McCain's legal adviser has already voted for Obama.

• McCain's legal adviser has already voted for Obama. - sm
  • You know, now that you mention it, I - soner who Joe Biden is
    • Meant I wonder...... - NM. . .
  • As has half (or more) of California. - : )
  • Wow, impressive.. NOT - LRS
  • So what - see message - Kaydie
    • "So What, Kaydie?" - Stardust
      • Won't go there. Too easy. :-) nm - sam
  • As well as former governor of Mass who - lom
    • Several high-profile dems support McCain. - All that matters is the rest of America.nm
  • I dont care who votes for Obama. I never could in - good conscience. -is basically anti-American.nm
    • But you have no problem with SP, who BTW - lom
      • What, a strong, conservative woman scares you? - Maybe you are sexist...
        • Me, sexist? That's laughable, being a very strong independent woman myself, but - lom
          • Sarah Palin is great! -and she sure gets under the - liberals skin. Wonder why they care so much?nm
            • If the conservatives think SP is sm - Huh?
      • You made me laugh "lom"... thx, that's too funny nm - Mrs. M
      • Sarah Palin is smart, common sense, and did - nothing to deserve hatred from liberals.nm
        • Only a moron would say Palin is smart because sm - Lee
          • I have enough mental sense to know that Obama is - NOT "The One". --you sheep.nm
      • I would vote for Spongebob Squarepants... - sam
      • Sounds like you ARE voting - nm - for a cartoon - OBAMA
      • I wonder if SP dresses up as herself on Halloween. - Stardust
        • The Wicked Witch of Wasilla, talk - lom
        • Yes, as Tina Fey. nm - sam
          • Tina Fey said if McCain wins she is leaving the earth. Glad she won't have to. nm - Mrs. M
        • haha - like half the nation is planning on doing! - Attack Of The Clones

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The democrats tried to object to his even reading of his statements yesterday. Guess they were afraid he would sway some votes.  This is long, but please read.

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Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, the amendment I have is a product of a lot of work from a number of Senators on this side of the aisle. I especially thank Senator Martinez of Florida, a great leader on this issue, along with Senator Thune, Senator Graham, and many other Senators who have been involved in this discussion. This is an alternative we believe would truly create jobs and stimulate our economy. The total cost is around $421 billion.

   I wish, before I describe the amendment--and I know others of my colleagues want to discuss this amendment--I wish to point out it is very clear that public opinion in this country is swinging against the proposal that is now before the Senate and was passed by the other body. They are opposed because they see now in the Senate a $995 billion package which could reach more than $1.2 trillion. Many Americans, certainly now a majority, do not see it as a way to create jobs and to stimulate our economy. They see it loaded down with unnecessary spending programs. They see it, very correctly, with policy changes which deserve extended debate and voting on their own, such as ``Buy American'' provisions, Davis-Bacon, giving Federal workers new whistleblower protections. Some of these policy changes may be laudable, others are not, at least in my view, but all of them deserve debate and discussion rather than being placed in a piece of legislation that is intended to stimulate our economy and create jobs.

   I think it is time that we also understand how we got where we are. I have been around this body long enough to recognize that we are now entering the final phase of consideration of this package. Whether it be today or over the weekend or early next week, this bill will be disposed of one way or another by the Senate. So how did we get to where we are today, with a $995 billion package, at least, or $1.2 trillion, or perhaps more than that, with a bill that probably would create, in the view of the administration--and I do not agree with it--3 million jobs, which would mean that each job that is created by it costs the taxpayers $275,000. I do not think many Americans believe that each job created should cost $275,000 of their hard-earned tax dollars.

   In fact, the response my office is getting borders on significant anger when we talk about many of the funding programs that are in the stimulus bill. I will go through several of them later on, but $400 million for STD prevention; $40 million to make park services more energy efficient; $75 million for smoking cessation. It is hard to argue that, even though these provisions, many of them, may be worthwhile, they actually create jobs. So we have strayed badly from our original intent of creating a situation in America to reverse the terrible decline and economic ditch in which we find the American economy, to the point we have had spending programs and policy provisions which have nothing to do with stimulating the economy and creating jobs. It may be Government--let me put it this way. It may be legislative activity, possibly, at its worst.

   We are offering today an alternative at less than half the cost that we think creates jobs and stimulates the economy. I remind my colleagues, despite the rhetoric about bipartisanship, this bill originated in the House of Representatives, as is constitutionally appropriate. There was no Republican input whatsoever. It passed the other body on a strict party-line basis with the loss of 11 Democrats and came over to this body, where in both the Appropriations and the Finance Committees, almost every Republican amendment was rejected on party lines.

   I appreciate very much that the President of the United States came over to address Republican Members of the Senate and Republican Members of the House. The tenor of his remarks I think was excellent. But the fact is, we did not sit down and seriously negotiate between Republican and Democrat. I have been involved in many bipartisan efforts in this body, for many years, that have achieved legislative result. The way you achieve it is not to come over and talk to a body. The answer is to sit down and seriously negotiate and come up with compromises which result in legislation which is good for the country.

   That has not happened in this process. Again, the American people are figuring it out. I am confident, because of the way this process has taken place, that gap, which is now 43-37, the majority of the American people opposing this package, will grow.

   A majority of the American people still believe we have to stimulate the economy and create jobs. I agree with them. But to spend $1.2 trillion on it, and have no provision for when the economy recovers to put us back on the path of fiscal sanity and stability--as the amendment that I had last night was rejected; we got 44 vote--does not provide the American people with confidence that spending will stop at some time.

   One thing they have learned is that spending programs that are initially supposed to be temporary become permanent. They become permanent. That is a historical fact.

   So we have initiated nearly $1 trillion--many in new spending, some hundreds of billions of dollars in new spending--with no provision, once the economy has recovered--and the economy will recover in America--this is no path to balancing the budget. Instead, we laid a $700 billion debt on future generations of America in the form of TARP, we are laying $1.2 trillion additional in the form of this bill, and another half a trillion dollars in the omnibus appropriations bill, and then we are told there will be a necessity for another TARP, which could be as much as $1 trillion, because of our declining economy. Yet there has been no provision whatsoever, once the economy recovers, to put us back on a path to balancing the budget and reducing and perhaps eliminating--hopefully eliminating--this debt we have laid on future generations of Americans.

   I used to come down to the floor here, and have over the years, and argue against provisions in appropriations bills--which, by the way, has led to corruption. I notice there is another individual staffer who is being charged today, or yesterday, for inappropriate behavior with Mr. Abramoff.

   There used to be hundreds of thousands and sometimes thousands. Now, they are in the millions and billions, tens of millions and billions. My how we have grown.

   Do we need $1 billion for national security at the Nuclear Security Administration Weapons Activities to create jobs? We may need $1 billion for National Nuclear Security Administration Weapons Activity, but to say it will create jobs and will stimulate the economy is a slender reed.

   There is nobody who appreciates more than this person the contribution that Filipino war veterans made to winning the Second World War. We are going to give millions of dollars to those who live in the Philippines. Do not label that as job stimulation.

   Smoking cessation is something that we all support. How does $75 million for smoking cessation create jobs within the next years that would justify expenditures of $75 million?

   This body, in the name of increasing health care for children, raised taxes by some $61 billion, I guess it is, on tobacco use. So we now hope people will use tobacco in order to pay for insurance for children. But the fact is, $75 million for smoking cessation should be an issue that is brought up separately and on its own. And the list goes on and on and on.

   Our proposal--I am grateful for the participation of so many Senators--would allocate approximately $275 billion in tax cuts. It would eliminate the 3.1 percent payroll tax for all employees for 1 year and use general revenues to pay for the Social Security obligation.

   It would allocate $60 billion to lower the 10-percent tax bracket to 5 percent for 1 year. It would lower the 15-percent tax bracket to 10 percent for 1 year. It would lower corporate tax brackets from 35 percent to 25 percent for 1 year.

[Page: S1619]  GPO's PDF

   We alarmed the world with the ``Buy American'' provisions which are included in this bill. The reaction has been incredible, and the fact is, jobs flee America for a number of reasons. But one of them is we have the highest business taxes of any nation in the world. We used to have among the lowest.

   So if we really want to create jobs in America and attract capital and investment for the United States of America, we need to lower the corporate tax bracket. We need to have accelerated depreciation for capital investments for small businesses. We need to assist Americans in need, there is no doubt about that. There are Americans who are wounded and are hurting today. It is not their fault.

   We need to extend the unemployment insurance benefits. That is a $38 billion pricetag. We need to extend food stamps. We need to extend unemployment insurance benefits, make them tax free. That is a $10 billion pricetag. And, of course, we need to provide workers with training and employment. That is a $50 billion cost.

   We need to keep families in their homes. We needed, and we did adopt last night, the $15,000 tax credit. But we also need to fund the increase in the fee that servicers receive from continuing a mortgage and avoiding foreclosure. We need to have GSE and FHA conforming loan limits. That is $32 billion. We also, by the way, need to do more in the housing area.

   You know, it is interesting in all of these spending proposals we have, there is not one penny for defense, not one penny. Obviously, we are going to have to reset our military. We need to replace the aging equipment that has been used so heavily in Iraq and will be needed in Afghanistan.

   We need to improve and repair and modernize the barracks, the facilities and infrastructure that directly support the readiness and training of the Armed Forces. We do not have that in the now $995 billion package that is before us. Obviously, we need to spend money on military construction projects which will create jobs immediately. Those people who say that is not the case, I can provide for the record adequate information that many of our military construction projects could begin more quickly than those that are not on our military bases because of environmental and other concerns.

   We need to spend $45 billion on transportation infrastructure. There are grants to States to build and repair roads and bridges, including $10 billion for discretionary transportation grants, and $1 billion for roads on Federal lands. Public transit, obviously, we need to fund, and airport infrastructure improvements are necessary, along with small business loans. That is about $63 billion in our proposal.

   Finally, the American people believe, and I think correctly, spending is out of control in our Nation's Capital. We continue to spend and spend and spend. We not only have accumulated over a $10 trillion deficit, this will add another $1 trillion or more. I mentioned the TARP of $700 billion, all of which is being paid for--we are printing money in order to fund it.

   At some point we are going to have to get our budget balanced or our children and our grandchildren are going to pay the bill. I recommend that this body hear as much as possible from David Walker, former head of the Government Accountability Office, in the Congress of the United States. He paints a stark picture. In my view, it is also time that we establish entitlement commissions: one for Social Security and one for Medicare-Medicaid and make recommendations so we can act on what is a multi-trillion-dollar deficit in Social Security and over a $40 trillion debt on Medicare and Medicaid.

   Unless we address these long-term entitlement issues, there is no way we are going to be able to prevent the majority of Americans' taxes from being devoted to those two programs. So we need to establish those commissions and we need to put them to work and we need to put them to work right away.

   Now, I am told there is general agreement. Why not do it now? Why not do it now? We also need better accountability, better transparency, better oversight, and better results. Among many disappointments we have over TARP, one was that we were told the Congress and the American people would have oversight and transparency, and they would know exactly how that initial $350 billion was being spent.

   The American people and Members of Congress have been bitterly disappointed as TARP shifted from one priority to another. Funds went to the automotive industry, which none of us had anticipated when we voted for and approved it. We need more transparency and accountability and oversight of how this, probably the biggest single emergency spending package in the history of this country, is being spent.

   I notice I have other Members here who wish to speak on this issue. I hope we can pass this alternative, some $421 billion, to what has now surged to over $1 trillion. It probably may not pass for the reasons of numbers, but if we do not sit down and negotiate and come up with a package that is more than a $50- or $60- or $80 billion reduction, when we are talking about $1.2 trillion, the American people will not be well served.

   They will not be well served by requiring Davis-Bacon, they will not be well served by requiring ``Buy American,'' they will not be well served by spending their hard-earned dollars on unnecessary programs that even though in the eyes of some may have virtue, have no or very little association with job creation and relief for Americans who are struggling to stay in their homes and either keep their jobs or go out and find a new one.

   I believe the United States of America will recover from the economic crisis. I have a fundamental faith, belief, that American workers are the most productive, the most innovative, and the best in the world. But they need some help right now. What they need is the right kind of help.

   I urge my colleagues, when you see the money that is being spent in the name of job creation and stimulus that is laying a debt burden on our children and our grandchildren, we need to have serious consideration of this kind of spending because it is not fair, not only to this generation of Americans but to future generations as well.

1.  I believe in a woman's right to choose.  I have read the FOCA bill and have based my decision on my interpretation of that bill in accordance with my own opinion.

2.  I believe the war in Iraq is a disaster.  I don't think it does credit to our troops to send them into harm's way for an unjust war.  Obama will end that war and get our military home.  The money we spend in Iraq is also included in that.

3.  I agree with Obama's tax plan.  I have sat down and compared the two, and in my situation, I get a better deal with Obama's plan.  I see no difference in McCain's plan and what is going on right now with Bush.

4.  McCain has shown is lack of leadershiip in the fact that he cannot manage his own campaign.  He ran all around like a chicken with his head cut off when the economic crisis hit.  Said he suspended his campaign and didn't. Obama submitted a plan and went with hit, showing leadership qualities.

5. Negative campaining:  This is something McCain and his wife publicly said he would not do, and yet he seems to be okay with it now.

The list is much longer, but these are a few.

I said, I never cared for the Bush administration, but give Bush a break.  Enough is enough.

I have never questioned the authenticity of his birth certificate.  I am not a supporter of Bush but he is our President until Obama is sworn in as President.  GP, you jumped to all types of conclusions because I mentioned it was time to stop ranting and raving about Bush.  That does not mean I am a Bush supporter.

Even Obama has made his peace with Bush and he is working with him.  I think it is high-time you allowed for difference of opinions between dems and pubs.  If the pubs want to question Obama's birth certificate athenticity, then so be it.

Hmmm....after all that castigating of Bush for Katrina...Obama and Biden had chance to shift funds for the Bridge to Nowhere to Katrina relief...and voted AGAINST it in favor of the bridge.

Now that Alaska is front and center in the news again, it is a good time to catch up on a favorite story, The Bridge to Nowhere, using the Washington Post US Congress Votes Database.

Though Gov. Palin originally supported the earmark spending on the Ketchikan bridge (“to nowhere), she eventually killed the project, choosing to spend Federal money on other infrasturcture programs.

However, Sen. Biden and Sen. Obama voted for funding the Bridge, even when given a second chance by Sen. Tom Coburn (R), who proposed shifting earmark funds to Katrina relief.

Sen. McCain did not vote on the Coburn Amendment, though he is on record as opposing the Ketchikan bridge earmark.

Link to votes record below.

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/109/senate/1/votes/262/

the middle class person's best friend!  Funny how now he wants to help us, when each time he had the opportunity to, he voted against it. 

Do you think either candidate is more "real" than the other? Is one of them truly a "what you see is what you get" sort of person, or is one of them liable to turn tail and be the opposite of what we see now?

Thoughts, opinions, comments?

I had hoped to include Hillary in my list, but I guess that won't be necessary now. Bummer.

That is how I have been going over the last couple months.  I just don't know any more and frankly I'm getting tired of it.  I voted for Obama over Hillary, then was a strong supporter of Obama.  Heard some stuff I didn't like so I switched to McCain, then heard some stuff and switched back to Obama, now with the economic crisis and what the democrats have done, I am looking towards McCain again.  Let me explain why (please take pitty on me and don't flame me too bad :-), but with that said let me tell you why.

I feel that Obama can speak better than McCain.  Gotta give him credit for being an eloquent speaker, however that doesn't mean that his ideas are right for America.  I'm learning about his voting record and the programs he will be pushing for, and if I wanted to live in the type of economy Obama wants if he is elected I mind as well move to Cuba or another country that is socialized.  Yes he understands our economy but he's making all the wrong decisions and we are going to be further in debt.  I just found out today that 700B dollars is not a figure they need.  They made that up out of thin air.  They need close to a trillion dollars, but they were afraid if they ask for a trillion it will raise suspicion so they picked 700B out of thin air.  And that money will be pocketed by them and then they'll need more.  Kucinich said today where do you think we're going to get 700B from?  We'll get it from banks.  And we'll give it to banks.  And then more faux money and debt and loans will go out and we will not be any better.  And this is what Obama is going to approve.  Obama does not care about people like you and me.  He is for the 1% of the rich (him and his friends).  I don't think he is qualified to make any decisions about our economy.  And Pelosi and Franks should be fired on the spot!  We should remember as a democratic congresswoman pointed out that we have enemies both foreign AND domestic.  That means here in our country, and as far as I can see they are the democratics that are destroying our economy.  NOT ALL DEMOCRATS.  I wanted to make sure I made that clear.  There are plenty good democrats who know this bill is wrong and are voting agaist it - good for them, but there are the other ones (along with some republicans) who are out for themself.  We need a strong leader to lead us in the direction of bringing our economy back up and I believe that person is John McCain.

Second, I don't feel safe with what Obama is proposing to sit down with our enemies and have a nice big group hug and everything will be all better.  That's not the way it works and McCain understands that.  I feel safer with McCain in there on foreign policies and the ability to keep our country safer.

Biden - Don't know much about him except he's been in the senate a long time, which is good because Obama is fairly new so he would be big help.  Personally I like Biden, so have no quams with him.  I think he can put his foot in his mouth enough if you get him talking long enough.  It also doesn't help that he was even saying Obama is not qualified to be president, but time will tell.

Palin.  She's better than a lot of people are giving her credit for.  I know your probably saying pleeese, but put your hatred towards her aside.  She has a lot to learn, but so does Obama.  He's had an 18-month lead on her, and with help she is learning fast. I heard the leader of Pakistan tonight and he said after meeting with her she was intelligent and he thinks if McCain and Palin are elected she will do just fine.

I like her resume and knowlege of the economy and plans for getting us back on the right track better than Obama's.  BTW - I did watch one of her interviews and she did quite well.  She was very intelligent and articulate in what she was saying (completed full sentances throughout the whole interview, finished her thought processes, etc), but then again she was being interviewed by someone who treated her with respect and didn't try to pull any of the "gotcha's", or look down at her cross-eyed like Couric did.  Couric has the interview skills of a beanpole, so don't know why anyone even watched it.

I am looking forward to the debate on Thursday.  I know a lot of you have already got it in your minds that she has already lost the debate and that is unfortunate.  I am anxious to hear Biden talk.  I do like him and had wished he had won the nomination over Obama.

My feeling on Palin is that given a chance and good mentors she will do just fine as VP and I always remember our founding fathers didn't have half the experience she does and they made this country great in the beginning.  Now politics is just filled with lawyers, crooks and liars.

So...if Obama and Biden win I won't be crying, and if McCain and Palin win I will be fine too.

This is great! 

http://alchemytoday.com/obamataxcut/