Questioning Basic Assumptions

How Is it That Conservatives Seem Blind to Facts that are so obvious to the rest of us? Here are some examples:


Item One: Trickle-Down Economics
If the Consumer Drives the Engine of the Economy, how could a “trickle-down” theory possibly make sense? The wealthy already have more money than they can spend. But this concept has driven Conservative economic theory from Ronald Reagan all the way through to last month’s collapse.


Item Two: The Innate Wisdom of Self-Interest
Writing recently in The New York Times, conservative columnist David Brooks made the following statement:

“Economic models and entire social science disciplines are premised on the assumption that people are mostly engaged in rationally calculating and maximizing their self-interest.”

—David Brook, “The Behavioral Revolution.” The New York Times, 10/27/2008
[Italics Channeling Barack Obama]

Any Non-Conservative Student of Behavior Knows that simplistic reasoning such as this, when applied to a complex organism such as “people,” will err. “Economic models” based on such simplistic reasoning will fail.

And Failed, This One Has.


Item Three: The Self-Regulating Effects of Self-Interest
In Recent Congressional Testimony former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said:

“This crisis, however, has turned out to be much broader than anything I could have imagined. [T]hose of us who have looked to the self-interest of lending institutions to protect shareholder’s equity (myself especially) are in a state of shocked disbelief. ”

—Dr. Alan Greenspan, “Testimony Before the Committee of Government Oversight and Reform,” 10/23/2008

Any Non-Conservative Student of Human Behavior Knows, predicated on the flaw in Item Two, that “self-interest” has many competing claims put against it. The example of the Marine who throws himself on a grenade to save his comrade exemplifies that in a most basic form.

Chairman Greenspan’s Illusions About the Relationship between greed and self-interest seem too-naive even to consider: If such a relationship existed, then America’s initial need for regulation and oversight would not have arisen. It did not take the current crisis to make this clear.


Item Four: Vetting Sarah Palin
Over the Course of a Month, Kathleen Parker wrote several related essays, beginning with this one published on September 03, 2008:

Would anyone ever ask whether a male candidate was qualified for office because his daughter was pregnant?....[W]hat’s perfectly clear is that feminism today is not about advancing women, but only a certain kind of woman....There may yet be reasons to find Palin an unacceptable vice presidential choice, but making pro-life decisions shouldn’t be among them.

—Kathleen Parker, “Who needs feminists?” Washington Post Writer’s Group, 09/03/2008

But Then on 09/26/2008, Ms. Parker Wrote:

[I]t is increasingly clear that Palin is a problem. Quick study or not, she doesn’t know enough about economics and foreign policy to make Americans comfortable with a President Palin should conditions warrant her promotion.

The Most-Interesting Thing About the Belated Discovery of what for many had been immediately apparent is that Ms. Parker’s announcement of her discovery did not include an apology to those who could tell, from the nomination acceptance speech itself, that Governor Palin had these deficiencies:

Some of the passionately feminist critics of Palin who attacked her personally deserved some of the backlash they received. But circumstances have changed since Palin was introduced as just a hockey mom with lipstick.....and a more complicated picture has emerged.

—Kathleen Parker, “Sarah Palin should bow out.” Washington Post Writer’s Group, 09/26/2008
[Italics Channeling Barack Obama]

It Does Not Seem to Occur to Ms. Parker that the earlier critics might merely have seen more clearly than Ms. Parker managed to see. The changing circumstances may just have been the veil lifted from some Conservative eyes.


What Is Notable About the Conservative Failures and Epiphanies here is that the errors of reason which preceded each “Aha!” moment seem so clear to those of us not blinded by the folly of Conservative thinking for the past twenty-eight years. But how would one go about explaining the limitations of Conservative vision to self-confident Conservatives themselves? To those who generally (as in the example of Ms. Parker’s essays) seem content to decide first, and think later?

We Began With the Question, “How is it that Conservatives Seem Blind to Facts that are so obvious to the rest of us?” No ready answer arrives to clear the confusion. However, if the Obama-Biden ticket should prevail on Tuesday, thoughtful Conservatives of the Republican Party should have at least the next four years in which to figure out what has kept them so blind to many of the economic and political realities of life.

NEWS FLASH! Arizona to Store Nation's Nuclear Waste

[A Hypothetical Media Encounter Somewhere in Pennsylvania]


HERSHEY—In Breaking News From the Campaign Trail, Republican Arizona Senator and presidential candidate John McCain today announced that the state of Arizona has volunteered to store America's nuclear waste and spent nuclear fuel rods in a newly proposed storage facility.

The Arizona Nuclear Waste Disposal and Landfill Facility [ANWDLF] will be open for business at "an unspecified date. But certainly in the near future,” said Senator McCain. “Probably sometime after the election.”

“That’s Assuming We Don’t Lose, of Course,” Senator McCain said, as his face broke into its characteristic, now-familiar grin.

“I’m Not George Bush,” the long-time Republican Senator observed. “Barack Obama should have run for president four years ago. Progressive income taxes are a form of socialism. Even Joe the Plumber knows that.”

“Nuclear Waste Is Completely Safe,” continued the Senator. “We’ll store those rod from now until Doomsday. Not even Joe the Plumber would be afraid of nuclear waste. Why, I’ve been driving around with the United States Navy in nuclear-powered submarines for years.”

The ANWDLF is Slated for Construction near the Phoenix, Arizona, home that Senator McCain shares with his second wife, Cindy McCain.

“More Power to the Arizona Nuclear Waste Disposal and Landfill Facility,” McCain-supporter Ed the Electrician observed to a usually reliable source. “Now that the issue of nuclear-waste storage has been resolved through the generosity of John McCain and the state of Arizona, the one real obstacle to nuclear energy is removed. Nuclear power is safe and cheap, and it does not make you glow in the dark, as some have mistakenly reported.”

Following the Hershey, Pennsylvania, Rally, Senator McCain and running mate Sarah Palin are scheduled to appear this afternoon at a rally in Quakertown, Pennsylvania. Later this evening, the Senator continues on to a separate campaign event in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Additional Information About the Safety of Nuclear Power is available from FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, through the following link:

http://www.fema.gov/hazard/nuclear/nu_before.shtm

NEWS FLASH! Republican Ticket Promises Tax Rates “Less Than Zero”

[A Spurious Report Found in a WPA Picnic Shelter Somewhere in Slovakia, Idaho]

BOWLING GREEN—Alaska Governor and Republican Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin, speaking this morning at a rally in Bowling Green, Ohio, promised that, if elected, she and vice-presidential running-mate Joe the Plumber would bring “real change” to Washington in the form of income tax rates that would go below the zero-percent tax rate previously considered unbreakable.

“We Have Suffered Under the Yoke of a Democratic-Imposed Tax Burden For Too Long,” said the newly elevated presidential candidate. “It is a well-known fact among everybody but the ‘Tax-and-Spend’ Democratic members of the Democratic Party—including Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid—that the more you lower taxes, the greater the tax revenues. This is a known fact going all the way back to the days of President Ronald Reagan, who lowered tax rates, and the tax revenues continued to just flow right on in.”

“I Totally Agree Wholeheartedly,” said Joe the Plumber, whose candidacy for the vice-presidency was announced just hours ago, after Governor Palin accepted the Republican Party’s presidential nomination following the surprise withdrawal of the previous candidate, respected war hero and former prisoner of war, Arizona Senator John McCain.

“It’s Socialism to Keep Taxing People to Pay for Things That No One Wants,” continued Mr. the Plumber. “Spread the wealth by making someone else pay for your military, your Medicare, your Social Security? I don’t know anyone who needs those things in America, where if you just work hard and keep your nose down, you can scrape together a few dollars and buy someone’s small business and be making maybe a quarter of a million dollars, or even more, and then the government just tries to take it away from you, and give it to people who don’t even pay taxes.”

“The United States of America Wasn’t Built on the Backs of People Like You and Me,” added Governor Palin. “If we raise taxes during an economic crisis, that’s just what Barak Obama and Joe Biden and the Democrats want you to think.”

“It’s Crazy!” Ms. Palin Continued. “You Don’t Raise Taxes! You Lower Taxes! We’re here to create wealth! What do you think the U.S. Treasury is for, if you don’t already know? Someone’s been listening to the wrong people too long. We need more Joe the Plumber and Ed the Electrician. We don’t need someone like Barack the Tax Raiser and Biden the Money Spender!”

“If Elected,” said Vice-Presidential Candidate Joe the Plumber, “I will lower the tax rates to less than zero. If a top tax rate of 70% was good enough for the Democrats back before Reagan was President, then I don’t see what we can’t have 70% below zero for taxes. I don’t know about you, but I’ve waited all my life for government to treat me the way it’s always made me treat government.”

Former Candidate John McCain Was Not in Attendance at the day’s key Republican vote-getting event. AP wire reports indicate that Senator McCain was last seen boarding a commercial air flight to Panama City, Panama.

“I’m Coming Home, Lord, Lord,” the Senator was reported to have said. “Lord, Lord, I’m coming home.”

NEWS FLASH! Chief McCain Advisor Revealed; Labels McCain Hero "Socialist"

[A Hypothetical Report Found on a Campaign Bus Somewhere in Iowa]


DES MOINES—“John McCain and Sarah Palin Now Use Joe the Plumber as their chief economic advisor,” revealed one usually reliable source close to the Republican presidential campaign, speaking on condition of anonymity. Mr. the Plumber fills the spot previously occupied by Phil Gramm. Mr. the Plumber's resumé as economist was not immediately available for review by this reporter.

The McCain Campaign's Former Chief Economic Advisor resigned from the campaign earlier this year following political fallout from a comment that, “We have sort of become a nation of whiners.” The comment was made many weeks before the onset of the current economic crisis which compelled Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson to approach the United States Congress with his $700 billion Wall Street “rescue plan.”

“The Obama-Biden Idea About Taxing Wealthier Americans to help out middle-class Americans is not ‘patriotic’ in critical times like these,” chief economic advisor the Plumber reportedly told the McCain-Palin campaign.

“Joe the Plumber Calls This ‘Socialism,’” Alaska Governor Sarah Palin subsequently reported, quoting the newly prominent economist.

(The Original “Joe the Plumber,” Samuel J. Wurzelbacher, reportedly makes about $44,000 a year. Mr. Wurzelbacher has an income-tax lien on file with the Lucas County Court of Common Pleas in Toledo, Ohio. Mr. Wurzelbacher reportedly believes that lower-income people should pay the same taxes as the wealthy. Whether this position includes opposition to the progressive Federal Income Tax is unclear to this reporter.)

The Federal Income Tax Was Promoted by former Republican President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt (1901-1909) as a progressive instrument, part of his efforts to create a “Square Deal” between big business and its workers.

Among Candidates in the Current Presidential Campaign, both the McCain family and the Obama family would pay higher taxes under the Obama plan, and lower taxes under the McCain plan. Neither the Biden nor Palin families would benefit from either plan, according to sources familiar with the two tax-plan proposals.

“Is it Merely Coincidence That the Modest Obama tax increase would also be paid by Senator John McCain’s family?” asked our occasionally reliable source. “Country First is harder to believe when Joe the Plumber becomes the chief economic advisor, and the result is a reduction in the candidate’s taxes.

“But Who Do the McCain-Palin Campaign want to give the big tax breaks to? People like Senator John and Cindy McCain.”

Senator McCain and Governor Palin Have Implied that Teddy Roosevelt was “Socialist” in relation to support of his progressive income tax, which Barack Obama also supports.

On Socialism, Teddy Roosevelt Himself Wrote, in his 1913 An Autobiography, “many of the men who call themselves Socialists today are in reality merely radical social reformers, with whom...good citizens can and ought to work in hearty general agreement, and whom in many practical matters of government good citizens well afford to follow.” [Italics, ChannelingBarack Obama™]

“The Issue of Economics Is Not Something I’ve Understood as well as I should,” Senator McCain recently admitted. “I’ve got Greenspan’s book.” The Senator was apparently referring to The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World, by Alan Greenspan, published 2007 by the Penguin Press.

PROPOSED: A Party of Thinking Americans

Here's an Idea for Improving the Political Conversation and the Governance of the United States:

A New Political Party of “United Democratic Republicans” could bring together thoughtful Americans from both sides of the Left/Right political divide to debate all national issues, in mutual respect, with both sides seeking compromises that rise above ideology and serve the American people as one nation, indivisible.

Such Compromises Are Well-Within Our Reach, if instead of dividing the country by political orientation, we divide it by the attitude of shared spirit and good manners.

One Example of Such Cooperation Exists in the “Welfare-to-Work” Program of the Clinton Administration. “Responsible compassion” combined with “individual responsibility” worked to get participants off the welfare merry-go-round.

Other Such Liberal-Conservative Solutions must exist, once both sides put their minds to it.


POTENTIAL RESULTS:

No More Big Government masquerading as small government, as we've seen over the past twenty-eight years.

No More New Deal Great Society that puts government ahead of individual responsibility, as we've seen off and on since 1932.

The Thinking Americans from “Both Sides of the Aisle” could work together in earnest sincerity, absent the rancor and mistrust of motive that has permeated American political discourse for so long.

Meanwhile, the Know-Nothing Americans Must Either Work with One Another or else fracture into dozens of small parties that can never elect anybody to anything.


Is This Just Another Naïve Idea by some washed-up old terrorists?

Or Is It a Legitimate Way to re-configure the country?

If American Truly Can Do Anything, We Can Do This. If we can put a man on the moon, we can do this.

If Americans from Both Sides of the Aisle can elect an African-American as President just 44 years after passing the Civil Rights Act of 1964, we can do this.


As for the Know-Nothing Americans? First, they might nominate Governor Sarah Palin to run against Barack Obama in 2012.

And Then Next, If They Lose Enough Elections, maybe they’ll decide to stop shooting first and questioning later. Maybe they'll decide to put down their slogans and start to think.

Style Over Substance: The Republican “Spread the Wealth” Plan

The Wall Street Rescue Plan Is the Republican Version of “Spread the Wealth.” The effects of the past twenty-eight years of Republican deregulation and Liberal-bashing have led to the greatest spreading of wealth in the Nation’s history. All 300,000,000 of us must “spread” our “wealth” to protect the McCain-named “greed and corruption on Wall Street.”

If “Spread the Wealth” Is Really the Republican Program, how can Senator McCain and Governor Palin get away with accusing Barack Obama? The answer is simple: it depends on John McCain’s sarcastic tone and Sarah Palin’s humorous barbs about “Joe the Plumber” and “Ed the Dairyman.” By pushing these false examples—of people who would actually gain in the wealth of Wall Street CEOs under an Obama plan—the Republican candidates exercise their own right to “Style Over Substance.”

“Style Over Substance” Is What the Republican Party Has Given Us for the Past Eight Years. Meanwhile, they have “spread the wealth” of middle-class American, to bailout the multimillionaires on Wall Street. $700,000,000,000 and counting: that’s how much taxpayer money the Republican “Spread the Wealth” plan has spread to rescue Wall Street. Where is the “trickle down” in that?

General Colin Powell Makes His Case for Barack Obama eloquently. While John McCain and Sarah Palin believe that being an Arab-American or a Muslim-American or a French-American or an American city dweller is a bad thing, Colin Powell points out the essential American point-of-view:

We Are All Americans. While Sarah Palin talks about “pro-America” parts of the country, nothing in the Barack Obama or Joe Biden record shows either leader categorically dismissing any American citizens as second-class.

“Style Over Substance”? “Second-Class Americans”? That’s the McCain-Palin approach, for which un-American positions they should be resolutely denied election to higher national office.

Style and Substance? That’s What Barack Obama Offers America throughout this long campaign and in presidential leadership to come. Now, early voting is begun in many states throughout the nation. One party in this election clearly seeks to represent all of America. We are one nation. United and indivisible.

Barack Obama and Joe Biden Ask for Your Vote. They need it now. America needs your vote now. It is time to show the “Spread the Wealth” Republicans that “Country First” means all the country. And “Hope” and “Change” represent the real American future, to end this long era that has put the failed policies of “Wall Street First” ahead of the safety and security of the greatest nation the world has ever known.


Thank You for Your Support

The Essentials of Outstanding Leadership

We Can Disagree about a Lot of Things in Politics. For example, we can argue how John McCain's fine war record stacks up against Barack Obama's calm manner and speaking style. We can argue about which Party got us into the current economic crisis. We can argue whether the "big government" and socialism of the Democrats will ever rise up to match the "big government" and socialism of the Bush Administration

But If Either Side, Democratic or Republican, Had All the Answers, then that side would have consistently been chosen to run the Nation through all time—and would have done a lot better job than what we have so often seen throughout our proud history.

Clearly We Need Both Sides, Republicans and Democrats, to make our country work. At the moment, though, things look better for the Democrats than for the Republicans.

Now We Watch the McCain-Palin Campaign wander in disarray, including an uncharacteristically negative campaign by John McCain. Just as Barack Obama's successful organization derailed the Clinton campaign, so it seems to be doing with John McCain. Meanwhile, the Obama-Biden ticket just keeps plugging away—with calm confidence and an amazing ability to stay on the non-personal side of the debate.

Yes, Barack Obama Is an Impressive Speaker, moving the country to reimagine great possibilities for America going forward.

But in Addition to a Powerful "Style," Barack Obama clearly knows how to surround himself with the right people, to run the right organizations, for the tough times. The persistent success of the Obama-Biden campaign says that Barack Obama brings an impressive amount of substance to the table—at a time when America needs the substance of solid leadership more than it has needed such leadership in a long time.

No Matter What Doubts and Aspersions Anyone Tries to Cast on Barack Obama, these do not stick The combination of outstanding campaign management and the fine manner of this distinguished leader confirms for all, that Barack Obama is truly an outstanding leader.

If Barack Obama Selects Advisors to Run the Country as well as he chooses the people who run his campaigns, with luck we should be in capable hands, come January.

Guilt by Association and the Terrorism of Deregulation (Part II)

The Terrorism of Deregulation:

The Economy of the United States of America has struggled under years and years of the "terrorism" of deregulation. Can our economy continue to support a “deregulation Maverick” like Senator John McCain?

As Election Time Draws Near and the Economy Sinks, Senator McCain and his “Maverick” running mate will be talking more and more about anything they can get away with, doing their best to distract Americans from the real challenges that face America today.

Is This Any Way to Run an Election? John McCain said that he’d rather lose an election and save the economy, than lose the economy just to win an election.

Guilt by Association Is not New. And it’s no surprise. In fact, a McCain-Palin campaign worker today said,

“If We Keep Talking about the Economy, We’re Going to Lose.”

Small Wonder That the Maverick Deregulator who encouraged decades of "deregulation terrorism"—from the Savings & Loans, all the way to Wall Street—would want to talk about just about anything else.

Terrorism? Deregulation? Savings & Loan Scandal? Which of these things really matter when it comes to feeding your family, filling up your gas tank, paying for college, and saving for retirement?

Barack Obama Needs Your Vote on November 4, 2008. It's time to change America. Senator McCain wants to talk about Barack Obama and Distinguished Educator William Ayers. Why would the McCain-Palin ticket rather talk about that?


Thank You for Your Support.

Guilt by Association and the Terrorism of Deregulation (Part I)

Guilt by Association:

While Senator John McCain Actively Participated as a member in the scandal of Charles Keating and the Keating Five, Barack Obama had absolutely nothing to do with America’s war in Vietnam.

When the Vietnam War was Lost, Barack Obama was 13 years old.

Barack Obama Had Nothing to Do with anti-war activities back in the 1960s. When William Ayers committed his anti-Vietnam War activities—for which Distinguished Educator Ayers has since turned himself in and apologized—Barack Obama was 9 years old!

Barack Obama Met Mr. Ayers as a Respected Educator in the 1990s, helping to reform a crumbling Chicago education system. Not as a terrorist, but more than 20 years later, as an educator.

Does the McCain-Palin Campaign Honestly Believe Barack Obama should put politics ahead of Chicago school kids? Should Barack Obama, like John McCain, put politics ahead of the American people?

To Fix the Current Economic Crisis, the Obama team of leaders includes: Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett; former Reagan Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker; and former Clinton Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin. Are these the kind of people John McCain would accuse of supporting a former terrorist?

President & Senator Clinton: Is Sarah Palin implying that Senator Clinton would support a terrorist? Does John McCain mean that President Clinton would support a terrorist?

Coming in Part II: "The Terrorism of Deregulation"

Thank You for Your Support.

Getting It Right on "Drill, Baby, Drill"

The Vice-Presidential Debate (Revisited)


Senator Joe Biden:
“Barack Obama Believes that by Investing in Clean Coal and Safe Nuclear, we can not only create jobs in wind and solar here in the United States, we can export it.

“China Is Polluting Not Only the Atmosphere, but also the West Coast of the United States. We should export the technology by investing in clean coal technology.

“We Should Be Creating Jobs. John McCain has voted 20 times against funding alternative energy sources and thinks, I guess, the only answer is “Drill, Drill, Drill....”


Governor Sarah Palin:
“...The Chant Is 'Drill, Baby, Drill,' Joe.”


Channeling Barack Obama:
“Oh.”

Vice-Presidential Candidate Joe Biden Stands Corrected.

Vice-Presidential Debate Questions

[Last Thursday's Vice-Presidential Debate Between Joe Biden and Republican Vice-Presidential candidate Sarah Palin raised a number of questions for viewers and pundits back home. Below are two such questions, arising directly out of one of Governor Palin's arguments. Please read the introductory material and the Governor's statement, and then answer the question which follows.]


The Status of Senator McCain as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam conflict is legendary. It is eminently and endlessly commendable. But how it translates into the knowledge necessary for protecting America and for winning wars is not well-known.

Senator McCain's Roles in Support of the War in Iraq and in the Vietnam conflict speak to his raw courage as a warrior. They also may reveal some things about his capability for keeping America out of unnecessary wars, or for winning wars once they have begun.

Governor Palin, Speaking in Thursday’s Debate, Said:
“I think tomorrow morning, the pundits are going to start do the 'who said what at what time' and we'll have proof of some of this, but, again, John McCain who knows how to win a war. Who's been there and he's faced challenges and he knows what evil is and knows what it takes to overcome the challenges here with our military.

“He knows to learn from the mistakes and blunders we have seen in the war in Iraq, especially. He will know how to implement the strategies, working with our commanders and listening to what they have to say, taking the politics out of these war issues. He'll know how to win a war.”


QUESTION #1:
What Wars or Invasions Has John McCain Encouraged America to Start? Please list:

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

QUESTION #2:
What Wars or Invasions Has John McCain Won? Please list:

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________
(Transcript source: http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/02/debate.transcript.
Italics in Govrenor Palin's comments are by Channeling Barack Obama™ )

Sarah Palin Disputes John McCain

In Last-Night’s Vice-Presidential Debate, Governor Sarah Palin promised to join John McCain and clean up Washington.

Disputing Senator McCain’s Oft-Repeated Deregulator Claim, Governor Palin said, “Now, as for John McCain's adherence to rules and regulations and pushing for even harder and tougher regulations, that is another thing that he is known for though.”

Senator McCain Disagrees With His Running Mate. Senator McCain maintains that he has always been known as “a deregulator.” (At least until a few weeks ago.)

“I Am a Deregulator. I Believe in Deregulation,” said Senator McCain, speaking on CNN five years ago, on 07/13/2003. And here is Senator McCain, less than two weeks ago, in an interview on 60 Minutes (air date: 09/21/2008):

CBS (Scott Pelley):
“In 1999 you were one of the senators who helped pass deregulation of Wall Street. Do you regret that now?”

McCain:
“No, I think the deregulation was probably helpful to the growth of our economy.”

Vice-Presidential Candidate Joe Biden Disagrees: “So what you had is you had overwhelming ‘deregulation.’ You had actually the belief that Wall Street could self-regulate itself.”

Here Is Senator McCain, Again From 60 Minutes:

CBS:
“McCain has been an advocate of deregulation most of his career, but Thursday he endorsed the biggest bailout in history—a plan for the government to take on the bad debts of financial institutions.”

McCain:
“We’re going to take over these bad loans. We’re going to take over these bad, these bonds and we’re going to keep you alive. And we’re going to have the taxpayer help you out. But when the time comes and the economy recovers, then anything that’s gained back is going to go to the taxpayers first.”

The “We” That Senator McCain Is Talking About is the United States Government, that Senator McCain has served for the past 26 years—"deregulating" and “cleaning up” Washington.

Listening to Senator McCain, it’s clear why his cleanup efforts have been unsuccessful.

In His Earnest Effort to Get Elected, Senator McCain can’t decide whether government regulation is the problem—or the solution.

And So He Promises Both.

Can You “Clean Up Washington” and “Deregulate” at the Same Time? Governor Palin and Senator McCain both say "Yes!" But John McCain's 26 years as a "Maverick" in the United States Congress says no.


Thank You for Your Support

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.

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.


Thank You for Your Support