OPINION

The Leadership Vacuum

In this economic crisis, whom can we turn to?

Newsweek Web Exclusive

Oct 13, 2008 | Updated: 12:39 p.m. ET Oct 13, 2008

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Posted By: Nowforthetruth @ 10/24/2008 1:17:47 AM

Comment: Spread the wealth how.? Look at his past. Obama in this video, addressing his work with ACORN litigation against the banks and relating to the Community Reinvestment Act and the failure of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, as they relate to the current real estate and financial crisis, states that, and I quote:

"Subprime lending started out as a good idea, helping Americans buy homes who previously could not afford to. Financial institutions created new financial instruments that could securitize these loans, slice them into finer and finer risk categories, and spread them out among investors and around the country, as well as around the world. In theory, this should have allowed mortgage lending to be less risky, and more diversified."

"The original idea was a good one, which was, lets see if we can distribute risk more broadly, and make it easier to provide loans to people who otherwise might not be able to get one."

Listen for yourself. You cannot dispute the mans on words recorded live:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lr1M1T2Y314&feature=related

Obama in this second video is campaigning at a convention of Acorn and I believe two other ???Community Activist's organizations. Ask if he will be their ally if he becomes President, Obama says, quote:

"Yes, but let me say that before I even get inaugurated, during the transition we are going to be calling all of you in to help us shape the agenda."

See and hear it for yourself. Obama promised that Acorn and other groups like it will setting his agenda if elected:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vJcVgJhNaU
Below is a link to C-SPAN video clips of the Congressional hearings at roughly the time McCains attempt at S.190. to fix Fannie and Freddie. See for yourself who said what.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MGT_cSi7Rs
See also
http://www.newsweek.com/id/164732 from this web site. (oops!) stating that Freddie Mac was spending tax payer money to target Republicans in 2005 who were trying to regulate Fannie and Freddies fraud. Democrats were not targeted, as the were all in the tank with Fannie and Freddie to kill the regulations. Hear that, the article admits that Republicans were trying to regulate Freddie and Fannie, and Democrats were trying to stop it from happening as a means to facilitate the Community Reinvestment Act.

See also: http://www.newsweek.com/id/164972
Stating that Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act wasn't what caused the meltdown, and noting that "economists on both sides of the political spectrum have suggested that the act has probably made the crisis less severe than it might otherwise have been."
Posted By: Nowforthetruth @ 10/20/2008 6:29:09 PM

Comment: Who "Joe the plumber" may be is not the issue, though it's easy to see why the Dems want it to be. That's because the real issue is what Obama's comments to him revealed about Obama. In the exchange with "Joe the plumber" we find out that Obama really is as radical as his early political acquaintances, Davis, Ayers, Wright, etc., and that he is into the failed economic policy of wealth redistribution. Obama's tax and spending plans alone would be bad enough, but add Reid and Pelosi to the mix, with the three of them controlling both houses of Congress and the executive branch without any effective restraint, and you have something that should causes concern even among moderate Democrats.
See Wall Street Journal: A Liberal Supermajority:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122420205889842989.html

And whether McCain won or lost the third debate is also not relevant. He succeeded in the first half hour to plant the seeds of a Reagan style wipeout. Reputable historians and economists overwhelmingly agree that the taxation imposed by Hoover and FDR, and the "stimulus" spending and public works programs of FDR, actually deepened and prolonged the Great Depression. It was the production demands of WWII that got the economy going again. And when the war was over, the economy promptly went into recession.

See e.g. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/10/03/opinion/main4499465.shtml
And
http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/FDR-s-Policies-Prolonged-Depression-5409.aspx

Point is, Obama's programs are to tax, and it does not really matter who he taxes, those taxes are going to be passed through the economy. He has to tax, because it is they only way he can pay for his massive social engineering experiments. Any first year economics student knows that taxation is a tool used to contract an economy experiencing inflation, because it reduces demand by reducing the amount of money individuals and businesses have to spend. It is contractionary, which is exactly what you do not want to do when the problem is that the economy is contracting already into recession. Like Hoover and FDR, Obama's plans will only make it worse for longer.
Posted By: Nowforthetruth @ 10/20/2008 6:28:58 PM

Comment:

Look and listen for yourself. Hear Obama in his own words discusses his links to both ACORN and the mortgage meltdown, and praises bundling and securitizing mortgages by banks as a means to float loans to the poor. Never mind the link commentators point of view, just listen to what Obama says in his own words. A picture is worth a thousand words. Maybe more in the case of the last half of the second link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vJcVgJhNaU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lr1M1T2Y314&feature=related

See also:
http://boards.msn.com/MSNBCboards/thread.aspx?threadid=808692&boardsparam=Page%3d2

This is a link to C-SPAN video clips of the Congressional hearings at roughly the time McCains attempt at S.190. to fix Fannie and Freddie. See for yourself who said what.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MGT_cSi7Rs

The link below contains a purported list of the top 25 in Congress who got contributions from the folks at Fannie and Freddie. Obama is listed third, after Dodd and Kerry, even though Obama is just a junior Senator. Obama is followed next by Clinton. Barney Frank and Nancy Pelosi are on the list as well.

http://www.investors.com/editorial/IBDArticles.asp?artsec=16&artnum=1&issue=20080918

And the link below describes how some Democrats in Congress tried to use the original version of the bailout bill to divert money eventually recovered to groups like ACORN, a group Obama has a long association with. See:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122247015469280723.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Posted By: haynessemperfi @ 10/18/2008 2:45:52 AM

Comment: PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE TO BE HELD SUNDAY AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

The Free and Equal Elections Coalition (FREE) and the Columbia Political Union are pleased to announce that a Presidential debate will be held this coming Sunday, October 19th, 2008, on the campus of Columbia University.

ALL SIX of the Presidential candidates who appear on enough state ballots to acquire the 270 Electoral Votes needed to become President are invited. They are as follows (listed in alphabetical order by affiliation):

Constitution Party Candidate: Chuck Baldwin
Democratic Party Candidate: Barack Obama
Green Party Candidate: Cynthia McKinney
Independent Candidate: Ralph Nader
Libertarian Party Candidate: Bob Barr
Republican Party Can John McCain

The Columbia Political Union will present the debate from 8:00pm to 10:00pm in the Altschul Auditorium, located at 417 International Affairs Building. The debate will be moderated by Pacifica Radio's Amy Goodman, the host of "Democracy Now!". CSPAN will cover the debate, and live radio broadcasts are expected.

"The Columbia Political Union is committed to energizing political discourse on Columbia's campus," said Allon Brann, Columbia Political Union Publisher. "As a non-partisan organization, we work to provide students with opportunities to encounter and engage with political ideas across a wide ideological spectrum, and on a wide range of issues."

"It is with these goals in mind that we have organized this Presidential Debate: to give all candidates-- either within or outside of the political "mainstream"-- the opportunity to speak directly to students about their goals on the issues they deem critical for this country."

"We have invited all eligible candidates, and it is our sincere hope that all will participate, to ensure the substance and rigor of the dialogue which we believe is crucial at this time."

Certified letters officially inviting each candidate have been sent to the respective campaigns.

The Free and Equal Elections Coalition and the Columbia Political Union await the response from the candidates. All candidates' supporters are encouraged to contact the Presidential campaigns and urge them to attend.

The Columbia Political Union seeks to enhance involvement in the political process, domestic and international, and draw every member of the campus community into an ongoing discussion of political ideas.

FREE is a coalition of political parties, independent citizens and civic organizations formed to promote free and equal elections in the United States.

http://www.freeandequal.org/events.php?id=7

FREEDOM ISN'T FREE
Posted By: haynessemperfi @ 10/18/2008 1:46:32 AM

Comment: Comment: by Ralph Nader
October 10. 2008
Rolling the Dice on Derivatives - The Nader Page

The derivatives markets of today have become a high stakes casino of unimaginable magnitude. Wall Street???s bets have gone bad, and now the whole financial system is in peril. In a best-case scenario, it appears, the taxpayers will be required to rescue the system from itself. This is why Warren Buffett labeled derivatives ???weapons of financial mass destruction.???

Amazingly, there seems to be some lingering sense that current-day derivatives properly perform an insurance function.

Case in point: Alan Greenspan, the former Federal Reserve Chairman. Greenspan says the world is facing ???the type of wrenching financial crisis that comes along only once in a century,??? but, reports the New York Times, ???his faith in derivatives remains unshaken.??? Greenspan believes that the problem is not with derivatives, but that the people using them got greedy, according to the Times.

This is quite a view. Is it a surprise to Alan Greenspan that the people on Wall Street ??? said to be ruled only by the opposing instincts of greed and fear ??? ???got greedy????

http://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2008/10/12/rolling-the-dice-on-derivatives-by-ralph-nader/

www.votenader.org
Posted By: wayneraltman @ 10/17/2008 2:39:54 AM

Comment: The markets have every reason to fear, there are killers on the loose and no charges have been filed yet. When, and ONLY when we start seeing the individuals responsible go to jail for their crimes will the markets stabilize. Fraud in the Mortgage Companies, fraud in the Insurance Companies, some of us are paying close attention.
Paulson can bailout whoever he wants but until the problem gets corrected, and the individuals responsible are in jail it will NOT matter. We are wasting time, and money.
www.givemegreatcredit.com
Posted By: slaxx @ 10/16/2008 7:49:05 PM

Comment: nowforthetruth,

obama is planning on cutting taxes for 95% of americans. it's the lower income americans for whom cutting taxes for will encourage spending. rich people already have enough diposable income. it's the lower earners who will go out and by that new washing machine, or dishwasher, or whatever else it is they need.

i agree that we should keep taxes low across the board. people should have the money to invest and create business, jobs, and wealth, and those who work for it should nbe able to keep their money.

you obviously haven't done your reserach., it's sad that you buy the old "tax and spend" line when this isn't what he plans to do. GW's a repub, which by defintion means less spending and tax cuts, but spending has been out of control and the tax cuts went primarily for the wealthy. obama's tax policy is aimed at undoing the current regressive tax. also, pelosi and reid have already made a commitment to a "pay as you go" budget and to cut excessive spending.
Posted By: KnightHawk @ 10/16/2008 3:28:20 PM

Comment: I don't care what anyone says, as far as the experience issue is concerned, Bush didn't learn anything from his first four years that served him or this nation in the second four years. What reasonable voter will look at the past administration, our current economical situation and then say that Bush's experience served the country well.

The United States; that means that all citizens should care about how well their fellow citizens fare. We are suppose to be united around the needs of each other. As the middle-class goes, so goes the nation. We will all pay taxes regardless of what administration holds office; Republicans want everything to go to those who are already privilaged and crumbs for what they see as second class citizens. A two class system like in the days of surfs and feudal lords; the slave/peseants class and the wealthy. The poor serving the rich with little or no opportunities for advancement. Isn't this philosophy that caused those servants to flee to these lands.

If my father is not fortunate enough to leave a business for me to inherit, or if there are no programs in place which allow me to start a small business, if I am through no fault of my own, a child of poverty...then I should just be happy as hell serving the more privilaged. To hell with that; I want to have my chance at the brass ring too! I want my sons and daughters to have at least a chance at success through education, through striving and applying themselves.

I remember a time, not too far in America's past, when I made a dollar less per hour than the white worker standing next to me. This was true for women as well and is still true if I understand correctly. Democrats are about leveling the playing field for all U.S. citizens while Republicans await the next generation of servants!
Posted By: Nowforthetruth @ 10/16/2008 1:48:33 PM

Comment: Whether McCain won or lost is not relevant. He succeeded in the first half hour to plant the seeds of a Reagan style wipeout. Reputable historians and economists overwhelmingly agree that the taxation imposed by and the "stimulus" spending and public works programs of FDR actually deepened and prolonged the Great Depression. It was the production demands of WWII that got the economy going again. And when the war was over, the economy promptly went into recession.

Point is, Obama's programs are tax and spend, and it does not really matter who he taxes, those taxes are going to be passed through the economy. Any first year economics student knows that taxation is a tool used to contract an economy experiencing inflation, because it reduces demand by reducing the amount of money individuals and businesses have to spend. It is contractionary, which is exactly what you do not want to do when the problem is that the economy is contracting already into recession. Like FDR, Obama's plans will only make it worse for longer.

Obama's tax and spending plans alone would be bad enough, but add Reid and Pelosi to the mix, with the three of them controlling both houses of Congress and the executive without and effective restraint, and you have something that should be something that causes concern even among moderate Democrats. Don't think so? Watch and listen to a C-SPAN video clip of the Congressional hearings at roughly the time McCain's attempt at S.190. to fix fannie and freddie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MGT_cSi7Rs
Posted By: Jim Johnson @ 10/16/2008 1:37:56 PM

Comment: Obama's view of the future of America - Socialism which is the next step to Communism!!

Under socialism a ruling class of intellectuals, bureaucrats and social planners decide what people want or what is good for society and then use the coercive power of the State to regulate, tax, and redistribute the wealth of those who work for a living. In other words, socialism is a form of legalized theft.

The morality of socialism can be summed-up in two words: envy and self-sacrifice. Envy is the desire to not only possess another's wealth but also the desire to see another's wealth lowered to the level of one's own. Socialism's teaching on self-sacrifice was nicely summarized by two of its greatest defenders, Hermann Goering and Bennito Mussolini. The highest principle of Nazism (National Socialism), said Goering, is: "Common good comes before private good." Fascism, said
Mussolini, is "a life in which the individual, through the sacrifice of his own private interests??realizes that completely spiritual existence in which his value as a man lies."

Socialism is the social system which institutionalizes envy and self-sacrifice: It is the social system which uses compulsion and the organized violence of the State to expropriate wealth from the producer class for its redistribution to the parasitical class.

Despite the intellectuals' psychotic hatred of capitalism, it is the only moral and just social system.

Capitalism is the only moral system because it requires human beings to deal with one another as traders--that is, as free moral agents trading and selling goods and services on the basis of mutual consent.

Capitalism is the only just system because the sole criterion that determines the value of thing exchanged is the free, voluntary, universal judgement of the consumer. Coercion and fraud are anathema to the free-market system.

It is both moral and just because the degree to which man rises or falls in society is determined by the degree to which he uses his mind. Capitalism is the only social system that rewards merit, ability and achievement, regardless of one's birth or station in life.

Yes, there are winners and losers in capitalism. The winners are those who are honest, industrious, thoughtful, prudent, frugal, responsible, disciplined, and efficient. The losers are those who are shiftless, lazy, imprudent, extravagant, negligent, impractical, and inefficient. [What about the role of luckbeing in the right place at the right time or the wrong place at the wrong time? R. R. Pope}

Capitalism is the only social system that rewards virtue and punishes vice. This applies to both the business executive and the carpenter, the lawyer and the factory worker.
Posted By: kkhan @ 10/16/2008 11:53:31 AM

Comment: In the midst of this economic crisis, it is delusional to entertain the thought that the required superior leadership skills can be exploited from Obama as president. In addition, I fear tremendous disappointment for those who think that he is also a military expert. As the polls suggests his presidential victory, I say, he was given a free ride into a position he does not deserve.
Posted By: KnightHawk @ 10/16/2008 9:56:25 AM

Comment: Barack Obama is considered a black man, although he is actually Mulatto; who because he knows Bill Ayers' name, is somehow linked to terrorism? If Sen. Obama was indeed linked to some terorist cell, it would be known to the government and he would have been taken into custody by now. Stop this stupid argument!

Would America like to know what real terrorism is and who has been responsible for horrific acts against society?

In 1966, the same era in question when Sen. Obama would have been about five years old; Richard Speck killed eight (8) student nurses from the Chicago area.

Ted Bundy murdered numerous young women across the U.S. from (circa), 1974-1978.

John Wayne Gacy- Murdered thirty-three (33) boys and young men and then buried their bodies beneath his home from 1972- 1978.

Jeffrey Dahmer- killed seventeen (17) men and boys and then consumed their bodies as food. 1989- 1991

David Berkowitz, (Son of Sam) killed six (6) people and wounded seven (7) others before being brought to justice from 1976-1977.

Susan Smith- killed her two sons by drowning and then blamed it on some unknown black man which caused the nation to pity her and and the authorities to waste time searching for him.

Timothy McVeigh- Was found guilty of bombing the Federal Building in Oklahoma City which claimed the lives of 168 U. S. citizens.

Columbine- Twelve (12) students and a teacher were killed and twenty-three (23) others were wounded by fellow students who were upset about God-knows-what?

The Unabomber, Ted Kaczynski- Terrorized this nation for eighteen (18) by mailing pipe-bombs that killed three (3) people and wounded many others before being stopped.

I won't go into the deeds of the Boston Strangler and numerous others like Adolph Hitler who was connected the murders of more than six (6) million Jews, or the actions of the KKK whose total dead cannot be calculated, not to mention their crimes against blacks, Jews and any other race that is not pure white.

What do all these individuals have in common? Not a single one was of the black race, not one! All of you who wish to claim that blacks are violent or that Sen. Obama is "risky" or may have terrorist ties, who want to continue on the path of focusing blame and outrage and even the economy on minorities...I'm sure Walmart still sells mirrors!
- Posted By: KnightHawk @ 10/16/2008 11:11:18 AM
  
  Comment: *Correction* The Unabomber's reign of terror lasted eighteen (18) years; I apologize for the oversight.
  
  Note: All I actually want is for voters to consider the issues at hand before casting their ballot on Nov. 4th.
  Others would like to confuse voters and turn them against what really matters because "they" fear having a so-called black man in the highest office. Fear, should never trump the truth nor should be allowed to obscure the facts and the fact is, Sen. Barack Obama could not be a secret terrorist all these years and nobody noticed. Its an absurd argument without foundation or fact to support the ridiculous claim. If you don't to vote for him, then don't; but please do not be swayed by nonsense and empty rhetoric!
Posted By: KnightHawk @ 10/16/2008 9:09:46 AM

Comment: Many seem determine to attack Sen. Obama on the issue of experience, or lack thereof. My question is; how does one gain experience as President of the United States without having served in that capacity? Bush had eight years to get it right but lead the U.S. into an occupation of a country that did not commit crimes against America. How did "experience" serve him? It most certainly did not serve him well. Under Bush's watch, we now have the greatest national debt ever after inheriting a surplus from the Clinton administration. So again, how did Bush's experience serve this nation? Iraq did not claim credit for 9/11, Osama bin Laden did, so Bush's wisdom and experience told him to go after Saddam, who was a dictator yes, but in his homeland; not in America. That decision lead to enormous spending to fund a war that America should never have been involved in. Trying to police the world, getting involved in every other country's, sticking our nosey noses into every conflict around the globe has cost us dearly this time. I am convinced that leaders are born, not harvested inside some political pod to be used at a later date.

How many of us hit the ground running; our college degree in hand, only to be stopped repeatedly at the door and told, "Well...your credentials look great and you most certainly chose the right university but I'm afraid you lack experience?" You think to yourself, 'how can I gain experience if no one will give me a chance; if no one will hire me?' Well, I findly did get a position with a firm and did exceedingly well; in fact, well enough to retire at 55; three years ago. My point is this: intelligence and wisdom can serve in place of experience as long as knowledge is the centerpiece of both. The office of President just happens to be one of this nation's OJT positions because until one has served as President; it is impossible to have experience at it. Experience is not the end-all-to-be-all in every arena of life, while it can be helpful; there are many other ingredients that go with the job.

Barack Obama is very intelligent, no one can rightfully argue that point, intelligent enough to lead this nation?
We can't know for certain if he is never tried. I'm willing to give him the opportunity. He would have to be a very poor President to be less successful than W.

After watching McCain's "blame-game" campaign, his uneven temperment, his tendancy to be too urgent; I personally defer to the young Senator from Illinois. It will take a cool, calm and wise person to lead us into the future, if anyone can, and I believe that Sen. Obama just might be that person. Above all else, please be sure to cast your ballot on Election Day. It would be ironic, if we did all this complaining and then fail to vote!
Posted By: thehappyamerican @ 10/16/2008 9:06:01 AM

Comment: Not Obama! his campaign is Americans Suck First, likeACORN which would love to get a President sympathetic to it's goals in the Oval Office.
The Obama /Biden ticket is a strict Marx/Socialist ticket which enshrines policies that have never worked anywhere in the world scince they were "new", about 100 years ago!
Ayres's goal has been to bring al the violence in the world to the Americans streets. Obama can not say he does not know that!
Posted By: trazer222 @ 10/16/2008 12:21:33 AM

Comment: Obama wants 65 cents of every dollar we make - he lies when he says he will give us a tax break. yearh, he will let us take home 35 cents. Obama - biden is causing a big time DEPRESSION. 40 per cent of Americans do not pay any tax - he wants to give it to his friends who don't work - and pay WELFARE to those who don't care about working and are too lazy to do anything. Workers will have to fund his lazy friends!@
Posted By: trazer222 @ 10/16/2008 12:19:55 AM

Comment: We don't need Obama and his higher tax plans. Obama e fowants to RAISE THE DEATH tax making it impossible for people to continue on in the family business. Obama wants to RAISE our PLUMBING BILLS - he does not want to help Joe the Plumber, who has worked so hard for the American dream. We might see a miniscule tax break, @our COST OF LIVING will Raise Dramatically under Obama. Shame on him!
Posted By: max in fl @ 10/15/2008 1:48:26 PM

Comment: ???Few will have the greatness to bend history itself; but each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total of all those acts will be written the history of this generation??? It is from numerous diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.??? - Robert F. Kennedy

"I think we can end the divisions in the United States. What I think is quite clear is, that we can work together in the last analysis. And that what has been going on in the United States over the period of the last three years, the divisions, the violence, the disenchantment with our society, the divisions, whether it's between blacks and whites, between the poor and more affluent, between age groups, or the war in Vietnam, that we can start to work together. We are a great country, a selfless country, and a compassionate country, and I intend to make that my basis for running over the period of the next few months.....so my thanks to you all, and it's on to Chicago, and lets win there."

http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/2008/06/robert_f_kenned.html

The dream lives....Obama/Biden '08
Posted By: phiomalibumalibu @ 10/15/2008 8:52:13 AM

Comment: What we need is.....to stop sending jobs overseas, and to cut out H1-B visas (400,000 a year) in America.

Boy oh boy, what a mistake CIO's and CEO's have made by outsourcing all the Computer Programming Jobs to East India. The Fleecing of America, next , your 401K's will go down to Zero. That's $000.00
Posted By: Marquette70 @ 10/15/2008 2:20:06 AM

Comment: Everyone who paid attention knows why we have an economic meltdown. Everyone who paid attention knows that the present congress and senate are the main causes of the meltdown. Everyone who has paid attention know that they cannot solve it because they caused it. Everyone who paid attention knows that the present leaders of the house and senate will get more people who think like they do to solve the meltdown. But above all that, the untested, untried and unknown Democratic Presidential guy will solve it all. That is called "lead with your weakness" because we don't like the tested, tried and known other guy.
Posted By: Nowforthetruth @ 10/15/2008 12:08:21 AM

Comment: "Press Releases

AJC Strongly Condemns Rev. Jesse Jackson's Comment on American Jews
October 14, 2008 - New York - The American Jewish Committee (AJC) has condemned the Rev. Jesse Jackson's statement about 'Zionists who have controlled American policy for decades.'
"Rev. Jackson's remarks, which appeared in an interview with the journalist Amir Taheri in today's New York Post, echo classic anti-Semitic conspiracy theories about Jewish power," said AJC Executive Director David A. Harris. 'This statement, regrettably, is not the first troubling comment by Rev. Jackson regarding Israel, Zionism and the Jewish people.'

Arguing as a private citizen that an Obama administration could bring significant change to U.S. foreign policy, Jackson was quoted as saying that "Zionists who have controlled American policy for decades" would lose much of their influence should Senator Obama be elected president."

http://www.ajc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=ijITI2PHKoG&b=849241&ct=6107743

And people are upset about raciest comments some in the crowd are allegedly saying at Palin events? Isn't this the same Democrat leader who once called New York "Hymietown"?
Posted By: davidwayneosedach @ 10/14/2008 9:12:07 PM

Comment: Neither candidate displays the courage, the leadership, or the credibility solve our economic crisis. Sadly, we have a long, hard road ahead of us.
Posted By: drjalee52 @ 10/14/2008 9:10:19 PM

Comment: Sure we need leadership on these economic problems we face. But Palins presence on the scene give America no hope for any form of leadership. Both candidates fall some what short in providing economic leadership, but Obama is more reasonable for the future. America knows that Obama will win and will be more pro-active to help Middle-America. McSame has not found his voice on any issue. It is too late.
Posted By: Cantabrigian @ 10/14/2008 7:20:29 PM

Comment: NObama has out-spent his challengers 3:1 He is BUYING THIS ELECTION with your $$$$$!

Which tells us one thing, and only one thing about him. He is BUYING THIS ELECTION! with YOUR $$$$$.

YOU FOOLiSh people . . .

The issue is the economy and you the American voters will trust your future with a man who has no executive experience, no administrative experience and was a volunteer community leader!

ARE YOU CRAZY?

How much do you want to bet that his wife is the one who balances their home budget????
Posted By: Cantabrigian @ 10/14/2008 7:18:48 PM

Comment: NObama has out-spent his challengers 3:1 He is BUYING THIS ELECTION with your $$$$$!

Which tells us one thing, and only one thing about him. He is BUYING THIS ELECTION! with YOUR $$$$$.

YOU FOOLiSh people . . .

The issue is the economy and you the American voters will trust your future with a man who has no executive experience, no administrative experience and was a volunteer community leader!

ARE YOU CRAZY?

How much do you want to bet that his wife is the one who balances their home budget????
Posted By: Nowforthetruth @ 10/14/2008 1:29:00 PM

Comment: Bill Clinton points to liberal Congressional Democrats' protection of Fannie and Freddie from scrutiny as a primary cause of the current economic meltdown.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsynspIqAoE

To prove Bill Clinton's point, this is a link to a C-SPAN video clip of the Congressional hearings at roughly the time McCains attempt at S.190. to fix fannie and freddie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MGT_cSi7Rs

"Video Unearthed Democrats in their own words Covering up the Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Scam that caused our Economic Crisis"
Posted By: Nowforthetruth @ 10/14/2008 7:52:14 AM

Comment: Here's the lead of a New York Times story on September 30, 1999:

"Fannie Mae Eases Credit To Aid Mortgage Lending" [link below]. That's 1999 folks. Clinton Administration, I believe.

Here's the lead of a New York Times story on Sept. 11, 2003:

"The Bush administration today recommended the most significant regulatory overhaul in the housing finance industry since the savings and loan crisis a decade ago. "[see link below] The Democrats killed the reforms.

McCain said in co-sponsoring the Federal Housing Enterprise Regulatory Reform Act of 2005, S. 190:

"If Congress does not act, American taxpayers will continue to be exposed to the enormous risk that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac pose to the housing market, the overall financial system and the economy as a whole. The Democrats killed the Bill.

What was Barney Frank and fellow Democrats saying at the time of these attempted reforms? According to reports, Representative Barney Frank(D-MA) claimed of the thrifts :

"These two entities -- Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac -- are not facing any kind of financial crisis, the more people exaggerate these problems, the more pressure there is on these companies, the less we will see in terms of affordable housing."

Representative Mel Watt (D-NC) added of the reforms "I don't see much other than a shell game going on here, moving something from one agency to another and in the process weakening the bargaining power of poorer families and their ability to get affordable housing." [ See Community Reinvestment Act, link below w/ history]

Even Bill Clinton points to liberal Congressional Democrats??? protection of Fannie and Freddie from scrutiny as a primary cause of the current economic meltdown.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsynspIqAoE

The link below contains a purported list of the top 25 in Congress who got contributions from the folks at Fannie and Freddie. Obama is listed third, after Dodd and Kerry, even though Obama is just a junior Senator. Obama is followed next by Clinton. Barney Frank and Nancy Pelosi are on the list as well.

http://www.investors.com/editorial/IBDArticles.asp?artsec=16&artnum=1&issue=20080918

Then there is the Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher J. Dodd who allegedly got special mortgage deals from Countrywide, who gave preferential rates to 'friends' of company's chairman.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25140560/
Posted By: Nowforthetruth @ 10/14/2008 7:52:04 AM

Comment:

For an interesting article purporting to detail the House Financial Services Committee Chairs long history with Fannie Mae, See http://www.businessandmedia.org/printer/2008/20080924145932.aspx

"House Financial Services Committee Chair promoted GSEs while former 'spouse' was Fannie Mae executive."

The link below describes how some in Congress tried to use the original version of the bailout bill to divert money eventually recovered to groups like ACORN, a group Obama has a long association with. See:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122247015469280723.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

And then there is House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who allegedly has directed nearly $100,000 from her political action committee to her husband's real estate and investment firm.

http://www.washtimes.com/news/2008/oct/01/pelosis-pac-pays-bills-for-spouses-firm.
Posted By: Nowforthetruth @ 10/14/2008 7:51:14 AM

Comment:
See also:

http://www.investors.com/editorial/IBDArticles.asp?artsec=16&artnum=1&issue=20080918

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_Reinvestment_Act

http://article.nationalreview.com/print/?q=M2QwNDhkZTg2OGYzZjkzM2E2NDEwM2U5OGVkNTc0YzU=

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E06E3D6123BF932A2575AC0A9659C8B63

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0DE7DB153EF933A0575AC0A96F958260

http://www.businessandmedia.org/printer/2008/20080924145932.aspx

http://www.investors.com/editorial/IBDArticles.asp?artsec=16&artnum=1&issue=20080926

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122247015469280723.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Posted By: Jimbo56 @ 10/14/2008 12:02:06 AM

Comment: Leadership is exactly what we need. Lets look at Obama and his leadership skills. He does not listen to the Generals in Iraq, he listens to CNN for details about what is going on and then makes rash decisions. Great Leader he would make. His team is registering convicted fellons and homeless go help him get elected. Great leader. He has accepted money from overseas which is in direct violation of the law. Great Leader. When his church that he had been a memeber showed its true colors, he dumped them. Great Leader. Is this the type of Leader we want, absolutly NOT!!!
Posted By: Jimbo56 @ 10/13/2008 11:58:59 PM

Comment: I can't believe it, Obama says he wants to give a 90 foreclosure moratorium, how STUPID. And then what happens at the end of 90 days, he extends it. HOW STUPID. What is going to change in 90 days that is going to allow them to makeup the morgage they failed to pay or are we just encouraging them to not make their payments for 90 days before the banks can start processing to get the people out. Obama is applealing to the homeless again. HOW STUPID... Talk about a leadership vacuum, Obama is a look pretty hollow shell.
- Posted By: Vypurr @ 10/15/2008 10:21:16 AM
  
  Comment: I want to know exactly how will Obama define "a good faith effort?" Very open ended....
Posted By: rookie1925 @ 10/13/2008 11:39:44 PM

Comment: Re: Montana450815's comment: Leadership IS what we need right now, not only to address the very difficult financial situation we face, but to lead our country in the right direction and meet the challenges of the future.
Posted By: rookie1925 @ 10/13/2008 11:34:53 PM

Comment: Re:Comment by Montana450815: Leadership is the answer, not only to a very difficult situation, but to properly guide our country in the right direction.
,
Posted By: Montana450815 @ 10/13/2008 10:30:44 PM

Comment: In these last few weeks, we have seen one candidate announce he was suspending his campaign and didn't really, get involved back in Washington just as they were almost to a deal and see them vote against it, say he wouldn't do the debate and did, got Bush to set up a meeting with him and Obama as well as other major players in the negotiations, and from all reports, didn't say a word in the meeting he requested.

We have seen the other candidate stand back and wait until he had more information, reportedly ask specific and intellegent questions at the aforementioned meeting, and evidently bring along many of his party. to agree to the resulting rescue plan. We heard him say it wasn't appropriate for him to announce his plans or ideas when the current administration was trying to bring things under control, perhaps causing the market to react in a less than helpful way.

I believe Senator Obama has shown clear leadership, with not only what he has said, but what he has not said. Instead of using the financial crisis to try to gain political points, he has let the ones in charge right now work on the fix that can't wait for the next president, while at the same time staying in touch with those who are dealing with the crisis now. That is the leadership we need for these next years when we will have real challenges ahead.
Posted By: chris s. @ 10/13/2008 10:03:48 PM

Comment: Are you aware that today, the McCain campaigm said they were not responsible for "the random nuts" at their rallys? They were speaking to their supporters!
Posted By: Nowforthetruth @ 10/13/2008 6:41:07 PM

Comment: Bill Clinton points to liberal Congressional Democrats' protection of Fannie and Freddie from scrutiny as a primary cause of the current economic meltdown.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsynspIqAoE

To prove Bill Clinton's point, this is a link to a C-SPAN video clip of the Congressional hearings at roughly the time McCains attempt at S.190. to fix fannie and freddie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MGT_cSi7Rs

"Video Unearthed Democrats in their own words Covering up the Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Scam that caused our Economic Crisis"

The link below describes how some of those Democrats in Congress tried to use the original version of the bailout bill to divert money eventually recovered to groups like ACORN. See: Wall Street Journal

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122247015469280723.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

And here is Lou Dobbs reporting on ACORN corruption and ties to Obama, including Obama Campaign paying ACORN $800,000 for voter registration activities, and Obama representing them when he was a practicing attorney.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2008/10/09/ldt.tucker.acorn.under.fire.cnn
Posted By: melandmike @ 10/13/2008 4:08:36 PM

Comment: Sarah Palin is a lying and deceitful traitor to America and her true Patriots

Palins un-American activities
http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2008/10/07/palins_unamerican/index.html

Alaskan Independence Party chairwoman Lynette Clark talks about why she does not identify herself as an American, and about her kindred spirit Sarah Palin.
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/09/10/alaska_secession/index.html

The pastor who clashed with Palin
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/09/15/bess/index.html

Troopergate Report Concludes Palin Abused Power. Full 263 Page report here???
http://download2.legis.state.ak.us/DOWNLOAD.pdf

Palins Attack On Obamas Patriotism Legitimizes Questions About her Association With Group Founded By America-Hating Secessionist
http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/10/palins_attack_on_obamas_patrio.php

Palin And The Alaska Independence Party
http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/09/the_alaska_independence_party.php
Posted By: rjgarfunkel @ 10/13/2008 3:52:51 PM

Comment: Sorry my piece was cut off. Amity Schlaes and other right-wing revisionists have been castigating FDR since day one. Most of the rest of the industrial world turned to fascism and the French and British never pulled out of the Depression. In 1928 government employment was 4% today it is 16%. Without all of our government and government connected jobs we would be at 14% unemployment. Their hero Reagan gave us 7.5%
Posted By: rjgarfunkel @ 10/13/2008 3:46:59 PM

Comment: If Cooley believes that a majority of the economists and the economic historians believe that FDR prolonged the Depression, then our educational system has really failed. In fact revisionists like Amity Schlaes and others have been denigrating FDR forever and a day. Other than the fact that FDR stopped the panic, saved capitalism, and instituted critical reforms that the whole western world replicated seems to mean nothing to these arm chair experts
Posted By: rjgarfunkel @ 10/13/2008 3:42:37 PM

Comment: If Tom Cooley is right that most economists and economic historians believe that FDR prolonged the Depression then are education system is extremely flawed. They should read Niall Ferguson's "War of the World" and read real history. Any casual student of the Age of Roosevelt era would know that he stopped the panic, saved capitalism, and put in reforms that have been the model for all of the western world. thatheyabeinpromoted by Amity Sch
Posted By: vinmano @ 10/13/2008 3:40:37 PM

Comment: Obama will fix everything, after the media darling Barack Obama gets elected President of the U.S.S.A. we can change our currency, and put our new slogan on it "IN OBAMA WE TRUST" on the new dollar.....please wake up AMERICA
- Posted By: Doc Howl @ 10/14/2008 5:07:12 PM
  
  Comment: Whereas McCain will go charging off in all directions at once.
Posted By: Dr. Sam @ 10/13/2008 2:37:42 PM

Comment: About MCCAIN???S ANGER, we need to know more???and the media has a responsibility to let us know before it is too late. This especially urgent in light of McCain???s recent behavior???in debates and stumping. WE HAVE ALL HEARD A LITTLE SOMETHING ABOUT his TEMPER--and now the code word is that he is erratic, which no doubt he is. The media has a responsibility to explore this matter more fully before it is too late--before November 4 elections! For a starter, there is a You-tube video circulating on the internet and now carried by Huffington Post. Time is of essence. I recommend it to everyone as a starting point. More than thirty public officials and some journalists testify to that, including Keith Olbermann of MSNBC. And about Cindy McCain, she is doing something that no Candidate's wife has ever done--attacking her husband's opponent. She is taking a dangerous path that will make her a fair game. I see hate and venom vanished all over Cindy McCain's face--and she lied. If she had the brain, and cared to look up the fact, she would have discovered that McCain also voted against a bill to fund the troops-- because it had a dateline for withdrawal, just as Obama voted for one because it didn't have such a timeline. That makes it two chills up her spine!
- Posted By: Vypurr @ 10/15/2008 10:35:58 AM
  
  Comment: Wow. Everyone has a temper... even you! But as long as you're looking at character issues, look at the real reasons why Obama had questionabable associations with terrorist Ayers and corrupt Rezko, not to mention being mentored for 20 years by a man who thinks the government is run by the KKK and that the government created the aids virus to kill black people!
  
  He shook hands with Ayers and began an association with him knowing exactly who he was. How could he not? He was the one of the most infamous domestic terrorists in American history. Obama lied about never hearing Wright's insane comments, and then later recanted his story and said he did.
  
  In the end, he was probably attracted to these people because he shared their cynicism, and that they would prove to be beneficial to him. When the heat got to hot, he dumped them when it became politically expedient for him to do so.
  
  We all are going to depend on the president daily to make sound judgment calls, and these relationships are a profound red flag as to Obama's ability to do so.
  - Posted By: max in fl @ 10/15/2008 2:05:04 PM
    
    Comment: Vypurr
    
    Laura S. Washington, chairwoman of the Woods Fund, called it ???ridiculous to suggest there???s anything inappropriate??? about Ayers and Obama serving on the nine-member board of directors. The Woods Fund issued $3.4 million in grants to local arts, housing and civic groups last year from an endowment of about $70 million, she said.
    
    Obama joined the board in 1993 and stepped down in 2002, three years after Ayers was appointed, she said. The board met four times a year to discuss policy and new grant proposals, she said.
    
    ???Bill Ayers is very respected and prominent in Chicago as a civic activist,??? Washington added. ???He has a national reputation as an educator. That???s why he???s on our board.???
    
    Obama???s latest predicament stirred Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley to issue a strong defense of Obama and Ayers, which Obama???s campaign passed on to reporters.
    
    ???There are a lot of reasons that Americans are angry about Washington politics,??? Daley???s statement said. ???One more example is the way Sen. Obama???s opponents are playing guilt-by-association, tarring him because he happens to know Bill Ayers.???
    
    Daley said Ayers ???worked with me in shaping our now nationally renowned school reform program.???
    
    ???I don???t condone what he did 40 years ago, but I remember that period well,??? the mayor said. ???It was a difficult time, but those days are long over. I believe we have too many challenges in Chicago and our country to keep re-fighting 40-year-old battles.???
    
    http://articles.latimes.com/2008/apr/18/nation/na-radicals18
- Posted By: vinmano @ 10/13/2008 3:41:38 PM
  
  Comment: yOUR AN IDIOT
  - Posted By: Doc Howl @ 10/14/2008 12:01:52 PM
    
    Comment: It's thoughful posts like Vinmano's that make me want to vote republican.
    
    Or not.

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