46. Mac looks like he recently suffered a transient
ischemic attack.
Check out that left eye.He also seems a bit lost
or confused at times.

BOB JOHNSON at 12:22AM on Sep 26th 2008

47. "Yes, a crisis created by the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977, passed by a Democratically controlled House, and Democratically controlled Senate, and then signed into law by a Democratic President. The Community Reinvestment Act of 1977, which pressured lending institutes into loaning money to people who couldn't pay the loans back."

Paul,

I'll let Nobel Prize winning economist Joseph Stiglitz explain it for you so you can understand why we are in the shape we are in. And this will certainly she light that when McCain says the fundamentals of the economy are stong, he is dead wrong.

Stiglitz said it was ironic that former Federal Reserve head Alan Greenspan had said it was the world's worst economic problem in the last 50 years, adding, "He is the source of much of the problem."

He said mismanagement by the Federal Reserve over the last seven years was one of the major factors underlying the current problem.

"They had the regulatory authority to prevent some of these bad practices that we are now paying for and he chose not to do it."

Stiglitz said the reason related in part to the war in Iraq and the very negative effect on the economy.

"They didn't want Americans to know exactly how bad the war was for the economy so they flooded it with liquidity, they looked the other way with regulations and they deliberately, I think, postponed the problem into the future and now we're paying the price."

Turning the other way on Regulations is a Republican principle. Always has been and always will be. McCain is part of the problem. He was a member of the Keating 5. We know this.

As far as this situation, his core principles in his economic philosophy is what created this mess.

Botts at 12:27AM on Sep 26th 2008

48. "I challenge you to produce ONE impartial source that records how Congress halted the project BEFORE Sarah Palin axed it."

What do you consider impartial? I mean, what I'm hearing these days, is that if you ask her a legitimate question she can't answer, you're being in the tank for Obama. Is this subjective or what?

http://www.reuters.com/article/vcCandidateFeed7/idUSN3125537020080901

Is this okay?

Where did I say that Congress stopped the project before she did?

"And I don't see where Palin's "lying" about anything when it comes to earmarks. She's changed her political views of such things.
I know, you'll call that flip-flopping. I'll call it flexibility with an open mind to fresh ideas."

Okay Paul. Whatever you say dude.

Botts at 12:35AM on Sep 26th 2008

49. It's official:

There's been a class war-- and the RICH HAVE WON!
Middle class, working poor, disabled-- PREPARE to be eaten!

Bush's laissez-faire, hands-off the precious "free" market deregulated monkey-business as usual has successfully PRIVATIZED PROFITS & SOCIALIZED LOSSES on the backs of average Americans.
Neither the politicians NOR the lap-dog press have even NAMED the companies we're expected to bail-out.

And talk of the tax-code remains stagnant-- stuck in the ridiculous notion that we can't continue to graduate tax rates as income rises above the current top rate ($around 250,000), despite indisputable evidence that the current rates encourage obscene greed amongst the VERY wealthy, punish the middle class, and discourage personal responsibility amongst the rich & the CEOs.

Fact is, the market has spoken. I say to the white house--
'Bad credit risk. LOAN DENIED!!!!"


The RIGHTWING is so big on tough love as long as it's against the electorate. Heaven forbid poor old CEOs should get a few million lessin "bonuses" for their screwups, or that MULTI-MILLIONAIRES should pay a higher rate than those making $250,000, or that those middle & lower income folks should get meaningful financial help.

As long as Americans continue to buy the propaganda-- now completely disproved- that the multimillionaire-and-above category of wealthy's riches trickle down to help America, we will continue to be rubes & fall-guys for the INTERNATIONAL oligarchy & the sold-out politicians.

Lee Gorden at 1:02AM on Sep 26th 2008

50. Botts...You simply do not read, do you?

I asked for an IMPARTIAL source that records how Congress halted the bridge before Palin did. And all you can provide is a Reuters account that includes this slanted perspective: "The bridge, a span from the city to Gravina Island, home to only a few dozen people, secured a $223 million earmark in 2005."

If you can't recognize that the article did not include the full story then you're an idiot. As I've said, the bridge didn't go to just an island with a few dozen people. Rather, it was designed to link downtown Ketchikan with its International Airport on Gravina Island AND to the precious acreage available for residential and commercial development on the island. (Due to its topography, Ketchikan is approximately a mere seven blocks wide by eight miles long...with little additional room to grow--if it weren't for Gravina Island.)

On top of that, for this one biased report from Reuters that you've provided, I can provide TEN news reports from traditionally left-leaning newspapers that cite Sarah Palin as the individual responsible for halting that bridge.
Those newspapers (along with the Democrats) had every intention of using that failed project against her in the next election cycle, so they copiously reported that SHE axed the project--NOT Congress.

Now, if you can try again to provide one UNBIASED account of how Congress halted the project before Sarah Palin did then I'll be willing to read it...mostly because I'd like to see it in verifiable print myself.

You make a huge mistake if you think I'm a McCain-Palin supporter.

I'm a registered Independent voter. I won't vote for either of these absurd tickets.

Paul at 9:21AM on Sep 26th 2008

51. Where did I say that Congress stopped the project before she did?

"And I don't see where Palin's "lying" about anything when it comes to earmarks. She's changed her political views of such things.
I know, you'll call that flip-flopping. I'll call it flexibility with an open mind to fresh ideas."

Okay Paul. Whatever you say dude. --Botts
______________________

You're either stoned, stupid, or just off your game. Again, WHERE did I say that Congress stopped the project before Palin did?

Where? I can't see it anywhere...and neither can you.

Paul at 9:20AM on Sep 26th 2008

52. Where did I say that Congress stopped the project before she did?

"And I don't see where Palin's "lying" about anything when it comes to earmarks. She's changed her political views of such things.
I know, you'll call that flip-flopping. I'll call it flexibility with an open mind to fresh ideas."

Okay Paul. Whatever you say dude. --Botts
______________________

You're either stoned, stupid, or just off your game. Again, WHERE did I say that Congress stopped the project before Palin did?

Where? I can't see it anywhere...and neither can you.

Paul at 9:20AM on Sep 26th 2008

53. "McCain is part of the problem. He was a member of the Keating 5. We know this." --Botts
__________________________

Again, you provide only as much information as you need to reassure yourself that you're correct in your political view...and that's dangerous.

That John McCain was part of the Keating Five is a historical fact. However, that the Senate Ethics Committee investigating the Keating Five CLEARED JOHN MCCAIN OF ALL CRIMINAL CHARGES is also a historic fact. Let me repeat that for you because I know that you're too stubborn to let it sink in after just one offering. The Senate Ethics Committee investigating the Keating Five cleared John McCain of all criminal charges. McCain later acknowledged his own poor judgment in the case and has learned greatly from his mistake.

Having been inside such a scandal, McCain has learned from his mistake. So much so that two years ago he predicted the current crisis in the financial sector and warned against inaction. And more than predict it, McCain actually co-sponsored S. 190 [109th]: Federal Housing Enterprise Regulatory Reform Act of 2005, which would have reformed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac lending practices. [Here's a link to the bill. Note that Barack Obama's name doesn't appear as a co-sponsor to the bill. http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s109-190 ]

Worse than that, Barack's own web site LIES about John McCain not being a co-sponsor to the bill. [LINK to the lie -- http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/withfeeling/gGgsPM/commentary ]

And while Obama's lies about McCain's co-sponsorship of S.190, here's an excerpt from McCain's speech before Congress on May 25th, 2006. (This is a matter of official record--not slanted media reporting.) Remember that McCain made the speech long before Barack Obama won the Democratic nomination and (more importantly) long before he won the Republican nomination. In fact, McCain's presidential campaign at the time was virtually over before it even began.

"I join as a cosponsor of the Federal Housing Enterprise Regulatory Reform Act of 2005, S. 190, to underscore my support for quick passage of GSE regulatory reform legislation."

Here's a link so that you can verify that Obama is lying and McCain actually DID co-sponsor the reform bill calling for the regulatory practices that you so adamantly claim he is against.
[ http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/withfeeling/gGgsPM/commentary ]

But let's see if we can come up with a similar problem for the Democratic candidate...

Hmmm...Oh, wait! I've got one!

Barack Obama used to use drugs...can we count on him to resume his drug use while president? Or can we count on him to push for a relaxation of substance abuse laws?

Answering the first, question, he probably won't. But as to the second question, you bet we can! It's noted on Obama's web site that he wants to relax convictions for cocaine users.

Wonderful. President Obama will subtlety suggest to all the drug dealers in our fair land (who go on poisoning our children) that it's okay to do business now that penalties have been relaxed.

I can't wait!

Paul at 10:04AM on Sep 26th 2008

54. I pasted the wrong link to McCain's speech from 2006. Here's the correct link:

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/record.xpd?id=109-s20060525-16#sMonofilemx003Ammx002Fmmx002Fmmx002Fmhomemx002Fmgovtrackmx002Fmdatamx002Fmusmx002Fm109mx002Fmcrmx002Fms20060525-16.xmlElementm0m0m0m

Paul at 10:10AM on Sep 26th 2008

55. I just want to get this straight-- We trust the "Senate Ethics Committee" but not the Senate?
Cognitive Dissonance.

I see it's partisan bickering as usual on these blogs while the country goes to hell & no one is able to get his or her head out of his or her butt long enough to think outside the Repub vs Dem talking points.

McCain was cleared in the Keating Five because he was so close to his buds he didn't THINK there was anything wrong with the glad-handing. Somehow I'm not reassured.

Neither am I reassured that the Dems are on the correct track, but to elect a laissez-faire Republican who has basically backed Bush's deregulation in nearly every case-- except to CONVENIENTLY wait till TWO years ago when the repubs were finally out of control of the house.

Would've been a lot more effective-- and genuine as opposed to political gamesmanship-- for McCain to call for an INDUSTRY WIDE investigation of mortgage practices, not just those of Fannie & Freddie, & to have done it while he and the Bush regime had full sway in the Senate (after all he had 6 years) if he really wanted to make changes.

Instead he waits till he can make sure & blame the Dems for the TWO years they've been in vs. the repubs SIX years.

If only both parties were less concerned with partisan power & ideologies & more concerned with what's advantageous to American Citizens...
But then they'd have to craft policies that help us poor schmucks instead of lining the pockets of their wealthy buddies.
And they might even have to try to LEAD, to FRAME our role in a global economy instead of being sheepish followers to international corporate interests. And they might have to address illegal immigration rather than pander.

el S at 12:24AM on Sep 27th 2008

56. McCain's campaign in trouble? Oh my gosh has all the democrates and the media died? that is the only way his campaign will be in trouble for Obama's own worst enemeies are the media and his own party! They are the ones not wanting him to be President the Republicans just want to win but the racist democrates and the media are the ones that do not want a minority as President. WAKE UP PEOPLE!

Nandi at 8:56AM on Sep 27th 2008

57. Too bad, another nail in the coffin

Dedmanrisn
xxx
Like you, McCan't is a deadman. Name one thing he got right about anything in the last two weeks. Being a red faced chicken little with a loud voice ain't being right. Blaming Obama ain't being right. BTW, the fundamentals of the economy aren't sound or did you miss that one too?

Tim at 8:50AM on Sep 30th 2008