A Simple Solution to Gasoline Shortages

Cars with License Plates Ending in Even Numbers could buy gasoline on even-numbered days.

Cars with License Plates Ending in Odd Numbers could buy gasoline on odd-numbered days.

Within a Day or Two of Starting This Plan in 1974, the gas lines disappeared. Once the lines disappeared, people stopped topping off their tanks all the time, and the shortage problem quickly abated.

In This Time of Economic Crisis and Gasoline Shortages, Americans working together can still achieve anything.

Thanks for Your Interest.

What Are Pelosi and the Revolting Republicans Thinking?

In this Seemingly Endless Epoch of the Republican Meltdown, it is constructive to glimpse how Democratics and Republicans both make a share of the mess, and contribute to the ongoing fiasco of American politics:

What the Heck Was Nancy Pelosi Thinking when she made that highly partisan, anti-Republican speech before the vote was taken on the bailout proposal yesterday? She may have merely been overtired from the long hours, but still she might have shown better restraint.

What Were Those Republican Representatives in Revolt thinking when they bailed on the bail-out? They embarrassed their peers in the House and Senate, they embarrassed their President, and they tipped the financial markets into a freefall.

And What Was Senator John McCain Doing, swooping in and out and around, and postponing the debate without skipping it, and suspending his campaign without suspending it, and then claiming a victory which was thrust into the jaws of defeat? And blaming the whole thing on Barack Obama somehow?


Over the Past Weeks, We Have Witnessed Some Stunning Non-Partisan Displays:

Republican Senator Judd Gregg of New Hampshire gave an exemplary presentation of the Senate bill, explaining the crux of the matter, and complimenting everyone involved on both sides of the aisle, including by name those Democrats who had played substantial roles.

Senator Chris Dodd and Representative Barney Frank have spoken repeatedly to task, without invoking partisan rancor.

President George W. Bush has called on both parties equally to help defend this crisis. Even in the special meeting President Bush called to help move a bailout forward, he flanked himself with Democratic Congresswoman Pelosi and Democratic Nevada Senator Harry Reid.

Secretary Henry Paulson and Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke made their appeal to our government, and singled out no side for blame.

Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama offered up supportive words for those hard at work to rescue the economy. And he did this from an appropriate distance, as one not directly involved in the challenging negotiations across party lines.


Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures. The current fiasco has shown numerous members of our government—and in particular, members of the United States Congress—rising to put national service before partisan obstacles.

This Is the Kind of Leadership the American People Want to See. We want a government that works for each and every one of us, regardless of political party. Once a politician is in office, that person’s previous party affiliation must fall away for the duration. This is what we want to see.


It Is Up to Congress to Explain What’s Going On. Congress must convey, in clear and honest communication, what is at stake here, and what must be done. No more partisan politics, the continued politicization of a crisis caused by failed regulation.

No Bill of Goods May Be Sold to the American People by a government that knows not what it does. We depend on the wisdom of such honest congressional leaders as Judd Gregg and Barney Frank to see us through.


But as for Nancy Pelosi and the Revolting House Republicans, and others who would put party above constituents, there is not much more for us to say. Other than:

What the Heck Are You Thinking?

NEWS FLASH! President Bush Declares National Celebration!

[DISCLAIMER: The confusion of today's events have compelled this imaginary effort to make some sense of it all.]

President George W. Bush Today, speaking from the White House, announced that “September 29th, 2008, shall henceforth be celebrated as National John McCain Day in honor of the role that Presidential Candidate John McCain played in pushing through the legislation today that quite literally may have saved the nation.”

“We Were Going Over Niagara Falls in a Handbasket,” President Bush said. “The subprime-mortgage fallout over the declining economy was making it hard for you and me and the man on the street to get a credit card to use to buy his groceries. And the same for his gasoline, which has gone up as high as $4.00 a gallon in some parts."

“America Did Not Hesitate in Knowing Where to Turn,” said the President. “There was a meltdown. A literal meltdown. And the Democrats, well, you know. This is no time for partisan politics that blame those on the other side of the aisle, in the Democratic Party, who stood by and watched the empty beer keg floating in the barrel of melted ice.”

“And Then, Along Came John,” the 43rd President of the United States said from his podium in the Rose Garden. “And John McCain got the job done.”

“There Was This Other Candidate, You See,” Mr. Bush continued. “Barack Obama, see, he didn’t—Well, you can’t just phone it in. You have to be there.”

“And John McCain Was There,” the President added. “He was there just as he had been in Vietnam as a P.O.W., a prisoner-of-war who when they let him go home, he said that, ‘No. I’d rather stay.’ And he stayed. And the rest is history.”

“Yesterday, as a Result of the Dedication of My Friend, John McCain, the biggest bailout in American history took place,” said Mr. Bush. “We were pulled from the brink of disaster, our economy. And so I hereby declare this a national day of celebration.”

“National ‘John McCain Saved the Day’ Day will now be celebrated throughout America every year on the 29th day of September. And if it falls on a day other than Monday, then we will move it to Monday. And have two holidays that year.”

“Thank You, John McCain, for Rescuing America Single-Handedly Once Again.”

NEWS FLASH! America’s Financial Crisis: Fortune 500 CEOs Respond

Channeling Barack Obama™ has received the following open letter to the American people:

Dear Fellow Americans:

We, the Undersigned CEOs of Companies on Fortune Magazine’s list of the 500 largest American companies, have stood quietly on the sidelines while Congress and the American people debate the solutions to the overwhelming crisis of our national economy. We understand that many citizens do not fully understand the exact nature the crisis, nor how we—each of whom makes a salary of tens of millions of dollars—screwed it up.

But That’s Just What We’ve Done. We’ve screwed it up.

And Now We Come to the American People with our hats in our hand. We need your help.

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, on Our Behalf, has asked Congress to put together a plan to take away the obstacles that are shutting down the credit markets and making it impossible for businesses to continue doing business, and for citizens to buy houses or cars, or to use credit cards.

If Congress Does Not Act—and Quickly—the entire credit system of the United States will stop. What we will have is a major disaster. And so we need Congress’s help, and the resources of the United States Treasury—which money ultimately belongs to you.

To Show Our Understanding of What the American Taxpayer Faces with such a large plan, we would like to make the following accommodation, out of respect for your great sacrifice:

Effective with the Signing of the Economic Rescue Package, we, the undersigned CEOs, will voluntarily reduce our own salaries to a number that is 14 times the average pay of each company’s salaried employees.

Whole Foods, Inc., the Nation’s Largest Organic-Grocery Market, has used this salary cap for years. It has served Whole Foods well. This cap serves as an ideal guideline for how American corporate leaders should be compensated in the future.

In the Meantime, All Salary Above This Cap, until our salaries are renegotiated, we will give to the United States Treasury, to be used as will best serve America’s financial needs right now.

America Is in Crisis. We, the undersigned CEOs, appreciate the willingness of the American people to step up. The extra millions of dollars that we CEOs have at our disposal are the least we can offer, in gratitude for the generosity of the American people.

To Our Fellow American Citizens, we say:

Thank you, and God Bless America.

(Signed)

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McCain Denies. We Apologize.

Speaking Earlier Today on ABC News’s This Week with George Stephanopoulos, Senator John McCain was asked about his apparent reluctance to look at Barack Obama during Friday’s debate.

“I Wasn’t,” interrupted Senator McCain.

Mr. Stephanopoulos, Visibly Surprised, said, “No? Well, we went back through the tape, and some people were saying that that was showing disdain for him. Is that fair?”

Senator McCain Chuckled. “I was looking at the moderator a great deal of time; I was writing a lot of the time. No way, no how, that in any way would—”

“Certainly Not What You Intended,” interrupted Mr. Stephanopoulos.

“Not Only What I Intended,” Answered Senator McCain. “Wasn’t,” he repeated. “That’s just foolishness. I’ve been in many, many debates, and a lot of times I don’t look at my opponents, because I’m focusing on the people and the American people that I’m talking to.That’s what the debate’s all about.”

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What Can You Make of the Video Evidence?

http://www.the-peoples-forum.com/cgi-bin/readart.cgi?ArtNum=5185

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The American Voters Were Promised an Opportunity to evaluate the ability of our two presidential candidates debating face-to-face. While Barack Obama frequently turned toward his Republican opponent, and addressed his opponent directly, Senator McCain clearly did everything he could to avoid looking at his debate opponent.

Does Senator McCain Expect That International Debates would go well for him—and for the American people—if he would not address his counterpart directly? Such behavior in most cultures is taken as a sign of weakness and an insult. Weakness and insult lead to war, not to peaceful, constructive international cooperation.

In the Debate, Barack Obama showed Senator McCain the respect that this distinguished war hero deserves. Whether Senator McCain’s behavior reflected denial or senility or venality hardly matters at this point. The debate is over. The opportunity is lost.

However, If Senator McCain Claims that what happened didn’t even happen, it’s hard to know what to think. There is no good answer. What he was thinking—before, during or after—no one may ever know.

While We Respectfully Disagree with Senator McCain about the purpose of a debate—in which both parties have agreed to debate each other—it is hard to label something as “cheating” when the accused person insists that not only wasn’t he cheating, but that the cheating did not even occur.

On the Basis of the Confusion, We Apologize for accusing John McCain of deliberately cheating the American people in last Friday night's debate.

Why Did John McCain Cheat?

The American Voter Lost the First Presidential Debate. Each side—Republican and Democratic—has claimed victory. But read below to see how the American people clearly lost, and why.

The Debate Format Had Both Candidates Addressing Each Other in last Friday night's session. This would have given American viewers a chance to see how each candidate might serve our country in an actual negotiation setting. When the next President of the United States goes to meet with Vladimir Putin or President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the American people naturally don’t get to go with him. This debate was where we were supposed to see it.

But Senator McCain Balked. He Cheated. The Republican candidate for president broke his agreement on the spot. He gave no explanation, no warning. He would not look at Barack Obama. He would not meet Barack Obama’s eyes.


About His Refusal to Talk Directly with Barack Obama, Senator McCain asked Jim Lehrer, “Are You Afraid I Couldn't Hear Him?” Was this a self-deprecating remark about the Senator's age? Or a smirk at tricking Jim Lehrer, Barack Obama, and the American voter?

It Is Our Job as Voters to Make the Best Voting Choices We Can Make. This is our only job in any election. The disrespect that John McCain showed, whether deliberate or not, was to the responsible American voter, who made the time, at the end of the long work week, to honor our duty of making the best-informed decision possible.

All’s Fair in Love and War, goes the old saying. But this generally refers either to the enemies or to romance. And the McCain/Paling slogan is “Country First.” The question here is, which was it? Does cheating the American voter come under the heading of “All’s fair”? Or perhaps of “Country last”?


We Are the Real Victims of McCain’s Cheating. Our job of deciding on the best presidential candidate was deliberately thwarted, for unexplained reasons, by Senator John McCain. We were promised an opportunity to do our job in Friday’s debate. The opportunity was denied.

American War Hero John McCain Should Be Ashamed for putting himself above country, and above the duties of the American people, as he took that opportunity away.

Is Government Really the Problem?

Republicans Since the Days of Ronald Reagan have loudly insisted that “Government is not the solution. Government is the problem.”

With the Current Bailouts of the American Economy underway in Washington, it’s getting a little bit harder to make that sound convincing.

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, speaking urgently last week before the Senate Banking Committee about their Federal Bailout proposal, seem to believe that government actually may indeed have the solution to the current potential mortgage meltdown.

According to These Distinguished Republican Gentlemen, deregulation is the problem, government is the solution. And the time is now.

Government Can Be the Solution, even if the free-market Republicans want to deny it.

Presidential Candidate Barack Obama and Vice-Presidential Candidate Joe Biden ask for your vote on November 4th.

It's Time to Reinvest in the American Spirit.


Thank You For Your Support

The Debate Is On!

Yesterday, John McCain Said That He Would Rather Save the Nation and Lose the Election, than Lose the Nation and Win the Election.

Where Have We Heard That Before?

It Begins to Be a Trend in the Campaign of the Republican candidate, to speak in terms of such absolutes. The implication always is that others, not as high-minded as John McCain, would sell the country down the river just to gain a few votes.

You May Think Whatever You Like about this position, but for some of us, it grows a little wearisome. In fact, it begins to reek of politics, rather than of of high character. And the proof in this instance of the debate is that, yes, John McCain will participate in the debate.

Both Sides of the Presidential Campaign can find ways to justify their candidate’s position, surely. But nothing changes the fact that John McCain said that he would not debate while the country remains in this unresolved crisis. And nothing changes the fact that he changed his mind.

In Yesterday’s Appearances, Barack Obama Stood Firm in his decision, both to debate and to stay out of the way of the congressional negotiations.

Democrats Do Not Have the Same Issue with Flip-Flopping that Republicans seem to have. But we have watched Senator McCain change his position so many times in recent weeks, what seems clear is that he is torn between advocating for his earnest opinions and doing what it takes to win the election.

John McCain Is a Decent Man, who bailed on David Letterman to rush to Washington, then stayed around to talk with Katie Couric, didn’t make it to Washington until the meeting that President Bush set up, and then decided that he does have time for the debate, after all.

John McCain Is a Good Man. He just does not seem to know what he is doing. He does not know how to look powerful and decisve. These various actions over the course of this campaign have made it clear.

Barack Obama Knows How to Run a Solid Campaign, and the smoothness of the process impresses us to believe that he can run the nation just as smoothly, just as confidently. Senator McCain, on the other hand, is a good man, a former POW, an ardent deregulator—who would rather lose things and win others, than win others and lose.....things.

But the Good News Remains: the Debate Is On!

Conservatives Have Been Rushed Too Often

We Americans Have Been Rushed in the Wrong Direction Too Many Times by the current presidential administration, and the current situation looks like more of the same: a proposal which somehow protects Wall Street and its CEOs, while putting the rest of America at greater risk.

Genuine Conservative Americans have been at a loss in the current political circumstance. But the choice of feckless Republicans has not been the answer. Our sad, recent history shows this.

It Is Time to Refine Our Ideologies. With the factual evidence of the past eight years, we now know that regulation, always imperfect, is also always necessary. Laws and regulations mitigate unfettered greed and recklessness. Conservatives must find a better way.

No One Likes to Be Regulated or Taxed. But a government without controls--or without income--is a crippled government going over the falls. And a Congress which rushes always to the aid of the ship, while consistently ignoring the passengers, will eventually founder.

Fortunately for America, Congress Is Not Cowed This Time. The bipartisan cooperation currently rises to meet the high expectations of the American public. Those expectations shall not be disappointed. In times of dire crisis—when it really matters—the United States Congress comes through.

The Success of the Barack Obama Campaign to date, meanwhile, shows that the presidential candidate knows how to manage. Against formidable opponents along the way, he has demonstrated an agile ability to learn as he goes along. The Nation currently rushes toward a Niagara Falls of economic distress. At the helm, we want a clear head, undistracted by ideology, with a pragmatism that represents the finest spirit of the American people.

My Name Is Not Barack Obama, and Barack Obama does not even know about this message.


Thank You for Your Support

It's 3:00 A.M. in America

It's 3:00 A.M. and You're a Candidate for the job of President of the United States. The Red Phone Rings. Do you answer it?

Or Do You Let Your Answer Machine Take the Call, while you postpone it? After all, you're busy right now with other things. Such as a debate with a political opponent. And a financial bailout package, the result of failed anti-regulation, free-market policies, is up for negotiation in Congress. Then there's the issue of your vice-president, whose feelings have been hurt yet again by the vicious partisanship of the media.

Do You Answer the Phone? Do you take the call? Do you carry on with the debate? Do you work on the bailout with Congress? Do you calm your vice-president (or arrest all of the partisan media)?

Or Do You Turn Over and Go Back to Sleep?

It's 3:00 A.M. in America. Mr. President, what are you going to do now?

A Man Rushes Out of a Burning Building.....

.....Carrying a Five-Gallon Can of Gasoline and a Lighted Match. He screams to the gathering crowd, “Quick! Quick! The barn is on fire! Everybody, quick! Give me all of your money so that I can go buy some water to put it out!”

Somebody Steps Forward and Asks, “But it's a fireproof barn. How can this be happening?”

The Man Shouts Backs, “Will nobody listen to reason? There's no time to waste! Hurry! Hurry! We've no time for mistakes!”

Someone Else Asks, “How about if we all bring our hoses and buckets out and put out the fire ourselves?”

“No, No, No!” Screams the Man. “I want to buy all your hoses and buckets. Then everybody turn around, and I'll put out the fire. But hurry! There's no time to waste!”

“But Why Should We Give You All Our Money, to buy our hoses and our buckets from us, so that you can go put out the fire......that you just started?”

Don't You Wish That All Analogies Were Better Than This One? The details don't match the current economic crisis facing the United States. And certainly neither Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson nor Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke created this "barn fire."

It Was “Free-Market” Ideology that failed in this situation. According to Republican testimony, the only way that Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae could get mortgages to poor people was to get rid of regulations that governed mortgages, and then sell to poor people mortgages that they could not afford.

Plenty of Ways Exist to Make Mortgages Available to low-income borrowers. But we took advantage of ignorance and greed, and put the entire American economy at risk.

As Chairman Bernanke Himself Has Not Said, “The American barn is on fire.” And we know who lit the match.

So Now What Do We Do?

What If We Guaranteed Troubled Mortgages by taking a shared equity position and extending the mortgage payments to compensate the Treasury's contribution? What could be simpler, and fairer both to the troubled homeowner and the underwriting American taxpayers?

Meanwhile, Back at the Burning Barn, government representatives of the folks that set the thing on fire are still out there, shouting:

“Hurry, Hurry, Hurry, Before the Barn Burns to the Ground, and There Is Nothing Left for Us to Sell.”

Treasury Testimony Baffles the Nation

In Secretary of the Treasury Henry Paulson's testimony before the Senate Banking Committee yesterday, he directly contradicted his “simple proposal”:

Secretary's Testimony Before the Senate Banking Committee on Tuesday:
“We gave you a simple, three-page legislative outline and I thought it would have been presumptuous for us on that outline to come up with an oversight mechanism.”

Secretary Paulson, Again in Yesterday's Testimony:
“If any of you [Senate Banking Committee members] felt that I didn’t believe that we needed oversight, I believe we need oversight. We need protection. We need transparency. I want it. We all want it.”

BUT:
Secretary Paulson’s Text of the Three-page Bailout Bill Presented on Friday, Just Four Days Earlier:

“Decisions by the Secretary pursuant to the authority of this Act are non-reviewable and committed to agency discretion, and may not be reviewed by any court of law or any administrative agency...”

No Wonder So Many Americans Are Confused. What do we make of such contradictory statements? We don't like to believe that people lie, and yet such contradictory statements as Secretary Paulson made within a few days of each other represent either:

Lies or Senility or Merely Incompetence

How Can This Man Be Trusted? Whether the Secretary is senile or dishonest or merely incompetent, the contents of the United States Treasury should not be put at his disposal. We must not place our trust in this self-discrediting man.

Better Thinking Must Prevail. In terms of additional "bailouts" or other solutions to the current economic crisis, clearer thinking and more-responsible options must be examined—by more creditable people—and then pursued.

Congress Must Not Rushed Into Foolhardiness Yet Another Time.

As President Bush Himself Once Put It So Well, “Fool me once; shame on you. Fool me twice.....and you won't fool me again.”

In for a Penny, In for the Whole United States Treasury

At Least Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke had the decency today to say that he has made plenty of mistakes. Has anyone else in the Bush Administration ever apologized to the American people? Has anyone else in the Bush Administration said anything even close to this?

For the Rest of the Bush Administration, right now it's “Empty the rest of your wallets, step aside and shut up, or the whole ball of wax goes up in flames.” This may be as close to an apology as we citizens of the United States are likely to get. For any or all of these messes.

The Free-Market Ideology, the Great Experiment, is now the experiment that has failed. It has failed American Conservatives in particular, and it has failed the American people overall.

Over the Past Eight Years, We Have Seen what the decades-long dismantling of essential regulatory measures has done to the economy—from the savings and loan industry back in the 1980s, all the way through to the banking and mortgage and investment fiascoes of today.

President Bush’s Appointees, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Fed Chairman Bernanke, offer absolutely no assurances as to why we should trust them now, in the face of their long series of failures. If a bailout is necessary, it seems prudent to look for someone different to give the thing a try.

It Is Common to Resist Changing Horses in the Middle of the Stream, even if the horse you’re on is crippled and drowning. That fear of changing “horses” is part of what re-elected President George W. Bush in 2004. As some Conservatives said, “He got us into it; he can get us out.”

Well, It Seems That This Horse Can’t Get Us Out, and indeed his people have continually made things worse. And now his people come to Congress, hat in hand, and beg for the American worker to bail the Wall Street bankers out.

Secretary Paulson Says That If We Try to Limit the Bailout, such as by asking for equity positions in the risky investments that we buy—or by limiting the multimillion-dollar CEO salaries of the companies involved—why, these firms—these CEOs—might just turn us down.

That’s Right: the CEOs of These Desperately Troubled Firms might just say to us, “Thanks....... But no thanks.”

And Then Where Would We Be?

If We All Go down the Financial Tubes Without Their Bailout, at least they won’t be taking $700,000,000,000 more of our money with them when we all go. At least they won't be “laughing all the way to the bank” without us.

The Good News: Exactly six weeks and counting until we vote the current, uh, Free-Market, Anti-Regulation Republicans out.

NEWS FLASH! Yet Another Baseless Rumor

[DISCLAIMER: We like to avoid presenting satirical pieces more than the next guy, but every once in a while, something irresistible comes along....]

Has Anybody Else Heard this Rumor out of the McCain campaign, that they are going to cancel the Federal income tax and give every man, woman and child in America an annual cash rebate of $3,000 per person, per year? Senator John got this idea from his running mate, Governor Sarah of Alaska. Governor Sarah says that this is what she does every year with the people in her state, and they love her for it.

How Will this $900,000,000,000 Windfall be paid for? At first, Governor Sarah said that they could get the money out of the state treasury, like they do in Alaska. But Senator John said that he didn’t think that they could do that. The money in the Alaska treasury comes from the oil companies who pump oil there, but in Washington, we don’t charge the oil companies for the oil they drill.

Then One of Senator John’s Chief Financial Advisors spoke up and said, “You know, what about all that money sitting in Social Security? You know, we don’t use very much of it every year. How about if we use that?”

Well, Now, as We All Know, Senator John is not very big on economy and things like that, so he said it sounded like a good idea.

My Question Is, “Can We Really Expect the Federal Government to send us each $3,000 every year? I mean, how can we be sure that they’ll do that?”

The Answer May Surprise You. Senator John and Governor Sarah said that, you know, the way the Democrats have been doing things for the past eight years, they’ve actually charged taxes for doing things. But the Republicans know how to do it. Republicans know how to run government and wars and Medicare and the Veterans Administrations, and other things like that, without taxes.

Republicans Believe That You Shouldn’t Make People Pay for the things that they get. And so Senator John and Governor Sarah are going to cancel all taxes, both for private citizens and for corporations alike, and then they will go into the vault where all of the Social Security money is kept, and they’ll just take it out and send it out to you.

The Only Hitch, of Course, is that not just anybody can go into the Social Security vault and gather up all that money. You have to be–Get this!–the President, or the Vice-President, or something like that. So they can’t start giving out the money until after they get elected.

The Moral of this Story is that you need to vote for Senator John and Governor Sarah, and get them elected. And then, just go out in your backyard and start digging a hole big enough to hide all your new, free money.

Citizen-Shareholder Bail-Out

[DISCLAIMER: The following post is not in any way associated with the Presidential campaign of Barack Obama and the Vice-Presidential campaign of Senator Joe Biden.]


The Proposal to Privatize Social Security made many Americans nervous. The current situation in the financial markets shows why. With the stock market down more than 25%, anyone relying entirely on investments for retirement right now would be facing hard times.

The Financial Institution Bail-Out Gives America a Unique Opportunity. As long as the American people are bailing out the mortgage companies—and the investment companies—and the banks—and the insurance companies—the right thing to do is to compensate the taxpayers for the risk that we are taking on. That’s why an Obama/Biden administration, once each of these companies has been restored to economic good health, can take the bold step of distributing stock shares of these companies to the citizen shareholders

President Barack Obama, if elected, can see to it that each American citizen receives an equal number of shares of stock in that company. Within a short time of balance being restored in the American financial markets, every single American will share in the benefits of stock ownership: regular dividends, as well as the value of the price increase of their shares.

Under an Obama “American Shareholder Plan,” each American will be able to sell his or her stock on the stock exchanges—or deposit it, tax-free, in their own private retirement account.

On Both Sides of the Political Divide, we say that we are eager to work together. Now, challenging times have shown us a way to make this a reality. We can bail out those troubled institutions whose failure threatens us all, while at the same time, we get compensation for the risk that we are taking in these bailouts.

It’s a Win/Win Situation. And under an Obama/Biden presidential administration, that’s the way it’s going to be.

One Nation, Indivisible, with Justice—
and Investments—for All!

It's Time to Play "Who Said It?"

(Answers appear at the end.)


1: Who Said It: Herbert Hoover or John McCain:

“Prosperity Is No Idle Expression. It is a job for every worker; it is the safety and safeguard of very business and every home. A continuation of the policies of the Republican party is fundamentally necessary to the future advancement of this progress and to the further building up of this prosperity.”

______________________________________________

2: Who Said It: Herbert Hoover or John McCain:

“As Never Before Does the Keeping of our economic machine in tune depend upon wise policies in the administrative side of the government.”

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3: Who Said It: Herbert Hoover or John McCain:

“Any Lack of Confidence in the economic future or the basic strength of business in the United States is foolish.”

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4: Who Said It: Herbert Hoover or John McCain:

“The Fundamentals of [the American] Economy Are Strong.”
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5: Who Said It: Herbert Hoover or John McCain:

“While the Crash Only Took Place Six Months Ago, I am convinced we have now passed the worst and with continued unity of effort we shall rapidly recover. There is one certainty of the future of a people of the resources, intelligence and character of the people of the United States—that is, prosperity.”

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6: Who Said It: Herbert Hoover or John McCain:

“My Fellow Citizens, the most important issue before the American people right now is to overcome this crisis. What our people need is the restoration of their normal jobs, the recovery of agricultural prices and of business. They need help in the meantime to tide them over until these things can be accomplished and that they may not go hungry nor lose their farms and their homes.

“Now I Wish to Present to You the evidence that the measures and the policies of the Republican administration are winning this major battle for recovery, and we are taking care of distress in the meantime. It can be demonstrated that the tide has turned and that the gigantic forces of depression are today in retreat. Our measures and policies have demonstrated their effectiveness. They have preserved the American people from certain chaos. They have preserved a final fortress of stability in the world.

“”Recovery Would Have Been Faster but for four months of paralysis....while we were defeating proposals of the Democratic House of Representatives.

“”Much Has Been Accomplished despite the opposition of selfish groups and sections of our country and the unwillingness of a Democratic House of Representatives to cooperate, and much more must be done. The Democratic candidate says we have been extravagant, and in his various statements implies that we should make a defense of our actions. There will be no defense because none is needed.”
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7: Who Said It: Herbert Hoover or John McCain?

“Plenty Is at Our Doorstop but a generous use of it languishes in the very sight of the supply.”

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Answers:

1: Herbert Hoover (Campaign Address, Madison Square Garden, October 6, 1928)
2: Herbert Hoover (Campaign Address, Elizabethtown, Tennessee, July 27, 1928)
3: Herbert Hoover (January 21, 1930)
4: John McCain (September 15, 2008)
5: Herbert Hoover (Chamber of Commerce of the United States, October 2, 1930)
6: Herbert Hoover (Detroit, Michigan, October 22, 1932)
7: Trick Question: Franklin D. Roosevelt (Inaugural Address, March 4, 1933)....
.....and John McCain (Grand Rapids, Michigan, September 18, 2008)

Even Republicans Are Innocent Until Proven Guilty

One of the Republican Candidates Is Under Investigation, as you probably know. The accusation concerns an alleged misuse of executive power in relation to the former commissioner of the Department of Public Safety in Alaska.

The Investigation Was Initiated by a Republican-led Committee, but the opponents say that it is “tainted,” and they are suing to stop the investigation until after the November elections.

Democratic Candidates Barack Obama and Joe Biden Know: The challenges of campaigning for the most-important elected positions in the United States are extremely demanding. Any candidate embroiled in an ethics or criminal investigation would much rather wait until after the elections are over.

Delay the Investigation until after November 4th and let the voters make up their minds first. Here in the United States of America, each person is innocent until proven guilty. Thus, the very law presumes the innocence of the Republican opponents concerning any or all crimes.

No Law Dictates the Transparency of Our Elected Officials. Historically, Republicans have always proven themselves especially good at keeping back things that they don’t want the voters to know. The Bush administration is currently engaged in such a situation concerning congressional subpoenas over possible political abuses related to hiring in the Justice Department under former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

Transparency Plays a Role in the American Historical Legacy. Two excellent examples compare the missing minutes of Republican President Richard Nixon’s White House tapes with the opposite insistence by Democratic President Lyndon Johnson that all of LBJ's administration’s records would be available to history. Warts and all.

Will the American Voters Condemn the Opponent for her lack of transparency? One would hope that they would give her the benefit of the doubt. Innocent until proven guilty: it’s still the law here in the United States of America. Even under the Republicans.


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Should America Build Bridges to Nowhere?

On Tuesday, September 16th, Barack Obama’s Opponent said that offshore drilling for oil is a bridge. He is exactly right. It would save us about three cents per gallon at the pump. Offshore drilling is really just another “bridge to nowhere.”

Republicans Like to Build Bridges to Nowhere. Bridges and other contracts that put money in the pockets of friends and associates. Drugs and sexual favors in the Department of the Interior. Unbid service contracts in Iraq.

Over the Past Eight Years, we Americans have had far too many examples of “bridges to nowhere.” Instead, now it’s time for the next technology boom, a boom in alternative energy, which will provide countless new jobs for Americans–in manufacturing, in programming, in design and sales.

America Can Invest in Change. We can invest in a new boom of wind power and solar power technology for America. Or we can build one more “bridge to nowhere,” by drilling in the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

Which Will It Be This Time? “Build, Baby, build” or “Drill, Baby, drill”? The American voter gets to decide.

Barack Obama and Joe Biden Are Asking for Your Vote on November 4th. The time is now to change America. We are ready to “Build, Baby, build!” Barack Obama and Joe Biden are ready to change America. The time has come to turn our ship of state around.


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"Drill, Baby, Drill?" — or "Build, Baby, Build?"

Wouldn’t It Be Great if we could wave a magic wand and lower the price of gasoline three cents at the pump? Wouldn’t it be a wonderful thing if we opened up drilling in the offshore areas of the Gulf of Mexico and in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and then by 2012, we had barrels of oil flowing out of those wells?

But Oil in the Ground Is Like Money in the Bank. Wouldn’t it be a sensible thing right now, to save that oil for the future, and pay the extra three cents?

The Price of Oil Is Coming Back Down. As you may have noticed, the price of oil is coming back down, from a high of more than $147 per barrel, down today below $96 a barrel. The world knows that change is coming to America, and these changes are reflected in a 35% price drop. Right now is a time for saving our valuable reserves. Now is the time for solving the nation’s energy crisis. And saving our oil reserves for the next time.

New Growth Is What America Needs Now. A new growth industry, that puts gas in the tank and food on the table, that pays down some debt and puts some money in the bank for the future. It's time to invest in the next new thing. It's time for America to build new jobs in the next hi-tech “new thing”: alternative energy.

Investing in New Technologies of sustainable energy will give America a new technology boom. A new technology boom puts Americans back to work in good jobs. Jobs in programming and design. In manufacturing. Real jobs, good-paying jobs. Right here in America.

Barack Obama and Joe Biden Are Asking for Your Vote on November 4th. It’s time to change from the deregulation of Wall Street and the investment banks and the mortgage companies. It’s time for a change to new investment in the American worker. It's time to reinvest in the American spirit.

It's Time to Build, Baby, Build. Change for America is just four months away. The next technology boom starts January 21, 2009.


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Lipstick on a Pig

THE OTHER DAY, Barack Obama used a common metaphor to describe his opponent's policies as "putting lipstick on a pig." Even though Senator McCain himself has used this barnyard metaphor several times in similar situations, the McCain campaign took offense, and thought that the Republican vice-presidential candidate was Barack Obama's pig.

I can't imagine why the Republicans would mistake their vice-presidential candidate for Barack Obama’s pig, but they have demanded an apology.

As a firm believer in what a President Obama represents for America, I have sent Sarah Palin some flowers, along with a card which reads:

“Dear Governor Palin:
I'm sorry that John McCain thought you were the pig.”

BARACK OBAMA has pledged to run a clean and honest campaign, devoid of the dirty politics that have plagued presidential campaigns in recent years. In view of Future President-Elect Obama’s campaign promise, I urge all like-minded American citizens to send Governor Palin flowers and notes of apology, too.

The mistake may have been McCain’s, but it’s not too late for those of us who believe in a politic of hope and change to make this gesture, and turn the dirty-trick politics thing around.
Address your flowers and apology notes to:

The Honorable Sarah Palin
Governor of Alaska
Alaska State Capitol Building
Third Floor
P.O. Box 110001
Juneau, AK 99811-0001

It’s the right thing to do.


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