This blog is dedicated to logical Reasoning, political consciousness, religious dialogue, intelligent thoughts, uncommon wisdom, current events, and humor.
So, the mortgage meltdown was caused by the Republicans and on their watch, right? No so fast!
As early as April of 2001, the Bush administration, while working on its 2002 budget, called the size of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac a “potential problem” that could “cause strong repercussions in the financial markets.” In 2003, John Snow, the then Treasury Secretary, lobbied Congress to create a new federal agency to effectively regulate the two mortgage giants. At that time, Barney Frank, a ranking member of the House Financial Services Committee, was adamantly arguing that “Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are not in a crisis.”
Barney Frank: “The more people, in my judgement, exaggerate a threat of safety and soundness, the more people conjure up the possibility of serious financial losses to the treasury, which I do not see. I think we see entities that are fundamentally sound financially, and withstand some of the disaster scenarios, and even if there were problems, the federal government doesn’t bail them out.”
Even Alan Greenspan, during a House Financial Services Committee Hearing in 2005, argued for regulating Fannie and Freddie.
John McCain added his concerned voice in 2006 during a speech on the Senate Floor: ” . . . and the sheer magnitude of these companies and the role they play in the housing market . . . the GSEs need to be reformed without delay.”
This entire situation is laced with irony. Here we have Republicans arguing for more regulation while key Democrats arguing that the system is working just fine – mostly in the name of providing affordable housing to all.
I am fully aware that current financial and mortgage disasters were caused by a series of fairly complicated events. Clearly what’s presented here does not fully explain everything, but it is certainly something to think about.
Joe “the plumber”. I’m so sick of still hearing about Joe the plumber. He even has a Wiki page now. Stop it people. The election is over already.
I won’t be able to forgive McCain or the Republicans for catapulting this irrelevant person and now immaterial concept into the American day-to-day conversation. The anxious Republicans, grasping at any straw in sight during the election season, latched on to Joe the plumber like stink on a monkey. They didn’t seem to care about Joe or his past. All that mattered was that Joe disagreed with Obama’s tax policy, calling it Marxist. For Joe, spreading the wealth around was not an acceptable plan.
Fair enough! But wait! Here’s some news flash the Republicans should have researched first. Joe ‘the Obama-is-a Marxist plumber’ was on welfare. Twice! How pathetic.
How’s that for spreading the wealth? Joe was and is confused. Accepting welfare from the government is spreading the wealth – my wealth, your wealth, taxpayers’ wealth. Well, I for one don’t want to spread my wealth around to anyone who doesn’t appreciate it. Joe is the first to be blacklisted. In fact, I want my portion of his welfare money back.
Hey Joe! Here’s some sound economic advice for you. If you go on welfare, you should shut the hell up. You have no right to talk about spreading the wealth. And here’s another news flash. Joe still has a tax lien of $1,200 against him in Ohio. → Source
McCain, during a rally, called Joe an American hero and his role model. Seriously? Someone should fire McCain’s campaign aids for not researching this well. Oh, wait, someone did fire his aids – the American people.
Also. Remember when McCain was looking for Joe during one of his rallies but could not find him? Well, that wasn’t Joe’s fault. He had told McCain’s aids that he’d be there between 9:00 am and 3:30 pm.
Finally, how is McCain’s approval of government bailout not wealth distribution? Defend it if you can. I dare you.
Dennis Prager, for those of you who don’t know him, is a Conservative radio talk show personality and a townhall.com columnist. At a recent appearance in Minneapolis, he made a very interesting claim. Watch this video.
In case you missed it, Prager said:
Equality, which is the primary value of the left, is a European value, not an American value . . . The French Revolution said Liberty, Fraternity, Equality. The American Revolution said Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.
Wow, which country do you live in Mr. Prager?
First, the Founding Fathers of our great country were . . . European! It is no surprise, therefore, to discover that some European ideas and values have trickled into the original vision of the new country that is now the United States of America.
Second, without the concept of equality:
Sarah Palin, as a woman, could not have served along side John McCain as a VP nominee.
Barack Obama could not have run for President, much less win an election.
A fetus could not be granted the same rights as a full grown human. See my earlier post on this.
You are not to enjoy the same rights as someone who is more wealthy than you.
Much of Christianity’s teachings don’t make sense.
God is unfair in his love of humans.
Third, it’s been widely reported that a European socialist once said: “Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.” He went on to become the first Republican-elected President!
Finally, the U.S. Constitution claims the following 2 points:
“No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Notice the order in which the “truths” are presented in the second bullet point. Equality comes first. Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness are presented after equality as unalienable rights. In other words, equality is so obvious and “self-evident” that it is not necessary to list it as a right.
Perhaps next time you feel the urge to discuss American values, Mr. Prager, you can at least study the U.S. Constitution first.
As a registered independent, I’m an unwilling recipient of daily assault of calls from both Presidential campaigns. I have a message for both groups:
STOP CALLING ME OR I WILL VOTE FOR RON PAUL.
Democrats call to inform me about Obama’s clean coal technology plan, and that it will create thousands of jobs. BS. Obama stole this clean coal idea from McCain. The only good thing is that they only call me once a week.
Republicans call several times a week to tell me about Bill Ayers. Stop it already! That horse is not only dead, it’s rotting. You’ve milked it for all it was worth. It’s not effective anymore, and no one (other than your own Republican base) cares.
Hasn’t anyone told both of you? Those undecided voters you’re still so fiercely targeting . . . they’ve decided already. The only undecided voters are either in insane asylums or in jail, and they can’t vote.
OK, so stop me if you’ve heard this one! Young Vladimir grows up in the old Leningrad, joins the KGB, becomes President of Russia, fools George Bush into thinking he has a good pro-democracy soul, installs a new hand-picked Russian president to succeed him, makes himself the Prime Minister with more power than the president, and shoots a Siberian tiger just in time to save a TV crew.
What more can Putin accomplish in his life other than going to Disney Land? How about producing a DVD of himself showing off his black belt Judo moves on his 56th birthday?
President Bush looked into Putin’s eyes and saw a good man. McCain looked into Putin’s eyes and (by his own admission) saw a K, a G, and a B. They are both wrong. They should have seen a J, a U, a D, and an O.
fat_buddha
Long gone are the days of Russian Presidents who are in perpetual state of drunkenness and whose large bellies resemble a Buddha God – remember Boris Yeltsin? Even at his old age, Ronald Reagan could kick Yeltsin’s hard-to-miss butt. No longer. Both Putin and Medvedev can easily take on our elected officials: the great philosopher, public speaker and humanitarian (Bush), the old cantankerous guy (McCain), and the Messiah (Obama).
And of course Sarah Palin knew all about this a long time ago. She could practically see the production of this DVD from her kitchen window looking out toward Russia.
I will begin this post just as I did my previous one about the Presidential debate last week.
I am not a Republican. I am not a Democrat. I side with Democrats on many issues. I side with Republicans on many others. I still don’t know who I’m going to vote for in November.
I am not going to evaluate any specific topics, points or responses. I’ll let others do the analysis and mudslinging. Here’s what I saw.
Sarah Palin’s game plan was to defend Palin. She had a horrible week leading to the debate. She had no choice but to make up for it. She did not disappoint. She performed spectacularly. If you read my previous post on the first Presidential debate, you know that I was impressed by Obama’s ability to address the moderator as well as McCain by looking at both of them. Palin executed the same ability perfectly by addressing the moderator and her opponent. She looked comfortable, had a smile on her face most of the time, and did not hesitate as she has in previous interviews. Biden looked as bad as McCain did – old, stiff, angry. The coaching she received in the past few days was clearly very effective. Good for her.
Joe Biden didn’t seem to have a game plan. Either he was not prepared for this debate or Palin performed so well that made Biden look bad. I have no doubt that if the format of the debate was different in a way to allow for detailed back and forth exchanges, Palin would not have performed as well. But Biden knew the format. It was his debate to lose. And he did.
Experience v.s. new blood stood out as the theme of this debate. Experience did not benefit Biden. He relied on his record in Congress, and he bet his VP nomination on the idea that the average American viewer might actually give a darn about the past or about meaningless statistics. Wrong move, Biden! Palin may not have presented many details on anything, but that was actually the right plan. We all know that VPs are virtual no-bodies. They are merely there to help the real Presidential nominee. The average American wants to hear specifics from and learn the record of Presidential nominees, not from VP nominees. I was watching CNN’s reaction meter of undecided men and women voters. Almost every time Biden talked about his record in Congress, he flat-lined the graph. No one cares. Palin achieved the same reaction when she talked about her experience as mayor and governor.
At the end, I know that VP debates are not decisive or consequential. Not much is gained or lost by them.
I am not a Republican. I am not a Democrat. I am not an independent – I don’t even know what that means. I side with Democrats on many issues. I side with Republicans on many others. I still don’t know who I’m going to vote for in November.
I watched the first Presidential debate with a clarity and a sense of objectiveness that most people are unable to exert. Most Americans are already committed to their own political party’s candidate. I am not! I don’t belong to one particular party.
I am not going to evaluate any specific topics, points or responses. I’ll let others do the analysis and mudslinging. Here’s what I saw.
It’s not about who won the debate. It seems as though every news and program anchor asks the same question: who won the debate? who won the debate? That’s a childish view of the intent of these debates. It’s not about who won the debate. It’s about 2 entirely different ideas. First, it’s about better understanding each candidate’s position and plans. This mostly applies to undecided voters like me. If you’re an already committed voter, watching these debates are a complete waste of time for you. You’re not changing your mind. Fox News conducted a poll that gave McCain the winning edge by over 80% on the debate. MSNBC gave a smilier edge to Obama. Do you see what I mean? Second, it’s about how each candidate can perform under pressure. They were both well-rehearsed. They both had strong points and they both bended the truth to their side. Neither candidate committed any major blunders, although both missed great opportunities.
Body Language and demeanor of both candidates was very telling. I was impressed by Obama’s cool-under-pressure appearance and performance. He demonstrated substantial presence by looking at McCain, addressing him directly and calling him by name. I was disappointed that McCain did not do the same. He’s been around a long time and has much deeper debate expertise than Obama does. I want my next President to look members of Congress, United Nations and foreign leaders in the eyes and address them – especially in adversarial situations. McCain appeared incapable of thinking on his feet, addressing an audience and debating his opponent at the same time. He only looked at the moderator while sporting smiles of disapproval at Obama. It looked uncomfortable.
Speaking of Obama addressing McCain directly by his first name, many Republicans mounted objections that doing so was an indication of disrespect. Seriously? Since when did you Republicans become so sensitive? Have you ever listened to Limbaugh, Hannity, Coulter, Liddy or Savage? Stop your adolescent whining. No one likes to see grown people cry and nag.
Giving Credit where it’s due was performed masterfully by Obama. Half a dozen or so times, Obama mentioned that McCain is correct or that he agrees with McCain. Obama would then proceed to outline the areas where they did not agree. I view that as an uncommon ability among politicians to give credit where credit is due. Republicans quickly produced a video of Obama saying to McCain that he’s right. They’re using it as proof that even Obama thinks McCain’s policies and plans are on the right path. Please! Republicans may be able to fool members of their own party, but don’t insult my intelligence. I saw the debate and I know the context in which Obama gave credit to McCain. For undecided voters, this Republican tactic is backfiring.
Experience v.s. opinion stood out as the theme of this debate. I view McCain as the tough guy who brings a lot of detail to the table and negotiates from a point of strength. I view Obama as a consensus-builder whose approach is the big picture philosophy. While watching the debate, it occurred to me that Obama really doesn’t have any specific mentionable experience in anything. He has opinions, objectives and plans. McCain, on the other hand, has been around a long time. He’s lived through it all. He can draw on experience. Again, I was profoundly disappointed that McCain did not draw more attention to his life experiences.
Obama may be the consensus-building negotiator, but McCain’s reach across the isle over the years is undeniable. He hasn’t always voted with his party. It’s unfortunate that he did not capitalize more on this strength. He lost a great opportunity.
After the debate, I flipped through Fox News, MSNBC and CNN. Rudy Giuliani analyzed the debate on Fox News. He was spot on. It is fairly clear to me that the Republican party nominated the wrong person. Rudy should have been their man. Is it too late to switch?
Just as the GOP convention is about to take place, it was revealed that Bristol Palin, Sarah Palin’s 17 year-old daughter is 5 months pregnant. McCain’s advisors confirmed knowledge of it.
Downside
It will be interesting to see how this new revelation will play out with die-hard Conservatives and Evangelicals. My prediction is that it will have no effect on those two groups. Let’s face it, they have no other choice at this point. Palin, for better or for worse, is the GOP VP nominee. Just as Vice President Cheney’s lesbian daughter is a family secret that is kept very quiet and low-key, Palin’s unmarried, underage pregnant daughter will also be swept under the rug.
I find it fabulously fascinating though that dark family secrets of Conservatives and Evangelicals are presented as private family affairs that should not be anyone’s business. Juicy family secrets of Liberals, however, is fair game for the likes of Limbaugh, O’Reilly and Hannity – mostly under the premise of Godless lefties with no moral or family values.
Upside
It is possible that some independents as well as disgruntled Hillary supporters could gravitate even more toward Sarah Palin. She’s a woman. She’s acknowledged the struggles of Geraldine Ferraro and Hillary Clinton. She has a big family and a special-needs child. And she is now a mother who is very familiar with the shame of a dark family secret – an unwed, underage pregnant daughter.
Conclusion
Once again, this entire saga makes me wonder what skeletons were hidden in the closets of Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and Sen. Olympia Snowe – the 2 women who, at the surface, seem more qualified than Palin. The GOP is nothing if not thorough in its investigations. I still stand by my original premise that McCain had no choice but to select a black or a woman for his running-mate. And it’s becoming fairly clear that Sarah Palin, even with her family secrets and apparent inexperience, was the best GOP could do.
In an earlier post, I gave 5 reasons why the Republican party had no choice but to pick Sarah Palin for VP. In this post, I’m going to explore the good, the bad and the ugly of that decision.
Palin embodies many of the values Republicans hold dear:
Family values: She’s a devoted wife and a mother of 5 children.
Patriotism: Her son, Track, is deployed in Iraq.
Pro-life: enough said!
Executive experience: Technically, out of the 4 Presidential and VP nominees, Palin is the only one with executive experience as the Governor of Alaska. Everyone else has legislative experience only – albeit years of it and in much more comprehensive matter. An article on Sensico explores this idea much more in-depth. McCain, however, can argue that he has military command experience.
Drilling: Alaska . . . you get the picture.
She embodies some of the values Democrats hold dear:
Pregnant daughter: Yes, you read right. Bristol Palin is 5 months pregnant at 17. This news may actually, in a very strange way, benefit some undecided women in the sense that Sarah Palin is familiar and can identify with tough family issues.
Change: Yes, change. McCain is poised to steal Obama’s thunder on the concept of change. What bigger change is there for Republicans to select a woman for VP?
Fighting corruption: Remember when McCain was portrayed as a maverick during the primaries? There has been no mention of that in the past months even by Republicans. Palin can energize that idea once again. She has fought corruption by protesting (and finally resigning) as head of the Alaska Oil and Gas Commission over alleged ethical violations by the state Republican chairman
Acknowledgement of women’s struggles: In her acceptance speech, she referred to Geraldine Ferraro and Hillary Clinton, both Democratic names. Palin further referred to 18 million cracks in the proverbial glass ceiling, thanks to Hillary’s efforts.
Palin has many strengths:
Youth: The McCain ticket is suddenly young again.
Diversity: She will appeal to soccer and hockey moms as well as undecided women voters.
Palin has many liabilities:
She’s under investigation by the Alaska State legislature for abuse of power.
Other qualified VP choices: Mitt Romney, for instance, would have sealed the deal with conservatives and evangelicals with his instant name recognition.
Other qualified women for VP: At first glance, at least 2 other women appear to be more qualified than Palin: Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and Sen. Olympia Snowe. I have no doubt that Republican thinkers considered them. My guess is that each woman came with a baggage that was more of a liability than Palin’s obscure presence in politics.
The Biden factor: Palin will have to debate Biden several times. Biden is a seasoned politician who’s had years to ponder issues and form opinions. Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison and Olympia Snowe would have been much tougher adversaries for Biden. Palin requires a tremendous amount of grooming and coaching.
The gimmick factor: Palin’s nomination has the appearance of Republicans chasing the achievements of Democrats: Obama as the first black Presidential nominee and Clinton as the woman who came very close to shattering the glass ceiling.
Pregnant daughter: Yes, you read right – again. Bristol Palin is 5 months pregnant at 17. I truly wonder what skeletons Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and Olympia Snowe had in their closets that the McCain camp had to resort to Sarah Palin.
Finally according to an NPR story, 24 hours prior to her nomination, someone made substantial changes to Sarah Palin’s Wikipedia page. She was called “a politician of eye-popping integrity” and sections on her participation in a beauty pageant and her alleged use of influence to get her former brother-in-law fired were diminished.
Posted by jmjorat 
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