We Win Again

About Twenty-eight Years Ago, a prominent leader said that we, the people, were the problem, not the solution.

That Was an Evil Thing to Say about the American People. It took us by surprise, caught us off guard. It took over the dominant leadership of the nation. And for much of the past twenty-eight years, we have lived by this evil idea. We have accepted it as an indictment on our character, our hopes, our ambitions, and our ideals.

Twenty-eight Years. It Has Taken Us All That Time to live those words down.

But Yesterday, the Citizens of the United States of America Voted to Repudiate that warped idea and to take back America, our great nation and the world's greatest hope.

We Have Asked Ourselves in this Presidential Election, can America return to the ideals of liberty, justice, and opportunity for all? Can America become once again a beacon of hope for the world?

Yesterday, America Voted its Answer:

Yes, We Can.

Congratulations to Barack Obama and Joe Biden and Their Campaign, as well as to the American people on the event of our good fortune. It is an honor and a privilege as an American, to have lived to this great time. All of the old slogans, from "We shall overcome" to "I have a dream," are given new life. They have become "Change we can believe in."

Can America Rise to the Many Challenges We Face?

Yes, We Can.

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! 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.”

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.

ASP: The American Shareholder Plan

The News out of Washington, D.C., Today came from Secretary of the Treasury Henry Paulson. Among other information contained in the Secretary’s report on coming government actions related to the troubled international crisis, one thing stood out:

The American Taxpayer Is about to Become a Major Shareholder in the securities of troubled financial institutions. According to Secretary Paulson, in the appropriate or necessary circumstances, the taxpayers, through the agency of the national government, will receive actual shares of stock in the troubled banks and other institutions.

The Distribution of These Shares was not mentioned in the Secretary’s press conference, but we would like to suggest once again the possibility of an actual distribution of these shares into individual accounts for each individual shareholder.

Under the American Shareholder Plan (“ASP”), accounts can be opened for each American citizen and taxpayer, using the information on record with the Social Security Administration. These shares can then grow in the individual’s ASP account, for a wide range of purposes, such as home purchase, college tuition, health care, or retirement.

So Long as the Shares Are Kept in the ASP Account, their value will not be taxed, and nor will any dividends or other distributions be taxed. Just as with IRAs and Health Savings Accounts and other tax-advantaged investment plans, the ASP beomes the individual’s private investment acocunt, to use as he or she sees fit.

Under the Prospects of the ASP, the American taxpayer, currently bailing out Wall Street with tremendous sums of money, at a time of great financial duress, will stand to benefit completely from the eventual recovery of the financial markets. Whether the companies involved are banks or other types of businesses, the variety of income and capital return that each citizen might earn may eventually compensate the American taxpayers for the economic pain and suffering and risk that is currently underway.

Democratic Candidates Barack Obama and Joe Biden ask for your vote on November 4, 2008. Please help make exciting new programs such as the American Shareholders Program become reality.



[DISCLAIMER: The ASP is not currently endorsed by Barack Obama or Joe Biden, who have not yet read this post.]

It Seemed Like Sort of a Good Idea at the Time....

Despite Persistent Evidence to the Contrary throughout the entire history of humanity, Republicans and Libertarians assert the idea that greed somehow controls itself. That people operating always in their own self-interest will generally do the right thing when it comes to dealing with their own resources and with one another.

Separately, Conservative Writer George F. Will as recently as January 4, 2007, wrote that “Labor is a commodity; governments make messes when they decree commodities' prices.” In the sense that one person on an assembly line is about as effective as any other person on an assembly line, Mr. Will is absolutely correct.

But in the Sense That a Society Is about its People, Mr. Will’s assertion is abhorrent. And now we see the practical outcome of such flawed reasoning in the tremendous economic crisis of today. (One wonders what Mr. Will thinks that "government of the people, for the people" actually means?)

We Now Have a Final Assessment: These “self-regulating markets” do not function properly where the "commodity" of actual, real live human beings is concerned.


The Overriding Fact Is that it was the “free market” combination of lessened regulation and diminished oversight and the “deadly sin” of greed that brought us to the edge of this precipice. A deliberate conspiracy of deregulation and incompetence has brought us to the brink.

Now Barack Obama’s Opponent, a self-avowed “Maverick” of deregulation and a twenty-five-year veteran of the the “free-market” crowd, tries desperately to assert his capabilities to serve as President.

But Republican Senator McCain Is the Wrong Person, with the Wrong Philosophy, at the wrong time. It is too late for Senator McCain to fool America into thinking that he is something he is not.

Now Is the Time for a Government for All the People, not just for those who at the top of the heap, drawing seven-figure CEO salaries. The Democratic principles of oversight and fairness and economic equality—for those willing to work for it—now return. The Republican “Free-Market” ideas now follow Elvis out of the building....


Now Is the Time for the Calm, Firm Leadership of Barack Obama. A non-ideological approach that counts all of America, from the "commodity" of labor to the Republican "CEOs" of Wall Street, as one indivisible nation under God, with liberty and justice for all.

Later, with the Nation Once More Restored to a Solid Footing, the deregulation, small-government Republicans will return to power. They always do.

It Always Seems Like a Good Idea at the Time. The economy will bloat again with the ungoverned greed. Somehow it always does.

But Right Now, It Is Time for the Democrats Once Again to roll up their sleeves and get to work, rescuing the American people, while bailing out the Conservatives and the Republicans and the free-market CEOs of Wall Street, as well.


Barack Obama and Joe Biden Are Asking for Your Vote on November 4, 2008. These men represent the party for all the people of these United States, rather than just the silent CEOs of the Fortune 500® and Wall Street.

It Is Time for a Return to Reason and Good Sense. Regardless of how much, “It seemed like sort of a good idea at the time.”

Debate No. 2: Style vs Substance

When Presidential Candidate Barack Obama opens his mouth to speak, what comes out are words and sentences and ideas. Not prepared speeches. This cannot be said about his opponent.

When Barack Obama Has a Point to Correct, he speaks it out. He does not deliver zingers against his opponent, but merely corrects the record. He always speaks his opponent’s name with respect.

When an Obama Speaking Turn Was Completed during the debate, he returned to his seat and listened to his opponent with respect, watchfully. (On the other hand, on some occasions while Senator Obama was speaking, his opponent was seen roaming around the stage in the background.)

Barack Obama Is Running for President of the United States, and he does not refer to everyone in sight as “my friend.” He treats everyone—friend and opponent alike—with respect, with dignity, and with consideration. He rightly plans to talk with foreign friends and enemies alike, as needed to help improve America’s role in the world, and to help all of the world toward peace.

When Moderator Tom Brokaw Asked Both Candidates how they would prioritize certain issues in the first days of their administrations, Barack Obama spoke directly to the question, describing a priority which led from one issue to the next. Senator McCain claimed he would not need to prioritize—as if the economy were not in upheaval, or as if our treasury were a limitless money tree.

Barack Obama Spoke Well on Foreign Affairs in Particular, never delivering a canned speech nor dropping the name of some nation that he could barely pronounce. Senator Obama spoke directly about the need to move decisively in Afghanistan, while addressing those failed policies of the Bush Administration that Senator McCain supports and promises to extend, if the Obama campaign does not prevail.

The Room Lights Up When Barack Obama Stands Up. His poise, his composure, and his sincere smile show that in an Obama Administration, the United States will have an authentic leader as commander-in-chief.

Senator McCain Wants so Badly to Become President. But he lacks the presence and the temperament necessary to serve the Nation well in that capacity. He lacks clear insight into world affairs. He lacks range concerning military affairs and the economy. John McCain lacks both the style and the substance to serve America as our next president.

Barack Obama and Joe Biden Ask for Your Vote on November 4, 2008. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to rebuild America will serve us now. It's legacy may well serve us for generations to come.

Please Be Sure to Cast Your Vote. America needs all of us right now.

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 Quiz, Part 2

[Our Series of Occasional Campaign Questions Continues:]

In 2003, Speaking on CNN, Senator McCain said:
“I Am a Deregulator. I Believe in Deregulation.”

Less than Two Weeks Ago on 60 Minutes, Senator McCain Said,
“I think the deregulation was probably helpful to the growth of our economy.”

Yesteryday Congress Voted Our $700 Billion Bailout of that same economy.

Democratic Vice-Presidential Candidate Joe Biden, speaking in last-Thursday’s debate, said that Senator McCain “recently wrote an article in a major magazine saying that he wants to do for the health care industry, deregulate it and let the free market move, like he did for the banking industry.”

QUESTION #3:
Should America Let Senator McCain Do for Health Care what he has done for the banking industry?

□ Yes
□ No
□ Now is not a good time to ask


QUESTION #4:
Would You Like the Arizona Senator to Deregulate Your Health Insurance?

□ Yes
□ No
□ I can’t afford health insurance


QUESTION #5:
If Senator McCain Ever Gets His Hands on Health Care, should the American people be expected to provide another $700 billion bailout?

□ Yes
□ No
□ Yesterday's bailout check hasn't yet cleared the bank



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

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

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

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.

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!

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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