Senator Clinton Calls for New Stimulus to Boost Economy and Help Those Hardest Hit by Recession, Calls for Investments in Infrastructure, Green Jobs, Mortgage Relief, Aid to Cities and States, and Extending Unemployment Insurance

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton today called for a comprehensive new stimulus package to jump start the ailing economy. In a letter to President Bush and Senate leaders, Senator Clinton outlined a series of measures that would protect those Americans hit hardest by the recession and put the nation on the road to recovery.

The text of her letter to the President follows:

November 11, 2008

The Honorable George W. Bush
The White House
Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President:

Our economy has lost more than one million jobs this year alone. The scope and scale of the economic challenges facing the American people are vast. Businesses, large and small, are struggling to secure financing to survive. Families cannot find affordable mortgages and consumer loans. The housing crisis, which has already wiped out hundreds of billions of dollars in home equity and even more in investment losses, grows deeper every day, with another wave of foreclosures looming.

The State of New York is the epicenter of this crisis. New York projects that more than 160,000 New Yorkers will lose their jobs as a result of the economic downturn. A recent analysis estimates that New York City will lose almost 30,000 construction jobs by 2010, in addition to the tens of thousands of jobs already lost to turmoil on Wall Street.

We are in a recession which demands decisive action. I believe that in order to stimulate this economy, we need to get people working, earning, and building – not just spending. We have borrowed hundreds of billions that have gone to banks and financial institutions and borrowed tens of billions more to energize the economy, yet the economic downturn has continued and the financial turmoil has worsened. What is clear is that any action we take – especially as we borrow more money to do so – must pay off in the near and long term. That is what America does best: we can address this crisis while preparing for our future.

However, we do have immediate needs that cannot wait between now and when the next Congress and the next President takes office. And although your Administration has voiced skepticism about the need for a stimulus bill, I believe that the current conditions call for a coordinated response now.

The most recent jobs report, indicating another 240,000 jobs lost last month and the worst unemployment rate in 14 years, shows that steps need to be taken to shore up the safety net as millions of Americans continue the search for work. Expanding Unemployment Insurance and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) would not only provide relief to those hit hardest by our economic downturn, it would also spur economic activity as this money is immediately spent. New York alone has hundreds of thousands of people who will face the unemployment line and the loss of their food assistance during this economic downturn.

In the midst of one of the greatest fiscal crises to hit our states, an increase in the Medicaid FMAP rate would help prevent further and deeper cuts to health care and other essential services like education, child care and public safety. Rising demand for health insurance coverage through Medicaid due to increasing job loss is straining state budgets, and the federal government should act to help ease this growing burden on our states.

It is also increasingly clear that we need to take steps now that not only mitigate the fallout, but also begin putting the nation on the path towards recovery. That is why I believe the stimulus we pursue should focus on rebuilding our infrastructure and building a new, clean energy economy. Stimulus should focus on putting people back to work by investing in infrastructure and green jobs. That is how we can restore our prosperity today and ensure it in the future.

So I am proposing, among other steps, that we speed investments in infrastructure, including $410 million in New York roads, bridges, and transit systems, as well as training for new jobs in the clean energy economy, or “green collar jobs.” A federal investment in our infrastructure serves the dual purpose of modernizing our country’s deteriorating roads, bridges, and transit systems while stimulating the economy. Investing in these projects will create tens of thousands of good paying jobs. More than 40 highway, transit and rail projects are “shovel-ready” in New York alone.

I am also proposing an investment in training programs to prepare a new green workforce for the clean energy jobs of the future. I believe we can create at least five million green collar jobs - and we can speed the creation of those jobs while also training displaced workers to fill them in the very short term.

The next wave of foreclosures looms, and we should address it immediately. It is critical that we modify unworkable mortgages into clear and stable terms if we are to prevent the bottom of the housing market from falling even further. I have proposed HOME, the Home Owners Mortgage Enterprise, based on the successful program enacted during the New Deal which not only saved one million homes but also turned a profit for the Treasury. We should continue focusing on initiatives large and bold enough to meet the scale of the challenges presented by the faltering housing market.

The road to recovery will be difficult. But it is imperative that we take these urgent and important steps to kick-start the economy and hasten a return to prosperity that is shared and strengthens the middle class. I ask that you work with congressional leaders in developing a comprehensive stimulus package that the Congress can pass next week to reach your desk immediately thereafter.

Sincerely,

Hillary Rodham Clinton

cc: Majority Leader Harry Reid
Senator Robert C. Byrd
Senator Daniel Inouye

Take a good look. That’s leadership: the difference between a work horse and a show horse. Not for glory. No headlines. For the American people. It is still heartbreaking that we are being deprived of someone so caring and capable at the helm.

I know some are angry that Senator Clinton went out and campaigned for Barack Obama. But before anyone starts any Hillary bashing, this woman has been fighting on behalf of the Democratic Party for over 35 years. Severely outspent, in debt, with the press lynching her daily and her own party actively pushing and rigging it for the other guy, she did what she had to do to live to fight another day. Furthermore, she kept her word to the American people to fight for the Democratic nominee and a Democratic agenda.

I know that President-elect Obama has reversed himself on his policies and associations at lightning fast speed, so giving his word may not mean anything. But I do know to her, it means everything. It may seem an irritating quality at times. If I give my word, I don’t break it. Ever. My word is my bond.

Furthermore, had Hillary behaved any differently and shunned the Party, rest assured her crucifixion would have followed. Just witness the disgraceful treatment Governor Palin is receiving as we speak if you doubt this.

I will not second guess her. I just observe that Hillary is still out there “putting her shoes on” and doing her job. And while I may wish she had acted differently these last couple of months, I am certainly glad to have her earnest and dedicated voice in the Senate, still working on our behalf.

Notice, too, Senator Clinton is asking for action to be taken immediately, unlike Obama who is basically saying ‘it’s Bush’s mess ’til I get here in a couple of months.’ Where are his immediate solutions? Suggestions? He is not even planning on attending the emergency economic summit later in the week, but sending surrogates in his stead. If I were set to take over in a couple of months — I’d want to show up and keep my ears open and learn something.

People are hurting right now. It doesn’t matter which administration gets the credit. Help is required for the American people. Scorekeeping is not the issue. Hillary gets that.

Thank you so much Speaker Pelosi, Chairman Dean, Senator Reid, Senators Byrd, Kerry, Kennedy, McCaskill, Rockefeller and the rest of the backstabbers for throwing this good lady under the bus and instead, leaving us with Mr. Hopey Changey who seems to think it’s more important he choose a puppy for his daughters right now.

How’s that working out for ya’?

Next up, did the Democrats get a “mandate”? And how will Republican Senators treat Ted Stevens when he returns to D.C.?

Here’s an interesting piece on what’s going to happen to Ted Stevens:

Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska may not have the warmest of welcomes from fellow Republicans when he returns to the Senate later this month for Congress’ lame-duck session.

No matter the outcome of Stevens’ still-undecided election, some Republican senators are concerned about welcoming a convicted felon back into the Republican conference come Nov. 18, when the Senate returns for a postelection session in Washington, D.C.

They include Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., who was among those to call for Stevens to step down after the Alaska Republican’s Oct. 27 conviction on seven felony counts of failing to report gifts and services, including renovations that doubled the size of his Alaska home.

DeMint’s fellow Republican from South Carolina, Sen. Lindsey Graham, called on Stevens to step down, too, as did Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, of Arizona, and his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

Appealing verdict

Since his conviction, Stevens, 84, has maintained his innocence and says he “has not been convicted of anything.” Stevens, who is appealing the jury verdict, has been relying on the technical definition of “conviction,” which doesn’t take effect until sentencing. Stevens’ sentencing has been postponed pending the appeal of his conviction.

DeMint’s spokesman, Wesley Denton, said the South Carolina senator would prefer to see Stevens be removed from the GOP Senate conference, which would keep Stevens from representing the Republican Party and also strip him of all committee assignments. Stevens continues to sit on committees, including the Commerce and Appropriations committees, but he has lost his leadership posts on them.

“Clean our own house”

Republicans should “be the first to act by expelling Stevens from the GOP conference and not assigning him any committees,” Denton said. “We should clean our own house first.”

Any move on ousting Stevens from the conference would probably be up to the Republican leader of the Senate, Mitch McConnell, of Kentucky. A decision would need to be made Tuesday, so that senators have a week to consider an ouster before they return Nov. 18 to vote on it.

McConnell has said that if Stevens is re-elected and “the felony charge stands through the appeals process, there is zero chance that a senator with a felony conviction would not be expelled from the Senate.” … Read all.

Sometimes, stubbornness is a virtue. Sometimes, it’s just plain stupid.

I came to the Democratic Party because of its commitment to working Americans, civil rights, and an activist government. But I also believe in the value of work, capitalism, and a strong military. I have always distrusted the far-Left and its focus on identity politics and anti-Americanism. I believe the United States is a force for good and I believe in the prudent use of our military power.

Read the rest ->

I see the Obama campaign as a resurgence of McGovern liberalism, albeit better packaged and mixed with a good dose of Chicago-style corruption. In a brilliant speech, Lynette Long summed up exactly how I feel about Obama:

Obama is a brand just like any other brand. Obama the Brand has a logo, a tag line, and a song. But Obama the man is not the same as Obama the Brand. Obama the Brand talks about new style politics, while Obama the man used Chicago style politics in every election. Obama the brand is for women’s rights while Obama the man pays the women in his office 77 cents on the dollar compared to men … Obama the Brand is a post-racial candidate while Obama the man plays the race card at every turn, listens for 20 years to the racial teachings of Rev.. Wright, and makes contributions exclusively to Trinity United Church of Christ, the NAACP and Care Africa. Obama the man and Obama the brand are not one in the same.

I find it unacceptable that Obama and his supporters have used sexism and race-baiting as a political tactic. I believe that Sarah Palin is more qualified than Obama to be president, and the sexism against her (and Hillary Clinton) has been one of our worst moments as a Party, comparable to Southern Democrats voting against Civil Rights in the 1960s.

I will be voting for McCain because I trust him not to divide Americans along lines of race and sex for his own electoral gain. I will be voting for McCain to send a message to Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid that a rigged nominating process is not acceptable in the Democratic Party. I will be voting for McCain because Obama is not qualified to be president.

He doesn’t seem to be having a problem. He is a cash cow. Or rather, a whole herd.

I dreamt that I heard Barrack Obama had spent $500 million dollars on his campaign to secure the presidency. Maybe I am off by a few mil. If I am, no doubt some brilliant blogger will help set me straight. I can almost always count on a diligent investigative blogger for the real facts since in the latest chapter of the world gone mad, the New York Times seems to be giving up on actual investigative reporting. At least where Barack Obama is concerned. They are more concerned with the cost of Sarah Palin’s wardrobe or Cindy McCain’s personal trials.

There’s transparency in this election season. But it mostly centers around how many usually reliable mainstream media sources are in the tank for Obama.

But here’s the thing. With this kind of money in the tank, why do I get so many emails from Barack, Michele, Joe, David and Nancy? I get them every day, sometimes several times a day. Sarah Palin had barely walked off the stage at the Vice Presidential debate when I got an email from David about what a great job Joe had done. Send money.

I guess it takes a lot of money to rig an election. All those people to bus in. All those free lunches and dinners. All those homeless or disenfranchised people to pay to register voters and get them to vote the same day when their address or identities can’t be verified. All those ACORN workers and zealous volunteers to tear up McCain and Palin signs, destroy other property and intimidate people. All those bloggers to infiltrate sites promoting freedom of speech, election reform and accountability in the media.

And all that media time to purchase for the much touted upcoming infomercials set to run during sports events.

Yup, fraud, is indeed, expensive.

Money is a sore spot right now. As we witness the collapse of the economy, it seems more obscene than usual that any candidate is spending millions of dollars on the election. So I am confused by the Democrats, my usual party of choice.

How is it that Republican nominee John McCain, along with Democratic Senator Russell Feingold from Wisconsin have pushed for campaign finance reform and not Obama or party leaders like Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid? McCain and Feingold have been talking about campaign finance for a long time. They first introduced their bi-partisan bill in 1995. Talk about tenacity. I wonder what Barack Obama was doing thirteen years ago.

I’m also wondering if Obama is so concerned about the economy and sending a message of unity that we need to work together, why didn’t he head for Washington immediately as a Senator and the current leader of the party when the bail out was on the table? Why did he need to be summoned by the president?

And why isn’t he willing to honor staying within a budget that can be agreed upon by both parties? Was all this work on campaign finance reform for nothing?

I guess fraud is, indeed, expensive. As are below the belt commercials that criticize John McCain for not doing email or that question his life expectancy.

It’s true that John McCain can’t type or raise his arm very high.

Kind of tough to do when you have nerve damage after being tortured in a prisoner of war camp for five and half years.

And it’s true that John McCain has had a recurrence of a kind of skin cancer. It is a commonplace cancer that affects many Americans who go to the doctor, have it taken care of and go about their lives.

But raise the specter of technological incompetence or cancer and you can really get a bang for your buck. Through the magic of television alone, you can suggest that McCain is an old guy who is out of touch. An old guy on the verge of death.

Nice. I guess indecency is also expensive.

As more and more Americans struggle with gas prices, foreclosures and unemployment, it is understandable to want to lash out. For many the obvious target would be the Republicans, since so much of the disaster in our financial world happened under George Bush’s watch. But many Democrats were also asleep at the wheel, or so tied up in angry partisan politics that they refused to participate in substantive discussions and actions to prevent a collapse.

The buck needs to stop somewhere. How misleading that the Democrats, under Nancy Pelosi’s supposed leadership do not want to acknowledge that both parties have played a role in the collapse of the economy. What a poor example that the Democrats and Barack Obama have rejected reasonable campaign finance reform so that they can spends millions upon millions of dollars to promote his candidacy while many hardworking Americans have to choose between filling their plate at dinner time or their gas tank at the pump.

The buck needs to stop somewhere. I’m thinking, Just say No deal.

So, did millions of Americans become intrigued with and mesmerized by Obama and end up on “dates” with him, only to have some doubts about his readiness and qualifications emerge in their minds, and so now they are choosing instead to “marry” McCain?

Or, are Americans becoming aware that, if they elect Obama, they will end up with a one-party government, with Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi running our nation and Obama signing off on everything Nancy and Harry want?

There’s a reason our Founding Fathers created separate branches of government, and gave the Senate’s minority party more power than is the case in the House. The minority must have a seat at the table — and our nation is dangerously close to losing the voice of the minority.

You can view all the poll stories here.

What else is happening?

But plenty of folks have been writing about it, including Larry Johnson (here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and more) as well as NoQuarter writers Eastan McNeal (here, here, and here) and SusanUnPC).

Plenty of politicians have been laying blame at each others’ feet about it rather than take any responsibility for their own parts in this debacle (I’m talking to YOU, Barney, Barack, Chris, Harry, Nancy, Joe … All of you folks who have benefited so much from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac … I’m talking to you, Chris and Barack.).

And many of us have written about ACORN and its pressure on banks to make these sub-prime mortgage loans to people who couldn’t re-pay them. So, yeah, I think we’ve written about it a fair amount. Perhaps what we’ve written is not what some people want to HEAR, but the truth can be a difficult mistress. …

You know, someone else wrote about all of this. I reckon we should have paid more attention:

I sincerely believe that banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies, and that the principle of spending money to be paid by posterity, under the name of funding, is but swindling futurity on a large scale.

And:

It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world.
Thomas Jefferson

I’m with him on this. And, there you have it.

Ok, yes, I do know there was a little thing going on with the economy. Hey, as long as ACORN, and the other two organizations Obama wanted to fund with your taxpaying dollars did NOT get listed as receiving 20% of the bailout repayment, I’m happy it happened. Uh, ACORN DIDN’T get it, right???

And then there was something else I think happened on Thursday night - hmm, what could that possibly have been? Oh, yes, I remember now - Sarah took on Joe in the debate. Now, I will tell you right upfront that I did NOT watch it all - I only caught a few snippets here and there (I was on vacation, after all - no need to have my blood boiling while I’m looking out at the Caribbean Sea!). But there was one part I DID see, and found interesting. Especially since I keep getting emails from my sister on how DANGEROUS McCain/Palin will be on gay rights. Yes, I just so happened to see the piece in which Palin was asked about gay rights and same sex marriage. Here’s the video:

While I obviously DO NOT agree with her, or Biden, in any way shape or form, she was MASTERFUL in framing her response the way she did. Why? Because it made Biden say CLEARLY that OBAMA AND BIDEN DO NOT SUPPORT SAME SEX MARRIAGE. Ahem. Sorry, but I am sick and tired of getting email after email from organizations (and forwards from “concerned” family members) about how HORRIBLE it will all be for the GLBT community should McCain/Palin get in the White House. Their positions are virtually IDENTICAL, with the exception of Obama’s numerous anti-gay activist associates. So, for these organizations to engage in this fear mongering/anger inciting tact is disingenuous at BEST. Frankly, it is dishonest, manipulative, and low, not what I expect from organizations like Think Progress, for instance (they are the latest to do this, but certainly not the only ones to do so).

I might also add that for someone who has not been in politics for 36 yrs, from what I did see, Sarah more than held her own. I guess maybe that’s the difference between having to actually make the hard decisions on a regular basis for an entire state, and just yak, as Obama said senators do.

And while I am on that, SusanUnPC from No Quarter alerted me to the orchestrated attacks on Sarah Palin by lesbians via Our Chart. If you are unfamiliar with Our Chart, it is an online community started by a concept of the same title on “The L Word.” Anyway, an alert reader sent Susan a link from Our Chart in which Palin is being targeted. Apparently, people are not paying attention to the facts about Obama and the GLBT community, or they don’t want to BELIEVE where he really stands (ah, denial, such a lovely place), but are all too ready to believe whatever rumor comes down the pike about Palin (and/or McCain). What the hey?? While I have always, always, always been incredibly liberal, I did not know that the ONLY women allowed to be self-actualized are LIBERAL women, not ALL women. Who the hell knew THAT?? Anywho, back to lesbians attacking Palin - the lack of critical thinking by this community (heck - anyone who is voting for him) is staggering. But for women-identified-women to attack another woman so ruthlessly is disturbing, to say the least. I reckon they don’t really care that they have more rights under Palin in Alaska than in many other states in the Union. Or maybe they don’t understand that when Obama says HE doesn’t support same-sex marriage, that is no different from when Palin says she doesn’t. See, even though Logic was required for me as a Philosophy major, I just don’t think that’s a big logical leap requiring additional coursework, but that’s just me. But people are clearly buying the lies being spread in this election. The lies are about who Obama is, and for what he stands, as well as who his opponents are. So much for truth, justice, and the American way. I guess that’s just passe for this generation of young people. And for too many others, as well. Win at all and any costs seems to be the NEW American slogan. I’d kinda like to get back to the old one, myself.

Ah, well, just another month of this foolishness. Until then, it is critical that we keep doing what we can to combat the lies spread by Obama and his surrogates. Let him win or lose fair and square - that would be new and different for him, wouldn’t it?? No time like the first time for that to happen, and I certainly hope this is the year he learns all about losing (do you think he will cry to Pelosi or Dean or Reid that they PROMISED him he would win like Dubya did to his brother about Florida??). It couldn’t happen to a more deserving guy, if you ask me.

Glad to be back - so tell me what else I missed!

Several news commentators pointed out they knew she had the debate in hand when she asked Gwen Ifill if “we could just return to Afghanistan” for a moment. If she was willing to tackle Biden on foreign policy, his supposed strong suit, I’d say the lady’s got a set of brass ones. Good for her. It was widely observed that she kept the veteran Senator on the defensive much of the night and even got under his skin a few times.

Yes, her answers could have been more specific on a couple of topics and she could have attacked Biden more, but then again what points Biden gained for specificity he more than lost because a number of his ‘specifics’ were lies.

Primarily, Biden mischaracterized McCain’s position on the war and surge. McCain has been proven right on the surge, which even Obama has had to admit. Biden denied that Obama said he would meet with Ahmedinajad without preconditions. Obama did famously and naively say this and was attacked for doing so by Biden. He also made false statements about McCain’s health care tax credit, which would more than offset any tax hike. He lied that McCain wanted less regulation when in fact it was John McCain years ago calling for more regulation of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. News commentators cited many more.

I tried to get past the lies Biden told and simply review what appeals to me about McCain/Palin that Obama/Biden just haven’t got. The answer is simple:

Humility.
Gratitude.
Character.

Humility and dignity are not mutually exclusive. It is commendable to both understand the gravitas of the job and express gratitude to the American people for having the deep faith to bestow their ultimate trust upon two people. That is something clearly not lost on John McCain and Sarah Palin. I feel a confidence from them, without arrogance or hubris.

Why is this so important? We already had eight years of an arrogant blockhead in the White House, who thought he was God’s chosen one. Regardless of party, we don’t need another in there with the same ‘I am the Chosen’ attitude.

Most telling, Biden kept harping on the fact that McCain intended to continue Bush’s policies. This is the most egregious falsehood. Obama, in saying he wants to continue Blackwater and have a private security force, touting Bush’s faith based initiatives, reneging on FISA, backpedaling on ‘don’t ask don’t tell, and most recently, illegally trying to squelch dissent in Missouri, to name a few, makes him more like Bush3 than anyone.

I had occasion to be confronted by four sexists yesterday, three males and one female. The words they had for Palin were disgusting. The more the snobs out there choose to insult and rip into her, the more we are reminded of the horrid treatment Senator Clinton received. If you think that is driving anyone into Obama’s arms, you are sadly mistaken.

Whether the lefty elites like it or not, Governor Palin is a feminist, balancing career, marriage and family. Her choices may not be yours, but a woman’s right to choose means exactly that. Period. As Lou Dobbs has pointed out many times of late, Governor Palin lives her principles.

So does McCain. It becomes a little harder to argue with his Iraq policy going forward when both he and Palin have sons actively serving in the military. These are not neo cons or chicken-hawks. John McCain the POW, more than anyone, knows the cost of war. It is also hard to argue with the character of a man who has taken huge risks politically in the name of his principles — something Senator Obama has never done.

Interesting for a conservative, McCain has also stood by openly gay politicians who are friends over the years. Can you imagine Obama doing this?

Both McCain and Palin have repeatedly demonstrated not only willingness, but a track record of working across the aisle, a much needed quality since they will most likely be working with a Democratic congress. From a place of dignity and humility, a President can engage and be engaged by others. This bespeaks a willingness to listen and respect the views of colleagues without belittling the ways of those who are ‘other’ than you.

Palin made very clear last night, and has the record as Governor to back this up, that while she may not agree with certain views, she will respect the law of the land and not legislate or veto away the rights of others.

As Stephen Covey famously wrote, “seek first to understand, then to be understood.” Unfortunately, Senator Obama showed he is sorely lacking in such skills when he made his infamous “bitter voter” comments to his rich San Francisco campaign contributors.

I always wondered why Gore or Kerry didn’t connect with people at their debates and I realized it is in a nutshell why so many Democrats lose – the condescension factor: talking with their noses in the air.

Obama shares this with his unsuccessful predecessor-candidates. No matter what nonsense Donna Brazile wants to spew about the new Democratic Party being more ‘urbane’ and not needing rural voters to win, that is a crock. And everyone knows it. If you can’t speak to the heartland, you ain’t gettin’ to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

At the debate last night, Sarah Palin’s warmth and down to earth connection to the American people was undeniable.

I’d like someone who has lived a little in the trenches, who understands sacrifice and may have a clue as to what the average woman or man on the street is going through at this point in time. Despite their Ivy League educations, this is something I always appreciated about the Clintons – and surely why the Democratic elite always held them in contempt. They have the ability to reach out to the working class voter.

It has long been my experience that those who look at me like a bug under a glass have little understanding of my needs or the urgency of answering them.

It may also explain why Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter are the only two Democrats to have won the White House in the last 40 years – although, unlike Carter, Clinton was a hugely successful President.

In addition to Joe Biden’s truth-lapses – a habit he shares in common with his #1, Barack Obama – what annoyed me about Biden was his flashing that enormous mouth of blistering white teeth to Gwen Ifill when Sarah started to speak. It struck me as a bit condescending – “oh look what the little girl is saying now”.

In recalling Scranton, Wilmington and Home Depot, Biden was working a little too hard to sound like a man of the people, which his slightly plastic appearance due to a seeming eyelift and a trip to “BriteSmile” seemed to belie. That coupled with his ultimate beltway insider status may make people a little less trusting of his let’s bang on the facts message (especially when those “facts” will easily be debunked all over the net and on the campaign trail).

Then again, Obama has held so many flip flopping positions on the issues that anything Biden said last night could have been considered true at some point. The question is – what is true now? We don’t know. He could fire any dart at the dartboard and hit a bull’s eye because the waffling has been endless.

I have no real idea of what Obama would ACTUALLY do in the White House. Do you?

The UK Telegraph today revealed a letter from British Ambassador to the U.S., Sir Nigel Sheinwald to Prime Minister Gordon Brown assessing Senator Obama:

Barack Obama is a “decidedly liberal” senator “who was finding his feet, and then got diverted by his presidential ambitions”…

No kidding. I’d have preferred he “find his feet” first but ambition is all, apparently – ready or not.

Mr. Obama “can seem to sit on the fence, assiduously balancing pros and cons”, Sir Nigel wrote, and “does betray a highly educated and upper middle class mindset”. Charges of elitism “are not entirely unfair” and he is “maybe aloof, insensitive” at times.

Insensitive? Yes, the bug under the glass thing again. Sitting on the fence? That reminds me of Obama’s 130 ‘present’ votes in the State Legislature. Well, there is no voting ‘present’ in the White House.

“He can talk too dispassionately for a national campaign about issues which touch people personally, e.g. his notorious San Francisco comments [in April] about small-town Pennsylvanians ‘clinging’ to guns and religion.”

The stings Senator Obama delivered to many groups who chose not to vote for him in the primaries are not likely to be forgotten at the polls either.

In contrast, John McCain is respectful in his interviews and at every speaking engagement. I still remember a town hall he held months ago when a hostile man questioned him about his positions on Iraq. Senator McCain openly answered the question and then asked if the man wanted to follow up. He did, and John did. Then John asked again – would you like to follow up? They must have gone back and forth five times until the man’s questions were answered to his satisfaction and he sat down. Courage, respect, humility, decency.

Contrast this with a man who questioned Obama at a campaign rally. Obama’s response was, ‘if you don’t like my answer, get another candidate or run for office yourself.’

When gut check time arrives at the polls on November 4th, it will be interesting to see whether the American people feel safer with two candidates who talk to them, rather than at them or over them with noses in the air.

Whether I agree with John McCain and Sarah Palin on all the issues has become less important to me than the fact that I know where they stand and have a pretty good idea of how they would govern in the White House: with determination, humility and openness.

The bobbing and weaving of the Obama/Biden camp leaves me uncertain. What good is someone who agrees me, only to meet with my polar opposite the next day and pretend agreement with them, too?

We all know that McCain/Palin are not my ideal choices. But Hillary is no longer in the race so my hope for a Clinton/Clark ticket is gone for the moment. I do not trust anything that comes out of the Obama campaign, as their positions have changed with the prevailing wind.

Since the Democratic Party is neck deep in the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac scandal. And since Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, as our Party leaders, have shown they are unscrupulous enough to use the current economic suffering of American citizens for political gain, I can no longer vote party. I have to vote character.

And on that score, there is little room for doubt.

Which leads me to an interesting article by Amanda Carpenter, “Reid Uses Clout To Trip Up McCain.” In it, Carpenter writes:

Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid seems to be doing all he can as the Senate’s most powerful member to cause trouble for GOP presidential candidate John McCain.

Reid indicated Thursday that he will not hold any votes in the Senate on Friday so McCain has “no excuses” to skip the debate scheduled for that day.

Wait a second here - I thought the Senate and House were supposed to be working for US, to get our economy back on track. And Reid is already claiming he won’t hold any votes? Is he playing politics here? Evidently, because:

Reid’s move is curious since several news outlets reported earlier this week that Reid told the White House it was essential McCain take an active role in crafting the bailout—something that would certainly keep McCain off the campaign trail. “We need now the Republicans to start producing some votes for us, we need the Republican nominee for president to let us know where he stands,” Reid publicly told reporters.

Let me make sure I understand this. Harry Reid, the Senate Majority Leader, ASKED Senator McCain to return to DC to help get this bill worked out. Because McCain agreed, Senator Reid, who, IMHO, has been an incredibly ineffectual leader, castigates Senator McCain for coming back?? That sure seems like a “Damned if you do, Damned if you Don’t” scenario in bold relief. Carpenter seems to think so, too:

As soon as McCain announced he was suspending his campaign and possibly postponing a presidential debate in order to get to Washington to work on the bill, Reid began criticizing McCain for doing so.

“It appears to me John McCain is trying to divert attention to his failing campaign,” Reid said during a press conference Wednesday.

Shortly before McCain made his decision to return to Washington and had yet to make any statement on the bill, Reid distorted McCain’s position on the yet-to-be completed bill. “I’ve got some good news,” Reid told the press. “it appears Senator McCain is going to come out for this.”

When told by the Washington Post about Reid’s comment McCain flatly responded “I did not say that.”

Throughout the debate on the bailout package, McCain has refused to reject or endorse the plan. He has only said the final version of it must include stricter oversight standards and limits on CEO pay.

Reid is not the only one - every Democrat I have seen, from Rep. Barney Frank to Gov. Bill Richardson (here’s a newsflash to all of the news organizations - we don’t give a CRAP what Bill Richardson, that sexist, homophobic, back-stabbing creep has to say, so STOP giving him a platform already!!) has HAMMERED Senator McCain, claiming this was just a stunt on McCain’s part.

Wow. You might recall, well, only if you didn’t blink, that Sec. Paulson HIMSELF asked Senator McCain to return (SusanUnPC had it at No Quarter). Yeah, I figured you hadn’t heard that, the way the media has been busily spinning this. So, yes. Secretary Paulson asked McCain to do it, and in the interest of the country, McCain did. What is more, while McCain was being mocked and belittled by House and Senate Republicans, he didn’t say a word about Sec. Paulson having asked him to do this. That takes some character right there, if you ask me, something Harry Reid sure hasn’t demonstrated in all of this. No, rather Harry Reid and others in the Democratic Party have blamed McCain PERSONALLY for a bill not getting struck (
Deal May Be Dead: Democrats Blaming McCain). Yes, that’s right, it is ALL McCain’s fault.

And now is when I remind you of this Roll Call article:
Reid Seeks McCain Pledge. Oh, this is rich:

Fearing a political backlash against Democrats, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has told the White House that it must serve up support from Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) if it hopes to ensure bipartisan backing for a massive economic bailout package by week’s end.

Reid made his position clear to Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson on Monday night, as well as to his Democratic caucus, which shares many of the GOP’s concerns that the $700 billion bailout has been drafted too hastily and is a risky remedy for an economy on the brink of crisis. Reid, according to Democratic Senate sources, also wants assurances from Senate Republican leaders that an evenly divided, bipartisan group of Senators will pass any legislative fix so his party isn’t left with the burden of doing an unpopular White House’s bidding — again.

“If the administration wants us, we are going to have to go hand in hand or at the end of the day, it’s not going to happen,” Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) said.

Democratic leaders have privately been eyeing a strategy — to be worked out with the White House and GOP Senate leaders — that would call for an equal number of Senators in each party supporting the final bailout plan. Talks have included splits of 30 Democrats and 30 Republicans or higher to ensure neither party is labeled with being responsible for the costly package.

“Harry Reid would like Republican Senate support, whatever remedy we come up with,” Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) said. “Right now, there’s significant opposition on the Republican side. Democrats have serious concerns about Paulson’s proposal, but we are willing to work with the Treasury Department and the Fed to come up with the right solution.”

Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) agreed, saying, “we need help from both parties” if a bill is to be completed in the coming days. Casey, who sits on the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, said the administration needs to do more to get Republicans invested in a solution.

“I think if you look at the Republican side, at the McCain campaign and the leadership, I’m not convinced they are working to get their side to the table,” Casey said. “But the week is young.”

McCain holds the key to such a bipartisan vote, according to Reid, because Republicans are likely to defer to his position on a bill that holds political peril. McCain on Tuesday night joined Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) in lending qualified support for the $700 billion package, but it remains unclear whether his backing is strong enough and timely enough to persuade the Congressional rank and file. According to a Democratic aide familiar with the discussions, Reid told Paulson this week that “if McCain didn’t come out for this thing and come out for it quickly, it was going to begin bleeding Republican votes.” Democrats “have a very real concern that opposition [from McCain] is going to drive away potential Republican votes,” this aide said.

Well, as they say, “No good deed goes unpunished.” And for reasons that escape me, the media is allowing Reid to get away with this duplicity. It truly does seem like the ultimate case of “Gotcha” - they ask McCain to come back, then do nothing but criticize him for coming back. Meanwhile, the president has to call Senator Obama to get HIM to come back to do the work he is supposed to do. That just falls by the wayside, the man who after 100 days, threw his hat into the Presidential ring, has done blessed little actual WORK in the Senate. He’s like a petulant teenager, who has to be forced into doing the right thing by his parents. But he didn’t stay long, and seemed to only contribute acrimony.

Tell me again why this man is the Democratic nominee?? Really - how in the WORLD did Obama get this far? I am guessing that the first term senator who has $860 million, that’s MILLION, dollars in earmarks in his first THREE years, is having strings pulled by someone, or several someones. Who else would have that kind of hubris? In their first term?? No one of whom I can (if I am wrong, tell me who has asked for more). So now, he is on his way to Oxford, acting like he has always wanted to do these debates, never mind that he REFUSED, flat out REFUSED to do any more than three, despite the frequent requests from the McCain camp. And this is the guy who has so hoodwinked so many Democrats.

After seeing the remarks of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid last night, and the way he mocked and criticized McCain (as he is doing right now on tv - saying the “interjection of presidential politics was harmful” - which he repeated, and said McCain had done nothing but stand in front of the cameras. Um, did he not see OBAMA doing that???) - I remarked that it almost made me embarrassed that I have been a Democrat all these years. My partner responded that this must be what REAL Republicans felt like when their party was taking over by the Right Wing. I have to agree. I see these blatant lies, maneuvers, and traps set by the Democrats for McCain during a time of TRUE crisis for this country, all in an attempt to try and pave the path with gold for their inept selected candidate. This is deplorable. Reid is sacrificing the good of the COUNTRY for the good of the party, and that is simply unacceptable to me. This is not the time. This is NOT the time, Senator Reid. (He just did it again - blamed McCain for everything falling apart.) Here’s the bottom line:

One senior GOP Senate aide said Republican Senate leaders are making the case to their Conference that the ramifications of doing nothing are too great, following through on what was described as Paulson’s sobering assessment of the crisis. This aide said of Paulson’s personal appeal to Senators on Tuesday, “It’s fair to say it convinced a number of Members we needed to act, and we need to act quickly.”

Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.), the ranking member on the Budget Committee, said afterward that Congress cannot address the economic meltdown in a partisan way. It will not get done, he warned, unless Democrats and Republicans work together to craft a solution, and that includes the support of McCain and Obama.

“It has to be bipartisan. There’s no choice,” Gregg said, adding, “I would hope that wherever we end up agreeing to here it includes both presidential candidates being comfortable with it(emphasis mine).”

Senator Reid, instead of constantly attacking Senator McCain for “injecting presidential politics” into this matter, shut your piehole, and actually get to work already. You are an embarrassment to the position. Stop blaming EVERYONE else but the Democratic leadership over the past two years, as you have Senator DODD, of all people, NUMBER ONE on the list of 354 lawmakers getting Fannie and Freddie money, standing beside you. Reid, you are a friggin’ hypocrite. Just STOP the BS for ONCE, and do your damn job. And maybe ask your buddy, Biden, to not put any earmarks on the Bail Out bill while you are at it. Get away from the cameras, and go hammer this out. Now. Today. GO.

UPDATED: Larry Johnson has a great article about “Acorn: The Poison Pill” which details why the Democrats were in such a hurry to get this bill passed. You will not believe what is (was?) in it: Three non-profit organizations, ACORN, National Urban League, and the National La Raza would share 20% - I said TWENTY PERCENT of the profits from the Bail Out bill. I cannot even go INTO all of the issues with ACORN - do a search at No Quarter on ACORN and you will get a ton of articles on it. Not only is Obama connected with them, but they have been charged with voter registration fraud in a number of states now, as well as some other issues that have come up with them. This is OUR money we’re talking about here that CHRISTOPHER DODD (who is the one who came up with this - with Obama, no doubt) wants to GIVE AWAY. And to give away a TON of it to an unsavory organization currently facing legal difficulties. This has gone WAY beyond the pale. WAY beyond it. Is this the sort of thing toward which we can look forward should Obama end up in the White House? I think the answer is an unequivocal YES, and it scares the crap out of me. And infuriates me. They have hijacked the Democratic Party, and I want it BACK!!!

By John Batchelor. posted on September 25, 2008 at 6:36 PM

Dick Shelby of Alabama Strolled Out

Late this afternoon, after the markets closed, after the big pow-wow at the White House called by President Bush to confront the market crisis, Dick Shelby (R) strolled out onto the White House portico (right, bad weather) to the waiting media mob of cameras, mikes, cell phones, open feeds, bloggers, and blinked at the lights. “I guess you were expectin’ bigger fish?” Mr. Shelby meant the two candidates, Barack Obama and John McCain, who slipped out the side door to their limos and entourages. Dick Shelby then went on to give the news. “No deal.” He produced a document that he said was signed by five hundred economists who asserted that the Hank Paulson deal was bunk. That there is no credit crunch on Main Street. That Wall Street is running a panic game. That the deal the president spoke of last night, and again today, is not going forward.

The House of Representatives Has the Purse

There is no deal unless the deal comes from the House. No deal unless George Bush and Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell, and the two candidates, stay out of it. Obama is a minor leaguer here, and the House doesn’t pay mind. McCain is a doorjamb here, and the House ignores him. The Senate does not lead. Those 100 whig-wearing popinjays do not have the power of the purse, as per the beautiful Constitution This is about the people’s House; the is about what John Boehner and Nancy Polosi decide (left, between Bush and McCain). No deal unless and until the House says there is a deal. And as of right now, no deal. Wall Street can go melt in global warming. (Or freeze, given the solar silence, the fall of solar wind, the lack of sunspots.) No deal. The futures are off 350. Gold will climb in Asia. The dollar will crumble. No deal. Does that mean no debate Friday night? Who cares about those two senators. The House is the boss now. Watch Wall Street open tomorrow, after the wave sweeps in from Europe. More soon. More here. Comments welcomed. Thanks. JB