McCain Shocker!

[ENDO-HUNTER]

Totally agree Darklord dave on the potential for thoughtful discussion on this thread.

When politics are involved people are passionate about their beliefs. When your beliefs get knocked down by others comments it's hard to bite your tongue and keep it civil. For this reason I tend to avoid political discussion. But here I am discussing politics Being a Republican living in a Blue state can be challenging at times. Whatever your beliefs are I respect them... I don't have to agree you nor you with me. But discussion is always interesting and entertaining to say the least. Again , I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE DEBATES!!!!

 

[The Mike]

Its sad when you can't pick the best running mate just because he is Mormon.

That is true, unfortunately there a lot of misconceptions about Mormons that still reign in the populus even now....just yesterday I heard someone at the market say "If he picks that polygamist as a running mate then I'm voting Independent"...shows how educated the general populus really is on this particular issue.

What a moron! I would have thought he would be smart and picked Romney. Man, I really can't predict who will win know. Both candidates picked stupid VPs which gives neither of them the edge.

Biden was a safe choice, someone with "street cred" to overtake the "your too new" complaints away. It gives him an edge in dealing with people who naysay on his credentials but he really doesn't needs fuel to his fire already. His choice was as strategic as McCain's.

But this Alaskan Govenor? Never even heard of her. Really dumb choice. I wouldn't be surprised if Obama wins now. McCain really needed a good VP choice to stay in this race, and he blew it.

Never know, we have to see how she holds up in the long run. People are really hung up on McCain's age and whether he'll live through a term, so picking a youthful (42, I believe) candidate sort of shorts out that argument as if selecting his own successor. If she can play the politics game like Hillary did amongst the men then she just might be an ace for McCain.

....That smacks just a bit too much of isolationism....Oh, and FWIW, making $100,000/year is still squarely in the middle class today. Six figures ain't what they used to be.

Agreed on most points. My wife and I, both teachers, make roughly $100,000 a year and that's only because we pull in extra class periods throughout the school year (6/5 model)...we live good but not great and by any means not anywhere above Middle Class. I can see our single teachers who make roughly $33,000 by themselves, still paying for medical insurance and cost of living on their own working multiple jobs. Most single teachers who live alone at my site have two, some three additional jobs to their everyday teaching. When I was a kid $100,000 dollars a year was living great, almost decadent. Now its barely making it.

She isn't really that bad looking.

Former Beauty Queen. I'd hit it. She kind of looks like the lead from Law and Order: SVU.

 

[hoodonit00]

How is the country better today than under the last Democratic president?

Alot of the problems we are facing today started with the last Democratic president. Bill Clinton always throws up his surplus budget. How did it get that way? From him slashing military spending just like Obama wants to. Bases closing, money slashed from vehicle maintenance programs, cuts in the funding for the CIA and FBI which makes us blind to what our enemies are up to. Pakistan offered up Bin Laden a number of times, but the Clinton government didn't see him as a threat. Lack of military respect in the worlds eyes after the first attack on the Twin Towers, Mogadishu, the USS Cole. Iraq should have been handled during his presidency but was handles with kid gloves. Talking about jobs staying in this country? He was the president who enacted NAFTA, to which Ralph Nader refered to sound of American jobs swirling down the drain. Widespread speculation of sellings military secrets to China.

 

[barbelith]

The terrorists whether they began in Iraq or not, are there and we're at least consuming their resources while we spend ours.

Well that's just it. They're not. And there's no reason for them to be. They can sit in Pakistan or be sheltered in Saudi Arabia while we distract ourselves. This isn't GI Joe and we're not fighting Cobra. Terrorists don't have armies.

Terrorism isn't prevented by military force. It's prevented by heightened security and clever intelligence agencies and most of all it's prevented by being liked instead of feared. Today's actions are creating tomorrow's terrorists.

Terrorism doesn't come out of nowhere. We did not deserve 9/11 but we certainly bear some measure of responsibility for creating the conditions that led to it. Oklahoma City wasn't random either.

 

[Spartan Rex]

I remain shocked this is not a major plank of the Republican platform.

Because most Republicans dont believe its the governments business telling its citizens how to build their homes or what to do with privately owned land.
Most companies and citizens surly wouldnt want to deal with the bureaucratic red tape and volumes of new code enforcement involved either.

 

[barbelith]

Because most Republicans dont believe its the governments business telling its citizens how to build their homes or what to do with privately owned land.

Neither of which has anything to do with what we're talking about.

 

[RoboDad]

No disrespect intended, but what do you hope to accomplish in not voting?

I actually don't hope to accomplish anything. But for the first time in my adult life, I dislike both candidates sufficiently that I don't see any point in giving any support to either.

What would casting a vote accomplish, if I don't believe that either candidate will come even close to representing my views and wishes in Washington?

 

[pixletwin]

I am almost looking forward to the VP debates more than the Prez debates.

 

[barbelith]

Bill Clinton always throws up his surplus budget. How did it get that way? From him slashing military spending just like Obama wants to.

The exorbitant military budget was a relic of the Cold War. There is no reason for us to be occupying two countries and so the budget issue is really just a red herring.

cuts in the funding for the CIA and FBI which makes us blind to what our enemies are up to

I think you'll find our intelligence community has a pretty solid grasp of things. The problem is the Bush administration ignored evidence that contradicted its goal.

Iraq should have been handled during his presidency but was handles with kid gloves.

But what was there to be handled? Iraq was never a credible threat.

Talking about jobs staying in this country? He was the president who enacted NAFTA, to which Ralph Nader refered to sound of American jobs swirling down the drain.

Outsourcing jobs to Canada and Mexico is negligible compared to what's happening in Asia.

 

[Spartan Rex]

Alot of the problems we are facing today started with the last Democratic president. Bill Clinton always throws up his surplus budget. How did it get that way? From him slashing military spending just like Obama wants to. Bases closing, money slashed from vehicle maintenance programs, cuts in the funding for the CIA and FBI which makes us blind to what our enemies are up to. Pakistan offered up Bin Laden a number of times, but the Clinton government didn't see him as a threat. Lack of military respect in the worlds eyes after the first attack on the Twin Towers, Mogadishu, the USS Cole. Iraq should have been handled during his presidency but was handles with kid gloves. Talking about jobs staying in this country? He was the president who enacted NAFTA, to which Ralph Nader refered to sound of American jobs swirling down the drain. Widespread speculation of sellings military secrets to China.

He also had a Republican congress overseeing his budget. Weve got a democrat controlled congress now and fiscally liberal prez which combine to give us deficits.

 

[RoboDad]

Robodad is there any way thet you can give a link to some of Obama's platform with regard to his raising corporate taxes and funding social programs? I am thoughtful but unfortunately not well informed.

And I am not in denial about his proposal bout tax cuts. How much fat's left on the plate after the tax cuts that Bush has already made.

I don't have specific links, but it has been part of the Democrat platform for decades that taxes on the wealthy and large corporations should be raised. That is the "5%" he referred to in his speech.

 

[Spartan Rex]

Neither of which has anything to do with what we're talking about.

Yeah, it does....which also says volumes about how informed you seemingly arent. Not a dig, just an observation.

 

[The Mike]

I am almost looking forward to the VP debates more than the Prez debates.

Seriously, if she can out debate Biden which is considered a longshot but if she can do it then it'll give McCain a serious edge.

 

[RoboDad]

Seriously, if she can out debate Biden which is considered a longshot but if she can do it then it'll give McCain a serious edge.

Biden has a long-standing reputation (and decades of experience) as an attack dog. I imagine he'll eat Palin alive in a debate.

 

[hoodonit00]

I figure he'd fund the energy plan the way most politicians do it: get real cozy with businesses who are already doing the research.

Can you give me a link to the Obama's proposal to fund poor countries?

Also, since Musharrif is gone who is in power now?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_poverty_act
As far as who is in charge of Pakistan, I honestly don't know. But being as part of the reason for his stepping down before being impeached was because of his alliance in the WOT, I don't expect Pakistan will put in power someone who wants to continue an alliance with us.

 

[The Mike]

Which is why she is such a longshot. I have no doubt in my mind that Biden will go for the throat but for her to be an asset and not a liability to McCain she will not only have to hold her own but actually outdo him.

 

[barbelith]

Yeah, it does...

No, it really doesn't. You're just assuming a concerted alternative energy effort would involve the government "telling its citizens how to build their homes or what to do with privately owned land." There's no reason to make that assumption.

 

[Ultimate Weapon]

This might be random in the thread in that it doesn't directly follow the last post, but it does touch on topics mentioned previously:

First I was listening to political analyses on NPR of both candidates budgetary plans. Now unfortunately I don't have specific details to break down, however for what it's worth they stated that if you do the calculations of what each candidate sayd they want to cut/enact, Obama's plans actually cost less than McCains. While Obama does have more plans that he wants to enact, because of the cuts he proposes his plans will cost the government/tax payers less. Sounds crazy, I know.

Secondly anyone who think s gas prices will be miraculously lowered regardless of who is elected is seriously deluding themselves - no offense, but come on. Do you really think if X candidate is elected we're going backwards in gas prices? I'm sure Sideshow is going to offer it's 1:6 figures for 49.99 again too. Besides, you do realize that oil companies are already sitting 68 million acres of untapped oil/natural gas leases, yet they aren't using them to lower our precious fuel costs. Why, well why should they? They earn record profits each month - what possible incentive is there for them to lower fuel prices? We're all still buying - we complain but we still buy, buy and buy. Gotta fill that SUV tank so we can drive all by our lonesome down the highway from the suburbs to work on a daily commute.

Sorry, just a couple of my big issues.

 

[Spartan Rex]

Biden has a long-standing reputation (and decades of experience) as an attack dog. I imagine he'll eat Palin alive in a debate.

He also has a long and distinguished history of foot in mouth-itis.
He spends more time apologizing and explaining what he really meant then most politicos.

 

[barbelith]

But being as part of the reason for his stepping down before being impeached was because of his alliance in the WOT, I don't expect Pakistan will put in power someone who wants to continue an alliance with us.

Don't forget Musharaff came to power in a coup. The only reason he likely aided the US effort in the first place was to win muscle to prevent being overthrown.