The Debate Is On
Just yesterday, John McCain said, “I believe that it’s very possible that we could get an agreement so that I have time for me to fly to Mississippi.” Now, even though there is no agreement, McCain is headed to Mississippi.
Here’s the McCain campaign’s statement, in which they predictably couldn’t resist the urge to bash Obama. So much for “putting politics aside“:
Statement By McCain Campaign On Negotiations
John McCain’s decision to suspend his campaign was made in the hopes that politics could be set aside to address our economic crisis.
In response, Americans saw a familiar spectacle in Washington. At a moment of crisis that threatened the economic security of American families, Washington played the blame game rather than work together to find a solution that would avert a collapse of financial markets without squandering hundreds of billions of taxpayers’ money to bailout bankers and brokers who bet their fortunes on unsafe lending practices.
Both parties in both houses of Congress and the administration needed to come together to find a solution that would deserve the trust of the American people. And while there were attempts to do that, much of yesterday was spent fighting over who would get the credit for a deal and who would get the blame for failure. There was no deal or offer yesterday that had a majority of support in Congress. There was no deal yesterday that included adequate protections for the taxpayers. It is not enough to cut deals behind closed doors and then try to force it on the rest of Congress — especially when it amounts to thousands of dollars for every American family.
The difference between Barack Obama and John McCain was apparent during the White House meeting yesterday where Barack Obama’s priority was political posturing in his opening monologue defending the package as it stands. John McCain listened to all sides so he could help focus the debate on finding a bipartisan resolution that is in the interest of taxpayers and homeowners. The Democratic interests stood together in opposition to an agreement that would accommodate additional taxpayer protections.
Senator McCain has spent the morning talking to members of the Administration, members of the Senate, and members of the House. He is optimistic that there has been significant progress toward a bipartisan agreement now that there is a framework for all parties to be represented in negotiations, including Representative Blunt as a designated negotiator for House Republicans. The McCain campaign is resuming all activities and the Senator will travel to the debate this afternoon. Following the debate, he will return to Washington to ensure that all voices and interests are represented in the final agreement, especially those of taxpayers and homeowners.
This is a joke, right? The campaign isn’t really trying to pull this off, are they?
After everyone commented on McCain’s incoherent mumbling at the end of the White House meeting that showed absolutely no leadership – they now spin it to “John McCain listened to all sides so he could help focus the debate on finding a bipartisan resolution that is in the interest of taxpayers and homeowners.”?
I think I’m going to be ill.
September 26th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
Yeah and the package as it stood would have cost the TAXPAYERS over 2,000 each. Why would Obama vote for a plan that would hurt the middle class? Guess he was to worried about debating about foreign policy then taking care of the American people. Or could it be so that these companies that we we are gonna bail out could still pad his pockets along with Dodd, Frank etc. The Dems could have passed this bill without Repubs approval since they have the numbers, they chose not to because it would be political suicide, the American people do NOT want to bail out wallstreet.
Now how in the HELL do you Democrats not realize that when Mr. Obama says he is gonna give 95% of the people a tax cut that this is just political posturing. If he taxes the 5% which will mostly be small businesses (making over 250k), do you really think these companies will eat these taxes? Nope, they will make a couple of choices, first, pass the tax off to the consumer (higher prices for goods), second, lay off employees to offset the tax. Why can you Dems not see what is coming.
Finally for all you Dems who claim that Pres Bush shouldn’t have started this war, here are some FACTS.
FDR (Democrat) led us into WWII. Germany never attacked us; Japan did. From 1941-1945, 450,000 lives were lost….an avg of 112,500/yr.
Truman (Democrat) finished that war and started one in Korea. N Korea never attacked us. From 1950-1953, 55,000 lives were lost… an avg of 18,334/yr.
JFK (Democrat) started the Vietnam conflict in 1962. Vietnam never attacked us.
Johnson (Democrat) turned Vietnam into a quaqmire. From 1965-1975, 58,000 lives were lost…an avg of 5,800/yr.
Clinton (Democrat) went to war in Bosnia WITHOUT UN or French consent. Bosnia never attacked us. He was offered Bin Ladens head on a platter three times by Sudan and DID NOTHING. Osama has attacked us on multiple occassions.
This is one fact that makes me mad as hell.
In the years since terrorists attacked us, Pres Bush has liberated 2 countries, crushed the Taliban,crippled Al Queda, put nuclear inspectors in Lybia, Iran, and N Korea without firing a shot, and captured a terrorist who slaughtered 300,000 of his own people. And the Dems are complaining about how long the war is taking. But wait there is more, It took less time to take Iraq than it took Janet Reno(Democrat) to take the Branch Davidian compound. That was a 51 day operation.
We have been looking for evidence for chemical weapons in Iraq for less time than it took Hillary Clinton (Democrat) to find the Rose law firm billing records. It took less time for the 3rd Infantry Division and the Marines to destroy the Medina Republican Guard than it took Ted Kennedy to call the police after his Oldsmobile sank at Chappaquiddick.
It took less time to take Iraq than it took to count the votes in Fla. Our commander in chief is doing a great job! The military morale is high! The biased media hopes we are to ignorant to realize the facts.
But wait…. there is more!
John Glenn (Democrat) on the Senate floor- Jan 26,2004
Some people still do not understand why military personnel do what they do for a living. This exchange between Senators John Glenn and Senator Howard Metzenbaum is worth reading. Not only is it a pretty impressive impromptu speech, but it is also a good example of one man’s explanation of why men and women in the armed forces do what they do for a living.
This IS a typical, though sad, example of what some who have never served think of the military.
Senator Metzenbaum (speaking to Senator Glenn) “How can you run for Senate when you have never held a real job?”
Senator Glenn (D-Ohio) “I served 23 yrs in the United States Marine Corps. I servrd through 2 wars. I flew 149 missions. My plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire on 12 different occassions. I was in the space program. It wasn’t my checkbook, Howard;it was my life on the line. It was not a 9-5 job, where I took time off to take daily cash receipts to the bank. I ask you to go with me, as I went the other day… to a veteran’s hospital and look at those men… with their mangled bodies….in the eye, and tell THEM they didn’t hold a job! You go with me to the Space Program at NASA and go, as I have gone, to the widows and orphans of Ed White, Gus Grissom, and Roger Chaffe…. and you look at those kids in the eye and tell them that their DAD’s didn’t hold a job.You go with me on Memorial Day and you stand in Arlington cemetary, where I have more friends buried than I’d like to remember, and you watch those waving flags. You stand there, and you think about this nation, and you have the gall to tell ME that those people didn’t have a job?
For those who don’t remember during WWII, Howard Metzenbaum was an attorney representing the Communist Party in the USA.
Now he is a Senator!
I would like to take this oppurtunity to THANK everyone who has served in our armed forces and the ones who serve today for providing me the freedoms I have today.
September 26th, 2008 at 12:52 pm
“Yeah and the package as it stood would have cost the TAXPAYERS over 2,000 each. ”
this is a REPUBLICAN proposal brought by the President and his sec of treasury. As presented, the dems were FLAT OUT AGAINST it. But with changes it MIGHT be one solution. senate republicans were ready to sign off on it. president was ready to sign off on it, the house republicans answer, more tax breaks for the rich.
September 26th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
Treaties and mutual defense pacts mean nothing to Chris.
The first military troops were in Viet Nam in 1957, under a Republican President.
The ‘war’ in Iraq has lasted longer than WW II, and a Democrat President WON that one.
Germany declared war on us, what would you do?
Iraq didn’t attack us, we attack them.
We left Viet Nam with our tails between our legs under a Republican President.
We walked away from Korea with a stalemate under a Republican President.
The list goes on.
September 26th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Please please respond…. what is the impact of the bail out on student loans? Are we bailing out banks (at no interest) to whom taxpayers owe loans (plus interest)? what’s going on… we only hear about tax payers who did not properly control the loans they took out for mortgages? what about us students who took out loans to pay for college and post graduate education? are we left having to help pay for this bail out and still owe these companies loan money + interest? Can someone rectify this because I have researched online and have no access to lexis or westlaw or any research entity to find out more information. I am America, and it worries me that all we hear about is stock investments et al.. Well I can’t afford stock investments right now, I am trying to pay off my student loans so in the future I can afford a house, et al. All I want to know is how this impacts me…… and simpletons like myself whose only asset is the student loans we needed to get the education we should have so that we are not leaching on government funds for assistance.
September 26th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
Vic,
Pay your damn student loan, it has nothing to do with this financial crisis.
The only way you are going to be participating in this bail out is if you pay taxes. And if you pay taxes, you have a fairly decent job. Use part of that paycheck to pay your loan off – just like the rest of us did.
And your student loan is not an asset, by the way. The education you received is your asset, go forth and use it!
Good luck.
September 26th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
“Here’s the McCain campaign’s statement…”
Fiction like this makes Hollywood screenwriters look like gods.
September 26th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
One more thing I forgot to let you know that Palin send a text to Katie Couric telling her that Mccain just changed washington How’s that….. She looks like a genious as well.. LOL Please
These people will stop at nothing… I don’t care about either party I do however care about the people….
September 26th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
Hey Alan and the rest of what is considered the left.
Every one is in deep do do tonight. Rove is a genius, and I would like to play chess with him sometime. This is how things are going to play out.
1 The setup..
Palin not being able to think of how Mccain changed washington one time.
2. Bush announces that we are in time of crisis. We need to do something now.
3. Paulson say he wants unfettered power to spend 700 bln of taxpayers money.
4. The dems don’t want to look bad by not being bipartisan in a time for crisis but doesn’t want to let one person have so much power again after all that has happened in the pass with the patriot act, war ect… The dems think that they have something to go on and start bashing mccain on his economic lack of prowess.
5 Mccain suspends his campaign to go to Washington to do nothing. Spotlight is on him everyone bashing him. Fox news hannity says I’m even believing that mccain is not worth of presidency.. Hannity says the tax payers should not be on the hook what are they doing… Same thing from Mr O’reilly.
6. The people in the US are in an uproar calling their reps and congress folks demanding a no vote on this media sells it.
7. Bush meets with Mccain and Obamma. and some house repubs I think Paul Ryan of MIN(very smart man) He say I think we can do this without putting the taxpayers at risk. Obamma I like to hear more about this.. media is kicked out.
Mccain says nothing…. More drubbing by the media.
8. campaign/Debate must go on. Tonight Mccain is going to bash the dems with saying that He went to Washington and went against the establishment or status quo to change how things were done for you people.. I’m fighting for the american people.. We stalled this thing to make sure legislation wasn’t passed to put the tax payer on the hook for rushed legislation by the dems and bush..
I think this is genius by them but we have time to change the strategy…. There should be people that look into the collusion of bush Paulson and the repubs… This thing is way out of hand when they start messing with not only the us economy but the world economy…
I feel like Nostradamus’s today… I hope I’m wrong but I don’t think I am!!!! P.S. Send a copy to Mr Rove.. I really would like to play a game of chess with him….
Best Regards: James Beaufore
September 26th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Re: Um Cara,
I was asking if there’s any impact of this bail out on the student loans because they are my only “asset” (using the term sarcastically- if you did not get it). I was an accounting major in undergrad so therefore I understand the difference between an asset and a liability, but thank you for the point you re-iterated. Once again, I gather from you answer that student loans are not impacted. Thank you very much for your answer…. can you please cite your authority. I would like to review the information because nowadays, I am not too keen to people telling me things without me being able to back it up. A lot of political analysts mention student loans when they talk about the impact of the bail out, yet no one explains how they are impacted. Hence, my question. Once again, I intend on paying off every cent of my student loans, because after all I incurred every cent, but thank you very much once again for that point. I ask for no help regarding paying them off.. I just want to know if they will be impacted. If you can cite your authority, it will be greatly appreciated. If not, it’s been wonderful responding to you. Ps if anyone else knows if student loans are impacted by the bail out, please cite some authority that I can research on my own.
September 26th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
James Beaufore,
Everyone just thinks that McCain chickened out, and when it backfired, he had to agree to debate.
September 26th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Vic,
It’s real simple. The bailout is to buy up loans that are most likely going to default, and currently no financial institutions want to own them. The assumption is there is about a 5% default rate in the sub-prime market.
You said you plan to pay off your loan, so your loan is not going to default. Thus, regardless of whether at the end of the day student loan debt ends up being included in a bailout (and there is no final bailout plan yet) there is no impact to you or your loan.
I have no authori-tie only Cartman weilds the authori-tie
September 26th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
Vic,
Again, it has nothing to do with your situation, but if you are curious about what is being discussed w/ regards to student loans, here are some links:
here is something from the 24th saying maybe they will be included:
http://www.washtimes.com/news/2008/sep/23/student-car-debt-quietly-added/
here is something from yesterday saying they won’t:
http://www.mndaily.com/2008/09/25/student-loans-not-likely-affected-bailout
At any rate, whether they are included or not has more to do with how easy it will be for future students to get loans, not so much w/ your orig. question:
what about us students who took out loans to pay for college and post graduate education? are we left having to help pay for this bail out and still owe these companies loan money + interest?
You will still have the opportunity to repay the debt you promised (and have stated that you intend) to repay, regardless of whether there is a bailout or not.
September 26th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
“Finally for all you Dems who claim that Pres Bush shouldn’t have started this war, here are some FACTS. FDR (Democrat) led us into WWII. Germany never attacked us; Japan did.”
And if you knew anything about WWII you’d know how laughable your argument is.
September 26th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
I believe Obama won this debate, overall.
September 26th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
OldLefty,
Everyone does not think McCain was chickening out. Even the shining light of the democratic party, Bill Clinton told naysayers to hush.
McCain has BEGGED for months to have town hall meetings and Obama wouldn’t do it.
September 27th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Everyone just thinks that McCain chickened out, and when it backfired, he had to agree to debate.
Old lefty, stop repeating the talking points from daily kos.
Even the ONLY democrat to get reelected president in the last few decades knows the truth.
“We know he didn’t do it because he’s afraid because Sen. McCain wanted more debates” Clinton said
…
“I remember he asked for more debates to go all around the country and so I don’t think we ought to overly parse that.”
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/09/bill-clinton-do.html
So not only does clinton refute your smear, he makes the point that mcsame wanted more debates and alluded obama “chickened out.”
September 27th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
If you didn’t understand, No one said McCain chickened out!!!! He just TRIED pulling a sad political stunt to make him look like a hero rusing off to Washington to sit on his ass and stick his nose in a committee to which he doesn’t even belong!!! He admitted last night that he had nothing to do with the negotiating. He simply wanted to make himself look like a hero by “suspending” his campaign, and saving the day. Well, it didn’t work, all he accomplished was showing America that when he gets flustered he kicks over to one-track mental capacity!!!
September 27th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
If you didn’t understand, No one said McCain chickened out!!!!
Old lefty even repeated the daily kos talking point a few messages up.
September 27th, 2008 at 11:34 pm