No dog? ANOTHER campaign promise broken?

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http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/11/12/obama_softens_ban_on_hiring_lobbyists/

So much for the change Obama promised to bring. Sounds to me like it is the same old political bullcrap of the rules not applying to certain people. Why bother saying stuff when you know you can't or won't do it?

That little campaign platform that he would cut our taxes (middle income) when elected. Within days after being elected he raised our taxes to the highest ever in record history.

Also, according the to U.S. Treasury website that tracks the national debt, there was never a surplus because the debt rose every year. I know a lot of people don't like to hear that, but that is just the facts in black and white

As you can clearly see, in no year did the national debt go down, nor did Clinton leave President Bush with a budget surplus that he subsequently turned into a deficit. Its true the budget was "almost" balanced in 2000, but it never reached zero, let alone a positive number. Also, the growing deficit started in the Clinton budget, not the first year of the Bush admin.

To understand what happened requires understanding two concepts of what makes up the national debt. Therefore I will attach a link that explains this.

I do know a lot of people really liked Bill Clinton as a President. No doubt about that. He had charisma and was very mesmerizing to listen to him speak, but you just can't toss out facts.

P.S., this article states you can access the US Treasury website to see for yourself.

Obama Not Closing Door on Possible Health Tax

Referring to proposals to tax workers who get expensive insurance policies, Obama, who campaigned against the tax last year, said, "I don't want to prejudge what they're doing."

The unions are going to flip over that one...taxing of benefits. Benefits are the backbones of unions and their power over their members. Has it finally sunk in people...you cannot believe a word this man says. He lies as easily as the rest of us breathe. And the amazing thing is....it works for him. Blinded by the obamalight. lol.

But then again, you've repeatedly proven your fondness for the truth, so I think it's safe to say that you're not going anywhere. Out of all your posts, though, this one was just too precious to ignore.

As far as lumping me in the same category as GT and Observer, pardon me while I get all misty-eyed because this is probably the nicest thing you've ever said to me. By telling me that, you're telling me that I'm a person who sees things clearly and realistically. You're telling me that I have compassion for people who are in dire need of compassion these days. You're telling me that I don't worship a false idol like you do. You're telling me that I can see through the soulless, heartless, brainless moron whose boots you would gladly lick as you kneel to worship him. You're telling me that I support our troops because I value their lives and only feel their lives should be placed in jeopardy when absolutely necessary to defend this country and not for a war borne out of lies and deceit by a president who most likely packed away his plans to attack Iraq in the box marked Personal and brought them with him when he relocated to the White House. You're telling me that I have the insight, wisdom and intelligence to recognize when I'm being lied to and that I have the courage to vocally object to it, rather than make excuses for a man who only truly cares about rich people.

Best of all, you're lumping me with two other posters whose views I thoroughly respect and am always eager to read, people with brains and consciences and hearts.

So right when I become all misty-eyed at the wonderful compliment you've paid me, you say you're going to leave.

I suppose I can take solace in knowing that it's just another of your many, many lies, that you're probably just one of the many voices in MT's head, and I hope she doesn't kill you when she finds out you've complimented me, although I thoroughly understand the mounting panic and frustration those of your ilk must be feeling.

I hope you have a delightful evening, and once again, thank you so much for the wonderful compliment.

These press conferences are to let everyone know who's going to be in his cabinet and to reiterate that he had no contact with Blago. Why does he keep saying this? He supposedly is going to release documents "next week" that will prove it. So, I will wait until next week.

I just read an article by Morton Kondracke in the local newspaper where his health plan cost may top $3 TRILLION. That's almost as bad as the bailout plus. Where does he think this money is going to come from? THAT's the question I want answered.

All his other lofty promises, too. All will cost money. Who's going to pay? He can't tax the businesses as they are the key to jobs and, if he does that, the jobs will be gone. He can't tax the working people because, if he does that, he's backing out on his promise plus the working people can't take any more taxes.

With unemployment at such high rates and more every day, how long do you think unemployment benefits will last? Already Michigan and another state have 0 balances in their unemployment benefit chest. The governor of PA (Rendell) stated he only has enough employment benefits in the coffer to last 6 months IF there are no more people opening a claim. Without people working, they aren't paying taxes. Without tax money, the government can't provide benefits. Even SS is at risk to run out before the stated time mentioned a year or 2 ago.

So tell me, will he wave a magic wand and the money will appear? Probably, which will lower our dollar purchasing power and put us more into debt.

It's time for people to wake up. The depression is here. The reason the O read about FDR is to try and figure out what to do, but FDR didn't have a crisis such as this. This is above and beyond anything that ever happened.

Barack Obama's senior advisers have drawn up plans to lower expectations for his presidency if he wins next week's election, amid concerns that many of his euphoric supporters are harboring unrealistic hopes of what he can achieve.

The sudden financial crisis and the prospect of a deep and painful recession have increased the urgency inside the Obama team to bring people down to earth, after a campaign in which his soaring rhetoric and promises of "hope" and "change" are now confronted with the reality of a stricken economy.

One senior adviser told The Times that the first few weeks of the transition, immediately after the election, were critical, "so there's not a vast mood swing from exhilaration and euphoria to despair."

The aide said that Obama himself was the first to realize that expectations risked being inflated.

The biggest selling product in the US right now is GUNS. So you think the cowards in this country can't protect themselves? Think again. Your family members weren't drafted and because they made that choice doesn't make everyone else cowards. You insult this country with your pious crap.

Obama Breaks Pledge to People Making Under $250K

Today, Americans for Tax Reform (ATR) condemns the recent passage of the Waxman-Markey energy/climate bill which passed out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee last night, 33-25, with four Democrats opposing,. ATR is calling on President Obama to keep his pledge.

All of this comes without a peep from President Obama, who promised not to raise taxes on those making less than $250,000 per year. Even House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) says that he has �40-45 votes� to take down the over $600 billion climate tax bill that will cost jobs and increase energy prices.

President Obama said on September 12, 2008 in Dover, New Hampshire:

�I can make a firm pledge. Under my plan, no family making less than $250,000 a year will see any form of tax increase. Not your income tax, not your payroll tax, not your capital gains taxes, not any of your taxes.�

He repeated that pledgeon October 22nd in Richmond, VA:

The concerns are still the same; this bill increases the price of energy and taxes all American families, not just those making over $250,000 as President Obama promised:

-Direct energy costs will go up $1,500 per year for the typical family of four.

-Even with a 26% reduction is use, electric bills will be $754 higher in 2035 than in the absence of Waxman-Markey, and $12,200 higher in total from 2012 to 2035.

-Even with a 15% decrease in gas consumption � prices will still go up! A family of four will still pay $596 more in 2035 and $7,500 more in total from 2012 to 2035.

-From 2012-2035, a family of four will see its direct energy costs rise by $22,800.

-On average, employment will be lower by 1,105,000 jobs per year. In some years, cap and trade will reduce employment by nearly 2.5 million jobs.

-Waxman-Markey will drive up the national debt 26 percent by 2035. This represents an additional $29,150 per person, or $116,600 for a family of four.

Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform said, �It would be very helpful if President Obama would keep just one of his campaign promises and oppose this massive tax hike. If not � we have him on record and he is clearly breaking his �pledge�.�

This isn�t new (it�s from May), but it�s the first I saw it. I found it interesting but not surprising. Our Veterans deserve much better.

Appearing yesterday at the Arlington National Cemetery to honor generations of sacrifices by American servicemen and women, President Bush said, "At our national cemetery, we take comfort from knowing that the men and women who are serving freedom's cause understand their purpose and its price." Yet the reality has been that the administration that most recently has sent those men and women to fight for freedom's cause has failed for live up to government's age-old promise to "care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan."

BUSH'S 2006 VA BUDGET HITS VETERANS HARD: President Bush's 2006 budget proposal included legislation that would raise veterans' premiums more than 100 percent on prescription drugs and add an annual $250 enrollment fee for veterans who want care for conditions not directly caused by military service and who generally earn more than $25,000 a year. The administration has recommended these same proposals in each of the past few years, only to have them beaten back by Congress each time. The user fee would increase costs for nearly 2 million veterans nationwide.

WAR VETERANS EXCLUDED FROM COST OF WAR ON TERROR: Conservatives in Congress rebuffed an effort to include $2 billion in emergency money for veterans' health care in the recently passed $82 billion Iraq war supplemental. The president's request increased the VA budget a mere 2.7 percent (including the increased co-pays and enrollment fees), hardly sufficient to deal with an expected influx of Afghanistan and Iraq war veterans in the coming years. Nearly 28,000 soldiers who served in Iraq and were discharged have already sought care at a VA facility. Of the nearly 245,000 veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan already discharged from service, 12,422 have been in VA counseling centers for readjustment problems and symptoms associated with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. VA Secretary Jim Nicholson has said the budget circumstances are not "dire," yet Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Larry Craig (R-ID) was forced to increase the 2006 budget request by $1 billion. Dave Autry, a spokesman for the Disabled American Veterans, said, "Vets are owed a debt and the government has said they are eligible for health care. The government needs to pay for it. It's a continuing cost of our national defense."

BUSH WANTS TO SHUT DOWN VETERANS HOSPITAL IN HIS OWN BACKYARD: Veterans in Bush's backyard, near his ranch in Crawford, Texas, are protesting his administration's decision to close a VA hospital in their town. "It would be, in my opinion, a tragic mistake to shut down our hospital, especially during a time of war when tomorrow's veterans are in harm's way today," said U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards (D-Waco). In May 2004, then-VA Secretary Anthony Principi announced he would be closing three veterans hospitals nationwide and partially closing eight others. For his work, Principi was rewarded with an appointment to the chairmanship of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) commission.

VETERANS GROUPS SLAM BUSH BUDGET: More than 300,000 veterans' claims are pending before the VA, according to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, and the number of claims pending for more than six months rose from 47,000 in 2003 to 75,000 at the end of March 2005. The deteriorating condition of VA health care has elicited plenty of criticism. The American Legion called Bush's budget "the wrong message at the wrong time to the wrong constituency." The Vietnam Veterans of America said the budget did a "disservice to those of us who donned the uniform to defend the rights, principles, and freedoms that we hold dear." And the Veterans of Foreign Wars decried Bush's decision as "especially shameful during a time of war."

http://features.csmonitor.com/politics/2008/12/14/mccain-wont-endorse-palin-for-2012/

Updated in light of today's news that kangaroo centers, petting zoos and ice cream parlors are included in Homeland Security's list of vulnerable terrorist targets:

If Its Broken, Why Haven't They Fixed It?

Fort Knox is robbed in an unusual way. Burglars break in through an air conditioning vent and shine a laser at the video cameras to blind them. Billions are stolen.

The head of Fort Knox (let's call him the Chief) announces that no one could have foreseen this type of burglary.

The commission investigating the robbery -- stacked with the Chief's business partners and friends -- finds that the break-in was unexpected. The commission makes numerous suggestions on how to thwart similar burglaries by installing motion detectors in the air conditioning vents and main vault.

Independent researchers, however, discover that there have been many previous break-ins at repositories of valuable items where the burglars crawled in through the air conditioning vents and shined lasers at video cameras.

They also discover that the Fort's security system would normally have caught the burglars in the act and alerted the military in time to stop the burglarly, but the system was undergoing a series of safety tests that night -- including some that were similar to what actually occurred -- and so the military assumed that the alarms were part of the test.

There had been safety tests before, but never so many at the same time. The Chief personally scheduled multiple, overlapping tests for the night of the robbery, and then oversaw the operation of the tests and the Fort's reaction to those tests.

Years pass, but the Chief does not follow the commission's recommendations. He fails to install any motion detectors.

That's circumstantial evidence that the Chief was in on the heist. Why? Because if the robbery really had not been foreseeable and if he was innocent, he would have a very strong incentive to install motion detectors to prevent further robberies at the Fort. His personal reputation, the government's reputation, and its gold reserves would all depend on it. You can bet that he'd shore up the Fort's defenses.

Perks

Let's take it a step further: the Chief's personal bank account has suddenly gotten alot bigger after the heist. That helps to prove he was in on it, right? But it also shows that one of the reasons the Chief is leaving the Fort's defenses in a compromised state now is so that additional heists can occur, and he'll get more loot.

9/11

Similarly, the 9-11 Commission -- stacked with cronies of the Bush administration (like executive director Philip Zelikow, who is very close to administration hawk Condoleeza Rice, and steered the Commission away from the most important lines of inquiry) -- found that the attacks were unexpected, despite very strong evidence that they were not, and despite the fact that the government scheduled numerous, overlapping war games for 9/11 -- some involving a plane flying into a building and others involving hijackings.

And while the 9-11 Commission made numerous recommendations on how to prevent future terrorist attacks -- many of them simple and inexpensive to implement -- the Bush administration has failed to do so. Indeed, the Department of Homeland Security, instead of protecting vulnerable targets, has instead randomly made up lists which include kangaroo centers, petting zoos and
ice cream parlors as high-priority terrorist threats.

Just like with the Chief, the current administration's failure to make the recommended and preventative changes -- many of them cheap fixes -- despite billions being spent on supposed homeland security, is strong evidence that the administration was in on it.

This is especially true because the administration has recieved so many perks from 9/11: justification for wars in Afghanistan (where a huge oil pipeline benefitting American companies was being held up by the Taliban) and Iraq (one of the world's largest oil producers), permanent military bases in the Middle East, and consolidation of power at home.

And by failing to implement the recommendations of the 9-11 Commission, the administration keeps open the possibility that another terrorist attack will occur which will whip the now-dissenting American public into line, justify the invasion of Iran, and allow for the suspension of our remaining constitutional rights.

The bottom line is that the administration's, like the Chief's, inaction to fix the alleged holes in security which allowed supposedly unforeseeable crimes to occur shows that they are guilty of the crimes, and hope to benefit from additional crimes in the future.

And if foreign terrorists really had carried out 9/11, why is the government using all of its resources spying on innocent people who obviously have never met a terrorist in their life?

First reaction is if these issues, which have been posted on O's website ever since he launched his campaign, are of such sudden concern to the cons and femocons, why did they not get addressed during the RNC? Do you not see the high-jack strategy as the cons try to talk out of both sides of their mouths and reinvent themselves as the new age liberals? How is this different than the now exposed folly of the compassionate conservative Bush/Cheney ploy?

Small business. Either you can't read, you think that we can't or your spin cycle is stuck in high gear. Go here: http://www.barackobama.com/issues/economy/#small-business. Plans to give tax relief for small businesses and startups, eliminate capital gains taxes on them and provide a $500 new making work pay tax credit (one of many) for workers. For all those IC MTs out there, this is aimed at reducing the burden of double taxation in the current structure where small businesses pay both employer AND employee side of payroll tax. Obama will INVEST $250 million per year in support of entrepreneurship, by creating national network of public-private business incubators to facilitate start-up creation. Your $250,000/yr figure applied to tax cuts on INDIVIDUALS who earn in excess of that amount. Therefore, your offshore, job loss, and massive flight to lower income argument does not hold water on this point. Please cite the right-wing rag you have taken this $6 billion dollar additional tax on small business claim. I'm not finding that in O's plan. The tax breaks to the "lower brackets" (losing their homes, can't decide whether to get medicine or food this month, and if they are lucky, can gas their tank once a month) is addressed below.

On the plight of the struggling rich. Define rich, please. From the bottom, INDIVIDUAL incomes in excess of $250,000/yr might look about right. From the top, $5 million a year maybe (one of McC's not-so-funny jokes, some would wonder). The 90% of the federal tax bill claim must be a typo. Go here for 2008 info: http://www.realclearmarkets.com/articles/2008/04/the_rich_and_their_taxes.html. Our top 1% of filers pay 40% or tax burden. An accurate argument would include these facts as well. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distribution_of_wealth. In the United States at the end of 2001, 10% of the population owned 71% of the wealth, and the top 1% controlled 38%. On the other hand, the bottom 40% owned less than 1% of the nation's wealth. Let's say that one more time. Top 1% gets 38%, bottom 40% get less than 1%. Since they are not earning a living wage, probably that is why they cannot afford to pay tax. Got the picture?

There is only one reason our long suffering corporations are taking their business overseas. Greed. They do not want to pay their share and they get tax incentives currently for outsourcing. Do not take us down the path of needing to address sweat shop working conditions, 7-day work weeks, $2/day wages in developing countries where US labor laws do not apply. Greed is not a universal American value.

There you go again. Please try to keep this discussion in the context of McCain plans and how they are different than Bush plans. You are spinning way out in right field without a paddle on that ridiculous statement about keeping people in lower brackets. What in the world make you think this kind of ignorance is going to help JM/SP win the election.

Preying on discontent, fear and division was a blatent and nauseating subtext for the RNC this entire week. I do agree with inspecting history, and the history that is under the microscope now is Bush/Cheney and JM voting history. Do you really want to bring up govt "borrowing." Again, Bush is the record setter in this regard and while we are talkin' W, don't forget the Bush slash and burn policies toward our seniors. Here's a link for you to a rather exhaustive analysis on 12 reason privatizing social security is a bad idea. http://www.socsec.org/publications.asp?pubid=503. You can get back to me on that one with your rebuttal. My question would be putting WHICH people before WHICH party?

Survey Americans on which party they associate election fraud with in the past, say, 30 years or so and tell me what you come up with. So you forgot to mention what JM's plan is on this one. Again, just saying no to personal attacks and steering you back on course. JM's plan for lobbying and earmarks is what exactly. I see O has one.

JM hate war? LMAO. So what was all that military service orgie this week all about? The entire McCain family for generations have shown to us just how much they hate war. Where is his war prevention strategy? Did I miss the part where he sang Give Peace a Chance? Sam, really, do you care nothing about your own credibility or that of your candidates? Am laughing too hard to comment further on this.

Here's a link for you to serve as a primer on the Patriot Act controversy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USA_PATRIOT_Act#Controversy. Will not address the attempts you are making to minimize the unconstitutional aspect of this legislation. I would like an explanation as to how RNC protestors engaging in destruction of private property, vandalism, resisting arrest, disturbing the peace and such have suddenly been charged with terrorism? The we have not been attacked yet defense does not make me feel warm and fuzzy about standing legislation that violates the constitution 9 ways to Sunday. Far mongering does not a justification make. O's plan demonstrates ways to tackle terrorism that do not involve trashing the constitution.

There are many issues swirling around the separation of church and state. Christian theocracy will be kept in the marginal fringes where they belong. Religious principles will not be incorporated into laws that seek to remove a woman's right to control her own body. Freedom from religion is also at stake here as are hate crime definitions that provide protection for Moslems in the US. That is the freedom the cons overlook every time.

Do you just close your eyes and refuse to believe the truth because you **need** the use of Israel in order for all that **Rapture** stuff to come to fruition?

To only call it **propaganda** over and over again just proves you don't know what you're talking about. If you do, provide proof to the contrary.

During my search for the Obama "messiah" discussion, I am just appalled at the nastiness of this campaign. As an INDEPENDENT, voting for Mr. Independent, my unbiased opinion is that the Republicans are running a nasty campaign based on half-truths and no truths. Just look at the nastiness on this board if anyone DARES speak a favorable word about Obama.

My intention this minute is to do a write-in vote for Lou Dobbs. Should it look as if McCain is going to win, I WILL switch and vote AGAINST John McCain and if that means a vote for Obama, well, so be it. I have already stated my objections to Obama and got myself in a peck of trouble for doing it!

You know, I have never been so concerned about our election or our country in all my life. This really weighs heavy on me and I so hate seeing people on this board and others as well as people I come in contact every day so biased one way or the other they won't even begin to listen to any questions about their candidate. There are plenty of things about both candidates that really concern me. One thing that has been overlooked is that Congress plays a big part in what a president can and cannot do, although both the Republican led Congress and the present Democrat led Congress are failing the American people. It is my feeling they should have put the brakes on George W. Bush on many different occasions but instead they have given him free reign.

I agree with Lou Dobbs almost 100%. I agree that I'm for LEGAL immigration but ILLEGAL is quite another thing. Our wages are going down and our cost of living is going up, in large part due to the influx of illegals overloading our schools, our ERs and other public services. This is particularly true here in my part of the country where there are big businesses that demand the low-wage workers and our senator and representative vote against the will of the majority of citizens because the big biz is who owns them. I wonder if Lou Dobbs were elected president, what kind of president would he be. I was hoping he would run. At least we have a news commentator who tells it as it is on both sides.

It really concerns me that posters on this board are so busy fighting over the candidate they can't even discuss the issues. I always thought MTs were of above average intelligence but reading some of the posts here, I'm starting to rethink that thought. I've been out and around all day and came home looking forward to seeing what was new and danged if the fighting, backbiting and nastiness here isn't worse than it was this morning.

Seems to me he thought he found something and before confirming it, he started appearing on talk shows. At the most, he knowingly lied and wanted to tell his base what they wanted to hear.

I suppose the true test of his character will be if he comes clean and admits he was wrong.

Other than that, I find it increasingly difficult on a daily basis to understand why some of these politicians do what they do, both Republican and Democrat alike.