilty.

Dear Mrs. G @ 12:50, I knew Dagny Taggert. She was a friend of mine. You are no Dagny Taggert.

By AmVet

September 8, 2008 1:47 PM | Link to this

Seriously, why should your party be rewarded for the last 8 years with 4 more years?

Not just the best question of the day.

The best question of the year!

Kudos, Shrugger.

And one that most Americans are certainly now asking themselves…

By AmVet

September 8, 2008 1:49 PM | Link to this

Last time i checked, it was protected by the constitution if a state decided to seceed (sp) or not.

Huh?

I must have missed that part. Could you please show it to us?

By Tray

September 8, 2008 1:50 PM | Link to this

Jay Black,

Many surveys conducted show more blacks will vote for Obama because he’s black than whites will vote for McCain because he’s white…

And where does the race issue come in, I can explain it.

It’s common knowledge to know that a majority of the black population does not attend college. The few who push themselves hard to make it through, they can think for themselves, and they aren’t thinking Obama! i ask many of my ‘higher educated’ black co-workers, they all say Obama is a moron…

Oh, and when did the Bill of Rights state that poor people have a Right to rich people’s money?? i missed that, because i am lower class, but i believe you get what you work for, not sit around and gimmie, gimmie, gimmie.

By Ray

September 8, 2008 1:50 PM | Link to this

Deegee,

Count up all of the electoral votes in all of those states that you posted. I did not say that he would not get a sizable number of white votes from well meaning voters. I am just saying that there will be enough votes from the “other than black ” crowd that will make a decided difference in the outcome. I am also not saying that I like the situation. We should be able to run a candidate from a minority and expect that people view only the issues. But that is not reality, like it or not. When we can look past someone’s ethnic origin and view the candidate for what he stands for, it will be time to run a minority candidate. Until then, stay tuned.

By Citizen of the World

September 8, 2008 1:57 PM | Link to this

Boy, Wooten really knows his audience. Quick and dirty pronouncements with no real substance or analysis. Just encapsulate the message of the day and pass it off to the legions of faithful who will run with it.

I had to laugh when I read his sanctification of Sarah Palin and her “values.” And when I saw all the adoring faces at the convention, I thought, what is up? Here’s this woman, a virtual stranger, politically-speaking, and everyone’s enraptured. The Republican base will fall in line for anything or anybody if someone slaps the “right” label on it.

Thinking Right, right?

By T

September 8, 2008 1:58 PM | Link to this

By Bud Wiser

September 8, 2008 1:04 PM

That was terrible, but made me smile.

If we are a country built of immigrants fleeing from religious persecution, why is it important to persecute those who believe differently?

By Mrs. Godzilla

September 8, 2008 1:58 PM | Link to this

Ragnar,

True sir, I am no Dagny Taggart.

You sir are no Hank Reardon.

I see you as more of a “Ellsworth Toohey” type.

Or if you prefer Dickens….another Uriah Heep!

By Shrugging Atlas

September 8, 2008 1:59 PM | Link to this

Ragnar I look forward to many more engaging conversations. Please start engaging. Typical republican, state that someone elses views are wrong and move on. Once again you speak from both sides of your face, to say that we want to “control” others is too funny, and yet with regard the peoples personal lives and body’s the republican’s see a need to control everything.

That’s one side of your face. The other touts religious belief as being first and foremost, but at the same time you are your party want less for the poor, and talk about handouts as being the death of America. What would Jesus think of you picking and choosing what to belive and what to force on others? Now don’t be a hypocrit.

By JohnnyReb

September 8, 2008 2:01 PM | Link to this

Hey Famuan, “Birth of A Nation” is one of the greatest films of all times! Bring on McCain/Palin!!!

September 8, 2008 12:48

By @@

September 8, 2008 2:04 PM | Link to this

Just so you know Jim, as a conservative, I’ve taken every opportunity to discourage the rumor that OBlahMa is a Muslim. While with friends, I’ve heard them say….But he’s a Muslim!

That’s ridiculous! I reply. He attended Trinity United Church of CHRIST.

Yea, they say……where Nation of Islam Leader, Farrakhan is a frequent guest speaker.

Soooooo say I. You’re a dumb Democrat, but that doesn’t make me one too.

Just doin’ my part to stand up for truth and justice

Now in the eyes of radical Islam, OBlahMa is an apostate. THAT could create a threat to our national security. Anyhoo……

I understand why the government boosted Fannie and Freddie. I’m sure FDR would say It’s just so doggone “depressing” Liza. There’s a hole in my bucket. Here we go again….

Ragnar @ 9:18:

Apologies to @@ for my lie

O-:MG!!!! Ragnar lied, @@ died. Not likely.

Look, if you and I were ever to meet up at an intersection, I’m sure we’d both take the road marked “Unrestricted Access.”

I hate rules. Bookman just set some up on his blog. I will set none for you Sunshine. Take the expressway.

By Carolyn X

September 8, 2008 2:06 PM | Link to this

Why is it that Barack Obama is considered to be ONLY black? His mother is white! Can someone explain this to me because I thought he was bi-racial?? I don’t get it!

By What IF

September 8, 2008 2:08 PM | Link to this

What if those who worship the free market god didn’t ignore today’s big news (and the postings in regard to them) and actually admitted that deregulation has once again screwed the American taxpayers? What if they admitted that SOME regulation and oversight is indeed appropriate, and would lead to more trust and stability in the lending industry and in our economy? What if they admitted that “personal responsibility” and “accountability” should also apply to CEOs and CFOs of big corporations, and not just working stiffs who lack the education to grasp that you cannot afford a $400K house if your combined household income is $80/year for a family of four? What if the lenders had been honest with these Americans, mislead by decades of advertising to think that if they can’t keep up with the Joneses, they’re failures, instead of taking a predatory stance, stashing the profits, and whining for the nanny government to bail them out at taxpayer expense in order to “save” the economy?

What if Americans started paying attention and participating more in our government? What if Americans began to see that the government should not exist to either control us or sustain us, but to provide safeguards and services for us a a society that we cannot provide for ourselves as individuals?

By Redneck Convert

September 8, 2008 2:10 PM | Link to this

I’m getting mighty tired of these slams against rednecks, is all I got to say. If it don’t stop I’ll be heading over to Bookmans blog.

By Ray

September 8, 2008 2:17 PM | Link to this

AmVet,

Not saying that all religion is all good. Not saying that it doesn’t have some warts. There have been more people killed in the name of organized religion and it’s beliefs than any other factor in the last two thousand years. However, it has had a decided effect on the origins of this country and our constitution, Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence and in the formulation of our laws and customs. As you point out, things change. But don’t relegate anyone who has a strong faith to some fantasy land that has no relevance. We should keep religion out of government, I agree. But we can still have a religious person in leadership with a tempered view on what role his/her faith should have in the leadership of our country. Don’t throw all religions people under the bus. Some of us don’t deserve it.

By AmVet

September 8, 2008 2:18 PM | Link to this

Carolyn, calling him African-American sells MUCH better than calling him a mulatto!

In both political parties the truth doesn’t much matter.

Apparently, to many, his white mother was merely a petri dish…

By Stop Pretending!

September 8, 2008 2:23 PM | Link to this

Trey,

Earlier this year, the KKK contributed to the Obama campaign, too. I guess the white part of him is a Grand Wizard, huh?

By Stop Pretending!

September 8, 2008 2:26 PM | Link to this

Trey,

Earlier this year, the KKK contributed to the Obama campaign, too. I guess the white part of him is a Grand Wizard, huh?

By Ragnar Danneskjöld

September 8, 2008 2:40 PM | Link to this

Dear Mrs. G @ 1:58, I feel like I am in a warp of some sort. Where do you think I got the new bloghandle?

Dear Shrugger @ 1:59, I place you in the same class as AmVet, and there will be no further exchange. I have nothing but contempt for those of you who judge an idea by the holder – I dismiss such an attitude as of a “cultist.” I am here for ideas, none of which emanate from you postings.

Dear @@ @ 2:04, in our private conversations, Glenn affirms that you are the best thing about this blog (with appropriate apologies to our genial host.) I think he is right.

Dear if @ 2:08, how can you regard collapse of a government chartered monopoly, protected by Congressional hogs - mostly but not exclusively democrats - as evidence of free market failure? Seems to me that is proof of the genius of the free market.

By Tray

September 8, 2008 2:41 PM | Link to this

Prove it, like i did with my link.

If the KKK contributed to his campaign, why the hell are blacks voting for him??

Why the hell is he accepting a donation from them??

These are the ‘in-depth’ thoughts most dems are scared of. They are sheep to the Obamessiah, not questioning anything, blindly following his leardership!

So you’re telling me you don’t see anything wrong with a known hate group donating to his campaign??

In that case, then i can say Obama supports the views of the KKK, since he didn’t turn down the donation!

I’m white, and I wouldn’t want any ties to the KKK, so why would a black man? (and since everyone ignores his white half from the media to other candidates, to blacks themselves, i can say black man)

By tcoach

September 8, 2008 2:42 PM | Link to this

Jay Black, I understand your point and respect teh things you said. Still it does not account for the group that is voting for Obama because he is black, which means they are voting against McCain because he is white. Look at voter registration, there were overwhelming registrations of Democratic party voters once it was announced that Obama would be running. Were these voters just not concerned enough to vote in previous elections or was it because for the first time ther was a black man running for president under a major party. I just feel as awhite male, that many white people are being accussed of being racist for our political views while there are not nearly, if any, stones being thrown at those who are doing the same thing for real only for a black candidate. It seems as if our country is saying that it is OK to be racist and do things on the basis of race as long as you are not white. This is the feeling many white voters are getting everytime we are told what a “redneck” or rascist we must be if we choose not to vote for Obama based on the issues, and I have plenty with him. Does this not seem like quit the double standard.

By SaveOurRepublic

September 8, 2008 2:44 PM | Link to this

“CommonSense” - If not buying into the (controlled) “mainstream” media’s onslaught of spoon-fed propaganda makes me “crazy”, then so be it. I call it well-read and informed & not hoodwinked by the “Boobtube” spin & BS.

On one hand, you make a good reference to some of GOP “god” Reagan’s un-Conservative voting record (Corporate Welfare & tax hikes), then on the other you make light of my references to the Elite and the little difference between the GOP & DNC. Perhaps you should extend your research beyond the Daily Kos & MoveOn.org. The “Left vs. Right” paradigm is a smokescreen to dupe the sheeple into thinking they actually have a choice between two (controlled) candidates. Do more homework & further enlighten yourself!

http://www.infowars.com

By ron

September 8, 2008 2:50 PM | Link to this

Redneck,Don’t leave us because of slams.We have to stick together.How’s the Missus?

By Devastator

September 8, 2008 2:51 PM | Link to this

PALIN: “It was just a year ago when all the experts in Washington counted out our nominee because he refused to hedge his commitment to the security of the country he loves. With their usual certitude, they told us that all was lost – there was no hope for this candidate who said that he would rather lose an election than see his country lose a war. But the pollsters and pundits overlooked just one thing when they wrote him off. They overlooked the caliber of the man himself – the determination, resolve, and sheer guts of Senator John McCain. The voters knew better.”

REALITY: MCCAIN COUNTED MCCAIN OUT TWICE

February 2008: Palin Wouldn’t Endorse McCain. “Top Alaska Republicans were downcast Thursday as Mitt Romney suspended his presidential campaign just two days after overwhelmingly winning the state party caucus. Romney’s decision makes it nearly certain Arizona Sen. John McCain will be the party’s nominee for president. McCain finished dead last in the Alaska Republican preference poll, behind Romney, Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul. McCain opposes drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and has repeatedly battled with Sen. Ted Stevens over federal spending on Alaska projects… Republican Gov. Sarah Palin said she won’t make an endorsement until she can speak to McCain. [Anchorage Daily News (Alaska), 2/3/08] July 2007: Palin Was Waiting For A New Player In GOP Primary. ‘A lot of us are sitting back and waiting to see if there will be new players in there,’ Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin said. ‘That’s probably why that box that says ‘none of the above’ is so popular right now.’ [The Associated Press State & Local Wire, 7/23/07] Palin Couldn’t Support McCain Because Of His Opposition To ANWR. “Some Alaska Republicans are conflicted over McCain, including Gov. Sarah Palin. They like his maverick reputation and military background but not his opposition to drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. ‘She said she’d like to support McCain but felt she couldn’t at this particular time because of his stand on ANWR,’ said the governor’s spokeswoman, Sharon Leighow.” [Anchorage Daily News (Alaska), 2/3/08]

By Mrs. Godzilla

September 8, 2008 2:53 PM | Link to this

Ragnar….opps I mean Ellsworth

To quote the young ones, No Duh!

By Devastator

September 8, 2008 2:53 PM | Link to this

PALIN: “As for my running mate, you can be certain that wherever he goes, and whoever is listening, John McCain is the same man. I’m not a member of the permanent political establishment.”

REALITY: PALIN UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR ABUSE OF POWER.

Former State Official Accused Palin, Palin’s Former Chief of Staff and Current Ted Stevens Campaign Manager and Palin’s Husband Of Pressuring Him to Fire Trooper. In July 2008, former state official Walt Monegan accused Palin, Palin’s former Chief of Staff and current Stevens’ campaign manager Mike Tibbles and husband Todd Palin of pressuring him to fire Palin sister’s ex-husband Mike Wooten. [Anchorage Daily News, 07/18/08] July 2008: Special Counsel Appointed Last Month to Investigate Palin Abuse of Power Claim. In July 2008, the Alaska State Legislator voted 12-0 to approve $100,000 for a special investigator to begin an investigation into claims Palin fired a former state official because he would not fire a state trooper who was involved in a bitter custody battle with Palin’s sister. The legislator’s intent was to investigate the events surrounding the termination of former Dept. of Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan and potential abuses of power and improper action by Palin and her administration. [KTVA 11, 07/28/08]

By Devastator

September 8, 2008 2:56 PM | Link to this

PALIN: ” But listening to him speak, it’s easy to forget that this is a man who has authored two memoirs but not a single major law or reform – not even in the state senate.”

REALITY: OBAMA PASSED THE MOST SWEEPING REFORMS SINCE WATERGATE IN BOTH THE ILLINOIS AND US SENATES, AMONG OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Obama Helped Pass The 2007 Ethics Reform Law, Which Curbed The Influence Of Lobbyists And Was Described As The “Most Sweeping Since Watergate.” In the first week of the 110th Congress, Obama joined with Senator Feingold to introduce a “Gold Standard” ethics package. Many of the Obama/Feingold bill’s most important provisions were included in the final ethics reform package passed by the Senate in late January: a full ban on gifts and meals from lobbyists including those paid by the firms that employ lobbyists; an end to subsidized travel on corporate jets; full disclosure of who’s sponsoring earmarks and for what purpose; additional restrictions to close the revolving door between public service and lobbying to ensure that public service isn’t all about lining up a high-paying lobbying job; and requiring lobbyists to disclose the contributions that they “bundle” – that is, collect or arrange – for members of Congress, candidates, and party committees. In January 2007, the Washington Post wrote in an editorial that “…Mr. Reid, along with Sens. Russell Feingold (D-Wis.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.), deserves credit for assembling and passing this package.” In September 2007, the AP reported, “President Bush signed a bill Friday that will require lawmakers to disclose more about their efforts to fund pet projects and raise money from lobbyists, a measure that backers call the biggest ethics reform in decades…Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill. who had pushed for the bundling provisions and was one of four lawmakers who participated in a Democratic conference call to reporters said the measure marks “the most sweeping ethics reform since Watergate.” [S. 230, 110th Congress; S.1, Became Public Law 109-110-81, 9/14/07; AP, 9/15/07;The Washington Post, Editorial, 1/21/07] Obama Passed Illinois State Gift Ban Act “Heralded As the Most Sweeping Good-Government Legislation in Decades.” In 1998, Obama passed the Illinois Gift Ban that prohibited legislators, state officers and employees, and judges from soliciting or receiving gifts from a person or entity with interests affected by government. The Chicago Tribune wrote, “Gov. Jim Edgar signed into law Wednesday an ethics and campaign finance package heralded as the most sweeping good-government legislation in decades.” The law also required greater campaign finance disclosure and limited the uses for which raised money could be spent. Obama said, “I have seen a general cynicism from taxpayers about government. They believe they have no influence on the process since they don’t have the money of special interest groups. With the gift ban and the ban on Springfield fund-raisers that are contained in this legislation, I think at least some of this confidence will be restored.” [HB672, 3R P 52-4-1, 5/22/98; PA 90-0737, 8/12/98; Chicago Tribune, 8/13/98; Chicago Independent Bulletin, 6/4/98] Illinois Ethics Bill Most Far Reaching Since Watergate, Product Of Bipartisan Work. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote of Obama’s bill, “The ethics restrictions would be the most far-reaching since the Watergate-era campaign financial disclosure law. They are the product of months of negotiations among two lawmakers of each party, other state officials and Mike Lawrence. He is an aide to former Sen. Paul Simon, a Democrat, and used to be an aide to Edgar, a Republican.” [St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 5/24/98] Obama And Lugar Passed Law Boosting U.S. Efforts To Keep WMDs And Other Dangerous Weapons Out Of The Hands Of Terrorists. In 2006, Obama and Lugar introduced The Cooperative Proliferation Detection Act, which was passed by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee unanimously on May 26, 2006 and was eventually incorporated into the Department of State Authorities Act of 2006 and signed into law on January 11, 2007. According to a Senate Foreign Relations Committee report on its legislative activity in the 109th Congress, “The committee passed S. 2566, The Cooperative Proliferation Detection, Interdiction Assistance, and Conventional Threat Reduction Act of 2006 by unanimous consent on May 26, 2006. The legislation authored by Chairman Lugar and Senator Obama enhances: (1) U.S. cooperation with foreign governments to destroy conventional weapons stockpiles around the world; and (2) the United States’ ability to provide assistance to foreign governments aimed at helping them detect and interdict weapons and materials of mass destruction. The legislation, which garnered 26 co-sponsors (including 8 committee members), sought to energize U.S. programs to secure lightweight anti-aircraft missiles…The initiative was modeled after the Nunn-Lugar program that focuses on weapons of mass destruction in the former Soviet Union. The legislation was signed into law on January 11, 2007, as a part of H.R. 6060, the Department of State Authorities Act of 2006.” [P.L. 109-472, 1/11/07; House Report 109-706, 9/3/06; S. 2566, 109th Congress; S.1949, 109th Congress; Senate Report 110-40, 3/29/07]

By AmVet

September 8, 2008 2:57 PM | Link to this

Darn, how will I EVER sleep tonight?

Knowing that the most commonly senseless pedant and most pompous pontificator in the history of AJC blogdom disparages me?

Perhaps he and his imaginary “brethren” that talk endless and say nothing, can secede and start their own blog, devoid of ALL government where everything works perfectly in their “free market”.

And for the life of me I must wonder aloud about a charade who supposedly practices law, yet has such an incredible amount of idle time that they can blog all day, every day, fifty two weeks a year.

Riiiight, cut & runner….

By L.

September 8, 2008 2:58 PM | Link to this

Obama = Bad Choice.

Dems should have went with Hillary, and we would not have this “Palin in the Butt McCain” to deal with. America is not ready for a black president. Especially an “empty glass” type black man to lead on. I think Barack, if he can keep his nose clean long enough, should run for Governor of Illinois, after his Senate run, and stage a stronger-than-ever presidential election comeback in 2016 - granted if Hillary does not take office by then.

My prediction is:

McCain/Palin in 2008 Palin vs. Hillary in 2012 Palin vs. Obama in 2016

Palin will beat Hillary in 2012 unfortunately because of the sheepish sympathy factor, and the continued GOP-promoted war against terror.

Obama will win in 2016, because Palin power will not last beyond eight years.

By Devastator

September 8, 2008 3:00 PM | Link to this

PALIN: “We need American energy resources, brought to you by American ingenuity, and produced by American workers.”

REALITY: Palin Responded Favorably to Obama’s Energy Plan. According to a news release from her office, Gov. Sarah Palin, R-AK, said she was “pleased” by Obama’s energy plan. “I am pleased to see Senator Obama acknowledge the huge potential Alaska’s natural gas reserves represent in terms of clean energy and sound jobs,” she said. “The steps taken by the Alaska State Legislature this past week demonstrate that we are ready, willing and able to supply the energy our nation needs.” The press release said that “in a speech given in Lansing, Michigan, Senator Obama called for the completion of the Alaska natural gas pipeline, stating, ‘Over the next five years, we should also lease more of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska for oil and gas production. And we should also tap more of our substantial natural gas reserves and work with the Canadian government to finally build the Alaska natural gas pipeline, delivering clean natural gas and creating good jobs in the process.’” [Palin press release, 8/4/08]

By ron

September 8, 2008 3:01 PM | Link to this

I’m going to become a community organizer.It takes no talent and you don’t have to be responsible.Perfect job f r me.$13000 a year.Just right.Job description?

By What IF

September 8, 2008 3:02 PM | Link to this

Seems to me that is proof of the genius of the free market.

My cat barfed up a big nasty hairball on the rug this morning. I’ll presume you see this as proof of the genius of the free market as well. Is there anything that exists anywhere in the universe (to your actual knowledge or unlimited imagination) that does not “prove” what you wish to believe? Logic: don’t let it get in your way, ma’am.

By Ragnar Danneskjöld

September 8, 2008 3:11 PM | Link to this

Dear L @ 2:58, your 2016 cannot be correct. The democrats are a cultist party, and anyone ever stigmatized by the “loser” label can never again be nominated.

No McGovern after 1972.

No Carter after 1980.

No Mondale after 1984.

No Dukakis after 1988.

No Gore after 2000.

No Kerry after 2004.

No Obama after 2008.

By my theory you are probably right about Hillary – she has not yet lost to a republican.

By DEE

September 8, 2008 3:13 PM | Link to this

The only issue that Senator Obama has is the color of his skin. The painful truth is that the majority of middle-aged white males, will not vote for a Black Male candidate. Just look at the lack of diversity at the RNC. Their old, out of touch, narrow-minded, self imposed reality continues to govern the way they think and feel regarding race in this country.

By celllife

September 8, 2008 3:14 PM | Link to this

I don’t want to spend another dollar bailing out another major corp. They did not care what was going to happen when there CEO was lining their pockets. I’m sorry but the company leaders whom are living it up now should lose everything, before One dollar of the tax payer money goes to a bailout.

By Ragnar Danneskjöld

September 8, 2008 3:14 PM | Link to this

Dear if @ 3:02, “My cat barfed up a big nasty hairball on the rug this morning. I’ll presume you see this as proof of the genius of the free market as well.” I suppose any leftist would view the world that way. Your contempt for free people making free decisions is recognized for what it is.

By Stop Pretending!

September 8, 2008 3:15 PM | Link to this

There isn’t one. That was a rumor earlier this year. Trey, you miss my point. Tell me about the issues, stop trying to distract with he said she said mess. I looked at you link. I then copied and did a google search. I did not see one reputable news link with this story, only blogs. I do my homework on both candidates because I don’t want to be distracted by decoys. I have two children that my husband and I are trying to raise and educate. I want someone that will speak to the issues at hand in my little world…cost of gas, my home, food, jobs. I don’t believe Mr. Obama is standing there collecting contributions and questionaires from each person. The reality is that there are probably many contributions on both sides that they don’t know the true origins of. It about the economy, sir. By the way, both your information and mine are subjects that are false according to Snopes.com. Don’t take my word, check it out for yourself.

By Stop Pretending!

September 8, 2008 3:18 PM | Link to this

There isn’t one. That was a rumor earlier this year. Trey, you miss my point. Tell me about the issues, stop trying to distract with he said she said mess. I looked at you link. I then copied and did a google search. I did not see one reputable news link with this story, only blogs. I do my homework on both candidates because I don’t want to be distracted by decoys. I have two children that my husband and I are trying to raise and educate. I want someone that will speak to the issues at hand in my little world…cost of gas, my home, food, jobs. I don’t believe Mr. Obama is standing there collecting contributions and questionaires from each person. The reality is that there are probably many contributions on both sides that they don’t know the true origins of. It about the economy, sir. By the way, both your information and mine are subjects that are false according to Snopes.com. Don’t take my word, check it out for yourself.

By Max Nix

September 8, 2008 3:27 PM | Link to this

Wooten is very funny. How many times has he declared victory since the GOP convention? Has he become like der Heetler, who believed his own propaganda. Once, while reviewing a night march of thousands of Berliners, Der Heetler remarked that the German People must really love and support him. Never mind Der Heetler himself organized the march, where anyone who refused to show up was sent to the Russian Front and keeled to death.

So Mr. Woo, of China, believes his own vision of a McCain Presidency, never mind the polls and never mind America.

Mr. Woo, of China 08: Pay no attention to the voters behind the curtain.

Obama 08: America knows.

America 08: Obama knows America.

By Gigi

September 8, 2008 3:36 PM | Link to this

One of the things that surprises me about the media’s Obama coverage is that so little of the truth about his dealings, his Muslim and underworld associations seems to have been publicized. So very few people even know about his dealings (in the past) with the Palestinians, his association with and financial support of Louis Farrakhan (head of the Nation of Islam), his association with the now jailed underworld figure Tony Rezko, his long and close association with the terrorist William Ayers (who is responsible for over 30 bombings including various federal buildings, courthouses, banks, police departments, the US Capitol, the Pentagon, and the US State Dept., in which at least four people were killed including 3 in his organization, and a San Francisco Police Officer — I personally see this a murder). Then, after hearing the “sermons” of his pastor of 20+ years, I was horrified. He truly makes my blood run cold. And to think he has garnered such a groundswell of support in this country — that’s just intrensically wrong. God help us!

By Richard

September 8, 2008 3:37 PM | Link to this

Here is a reality check for you… I am one of the so called “rich” that you dems want to tax more. If the taxes go back up to where they were pre-bush, then I will be firing one (perhaps two) of my employees. The others will have to take up the slack. If they are not able to do so, I will replace them will lower cost people who need the job enough to bust a* to get the work done. The net effect will be that I may pay more taxes, but overall the governement will get less revenue because one or two taxpayers will be no more.

By Common Sense

September 8, 2008 3:39 PM | Link to this

To John are you for real Oprah is in entertainment she is not a VP candidate the media is required to ask her questions about this country.

If Governor Palin cannot answer questions about policy and what is going on in this country then John McClain has made a fool of all you who support their ticket.

To TC and Ray what kind of dumb conversation are you having about African Americans voting for an African American when they vote 90 percent of more for the DEMOCRATIC TICKET in presidential elections.

By Richard

September 8, 2008 3:45 PM | Link to this

Here is a reality check for you… I am one of the so called “rich” that you dems want to tax more. If the taxes go back up to where they were pre-bush, then I will be firing one (perhaps two) of my employees. The others will have to take up the slack. If they are not able to do so, I will replace them will lower cost people who need the job enough to bust a* to get the work done. The net effect will be that I may pay more taxes, but overall the governement will get less revenue because one or two taxpayers will be no more.

You want me to WANT to be taxed more to support a cuase? WHAT CAUSE? The cause of allowing even MORE people to get an Earned Income Credit (essentially a refund of Social Sec Tax). So I have to pay MORE so they have to pay NOTHING? Is that the Cause?

Freedom is a cause. Ending Tyranny is a cause. “Wealth transfer from me to you because I busted a* and risked my life saving more than once to get ahead and you did not” is not a cause. That is a handout.

By What IF

September 8, 2008 3:46 PM | Link to this

Mrs. Danneskjöld, believe what you will. I won’t keep you; I know you’re busy packing up bottled water, ice, lumber, kerosene, batteries, and so forth to take to the gulf coast after Ike shatters more lives & homes. They’ll be so grateful when you get there! Until they find out you’re charging them seven thousand times the market price for these items. No guilt. No judgement. Just profit! Freedom to free people! Freedom ain’t free, and neither are the supplies! Pay, get. The rest of them can s—k it.

By Tray

September 8, 2008 3:47 PM | Link to this

OK, then if u saw it on snopes, i take your word. However, show where on snopes they disprove Obama’s relationship with CONVICTED FELON TONY REZKO. I’ve done my research, too, and bottom line-Obama wants to raise taxes more.

I’m against my money going to the gov’t to help out those ‘less fortunate’ than I. I worked harder than the ‘less fortunate’ for everything i earned. I left my parents house with nothing, and now i support a wife and a 4 year old, and she doesn’t have to work to make ends meet. Yeah, i have a huge problem with giving my money to people who won’t work, who claim they can’t find a job.

It’s not ‘they can’t find a job’, it’s “they can’t find a job they want that’s all hunky dorey”. I had to work my fair share of crappy jobs, apply myself, work hard, and move on to better ones.

the problem is that the ‘less unfortunate’ are lazy, won’t apply themselves, and never try to get ahead. That’s the problem with everything nowadays, and somehow it became my problem and i have to give money away to fix it. NO, I DON’T THINK SO!

Oh, and even if the donations are false, he still won his first electoin unconteseted by throwing competitiors off the ballot, his wife’s salary tripled after signing a deal to give her hospital more money (hands in pockets). For 20 years he listened to hate speech from the pulpit, his neighbor was Tony Rezko, who bought their houses on the same day together, and he helped the corrupted ‘Chicago Machine’ stay in power, ask people from there what they think about him.

Buy the book “The Case Against Barack Obama”, all full of facts, and Brack hates it, but can do nothing about it because it’s all true.

Read it, open your eyes, and make a decision fro yourself before being led blindly by “The Messiah”!

By Max Nix

September 8, 2008 3:48 PM | Link to this

We WANT U2 fire us, Richard, (can I callUdick?) cause then we’ll have the justification we need to declare a theo-socio-economic revolution, and send your rosy cheeks to Haiti in a hand basket.

That’s right, we talked to god too, and he said for you to stfu, and give all your money to the poor, and follow the Code.

God said he donts be expectin to be respectin’ no mans what donts lives by the code. (the bible code).

Steal any free government cheese lately? I think we just caught us a RAT.

bwa haw

moron

By Jay Black

September 8, 2008 3:49 PM | Link to this

tcoach

Why didn’t this happen when Jesse Jackson ran? Could it be that Barack is the more capable man? What about Bobby Kennedy? A white man right? I’ll bet there was a surge in voter registration by blacks then too. In the last presidential race the choices were mundane. Kerry/Bush? Why register and pick the lesser of the two evils? Or have Bush steal the election again like he stole the previous one? There’s an influx of voter registration this time because there’s actually a real chance change will come. It just so happens that he’s black.

By Devastator

September 8, 2008 3:53 PM | Link to this

WASHINGTON - A new ad from John McCain’s presidential campaign contends his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, “stopped the Bridge to Nowhere.” In fact, Palin was for the infamous bridge before she was against it

THE SPIN: Called “Original Mavericks,” the ad asserts the Republican senator has fought pork-barrel spending, the drug industry and fellow Republicans, reforming Washington in the process, and credits Palin with similarly changing Alaska by taking on the oil industry, challenging her own party and ditching the bridge project that became a national symbol of wasteful spending.

Obama spokesman Bill Burton came back with fighting words. “Despite being discredited over and over again by numerous news organizations, the McCain campaign continues to repeat the lie that Sarah Palin stopped the Bridge to Nowhere,” he said.

Burton said McCain would merely carry on supporting President Bush’s economic, health, education, energy and foreign policies, and that means “anything but change.”

THE FACTS: Palin did abandon plans to build the nearly $400 million bridge from Ketchikan to an island with 50 residents and an airport. But she made her decision after the project had become an embarrassment to the state, after federal dollars for the project were pulled back and diverted to other uses in Alaska, and after she had appeared to support the bridge during her campaign for governor.

McCain and Palin together have told a broader story about the bridge that is misleading. She is portrayed as a crusader for the thrifty use of tax dollars who turned down an offer from Washington to build an expensive bridge of little value to the state.

“I told the Congress ‘thanks but no thanks’ for that Bridge to Nowhere,” she said in her convention speech last week.

That’s not what she told Alaskans when she announced a year ago that she was ordering state transportation officials to ditch the project. Her explanation then was that it would be fruitless to try to persuade Congress to come up with the money.

“It’s clear that Congress has little interest in spending any more money on a bridge between Ketchikan and Gravina Island,” Palin said then.

Palin indicated during her 2006 campaign for governor that she supported the bridge, but was wishy-washy about it. She told local officials that money appropriated for the bridge “should remain available for a link, an access process as we continue to evaluate the scope and just how best to just get this done.”

She vowed to defend Southeast Alaska “when proposals are on the table like the bridge and not allow the spinmeisters to turn this project or any other into something that’s so negative” — something that McCain was busy doing at the time, as a fierce critic of the bridge.

Even so, she called the bridge design “grandiose” during her campaign and said something more modest might be appropriate.

Palin’s reputation for standing up to entrenched interests in Alaska is genuine. Her self-description as a leader who “championed reform to end the abuses of earmark spending by Congress” is harder to square with the facts.

The governor has cut back on pork-barrel project requests, but in her two years in office, Alaska has requested nearly $750 million in special federal spending, by far the largest per-capita request in the nation. And as mayor of Wasilla, Palin hired a lobbyist and traveled to Washington annually to support earmarks for the town totaling $27 million.

By Mrs. Godzilla

September 8, 2008 3:56 PM | Link to this

The Associated Press just wrote about Palin’s speech today. She lied in it. A lot. And they caught her.

How can you tell when a Republican Vice Presidential Candidate is lying?

Her lips are moving!

By Jay Black

September 8, 2008 3:57 PM | Link to this

The only problem I have with Barack is that he’s a little too fair and level headed for the grimy world of politics. He’s got b@lls going on The O’Reilly Factor though. We need that in a president.

By Citizen of the World

September 8, 2008 4:02 PM | Link to this

The more I read these blogs, the more I think that for most Republicans, their vote comes down to taxes. They don’t care if our civil liberties, our ideals, our integrity, our reputation, our environment, or even our sons and daughters are lost — as long as they think they’re going to be able to keep a few more dollars in their pocket.

By Devastator

September 8, 2008 4:04 PM | Link to this

Jay Black,

That’s only an issue when you’re running for office.

Level headedness is a plus when you’re in office.

Obama will be a better president than candidate.

By Peter

September 8, 2008 4:06 PM | Link to this

To All the Wrongs on this Blog…….

If Sarah Palin did EVENTUALLY Oppose the “Bridge to Nowhere”……as seems to be the fact…..

What did she do with the money she got anyway ?

By Maniac is accurate

September 8, 2008 4:09 PM | Link to this

No Citizen of the World, we believe we can have all those things and more of our (all Americans’) own money in our pockets. That includes you.

By Bad Brad

September 8, 2008 4:15 PM | Link to this

Thanks Japanese movie monster spouse, now I shall see if the AP picks apart Obama’s speeches with equal zeal. May take awhile.

By Tonia

September 8, 2008 4:16 PM | Link to this

I can’t believe what I’m reading, the past eight years have been a failure, a disaster, we as Americans are mocked around the world and hated by other countries. Why? Becasue our present president can be bery irrational by making decisions without clearly thinking.

There’s more unemployed and hungry than we’ve had in years. And the company’s sending jobs over seas are continuing to give bonuses to their board members and upper management while the people making under 40K are really headed toward poverty.

So if you “rich” and you decide to fire any more of your employees I’m sure they will find new and better jobs if not become entrepreneurs themselves.

Vote for Barack Obama in 08. There is no better choice.

By Tonia

September 8, 2008 4:18 PM | Link to this

I can’t believe what I’m reading, the past eight years have been a failure, a disaster, we as Americans are mocked around the world and hated by other countries. Why? Becasue our present president can be bery irrational by making decisions without clearly thinking.

There’s more unemployed and hungry than we’ve had in years. And the company’s sending jobs over seas are continuing to give bonuses to their board members and upper management while the people making under 40K are really headed toward poverty.

So if you “rich” and you decide to fire any more of your employees I’m sure they will find new and better jobs if not become entrepreneurs themselves.

Vote for Barack Obama in 08. There is no better choice.

By ainoT

September 8, 2008 4:23 PM | Link to this

I can’t believe what I’m reading. Tonia, in case you haven’t noticed, neither George Bush, Dick Cheney, nor any member of the current administration is running for president.

Why vote for Barack Obama in 08? There is a better choice.

By Curious Observer

September 8, 2008 4:29 PM | Link to this

Funny how we didn’t hear a peep from Wooten or his right-wing acolytes when McCain was down in the polls. Now the reversal is seen as “proof” of McCain’s inevitable triumph.

Just remember that presidential elections aren’t decided by national popular vote. There’s that little thing called the Electoral College. It won’t matter if McCain gets 60% of the popular vote. If he doesn’t win the vote in the electoral college, he loses. What revenge it would be for Al Gore if that were to happen!

By Jake

September 8, 2008 4:31 PM | Link to this

Devastator, Common sense, Mrs. God and others - Just a reminder, Obama is actually running against McCain, not Palin. I realize it’s easier to compare the empty suit to the Gov since their experience is similar, but that ‘heartbeat away’ stuff is mostly irrelevant. Come to think of it, Obama is kind of the black man’s Kerry, only with no military or political experience to speak of.

By AmVet

September 8, 2008 4:34 PM | Link to this

Tis true that fortunately the disaster called the Bush administration is nearly over. But I feel they may yet have one more debacle up their sleeves.

This election is to determine whether the nation will continue to enable, support and elect candidates that enabled, supported and marched lockstep with arguably the worst administration in American history.

Sadly, most of the Repub “leadership” is either VERY closely connected to those very neo-con philosophies of failure or they are “valiantly” trying their d@mnedest to pretend they now aren’t.

And they still try to call themselves “conservative”…

LOL.

By Mrs. Godzilla

September 8, 2008 4:35 PM | Link to this

Actually BAD BRAD

The AP has some issues….

Please try to keep up!

By marko

September 8, 2008 4:35 PM | Link to this

Jim you know good and damn well that Obama’s not a Muslim. Kind of you to offer him advice though. After all we all know that you have his best interest at heart. As for other wonderful right wing ideas like school prayer I think I’ll pass on that one too. Government telling us when and where we should pray is not my idea of limited government. I don’t have any idea where you guys got the idea that Moses said I say we call them the ten commandments; All in favor say aye. I’m really not sure why you people want your president to be preacher in chief. I do know that I don’t care much for the idea. Mixing politics and religion is like mixing ice cream and manure. it does’nt hurt the manure much, but it’s hell on the ice cream.

By Dusty

September 8, 2008 4:39 PM | Link to this

Let’s see. I just got back and little has changed. I will give a blanket answer to AnVet, Shruggin Atlas, etc.

You want a robot for president that was programed by an athiest. WON’T WORK.

You got a President (with faith) who protected our country and freed two others from tyrants. YOU DID NOT NOTICE.

You scorned our military that put their “lives on the line” for the USA. YOU DID NOT SUPPORT THEM.

You blamed the President for “changing the constitution” to “spite” you. ONLY THE PEOPLE OF THE USA CAN CHANGE THE CONSTITUTION.

You have a man who served his country faithfully in the Navy, as a POW and long term as US senator, now a presidential nominee. YOU VILIFY HIS SERVICE,HIS FAMILY, HIS AGE, HIS HEALTH.

You see a strong, capable woman, not afraid to have faith in God & country,and quite able to help direct this country. YOU LIE AND DOWNGRADE HER STARTING WITH HER GENDER.

If you think Americans like this sort of thing, you are in for a big surprise.

Also, Christians do not claim to be perfect. They are human. Christians simply try to follow and be like Christ, the one who offers eternal forgiveness and love. That is the Christian.

By Max Nix

September 8, 2008 4:39 PM | Link to this

Did Mr. Woo, of China, really just write, “Pay no attention to the voters behind the curtain?”

They still have curtains giving voters privacy in the poll booths, right? It’s not all a big open room like it is in Georgia where the security guards can scope out your vote and shoot at your tires as you leave the parking lot if you vote Democrat, is it?

Is it?

By v racer

September 8, 2008 4:39 PM | Link to this

OJ trial starts. Detroit felon mayor goes to jail. Both will hurt Obama in key states and across the country. Polls were close because of huge credit given to black voters who, Wright or wrong, will stick with Obama. But when “likely” voters are polled, Obama’s not very reliable black voters logically count less.

By AmVet

September 8, 2008 4:45 PM | Link to this

…but that ‘heartbeat away’ stuff is mostly irrelevant.

Inf&ckingcredible…

The man is 72 years old and has had cancer.

Granted he still looks like a bada$$, but my goodness. McCain’s age is of paramount importance to MANY rational Americans, including this one.

I thought he would screw up for sure and commit political suicide by choosing some major league d0uche bag like Romney or Fat Fred, but he picked a lightweight, no name bible thumper instead.

Enough to gain him the sheep bloc, but probably not enough to cost him all of the independents.

Curious, good point and even Karl “Robespierre” Rove contends that Obama has already won the necessary electoral college votes…

By Tonia

September 8, 2008 4:45 PM | Link to this

Sounds like the sarcasm that got this country in this poor economic position in the first place! But questioning why is valid.

In case you haven’t notice John McCain and Sarah Palin have the same views as George Bush and Dick Cheney. So respectfully and most of all intelligently I want be voting for more of the same. I prefer to see some new blood in the White House, with some new ideas. Vote for someone who is motivated and interested in something besides themselves and their obvious kickbacks. I truly don’t think rich people are doing as well in this economy as they often pretend, I really believe the nation is in credit card debt. How about considering the fact that the economy may actually does better under a Democratic President or better yet the Stock Market has done better during Democratic Presidency. Or can we vote in another president that believes in paying down our National Debt so at least we don’t pass this foolish lifestyle of living on credit onto our children.

Again vote for Barack Obama in 08, I’m sure this will not hurt us as a nation.

By Stop Pretending!

September 8, 2008 4:46 PM | Link to this

Trey,

Calm down. I completely understand not wanting your money to be used to care for someone who is sitting around doing nothing. Let me address your points:

The only place I saw that was in an anti-Obama book.

Saw it on a blog. No reputable actual news source.

3.For 20 years he listened to hate speech from the pulpit

Were you there every Sunday for the last 20 years to hear what was preached in the church? Also, do you know if he was there every Sunday for the last 20 years to here the sermons? Do you know someone who attended that church for the last 20 years that gave you first hand knowledge of what was preached every Sunday?

**”With respect to the purchase of my home, I am confident that everything was handled ethically and above board. But I regret that while I tried to pay close attention to the specific requirements of ethical conduct, I misgauged the appearance presented by my purchase of the additional land from Mr. Rezko,” Obama said.

“It was simply not good enough that I paid above the appraised value for the strip of land that he sold me. It was a mistake to have been engaged with him at all in this or any other personal business dealing that would allow him, or anyone else, to believe that he had done me a favor,” the senator said.**

Appears that he used poor judgement in purchasing the property. I did not, however, see that he was first hand involved in illegal activity. By the way, just because you live next to someone, doesn’t mean you are doing what they are doing. If that’s the case, we need to check under the house of the people that lived next to John Wayne Gacy and check the refrigerator of the person that lived next to Jeffrey Dalmer.

Now, you may say that I am making excuse for Mr. Obama. I don’t think so. I have no vested interest in him or Senator McCain personally. I will have to choose between the two in an election in a couple of months. I hope and pray that I choose right. I do believe that neither candidate is going to really know what they are up against until they actually take posession of the white house in January. So be prepared for both candidates to modify their plans then. I live in Kentucky. A governor was elected here last year that had many plans for improving this state, but when he got into office, he found out that the state was broke.

My Messiah died on a cross over 2000 years ago so that I might have life and have it more abundantly. His abundantly may at times look differently from mine, but I have to trust that He knows the beginning from the end and that He is always in control!

By Gail in OH

September 8, 2008 4:47 PM | Link to this

Palin is so ignorant she thinks Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are taxpayer supported organizations. They are not, but they will be when they are bailed out, and McCain supports that bailout.

Are they going to let her keep talking or screen her audiences better?

By Citizen of the World

September 8, 2008 4:48 PM | Link to this

Well, no, @ 4:34, neither Bush, Cheney nor any member of the current administration is running, but the only thing that makes government work is accountability, and those guys are Republicans who have screwed up royally. McCain, too, is a Republican, and he embraces many of the same causes and policies. So, voting for him is like saying to all future politicians and their party members — it’s OK to mislead us into war, mishandle the war, award no-bid contracts to your cronies, ignore issues like healthcare, dismiss science and edit facts out of government reports, trash the environment, get in bed with people like Karl Rove, and be unable to remember anything that happened more than two days ago in order to obstruct justice. I like John McCain as Republicans go. I certainly wish he instead of George Bush had been our president for the last eight years, but I’m not about to give his party a pass on their actions of the past eight years. It send the totally wrong message to future politicians.

By anonymoose

September 8, 2008 4:48 PM | Link to this

“The thought of his (McCain) being president sends a cold chill down my spine. He is erratic. He is hotheaded. He loses his temper and he worries me.” - U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (Republican - Mississippi)

By AmVet

September 8, 2008 4:52 PM | Link to this

…but that ‘heartbeat away’ stuff is mostly irrelevant.

Inf&ckingcredible…

The man is 72 years old and has had cancer.

Granted he still looks like a bada$$, but my goodness. McCain’s age is of paramount importance to MANY rational Americans, including this one.

I thought he would screw up for sure and commit political suicide by choosing some major league d0uche bag like Romney or Fat Fred, but he picked a lightweight, no name bible thumper instead.

Enough to gain him the sheep bloc, but probably not enough to cost him all of the independents.

Curious, good point and even Karl “Robespierre” Rove contends that Obama has already won the necessary electoral college votes…

By Oh I get it

September 8, 2008 4:55 PM | Link to this

What I’ve found to be true of “most” Republicans is the idiot factor. Racism is just another convenient way to hide your ignorance. If you had nothing to “blame” someone else for, you would then be forced to see your true self. And then, oh my, you would probably admit hating yourself!

By Algonquin J. Calhoun

September 8, 2008 4:56 PM | Link to this

Why should Obama make any statement about his religion or lack of it? The Republinazi Party has, long ago, been taken over by the Christian Taliban. Jim, you know the religious issue is a false one but as a mouthpiece of the Republinazis you float this bogus concern out for all to see. Let’s talk about George W. Hitler’s religion. he claims to be a re-birthed Christian but he’s lied incessantly, caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people and trampled the Constitution and the rights of Americans. I question his religion and I question yours for the half-truths, innuendo and lies you give credence to in your scribblings.

By Algonquin J. Calhoun

September 8, 2008 4:56 PM | Link to this

Why should Obama make any statement about his religion or lack of it? The Republinazi Party has, long ago, been taken over by the Christian Taliban. Jim, you know the religious issue is a false one but as a mouthpiece of the Republinazis you float this bogus concern out for all to see. Let’s talk about George W. Hitler’s religion. he claims to be a re-birthed Christian but he’s lied incessantly, caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people and trampled the Constitution and the rights of Americans. I question his religion and I question yours for the half-truths, innuendo and lies you give credence to in your scribblings.

By v racer

September 8, 2008 4:57 PM | Link to this

Democrats continue to be fooled by years of lib/media propaganda designed to cripple the president for political purposes even during our war on terrorism. As a result, there is a chance of this toss the white flag most liberal part time appeasing senator, becoming president. The enemy is laughing or, as in the case of the Russians, willing to test our questionable resolve.

By v racer

September 8, 2008 5:08 PM | Link to this

Democrats continue to be fooled by years of lib/media propaganda designed to cripple the president for political purposes even during our war on terrorism. As a result, there is a chance of this toss the white flag most liberal part time appeasing senator, becoming president. The enemy is laughing or, as in the case of the Russians, willing to test our questionable resolve.

By @@

September 8, 2008 5:10 PM | Link to this

While I’m still thinking how to dog ear my Cuba topic, I’d just like to quote Rahm Emanuel (D).

In my own district, I obtained an earmark to rebuild a bridge that not only was rated as deficient but also was identified by the Department of Homeland Security as a major evacuation route in case of a terrorist attack on Chicago.

What the heck would terrorists wanna blow up in Chicago? Seems like America’s oil and gas wells would be a preferred target. Heck! jihadists like blowing ‘em up everywhere else.

A bridge to the airport might’ve come in handy if there was a need to evacuate.

By Jake

September 8, 2008 5:12 PM | Link to this

AmVet - So would you vote for the unqualified Obama rather than the much more qualified mcCain simply because he might die and the unqulaified Palin become Pres?

By AmVet

September 8, 2008 5:17 PM | Link to this

Negative, Houston.

I will never vote for Obama.

By NothingButHypocrites

September 8, 2008 5:18 PM | Link to this

A few things that Obama has that Palin and McCain LACK: 1.) A true love for helping people 2.) Wanting to serve the community (all communities) 3.) A world view on all the issues 4.) The ability to communicate those views to anyone who will listen 5.) Ability to touch a situation with his hands because: (a.) I bet Obama can name school that are low performing in his community (b.) have met people, prior to running for office, who do not have medical insurance or a primary physician (c.) personally knows someone who has been laid off or have lost their home since 2005. 6.) He’s a thinker, analyzer and a DOER.

McCain has had a lot of years to make changes in the Senate, but wants to start making CHANGES in 2009. McCain has had the last 8 years to help make America a better place and work with the current administration to resolve the issues in Iraq, but wants to wait until 2009. I’m 37 years old and I have CHANGED a lot in the last few years, but I don’t think I could have waited until my 38th birthday to start making a change in my life. If I had, I would still be in diapers.

Palin is the only CHANGE that McCain has brought to this year’s Presidential Campaign. She’s young, pretty, an energetic and appears to be family oriented. However, I would thump Sarah Palin the same as I would a watermelon. That’s the southern way of identifying if I’m making a GOOD Purchase. She looks and speaks excellent for the cameras, but when you open her up for a TASTE, you get MUSH or a downright BAD TASTE.

I’ve had over 12 months to THUMP OBAMA and so far he has withstood very tough scrutiny.

By @@

September 8, 2008 5:20 PM | Link to this

And that 5:10 was not supposed to show up on this site.

So saweeeeee.

By NothingButHypocrites

September 8, 2008 5:21 PM | Link to this

A few things that Obama has that Palin and McCain LACK: 1.) A true love for helping people 2.) Wanting to serve the community (all communities) 3.) A world view on all the issues 4.) The ability to communicate those views to anyone who will listen 5.) Ability to touch a situation with his hands because: (a.) I bet Obama can name school that are low performing in his community (b.) have met people, prior to running for office, who do not have medical insurance or a primary physician (c.) personally knows someone who has been laid off or have lost their home since 2005. 6.) He’s a thinker, analyzer and a DOER.

McCain has had a lot of years to make changes in the Senate, but wants to start making CHANGES in 2009. McCain has had the last 8 years to help make America a better place and work with the current administration to resolve the issues in Iraq, but wants to wait until 2009. I’m 37 years old and I have CHANGED a lot in the last few years, but I don’t think I could have waited until my 38th birthday to start making a change in my life. If I had, I would still be in diapers.

Palin is the only CHANGE that McCain has brought to this year’s Presidential Campaign. She’s young, pretty, an energetic and appears to be family oriented. However, I would thump Sarah Palin the same as I would a watermelon. That’s the southern way of identifying if I’m making a GOOD Purchase. She looks and speaks excellent for the cameras, but when you open her up for a TASTE, you get MUSH or a downright BAD TASTE.

I’ve had over 12 months to THUMP OBAMA and so far he has withstood very tough scrutiny.

By @@

September 8, 2008 5:27 PM | Link to this

Let me squeeze in here between AmVet and jake.

jake:

AmVet likes to play coy. Last I read, AmVet was going with Nader if he shows up on Georgia’s ballot. If he doesn’t………..?

That ‘bout right AmVet?

By catlady

September 8, 2008 5:28 PM | Link to this

Any stat folks tell us the odds of McCain living for one whole term? Even without his recurrent cancer?

By Maniac is accurate

September 8, 2008 5:28 PM | Link to this

No, Tonia and Citizen of the world, McCain and Palin are not the same as Bush and Cheney. If they were, McCain and Palin would be continuing a massive effort to get America off its foreign oil addition, not preparing to start it. If McCain and Bush were just alike, Bush would have Democrats in his Cabinet.

You are not “punishing,” Bush with an Obama vote. You are just casting a vote for a junior Senator whose idea of progressive, new ideas and “change,” is Roosevelt-era jobs programs.

I’m no Bush fan at all, but I can see that McCain is the best choice.

By Obama Man

September 8, 2008 5:29 PM | Link to this

Sara Palin is an astute politician. I recently watched a clip on the Republican news channel(Fox) where she was in a three way debate during the Alaska governor race. It was obvious that the two male candidates were more involved with each other and not her. The two guys constantly fought and she would interject pointed thoughts here and there that made them look like idiots while she looked like the next coming of the Joan of Arc. This lady is no dummy and she definitely knows how to handle egotistical men. The Democrats need to go right at her without any regards to her gender. This is Biden’s and Hilliary’s task. Obama needs to go after McCain on the issues. If Hilliary pulls back on the assault, then McCain/Palin will win the election. I do not believe that Hilliary will go after Palin so things do not look good for Obama/Biden.

There must be some uncovered trash in Alaska that would explain why Palin turned on the corrupt Republican power brokers while remaining in good favor with the so called clean Republicans. Sounds like a sell out to reduce party embarrassment and set the tone for future political favors. The proposed CNG pipeline has a strange odor to it. It’s interesting that T Boone Pickens and the CNG industry is now paying for commercial TV spots pushing CNG as an alternative energy souce while shouting Drill!! Drill?. Now I know why that cry came up at the RNC. Someone is in line to make a fortune with the American citizens taking the hit in our wallets.

Since Bush just agreed to take over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, it might not be a good time to be president. I will vote for Obama but I do not envy his task should he be elected. The Republican Party can not get us out of the economic mess we are in. How can you lower taxes and give $1 billion to Georgia, billions to Iraq, trillions to the war effort and now the bail outs? Where is the money coming from? How can all thse financial obligations be made without a tax increase or an increase to the national debt? I guess we have to increase our credit lines with China, India and other countries or let the oil companies pay costs via higher taxes on their ridiculous profits. The 95% of we Americans that are not rich need to wake up and not listen to the values, religion and patriot game that hides the fact that the rich capitalist are making even more profits at our expense. Do we really want two alleged mavericks in the white house at this time? We are really putting two foxes in the hen house whose only promise so far is to clear Washington of special interests and lobbyists. Does anyone really believe that they will remove the lobbyist from the beltway? Sounds good, but it is a fantasy. If we continue to keep our eyes on marching ants that go by, we will miss the marching elephants on the same trail.

By Common Sense

September 8, 2008 5:48 PM | Link to this

To gigi:

DO you have a brain do you think not one reporter would report on Mr. Obama if they could fine something on him!

You think every news media outlet is a liberal outlet. Is fox news a liberal outlet? God helps for too many people cannot think for themselves!

To Jake:

Please tell me a bill Senator McClain has passed that has benefited the nation?

Also let’s face it McClain is not smart, he once wanted to leave his party because they would not agree with him!

Republicans do not even like McClain that is why he threw them undere the bus at the convention.

To Mister Richman a typical response when you are faced with a situation lay-off the workers!

How about this! 1. Improve your product to increase business! 2. Make better deals with your vendors! 3. Look to cut excess waste from you company. 4. Open your products up to new markets! 5. Stagger the hours of your workers! 6. Uses incentives and discounts to increase sales.

We have too many losers that are ready to throw the AMerican Workers under the bus when a little change comes down the road!

By Christianity is a joke

September 8, 2008 5:55 PM | Link to this

All you religious morons worried about Obama’s faith need to get out of this backwords state sometimes. The rest of the country isn’t crying about religion like you nutjobs are. Christians are the most hypocritical bunch of losers walking the planet. Raping boys and praying to Hay-sus at the same time.

By Common Sense

September 8, 2008 5:59 PM | Link to this

So Dusty you are justifing the deaths of 4,000 US troops, 30,000 to 40,000 injured and the deaths of over 400,000 iraqis as something good for president Bush!

Are you crazy? Saddam did not kill that many Iraqis in his 20 years of terror! Except when he went to war against Iran.

Dusty you can never justify the killing of any person!

By TW

September 8, 2008 6:01 PM | Link to this

catlady - I heard a 14% chance of a 72 yr old man kicking off. Add in the Hanoi Hilton for five years, cancer four times, and the immobility in his arms (clots), and we might want to take a better look at Palin’s Jesus Camp soldiers’ plan for hurrying up the second coming….

By @@

September 8, 2008 6:35 PM | Link to this

Greta Van Susteren ran a piece last night “Sarah Palin - An American Woman”. Excerpts from clips before her selection as VP. Some since.

Geraldine Ferraro appears on camera to say (paraphrasing here) “I would advise Joe Biden to review tapes of Governor Palin in action, and watch what he says.” “Sarah Palin is a very capable woman.”

Thank you Geraldine!

By smiley3550

September 9, 2008 10:08 AM | Link to this

I am truely amazed at the number of supposedly intelligent people who fail to spend time on research, but rather decide who to vote on based on media, polls, etc. Shame on you. Do some homework! Here is what I found> What Obama says and his voting record do not agree. His plan for healthcare when you check it out closely is based on the Oregon healthcare (which has been in the news many times this year for failing to provide chemotherapy to cancer patients while offering them assisted suicide help)!!! In an interview just the other night Obama referred to people “questioning my Muslim faith” three sentences later, he caught that and corrected it to Christian faith?????? He may be a magna cum laude graduate of law, because of his smooth talking, but he must have failed Economics 101. He keeps trying to say he is giving the poor tax breaks - hello? When you raise the tax on business - the business tightens their belt- reduces salaries-lays off-and passes that tax increase on to the consumer. HELLO….is anyone awake out there - or were y’all sleeping during Economics 101 in high school. The other fact if people want to start pointing fingers at who is responsible for our economy being in the toilet - put the blame where it belongs- in the hands of our Democratic do nothing Congress. The whole issue of mortgage fraud and illegal type loans was brought to the attention of the Democratic Congress numerous times by Republicans for investigation - but Democrat Nancy Pelosi refused to listen or allow the investigation to come to the floor. and on other matters such as political reform that Obama touts as having worked across Party lines for a bill - Ask him why when that bill came to the floor for a vote - he did not show up to vote! (remember, in the US House and Senate you cannot just say Present and not take a stand). Come on people, I know you all are smarter than that. Read - look at the actual facts - don’t be mislead!

By smiley3550

September 9, 2008 10:09 AM | Link to this

I am truely amazed at the number of supposedly intelligent people who fail to spend time on research, but rather decide who to vote on based on media, polls, etc. Shame on you. Do some homework! Here is what I found> What Obama says and his voting record do not agree. His plan for healthcare when you check it out closely is based on the Oregon healthcare (which has been in the news many times this year for failing to provide chemotherapy to cancer patients while offering them assisted suicide help)!!! In an interview just the other night Obama referred to people “questioning my Muslim faith” three sentences later, he caught that and corrected it to Christian faith?????? He may be a magna cum laude graduate of law, because of his smooth talking, but he must have failed Economics 101. He keeps trying to say he is giving the poor tax breaks - hello? When you raise the tax on business - the business tightens their belt- reduces salaries-lays off-and passes that tax increase on to the consumer. HELLO….is anyone awake out there - or were y’all sleeping during Economics 101 in high school. The other fact if people want to start pointing fingers at who is responsible for our economy being in the toilet - put the blame where it belongs- in the hands of our Democratic do nothing Congress. The whole issue of mortgage fraud and illegal type loans was brought to the attention of the Democratic Congress numerous times by Republicans for investigation - but Democrat Nancy Pelosi refused to listen or allow the investigation to come to the floor. and on other matters such as political reform that Obama touts as having worked across Party lines for a bill - Ask him why when that bill came to the floor for a vote - he did not show up to vote! (remember, in the US House and Senate you cannot just say Present and not take a stand). Come on people, I know you all are smarter than that. Read - look at the actual facts - don’t be mislead!

By DaleC

September 11, 2008 2:34 PM | Link to this

Churchill - if tax hikes don’t harm an economy, why did Obama say he would not pursue his tax hikes if the economy was in trouble? Looks like your candidate disagrees with your tax policy.

A simple study of history shows that tax cuts INCREASE revenue to the Treasury and tax hikes REDUCE it, every time. The reason? The economy grows with lower taxes and people change their behavior to avoid taxes.