FIRST PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE: MISMATCH
McCain Brought His Shovel; Obama brought His Game
(Sept. 26, Oxford, Mississippi) In this highly anticipated first presidential debate, which almost did not occur, John McCain and Barak Obama answered questions from PBS host Jim Lehrer. This debate was scheduled to address foreign policy however, due to the current financial crisis; the first 40 minutes were spent dealing with questions related to the perilous economic situation. Each candidate fielded these questions with basic boiler plate political rhetoric. Neither offered any substantive ideas or proposals regarding how to practically handle the financial mess, the worst economic meltdown since the Great Depression of 1929.
McCain found himself in a particularly precarious position since, in his role as a Senator; he was a staunch proponent of government deregulation of financial institutions of all kinds and helped craft the legislation that made the current financial crisis possible. He has a strong pro-business, trickle down economics voting history in the senate as well as many close relationships, some rather dubious, with corporate leaders, executives and lobbyists. He also was unable to divorce himself from the fact that he has voted for virtually every piece of legislation that George W. Bush supported. McCain was unable to cast himself as an agent of change after 26 years in Congress.
Barak Obama demonstrated an impressive understanding of the current crisis as well as economics and fiscal policy and comported himself well during this segment of the debate. While McCain never looked at Obama directly, whenever McCain was responding to a question, Obama turned and looked directly at McCain. This simple component of body language gave the Illinois Senator an air of confidence, comfortability, and command of the issues.
When the questions finally moved to foreign policy, McCain’s alleged strong suit and an area he has drawn sharp distinctions between himself and Senator Obama, again he failed to score any real body blows aside from repeating condescending, dismissive, sometimes contemptuous comments regarding his opponents “lack of understanding”, “inexperience” and other similar statements. McCain was clearly determined to establish the theme that Obama lacks “the experience, knowledge and judgment” to be Commander-in-Chief.
The starkest differences among many were regarding the war in Iraq. Senator Obama had opposed the war since 2002 while John McCain, a former Navy pilot and POW in Viet Nam, was one of the strongest, most vocal ally of President Bush. During this segment of questioning, McCain became aggressively dismissive of the younger Obama, saying several times while referencing his opponent, “he just doesn’t get it”, “What Senator Obama doesn’t realize is…” and some even more pointed borderline sarcastic criticisms. During one exchange McCain said that Obama “Does not understand the difference between tactics and strategy.” Obama scored a countercharge soon there after when he stated “John thinks the war began in 2007. It didn’t.” This was in reference to McCain continually touted the “success of the surge.”
Overall it was lackluster aside from the few exchanges when both candidates briefly trades jabs with an occasional body punch.
Of course, the post debate spin doctors for each candidate declared their man as the winner while public opinion polls show that the majority of viewers basically judged the debate as a draw. The fact that the race remains in a statistical dead heat, this close to the general election, raise a of host of questions regarding how the electorate perceives Senator McCain and Senator Obama. The complexity of the world and current domestic problems; the challenges that our next president will face, combined with the historic nature of the tickets, may be elements that set the stage for a protracted vote count before a winner is declared.
Copyright TBC 2008 © All Rights Reserved
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
McCAIN WANTS FRIDAY’S DEBATE POSTPONED
SITES “FINANCIAL CRISIS” AS REASON
Palin "Ready To Fight"
(Sept. 24, New York, New York) Republican presidential candidate, Senator John McCain has officially announced that he will “temporarily stop“ his campaign efforts to return to Washington DC to participate in the so called financial “bail out “ package. McCain stated that “this is not a time for politics”, noting that any proposed bail out be a bipartisan effort. His opponent, Barak Obama rejects the notion that Friday’s first presidential debate be canceled or postponed because of the financial crisis. “Now more than ever”, Obama said, the American people need to know where we stand.
In an odd twist of irony, the current Wall Street melt down, the financial collapse that has rocked our already fragile economy, was made possible by deregulation legislation supported vigorously by John McCain and his chief economic advisor Phil Gramm and other boneheaded, barely literate, greedy republican senators with a great deal of palm greasing by lobbyists .
The fact that McCain feels the need to suspend his campaign to deal with the economic calamity has raised concerns from republicans, democrats, independents and hockey moms. One McCain operative, speaking anonymously said, “This doesn’t look good. It gives the appearance, sends a message that John McCain can only handle one issue or crisis at a time. That is not a good quality to have in a 72 year old President.” Many other insiders, pundits, commentators, transsexuals, radio talk show hosts, and analysts echoed these sentiments, some, using much stronger language. Republican Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, well known for his own incredible lack of intelligence, common sense and dementia noted, “ I frankly don’t know if John can walk and chew gum at the same time. I know it’s tough for me to do but, I’m younger than John.”
With a scant 42 days before the election, the postponement or cancellation of one of the scheduled three presidential debates will create an awkward political climate. The American electorate was just beginning to truly focus on this historically important election and the anticipation surrounding the debates has been growing. Some projections estimated that the debate scheduled for this Friday could draw up to 10,000.000 viewers and that is a conservative estimate. With most national polls showing McCain and Obama locked in a statistical dead heat, the debates are the only remaining opportunities for the candidates to present themselves to a nationwide audience as they stand side by side.
Many political pollsters and professionals such as Stu Rothenberg, George Will, Will Smith, Frank Luntz, Bill Clinton, Wayne Newton, Bono, John Madden, and the Harris Organization agree that the debates must take place as scheduled. Dr. W. Filbert Wackenhacker, Director of Political Science at North Central Eastern State University, an expert on presidential politics commented, “ If McCain cannot debate because he has other things to do, what will he postpone if multiple crisis's arise if he is president? The United States President does not have the luxury of working off a “Things to do Today List”. Frankly, the man knows more about Yahtzee and Monopoly than he does about monetary, financial or economic policy. That scars the bejeezus out of me.”
The well respected presidential historian and author Dolores Kearns Goodwin observed, “This is a truly remarkable confluence of variables. Not since Calvin Coolidge developed a severe case of flatulence and was unable to debate has such an event been in jeopardy. We all remember how John F. Kennedy won the election basically by making Richard Nixon look like a sweaty, unshaven crook in their famous 1960 debate. In a sense though, the very fact that one of the candidates appears to be trying to get out of a debate is almost as disturbing as when Ross Perot made George H.W. Bush, the incumbent President look like an enormously distracted, bored imbecile in the 1992 debate.” Mrs. Goodwin stopped offering historical points of reference only after she was hit with a taser gun at the request of the interviewer.
While McCain increases his missteps, gaffes and pure lying or lack of short term memory daily, his running mate, Sarah Palin , the Governor of Alaska, is under even greater scrutiny. Her association with a Pastor who believes in witch craft has garnered intense examination in the last two days as has her propensity to shoot innocent, wild animals, pose with high powered rifles wearing a bikini and her ability to speak in “tongues.” She has also mentioned that her children just “love it when I make polar bear tongue soup. They like it almost as much as elk ass pie.”
When questioned by Katie Couric of CBS News, about what John McCain has done during his 26 years in Congress regarding regulatory oversight and financial institution reform , she answered, “I’ll find out and get back to you.” She then quickly changed the subject to foreign policy firmly stating, “Some of the moose I have shot came over from Russia. I watched the History Channel a few times and later today, I’m going to have my picture taken with all sorts of world type leaders from all over the world who come from all over the world to come to the United Nations. I haven’t been this excited since they took caribous off the endangered species list. Nothing like shooting a caribou with a high powered rifle, then slitting its throat. I bet Joe Biden couldn’t do that and he has probably never even seen a Russia moose.” Palin also offered to wrestle Michelle Obama “anytime, any where, no holds barred. I’d beat her like a rabid gray wolf.” As an alternative she challenged Mrs. Obama to a Wet T-Shirt Contest while riding dog sleds. The Obama campaign has yet to respond to these generous offers. CBS News insiders reported that Ms. Couric took several Pamprins, drank some vodka and vomited violently during the commercial break.
As of this writing, this all important, highly anticipated presidential race that has consumed much of the past two years and comes at an extremely critical time in American history, may actually be over shadowed as our staggering American economy dissolves into a full blown depression with soaring inflation, a devalued currency like an iceberg floating through the Everglades.
Copyright © 2008 TBC All Rights Reserved
Click on title for permalink:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/us/politics/25campaign.html?ex=1380081600&en=ff252af46d305029&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink
Palin "Ready To Fight"
(Sept. 24, New York, New York) Republican presidential candidate, Senator John McCain has officially announced that he will “temporarily stop“ his campaign efforts to return to Washington DC to participate in the so called financial “bail out “ package. McCain stated that “this is not a time for politics”, noting that any proposed bail out be a bipartisan effort. His opponent, Barak Obama rejects the notion that Friday’s first presidential debate be canceled or postponed because of the financial crisis. “Now more than ever”, Obama said, the American people need to know where we stand.
In an odd twist of irony, the current Wall Street melt down, the financial collapse that has rocked our already fragile economy, was made possible by deregulation legislation supported vigorously by John McCain and his chief economic advisor Phil Gramm and other boneheaded, barely literate, greedy republican senators with a great deal of palm greasing by lobbyists .
The fact that McCain feels the need to suspend his campaign to deal with the economic calamity has raised concerns from republicans, democrats, independents and hockey moms. One McCain operative, speaking anonymously said, “This doesn’t look good. It gives the appearance, sends a message that John McCain can only handle one issue or crisis at a time. That is not a good quality to have in a 72 year old President.” Many other insiders, pundits, commentators, transsexuals, radio talk show hosts, and analysts echoed these sentiments, some, using much stronger language. Republican Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, well known for his own incredible lack of intelligence, common sense and dementia noted, “ I frankly don’t know if John can walk and chew gum at the same time. I know it’s tough for me to do but, I’m younger than John.”
With a scant 42 days before the election, the postponement or cancellation of one of the scheduled three presidential debates will create an awkward political climate. The American electorate was just beginning to truly focus on this historically important election and the anticipation surrounding the debates has been growing. Some projections estimated that the debate scheduled for this Friday could draw up to 10,000.000 viewers and that is a conservative estimate. With most national polls showing McCain and Obama locked in a statistical dead heat, the debates are the only remaining opportunities for the candidates to present themselves to a nationwide audience as they stand side by side.
Many political pollsters and professionals such as Stu Rothenberg, George Will, Will Smith, Frank Luntz, Bill Clinton, Wayne Newton, Bono, John Madden, and the Harris Organization agree that the debates must take place as scheduled. Dr. W. Filbert Wackenhacker, Director of Political Science at North Central Eastern State University, an expert on presidential politics commented, “ If McCain cannot debate because he has other things to do, what will he postpone if multiple crisis's arise if he is president? The United States President does not have the luxury of working off a “Things to do Today List”. Frankly, the man knows more about Yahtzee and Monopoly than he does about monetary, financial or economic policy. That scars the bejeezus out of me.”
The well respected presidential historian and author Dolores Kearns Goodwin observed, “This is a truly remarkable confluence of variables. Not since Calvin Coolidge developed a severe case of flatulence and was unable to debate has such an event been in jeopardy. We all remember how John F. Kennedy won the election basically by making Richard Nixon look like a sweaty, unshaven crook in their famous 1960 debate. In a sense though, the very fact that one of the candidates appears to be trying to get out of a debate is almost as disturbing as when Ross Perot made George H.W. Bush, the incumbent President look like an enormously distracted, bored imbecile in the 1992 debate.” Mrs. Goodwin stopped offering historical points of reference only after she was hit with a taser gun at the request of the interviewer.
While McCain increases his missteps, gaffes and pure lying or lack of short term memory daily, his running mate, Sarah Palin , the Governor of Alaska, is under even greater scrutiny. Her association with a Pastor who believes in witch craft has garnered intense examination in the last two days as has her propensity to shoot innocent, wild animals, pose with high powered rifles wearing a bikini and her ability to speak in “tongues.” She has also mentioned that her children just “love it when I make polar bear tongue soup. They like it almost as much as elk ass pie.”
When questioned by Katie Couric of CBS News, about what John McCain has done during his 26 years in Congress regarding regulatory oversight and financial institution reform , she answered, “I’ll find out and get back to you.” She then quickly changed the subject to foreign policy firmly stating, “Some of the moose I have shot came over from Russia. I watched the History Channel a few times and later today, I’m going to have my picture taken with all sorts of world type leaders from all over the world who come from all over the world to come to the United Nations. I haven’t been this excited since they took caribous off the endangered species list. Nothing like shooting a caribou with a high powered rifle, then slitting its throat. I bet Joe Biden couldn’t do that and he has probably never even seen a Russia moose.” Palin also offered to wrestle Michelle Obama “anytime, any where, no holds barred. I’d beat her like a rabid gray wolf.” As an alternative she challenged Mrs. Obama to a Wet T-Shirt Contest while riding dog sleds. The Obama campaign has yet to respond to these generous offers. CBS News insiders reported that Ms. Couric took several Pamprins, drank some vodka and vomited violently during the commercial break.
As of this writing, this all important, highly anticipated presidential race that has consumed much of the past two years and comes at an extremely critical time in American history, may actually be over shadowed as our staggering American economy dissolves into a full blown depression with soaring inflation, a devalued currency like an iceberg floating through the Everglades.
Copyright © 2008 TBC All Rights Reserved
Click on title for permalink:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/us/politics/25campaign.html?ex=1380081600&en=ff252af46d305029&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
WALL STREET:
THE ONLY STREET IN AMERICA WHERE ENDS MEET
Citizens Face Enormous Financial Woes
(Sept. 22, New York. New York) A “bubble” collapsed. A “bailout” is needed. Sounds like a nightmare if you happen to be in a hot air balloon. Unfortunately 95% of Americans live in a world where bubbles and bailouts do not begin to describe the stresses and strains of daily life. Wages have remained stagnant as longer work hours are expected, groceries such as milk, bread and cereals have increased over 300% in the past 12 months. Gasoline? Four dollars a gallon is the norm; when it drops to $3.89 per gallon folks weep with joy.
Meanwhile, the world the majority of Americans reside in is as far removed from Wall Street and the intricacies of economics, banking, monetary policy and all the other myriad arcania that comprise our economy. While we watched a war drag on for the last six years, those few men who actually run the country, not the government, but actually the country itself have recklessly sold our nation to foreign entities that would like nothing better than to call in our debt. Our credit society spans from the woman with a Discover card to some of the largest banks, brokerages and lending institutions in the world.
Fannie and Freddie. Who actually knew who they were, what they do and how beholden a huge number of folks paying mortgages are to them. They are quasi-governmental agencies that play an advanced highly advanced, high stakes version of the old 42nd Street shell game.
Ironically, almost unbelievably, one of the men most responsible for our collapsing economy is John McCain, the Republican presidential candidate. In 1999 McCain and his top economic advisor, former texas senator and ET look-a-like, helped craft the legislation that ushered in the era of deregulation. Essentially, this allowed Wall Street and all that term connotes to do as they please without oversight, government regulations or accountability. The American public were merely the dupes and dopes who threw their hard earned money down on the hustlers foul-up table on the old 42nd Street - “The Dirty Deuce”, as it was known back in the day.
Now the hustlers where $4000 suits, live in Connecticut or helicopter in from South Hampton and engage in games where they not only make the rules, they can and do change them as they see fit. The economy, our American economy to these greedy, heartless bastards born with silver spoons sticking out of their asses and trust funds waiting for them to grow up, is all about them: it is all about their own personal wealth. But, we, in part, let them do it to us.
We have become so accustomed to the scum bag politicians at every level that we are numb to their bullshit, and, sadly apathetic. Apathy has destroyed nations if not civilizations. The brilliant men who wrote our Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights and The Constitution knew the hazards, the inherent perils of a disinterested, uninformed, apathetic populace. James Madison, one of the great minds at the birth of this Nation said “Since the general civilization of mankind, I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of freedoms of the people by gradual and silent encroachment of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.” You know what he was saying. he was not alone.
Centuries later, George Orwell, the famous author who visualized a country run by “Big Brother” said of apathy, “The ordinary man is passive. Within a narrow circle, home life, and perhaps the trade unions or local politics, he feels himself master of his fate. But otherwise he simply lies down and lets things happen to him.” And just to add some truly historical perspective to the perils a society can fall victim to was said centuries ago, in Ancient Greece by Plato, “The penalty good men pay for indifference to public affairs, is to be ruled by evil men.” And Lord knows we are about to start paying penalties we never imagined. We have been totally, collectively “indifferent to public affairs”. Jobs went overseas and we said,”How did that happen.” Industrial, manufacturing, machinary plants closed, pensioned vaporized and we asked, “ What the hell happened?”. NAFTA, GATT, free trade agreements, and all the other host of international organizations that rule the planet have been permitted to do as they pleased because we hadn’t the time to read the news, watch the news, pay attention to the issues. Nope, we have become so apathetic that we have permitted George W. Bush to sacrifice our national treasure in lives, limbs, blood and money for a war contrived by he and his evil cronies. We have allowed his boss Dick Cheney to rewrite the Constitution, erode civil liberties, instruct Boy George to negate the will of our hapless, negligent Congress by signing “executive statements” or some such that literally invalidate any part of the law or legislation they didn’t like.
The election 42 days from now may not even be front page news. The most profound economic calamity America has seen since the Great Depression of 1929 may well pale in comparison to what has a distinct possibility of happening. If the American economy tanks, the global economy follows. Remember the “Asian Contagion?” Several years ago the booming, juggernaut that was the economic engine of the Asian Rim, The Golden Rim, from Taipei to Singapore, Tokyo, Hong Kong and their economically soaring neighbors suddenly came to a grinding halt. Thankfully, it was contained. This time around the failure of one economy while begin an unstoppable domino affect that will reverberate and rattle around the planet.
Now John McCain, after 26 years in Congress, after voting for every piece of legislation favorable to big corporations and “Wall Street”, at age 72, has seen the light and is now a populist reformer. Maybe we all better aquaria a taste for Aunt Sarah’s Elk Stew...they will serve that shit on the soup lines that will form across the country if this recession, teetering on depression becomes reality.
Barak Obama has better be able to use his Harvard trained intellect to act quickly,thoughtfully and with some restraint if he finds himself and Joe Biden looking at each other from matching plush chairs in the Oval Office. There will be no honeymoon for whoever inherits this world turned upside down in a mere 7 plus years by the worst president our nation has ever seen, George W. Bush. Former Texas Governor Ann Richards used to refer to “W” as “shrub.” America would probably be in far better shape had we had an actual shrub, even a tumble weed in the White House instead of the messianic imbecile, his Zionist zealot neo-cons and running the whole manipulated mess, Prick Cheney.
This election will actually be more of a selection. We must decide between two diametrically opposed ideologies, philosophies, policies and personalities. If we fail in our duty to select thoughtfully, we’d better stock up on elk stew. wolf steaks and polar bear loins.
Copyright © 2008 TBC All Rights Reserved
Copyright © 2008 BronxWest Consulting
Citizens Face Enormous Financial Woes
(Sept. 22, New York. New York) A “bubble” collapsed. A “bailout” is needed. Sounds like a nightmare if you happen to be in a hot air balloon. Unfortunately 95% of Americans live in a world where bubbles and bailouts do not begin to describe the stresses and strains of daily life. Wages have remained stagnant as longer work hours are expected, groceries such as milk, bread and cereals have increased over 300% in the past 12 months. Gasoline? Four dollars a gallon is the norm; when it drops to $3.89 per gallon folks weep with joy.
Meanwhile, the world the majority of Americans reside in is as far removed from Wall Street and the intricacies of economics, banking, monetary policy and all the other myriad arcania that comprise our economy. While we watched a war drag on for the last six years, those few men who actually run the country, not the government, but actually the country itself have recklessly sold our nation to foreign entities that would like nothing better than to call in our debt. Our credit society spans from the woman with a Discover card to some of the largest banks, brokerages and lending institutions in the world.
Fannie and Freddie. Who actually knew who they were, what they do and how beholden a huge number of folks paying mortgages are to them. They are quasi-governmental agencies that play an advanced highly advanced, high stakes version of the old 42nd Street shell game.
Ironically, almost unbelievably, one of the men most responsible for our collapsing economy is John McCain, the Republican presidential candidate. In 1999 McCain and his top economic advisor, former texas senator and ET look-a-like, helped craft the legislation that ushered in the era of deregulation. Essentially, this allowed Wall Street and all that term connotes to do as they please without oversight, government regulations or accountability. The American public were merely the dupes and dopes who threw their hard earned money down on the hustlers foul-up table on the old 42nd Street - “The Dirty Deuce”, as it was known back in the day.
Now the hustlers where $4000 suits, live in Connecticut or helicopter in from South Hampton and engage in games where they not only make the rules, they can and do change them as they see fit. The economy, our American economy to these greedy, heartless bastards born with silver spoons sticking out of their asses and trust funds waiting for them to grow up, is all about them: it is all about their own personal wealth. But, we, in part, let them do it to us.
We have become so accustomed to the scum bag politicians at every level that we are numb to their bullshit, and, sadly apathetic. Apathy has destroyed nations if not civilizations. The brilliant men who wrote our Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights and The Constitution knew the hazards, the inherent perils of a disinterested, uninformed, apathetic populace. James Madison, one of the great minds at the birth of this Nation said “Since the general civilization of mankind, I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of freedoms of the people by gradual and silent encroachment of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.” You know what he was saying. he was not alone.
Centuries later, George Orwell, the famous author who visualized a country run by “Big Brother” said of apathy, “The ordinary man is passive. Within a narrow circle, home life, and perhaps the trade unions or local politics, he feels himself master of his fate. But otherwise he simply lies down and lets things happen to him.” And just to add some truly historical perspective to the perils a society can fall victim to was said centuries ago, in Ancient Greece by Plato, “The penalty good men pay for indifference to public affairs, is to be ruled by evil men.” And Lord knows we are about to start paying penalties we never imagined. We have been totally, collectively “indifferent to public affairs”. Jobs went overseas and we said,”How did that happen.” Industrial, manufacturing, machinary plants closed, pensioned vaporized and we asked, “ What the hell happened?”. NAFTA, GATT, free trade agreements, and all the other host of international organizations that rule the planet have been permitted to do as they pleased because we hadn’t the time to read the news, watch the news, pay attention to the issues. Nope, we have become so apathetic that we have permitted George W. Bush to sacrifice our national treasure in lives, limbs, blood and money for a war contrived by he and his evil cronies. We have allowed his boss Dick Cheney to rewrite the Constitution, erode civil liberties, instruct Boy George to negate the will of our hapless, negligent Congress by signing “executive statements” or some such that literally invalidate any part of the law or legislation they didn’t like.
The election 42 days from now may not even be front page news. The most profound economic calamity America has seen since the Great Depression of 1929 may well pale in comparison to what has a distinct possibility of happening. If the American economy tanks, the global economy follows. Remember the “Asian Contagion?” Several years ago the booming, juggernaut that was the economic engine of the Asian Rim, The Golden Rim, from Taipei to Singapore, Tokyo, Hong Kong and their economically soaring neighbors suddenly came to a grinding halt. Thankfully, it was contained. This time around the failure of one economy while begin an unstoppable domino affect that will reverberate and rattle around the planet.
Now John McCain, after 26 years in Congress, after voting for every piece of legislation favorable to big corporations and “Wall Street”, at age 72, has seen the light and is now a populist reformer. Maybe we all better aquaria a taste for Aunt Sarah’s Elk Stew...they will serve that shit on the soup lines that will form across the country if this recession, teetering on depression becomes reality.
Barak Obama has better be able to use his Harvard trained intellect to act quickly,thoughtfully and with some restraint if he finds himself and Joe Biden looking at each other from matching plush chairs in the Oval Office. There will be no honeymoon for whoever inherits this world turned upside down in a mere 7 plus years by the worst president our nation has ever seen, George W. Bush. Former Texas Governor Ann Richards used to refer to “W” as “shrub.” America would probably be in far better shape had we had an actual shrub, even a tumble weed in the White House instead of the messianic imbecile, his Zionist zealot neo-cons and running the whole manipulated mess, Prick Cheney.
This election will actually be more of a selection. We must decide between two diametrically opposed ideologies, philosophies, policies and personalities. If we fail in our duty to select thoughtfully, we’d better stock up on elk stew. wolf steaks and polar bear loins.
Copyright © 2008 TBC All Rights Reserved
Copyright © 2008 BronxWest Consulting
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