The Morning Dose---5/4

Today's Morning Dose comes from The Oregonian, urging the Democratic candidates to take on the issues facing Oregon ahead of its primary later this month.

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(...) Leading candidates generally like to avoid debates, for the reasons listed above and because debates cannot be completely controlled as to content or performance. There is always the chance, in other words, of committing a fatal blunder.

Gerald R. Ford did it in 1976, when he asserted bizarrely, in a debate with Jimmy Carter, that Poland had not fallen under Soviet domination in the Cold War. You could almost hear the "sproing" as his campaign began falling apart.

You may remember, too, that Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis lost big to George H.W. Bush in 1988. Dukakis kicked out the pebble that started the landslide in his answer to this debate question: "Governor, if Kitty Dukakis [the governor's wife] were raped and murdered, would you favor an irrevocable death penalty for the killer?" Dukakis replied flatly, without emotion: "No, I don't, and I think you know that I've opposed the death penalty during all of my life."

His polling numbers dropped seven points that night and his campaign never recovered.

In recent days, Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign has made a point of challenging Sen. Barack Obama to a debate at every opportunity. Her Oregon campaign also has pushed the idea in connection to the May 20 primary here. Clinton's people argue that a debate in Oregon would give citizens of this state their only opportunity to see the candidates jointly address issues of regional importance. They also argue that the viewership numbers suggest few Oregonians have watched the earlier televised debates in the other primaries.

The Obama campaign argues that Americans have had plenty of chances to see the candidates face to face and that enough is enough.

We agree with the Clinton arguments.(...)

(...) An Oregon debate between Obama and Clinton would be good for democracy here and the country generally. As a general principle, voters should be given the chance to compare the candidates, face to face, in at least one televised event.

If there is a race to be run in Oregon, let it be a strong one, but let it be punctuated by a real face-off between the candidates.

How Will Americans Spend Their Rebate Checks?

President Bush announced the first of the rebate checks will be mailed out this week.  This is part of the "stimulus package" asked for by Bush and enlarged a certain extent by Congress.

 

The idea is for people to spend the rebate checks to purchase goods in order to stimulate the economy.  Is that what the people actually plan to do?  I think the average American who receives these checks should give thought as what is best for them.  Maybe it would be best to pay off debt or just add to their savings.  Some of the things I think need to be taking into consideration are:

 

A.)  Is the stimulus package the right answer to the economic problems?

B.)  Will your job be the next one lost?  The economy has lost jobs the first three months this year.

C.)  Does the Bush administration have a good track record in dealing with the economy and creating new

        jobs?

D.)  Will you be better off by using the rebate to purchase goods?.

E.)  Do you anticipate any raises in the near future or any additional expenses?

 

The list can go on and on, but one can understand what is going on here.  The Wall Street Journal reported in 2000, (Clinton's administration) median yearly household income adjusted for inflation was $49,447.00  By 2006 (Bush's administration) that same income fell to $48,223.00.

 

From 2002 to 2006 (Bush's administration), the income of the top 1% grew at an annual rate of 11% while the incomes of the remaining 99% grew at less than 1% annually during those years.  Those numbers should give people who receive rebate checks reason to pause and make sure they make the right decision.  The average American should understand the Republicans are no friend to the middle class when it comes to the economy, creating jobs, raising wages, and having a real economic policy to sustain the economy. 

 

The facts prove that Republicans are masters of creating debt, deficit spending, trickle down economics that favor the wealthy, and reckless behavior in using our country's resources and finances.  The are a pitiful lot who still use the worn out phrase, "democrats will raise your taxes."  Who ever falls for that line without checking the facts on how Republicans are getting into their pockets deserve what they get.

McCain's Latest Economic Package

Senator McCain announced his Economic Package at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh a few weeks ago.  It follows the same failed economic packages of Reagan-Bush and Bush 43 ---trickle down economics that favor the wealthy and corporate America and that do nothing to grow and sustain the economy and the middle class that is once again forgotten.  Here is his package:

 

Reduce corporate tax rate from 35% to 25% and offer other corporate write-offs --- a double whammy, in other words, for corporate America and the wealthy.  The Reagan-Bush and Bush 43 administration have already given corporate America and the most wealthy the largest tax breaks in the past 28 years, and now McCain is following their reckless agenda.  Will the American people let themselves be fooled for a fourth time?  This tax cut and other write-offs will cost the treasury $100 Billion a year.  And to think McCain said there will be no more corporate welfare during his administration.

 

He said he would also repeal the alternate minimum tax which affects 93% of those making between $200,000.00 and $1 million per year.  This will cost the treasury $1.6 Trillion over 10 years.  McCain would like to suspend the gasoline tax for the summer months that would cost the treasury $9 Billion, without any real way to make up the lost revenue.  In other words, don't address the problem of high gasoline prices and Big Oil, just suspend the gasoline tax for 3 months, deprive the government of that revenue and then go back to $111/barrel oil and $3.40/gallon gasoline.  In short: Ignore the real problem.

 

As one can see, the middle class is once again on the short end of any tax relief.  More over, the money lost by the treasury because of McCain's lack of a true economic policy will just keep adding more to the deficit and debt the Republicans are experts at creating.  At the same time, it does absolutely nothing to grow and sustain the economy and the loss of revenue reduces the governments ability to provide the needed services to the people and the country.  If the American people think the economy is bad now and McCain is the next President, the Republicans will accomplish what Russia tried to do years ago, but failed, --- bury us.

 

So called Republican conservatives have no shame being in the pocket of corporate America and creating debt for the country and its people.  We are in an economy now that is out of control and have a President who has failed to act.  If McCain is the next President, the middle class will be no more, mark my words.  That should scare the hell out of everyone.