In a major upset, the US House of Representatives has voted against passage of the $700 billion bailout bill. The vote was 228-205 against. Democrats voted 141-94 in favor of the measure while Republicans voted 131-67 in opposition to the proposal. There are now discussions as to whether or not a new vote sometime later today. Reacting to the news, the Dow Jones is down by a … [Read more...] about House REJECTS Bailout Bill
McCain Suggests We’ve Been in a Recession
Are the recession deniers - some of whom have claimed that saying that the country is in a recession is just a push by the liberal media to elect Barack Obama - going to have a cow? From the AP: [During a campaign stop in Columbus, Ohio] McCain unleashed a blistering attack on his opponent as he resumed campaigning, saying Obama favors policies that "will deepen the … [Read more...] about McCain Suggests We’ve Been in a Recession
Repositioning Palin
Most provocative quotes of the day: "It's time to let Palin be Palin--and let it all hang out." --Scott Reed, a Republican strategist, in the Wall Street Journal. "McCain needs to liberate his running mate from the former Bush aides brought in to handle her--aides who seem to have succeeded in importing to the Palin campaign the trademark defensive crouch of the Bush … [Read more...] about Repositioning Palin
Corruption, Cronyism, and the Politics of Sarah Palin
An AP investigation has found that "[t]hough Sarah Palin depicts herself as a pit bull fighting good-old-boy politics, in her years as mayor she and her friends received special benefits more typical of small-town politics as usual." There are simply too many examples of corruption and cronyism to repeat here. Many of them are fairly small-time, but they fit in with the … [Read more...] about Corruption, Cronyism, and the Politics of Sarah Palin
Just Tax the Churches and Get It Over With
I see that once again, regular as a four year clock, the barbarians are at the gate of the separation of church and state. The latest assault, though, carries the novelty of being a widely organized attack in the form of 33 different pastors supported by the Alliance Defense Fund. While the attack is being monitored by the Internal Revenue Service and may not prove any more or … [Read more...] about Just Tax the Churches and Get It Over With
Lehrer’s Question to Obama, McCain: Learning from Arnold
If you watched the presidential debate Friday night or read the post-debate coverage, you probably recall both candidates’ refusal to straight-up answer Moderator Jim Lehrer’s question about how a $700 billion bailout of ailing financial institutions could crimp the candidates’ bold (and expensive) plans for the nation. Granted, Lehrer’s is a tough question to answer, and … [Read more...] about Lehrer’s Question to Obama, McCain: Learning from Arnold
Bailout Likely To Pass – But Is It Enough?
The negotiations over the bailout of America's financial services industry have taken several turns over the last week: from hopeful, to morose, to comical, to exasperated, to resolved. It looks like the bill will pass at this point. And I tend to think it's a good thing. The amendments have made the bill stronger than before, and there is less taxpayer risk than with the … [Read more...] about Bailout Likely To Pass – But Is It Enough?
Bill Kristol’s Advice to John McCain: Continue to Play the “Impetuosity” Card
William Kristol, the great presidential campaigns “savior,” has some advice for John McCain on how to get off his present “course to lose the presidential election to Barack Obama.” In his September 29, New York Times column, “How McCain Wins,” Kristol advices McCain to continue to make “impetuous decisions.” (“McCain’s impetuous decision to return to Washington was … [Read more...] about Bill Kristol’s Advice to John McCain: Continue to Play the “Impetuosity” Card
That’s Transparency? Bailout Agreement on the Net
Get your own - Open publication Wired wonders, doesn't transparency mean more than just posting legislation on the web, then rushing to approve it in congress? The White House and congressional leaders agreed to the details of the $700 billion government bailout of financial institutions late Sunday afternoon and they promptly released the bill on the internet. The … [Read more...] about That’s Transparency? Bailout Agreement on the Net
Falcon 1: Up, Up and Away
The concept of civilian spaceflight continues to take root this week with the launch of Elon Musk's new orbital payload rocket, Falcon 1. The craft is currently orbiting the Earth carrying a 165 kg test payload. "This is a great day for SpaceX and the culmination of an enormous amount of work by a great team," said Musk, who is CEO and CTO of SpaceX. "The data shows we … [Read more...] about Falcon 1: Up, Up and Away
House Republicans Minority Leader John Boehner On The Proposed Bailout
It sounds as if Boehner ate at the same place I did when I was on the road this summer... … [Read more...] about House Republicans Minority Leader John Boehner On The Proposed Bailout
Is This The McCain Campaign’s Next Headline Grabbing “Game Changer” Surprise?
The Bailout: Presidential Candidate Leadership By Telephone
If Democratic Senator Barack Obama is in touch with Congress by phone it's a lack of real leadership. If Republican Senator John McCain is in touch with Congress by phone it's real leadership. Or so it is being apparently argued. Don't you get the difference? … [Read more...] about The Bailout: Presidential Candidate Leadership By Telephone
[video] Phone Atone w/Biden, McCain, Obama & Palin (aka L’shana Tova)
Today is “Pulpit Freedom Sunday”
The Alliance Defense Fund tapped 33 pastors in 22 states to make explicit recommendations about political candidates from the pulpit today. AP: The conservative legal group plans to send copies of the pastors' sermons to the IRS with hope of setting off a legal fight and abolishing restrictions on church involvement in politics. Critics call it unnecessary, divisive and … [Read more...] about Today is “Pulpit Freedom Sunday”
Obama Inches Ahead In Gallup, Rasmussen And Other Polls
In the latest "bounce" in a political season marked by bounces and roller-coaster-like polls, Democratic Presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama has regained the lead over Republican Sen. John McCain -- a solid 8 point lead in the Gallup Daily Tracking poll alone. Most of these polls don't yet fully measure the impact of Friday's debate in which partisans of each side … [Read more...] about Obama Inches Ahead In Gallup, Rasmussen And Other Polls
The Bridge at Khazad Dum: Your Musical Suggestions for Fighting The Good Fight?
Dear Brave Souls, You may have noticed that Joe, our Ed-in-Chief, had written about how I would be covering the DNC from outside, and that I posted for two days and suddenly went incognito for a long while with no posts. Just on that second day of the DNC, we'd had a loved one in our family suddenly-diagnosed with that one word none of us wants to hear... one of the most … [Read more...] about The Bridge at Khazad Dum: Your Musical Suggestions for Fighting The Good Fight?
Is American Global Leadership Over?
A grim view from abroad on America's economic predicament from John Gray in The Guardian today: Our gaze might be on the markets melting down, but the upheaval we are experiencing is more than a financial crisis, however large. Here is a historic geopolitical shift, in which the balance of power in the world is being altered irrevocably. The era of American global leadership, … [Read more...] about Is American Global Leadership Over?
Republicans Reacting To Obama And The Debate
One of the more tedious political tasks for pundits who MUST follow the big political stories is having to listen to professional Democratic and Republican spinmasters who permeate television right after a debate. But sometimes the robot-like recitations predictably supporting their candidates, blasting the others, and seeming confident and chipper can go awry. Here are two … [Read more...] about Republicans Reacting To Obama And The Debate
SNL, Tina Fey, Sarah Palin And Vice Presidential Debate Expectations
Could Tina Fey's cutting Saturday Night Live parody of Republican Vice Presidential candidate Gov. Sarah Palin prove to be a political plus? If viewed in the context of the upcoming Vice Presidential debate's expectations game, the answer is yes. Fey's parody like most satirical comedy is grounded in the use of shared assumptions, which are then shattered or traits that are … [Read more...] about SNL, Tina Fey, Sarah Palin And Vice Presidential Debate Expectations