The Home Stretch

[[AK]Bribo]

It's at this point in the campaign season that most voters just want the whole thing to be over. I watched the final debate last night and was not impressed with either candidate. Obama had much better and smoother answers but lacked any kind of detail ("We need to do more." - What the hell does that mean?"). McCain seemed nervous almost like he realized this thing is slipping away from him and he is desperately clawing at a victory which daily eludes his grasp.

Then there is this:



WTF?

[[AK]Swae]

On a purely non-political note, McCain looks creepy when he smiles. It looks like he's smiling only because he has to and is really pissed off underneath.

I think this debate was McCain's best in some respects, and Obama's worst. Overall I thought a little new information trickled out, but mostly I was annoyed by the constant references to Joe the Plumber.

[[AK]Squidly]

"Joe the Plummer" (JtP) was an opportunity to clearly define the difference between liberal and conservative fiscal policy.

Liberals: Heavily tax the rich, and give that money to poor people, even those who are not paying taxes.

Conservatives: Lower taxes on everyone. More money in the hands of the people means more spending. More money in the hands of employers means funds for expansion. Expansion means hiring, hiring means jobs, jobs means more money in the hands of the "poor people".

Obama argued that JtP under "his plan" would've been taxed less in the years prior to starting his own business, therefore he would've been able to start it sooner. This is simplistic thinking at it's finest.

JtP worked for an employer. While JtP ostensibly was being taxed less, his employer would've been taxed more. JtP might never have been hired, or might have even lost his job as his employer had less funds to operate. This sets aside the fact that Democrats never cut taxes for anyone. Clinton made the same promises during his campaign and ended up raising taxes.

EVERY SINGLE TIME taxes have been cut on the rich, the funds to the American government have increased. This is fundamental. They hire, more people earn money, and the tax base increases.

The key platform of the Democrats is to create a society of people that *need them*. That *need* government involvement in their daily lives.

We know from experience that there isn't an enterprise that the government is involved in that they can't make more inefficient, expensive, or wasteful. They should be less and less involved in our lives - not more and more.

There's also the social question of incentive. What incentive is there to work hard and start your own business if the government penalizes your success?

I'll leave you with an interesting stat that most of you know, but some may not. Almost 65% of all taxes is paid by the top 10% of wage earners. The top 5% already pay almost 54%. About half of Americans pay no taxes at all. Think about that when you hear Obama go on and on about 95% getting tax cuts.

[[AK]Palooka]

Obama's tax plan is just a massive expansion of the welfare state. My liberal friends get up in arms when anyone refers to the Messiah as a socialist or a Marxist or a communist or a political agitator, but he is all those things and more. He wants to fundamentally change this country--the greatest country in history. Liberals (Bush included) love to "fix" what's not broken, especially if it gives them more power.

We don't need change; we need more of what made America great to start with: freedom, liberty, and faith in God (not the government).

Those who vote for Obama based on his good looks, oratory skills, and romantic rhetoric deserve what they will inevitably get. In fact, we all deserve it. We are complacent lemmings following a fraud to bondage.

All that aside, John McAmnesty is a terrible candidate, and his presidency would be disastrous to the GOP, but not as detrimental to America as that of Obama. The only bright side I can think of when considering an Obama presidency and continued Democrat control of Congress is that the Dems will get most of the blame when the country goes into the crapper. This could cause a major resurgence of conservatism in America, but by then, it may be too late.

[[AK]Squidly]

Joe the Plummer is another Sarah Palin. A part of America that the left just can't seem to understand.

A strong fiscal conservative with a knack for speaking would win this race in a landslide. A wishy-washy liberal-Republican who shys away from attacking his opponent results in apathy from the base, and we get what we have now.

Frustrating.

[[AK]Abaddon]

And that's why the media did all they could to ensure the GOP candidate would be John McCain.

[[AK]Beaker]

Last time I checked John McCain was elected by his party.

Are you saying that a majority of individuals in the Republican party is not a good way to pick a candidate?

If so then how would you have the Republican party pick it's candidate?

[[AK]Squidly]

Last time I checked John McCain was elected by his party.

Are you saying that a majority of individuals in the Republican party is not a good way to pick a candidate?

That's not the way the primary system works, any more than a straight up vote decides the presidency.

He beat out a flawed group of candidates. The base is hungry for someone who represents their values and communicates them clearly. That's part of the reason Palin was greeted so enthusiastically at the convention.

[[AK]Abaddon]

I felt like the media gave McCain a pass on a lot of negative coverage until it came down to him and Obama. Once he was the nominee, they ran stories about McCain's age, his ties to the Keating Five scandal and other negative coverage, while plastering O-face's smirking mug across the front page every chance they got.

We might well have had Romney as the candidate, otherwise. Despite being a Mormon, I think he would have drawn more enthusiasm from the base. And he's more of an actual conservative than McCain. I think McCain is almost like Clinton-lite, in terms of his politics.

[Slaughter]

I would've loved for Romney to have been the candidate, personally.

[[AK]Palooka]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bq-eeWow_WU

[Slaughter]

/facepalm

Well, we do know he cheated his way through Law school... must have skipped out on the counting part of elementary school too.