Overlooked In The Debates

In the second Presidential debate, Senator Obama said if elected President his top priority would be to reduce America's dependence on foreign oil and fossil fuels along with other steps to make America "green. " The  news media failed to pick up on this.

 

Making the "greening" of America a priority makes sense, especially at a time of economic crisis.  The greening of America will create new, sustainable jobs quickly.

 

Many times when America has a crisis, we tend to overlook a lot of little things that add to the crisis and as a result never really solve the underlining causes.  The next President will have the opportunity to put our economic house in order.  The worst thing that could happen with falling oil and gas prices is to return to the status quo and have another repeat of higher energy costs down the road.

 

Our new leader has to make the government work for all the people, especially the middle class, who bear the heaviest burden in every economic crisis.  A growing and sustained economy with job creation is fueled by middle class spending, and without that, the economy does not work.  Tax breaks that favor the wealthy at the expense of the middle class do nothing for a sustained economy and job creation; all one has to do is look at the last 8 years and where we are today on the economy.

 

Senator Obama said an Obama administration would set priorities and it should.  One of the things we need to do early on is to get our own fiscal house in order and go back to balancing the federal budget.  That would solve the great majority of our economic problems and let us do those things that really matter and make a difference for our nation and its people.

Tax Facts

The following information was published by Parade Magazine in its October 12 issue.  The below covers income from less that $19,000.00 (the bottom 20% of earners) to $111,600.00.  I think everyone will agree those brackets cover the "middle class" that both candidates talk about.  The readers can judge for themselves just what plan helps the "middle class" the most.

  Obama's Plan:

 

If you make:                                                 Your average tax savings would be:

Less than $19,000.00                                                                            $567.00

$19,000.00 - $37,600.00                                                                         892.00

$37, 600.00 - $66,400.00                                                                       1118.00

$66,400.00 - 111,600.00                                                                        1264.00

 

McCain's Plan:

 

Less than $19,000.00                                                                               $21.00

$19,000.00 - $37,600.00                                                                           118.00

$37,600.00 - $66,400.00                                                                           325.00

$66,400.00 - $111,600.00                                                                         994.00

Obama's Not Muslim, But So What If He Was?

A Must Watch Video: Gen. Colin Powell

Obama's September Fundraising

Another short post, but this is another absolute shocker that's coming out this morning.  In the month of September, in one month, Barack Obama raised $150 million.  This unprecedented fundraising haul came from 632,000 NEW donors plus old donors returning to support Barack.  And to demonstrate the extent to which the Obama campaign is truly a campaign of the people and not one run by the rich and well-connected, the average donation was under $100.  Great job Democrats and other Obama contributors, keep up the tireless work so that come November 5, we have a President-elect who cares about the Middle Class and will bring true change to all of our lives.  

(John McCain, in comparison, has just $84 million to spend from September to November since he took public financing.) 

O M G: Powell Endorses Obama

Today on Meet the Press, Former Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs will endorse Senator Barack Obama for President.  Sure, a Powell endorsement of Obama was always rumored, but I never thought that it would actually come to fruition. Powell, a long time Republican, I though, was sure to either stay neutral or endorse his party's candidate, John McCain.  And while Powell no doubt deserves some blame for the Iraq War, politically, this endorsement is huge for Obama and an even bigger embarrassment for John McCain.  

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Actually, make that 100,000 words....

Republicans May Censure Their Own

In a story carried by the New Orleans Times Picayune, Roger Villere, the state GOP chairman, and the Louisiana Republican Party is considering ways to discipline more than two dozen prominent Republicans publicly backing incumbent Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu over her GOP opponent, Treasurer John Kennedy.

 

Villere was quoted as saying, "When high-profiled elected Republicans endorse Democrats, it sends the message that we are not united and confuses the Republican message."  In other words, party comes first and the country comes second, and if you are a Republican official you should not have a right to endorse the candidate of your choice or that candidate you think is best qualified to serve the people.  As extreme as that sounds, that is the exact message of Villere and the Republican Party.

 

As a Democrat, I don't get particularly concerned when Democrats disagree with their party on certain issues; I would rather have Democrats have their own independent thoughts rather than just follow the party line.  Republicans meet every day, come up with talking points, and repeat the message over and over like robots; Democrats don't have that problem.

 

The most embarrassing episode for the GOP in this intense Senate race is that four major Republican officials from St. Tammany Parish (where Kennedy lives) are supporting Senator Landrieu.  The real story here is that Senator Landrieu is doing her job representing the people she serves, and even Republicans are aware of her bipartisanship and importance as a senior senator.

The Wealth Parade Continues

Because of what is happening on Wall Street and in the financing industry, lets take a look back at the May 5 issue of Forbes Magazine where Forbes ran a story on the top 20 individual earners of hedge and private equity funds.  Those top 20 earned a combined total of $18.7 billion last year, up 43% from 2006.  Part of the headline reads, "crumbling home prices and $100 oil helped wall street's highest earners to pull in $19 billion last year."  If you averaged out what those 20 earners made, their average earnings would be $935 million each in 2007.  

 

T. Boone Pickens was one of the 20, earning $1.2 billion.  His hedge fund, BP Capital Equity, grew 24% while his commodity fund grew 40% due to large positions in Suncor Energy, Exxon-Mobil, and Occidental Petroleum.  This is the same T. Boone Pickens who now wants to replace gasoline with natural gas as the fuel for automobiles.  

 

Those 20 earners are only a drop in the bucket of the wealthy; their power is so great as to be able to manipulate the financial markets for their own personal gain.  When the market loses 700 points, and price shares are dropping, they are the ones with the financial resources to scoop up those shares.  There is nothing wrong with being wealthy, but when 1% of the people own 50% of stocks, that's called a monopoly.

 

To make matters worse for Americans, the following headline appeared in a major newspaper on September 30.  "Three institutions have been gobbling up financial giants as fast as they fall, building unprecedented market power."  The three to which the headline referred were Bank of America, Citigroup, and J.P. Morgan Chase --- just what the average American needs, another powerful monopoly to control money and wealth and to stick it to the average working American. 

 

If ever our country needed people power, middle class people power at that, it is now.  We have the votes to change things this November, and it is our duty to do so.

The Truth About Taxes

Parade magazine recently ran an article that examined the tax plans of Senators Barack Obama and John McCain. Tax policy expert Alan Viard of the Conservative American Enterprise Institute said the following:

 

While the aggregate tax cut is bigger for McCain, a larger number of voters get more money under Obama's plan.  Obama is choosing to emphasize tax cuts for the middle class, whereas McCain's strategy is to keep rates lower at the top as a way to facilitate long-run growth.  For example, a person with an income of $1 million could see his taxes increase under Obama by $94,000, whereas under McCain's plan he could save $48,000.. 

 

For those who follow the economy and past tax plans of Republicans, one can quickly see McCain's tax plan represents the failed ideology of trickle down economics.  As recent as seven years ago, President Bush pushed his tax plan that benefited the wealthy and said that his tax plan would create a sustained economy, new job creation, and investments by the business community.  So far, those objectives have never been reached, and instead we have had two recessions, Wall Street and financial market melt downs, and the use of billions of dollars of taxpayers money to bail out corporate America.

 

The country can no longer afford this Republican tax give away at the expense of the average American. Where is the long-run growth that Republicans promised?  Nowhere to be found, and now it's time for the middle class to have the benefit of tax relief.

Think About It

Nightmare On Pennsylvania Avenue

President Bush's administration has proved once again why Republicans should not be in charge of our nations safety or our economic/fiscal well being.  What has happened to our country and its people is a direct result of Republican ideology and arrogance.

 

After being sworn in as our 43rd President, Mr. Bush set a course to bring kingship to Washington where he would rule as such.  It started prior to taking the oath acting in tandem with the warped mind of Dick Cheney.  From that day forward, there would be no open government for the nation and its people.  Everything would be done in "hush-hush" and secret --- no checks and balances, no oversight, no regulation and above all, never answer to Congress or any other entity.  

 

They met secretly with representatives of the energy industry and made decisions that affect Americans and kept the details of those discussions and decisions secret.  The people would later find out the details in the form or $130/barrel oil and $4.00/gallon gasoline.

 

They started a war and occupation with Iraq over WMD that did not exist and payed only lip service to the people responsible for the tragic events of 9-11.  

They adopt Reagan's ideology of trickle down economics with tax cuts that benefit the wealthy instead of having a true economic and fiscal policy for a sustained economy, job creation, and balanced budgets.  They have since joined other Republican administrations in having one of the worst job creation records in the last 60 years and having ended their last year in office with job losses every month, stock market and financial market meltdowns, and a recession in many sectors of the economy.

 

They walked away from the balanced budgets and surpluses of the previous administration and committed the nation to record deficits and record debt.  With Bush having a 27% approval rating, we are a nation and a people without a true leader. 

Good news, however: The nightmare is almost over.

Time For Action

Both Presidential candidates and their party have attacked the excesses of corporate America, Wall Street, CEO's golden parachutes, and other extreme benefits to the wealthy.  It's a good sign but remember this is an election year.

 

If both parties are serious about this rape of America, now is the time for Democrats and Republicans in Congress to come together and demand, "no more."  They should put corporate America and their lobbyists on notice.  There will be regulation, oversight, checks and balances, and accountability. No more special favors and no more special access to members of Congress. 

 

The second thing both parties must do is review the tax code and eliminate all the loopholes that benefit the wealthy and well-off.  Loopholes and special favors do not get into the tax code by accident --- Congress put them there and Congress needs to fix it.

 

Reigning in the excess of corporate America won't be easy, but it can be accomplished if both parties exhibit backbone.  The time is right and the voting public should demand action and hold both parties accountable for their actions, or rather, inactions.

Personal Attacks, a Republican Trademark

Weeks after the Republican National Convention that showcased VP candidate Governor Palin, her absence from the news media and her debate with Senator Joe Biden have given the American people a chance to digest what McCain-Palin stand for.  How have the people responded?  They have pushed the Obama-Biden ticket to the top of the polls with Obama-Biden leading in most so called battleground states.

 

So now both McCain and Palin are doing what define Republicans best: personal attacks against their opponent. As I have written before, Republicans can not articulate where they stand on the issues, so they turn to vile personal attacks.  

 

Obama is and will continue to handle the trash talk better than John Kerry did in the 2004 election against his Bush.  Every time McCain-Palin open their mouth the American people get a preview of just how radical they really are.

 

Their personal attacks are a sign of weakness and a inability to be civil at a time when our country and its people face serious problems.  Contrary to their campaign logo, McCain-Palin are not putting America first.  The American people must beware of those who are desperate to win.  

Sarah Palin vs. Joe Biden

Governor Palin brought a smile and a wink to the VP debate, but unfortunately it was no substitute for substance at a time when the American people are looking for real answers to their real problems.  Palin can be folksy all she wants in an attempt to connect with voters, but voters don't want "cute" behavior from their leaders, they want to hear solutions.  

 

On the other hand, Senator Joe Biden answered the questions with substance, knowledge, and a command of the facts.  He also showed civility and respect toward Governor Palin, and in return, to the people who are looking for answers.

 

The day after the debate Republicans said Palin handled herself well.  They also commented how her folksy talk would go over well with the people.  But it was Biden's performance and knowledge that showed he is the one ready to be President should that ever come to pass.  That is what a major part of this election is all about.

Chicago Is Going Green; the Nation Must Follow

The New York Times reported that Mayor Richard Daley of Chicago unveiled perhaps the most aggressive plan of any major city to reduce heat-trapping greenhouse gases.  The blueprint would change the city's building codes to promote energy efficiency, and calls for installing huge solar panels at municipal properties and building alternative fueling stations.

 

The city plan draws on the work of climatologists that warn that failure to act will produce dire consequences.  The Chicago initiative included consultation with business and labor leaders, as well as scientists and environmentalists, and involved 18 months of research and discussions.

 

The mayor is not waiting for the federal government to act and that is to his credit.  More mayors and governors should follow his lead in making their cities and states green.  The rewards will be great in so many ways.  It will also force the federal government to get serious. 

Reality: Will It Prevail On November 4?

Republicans always find a way to ruin the economy and lose jobs for the country and its people.  They lack fiscal discipline and respect and as a result have no broad based economic policy.  President Bush, John McCain, and the Republicans are so out of touch with reality that it has reached a pitiful state.

 

The problem with the financial industry has been know for some time but no action was taken.  Same can be said for the record escalation of oil and gasoline prices and the problems that cropped up on Wall Street early in his Presidency.  The country has lost jobs every month so far this year and the stimulus package came after the fact.  The President has been AWOL in facing these problems and taking action.

 

Iraq and Afghanistan will be turned over to the next President and Mr. Bush continues to dodge the issues and the problems his policies created.  With the Presidential elections only 4 weeks away, Senator McCain and the republican party are still in denial and offer more of the same.  Hopefully the public will cast their vote for reality on November 4.

Job Losses Continue To Take Its Toll

The Labor Department announced the economy lost 159,000 jobs in September, the ninth straight month of job losses and the highest since 2003.  So far this year, the economy has lost 760,000 jobs and the department says more will continue.

 

Job creation on a steady basis has never been a priority for Republican administrations and certainly not the administration of George W. Bush.  The reason is because Republicans have a tax policy and not an economic policy for a sustained economy.  Job creation in the first term of this President was the worst since Herbert Hoover.

 

The norm accepted to define a recession is two quarters in a row of negative growth.  But serious people know job creation is in recession,  the housing market is in recession, the financial markets are in recession, and the economy is in recession for the middle class.

 

Our economy is locked down and drowning in federal deficits and debt at record levels.  The Republicans want to bankrupt our country so the neocons can kill social security, medicare, and other needed programs they hate.  One can expect the meltdowns that always happen on their watch. The Republicans have run the country 20 out of the last 28 years and their fiscal and economic record is pitiful.  They say government is the problem, but it is their kind of government that is the problem.

 

Our country and its people are in for hard times in the near future because of their reckless policies.  The problems can not be reversed quickly and it's not going to be easy to dig the country out of the hole that has been dug.  On November 4th, the American people need to be involved in our political system and hold those elected officials responsible for their reckless action.

A Message For The American People

Are the people really upset about the $700 Billion bail out of the financial industry that uses tax payers' money as the news media seems to be reporting.  If so, I wonder how much they are up set, or if it will be just a passing fad. 

 

The record prices for oil and gas the people have been paying for because of corporate greed and Mr. Bush's failed policies ---  have the people really changed their driving habits and are now willing to consume less gasoline and or purchase more fuel efficient vehicles or will the people fall back to their old ways once prices start coming down?

 

The government's latest report shows the cost of the Iraq war at $600 billion and our current President can't tell us when the war will end.  Will the final cost be a trillion dollars or more?  The tax payers are paying for the war also. 

 

President Bush's deficit spending when he leaves office will be over $2.3 trillion.  The tax payers are also paying for that reckless behavior plus the interest paid on the borrowed money to pay for the deficit.  The interest payments alone for fiscal 2006 and fiscal 2007 was over $400 billion each of those years.

 

So that the people, the tax payers, can get an idea how their tax dollars are wasted, add up all those numbers and just think what this money could have been used for in relation to the needs of the people.  Do some research and see for yourself just how reckless this administration has been with your money.

 

If we, the tax payers don't change the status quo and demand more accountability from government officials and demand responsible spending policies we have no one to blame but ourselves.  President Kennedy once said, "Our problems are man made, therefore they can be solved by man."  Are we the tax payers up to the challenge?  History tells us we better be.

Petraeus: Iraq Still "Central Front"

In an article by the Washington Post, Ernesto Landono and Amit Paley report General Petraeus has said that Iraq remains "the central front" for Al Qaida and other extremists.

 

Now we have a general who is playing politics with the war in Iraq over WMD that did not exist.  Prior to the war, Al Qaida was no where to be found in Iraq, in any part Saddam Hussein controlled.  It was our reckless invasion and occupation of Iraq and the military blunder in planning that created Al Qaida in Iraq. 

 

It is indeed a sad situation for our men and women in uniform when the Commander-in-Chief and the general running the war almost 2 years after the surge still can't tell the people when and how this war will end.  In fact, despite their allegations that the surge has been a success, both say the situation in Iraq is so fragile that it can change at any minute.  To me, that is not success.  It reminds me of "mission accomplished." which Mr. Bush proclaimed over five years ago.

 

I have written before that George Bush will turn this war over to the next President instead of taking care of the problem himself.  In February 2009, one month after he leaves office, 8,000 troops will come home.  That will still leave more troops in Iraq than before the surge but Mr. Bush will be gone.  

Paul Newman --- A Great American

Paul Newman passed away at age 83.  He lived the life of a true American in every sense of the word and in deed.  As a movie star, his success as an actor was instantly and lasting.  He was respected by his peers and all that knew him.

 

Newman and his wife choose to live their lives outside the Hollywood lifestyle.  They were private people and he gave very few public interviews.  Newman was also a very generous person, especially with children who needed help and with various charitable organizations.  It has been reported that his food business gave all of its profits to charities that totaled over $250 million.  Paul also visited those charities and especially loved to spend time with the children his charities supported.

 

Paul Newman was an American who made a positive difference in a lot of people's lives and the world.  The people he touched are better off because of his qualities.  Paul Newman brought out the best of qualities on what being an American is all about.

 

God bless you Paul Newman.