McCain suspends his campaign. Then unsuspends it. He won't debate. Then he will.
McCain insists on being part of a meeting on the financial crisis at the White House, and then says very little, because he really doesn't understand what's going on, and to him it is not as important as his campaign. Later he admits he knew before hand the meeting was doomed.
He picks Snow Job Barbie to be his running mate, whose greatest qualification is that she can see Russia from her home town in Alaska. Three times now, with Charlie Gibson, Sean Hannity, and with Katy Couric, Sarah Palin has looked and acted like someone uninformed and not overly interested in complicated matters.
Kinda like McCain.
McCain was part of deregulating the banking industry, now grumps that without rules, they tried to make more money! He wants to deregulate insurance and health care in the same way. Still.
McCain said and did things this last week that seems to make it more obvious that he is being run by Bush people and lobbyists for the finance industry that McCain was once supposed to oversee.
McCain is also gambling. Making ill-thought out and sudden moves, hoping, like any obsessive gambler, that there will be a sudden turn of luck if he does something impulsive.
McCain would be dangerous as president.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
Republicans play politics with economy
The photo op for John McCain at the White House took us closer to financial meltdown yesterday.
The Republicans blew up negotiations over the bailout. But they got a photo of McCain sitting at the table. Reports say he was silent for much of it. Perhaps he wanted a nap. Perhaps he didn't have any good ideas. Afterword, he said he knew walking in there was no deal.
McCain did much to remove oversight from the banks and Freddie and Fannie that led to the crisis. His top staff member, Rick Davis, was paid $15,000 a month by Freddie so they could influence McCain. Much of McCain's team came from Bush.
So he was part of the problems, and yesterday he took part in a game to seem like they were doing something, to get his photo taken pretending to do something.
It's 7 a.m. on the West Coast as I write this. By noon today we will know a lot more about just how serious this all is, and we will know a lot more about how McCain would rather play politics than find solutions.
The Republicans blew up negotiations over the bailout. But they got a photo of McCain sitting at the table. Reports say he was silent for much of it. Perhaps he wanted a nap. Perhaps he didn't have any good ideas. Afterword, he said he knew walking in there was no deal.
McCain did much to remove oversight from the banks and Freddie and Fannie that led to the crisis. His top staff member, Rick Davis, was paid $15,000 a month by Freddie so they could influence McCain. Much of McCain's team came from Bush.
So he was part of the problems, and yesterday he took part in a game to seem like they were doing something, to get his photo taken pretending to do something.
It's 7 a.m. on the West Coast as I write this. By noon today we will know a lot more about just how serious this all is, and we will know a lot more about how McCain would rather play politics than find solutions.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
More proof that McCain is Bush
Most of the people running the campaign of John McCain and Sarah Palin are from the Bush team. It is unlikely that they will govern any differently if elected. (Read it here.)
Rick Davis was paid $15,000 a month by Freddie Mac until a month ago, now Freddie has been taken over by the Federal government. His job was to tell McCain what to think about regulation. We know how that turned out.
Bushies Mark Wallace, Tucker Eskew, Greg Jenkins, Steve Schmidt all are handing McCain or Palin. McCain advisers were saying we were just a bunch of whiners last month. How would they know what the pain feels like? McCain has seven houses and not likely to lose even one. They want another term running the government.
Folks, we can't afford more years of Bush Cheney, even if it is dressed up in the sheep's clothing of Maverick and May Belle. They broke our country. We need to take it back.
Rick Davis was paid $15,000 a month by Freddie Mac until a month ago, now Freddie has been taken over by the Federal government. His job was to tell McCain what to think about regulation. We know how that turned out.
Bushies Mark Wallace, Tucker Eskew, Greg Jenkins, Steve Schmidt all are handing McCain or Palin. McCain advisers were saying we were just a bunch of whiners last month. How would they know what the pain feels like? McCain has seven houses and not likely to lose even one. They want another term running the government.
Folks, we can't afford more years of Bush Cheney, even if it is dressed up in the sheep's clothing of Maverick and May Belle. They broke our country. We need to take it back.
McCain fingered in financial meltdown
John McCain and the people around him in part caused the financial crisis tearing into America.
His campaign manager, Rick Davis, who advises McCain on many topics and presumably would have a role in a McCain administration, was receiving $15,000 a month from Freddie Mac until August. Freddie Mac was using Davis to influence McCain, the result of which was fewer regulations and led to the recent take over by the federal government.
It doesn't stop there. Here’s a quote from John McCain’s article, "Better Health Care at Lower Cost for Every American," in the Sept./Oct. issue of Contingencies, the magazine of the American Academy of Actuaries: “Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the worst excesses of state-based regulation.”
It wasn't greater competition. It was taking away oversight and protection.
McCain needs to take responsibility for his actions and honestly admit that what he did to America turned out so badly.
The problem of course, is now he is pretending that he wasn't part of the problem, that he is an outsider. He is not. Nor is his team, which came right from Bush.
McCain is so rich he can't count his houses. He was part of the group that let greed send our jobs away, that spent a $trillion dollars on Iraq, that let the bankers run amok and rip off homeowners and led to a world-wide crisis.
McCain was part of the Bush program. It is time for a change.
His campaign manager, Rick Davis, who advises McCain on many topics and presumably would have a role in a McCain administration, was receiving $15,000 a month from Freddie Mac until August. Freddie Mac was using Davis to influence McCain, the result of which was fewer regulations and led to the recent take over by the federal government.
It doesn't stop there. Here’s a quote from John McCain’s article, "Better Health Care at Lower Cost for Every American," in the Sept./Oct. issue of Contingencies, the magazine of the American Academy of Actuaries: “Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the worst excesses of state-based regulation.”
It wasn't greater competition. It was taking away oversight and protection.
McCain needs to take responsibility for his actions and honestly admit that what he did to America turned out so badly.
The problem of course, is now he is pretending that he wasn't part of the problem, that he is an outsider. He is not. Nor is his team, which came right from Bush.
McCain is so rich he can't count his houses. He was part of the group that let greed send our jobs away, that spent a $trillion dollars on Iraq, that let the bankers run amok and rip off homeowners and led to a world-wide crisis.
McCain was part of the Bush program. It is time for a change.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
The real John McCain
“John MCain has become shameless and dishonorable,” spokesman Brian Rogers said. “John McCain and I have brought the sleazy gutter politics of Karl Rove back to our national stage, exposing the call for "change" as a lie and embarrassing even our own party with the low road campaign we are running.”
No, McCain spokesman Rogers didn't say this about McCain. But this is the type of thing he is saying over and over. See how empty it is? It has no content, can be used to attack anyone, there is no way to respond.
We need to put Americans back to work rebuilding America. We need health care. We need to fix our financial system. We need to build bridges and roads.
And all John McCain's people do is crawl in the mud. That won't change things. That is the same old thing, just like John McCain.
No, McCain spokesman Rogers didn't say this about McCain. But this is the type of thing he is saying over and over. See how empty it is? It has no content, can be used to attack anyone, there is no way to respond.
We need to put Americans back to work rebuilding America. We need health care. We need to fix our financial system. We need to build bridges and roads.
And all John McCain's people do is crawl in the mud. That won't change things. That is the same old thing, just like John McCain.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
McCain's biggest lie
"Country first."
That's why McCain picked "Snow Job Barbie" to be his vice president. Because of her obvious qualifications. Not because winning is more important than competence. Country First? That is why McCain has fallen so deep into the muck of half-truths and outright lies. Because only if he wins is the country saved. Country First? That is why he has hermetically sealed off the "Straight Talk Express" with a small army of "handlers," and answers every question with a canned piece of his stump speech.
"Country First" is a political phrase and lie that John McCain tells every day. He wants the brass ring so bad he will do whatever it takes to grab it, he will say anything, he will make this election about Obama's name and not about jobs, he will make it about celebrity (that McCain found in Palin) and not about health care, McCain will change his positions daily and lie about what he said yesterday with that scary smile of his.
"Country First?" Those are the words on his lips. But McCain is saying "Country be damned" with his actions.
Country First is electing a president who will put Americans back to work building energy sources for tomorrow, not fattening the oil companies. That's Obama.
Country First is protecting Americans with a health care system that provides affordable care, not sending profits to drug companies. That is Obama.
Country First is protecting the environment, so Americans can eat fish without mercury, so they can have air they can breathe. That is Obama.
Country First indeed. McCain is George Bush. It's time for a change.
That's why McCain picked "Snow Job Barbie" to be his vice president. Because of her obvious qualifications. Not because winning is more important than competence. Country First? That is why McCain has fallen so deep into the muck of half-truths and outright lies. Because only if he wins is the country saved. Country First? That is why he has hermetically sealed off the "Straight Talk Express" with a small army of "handlers," and answers every question with a canned piece of his stump speech.
"Country First" is a political phrase and lie that John McCain tells every day. He wants the brass ring so bad he will do whatever it takes to grab it, he will say anything, he will make this election about Obama's name and not about jobs, he will make it about celebrity (that McCain found in Palin) and not about health care, McCain will change his positions daily and lie about what he said yesterday with that scary smile of his.
"Country First?" Those are the words on his lips. But McCain is saying "Country be damned" with his actions.
Country First is electing a president who will put Americans back to work building energy sources for tomorrow, not fattening the oil companies. That's Obama.
Country First is protecting Americans with a health care system that provides affordable care, not sending profits to drug companies. That is Obama.
Country First is protecting the environment, so Americans can eat fish without mercury, so they can have air they can breathe. That is Obama.
Country First indeed. McCain is George Bush. It's time for a change.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
What is happening to the markets
The post below is not easy reading. But it captures what has really happened to our economy, without a lot of numbers.
Fisher's Debt-Deflation Theory
Essentially, for too many individuals and society as a whole, "capital has been betrayed into unproductive works."
"Had Fisher observed the Greenspan/Bernanke Fed in action, he might have updated his theory with a revision. At some point, capital betrayed into unproductive works has to either be repaid or written off. If either is inhibited by reflation or regulatory forbearance, then a cost is imposed on productive works, whether through inflation, higher interest, diversion of consumption, or taxation to socialise losses. Over time that cost ultimately hollows out the real productive economy leaving only bubble assets standing. Without a productive foundation, as reflation and forbearance reach their limits, those bubble assets must deflate." -- London Banker
We threw too much of our wealth away on things we didn't need. We borrowed to buy things we couldn't afford. When it came time to pay the bills, there wasn't any money.
Fisher's Debt-Deflation Theory
Essentially, for too many individuals and society as a whole, "capital has been betrayed into unproductive works."
"Had Fisher observed the Greenspan/Bernanke Fed in action, he might have updated his theory with a revision. At some point, capital betrayed into unproductive works has to either be repaid or written off. If either is inhibited by reflation or regulatory forbearance, then a cost is imposed on productive works, whether through inflation, higher interest, diversion of consumption, or taxation to socialise losses. Over time that cost ultimately hollows out the real productive economy leaving only bubble assets standing. Without a productive foundation, as reflation and forbearance reach their limits, those bubble assets must deflate." -- London Banker
We threw too much of our wealth away on things we didn't need. We borrowed to buy things we couldn't afford. When it came time to pay the bills, there wasn't any money.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Palin is more Bush than Bush
So it comes out now that Gov. Sarah Palin will not cooperate with a probe into her ethics in Alaska.
Why not? If she has nothing to hide, why not lay it all out there?
Last night, her representative said Palin would not be available for media questions until there was a guarantee that she be treated with "... deference."
What, like a queen? If she knows what she is talking about, why not let her answer questions, express her views? I thought she actually did a pretty good job with Charlie Gibson from ABC, though he was so smarmy he made me squirm.
The fact is, Palin is hiding her actions in Alaska because they were unethical. The campaign is hiding her from reporters because she doesn't know anything and hasn't had time to learn as McCain's cram squad has tried to give her a crash course in everything.
The Republicans are trying to hide the fact that McCain made a terrible mistake in cravenly choosing the pretty and very right wing and completely unqualified Palin to be the second in command.
Now their only choice is to hide the past, hide Palin and hide the truth.
Just like Dick Cheney hiding that Enron wrote his energy plan. Like Bush hiding from investigations into why government lawyers were fired for not being loyal enough, or hiding torture at Guantanomo.
Hiding, lying, taking the country to war, throwing away our money.
McCain/Palin is looking more like Bush/Cheney every day. C'mon. Enough was enough.
Why not? If she has nothing to hide, why not lay it all out there?
Last night, her representative said Palin would not be available for media questions until there was a guarantee that she be treated with "... deference."
What, like a queen? If she knows what she is talking about, why not let her answer questions, express her views? I thought she actually did a pretty good job with Charlie Gibson from ABC, though he was so smarmy he made me squirm.
The fact is, Palin is hiding her actions in Alaska because they were unethical. The campaign is hiding her from reporters because she doesn't know anything and hasn't had time to learn as McCain's cram squad has tried to give her a crash course in everything.
The Republicans are trying to hide the fact that McCain made a terrible mistake in cravenly choosing the pretty and very right wing and completely unqualified Palin to be the second in command.
Now their only choice is to hide the past, hide Palin and hide the truth.
Just like Dick Cheney hiding that Enron wrote his energy plan. Like Bush hiding from investigations into why government lawyers were fired for not being loyal enough, or hiding torture at Guantanomo.
Hiding, lying, taking the country to war, throwing away our money.
McCain/Palin is looking more like Bush/Cheney every day. C'mon. Enough was enough.
Monday, September 15, 2008
McCain/Palin = Bush/Cheney
It is becoming a horribly weird instant replay, different and yet the same. A secretive and ambitious vice-president, the darling of conservatives, paired with an ideologue president who doesn't speak particularly well but surrounds himself with viciously protective handlers.
Yes, McCain/Palin is Bush/Cheney all over again. My god, maybe even worse. At least Cheney was calculating and crude when he needed to be. Palin seems to exhale meanness with every sweet sanctimonious breath, calling anyone who disagrees with her a "hater" and firing qualified professionals to put childhood friends on the government payroll.
No one really thinks John McCain understands the economy, or jobs, right? Even he admits he doesn't. With his seven houses bought by his rich wife, an admiral father who John followed through the Navy, the man has never had to work a day in his life. (Okay, he was a hero for five years as a POW. That doesn't qualify him for anything.)
McCain's financial advisor said we were a nation of whiners. I wonder if the collapse of three major banks last week and the government takeover of the two largest mortgage underwriters qualifies as whining?
Palin? No one really thinks she understands the economy, or world affairs, right? Less than two years from being mayor of Wissilla, she has barely been out of Alaska, a lovely and quaint corner of America. She was brought on the ticket for political reasons, to get the vote of the Christian right and white women.
That is a terrible reason to pick a vice president when the nation needs real leadership.
McCain/Palin is the another version of Bush/Cheney, the team that brought us the war in Iraq, the economic meltdown, and unemployment posing as deregulation. They even betrayed conservative values. These guys are clueless. They made this mess. Why in the world would we hire them back?
No more of that. It's time for change. Obama in '08.
Yes, McCain/Palin is Bush/Cheney all over again. My god, maybe even worse. At least Cheney was calculating and crude when he needed to be. Palin seems to exhale meanness with every sweet sanctimonious breath, calling anyone who disagrees with her a "hater" and firing qualified professionals to put childhood friends on the government payroll.
No one really thinks John McCain understands the economy, or jobs, right? Even he admits he doesn't. With his seven houses bought by his rich wife, an admiral father who John followed through the Navy, the man has never had to work a day in his life. (Okay, he was a hero for five years as a POW. That doesn't qualify him for anything.)
McCain's financial advisor said we were a nation of whiners. I wonder if the collapse of three major banks last week and the government takeover of the two largest mortgage underwriters qualifies as whining?
Palin? No one really thinks she understands the economy, or world affairs, right? Less than two years from being mayor of Wissilla, she has barely been out of Alaska, a lovely and quaint corner of America. She was brought on the ticket for political reasons, to get the vote of the Christian right and white women.
That is a terrible reason to pick a vice president when the nation needs real leadership.
McCain/Palin is the another version of Bush/Cheney, the team that brought us the war in Iraq, the economic meltdown, and unemployment posing as deregulation. They even betrayed conservative values. These guys are clueless. They made this mess. Why in the world would we hire them back?
No more of that. It's time for change. Obama in '08.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
The secretive Sarah
One of the cornerstones of good government is transparency. That is what separates governing from politics.
The Bush cabal went farther than any recent administration at keeping public business a secret. Secret meetings, secret emails, destroyed emails, lies spread about opponents.
Sarah Palin would be worse.
Secrecy and vendettas, and jobs for her friends, the firing of those who disagree with her has characterized her political life from the beginning. Baby sitters and classmates put on government payrolls. Enemies black listed. Directions to staff to conduct state business with personal email that hides what is being done and how it is done from voters and taxpayers.
Good government does not work in the dark. That is why we have the first amendment. Voters and taxpayers have the right to know what government is doing, how they are spending our money.
It is almost like Sarah Palin learned how to govern from Karl Rove. She could be very dangerous to this country. She is not qualified to be vice president. She does not know the difference between right and wrong, public and personal.
John McCain asked Palin to be his vice president for political reasons. He made a terrible mistake.
The Bush cabal went farther than any recent administration at keeping public business a secret. Secret meetings, secret emails, destroyed emails, lies spread about opponents.
Sarah Palin would be worse.
Secrecy and vendettas, and jobs for her friends, the firing of those who disagree with her has characterized her political life from the beginning. Baby sitters and classmates put on government payrolls. Enemies black listed. Directions to staff to conduct state business with personal email that hides what is being done and how it is done from voters and taxpayers.
Good government does not work in the dark. That is why we have the first amendment. Voters and taxpayers have the right to know what government is doing, how they are spending our money.
It is almost like Sarah Palin learned how to govern from Karl Rove. She could be very dangerous to this country. She is not qualified to be vice president. She does not know the difference between right and wrong, public and personal.
John McCain asked Palin to be his vice president for political reasons. He made a terrible mistake.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Sarah Palin lies
Sarah Palin did not say "no" to the Alaskan "bridge to nowhere." In fact, she took the money and spent it on something else in Alaska.
Sarah Palin did not "control" the oil of Alaska. She was governor of the state from where the oil was pumped from federal lands.
Sarah Palin knows nothing of Russia, except she could nearly see it from her back door. Yet she threatens to go to war. She says that ignorance is a blessing, that the less she knows, the better she is.
That's what George Bush said. He damaged our country. She is just as reckless, maybe more so. Her church believes the world will end in a war with Russia. The sooner the world ends, the sooner they get to heaven.
Sarah Palin tried to get her brother-in-law fired from his job as a cop when her sister's marriage broke up. She fired former staff who did not agree with her when she was mayor. She billed the state of Alaska to stay in her own home. She puts her personal agenda over the welfare of her citizens.
In other words, Sarah Palin may be corrupt. She certainly should not be vice president.
The Bush/McCain style is back and is worse than ever. Lie to the voters, scare the voters, get the voters to forget that they are losing their jobs, their schools, their ability to afford health care. That is the Bush/McCain legacy. They should be thrown out of office.
But instead, they have found a pretty face and pretend they are starting a revolution in Washington.
They are lying. Just like they have always lied. They are wasting our tax dollars. They are trashing our schools. They are sending Medicare dollars to giant corporations instead of lowering health care costs for the average citizen. Our roads and bridges are crumbling.
They sent our children to a war without purpose. Without armor.
They gloat over $4.50 a gallon gasoline, (the Bush cabinet is FULL of people with ties to the oil industry) and then say the cure is to let the oil companies take MORE oil from federal land and sell us fuel at maybe $4.25 a gallon. While those responsible for overseeing the oil industry are doing drugs and sleeping with oil company people.
We need roads and bridges schools and health care that doesn't cost 25% of our monthly paycheck. We don't need nasty lies from pretty women who pretend they are something they are not.
We need Obama.
Sarah Palin did not "control" the oil of Alaska. She was governor of the state from where the oil was pumped from federal lands.
Sarah Palin knows nothing of Russia, except she could nearly see it from her back door. Yet she threatens to go to war. She says that ignorance is a blessing, that the less she knows, the better she is.
That's what George Bush said. He damaged our country. She is just as reckless, maybe more so. Her church believes the world will end in a war with Russia. The sooner the world ends, the sooner they get to heaven.
Sarah Palin tried to get her brother-in-law fired from his job as a cop when her sister's marriage broke up. She fired former staff who did not agree with her when she was mayor. She billed the state of Alaska to stay in her own home. She puts her personal agenda over the welfare of her citizens.
In other words, Sarah Palin may be corrupt. She certainly should not be vice president.
The Bush/McCain style is back and is worse than ever. Lie to the voters, scare the voters, get the voters to forget that they are losing their jobs, their schools, their ability to afford health care. That is the Bush/McCain legacy. They should be thrown out of office.
But instead, they have found a pretty face and pretend they are starting a revolution in Washington.
They are lying. Just like they have always lied. They are wasting our tax dollars. They are trashing our schools. They are sending Medicare dollars to giant corporations instead of lowering health care costs for the average citizen. Our roads and bridges are crumbling.
They sent our children to a war without purpose. Without armor.
They gloat over $4.50 a gallon gasoline, (the Bush cabinet is FULL of people with ties to the oil industry) and then say the cure is to let the oil companies take MORE oil from federal land and sell us fuel at maybe $4.25 a gallon. While those responsible for overseeing the oil industry are doing drugs and sleeping with oil company people.
We need roads and bridges schools and health care that doesn't cost 25% of our monthly paycheck. We don't need nasty lies from pretty women who pretend they are something they are not.
We need Obama.
Friday, September 5, 2008
About the issues
The other day I got into a discussion about Obama. My friend thought Obama was a lightweight, but he couldn't stomach the idea yet of voting for McCain.
After not knowing the facts about Obama's voting record in the Senate as well as my friend, I did something strange. I started talking about the issues. Which I had mistakenly thought this election was about.
You want the country to invest in universal health care, vote Obama, or else you want more Bush/McCain give-away to giant drug companies. You want cheaper gas? Vote Obama for alternative energy, or vote Bush/McCain for more give-away to Exxon and giant oil companies. You want more opportunity for your kids? Vote Obama, or vote Bush/McCain so Republican elites can send their kids to private schools while your schools remain crappy.
On the issues, the choice is very clear. Obama represents the interests of most Americans. Under Republicans, wages have fallen, the income gap between the rich and middle class has grown, the country has suffered.
Bush is giving $1 billion to Georgia (the country). How about $1 billion to fix some bridges here in Oregon?
The Republicans brag that they can take this election by making it about personality instead of the issues. They call for ordinary Americans to take sides with the party that truly hurts them by saying that Democrats don't respect them. They want to use resentment to steal from the middle class and give to the rich. That is their record, that is what they do.
And we should not let them. It is not what this election should be about. It's got to be about about jobs, health care, energy, schools, the future. These are things that matter, and on these things, the Obama ticket has said all the right things.
The Republicans have said nearly nothing at all, but their record while controlling Congress and the White House speaks for itself.
After not knowing the facts about Obama's voting record in the Senate as well as my friend, I did something strange. I started talking about the issues. Which I had mistakenly thought this election was about.
You want the country to invest in universal health care, vote Obama, or else you want more Bush/McCain give-away to giant drug companies. You want cheaper gas? Vote Obama for alternative energy, or vote Bush/McCain for more give-away to Exxon and giant oil companies. You want more opportunity for your kids? Vote Obama, or vote Bush/McCain so Republican elites can send their kids to private schools while your schools remain crappy.
On the issues, the choice is very clear. Obama represents the interests of most Americans. Under Republicans, wages have fallen, the income gap between the rich and middle class has grown, the country has suffered.
Bush is giving $1 billion to Georgia (the country). How about $1 billion to fix some bridges here in Oregon?
The Republicans brag that they can take this election by making it about personality instead of the issues. They call for ordinary Americans to take sides with the party that truly hurts them by saying that Democrats don't respect them. They want to use resentment to steal from the middle class and give to the rich. That is their record, that is what they do.
And we should not let them. It is not what this election should be about. It's got to be about about jobs, health care, energy, schools, the future. These are things that matter, and on these things, the Obama ticket has said all the right things.
The Republicans have said nearly nothing at all, but their record while controlling Congress and the White House speaks for itself.
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