Senators Obama and McCain On The Economy

Obama and McCain outlined their approach on how to revive the nation's economy.  Both their plans rely heavily on taxes.  Like Reagan-Bush and Bush 43, their's is a tax policy and not an economic policy so it will not result in a sustained economy or job creation on a sustained basis.  They seem to have learned nothing from the last three Republican Presidents concerning the economy.

 

McCain's Plan:  (1)  Reduce regulation. (Like as if Bush paid any attention to regulation)  (2)  Cut Corporate Taxes;  (3)  Expand free trade agreements;  (4)  Cut Government Spending;  (5)  Maintain Bush's tax cuts for the wealthier Americans.

 

Obama's Plan:  (1) Expand health insurance for all;  (2)  Reducing income inequality;  (3) Raise taxes on Wealthy Americans;  (4)  $50 Billion economic stimulus plan and tax cuts for middle income Americans.

 

McCain plans to pay for his proposal by reducing spending but Republican Presidents and Republicans in Congress including McCain do not have any record of reducing spending.  In fact the Republicans are the biggest spenders of all time and deficit spenders at that.

 

Obama plans to pay for his proposals by raising a variety of taxes including increasing capital gains rate to 20%; increasing taxes for families with incomes over $250,000. and ending the cap on Social Security income now set at $102,000. by also taxing income over $250,000.

 

McCain and Obama's announced plans are not an economic policy to answer the serious problem facing America.  Neither one mentions balancing the federal budget, so they are committed to keep piling on debt which is the main cause of our economic problems.  The United States can not keep paying a half trillion dollars a year just to pay interest payments on the national debt.

 

Where do they stand and what are their plans for the Greening of America, for conservation to reduce Energy usage; for reducing gasoline prices?  Both voted for Bush's energy bill that gave the Oil and Gas Companies $17 Billion in tax breaks.  The Oil and Gas Companies really needed that;  yea, tell me another fairytale.  They should both be urging congress to reduce the speed limit on the Interstate system to 55 MPH like President Carter did.  It worked and worked well.  In fact both of them should be in Washington introducing that measure.

 

I have commented before that stimulus packages do nothing to create a sound economy.  In fact they come after the economy goes south.  In other words, after the fact.  The idea is to have a sound economic policy that is broad based with the intent of balancing the federal budget.  We are near ending eight years of an administration who has wrecked the economy and put the country into record debt.  The President, Republicans and Democrats in Congress have offered no way to pay for the war in Iraq and the cost will soon hit the trillion dollar mark and climbing.  Sadly, Obama and McCain are AWOL on the issue.

 

We the people are asked to believe in change, yet both candidates have had an opportunity to change things in Congress but failed to do so.  New we have their proposals concerning the economy that also fails to change the status quo or to answer our economic problems.

 

We are told that this is an important time in our history, yet, we have two candidates without any original thought and still stuck with recycled proposals that are supposed to pass as an economic policy.  Where are Americas true leaders for the future?

The United States Policy Toward Israel Has To Change...NOW!!!

I have commented before how the U.S. relationship with Israel was not working and how Israel's leaders are the biggest obstacle to peace in the middle east and solving the Israel-Palestine problem.  The Bush administration in particular has done nothing to change the status quo concerning this problem.

 

Now we have a report coming out of Israel by Secretary of State Condi Rice as carried in the New Orleans Times Picayune dated 6-16-08 and I quote from the article.  "Israel's persistent building of Jewish homes on disputed land undermines the U.S. backed attempt to write an Israeli-Palestinian peace draft this year and invites questions about Israel's motives.  Using exceptionally harsh language the visiting U.S. envoy said Israel must understand the pall its actions cast over talks and on the confidence of the U.S. European nations and others that Israel is bargaining in good faith.  She said the Jewish state has apparently picked up the pace of housing expansion since President Bush inaugurated negotiations at Annapolis, Md."

 

The above statement is so hypocritical and comes 7-1/2 years too late for this administration who has over looked Israel's housing expansions since it came to office.  Bush and Rice like to demand a lot from other countries, but when it comes to Israel there are no demands for the peace process and for Israel to change its behavior.  The leaders of Israel and Bush will continue to increase tensions in the middle east with their arrogance.  Israel does not even honor their own agreements with the U.N. concerning the borders.

 

It is easy to see why the leaders of Israel dislike former President Carter.  They can not persuade him to go with their own failed policies.  Carter is the one American who has a handle on the real problem and what it takes to bring peace to the Israel and Palestinian conflict.  The Israel-Egyptian peace treaty that Carter led has been in force for almost 30 years and is working.  It is obvious the leaders of Israel do not want the same success with Palestine. 

 

It is way past time for the Bush administration to admit its failure and change the U.S. policy toward Israel.  Obama and McCain have been silent on the issue but they need to speak out and let the voters know where they stand on the issue.  After all, one of them will be the next President in January.

Bush, Israel, Iraq and Iran: A Deadly Combination

The Bush administration wants a security pact with Iraq on keeping U.S. Troops based there for the foreseeable future.  Bush wants this concluded before he leaves office and will tie the hands of the next President if put in effect.  Keeping American troops in Iraq will insure the U.S. of a continued war in the middle east for years to come with no end in sight.

 

An American presence in Iraq is not needed to protect the middle east or the security of the U.S., just as the war and occupation of Iraq over WMD that did not exist was not needed.  Bush has put America and our men and women in uniform in danger with his reckless policies.  Iran is opposed to the U.S. military pact with Iraq and says the U.S. wants to use such American presence as a base to attack Iran.  They are probably right.  Bush says he does not need Congress to approve such a pact.  If that is true, Congress should not fund any such agreement.

 

Now we have Shaul Mofiz a cabinet minister in Israel's government of Prime Minister Olmert saying that Israel will have no choice but to attack Iran if it does not halt its nuclear program.  The Prime Minister distanced himself from that quote.  Israel, a country that former President Carter said had up to 150 nuclear weapons is secret about their own nuclear program but wants Iran to fess up concerning their program.  Since Shaul Mofiz made a threat of attacking Iran, I guess that means Iran can launch a preempted strike against Israel to protect its people.  Two can play Israel sorry game.

 

The present leaders of Israel and the U.S. are reckless with their policies and talk concerning the middle east and seem bent on having a nuclear war in that area.  The new U.S. President needs to change our policy and relationship in the middle east and Israel and promote real peace and stability in the area.  If the new U.S. President promotes the status quo with Israel and the middle east does anyone think that will make America safer? 

 

Our Presidential candidates, Obama and McCain need to stand up and be counted on what their policies would be in the middle east and with Israel.  So far they have taken no position on Bush's plan to have a treaty with Iraq on keeping a U.S. presence there with U.S. troops.  What a shame.  The status quo with Israel and the Middle East is unacceptable. 

Bush, Israel, Iraq and Iran: A Deadly Combination

The Bush administration wants a security pact with Iraq on keeping U.S. Troops based there for the foreseeable future.  Bush wants this concluded before he leaves office and will tie the hands of the next President if put in effect.  Keeping American troops in Iraq will insure the U.S. of a continued war in the middle east for years to come with no end in sight.

 

An American presence in Iraq is not needed to protect the middle east or the security of the U.S., just as the war and occupation of Iraq over WMD that did not exist was not needed.  Bush has put America and our men and women in uniform in danger with his reckless policies.  Iran is opposed to the U.S. military pact with Iraq and says the U.S. wants to use such American presence as a base to attack Iran.  They are probably right.  Bush says he does not need Congress to approve such a pact.  If that is true, Congress should not fund any such agreement.

 

Now we have Shaul Mofiz a cabinet minister in Israel's government of Prime Minister Olmert saying that Israel will have no choice but to attack Iran if it does not halt its nuclear program.  The Prime Minister distanced himself from that quote.  Israel, a country that former President Carter said had up to 150 nuclear weapons is secret about their own nuclear program but wants Iran to fess up concerning their program.  Since Shaul Mofiz made a threat of attacking Iran, I guess that means Iran can launch a preempted strike against Israel to protect its people.  Two can play Israel sorry game.

 

The present leaders of Israel and the U.S. are reckless with their policies and talk concerning the middle east and seem bent on having a nuclear war in that area.  The new U.S. President needs to change our policy and relationship in the middle east and Israel and promote real peace and stability in the area.  If the new U.S. President promotes the status quo with Israel and the middle east does anyone think that will make America safer? 

 

Our Presidential candidates, Obama and McCain need to stand up and be counted on what their policies would be in the middle east and with Israel.  So far they have taken no position on Bush's plan to have a treaty with Iraq on keeping a U.S. presence there with U.S. troops.  What a shame.  The status quo with Israel and the Middle East is unacceptable.