Political Punch

I have grown weary of the traditional stereotypes and appellations that are attached to Democrats and Republicans these days. The idea that Democrats are "liberal" and like to "tax and spend" or that Republicans are "conservative" or "fiscally responsible" have become trite and irrelevant in today's disastrous situation that 8 years of Republican leadership have brought to the USA.

In terms of foreign policy, the Iraq war, a discretionary war initiated by the Bush White House, has had an irrevocable cost in terms of the lost lives of US service personnel, the lost lives of allied service personnel and the lost/disrupted lives of innocent Iraqi's who have been killed, injured or displaced. The justification for the invasion of the sovereign nation of Iraq was weak and controversial. It is still unclear what the objective was, and although it is almost 2000 days since George Bush pronounced "mission accomplished", our servicemen continue to die, millions of Iraqi's are displaced, and our servicemen, like my son in "the other war in Afghanistan", are streched-thin. The Taliban continue their own brand of terrorism in Afghanistan, killing our military personnel and civilians alike at an ever-increasing rate. Yet even with the Afghanistan war already underway, we invaded Iraq in a fog of terrorist paranoia, for revenge, or oil, or something, and now, in Afghanistan, the casualties are mounting and the Taliban is experiencing a resurgence some 7 years after 9-11.

Barack Obama opposed the essentially unilateral invasion of Iraq, and therein lies an example of his conservatism and the "wisdom beyond his years". Using UN inspection teams, sanctions and other measures was much more of a conservative approach than an outright invasion of a sovereign nation, and it was that invasion that Barak Obama opposed!

Isn't it funny, that now, as he campaigns for the Presidency, even John McCain acknowledges that "this is the 21st century, nations don't invade other sovereign nations" - that's his current advice when it comes to Russia and Georgia, even though he and his buddy "W" were at the helm of invading the Iraqi sovereign nation just a few short years ago. That takes "flip-flopping" to a new height!

Domestically, its just as ridiculous to use the traditional stereotypes about Democrats and Republicans. People talk about raising taxes as if it were illegal, immoral or the devil's work. I would submit that, again, the Republican administration has not in any way been fiscally responsible in that they have not taken any measures to pay for their discretionary war in Iraq. This cost is not being addressed and it is an incredibly huge cost, one that will come back to haunt our children and grandchildren. It seems much more fiscally irresponsible to "spend without taxing", than it is to "spend and tax". That's not rocket science, it's basic "Budgeting 101"

We, as citizens, have to understand that nothing is free, so that if we want services and benefits and infrastructure, and even war, we must pay for it and we pay for it in the form of taxes. So again, it's not Republican conservatism and fiscal responsibility that are serving our nation today, it is Republican reactionary war-mongering and reckless deficit-spending that are putting us deeper and deeper into debt, along with death, destruction and ridicule on the world stage.

Barack Obama opposed the war in Iraq. He voted against the invasion before it was so obviously a disaster. Barack Obama understands the concept of fiscal responsibilty, and, what the heck, Barack Obama even knows how many houses he owns!

It's time for a change. It's time to stop using traditional stereotypical descriptions. It's time to return to intelligent and conservative decision-making in the White House. It's time to elect Barack Obama the next President of the United States.

Conservatively yours!

Lou, How can we be comfortable? When things were at a low point 1 1/2 yrs ago with high casualties for both US and Iraqi's JM stated we should follow Petraus's advice, add more troops, support anbar awakening and continue training iraq military. BHO stated we needed to remove our troops asap and adding troops would only make things worse. BHO was wrong and JM was right. Worse yet, even today BHO refuses to admit he made a mistake. He's as stubborn as Bush.

Second, if you were president and your cia chief told you Iraq was a threat, the former president says it's a threat, every other nation on earth says its a threat, the opposition congressional party says its a threat, your own party congressional officials say its a threat and you, based on a hunch take no action, what would happen if another attack occurred with wmds from Iraq? Just say "Michele and my grandma told me not to?

subsistantpotfarmer If a company loses money and has a loss for the year how much money would YOU charge them based on income? Not all corporations make money every year.

obama. sadly now...just trying.

Wasn't McCain clear? He said he wanted to follow him to Hell, not Afghanistan or Pakistan. The scenery's so much better in Hell, besides which, McCain's time as a POW probably makes him nostalgic.

I wonder how anyone here can feel comfortable about McCain's so called "experience" when it turns out that he was so terribly wrong about the war in Iraq from the very beginning, added to the fact that he believed going into Iraq was the answer to the 9/11 attacks and not staying focused on bin Ladin in Afghanistan.
And then we have him proclaiming that he would go to the "gates of hell to get bin Ladin", but not northern Pakistan where he most likely was.

How is it that the inexperienced Obama had the foresight to see that the war would not be "easy" and that the US military would be bogged down in Iraq for years costing the lives of soldiers and Iraqi civilians and creating a debt in the billions of dollars that would be paid for by generations to come?

And how is it that the inexperienced Obama knew that it would strain relations with foriegn governments and inflame the already unstable Middle East?

Why, with all his experience, was McCain so wrong?

McCain's line "I'd Follow OBL to the gates of hell" is a good line, but it's just a line.

McCain has also made it clear that the gates of hell are along the border of Pakistan, because he's mocked Obama for his statements that he'd bomb Pakistan if actionable intelligence warranted it, and the Pakistani government wasn't playing ball.

So, you see, OBL will be quite safe ensconced in Pakistan under a McCain administration.

PS The US tax rate for corporations is among the highest in the world. Most other countries have MUCH lower taxes.

Please note, every barrel of oil sold overseas reduces our balance of trade and improves the value of the dollar.

The 5 year leases are a good idea only if the permit process to explore, the permit process to set up a test oil rig and the permit process to set up production oil rigs take one week or less. If it takes 2 yrs because the explosions needing to take place to find oil and other permits/lawsuits take years it doesn't make sense.

The oil companies pay more in taxes than they make in profits. One company alone paid more in income taxes than 50% of ALL US Citizens combined!

If oil is bought overseas, the profit made by foreigners selling the oil is never taxed. If the oil is drilled here, our US treasury gets a cut.Best result, drill here!

I like McCain's call to nuclear energy but increasing oil drilling will only provide more gas to the world market at world market prices. Don't let em fool you. At our current %, about 75% of the offshore oil will go to another country.

I believe the US oil companies make a ton of money on relatively cheap and safe to get US oil that goes to the world market at world prices. They need to be kept to 5 year leases on US land and if the land is not put into production it goes out for bid again with the last lessee excluded. Also, the US treasury needs to benefit from price jumps like we had.

Not quite so obvious. Increasing taxes will not lower gas prices nor will it help increase economic activity. Adjusting the tire pressure and getting tune ups will not save more than all the offshore prodution that BHO claims.

Experts testified that while offshore drilling may take a few years gas prices will be much higher than if there isn't any drilling.

BHO has stated repeatedly he is all for high gas prices and wouldn't mind if they increased so long as they didn't jump up suddenly.

BHO stated he wants to "force" us to drive a new electric car that hasn't even been built yet. This dream car gets 150 miles before recharging. Current technology is a car that can go 40 miles IF you don't use a heater or air conditioning and IF the land is flat. It also requires the owner to buy $30k of new batteries every 3 years. I'm sure you'll buy 2 at this price.

Compare BHO energy plan with JM's. JM will support the same green technologies that BHO does but he also adds drilling, nuclear and dropping ethanol to lower food prices. JM actually gave a speech in Iowa saying he will cut their ethanol subsidy ! That took guts.

BHO stated he will continue ethanol subsidies.

If being a good leader is promising things that can't or aren't likely to happen but sounds wonderful, BHO is your man! Just keep believing...

Dave in Iv, Obama obviously knows more about economics than McCain if you read Obama's detailed plans on his website. What I like about him is his intelligence and knowledge and picking good advisors,(not corporate hacks) enables him to come up with solutions that work simply but well. He understands the interconnectedness of the economy, thus his refusal to go along with the gas tax holiday. A few days later all the experts said the gas tax holiday was a mistake. Same with Obama denounces that drilling for oil here would help gas prices. The experts say the same thing, that it wouldn't make a dent. Obama touted conservation as our best way to lower gas prices while we invest in renewable energy. The experts say he's right again. Obama either understands the economy or has hired really good people to explain it thoroughly. Either way that speaks to him being a good leader.

anidel:

Diarhea of the mouth and constipation of the brain soundz more like Obama than like McCain.....

Just thinking....

You should try it one day!

"All he's got to do is go to Afghanistan and Pakistan! We shouldn’t have been distracted in the first place!"

Obama himself has done nothing for Afghanistan during his 140 days in Senate...he is sounding like Hilary now, he simply does not have any credibility on foreign policy....so this attack will not go much far.

Obama is smart, but he doesn't claim he knows any more about economics than JM. BHO's solution to the economy has been tried over and over again without success. His plans are not new nor well thought out.

When a foreign crisis hit in Georgia, BHO recommended the UN Security Council draft a resolution to get Russia out. He didn't know that Russia sits on that council and has the power to veto any resolution. This is UN 101 and he didn't know it.

Since then BHO has taken the safe road and now mirrors whatever JM's position on Georgia is.

Obama will sit down with OBL and give
him a "real talking-to". If OBL doesn't
respond, Barry will give him "holy heck"
and then hit him with, "I'll huff and
I'll puff and I'll blow you house down!"
That last one will be the clincher.

'Vietnam Vets Against McCain', you make a good point. If the Navy didn't see McCain as admiral material, if he graduated at the bottom of his class, if he has voted in Congress for years while admitting he knows little about the economy, (sheesh!) maybe he just isn't presidential material. Especially in this crucial time for our country with two wars, the economy in trouble, our deficit ballooning, etc. we need someone with the smarts to figure a way out of this mess. Obama is smart, his plans make sense and he has shown good judgement time and again on big issues.

Obama has consistently been saying that the Bush administration abandoned Afghanistan to pursue its war of choice in Iraq. OBL trains his assassins in Afghanistan and Pakistan. McCain should put his money where his mouth is and follow OBL to hell. McCain preaches "family values" but hasn't practiced what he preaches. He claims he is fit to lead because he was a POW guest at the Hanoi Hilton for 5 years, but what did he lead there? He survived but he didn't lead. The GOP "leadership" and insuring our safety is to squander our youth and rattle sabres. What ever happened to Teddy Roosevelt's advice to "speak softly but carry a big stick." McCain will continue with the same diarrhea of the mouth and constipation of the brain as Bush has and is doing. We don't have the big stick any more, just a bunch of blustering loudmouths.

Should we call it a nice try, or a nasty one?

david
You are aware that the United States is a nuclear armed country aren't you?