Now we see through the glass darkly, but soon.....

I'm doing the best I can to stay ahead of the disaster the Bush administration is imposing on America. For example, in anticipation of the high gasoline prices, we traded in our car for a hybrid in early 2007. Second, even though our low ARM did not expire until March 2009, we refinanced our house in early summer 2008 for a low 30-year fixed rate because I did not believe rates would be better in March 2009. Today, I visited the Bank of America office near by and found their 30-year fixed rate is now 7.0 percent.

I want to state emphatically that I am not prescient. However, I do I live on the west bank of the Potomac River and from here, I can see Washington clearly....even through the intensely partisan cloud that usually hangs over the city each morning. What I have seen is not pretty. We citizens have to rescue the city from itself...and we must do it on November 4th.

Those members of Congress who did NOT vote for the "National Economic Stability Act" on Monday should be sent packing. (I know that is not its real name.)

It is not a bailout; it isn't even a rescue. I think it should more accurately be described as an act to restore economic stability to the markets AND to main street. All are affected by the lack of action. But make no mistake about it, the bill defeated 228-205 on Monday WILL pass this week...even if the Democrats are the only party with enough patriots willing to risk defeat with unhappy constituents at the polls in four weeks. They will do it; the bill will pass.

As for next year, two things are likely: (1) When the troops come home, America will start to spend a small portion of the war money on rebuilding America's infrastructure and that will lead to tens of thousands of new jobs; (2) another small portion will be dedicated to developing the means to wean ourselves off addiction to foreign oil and that will create hundreds of thousands of new jobs over the next decade.

Oh, and one other thing: you can expect to see about 20 books published by former "friends" of Bush 43 who served with his administration for the past 8 years and have been waiting until "it is over" before penning their recollections of the time they spent in this unfortunate national experience. If you have no stomach for incompetence, dereliction of duty, malfeasance and misfeasance in office, the politicization of the Justice Department, the emasculation of nearly every budget of nearly every department or agency of government, do not buy any of them. I will tell you this: I have already started a collection of these books and will continue to add to them, because I want to pass them along to the next generation with the hope they will read them and vow to avoid putting in office such partisan incompetence in the future.

Door to Door for Obama

Last weekend, my wife and I were among the 300 volunteers who visited 10,000 voters in Virginia, walking door to door for Barack Obama in Virginia. We knocked on 60 of those 10,000 doors.

I must tell you I have been involved in politics for many years but have never walked door to door. It is an exhilarating experience. You get a few doors shut in your face…but not many. A few people greet you with, "Yeah, what do you want?" In general people don’t like to have their normal weekend activities interrupted but I found, when they hear you are from the Obama campaign, their entire demeanor changes. Lots of questions follow, sometimes they tell you specifically which house on the street is home to an undecided voter, and frequently they ask for yard signs and bumper stickers for themselves or friends.

There is indeed something blowin’ in the wind and yes, the times, they are a’ changing. There is an excitement for the potential Barack Obama holds that is downright palpable.

The change coming on November 4 will be felt from Bar Harbor to San Diego harbor. Blue states will become a deeper shade of blue and Red states will turn purple on their way to Blue.

The Right Wing Cannot Legislate Because It Does Not Legislate.

The Republicans, when in the majority, with a President from the same party, can easily march in lockstep, like lemmings to the sea, behind their President. I do not consider any bills passed under such conditions as evidence of legislative courage. Clearly, today's vote indicates it is not possible for them to work among themselves to solve problems of true national import.

The initial vote today was utterly predictable. (226 NO, 207 YEA)

Republicans sat and waited to see if the Democrats would save their grits...as they used to regularly (in the pre-Gingrich era).

Historical note: Republicans were always more comfortable in the minority, complaining from the back bench, and content to go home and tell their constituents the problem is those old free spending liberals in the Democratic Party. Meanwhile, they and their constituents enjoyed the programs enacted by Democrats, programs that ultimately helped these "conservatives" get re-elected. In fairness to their voters, the voters were satisfied with such an arrangement.

I'm pleased to see the Democrats not giving them the privilege of sitting back and waiting for the Democrats to save them. Make 'em vote. It would only take 10 votes switched by the Republicans to have it pass. I realize voting "yea" on this bill will give some Republicans heart attacks and a few may need a doctor to control their nausea.

With the House taking the next couple of days off, perhaps cooler heads will prevail when they reconvene on Thursday.

Phone Home, Senator McCain. Phone Home.

Taegan Goddard pulled together a couple of quotes from the McCain side that reveal a totally undisciplined approach to influencing the debate on the Wall Street bailout:

"I suspended my campaign and came back to Washington because I thought that it was vital to do so. Sen. Obama said he was available to discuss the issue by phone. I didn't want to phone it in. I'm proud that we were able to get this done, and I'll give the credit to everybody else."

• Sen. John McCain, in an interview with the Columbus Dispatch on why he needed to be back in Washington, D.C. to work on the bank rescue package.

"He (McCain) can effectively do what he needs to do by phone. He's calling members on both sides, talking to people in the administration, helping out as he can."

• McCain aide Mark Salter, quoted by CBS News explaining why his boss could work on the rescue package over the weekend from his campaign office and wasn't needed on Capitol Hill.

The McCain Campaign is without a rudder or tiller or sail or compass….and certainly, without an anchor.

To Iraq and To Ruin

I do not have the words to tell you how tired I am of hearing Republicans recite their mantra: "We will cut your taxes and reduce the size of government."

BS

It is not true and they know it. Their only job --and they will quickly tell you it is their only job -- is to convince you that it is true. You only have to...uh, trust them.

Reagan said it and here's what we got in return. During his eight years in office we endured two economic recession, a 20 percent increase in the size of government, and a tripling of the national debt.

Bush 41 said it and the economy was in a shambles by the time he ran for re-election in 1992. Indeed, not even his victory in the first Gulf War -- which was a true victory, not a "Mission Accomplished" fake victory -- could prevent Bill Clinton from cleaning his clock (not even the one Bush 41 was checking during the debates). Remember, "It's the economy, stupid!"

The tremendous economic expansion the country enjoyed during the eight years of Bill Clinton's Presidency had the Republicans chomping at the bit to get back into power and demonstrate they could do the same thing with -- you guessed it -- cutting taxes and reducing the size of government.

Bush 43 sold the same bill of goods to Americans in 2000, and again in 2004, and here is what we got for it: America's first pre-emptive strike on another sovereign nation, a war fought on fraudulent pretenses, destabilization of world economies, record prices for oil and gasoline at the pump, abdication of federally mandated oversight of financial markets -- among a long list of dubious, indeed, disgraceful, "accomplishments."

But the most telling is the realization that Bush 43 will leave office having more than DOUBLED the national debt, from 5.5 trillion dollars on the day he came into office to 11.6 trillion dollars (if the current Wall Street bailout package is approved

If you hear another Republican repeat that old saw, "We just want to cut your taxes and reduce the size of government and that'll make your life better," you should shout, "ARE YOU CRAZY?" and run for the nearest exit as fast as your legs will carry you.

And yes, Bush 43 will always be remembered in the history books as "The President who took America to Iraq and to ruin."

312 to 226 with 39 days to go

If the election were held today, the outcome would likely be 312 electoral votes for Obama and 226 for McCain.

But that could change.

It could go as high as 348 to 190. It IS possible giving the trends evident today.

But no Democrat is counting his chickens before Bush 43 gets through laying his eggs.

---

Re US Senate

It is even possible, although unlikely, that the Democrats could pick up 9 seats which would give them 60 seats and a filibuster proof majority in the US Senate. (I have heard that Senate Republicans have already taken George Bush off their lists to receive Christmas cards this year. Bush 43 has proven to be a one man wrecking crew for the National Republican Party.)

A caveat to my Democratic friends

Even though the election is trending daily to the Democratic ticket, I add this caveat this morning: those interested in "keeping this republic" must not rest one moment between now and November 4th. I remember writing the following message to a friend of mine in 2004 -- FOUR YEARS AGO:

"If the economy is still sucking wind, if new jobs are still non-existent (or increasing at only 10,000 per month), if the debt continues to soar, if health cost continue unabated, if the Medicare bill Bush just signed is proven to cost $150 billion more than Bush estimated, if energy prices have people paying $2 at the pump for regular gas, if we still have significant troops in Iraq, if we have not found Osama, Bush will be toast."

I was convinced the American people could see as clearly as I in 2004 that the country was in deep trouble with Bush 43 at the helm. They didn't see it that way. Maybe this time they will. Maybe.

This One is Over...

I never thought I would dare say it, but I think it can be said, "This one is effectively over."

Now we know: John McCain is not a maverick, he is just sporadic. He is displaying an undisciplined mind fed by an unstable temperament that is driving his campaign across the line head-on into oncoming traffic. The result is going to be a disastrous loss for Republicans on November 4.

And his choice for a VP running mate is proving to the whole world that she is indeed an air head beauty contestant who is not capable of knowing she doesn't know anything. Her interviews, particularly the one last night with Katie Couric, are painful. Her candidacy is a national embarrassment.

If somehow she and John McCain should win in November, it would be a sign that our economy is not the only thing in the ditch in America. It would signal a complete disintegration of our national system for nominating and electing the best qualified among us to positions of national leadership.

Take it to the bank...or at least to Paulson

Lawmakers from both parties in House, Senate say they have bailout deal; will take it to Treasury Secretary Paulson.

That's the headline news of the hour.  And McCain has not even arrived at the White House.  I guess his influence is so great he does not have to actually be there to have an impact on decisions made.

I advise him to take his time this afternoon, particularly when he is in the Oval Office.  This may be his best chance to see it.  Maybe he can ask Bush 41 for permission to sit in his "big chair."

Now, the only thing remaining is to see if he can come up with another reason to avoid the debate tomorrow night.

Guy With The Biggest Problem

McCain is the guy with the biggest problem these days.

How do you show leadership while supporting a President who has a 16 percent approval rating? How do you reassure your base that you are a true conservative when you vote for a bailout bill that puts the nation in deeper debt, strengthens the hand of government when you are committed to reducing the size of government and the ability of government to intervene in the lives of your people?

However, if you vote against the bill, your Republican friends will not support it either and you run the risk of tanking the entire enterprise. Democrats will pass it anyway? Hardly! The Democrats are tired of doing Republicans dirty work. These Democrats will not pass the bill without getting a significant number of Republicans on the record as being in favor of this bailout legislation. So, get your act together Republicans, swallow hard, and do the right thing.

Voters, beware John McCain's explanation of his actions when he returns to the presidential campaign. He is sure to say something along these lines: "I went to Washington, consulted with the President, talked to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle. We tweaked the bill to make it better for taxpayers, and I'm pleased to announce that my work paid off. We have passed a bill that will restore taxpayer confidence in the financial system, and as President, I will work with the Congress to continue to tweak this bill which I was able to forge with the help of the President, Secretary Paulson and my colleagues in the House and Senate."

This from a John McCain who has not cast a vote in the Senate since April. This from a John McCain who has not talked even ONCE with Chris Dodd, chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, about the ongoing work on the bill over the past several weeks. This from a John McCain whose first answer to the problem was, "Don't worry, the economy is fundamentally sound." This from a John McCain whose second answer to the problem was, "If I were President, I would fire the head of the Securities and Exchange Commission." Never mind that is not an option for the President.

Bush 41 or Bush 43?

Who will hold the record for lowest approval record among US Presidents?

Bush 41 had the economy in turmoil in 1992 and endured an approval rating of 13 percent before Bill Clinton relieved him in 1993.

Bush 43 had an approval rating of just 19 percent this past Monday, but now it has dropped to an abysmal 16 percent!

The race is now on to see whether father or son will hold the record for lowest approval score among US Presidents. I'm betting on the son but he has only three more months to secure the title...but in view of the economic crisis which has occurred on his watch, I'm betting on the son.

PS: Is there no way to get this Bush family off the stage?!

Who's on First?

Re: The Friday Debate


Obama is right. This is a time when Americans deserve to hear from both candidates for the chief leadership position in America describing how they would approach the economy and other issues. The President must be able to address multiple issues simultaneously. He thinks Sen. McCain should debate him Friday night. I think most Americans are surprised, perhaps shocked, that John McCain has ducked the debate and headed back to Washington where he will be more of a hindrance than a help. It is a transparent attempt by the McCain camp to throw a "hail Mary" pass that will resurrect his otherwise moribund campaign.



Re: Legislative plan to address the economic mess


Barack Obama has made clear the plan, when adopted, should address the following:

• No Golden Parachutes -- Taxpayer dollars should not be used to reward the irresponsible Wall Street executives who "helmed" this disaster.

• Main Street, Not Just Wall Street -- Any bailout plan must include a payback strategy for taxpayers who are footing the bill and aid to innocent homeowners who are facing foreclosure.

• Bipartisan Oversight -- The staggering amount of taxpayer money involved demands a bipartisan board to ensure accountability and oversight.

Too Funny to Pass Up

Someone sent me the following e-mail making the rounds on the Internet today and I thought it was too funny to pass up. Enjoy .. (unless, of course, you have recently responded to a similar one from a Nigerian heiress):

Dear American:

I need to ask you to support an urgent secret business relationship with a transfer of funds of great magnitude.

I am Ministry of the Treasury of the Republic of America. My country has had crisis that has caused the need for large transfer of funds of 800 billion dollars US. If you would assist me in this transfer, it would be most profitable to you.

I am working with Mr. Phil Gram, lobbyist for UBS, who will be my replacement as Ministry of the Treasury in January. As a Senator, you may know him as the leader of American banking deregulation movement in the 1990s. This transactin is 100% safe.

This is a matter of great urgency. We need a blank check. We need the funds as quickly as possible. We cannot directly transfer these funds in the names of our close friends because we are constantly under surveillance. My family lawyer advised me that I should look for a reliable and trustworthy person who will act as a next of kin so the funds can be transferred.

Please reply with all of your bank account, IRA and college fund account numbers and those of your children and grandchildren to wallstreetbailout@treasury.gov so that we may transfer your commission for this transaction. After I receive that information, I will respond with detailed information about safeguards that will be used to protect the funds.

Yours Faithfully,

Minister of Treasury Paulson

Free Sarah Palin

This is Campbell Brown’s editorial comment on CNN last night on the McCain camp’s sexist treatment of Sarah Palin:

"Tonight I call on the McCain campaign to stop treating Sarah Palin like she is a delicate flower that will wilt at any moment. This woman is from Alaska for crying out loud. She is strong. She is tough. She is confident. And you claim she is ready to be one heartbeat away from the presidency. If that is the case, then end this chauvinistic treatment of her now. Allow her to show her stuff. Allow her to face down those pesky reporters... Let her have a real news conference with real questions. By treating Sarah Palin different from the other candidates in this race, you are not showing her the respect she deserves. Free Sarah Palin. Free her from the chauvinistic chain you are binding her with. Sexism in this campaign must come to an end. Sarah Palin has just as much a right to be a real candidate in this race as the men do. So let her act like one."

I agree with Campbell. McCain’s minion are doing her no favors and doing a disservice to the voters who have a right to hear from the number two person on the Republican side. Or can it be, she is not ready for prime time and, they fear, never will be. Whatever the case, the truth will out.

Katie Couric of CBS is set to interview Palin tomorrow (Wednesday). Let’s hope she gets more than 30 seconds of Palin’s time.

Turning Point in American Politics Coming

Last Saturday, as I was leaving a church event, I met an elderly lady in the church parking lot who was obviously lost. “Where do canvassers for Obama pick up materials?” she asked. I knew the schedule and logistics since I had recently attended a meeting at local Obama headquarters so I pointed her to a location just down the street from the church. As I watched her get in her car and drive off, I thought, “Obama is going to win!”

For the first time in my life, I will be canvassing, too.

For the first time in my life, I will be driving voters to the polls.

For the first time in my life, I will be writing personal letters to friends and neighbors, urging them to vote for the one man who has the best chance of restoring American credibility overseas and, most importantly, restoring the confidence of Americans in their own government’s ability to serve their interests.

When an 80 year old lady, understanding what is at risk, is motivated to get out and canvass her neighborhood on behalf of this young man from Illinois, the momentum is clearly building for a major turning point in American politics.

Ready to Do It Again!

Republican friends are whispering, “It’ll be a good thing if we lose the presidential race this year because the problems the next President will face are not going to make him any friends.”

To that, I say, “OK, we Democrats don’t mind bailing you out (sorry ‘bout that).”

We’ve done it before. We’ll do it again.

We did it in 1933 when Roosevelt took over from Hoover’s failed Republican administration and rescued the economy. We did it in 1993 when Bill Clinton took over from Bush 41 and rescued the economy once again. He actually left his successor a healthy surplus to begin his term in 2001.

Now, another Bush administration has the economy in the tank. Bush 43 has approval ratings of less than 19%. Nobody's listening to him anymore. Besides, he has no idea how to get us out of this latest mess.

As my friend, Charlie Cook, has written in his latest assessment of the political landscape, “With the national debt closing in on $10 trillion this week, looking past this election, it is sobering to contemplate how this country will deal with crises such as funding Medicare and Social Security, public infrastructure needs such as streets, highways, bridges, mass transit and sewer systems and education – never mind other hot topics like health care reform, energy independence and preparing young people to compete in a far more competitive global and technological economy.”

Darn, those are hard subjects. I can see why Republicans would like to hand them off to someone else. That’s OK. We Democrats are up to the challenge. We’ve done it before and we’re ready to do it again. Just try not to get in the way, OK?

"She Doesn't Speak for Me"

The Alaska Women Reject Palin Rally was expected to be small; after all, it was organized by a small group of women over coffee. They decided they should do something to let the "lower 48" know that Sarah Palin was not beloved by everyone in Alaska. So, they called for a rally to be held in the parking lot of the local library. When a local conservative talk show host heard about their plans, he called the women names and urged his listeners to show up as a counter demonstration to tell the women organizers they were “a bunch of socialist baby-killing maggots.”

No one -- even the organizers -- could imagine how many anti-Palin folks would actually show up.

On the appointed day and hour, a huge crowd showed up at the library for the rally. The turn-out was far more than anyone expected. Organizers counted well over 1300 anti-Palin voters with about 90 counter demonstrators. Some said it was the “largest political rally in the history of the state.”

The Alaska Women Reject Palin Rally was significantly bigger than Sarah Palin’s own rally that received so much national media attention. It is obvious Sarah Palin does not speak for all Alaskans. Indeed, she gives many serious pause as they contemplate the naked ambition of this self righteous woman.

Are you listening America? Sarah is out of step with Alaska women and not prepared to speak for any of us!

(It's amazing how many great ideas begin with a good cup of coffee!)

And That Spells Trouble...

To all fiscal conservatives in the Republican Party:

The Nation's debt was 5.5 Trillion dollars when Bush 43 came into office in January 2001. It is now 10.6 Trillion dollars.

When the new borrowing to buy troubled mortgages is approved by Congress and signed into law by Bush 43, the debt will rise to 11.6 TRILLION DOLLARS! Isn't that special!!

As Everett Dirksen, a true Republican would say, "now we're talking about real money."

Presidential Advice from My Favorite Diner

Have you ever stopped in one of those small diners or corner cafes – usually located in a crossroads town of less than 7,000?

If you have, then you already know what I am about to say.

You’ll likely see someone reading a newspaper off in a corner, or perhaps sipping coffee with a friend in a booth, or – if you’re in a really old one – they might be sitting on a stool at the soda fountain. And if you listen carefully, you will discover America’s biggest heretofore undisclosed national secret: Diners and corner cafes are the birthplace of America’s greatest ideas.

These people are known by different names in different communities – diner cowboys, cafe mayors, drugstore philosophers – but they all serve the same function: Solve the nation’s problems before leaving the diner or café or drugstore. They never disappoint those within earshot. They always find a way to solve the nation’s problems with a simple, direct and often immediate plan. And when they get up to leave the drugstore, no matter where they hail from, they always say the same thing: “If one of us went to Washington, we could straighten that place out in no time.”

And everybody nods in agreement. Regrettably, none of our leaders are there to hear the sage advice.

Now comes Sarah Palin. She’s like the waitress in the diner, listening to all the comments, who comes out from behind the counter, bragging, “And I could show ‘em a thing or two myself!”

I’m not putting these folks down. I apologize if anyone has been offended. These diners and cafes, frequented by “local experts” can be found in our nation’s major cities, too. You know 'em; you've been there, too.

And they’re all doing what citizens have done since the beginning of this republic – kibitzing about the problems that vex our leaders with suggestions that more often than not reflect a total lack of knowledge or understanding of complex issues.

Here’s the truth: Governing a nation as large as ours and as complex as ours is hard. The creation and execution of policy is difficult work. It requires acquired skills. Most of all, it requires sound judgment and prudence.

And make no mistake about it, our nation faces difficult, complex, intractable problems that challenge the best minds in America. The solutions offered by Sarah Palin and John McCain so far are not any more helpful than those one might hear at my favorite coffee shop. America deserves better. No offense, Myrtle.

Republicans Are Socialists

James Moore, writing over at Huffington Post today, has something all should read. Here’s a portion of his posting:

Don't let them tell you this economic meltdown is a complicated mess. It's not. Our national financial crisis is readily understood by anyone who has seen greed and hypocrisy. But we are now witnessing them on a profound, monumental scale.

Conservative Republicans always want the government to stay out of business regulation as long as they are making lots of money. When their greed, however, gets them into a fix, they are the first to cry out for rules and laws and taxpayer money to bail out their businesses. Obviously, Republicans are socialists. The Bush administration has decided to socialize the debt of the big Wall Street Firms. Taxpayers didn't get to enjoy any of the big money profits on the phony financial instruments like derivatives or bundled sub-prime paper, but we get the privilege of paying for their debt and failures.

Let's just consider the money. The public bailout of insurance giant (becoming a dwarf) AIG is estimated at $85 billion. According to one report, that's more than the Bush administration spent on Aid to Families with Dependent Children during his entire time in office. That amount of money would also pay for health care for every man, woman, and child in America for at least six months.

How did we get here?

That's pretty easy to answer, too. His name is Phil Gramm. A few days after the Supreme Court made George W. Bush president in 2000, Gramm stuck something called the Commodity Futures Modernization Act into the budget bill. Nobody knew that the Texas senator was slipping America a 262 page poison pill. The Gramm Guts America Act was designed to keep regulators from controlling new financial tools described as credit "swaps." These are instruments like sub-prime mortgages bundled up and sold as securities. Under the Gramm law, neither the SEC nor the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) were able to examine financial institutions like hedge funds or investment banks to guarantee they had the assets necessary to cover losses they were guaranteeing.

This isn't small beer we are talking about here. The market for these fancy financial instruments they don't expect us little people to understand is estimated at $60 trillion annually, which amounts to almost four times the entire US stock market.

…

And there’s more….but you get the drift. (Thanks, Jim, for a great piece.)

Not one of us should have been surprised. As soon as we saw the White House AND both houses of Congress in Republican hands, we were certain to be visited with a catastrophic national malady. Most of us just did not know where or when it would show its ugly face.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jim-moore/a-nation-of-village-idiot_b_127340.html

Says It All

On the way to my local coffee shop this morning, I thought of the perfect bumper sticker for these times:

"Vote John McCain,
Increase the Pain.

Avoid the Trauma,
Elect Obama!"

Can we survive another four months?

When Bush was appointed by the Supreme Court to the office of President, I turned to my wife and said, “We are entering the most dangerous period in American history.”

On inauguration day in January 2001, I turned to my wife and said, “This is going to be the longest 8 years in our lives.”

On every occasion since 2001, during national moments of disaster or misadventure, domestic or foreign, when the Bush administration has failed us or intentionally violated its oath to uphold the Constitution, I have turned to my wife and said, “I’m not sure we will be able to survive to the end of Bush 43’s term.”

Earlier this year, my sister, feeling the pain of our growing and collective angst during the Bush years, sent me an e-mail, saying, “It’ll be alright; it will soon be over.” This from a Republican.

Somehow her words did not reassure me. I know better.

I am looking at a calendar and it still shows four more LONG months until Bush 43 gets on that bus for the ride back to Crawford. I am also looking at news reports of yet another bankruptcy among investment banks, a stock market that has tumbled 500 points, and a host of economic indicators reflecting a virtual collapse of confidence.

Bush and his minions, the laissez faire “there is no role for government here” crowd seem oblivious to the need to play a regulatory role – now or ever. I’ll refrain from further comment, though it is justified, except to say, “I’m not sure we can survive another four months of this administration!”

Bush and his inept, incompetent approach to government have put all of his countrymen at risk.

Before the Palin Error

Let’s step back five months – to April 2008 -- and consider again why so many thoughtful people were picking Barack Obama out of the crowd of candidates competing for the Democratic nomination.

Former US Senator Sam Nunn issued a statement endorsing Obama in which he said:

“Senator Obama, as evidenced by his words and his deeds, recognizes that:

• We have developed a habit of avoiding the tough decisions and seemingly lost our ability to build consensus to tackle head-on our biggest challenges.
• Demonizing the opposition, oversimplifying the issues, and dumbing down the political debate prevent our country from coming together to make tough decisions and tackle our biggest challenges.
• Solving America’s problems will require difficult choices and sacrifices and leaders capable of considering new ideas from both political parties.
• On foreign policy and security policy, we must recognize that we are not limited to a choice between belligerency and isolation and that we must listen to lead successfully on the key issues facing America and the world.
• Our next president must also recognize that the battle against violent terrorists, while requiring a prudent use of military power, is also a long-term contest of psychology and ideas.”

Senator Nunn concluded his assessment of Barack Obama by writing, “Senator Obama has a rare ability to restore America’s credibility and moral authority and to get others to join us in tackling serious global problems that will determine our own wellbeing and security.”

When has either of the candidates on the other side of the ticket done anything to satisfy Sam Nunn’s criteria?

Elect McCain. Increase the Pain"

Eighty-two percent of the American people think the country is headed in the wrong direction. Seventy percent don't agree with Bush 43's stewardship of the Office of President of the United States. Four million Americans have either lost their homes in foreclosure or are seriously behind on their mortgage payments. Millions more struggle to make ends meet every day. They are reminded of their desperate straits each time they pay over $3.50 for a gallon of gas.

America is spending $10 billion a month on a war in Iraq we did not have to wage. Meanwhile, Osama bin Laden, the perpetrator of the 9/11 attacks is still at large. Our national debt is piling up at the rate of nearly $2 billion PER DAY!

President Bush has weakened the American presidency with his ineptness, weakened our economiy with his profligate spending, and threatened our future by creating new enemies abroad with reckless and ill conceived foreign policies.

And now John McCain, George Bush's strongest supporter, wants us to give him the job. He admits to mistakes of this administration and says he will "change" the policies and correct Bush's mistakes, but he also believes Bush's policies are fundamentally correct.

America cannot afford another four years of the Bush/McCain leadership. We CANNOT afford it. McCain's campaign slogan should be: "Elect McCain. Increase the Pain."

Ineligible receiver downfield!

I listened yesterday as syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer used a football metaphor to describe McCain's choice of Palin as a running mate. He said, "For McCain, it was a Hail Mary pass to the end zone -- and she caught it!" That's true, she did catch the desperation pass that had only a small chance of success.

But Krauthammer should have finished the metaphor. Here is the rest of the story that will become clear on the "instant replay" machine. The referee threw a flag, pointing out Palin was an ineligible receiver, an ineligible receiver who, before the catch, was a spectator sitting in the stands like everybody else...and just as unqualified to run out onto the playing field as the person who sits next to you and me on any given Saturday or Sunday afternoon.

Taxes and Big Government…again

Will someone please tell the candidates to stop talking about cutting taxes? Every American with a thinking brain knows taxes must be raised. The financial markets are already predicting even McCain would raise taxes.

No one wants to hear that, but of course, it is true, given the state of the federal budget. Even John McCain’s guru for tax cutting, Republican Douglas Holtz-Eakin knows the next President will have to raise taxes: “If you do nothing on the spending side, you’re going to have to raise taxes whether you are a Republican, a Democrat, or a Martian.”

Really?

Then why does Holtz-Eakin have his candidates continue to say, “We will cut taxes, cut taxes, cut taxes”? Because Americans love to hear it. For Republicans, it is part of their brand, and they can’t stop. They can’t stop anymore than they can stop saying, “We’re going to reduce the size of government, and get government out of your life.” Yeah, right.

Why do half of the voters buy that every four years? Are we perpetual optimists or just fools willing to be led to the Land of Oz any day the Rs want to take us there?

I implore you: tell every Republican you meet to stop repeating that baloney. No one believes it anymore.

We know that 91 percent of government spending is uncontrollable: it goes to Defense ($726.1B), Social Security ($730.7B), Medicare $672.3B), Medicaid ($262.7B) and interest on the national debt ($261.3B). The interest number is growing fast due in large measure to the borrowing of Reagan in the 1980s and Bush 43 in the past 7 years. (You wanna see a Republican fluster and bluster before your very eyes? Just remind him/her that Reagan tripled the national debt and Bush 43 has doubled the debt. It'll be one of those rare moments of Republican silence that is more golden than any other silence!)

Someone needs to tell Sarah Palin the truth before she further embarrasses herself by saying “We can find efficiencies in government programs, departments and agencies that will help us reduce spending significantly.” Someone needs to tell her that Bush 43 has already stripped every department and agency of every spare dime to finance his Great Adventures overseas.

Are you tired of these people? Is there no way to get them off the stage?

OMG! Sarah Palin…again…and again..so sad

My wife and I watched the Gibson interview of Sarah Palin last night on ABC's 20/20 and came away with a overwhelming sense of dismay..and no less sense of embarrassment for our nation. Dismayed and embarrassed that she is so totally unprepared to be vice president of the United States of America. So much so that no further comment is merited. So, I’ll just let John McCain have the last comment. During the Republican primaries earlier this year, he often said, “I am prepared. I am prepared. I need no on-the-job training. I wasn't a mayor for a short period of time. I wasn't a governor for a short period of time.”

So there.

McCain was a maverick before he was not.

John McCain used to be pro-choice. He used to be against the Bush tax cuts. He used to be a thorn in the side of George Bush, taking one contrarian position after another. He used to be a maverick.

But now, he kowtows to the Bush base, the extreme right wing of the party, on every issue they hold dear. That’s not being a maverick, that’s just being another cheap politician who has sacrificed his integrity on the issues for political expediency. I would have more respect for him if he had decided to stick to his original maverick guns and “lose the election rather than give up my principles.”

Forget Palin, this is between Obama and McCain.

In the end, this presidential race is about the choice between Barack Obama and John McCain. Never forget that.

Biden and Palin are window dressing. The choices for this country are between the guy who wants to change the direction of America and another guy who doesn’t.

A Republican friend called me to ask why I was so passionate about electing Barack Obama. I tried to boil it down to terms he could understand, and said:

"If you think America's treasury is not completely dry, if you think America's military is not completely impotent on the world stage, if you think America's international reputation is still in good shape, if you think global warming is a left wing myth, if you think our domestic infrastructure is still serving our people, if you think financial markets are sound, if you think government agencies the citizens of America depend on are still doing their job, by all means, vote for John McBush.

“If you think America can afford Republican stewardship of our country for another four to eight years, vote for McCain. But if you believe the country needs a new leader capable of effecting true change – not just someone talking about change for political expediency – then you should vote for Barack Obama.”

A pig is a pig is a pig.

People are getting excited...and concerned. Here are the thoughts this morning of my good friend, Joe Fab:

I’m not one of those who believes the election can be won by Sen Obama just through some version of ‘taking off the gloves,’ and I admire the principles that would have him prefer to remain above the fray.


BUT, I DO believe that this race will not be won without effective response tactics to the Republican lies, distortion and misdirection already in play. And when the even filthier win-at-any-cost methods come as we ramp up to November, a defense with muscle is critical — maybe even one that has an element of offense about it.


Let me suggest one arrow to pull from the quiver -- a bait and switch. Now that the ‘pig with lipstick’ comment has been elevated to the level of news and is actually a focus of some debate (how freaky is it to write THAT observation?), Sen Obama should watch for the next mention by the McCain campaign. Then he should clarify what he meant when he made the comment before: “I don’t apologize for my remark, not even a little bit. But let me tell you what’s the pig and what’s the lipstick...


“The pig is this entire McCain campaign — devoid of respect for the minds and needs of American voters, completely lacking in substance and solutions. Having no content to offer, this pig is wallowing in the mud every day. And you know what? I think it’s getting to like it!


“And the lipstick? Well, the McCain bunch has a LOT of tubes of lipstick. And every one it puts on that pig -- every lie, distortion, misdirection, triviality, sensationalism -- is an attempt to seduce the rest of us — you and me and my campaign -- into jumping into the pigpen too. That pig is desperate. That pig wants US to get up to OUR noses in that foul sludge and mud too.


“Well, that is patently ridiculous. In fact, it’s insulting to you and me. But the image fits the reality: no new ideas? no hope? no real intention to change this country? Well, just slap some more lipstick on the pig and maybe we’ll fool ‘em all.


“So, instead of jumping into the mud, here’s what we’re going to do... We’re going to walk right past that pigpen, and when that pig start winking and flirting with us, we’re going to shake our heads and walk on by. We’re going to walk with purpose and we’re going to leave the whole barnyard behind us and get on with the critical work that needs to be done. And we ARE going to change this country for the better for our children and grandchildren.


“So, no apologies here. As a matter of fact, every time they pull out another tube, you can expect me to continue calling a pig in lipstick, just a pig.”


And I would have Sen Obama come back to this phrase every time the McCain gang tries to deceive the voters as we know will happen. Eventually, it will become automatic, and everyone will be saying it.


We’ve become accustomed to hearing a cable news person ask if Sen McCain’s comments on any given day are going to pose a problem for Sen Obama. But one day soon we just might hear Wolf Blitzer asking the Best Political Team on Television if Sen McCain is just putting more lipstick on that pig.

Anything but the issues, please...

Another posting from a great patriot, Elliot Berlin:

How would you feel if you went to an auto mechanic with a car problem and all he wanted to talk about were the clothes you were wearing, telling you your pants don’t match your shirt?

How would you feel if your kid was having trouble in school and during your meeting with the teacher all he’d talk about was the local NFL team?

What would your reaction be if you went to consult with a surgeon about cancer surgery and all he’d do was criticize the way you asked your questions, saying nothing about any knowledge he has of the latest surgical techniques?

Well, welcome to the 2008 Republican presidential campaign. The Republicans are placing roadblock after roadblock in front of your need to find out what they and John McCain really stand for, talking only about personality and distorted “biography” because they know if the election is decided on issues they will lose.

· They haven’t said one word about the “change” they’d bring to economic policy, because their policy is quite literally more of the same.

· They haven’t said one word about the “change” they’d bring to our middle east war policy, because as one of the towering supporters of the foreign policy status quo, John McCain has endorsed every step that got us into this terrible, expensive mess.

· They say nothing new about energy policy, stressing our reliance on fossil fuel and giving only minimal lip service to the kinds of renewable energy that will wean us from our oil addiction. Again, the “change” they promise can’t be seen in ANY of their actual policies. It is ONLY in their words.

Given that he’s advocated no meaningful “change” in any specific policy, perhaps McCain means we’ll all just magically become a little bit happier while continuing down the same old road to our own economic, environmental, and political destruction.

Time out for a little outrage

My good friend Elliot Berlin, a fine director and cenematographer, sent me a note this morning and I take the liberty of sharing it with you:

"...the election feels like it’s slipping away. I fear seriously falling out of love with my country if it proves so willful in its ignorance that, at this point in our history, many Americans would choose to vote directly against their own interests because of falling victim to the lies, distortions, and the successful running of an issue-less campaign. The hypocrisies of the Republicans are mounting exponentially. They’re now even attacking Obama for advocating “sex ed” for kindergarteners as if it’s meant in some kind of crude, abusive way, when his own involvement was apparently peripheral, and when among its main points is to educate young kids to know how to avoid sexual predators. There’s no depth to which these people won’t sink. They are the depraved ones."

Well said, Elliot.

Just wait 'til October. Your skin will crawl when you see and hear what they are thinking now.

Why do I Support Barack Obama?

A Republican friend in Georgia asked me how I could possibly support Barack Obama. He wanted to know exactly "what plan of Obama's would be so great for America?"

How can I support Obama? First of all, it's not just one plan that drew me to him. When I heard him speak at the 2004 Democratic Convention, I saw a young man with unusual gifts, something I had not seen since I discovered another young man back in1972 (Sam Nunn of Georgia) who possessed the same characteristics. Twice in one lifetime I have met a person with all those intangible ingredients that go into making a great President: intellect, integrity, leadership, judgment and political instincts that cannot be taught, and cannot be bestowed by another. You either have them or you don't. It is rare to find all these in one candidate, but when we find them, our duty as citizens is to encourage that person to offer himself (or herself) in public service to the nation.

This election is not just another contest between a Democrat and a Republican. It is not about who has a plan to satisfy the social agenda concerns of one special interest group or another. It is not about blind pledges of any kind. It IS about voting for the candidate with the skills and character to lead America through a "tough patch" as Bush's Secretary of the Treasury described the horrible economic conditions we endure today. It is about being faithful to the United States Constitution you are sworn to uphold on the first day, having the good judgment to recruit America's best and brightest talents to your side, conducting your official duties with integrity, eschewing manipulation of the populace with the most basic of political tools: fear.

When Reagan was elected in 1980, the people voted for him because they were tired of prime rates in the 16 -22 percent range. They were tired of a president going around the country talking about a "malaise in America." They voted for a guy who promised "morning in America," a better day, "a government as good as the people" it represents. Such warm and fuzzy talk made us all feel great...but we were sold a bill of goods.

Barack Obama's speeches give people hope for a better tomorrow (and Republicans hate that) but he is also telling the American people the hard truth about the hard choices that lie ahead. I pray the voters will have the intelligence to understand that message and not succumb to McCain's patronizing Reaganesque promise of "just leave your problems to your kindly old grandfather; he'll make 'em all better."

This nation asks for action, and action now.

In FDR’s first inaugural address, he had one line that surely rings true today: “This Nation asks for action, and action now.”

Indeed it does.

We have a housing crisis with foreclosures continuing to rise in a national mortgage meltdown.

We have a confidence crisis, with Americans believing our nation is on the wrong track, our President failing us (approval rating of less that 30%).

We have a President who believes all should be willing to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps never recognizing – as Barack Obama said –“there are many who don’t even have boots to pull up.”

We have a planet that is warming catastrophically due to human actions, with a government unwilling to recognize the cause and take necessary action in concert with the world community.

We have a national reputation in tatters following an ill advised pre-emptive strike against another sovereign nation – the first in our nation’s history. We have a military capability worn disastrously thin by a President who took us to war on false pretenses.

We have a growing dependence on foreign sources of oil that undermines our economy. We have a government unwilling to recognize that any nation that does not control its energy supply does not control its economic destiny.

We have the world’s number one terrorist, Osama bin Laden, still hiding from America in a cave in Afghanistan, breathing feely the air about him, thumbing his nose at us and taunting us with one audio tape after another, especially painful to hear by the survivors of victims of the 9/11 attack on each anniversary.

We have an domestic infrastructure that is crumbling before our eyes – bridges that fail inMinnesota, levees that fail in New Orleans, mass transit systems crumbling from overcrowding and lack of funding.

We have government agencies whose ability to perform for the citizens they are suppose to serve has been diminished through lack of funding by a government that does not believe they should exist in the first place.

We have a national debt that has just passed 9 trillion dollars, with an interest of $409 billion per year that every one of us must pay thanks to the profligate spending of this administration (national debt grew from $5 trillion to over $9 trillion while George Bush was President).

Why do any of us allow ourselves to be distracted from these issues by an airhead beauty contestant when there is so much serious work to be done to set America right? Where is the outrage? Where is the demand from each one of us for the change Barack Obama stands for?

Where is the action that is called for – now?!

Do we need another one "just like us?"

Republicans: “Sarah Palin is one of us; isn’t that great!”

Me: “Are you kidding?”

It reminds me of another time – 1952 – when Dwight Eisenhower selected a little known guy named Richard Nixon as his running mate.

If you live long enough you will be witness to history repeating itself. Politics repeats itself altogether too often, in my view. In 1952, the GOP sold us on the unknown Nixon because he was “just like us.” On any given street in America, you could find families with a pregnant teen, professionals fudging expense reports, job applicants padding resumes, ambitious and insecure people seeking approval by firing their enemies and rewarding their friends. Yes, Nixon was just like us. So is Sarah Palin.

But is that really the person you would choose to help lead this nation?

• She is against federal earmarks – except when she needed them to help her career in Alaska.
• She was for the infamous “bridge to nowhere” – until she discovered it was a boondoggle perpetrated on the taxpayers by Sen. Ted Stevens of the US Senate Appropriations Committee.
• She believes family members ought to be off limits to the media – except when she chooses to parade them in front of the cameras for political effect.
• She believes in free speech – except when it protects books Palin doesn’t want in the local library.
• She wants to protect the reproductive rights of rapists and incest offenders by making ALL abortions off limits BUT is in favor of giving her own daughter the right to choose.
• She believes government officials ought to be held accountable to the taxpayers – except when she asks the State of Alaska to reimburse her for nights she spends in her own home, and her husband for trips he has taken on her behalf.

I repeat: America does not need someone “just like us” and especially not like Richard Nixon -- or Sarah Palin.

America needs an extraordinary individual, gifted of wisdom, judgment and intellect, possessing a vision for America that embraces the long term, a person who has made mistakes and learned from them, who will choose the best and brightest men and women to assist him regardless of party affiliation.

Barack Obama is that man; John McCain is not.

John McCain and Sarah Palin are “reformers” who will be true to the legacy of Karl Rove -- and Richard Nixon.

God bless America.

Some Friends Say I'm Taking the Election Too Seriously

So here is something for the right wing supporters of the McCain Ticket:

Winner of Political Conventions?

One of my Ohio Republican friends asked me this morning which of the two political conventions was the most successful.

Obama's supporters were already united in support of their candidate. The result was an unprecedented crowd of 84,000+ in the stadium to show him and us that they are ready for a change in leadership in America. No politician in American history had ever gathered that many people in one spot to hear a political speech!

The Democratic convention must be considered a great success.

McCain's supporters, on the other hand, gathered as a disjointed amalgamation of individuals seeking a leader for THEIR causes. McCain was not their guy but they were there, nonetheless, to go through the motions. What happens? McCain picks Sarah Palin to be his running mate, someone totally unknown to the American people and barely known among Republicans. However, because she is a believer in all things the Republican base holds dear, she is able to energize the crowd, unite them, and send them stampeding out the doors ready to vote McCain/Palin into office. Indeed, some of them thought the order of the ticket ought to be reversed!

The Republican convention must be considered the more successful because it accomplished a miracle.

In Alaska, people are still decompressing. One of her Republican competitors said today, "She is not ready to be governor; she is certainly not ready to be Vice President." While some people in Alaska are quite proud of her selection, others are stunned, in disbelief that the national party would pick such an unqualified person.

Conservative Jim Wooten, writing in the Atlanta papers, said she is "one of us." Again, as I have written before, we should not be looking for someone who is "one of us." The job is complex and difficult. It calls for an extraordinary person possessed of uncommon judgment and leadership abilities, broad knowledge of the world today, an even broader and deeper understanding of world history. She barely graduated from the sixth college she attended (I'm counting the one she attended twice).

If you witnessed how the Rs salivated over her, someone they had not met before last week, someone they knew nothing about, someone who simply told them what they wanted to hear....you begin to understand how easily dictators gain control of their countries.

The Rs will tell you quickly they are in favor of "less government in their lives" even as they demand government enforce their view on a few parochial issues that are important to them but which pale in comparison to the overriding issues on which all the people need true leadership -- fiscal responsibility, energy independence, health care, rebuilding US infrastructure, global warming, national security, including threats of nuclear, chemical and biological terrorism.

For the moment, the national political playing field has been leveled. The two candidates are nearly tied in the polls. As we go forward I pray the American people will not succumb to McCain's transparent pandering. He is using Ms. Palin as he has nearly every attractive woman who has crossed his path -- for his own selfish purposes. If he should get elected, he will forget about her entirely until he needs her. She can live in Alaska, as far as he is concerned (or in one of his seven houses), until he needs her.

Why would you pick someone who is under a cloud of suspicion in her own state, the subject of an ethics investigation, someone who billed the taxpayers of her own state for 312 nights she spent in her own home (WPost-9/9/08), someone who says her daughter had a choice of whether or not to keep the baby and yet stands ready to tell the rest of America's women they won't have such a choice if she is elected.

Why would you pick someone who is so totally out of step with mainstream America -- favors teaching creationism, favors earmarks (even though McCain opposes them), hired lobbyists to obtain $27 million in earmarks for her small town (the same lobbyists whose influence McCain says he wants to expel from corridors of power). She is anathema to all that McCain has been saying through his "Straight Talk" political philosophy, except that she is attractive, can read well from a teleprompter and has the right stance on all of the extreme right wing issues the base of his party holds dear.

If this is not political expediency at its core, I've never seen it. Karl Rove hit it on the head when someone asked him whether or not Obama should pick Tim Kaine, former mayor of Richmond and now governor of Virginia as his running mate: "If you pick Governor Kaine, you make an intensely political choice which says, you know, that ‘I’m not really first and foremost concerned with – is this person capable of being President of the United States.” Last time I check Richmond was larger than Wasilla, AK (200,000 compared to 7,000) and Virginia has 7.6 million citizens compared to Alaska's 700,000. Why shouldn’t the Rove rationale apply to Ms. Palin?

What I see is a base that doesn't care about governing, only about winning and making sure their issues are taken care of. Is that what we're about? I hope not. I have been watching the HBO series on John Adams (via Netflix) and it is terrific...but I wondered how sad it would make Adams and the other founders if they could see the sorry state into which we have devolved as a nation.

If the McCain/Palin ticket wins, I fear there is little chance America will arrest its current steep decline in power and influence on the world stage!

A Conservative Asking Questions?

David Frum is a conservative and former speechwriter for George Bush. On his blog, he has raised questions about Sarah Palin’s qualifications to be Vice President of this nation, a heartbeat away from the Oval Office. His readers have taken him to task over his questioning of the extreme conservative Palin. In an exchange with a reader in his blog Saturday, Frum wrote, "I am not denying that Sarah Palin may have great skills. She may well. I am insisting that neither you, nor I, nor John McCain has any valid reason to believe that she does. This is not an argument about the attributes she lacks. It's an argument about the information we lack. I am pleading with my fellow conservatives: Please demand more and better knowledge before you commit yourselves to a political leader. That's all."

I agree with David Frum. As I have written already, “What is the state of our selection process when Sarah Palin, little known outside her hometown of 7,000 in Alaska, can walk on the national stage 60 days prior to the election and have Republican convention delegates chanting, "Yeah, that's the one!" Are you kidding me?

I have more questions…and so should they!

Potpourri

The GOP acceptance speech was seen by more people than watched Obama’s – 38.9 million. Actually he beat Obama by just 1%, but the stat is, nonetheless, amazing given the nation’s dissatisfaction with the Bush administration. However, the reason for the larger audience might be explained this way: Every Republican tuned in to watch McCain and a lot of Democrats, concerned about America’s future, did, too; the Obama speech was watched by every Democrat with access to a TV and a small group of Republicans – small because the rest didn’t want to run the risk of being persuaded that their team is ruining America. How else to explain it?

Palin Again –

Palin was cast as a reformer who fought the infamous “Bridge to Nowhere.” But in fact, she ran for governor in 2006 as a champion of the pork-barrel bridge and “opposed” it only after it was clear the project was dead. We were told that Palin abhors earmarks, the special congressional appropriations that Alaska politicians have used to bleed billions from the American taxpayer. But it turns out Palin fought to get earmarks both as mayor and as governor, hiring lobbyists and going to Washington herself to bring them home.

Perhaps it is a good thing that she has flown back to Alaska to hole up for a few days to read briefing books before coming back to the lower 48 to rejoin the campaign. But will she be ready....really ready?

Palin for the Last Time –

And she attended FIVE different colleges in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree! Six if you count the school she returned to twice!

Elitist?

When you hear a Republican call Obama an elitist, your response should be just these three words: “$300 thousand dollars.” You won’t have to explain it and you won’t have to say anything more. (If you don’t know what I mean by suggesting that answer, send me an e-mail.)

Palin by Comparison

Jon Stewart of The Daily Show has someone on his staff with the technical skill to ferret out the most interesting video clips in the public domain that show the hypocrisy of political figures. Karl Rove has praised the choice of Sarah Palin as a running mate for John McCain citing her experience as mayor of a town of 9,000 and service as governor for 20 months. But when asked what Gov. Tim Kaine of VA would bring to the Democratic ticket if he were chosen by Barack Obama, Karl Rove dismissed Kaine:

“He’s been governor for 3 years and was mayor of Richmond, a town of 200,000, the 105^th largest city in America. No disrespect to Richmond but Chula Vista, CA, Aurora, CO, Gilbert, AZ, North Los Vegas, NV, and Henderson, NV are all larger. Richmond is not a big town. So, if you pick Governor Kaine, you make an intensely political choice which says, you know, that ‘I’m not really first and foremost concerned with – is this person capable of being President of the United States.'”

The Republicans are bordering on appearing just plain ridiculous to the American people even as they insult our intelligence.

My good friend, Joe Fab, passed along this observation:

“The best comment I've heard on this whole Palin thing came from

a ‘man on the street’ report on local TV news in Minneapolis -- people in the Twin Cities were being asked about Palin, McCain, etc.

A kid who looked like he was maybe nineteen or so -- scruffy, pimply-faced

-- is standing behind a counter in what at first was a nondescript place of business with customers passing through the shot. The setup from the reporter made reference to McCain having met Palin once months ago and then having a second meeting with her a few days before announcing her as his nominee. The kid looks into the camera and says, "Heck, I had to have three interviews to get this job at Taco Bell!"

How many interviews did you have for your last job?

"Big government"

Ronald Reagan came into office in January 1981 promising to reduce “Big Government.”

He didn’t. The federal government was larger still when he left office. Ronald Reagan found out as soon as he came into office that it takes a “Big Government” to meet the needs of these American people, and defend our shores, work with our allies, all the while providing an example of democratic leadership to all nations.

But is there anyone in the Republican Party who has the courage to stand up and tell these poor Republicans at their convention the truth: WE HAVE A BIG GOVERNMENT BECAUSE THE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES YOU DEMAND REQUIRE A BIG GOVERNMENT, THE WARS OVERSEAS REQUIRE A BIG GOVERNMENT, MAINTAING FREEDOM FOR 300 MILLION PEOPLE REQUIRES A BIG GOVERNMENT. THE BIG GOVERNMENT WE HAVE IS NOT YOUR ENEMY. IF YOU WANT A SMALLER GOVERNMENT, YOU BEST DIE AND HOPE FOR REINCARNATION IN ANOTHER TIME, SAY ABOUT 1781.

It’s great to campaign against the evils of “Big Government” but it just isn’t true that “Big Government” is your worst enemy. Politicians who use that boogie bear to get elected are.