Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Barack's New Ad - Shared Responsibility
THIS POST WAS ORIGINALLY ABOUT PRESIDENT OBAMA'S 2008 CAMPAIGN SPEECH ABOUT THE BANKING CRISIS THAT YEAR THAT CAUSED THE SO-CALLED " Great Recession." UNFORTUNATELY THE VIDEO OF HIS SPEECH, AND OF THE AD THAT FEATURED IT,IS NO LONGER POSTED ON THE WEB, AND so, it has disappeared from this post.
Here's the text of that speech:
In the past few weeks, Wall Street's been rocked as banks closed and markets tumbled. But for many of you -- the people I've met in town halls, backyards and diners across America -- our troubled economy isn't news. 600,000 Americans have lost their jobs since January. Paychecks are flat and home values are falling. It's hard to pay for gas and groceries and if you put it on a credit card they've probably raised your rates. You're paying more than ever for health insurance that covers less and less.
This isn't just a string of bad luck. The truth is that while you've been living up to your responsibilities, Washington has not. That's why we need change. Real change. This is no ordinary time and it shouldn't be an ordinary election. But much of this campaign has been consumed by petty attacks and distractions that have nothing to do with you or how we get America back on track.
Here's what I believe we need to do.
Reform our tax system to give a $1,000 tax break to the middle class instead of showering more on oil companies and corporations that outsource our jobs.
End the "anything goes" culture on Wall Street with real regulation that protects your investments and pensions.
Fast track a plan for energy 'made-in-America' that will free us from our dependence on mid-east oil in 10 years and put millions of Americans to work.
Crack down on lobbyists - once and for all -- so their back-room deal-making no longer drowns out the voices of the middle class and undermines our common interests as Americans.
And yes, bring a responsible end to this war in Iraq so we stop spending billions each month rebuilding their country when we should be rebuilding ours.
Doing these things won't be easy. But we're Americans. We've met tough challenges before. And we can again. I'm Barack Obama. I hope you'll read my economic plan.
I approved this message because bitter, partisan fights and outworn ideas of the left and the right won't solve the problems we face today. But a new spirit of unity and shared responsibility will.
Original article and video posted on Huffington Post.
http://www.barackobama.com
Monday, September 15, 2008
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Speaking of Tax Cuts - Compare the Plans
I've never done this before, but one of the comments below the previous article on Reuters' blogsite was so informative, I thought it should be reprinted.
Here's the entire comment from "DS" about the two economic plans -- Obama's vs. McCain's.
September 10th, 2008
4:46 pm GMT
Today in America the wealthiest 1% owns more than everyone in the bottom 95% combined. Income inequality is at its greatest level since the 1920s - right before the great depression. Though the US has continued to make big gains in productivity over the last decade, nearly all of the benefit of those gains has gone to the wealthy, not the workers. American CEOs earned 411 times as much as average workers in 2005, up from 107 times in 1990. In the economic expansion of 2002-2006, the top 1% captured nearly three quarters of income growth.
http://elsa.berkeley.edu/~saez/saez-USto pincomes-2006prel.pdf
This condition is not an accident, but is instead the deliberate goal of Republican economic policy. The rich write the rules! McCain’s proposals will accelerate this trend further by using a tried and true method - fill the campaign dialogue with talk about social issues, personal stories, vague statements (”tax cuts”), and the trickle-down myth, and hope that middle and lower income voters do not read the details. It worked twice with Bush. While they talk about gay marriage to your face, they are literally picking your pocket from behind - systematically redistributing wealth from poor to rich. And here’s the kicker - they don’t think there is anything wrong with the situation! And if you vote for McCain, you are again telling them that you don’t think there is anything wrong with the situation either! The high unemployment level, housing crisis, credit crunch, lower value of the dollar, high gas prices, and increasing national debt are all related to these failed policies. Standards of living in the US have continued to rise only because in most families both people work, and people work longer hours and more days per year (all for lower benefits). Something has to give…
These are the proposed tax plans for the two candidates. You can see that McCain intends to further reduce the tax burden of the wealthiest Americans at the expense of the middle and lower income families. Obama’s plan increases taxes on the wealthy, especially that top 1%, to the benefit of working americans - a first step in reversing the rich-get-richer trend and toward re-building a real middle class. In fact, Obama has offered to actually raise his own taxes for the benefit of the country as a whole. Where are you in this table?
……………… MCCAIN …………. OBAMA
Income ……. Avg tax bill ……. Avg. tax bill
Over $2.9M …. -$269,364 (-4.4%)… +$701,885 (+11.5%)
$603K and up…. -$45,361 (-3.4%)… +$115,974 (+8.7%)
$227K-$603K…… -$7,871 (-3.1%)…….. +$12 (+0.0%)
$161K-$227K…… -$4,380 (-3.0%)….. -$2,789 (-1.9%)
$112K-$161K…… -$2,614 (-2.5%)….. -$2,204 (-2.1%)
$66K-$112K …… -$1,009 (-1.4%)….. -$1,290 (-1.8%)
$38K-$66K …….. -$319 (-0.7%)….. -$1,042 (-2.4%)
$19K-$38K …….. -$113 (-0.5%)……. -$892 (-3.6%)
Under $19K ……… -$19 (-0.2%)……. -$567 (-5.5%)
http://money.cnn.com/2008/06/11/news/eco nomy/candidates_taxproposals_tpc/?postve rsion=2008061113
- Posted by DS
Here's the entire comment from "DS" about the two economic plans -- Obama's vs. McCain's.
September 10th, 2008
4:46 pm GMT
Today in America the wealthiest 1% owns more than everyone in the bottom 95% combined. Income inequality is at its greatest level since the 1920s - right before the great depression. Though the US has continued to make big gains in productivity over the last decade, nearly all of the benefit of those gains has gone to the wealthy, not the workers. American CEOs earned 411 times as much as average workers in 2005, up from 107 times in 1990. In the economic expansion of 2002-2006, the top 1% captured nearly three quarters of income growth.
http://elsa.berkeley.edu/~saez/saez-USto pincomes-2006prel.pdf
This condition is not an accident, but is instead the deliberate goal of Republican economic policy. The rich write the rules! McCain’s proposals will accelerate this trend further by using a tried and true method - fill the campaign dialogue with talk about social issues, personal stories, vague statements (”tax cuts”), and the trickle-down myth, and hope that middle and lower income voters do not read the details. It worked twice with Bush. While they talk about gay marriage to your face, they are literally picking your pocket from behind - systematically redistributing wealth from poor to rich. And here’s the kicker - they don’t think there is anything wrong with the situation! And if you vote for McCain, you are again telling them that you don’t think there is anything wrong with the situation either! The high unemployment level, housing crisis, credit crunch, lower value of the dollar, high gas prices, and increasing national debt are all related to these failed policies. Standards of living in the US have continued to rise only because in most families both people work, and people work longer hours and more days per year (all for lower benefits). Something has to give…
These are the proposed tax plans for the two candidates. You can see that McCain intends to further reduce the tax burden of the wealthiest Americans at the expense of the middle and lower income families. Obama’s plan increases taxes on the wealthy, especially that top 1%, to the benefit of working americans - a first step in reversing the rich-get-richer trend and toward re-building a real middle class. In fact, Obama has offered to actually raise his own taxes for the benefit of the country as a whole. Where are you in this table?
……………… MCCAIN …………. OBAMA
Income ……. Avg tax bill ……. Avg. tax bill
Over $2.9M …. -$269,364 (-4.4%)… +$701,885 (+11.5%)
$603K and up…. -$45,361 (-3.4%)… +$115,974 (+8.7%)
$227K-$603K…… -$7,871 (-3.1%)…….. +$12 (+0.0%)
$161K-$227K…… -$4,380 (-3.0%)….. -$2,789 (-1.9%)
$112K-$161K…… -$2,614 (-2.5%)….. -$2,204 (-2.1%)
$66K-$112K …… -$1,009 (-1.4%)….. -$1,290 (-1.8%)
$38K-$66K …….. -$319 (-0.7%)….. -$1,042 (-2.4%)
$19K-$38K …….. -$113 (-0.5%)……. -$892 (-3.6%)
Under $19K ……… -$19 (-0.2%)……. -$567 (-5.5%)
http://money.cnn.com/2008/06/11/news/eco nomy/candidates_taxproposals_tpc/?postve rsion=2008061113
- Posted by DS
McCain Slogging Without Palin - Reuters
Tales from the Trail
Tracking the 2008 U.S. campaign
September 10th, 2008
Posted by: Jason Szep
PHILADELPHIA - Republican presidential candidate John McCain cut short his first public appearance without running-mate Sarah Palin after chanting supporters of Democratic rival Barack Obama interrupted his speech.
After lunching with a roundtable of women at Philadelphia’s Down Home Diner, McCain shook hands with supporters and strode up to a podium to deliver a statement. But as he spoke, chants of “Obama, Obama, Obama” filled the room.
Reporters craned forward trying to hear the Arizona senator. Unfortunately for McCain — and possibly overlooked by aides who planned the event — a section of the diner opened up to a market where a crowd had gathered behind a cordon.
A large contingent of Obama supporters showed up, mixed with some who had bumper stickers reading “Democrats for McCain”.
“It’s time to leave the talk behind and start shaking up Washington and fixing our economy, taking care of the problems facing our families. We’re going to give a tax cut to every family with a child,” he said.
His words were barely audible.
More to the posting here.
Tracking the 2008 U.S. campaign
September 10th, 2008
Posted by: Jason Szep
PHILADELPHIA - Republican presidential candidate John McCain cut short his first public appearance without running-mate Sarah Palin after chanting supporters of Democratic rival Barack Obama interrupted his speech.
After lunching with a roundtable of women at Philadelphia’s Down Home Diner, McCain shook hands with supporters and strode up to a podium to deliver a statement. But as he spoke, chants of “Obama, Obama, Obama” filled the room.
Reporters craned forward trying to hear the Arizona senator. Unfortunately for McCain — and possibly overlooked by aides who planned the event — a section of the diner opened up to a market where a crowd had gathered behind a cordon.
A large contingent of Obama supporters showed up, mixed with some who had bumper stickers reading “Democrats for McCain”.
“It’s time to leave the talk behind and start shaking up Washington and fixing our economy, taking care of the problems facing our families. We’re going to give a tax cut to every family with a child,” he said.
His words were barely audible.
More to the posting here.
Monday, September 8, 2008
New Tough Obama Ad
This is discussed here on Talking Points Memo today.
I'm glad to see the Obama camp slamming their hands upside McCain's head finally. Ya can't get an advantage if yer always on defense. You have to take the offense to win.
I'm glad to see the Obama camp slamming their hands upside McCain's head finally. Ya can't get an advantage if yer always on defense. You have to take the offense to win.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Anchorage Paper Corrects Palin Speech 'Facts'
The Anchorage Daily News posted an article this morning correcting at least a couple of the fanciful 'facts' and outright lies in Sarah Palin's speech last night at the Repug's National Convention in St. Paul.
'Some of Palin's remarks stretch the truth' was the headline of the story, which calls into question two of the biggest howlers in her address, the first on the proposed gas pipeline in Alaska, which she implied was a done deal. The paper, however, notes that "...no building has begun and actual construction is years away, if it ever happens."
The Anchorage Daily also says Palin continues to lie about being a Federal earmark's opponent. Quoting from the paper, here is the real story:
"THE FACTS: As mayor of Wasilla, Palin hired a lobbyist and traveled to Washington annually to support earmarks for the town totaling $27 million.
In her two years as governor, Alaska has requested nearly $750 million in special federal spending, by far the largest per-capita request in the nation, although she has cut, by more than half, the amount the state sought from Washington this year. While Palin notes she rejected plans to build a $398 million bridge from Ketchikan to Gravina Island, that opposition came only after the plan was ridiculed nationally as a "bridge to nowhere."
Read the full story here.
'Some of Palin's remarks stretch the truth' was the headline of the story, which calls into question two of the biggest howlers in her address, the first on the proposed gas pipeline in Alaska, which she implied was a done deal. The paper, however, notes that "...no building has begun and actual construction is years away, if it ever happens."
The Anchorage Daily also says Palin continues to lie about being a Federal earmark's opponent. Quoting from the paper, here is the real story:
"THE FACTS: As mayor of Wasilla, Palin hired a lobbyist and traveled to Washington annually to support earmarks for the town totaling $27 million.
In her two years as governor, Alaska has requested nearly $750 million in special federal spending, by far the largest per-capita request in the nation, although she has cut, by more than half, the amount the state sought from Washington this year. While Palin notes she rejected plans to build a $398 million bridge from Ketchikan to Gravina Island, that opposition came only after the plan was ridiculed nationally as a "bridge to nowhere."
Read the full story here.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
The Truth Will Out
Peggy Noonan, a respected Wall Street Journal columnist, and a former speech writer for Ronald Reagan, and MSNBC political commentator and Time Magazine columnist Mike Murphy, who used to advise John McCain, spoke some important words of truth today on MSNBC about McCain and his unfortunate Veep pick, Sarah Palin.
Noonan and Murphy, both of whom I've learned to respect over the years for their candor and relative lack of spin (though they are Republican operatives), were chatting with MSNBC Political Director Chuck Todd during a cutaway today outside the Repug's convention in Minnesota. Huffington Post has a wonderful rehash of their candid and obviously deeply felt disappointment in McCain's choice of Palin.
Says Noonan: "It's over." "Political bullshit."
Says Murphy: "Cynical" and "Gimmicky."
Watch and say thank you, Peggy and Mike.
Original video on HuffPost courtesy of Brightcove.
Noonan and Murphy, both of whom I've learned to respect over the years for their candor and relative lack of spin (though they are Republican operatives), were chatting with MSNBC Political Director Chuck Todd during a cutaway today outside the Repug's convention in Minnesota. Huffington Post has a wonderful rehash of their candid and obviously deeply felt disappointment in McCain's choice of Palin.
Says Noonan: "It's over." "Political bullshit."
Says Murphy: "Cynical" and "Gimmicky."
Watch and say thank you, Peggy and Mike.
Original video on HuffPost courtesy of Brightcove.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Barack Obama on Energy in Lansing, Michigan
If you want to understand what the real issues are in this so-called Energy Debate, please listen to what Barack has to say in this speech. It is carefully constructed to lay all the issues out in an organized and methodical way. Everything you need to fill your quiver with arrows against the Republicans' ranting of drill drill drill is here.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Watch This!
Watch this video if you want to understand what the issues are in our current our so-called energy debate.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Paris Hilton Makes Her Stand
See more funny videos at Funny or Die
This is Paris Hilton's response to John McCain's ad taking advantage of her celebrity (and Britney's) to take a swipe at how popular Barack Obama is. It's not bad, in fact. Actually, it's pretty clever!
This is my suggestion everyone: Let's all get video cams and put together our own messages on what we'd really like Barack Obama and the Dems to say to McCain et al, but so far they either haven't said it, or feel it's just too unseemly to say outright, and be totally honest.
Cause it's time for a change. We all know it, and we're all just a bit on edge these days. The Republicans want to demoralize everyone. We can't let them.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Parsing The Pickens Plan
photo by vergel tolentino
CNN Money has a good article today that evaluates T. Boone Pickens' plan for moving the country to windpower, solar and natural gas vehicles, and Al Gore's challenge to move to non-carbon fuels over the next 10 years.
Wind power: A Reality Check
Plans are afoot to prod the nation into using much more renewable energy. Can it be done, and what's the cost?
By Steve Hargreaves, CNNMoney.com staff writer
Last Updated: July 24, 2008: 11:04 AM EDT
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- High-profile personalities have been telling the nation to ditch that dirty fossil fuel and turn to renewable energy.
T. Boone Pickens, the billionaire oilman, has been hitting the airwaves, pitching a plan to use wind to replace all the natural gas that's used to produce electricity, then using that saved natural gas to fuel cars.
In addition to weaning the nation from foreign oil, Pickens' plan is not entirely altruistic. He's investing hundreds of millions of dollars on a giant wind farm in the Texas panhandle, and his hedge fund, BP Capital, is said to own stakes in several companies that equip cars to run on natural gas. If his energy efforts pan out, he could get even richer in the process.
Then there's Al Gore. The former U.S. vice president and Nobel Prize winner said last week that electricity generation should be completely fossil-fuel free in 10 years.
The question is, are these plans realistic or just dreams?
Edgar Mitchell, Apollo 14 Astronaut, Says Aliens Are Among Us
From the Huffington Post and the New York Times today:
Edgar Mitchell, the sixth man to walk on the moon, appeared on a British radio show to say that he was “privileged enough to be in on the fact that we’ve been visited on this planet and the U.F.O. phenomena is real.”
Listen to this YouTube Audio. This is startling.
Edgar Mitchell, the sixth man to walk on the moon, appeared on a British radio show to say that he was “privileged enough to be in on the fact that we’ve been visited on this planet and the U.F.O. phenomena is real.”
Listen to this YouTube Audio. This is startling.
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