It took nearly two years with an army of indomitable hunters determined to trap a POTUS* at any cost using any means, but Obama did it.

Now that the biggest, most hazardous, acutely stressful, and toughest job on the planet has been captured, what is Obama going to do with it? I get the feeling that the next steps haven’t been quite thought through.

On the one hand, as recently as in the last few days Obama declared, “We can’t afford to wait on moving forward on the key priorities that I identified during the campaign, including clean energy, healthcare, education and tax relief for middle-class families.”

Wow—these changes would be just great. Not quite sure how we will pay for any of them though because the first three seem to contradict the fourth.

On the other hand, this POTUS has been very hard to pin down. It jumps around a lot. For example, I thought we were all going to be allowed to feed it. Obama said he needs us all, that he can’t care for the POTUS without us. But Jardin at Boing Boing notes that a promise that technology would be used to involve us all in government has now been removed from Obama’s Change.gov website. That’s disappointing, especially because all the working Joes I know raised their eyebrows years ago regarding selling folks houses they could not afford. We knew this would eventually cause them (and us) considerable agony. We “little people” have also long understood the dangers of Middle East dependence on oil while our car makers merrily continued to roll out gas guzzlers. We knew these dumb decisions would come back and bite us in our collective asses. We deserve to be heard because we are apparently much smarter than our leaders and CEOs.

So, welcome to the New Zoo. Visit it often. I do hope this POTUS stays much healthier for us than the last one. I also hope it doesn’t get hidden away somewhere so we can’t see what it is up to.

*POTUS= President Of The United States

Barack Obama has a coal problem. Responding to yesterday’s revelation that Barack Obama intends to bankrupt all plants that operate on energy generated from coal, Chris Hamilton, the Senior Vice President of the West Virginia Coal Association, called Obama’s comments in San Francisco “unbelievable.” I quote the West Virginia Record:

The senior vice president of the West Virginia Coal Association called Obama’s comments “unbelievable.”

“His comments are unfortunate,” Chris Hamilton said Sunday, “and really reflect a very uninformed voice and perspective to coal specifically and energy generally.”

Hamilton noted other times Obama and vice presidential candidate Joe Biden have made seemingly anti-coal statements.

“In Ohio recently, when Joe Biden said ‘not here’ about building coal-fired power plants — this is exactly what will happen,” Hamilton said. “Financing won’t be directed here. It will all go aboard for plants elsewhere in the world. The United Sates is importing more coal today from Indonesia, South Africa and Colombia than we ever have.

“If we’re going to create a situation where coal-fired power plants are at that much of a disadvantage, there will be new ones built. But as Biden said, just not here.”

In other words, the workers of West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Illinois, Colorado, New Mexico, North Dakota, Montana and all the other states in which coal is mined, processed and converted to electricity should be prepared to have their jobs outsourced under an Obama Presidency. That is not the change the economically battered Ohio River Valley needs. It is also not the change those of us who consume electricity need. Just imagine the cost of our energy bills if coal plants, which generates 49% of our electricity, are bankrupted and eliminated.

American Girl in Italy asks No Quarter readers to disseminate the following recording of Barack Obama’s statement on bankrupting coal plants far and wide.

And I offer more information on who will be affected by Obama’s reckless energy policy in an essay I published yesterday.

Clearly Obama’s statements will have electoral effects in West Virginia, where he has already garnered opposition from leaders of the industry that is that state’s main economic engine. But we must ensure voters in Colorado, New Mexico, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, Indiana and Pennsylvania are armed with these facts before they cast votes tomorrow.

Sarah Palin is doing everything within her power to ensure voters in the Ohio River Valley understand the implications and ramifications of Obama’s desire to bankrupt plants relying on energy produced from coal. I quote CBS News:

(MARIETTA, OHIO) - Seizing on a newly released audio tape picked up by the Drudge Report, Sarah Palin took the opportunity here in coal country to accuse Barack Obama of “talking about bankrupting the coal industry.”

“He said that, sure, if the industry wants to build coal-fired power plants, then they can go ahead and try, he says, but they can do it only in a way that will bankrupt the coal industry, and he’s comfortable letting that happen,” Palin said. “And you got to listen to the tape.”

The audiotape Palin was referring to was recorded by the San Francisco Chronicle in a Jan. 17 interview.

“Why is the audiotape just now surfacing?” Palin asked, leading someone in the crowd to shout, “Liberal media!”

“This interview was given to San Francisco folks many, many months ago,” Palin said. “You should have known about this, so that you would have better decision-making information as you go into the voting booth.”

Marietta, Ohio, is located on the Ohio River on the border between Ohio and West Virginia. This is the perfect place to discuss Obama’s desire to bankrupt the coal industry, for many of the workers in that city and its environs earn their wages in mines and in factories reliant on coal.

And Sarah and the audience in Marietta, Ohio, are correct: we only learned about this now as a result of the venal and obsequious media’s suppression of any and all information that is unfavorable to Barack Obama. Just witness CNN’s attempt to minimize the importance of this story:

Contrary to her attempts to portray a media cover-up, audio and video recordings of Obama’s January 17 sit-down with the Chronicle editorial board have been freely available online for more than nine months.

In the interview, Obama said that his “aggressive” cap-and-trade plan would charge polluters for every unit of carbon or greenhouse gas they emit, a plan that would render polluting coal plants financially unviable.

“So if somebody wants to build a coal-powered plant, they can,” he said. “It’s just that it will bankrupt them because they’re going to be charged a huge sum for all that greenhouse gas that’s being emitted.”

In the interview, Obama also made the case for alternative energy sources, adding that he does not believe coal production will be eliminated, and that he supports carbon capture and sequestration technologies.

John McCain also supports a market-based cap-and-trade proposal to reduce carbon emissions.

Regardless, Palin sought to use Obama’s words against him in a part of the country where coal has long been king.

“He said that, sure, if the industry wants to build coal-fired power plants, then they can go ahead and try, he says, but they can do it only in a way that will bankrupt the coal industry, and he’s comfortable letting that happen.”

The media, it seems, will not inform working class voters of Obama’s attempts to eliminate hundreds of thousands of jobs and raise our electricity bills. But Sarah Palin and those who care about the economy of West Virginia and other states in the Ohio River Valley will. And so will we, for we understand that the elimination of jobs in a region of a country Obama already insulted with his comments in San Francisco about those bitter small town voters in Pennsylvania and Ohio who cling to guns and religion will not solve America’s economic woes. Indeed, it will only exacerbate the current recession.

Let us stand with West Virginia and the Ohio River Valley and defend those who rely on coal for their economic livelihood. This is certainly what Hillary would do. I quote the Sun-Times article I cite above:

After the quotes [about "bitter clingers"] surfaced on a political blog Friday, Democratic rival Hillary Clinton and GOP hopeful John McCain immediately decried them as evidence that Obama is “elitist” or “out of touch.”

“My opponent said that the people of Pennsylvania who faced hard times are bitter. Well, that’s not my experience,” Clinton told a crowd in Philadelphia. “As I travel around Pennsylvania, I meet people who are resilient, who are optimistic, who are positive, who are rolling up their sleeves … Pennsylvanians don’t need a president who looks down on them, they need a president who stands up for them.”

And yes, Barack Obama is an elitist politician who “looks down on” voters in the Ohio River Valley and in other areas of the country that rely on coal. Hillary Clinton does not, and neither does John McCain. Here is John McCain yesterday campaigning in Pennsylvania:

SCRANTON, Pa. — Campaigning in coal-rich Pennsylvania, GOP presidential nominee John McCain pledged this afternoon that if elected president, he would ensure that the U.S. exports coal overseas — something that U.S. policy already permits.

At the same time, the McCain campaign and Republican National Committee reportedly launched robocalls in Ohio, Pennsylvania and other coal states attacking Sen. Barack Obama’s position on coal.

Mocking Obama for a comment he made in an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle in January — “The only thing I’ve said with respect to coal, I haven’t been some coal booster,” Obama had said — McCain promised the audience at the University of Scranton that he’s been a proud coal cheerleader in the past, and plans to be one in the future.

“My friends, you know what Senator Obama said about a year ago, he said he had not been a, quote, coal booster,” he said, as the crowd booed. “My friends, I’ve been a coal booster and it’s going to create jobs, and we’re going to export coal to other countries and we are going to create hundreds of thousands of jobs. That’s going to help restore the economy of the great state of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.”

The robocalls have been placed, but we must ensure the voters understand that Obama desires to bankrupt the coal industry and increase the prices of our energy bills. We have one day, and this must be done. Circulate the video I cite above.

———————————————-

[UPDATE]: Ohio Coal Association issues a scathing statement on Barack Obama’s statement. I quote:

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Nov 03, 2008 /PRNewswire–USNewswire via COMTEX/ — Mike Carey, president of the Ohio Coal Association (OCA), today issued the following statement in response to just-released remarks from Senator Barack Obama about the nation’s coal industry.

“Regardless of the timing or method of the release of these remarks, the message from the Democratic candidate for President could not be clearer: the Obama-Biden ticket spells disaster for America’s coal industry and the tens of thousands of Americans who work in it.

“These undisputed, audio-taped remarks, which include comments from Senator Obama like ‘I haven’t been some coal booster’ and ‘if they want to build [coal plants], they can, but it will bankrupt them’ are extraordinarily misguided.
“It’s evident that this campaign has been pandering in states like Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Indiana and Pennsylvania to attempt to generate votes from coal supporters, while keeping his true agenda hidden from the state’s voters.

“Senator Obama has revealed himself to be nothing more than a short- sighted, inexperienced politician willing to say anything to get a vote. But today, the nation’s coal industry and those who support it have a better understanding of his true mission, to ‘bankrupt’ our industry, put tens of thousands out of work and cause unprecedented increases in electricity prices.

“In addition to providing an affordable, reliable source of low-cost electricity, domestic coal holds the key to our nation’s long-term energy security - a goal that cannot be overlooked during this time of international instability and economic uncertainty.

“Few policy areas are more important to our economic future than energy issues. As voters head to the polls tomorrow, it is essential they remember that access to reliable, affordable, domestic energy supplies is essential to economic growth and stability.”

The Ohio Coal Association (OCA) is a non-profit trade association representing the interests of Ohio’s underground and surface coal mining producers. The OCA represents nearly 40 coal producing companies and more than 50 Associate Members, which include suppliers and consultants to the mining industry, coal sales agents and brokers and allied industries. The Ohio Coal Association is committed to advancing the development and utilization of Ohio coal as an abundant, economic and environmentally sound energy source.

Representing 40 coal producing companies and more than 50 associate members in related industries, the OCA will deliver many Ohio votes to John McCain.

Words do matter, I guess.

As you probably also know, Mr. Fund has written a book, “Stealing Elections, Revised and Updated: How Voter Fraud Threatens Our Democracy.”

In 20 minutes following publication of this story — at 3:00 a.m. ET (Monday, Nov. 3, 2008) — BookTV.org (C-Span2) is airing a one-hour speech and Q&A with John Fund.

You may also watch the video at any time here at BookTV.org.

What else is going on so early in the morning? Have you caught the latest on the breaking news about Obama’s intentions to bankrupt coal-reliant businesses and industries? NOTE the states listed above in the categories; workers and businesses in all of those states, and more, could be devastated by Obama’s schemes.

Here’s what we know so far:

Among the LATEST NEWS: Sarah Palin is speaking out about Barack Obama and coal, according to Memeorandum.com.

If you missed our reporting on this breaking story, please check out:

• Truthteller’s Sunday afternoon story, “MEMO to Voters in States Producing and Relying On Coal: Obama Intends to Bankrupt Your Businesses and Your Industries,” and
• American Girl in Italy’s call to action, “ACTION ALERT - Obama has promised to bankrupt coal plants.”

We hope to publish more on this “hot” story later today.

Search all kinds of sites, mommy sites, restaurant/city blogs, online newspapers, grocery stores…anything and everything!! We need to get this message out to the people that this will effect. Those who don’t live this stuff 24/7. Look for sites that are supporting Obama, too.

Try to post this video on web sites in these states: Montana, Illinois, Wyoming, West Virginia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Colorado, North Dakota, New Mexico, Virginia and Texas.

States like WV have experienced devastating consequences from collapsing industries. They won’t want more of the same.

See Truthteller’s earlier post, for a more in-depth look at this.

You can make a difference TODAY! This will change people’s minds.

Let Obama speak for himself, just copy and paste the headline and link to the video:

(and I’m sure I don’t need to remind people to be polite. :O)

Wyoming, West Virginia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Texas, Montana, Illinois, Virginia, North Dakota, Colorado, Indiana, New Mexico, Utah, Ohio, Alabama and Arizona: these coal producing states will be adversely affected by Barack Obama’s energy policy.

Imagine mines closing, factories closing, jobs lost, towns abandoned, small businesses failing, pensions lost, wages dropping and widespread economic depression in states that rely on coal mining and processing. This is what Obama’s cap and trade system will engender in states such as WV, PA, MT, VA, ND, CO, IN, NM, OH and AZ. Just listen to this audio of Obama discussing how he will bankrupt factories and businesses that rely on power generated from coal when he was interviewed by the San Francisco Chronicle in January 2008:

[[[TAKE ACTION!! RIGHT NOW!
Start posting this video on sites in the coal based states: Virginia, Montana, Illinois, Indiana, West Virginia, North Dakota, New Mexico, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Colorado.]]]

Here is the transcript:

Let me sort of describe my overall policy.

What I’ve said is that we would put a cap and trade system in place that is as aggressive, if not more aggressive, than anybody else’s out there.

I was the first to call for a 100% auction on the cap and trade system, which means that every unit of carbon or greenhouse gases emitted would be charged to the polluter. That will create a market in which whatever technologies are out there that are being presented, whatever power plants that are being built, that they would have to meet the rigors of that market and the ratcheted down caps that are being placed, imposed every year.

So if somebody wants to build a coal-powered plant, they can; it’s just that it will bankrupt them because they’re going to be charged a huge sum for all that greenhouse gas that’s being emitted.

That will also generate billions of dollars that we can invest in solar, wind, biodiesel and other alternative energy approaches.

The only thing I’ve said with respect to coal, I haven’t been some coal booster. What I have said is that for us to take coal off the table as a ideological matter as opposed to saying if technology allows us to use coal in a clean way, we should pursue it.

So if somebody wants to build a coal-powered plant, they can.

It’s just that it will bankrupt them.“

Does Obama realize the number of jobs lost when he arrogantly states that plants will be bankrupted under his energy policy? Does he not understand the number of lives affected?

The Ohio River Basin is one area of the country that will be decimated as a result of Obama’s desire to bankrupt plants relying on coal.

And while the economy of the Ohio River Valley is decimated, the following regions of the country will witness no job growth, as the following proposed plants will never be built:

Permits for these proposed plants have already been cancelled:

The West will also be adversely affected by Obama’s reckless energy policy:

Bankrupting an entire industry will destroy the lives of Americans across the country. Both coal produces and consumers will have to fire employees, and this will create widespread job loss and increased economic recession.

More discussion on Obama’s desire to bankrupt coal producers and consumers is available at Memeorandum.

Crank up those electric prices so they live in the dark while they shiver a lot, you SOB. Meanwhile, how come you drive an SUV?

Mr. “I Care”: Make poor people buy those $8.00 epilepsy and migraine triggering yellow-glowing light bulbs, and make them buy new fixtures where the bulbs won’t work– instead of eating. The ones that are mercury-toxic when they break. Whatever you do, don’t let people know that you nutballs passed a law to phase out incandescent bulbs in the near future to force people to use expensive toxic lighting. You took the mercury out of thermometers and now you want to riddle people’s homes with even more of it.

Your pictures are everywhere! Your face is everywhere! Just like Saddam Hussein and North Korea’s Dear Leader! Just like Stalin! Just like Mussolini! Just like Hitler.

Just like Big Brother. Just ask Joe The Plumber.

You deserve to wake up next Wednesday morning knowing it Sucks To Be You. May the rest of us escape your ambition-sucking, poverty-driving, government-dependent, Worship-Me Totalitarian Rule.

It is written for how I am going to speak it and thus follows no grammatical rules what so ever. Since I actually do bother to write it out, here it is. Actually, it’s just an easy way for me to come up with another post without doing any extra work. Typical radio person, I am.)

Blog casting live from a dead end, located somewhere on the fringe, this is No Quarter Radio…And I am your Nocturnal Warrior. Tuesday Night September 23rd. Only 6 more Tuesdays until Election Day.

What has been truly amazing about everything that has gone in since we started doing this program back in July, is how much the landscape can change in a single week. Every week seems like a lifetime in this year’s political cycle. You know how the last two minutes of a football game can take about an hour and a half to play. That’s what this election season has felt like since March. And the ebb and flow keeps changing.

When we got together last week, we knew that Lehmann Brothers had failed and were hearing that AIG would likely be bailed out. We had a sense that the economy was really in the crapper this time, but had no idea the extent of it all.

We still don’t know the extent of it all. But our government has been kind enough to send us a bill for all this. If you want to pick up the tab, it will set you back about 700 billion dollars. That is your government in action. They can sit there in Washington for 20 years and not come up with one solution to ease our dependence on foreign oil and fossil fuels, they can rubber stamp Bush administration policy on Iraq without ever offering a real alternative and bitch and moan about it on end, they can do nothing to protect your right to privacy, they can ignore the problems of illegal immigration. They can sit their and watch as homeowner after homeowner signs the dotted line on ridiculous loans that they can not afford and certainly do not understand…

But tell your government that Wall Street as we know it might collapse and they can come up with a price tag and a plan in about 48 hours. That is our federal government in action… And it’s not a Democratic issue and it’s not a Republican issue, because both parties have been swimming in the deep end of the Wall Street pool for a very, very long time.

But do you think 700 billion is the end of it all. Somehow I think not. There’s about 73 million homeowners in the United States. The average price of a home in this country is $230,000. Not of all these homes and mortgages have been purchased in the last five years. Heck, some people pay cash up front and others have owned their homes long enough to pay off their mortgages. Yet the estimates of mortgage debt in this country now stand at somewhere around 10 Trillion dollars. How the hell does that happen…and nobody says a word? I am no financial genius and I could not explain to you in the most rudimentary details how our markets work. But as a guy who occasionally balances a checkbook, can tell you that the math there doesn’t add up. How do you get to 10 trillion dollars of mortgage debt on 73 million homes with an average price of 230,000? How do you let that happen and not expect the end result we are in now? Some reports say there is all of 800 billion dollars in equity on that 10 trillion dollar debt.

And what is the response of our presidential candidates? They have a race to see who can create the most advertisements linking the other guy to Wall Street and mortgage money.

The first Presidential debate is Friday… And I am going to tell you right now who is going to get my vote. It is going to be the first candidate who admits that after taking another 700 billion dollars out of our economy that the government will not be able to function without raising taxes. John McCain is going to tell you that any kind of tax increase would be the worst thing to do for our economy. Barrack Obama will tell you that he wants to send you about $1,200 or what in the Obama house is known as two sets of earrings. He will also tell you that 95% of Americans will get a tax break from him and only those making more than $250,000 will see an increase. Folks, that is not going to replace $700 billion dollars, not to mention the deficit we already have, not to mention the rest of that 10 trillion dollars in mortgage debt that the government will now be essentially holding the paper on.

Be honest with me. Show me, the time for politics is over…And you get my vote… And since we know, that isn’t going to happen… I am still stuck voting present come Election Day.

“When it comes to reform, has he hever once said, ‘We did’ instead of ‘I will’?

I backtracked my DVR to be sure to catch every word of her speech. Here you go:

“John and I — we’re discussing some new responsibilities that I’m going to have as your vice president.

“First, I’ll help lead the mission of energy security. And here in Iowa, high gas prices — they’re making a full tank of gas seem like it’s a luxury nowadays. The cost of living is going up. The cost of groceries is going up. But the value of your paycheck is going down because of energy costs. People blame Washington on this one for doing next to nothing, and they’ve got that right. As governor, what I do now is oversee a very, very large portion of our domestic production of oil, coming from up there from Alaska. Recently, through negotiations, through compromise, and through a heck of a lot of competition being allowed, we got agreements to build a nearly 40 billion dollar natural gas pipeline to bring Alaska’s clean, green natural gas to you to very hungry markets down here.

“And, as your vice president, I’ll help John McCain expand our use of alternative fuels. And we’re going to drill now to make this nation energy independent.

“Folks, it is a matter of national security and future prosperity. We need American resources brought to you by American ingenuity and produced by American workers, and we can do this.

“Second, I’ll help lead the mission of reforming government. And we’re going to make government more transparent and more accountable and more accessible for those who want to serve. We’re going to recruit the best people to run our agencies, regardless of party affiliation even, regardless if they have that Washington experience.

“We’re going to do a few new things also. For instance, as Alaska’s governor, I put the government’s checkbook on line, so that people could see where their money is going. We’re going to bring back transparency. [applause] We’ll bring that kind of transparency, that responsibility and accountability, back to D.C.

“And, third, I’ve told Senator McCain about a few things that I’ve learned as a governor and as a mom. Ever since I took the chief executive’s job up north, I’ve sought funding for students with special needs. And it’s an issue that has touched my heart beginning about 13 years ago with the addition to our extended family of a nephew with autism. And now we have been so blessed in our family with a special added perspective with the birth of our beautiful baby boy Trig about four months ago. We’ve joined so many American families that know that with some of life’s biggest joys sometimes come with some unique challenges.

“We’re going to make sure that government is on their side.

‘When it comes to the big issues in our campaign — back to our opponent — he likes to point the finger of blame.

“But has he ever really lifted a finger to help? Has he ever reached out a reformer’s hand to the other side of the aisle? Has he ever told his own party, ‘No!,’ so he could work well with others, to get others to say yes?

“When it comes to reform, has he hever once said, ‘We did’ instead of ‘I will’?

“John McCain and I — we are optimistic about solving the big problems. And why? It’s because we’ve gotten results. We have the track record, a consistent track record of being committed to reform and putting government on the side of the people. We’ve brought about change and reform.

“And joining the ticket with John McCain, I know that it is a great privilege. To serve beside him as vice president of the United States will be the highest but also the most humbling of honors.

“Our opponents have been going on lately about how they fight for you, they say. My running mate won’t say this on his own behalf so I’m going to say it for him. There’s only one man in this election who has ever really fought for you. …

He is the only one ready to serve us as our 44th president …

It is highly ironic that Barack Obama chose to respond to today’s shocking news by attacking McCain while McCain/Palin are proposing a reform of federal regulations. Obama is also blaming the Republican party for our nation’s crisis.

Yet it is Barack Obama who is the #2 recipient of lobbying handouts, out of 354 lawmakers, from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. (Don’t miss Jennifer Rubin’s excellent post today, “Whoops!“: “The Agent of Change, it seems, didn’t exactly walk the walk on this one.”) Here is “Crisis,” the new McCain/Palin TV ad:

Here are the script and fact check list from the McCain campaign’s press release:

ANNCR: Our economy in crisis. Only proven reformers John McCain and Sarah Palin can fix it.

Tougher rules on Wall Street to protect your life savings.

No special interest giveaways.

Lower taxes to create new jobs.

Offshore drilling to reduce gas prices.

McCain - Palin.

Leadership, experience, for the change we need.

JOHN MCCAIN: I’m John McCain and I approved this message.

AD FACTS: Script For “Crisis” (TV :30)

ANNCR: Our economy in crisis. Only proven reformers John McCain and Sarah Palin can fix it. Tougher rules on Wall Street to protect your life savings. No special interest giveaways.

· John McCain: “And Under My Reforms, All Aspects Of A CEO’s Pay, Including Any Severance Arrangements, Must Be Approved By Shareholders.” “In times of hardship and distress, we should be more vigilant than ever in holding corporate abuses to account, as in the case of the housing market. Americans are right to be offended when the extravagant salaries and severance deals of CEO’s — in some cases, the very same CEO’s who helped to bring on these market troubles — bear no relation to the success of the company or the wishes of shareholders. Something is seriously wrong when the American people are left to bear the consequences of reckless corporate conduct, while the offenders themselves are packed off with another forty - or fifty million for the road. If I am elected president, I intend to see that wrongdoing of this kind is called to account by federal prosecutors. And under my reforms, all aspects of a CEO’s pay, including any sever ance arrangements, must be approved by shareholders.” (John McCain, Remarks, Washington, D.C., 6/10/08)

· John McCain And Governor Palin Will Reform Our Mortgage And Financial Markets. “Fixing Fannie and Freddie, and reforming our mortgage and financial markets, is critical to getting the housing market and the entire economy moving again. A great deal of the savings and wealth of American families is wrapped up in the value of their homes. A house has traditionally been the wealth-building course to retirement. The housing industry employs millions of Americans. One of us, John McCain, said over two years ago, ‘If Congress does not act, American taxpayers will continue to be exposed to the enormous risk that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac pose.’” (John McCain and Governor Sarah Palin, Op-Ed, “We’ll Protect Taxpayers From More Bailouts,” The Wall Street Journal, 9/9/08)

· John McCain And Governor Palin Will Address The Role Speculation Is Playing In Energy Prices. “Congress already has investigations underway to examine this kind of wagering in our energy markets, unrelated to any kind of productive commerce, because it can distort the market, drive prices beyond rational limits, and put the investments and pensions of millions of Americans at risk. John McCain believes that where we find abuses, they need to be swiftly punished. To make sure it never happens again, we must reform the laws and regulations governing the oil futures market, so that they are just as clear and effective as the rules applied to stocks, bonds, and other financial instruments.” (McCain-Palin 2008, “John McCain’s Lexington Project: A Comprehensive Plan To Break Our Dependence On Foreign Oil,” Press Release, 6/25/08)

· John McCain Fought For Financial Transparency In Stock Option Expensing. “U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) today offered an amendment to the Accounting Reform Bill that would require companies to record the stock options that they grant to their employees as an expense on their financial statements. His floor statement follows: ‘Mr. President, I rise today to offer an amendment that requires companies to record the stock options that they grant to their employees as an expense on their financial statements. If companies want to claim these expenses as a deduction for tax purposes, they ought to be noted as expenses on a company’s income statement. We must end the double standard for stock options.’” (Office Of U.S. Senator John McCain, “We Must End Double Standard For Stock Option,” Press Release, 7/11/02)

· John McCain Has Long Fought For “Transparency Of Our Financial Markets.” “As the incoming Chairman of the Commerce Committee, I plan to conduct rigorous oversight over those aspects of corporate governance that fall under the panel’s purview. I also plan to pursue further reforms that are desperately needed such as expensing stock options. We have an obvious, pressing obligation to investors to ensure the transparency of our financial markets. Reform is a process. It is not a one-time fight.” (Office Of U.S. Senator John McCain, “McCain Declares Reform Crusade Continues,” Press Release, 11/14/01)

ANNCR: Lower taxes to create new jobs.

· John McCain And Governor Palin Will Keep Tax Rates Low. Entrepreneurs are at the heart of American innovation, growth and prosperity. Entrepreneurs create the ultimate job security — a new, better opportunity if your current job goes away. Entrepreneurs should not be taxed into submission. John McCain will keep the top tax rate at 35 percent, maintain the 15 percent rates on dividends and capital gains, and phase-out the Alternative Minimum Tax. Small businesses are the heart of job growth; raising taxes on them hurts every worker. (McCain-Palin 2008, “John McCain’s Jobs For America Economic Plain,” Press Release, 7/7/08)

· John McCain And Governor Palin Will Cut Taxes For Middle Class Families. John McCain will phase out and eliminate the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) — a tax that will be paid nearly exclusively by 25 million middle class families. Repealing this onerous tax will save middle class families nearly $60 billion in a single year. Under John McCain’s plan, a middle class family with children set to pay the AMT will save an average of over $2,700 — a real tax cut for working families. (McCain-Palin 2008, “John McCain’s Jobs For America Economic Plain,” Press Release, 7/7/08)

· John McCain And Governor Palin Will Double The Personal Exemption For Dependents. John McCain believes the tax code should be less of a burden on those, whether they are mothers and fathers or single parents, who are trying to raise a family. He proposes to raise the personal exemption for each dependent from $3,500 to $7,000. (McCain-Palin 2008, “John McCain’s Jobs For America Economic Plain,” Press Release, 7/7/08)

· John McCain And Governor Palin Will Establish Permanent Tax Credit Equal To 10 Percent Of Wages Spent On R&D. This reform will simplify the tax code, reward activity in the U.S., and make us more competitive with other countries. A permanent credit will provide an incentive to innovate and remove uncertainty. At a time when our companies need to be more competitive, we need to provide a permanent incentive to innovate, and remove the uncertainty now hanging over businesses as they make R&D investment decisions. (McCain-Palin 2008, “John McCain’s Jobs For America Economic Plain,” Press Release, 7/7/08)

· John McCain And Governor Palin Will Allow First-Year Deduction, Or “Expensing”, Of Equipment And Technology Investments. American workers need the finest technologies to compete. Expensing of equipment and technology will provide an immediate boost to capital expenditures and reward investments in cutting-edge technologies. (McCain-Palin 2008, “John McCain’s Jobs For America Economic Plain,” Press Release, 7/7/08)

· John McCain And Governor Palin Will Reduce The Federal Corporate Tax Rate To 25 Percent From 35 Percent. A lower corporate tax rate is essential to keeping good jobs in the United States. America was once a low-tax business environment, but as our trade partners lowered their rates, America failed to keep pace. We now have the second highest corporate tax rate in the world, making America a less attractive place for companies to do business. American workers deserve the chance to make fine products here and sell them around the globe. (McCain-Palin 2008, “John McCain’s Jobs For America Economic Plain,” Press Release, 7/7/08)

· John McCain And Governor Palin Will Ban Internet Taxes. John McCain has been a leader in keeping the Internet free of taxes. As President, he will seek a permanent ban on taxes that threaten this engine of economic growth and prosperity. (McCain-Palin 2008, “John McCain’s Jobs For America Economic Plain,” Press Release, 7/7/08)

· John McCain And Governor Palin Will Ban New Cell Phone Taxes. John McCain understands that the same people that would tax e-mail will tax every text message — and even 911 calls. John McCain will prohibit new cellular telephone taxes. (McCain-Palin 2008, “John McCain’s Jobs For America Economic Plain,” Press Release, 7/7/08)

ANNCR: Offshore drilling to reduce gas prices. McCain - Palin. Leadership, experience, for the change we need. JOHN MCCAIN: I’m John McCain and I approved this message.

· John McCain And Governor Palin Will Expand Offshore Drilling To Reduce Gas Prices. McCain: “But I also believe that lifting the moratoria from offshore drilling or oil and natural gas exploration is something that we should place as a very high priority. And again, I don’t want to dictate to the states what they should do, but I think that the states can be provided with additional incentives such as a greater share of the revenues than is presently the case.” (Sen. John McCain, Remarks At Press Availability, Arlington, VA, 6/16/08)

· CNN’s Frank Sesno: “Expectations Of More Production Can Send Prices Down.” FRANK SESNO: “Obama’s criticized McCain for saying more drilling would have a positive psychological impact. But there is psychology in energy markets, worries about soaring demand in China or supply disruptions in Nigeria send prices up. Expectations of more production can send prices down.” (CNN’s “Situation Room,” 6/26/08)

· Harvard Professor And Former Council Of Economic Advisors Chairman Martin Feldstein: “Increasing The Expected Future Supply Of Oil Would Also Reduce Today’s Price.” “Any policy that causes the expected future oil price to fall can cause the current price to fall, or to rise less than it would otherwise do. In other words, it is possible to bring down today’s price of oil with policies that will have their physical impact on oil demand or supply only in the future. For example, increases in government subsidies to develop technology that will make future cars more efficient, or tighter standards that gradually improve the gas mileage of the stock of cars, would lower the future demand for oil and therefore the price of oil today. Similarly, increasing the expected future supply of oil would also reduce today’s price. That fall in the current price would induce an immediate rise in oil consumption that would be matched by an increase in supply from the OPEC producers and others with some current excess capacity or available inventories. Any steps that can be taken now to increase the future supply of oil, or reduce the future demand for oil in the U.S. or elsewhere, can therefore lead both to lower prices and increased consumption today.” (Martin Feldstein, Op-Ed, “We Can Lower Oil Prices Now,” The Wall Street Journal, 7/1/08)

· BMO Financial Group Global Finance Strategist Andrew Busch Wrote That Long Term Solutions To Energy Such As Drilling Can Have A Short Term Affect On Markets. “We need longer term plans to solve the longer term energy problems of United States. In case you aren’t familiar with how markets react, a coherent, logical plan of action towards providing long term solutions will have a positive impact now on the price of energy. Why? Because it will shift the short term psychology of the market away from doom and gloom towards a light at the end of the tunnel scenario. We only need to look at President Bush’s lifting of the moratorium on off-shore drilling to see an example of this in the markets. Did this act significantly change the short term outlook for oil? No, but it changed the discussion on the subject at a time when it was needed. In turn, this aided the shift in market psychology back to some fundamentals like demand…..which is dro pping.” (Andrew Busch, ” Busch: Long Term Energy Plans Can Be Short Term Solutions,” CNBC’s “Guest Blog,” http://www.cnbc.com/id/25803361, Posted 7/22/08)

· Omer Bhatti, The Head Trader At WorldSpreads, Said That The U.S. Offshore Drilling Plan Will Help Lower The Price Of Oil. OMER BHATTI (Head Sales Trader at WorldSpreads): “I think the offshore drilling plan that was agreed in the U.S. kind of helped the scenario to create that pullback scenario.” (CNBC’s “Worldwide Exchange,” 7/28/08)

I guess Obama’s attempt at getting Murdoch’s media to support him appear to be wasted.

From Political Wire we learn about Obama’s whining to Fox News chief Roger Ailes in a summer meeting. I guess he thought he would get the same softball treatment from Fox News that he did from CNN and MSNBC:

In Vanity Fair, Michael Wolff reports on a “secret courtesy meeting” between Sen. Barack Obama and Fox News chief Roger Ailes earlier this summer.

“Obama lit into Ailes. He said that he didn’t want to waste his time talking to Ailes if Fox was just going to continue to abuse him and his wife, that Fox had relentlessly portrayed him as suspicious, foreign, fearsome — just short of a terrorist.

“Ailes, unruffled, said it might not have been this way if Obama had more willingly come on the air instead of so often giving Fox the back of his hand.

Well another round won by McCain/Palin!

The New York Post had this to say in their endorsement:

THE Post today enthusiastically urges the election of Sen. John S. McCain as the 44th president of the United States.

McCain’s lifelong record of service to America, his battle-tested courage, unshakeable devotion to principle and clear grasp of the dangers and opportunities now facing the nation stand in dramatic contrast to the tissue-paper-thin résumé of his Democratic opponent, freshman Sen. Barack Obama.

Big Mac Gets Big Bounce in Polls

Sarah Palin to Face the Media

Get MORE Election Coverage at NYPost.com

McCain has been in Washington for many years now, but he is not of Washington. He knows where the levers of power are located - and how to manipulate them - but he is not controlled by them.

McCain’s selection of the charming, but rock-solid, outsider Sarah Palin as his running mate underscores the point.

Neither plays well with others.

The Post listed several good reasons to vote for McCain (Note: I don’t necessarily agree with all of them!).

There are many reasons to support the McCain-Palin ticket. Here are but a few:

* National security: The differences between McCain and Obama are especially stark.

McCain says 9/11 represented a two-decade “failure . . . to respond to . . . a [growing] global terror network.” He understood that Iraq is a critical front in the war on terror - and he urged perseverance even in the dark days that preceded the success of “the surge.”

Obama backed policies that would have abandoned Iraq to its fate, he bitterly opposed the surge, and once insisted that US forces invade Pakistan in search of Osama bin Laden - seemingly without regard for the potential consequences of attacking a nuclear-armed nation, ally or not.

Regarding a nuclear Iran, McCain has pushed for the strongest possible international sanctions and diplomatic pressure. Obama opposes sanctions.

And, when Russia invaded the former Soviet republic of Georgia, threatening a return to the Cold War, McCain reacted with stern disapprobation: “We must remind Russia’s leaders that the benefits they enjoy from being part of the civilized world require their respect for the values, stability and peace of that world.”

Obama called for UN action - unaware, apparently, that Russia’s Security Council veto would have prevented any.

* Taxes: McCain knows that when government absorbs ever-larger shares of national income, the economy suffers.

High tax rates diminish investment, killing jobs and stunting growth.

And while Obama promises tax cuts for “95 percent” of Americans, what he actually is proposing is some $650 billion in tax-credit-driven hikes in entitlement and other spending, to be paid for with heavier imposts across the board, but especially on investment - like a sharply higher capital-gains tax.

This is bad news for the millions of ordinary Americans who own stocks, either personally or through pension funds or who plan someday to sell their homes or other real property.

McCain, wisely, vows to keep capital-gains taxes at 15 percent and to keep the Bush-era tax cuts in place - understanding that new growth will boost revenue, and promising to make up the rest with spending restraint.

And he’s called for a one-year freeze on most discretionary spending and an end to pork-barrel giveaways.

* Trade: “I object when Senator Obama and others preach the false virtues of economic isolationism,” says McCain - noting that “globalization is an opportunity” for US workers. He adds that while emerging economies like those of China and India are worrisome, the answer is competition informed by education and innovation - not protectionism.

* Energy: On the economic issue most vexing Americans today - energy prices - McCain is aggressive

He is a strong convert to offshore drilling: “We have trillions of dollars’ worth of oil and gas reserves in the US at a time we are exporting hundreds of billions of dollars a year overseas to buy energy.”

He also strongly backs nuclear power - a carbon-free form of energy that America can produce relatively cheaply.

Obama, meanwhile, hews to the Democratic Party line on energy: no nukes, no drilling and no comprehension of the consequences of such policies.

And finally The Post finished up with this quote:

In the end, though, sound security, economic and energy policies - plus allegiance to principle - are critical to keeping America safe and strong.

On all counts, John McCain and Sarah Palin understand this - and that’s why we’re in their corner to the finish.

As for my vote I am still not certain what I will do in November, but I am carefully looking at McCain/Palin, listening to their speeches and talking points. And I am anxiously awaiting Palin’s ABC interview. Palin is a regular person like me, a working mom like I was during my Navy days, and understands special needs children, I grew up with a brother who has special needs, they are part and parcel of your moral fiber! And it turns out McCain remembers the last time he changed a diaper because he said, “There’s some experiences you never forget.”