McCain addresses economy in Obama's backyard
John McCain went directly at Democrats this morning on the issue he acknowledges isn't his strong suit, but is the top concern for voters -- the economy.
"Whoever wins the nomination of the Democratic Party, that candidate and I have some serious debates ahead of us. Some of our sharpest disagreements concern the American economy and how best to help American workers. On tax policy, health-care reform, trade, government spending, and a long list of other issues, we offer very different choices to the American people," McCain said this morning, according to remarks prepared for a speech in Democratic front-runner Barack Obama's home turf of Chicago.
"For their part, Senator Obama and Senator Clinton agree on so much in economic policy that it's not always clear what the big argument is about in their party. The sales pitches are different, but in both cases we'd end up with the same package of more federal taxes, more federal regulation, more government control of the economy, and more government spending," McCain told the National Restaurant Association. "In case you missed it, Senator Clinton and Senator Obama have agreed to raise your taxes, to regulate your business more than ever, and to spend more of your money in Washington. That's their idea of 'change,' but it sure sounds familiar to me."
The presumptive Republican nominee vowed to extend President Bush's tax cuts, which he once opposed as fiscally irresponsible because they weren't accompanied by spending cuts. "As president, I will keep the current low tax rates, and I will leave that trillion dollars and more with the millions of Americans who earned it," McCain said.
Both Obama and Hillary Clinton propose to let the tax cuts lapse for those making about $200,000 a year to help pay for expanding healthcare coverage and other programs.
McCain also pledged to back the existing North American Free Trade Agreement, which Obama and Clinton say they want to renegotiate, and the proposed Colombia free trade deal, which both Democrats oppose.
"In a time of uncertainty for American workers, we will not undo the gains of years in trade agreements now awaiting final approval," McCain said.
He also said he opposes the farm bill passed by Congress, which he said is larded with subsidies and which he said shows "incredible disregard for the public treasury and for the public interest."
The Republican National Committee also released a new web video today that hits Obama for supporting tax increase when the economy is on the verge of recession.
"Does Barack Obama understand our economy?" the ad asks. "Then why would he raise taxes at the worst possible time?”
UPDATE: Obama campaign spokesman Tommy Vietor issued this response: "John McCain sounded a lot like he was reading from a George Bush economic speech today. Like George Bush, John McCain is calling for tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans that aren’t paid for and would have us borrow trillions more from China and the Middle East -- even though he once said he couldn’t 'in good conscience' support these tax cuts. Like George Bush, he’s calling for lopsided trade deals that may work for lobbyists like his advisors, but won’t level the playing field for American workers. While he talks on the campaign trail about providing job training to workers displaced by trade, he’s actually voted in the Senate against the very programs that would give those workers the skills they need. And what’s truly remarkable is that John McCain can give a speech attacking waste and handouts in Washington, and fail to even mention the corporate lobbyists who are at the root of the problem."
Dear Fellow Americans,
Our Great-grand Nation, the United States of America
is facing and will face very critical and substantial
"Challenges" in coming, months, years, and decades to
come.
It is very essential that we pick out our next
President keeping in mind the following criteria.
1. A candidate who has a clear and candid " Vision
and Mission" for our Nation.
2. A candidate with " Strong Character and Stable
Integrity" in-spite of adversity during primary
election process.
3. A candidate with sound and sustained
"Presidential Temperament" and
" Judgment".
4. A candidate with little "Washington exposure"
and "real connectedness with people and future
generation".
5. A candidate who "Inspires us up" rather than
"Tears us Down".
6. A candidate not based on sexism,
racism,regionalism,and ageism.
In my professional, political and personal opinion,
the only candidate who meets the all above
characteristics and has shown constant and consistent
coolness, calmness, and connectedness { PRESIDENTIAL
TEMPERAMENT } is Senator Barrack Obama.
As an independent registered voter since 1980. I voted
for Carter, voted for Reagan, voted for First Bush,
and second Bush in 2000 and In the process last
interest in Washington politics and I
stopped voting. Getting disinterested and disgusted in
our political process and stopping voting that was a
bad decision in any circumstance, particularly under
present circumstances.
This time we can not afford to stay on side lines and
let "Washington" stay the same.We can not afford our
Greatgreat Nation to become less than what we are,
what we were and what we can be?
We need to send clear, careful and candid message to
the world and some time 24 hour partisan hateful media
to set the agenda for our future.
These partisan media outlets are trying to deprive,
dupe, and derail us and our Nation getting it right
this time.
These partisan media and pundits are trying their best
to deny us better future and continue focus our
weaknesses and generate bitter future for us and our
Greatgrand Nation. { Our Greatgrand Nations people
are persistently and constantly subjected to this
Psychological Terrorism" without our knowledge. The
common and regular people do not have time to see
thru
and sort thru this psychological terrorism perpetuated
by these partisan media outlets.
We the Americans should not and would not to allow
these partisan media outlets psychologically
terrorized, traumatized and silence us this time and
any time in future.
I am sure that we will get it right this
time and elect Senator Obama our next President.
Let us remember that our Greatgrand is constituted of
family, friends,fellowships, faith, funds,foundation,
fun, and future with fairness and freedom and without
fear or favor.
We can not afford to lose any of above. Let us stand
up, be counted, save, build our Greatgrand Nation for
centuries to come and regain our world economic,
moral, and power status back.
God Bless our Great grand Nation and its diverse
people.
Our Greatgrand nation needs present and future
stability, security, safety,sustained progress and
restoration of our due status in this perilous Global
World at the all levels.
Yours sincerely,
COL.[retd] A.M.Khajawall M.D.
Forensic Psychiatrist.
Disables American Veteran.
Las Vegas Nevada.
Cell: 951-505-6975
wow presidents bushs tax cut gave me a dollar a week back....who cares as if that really made any difference....its time for someone to step up and stop spending all of our money on this war and supporting other countries when they cant even rebuild a single state here in their own country....this is what i see as as not being a good leader....sends billions to rebuild another country but cant rebuild a state here......shamefull i will not vote a republican in this round...
To John McCain,
We really aren't interested in what you and your corrupt party have to say. I suspect your experience and judgement to be influenced by anything but the best interests of all americans. Just walk away happy in the knowledge that you and your party had the last eight years to destroy this country.
Don't let the doors at O'Hare hit you in the a&* on your way out.
McCain knows nothing about the economy. All we wants to do is exactly what Bush did -- which will get us where?
Didn't the heads of the SEC under Reagan, Bush 1, and Clinton all endorse Obama? And didn't Paul Voelker, former chairman of the Federal Reserve, do the same recently? And the other guy admits he doesn't understand much about the economy? I'll go with what actual economists think, thank you very much.
why do you refuse to post all comments? is it because the people of america dont agree with who you are supporting to run as president??? keeping the trouble makers away? how sad this site is and i will be sure to tell everyone not to post here because they wont be heard!
Obama- an Antichrist We Can Believe In
Consider his sexual rockstar status among young voters, his ability to continuously lie without impunity, his connections to mob members and terrorist both real and wannabes. His strong and unscrupulous desire for raw power, at any cost, regardless what it does to others, (he became senator simply by disqualifying his opponents). His empty words and changing promises, his desire to be friends with those who wish to destroy us. His wife Michele has expressed her hatred for this country and has publicly announced her husband as the messiah.
The voodoo of this all is that Teflon Obama remains unscathed by all his nefarious connections and thug like history. He is worshiped not only blindly by the mindless masses, but by the fearful media.
I am not very religious, but I think Nostradamus got it right again. What is God going to think of all the lemmings that follow a man of darkness?
Raise taxes for those who make 200k or more? Cry me a river.
that ad is a joke. to say that obama understands the economy less than mccain is ludicrous. and quite funny as well, considering mccain himself admits to having a poor grasp on the economy whereas obama has the most comprehensive and sensible economic policy.
Just as the Republican Party seems to regard Mc Cain as proof of a strong defense policy ( do you remember top gun and tail hook? are these the credentules for policy expertise? ) , so also, they tip toe past the grave yard of eight years of failure on the economic front to claim that we still need more of the same.
The choice between Clinton and Obama is really the final one.
"The Republican National Committee also released a new web video today that hits Obama for supporting tax increase when the economy is on the verge of recession."
Our economy is on the verge of recession BECAUSE of lack of government regulation of corporations and the banking industry. Our economy is on the verge of recession BECAUSE of Bush's irresponsible tax cuts for the wealthy. Our economy is on the verge of recession BECAUSE of the weak American dollar, which is weak because of the ballooning American debt, the disorganized American health care system, and the growing economic disparity in America.
The democrats will raise taxes on the rich, while the republican's call to the middle class is 'let them eat cake'.
Attention: Robert Akinson, your comments and their underlying tone lend new meaning to words like idiot, racist, ill informed, and a plain lack of logic. Meeting with the enemy or persons with whom you completly disagree is the very best approach. Almost any conversation with any person is far better than WAR. I would even be willing to meet with you in an attempt to see reason and logic prevail, and I suspect that it would not be a success, but it is worth a try.
So not raising taxes and continuing to spend billions on a war the country wants no part of is ok? Give me a break. Just say no to the old white guy who can't even figure out an I-POD.
I'm a Republican and the only color I care about is green -- and I'm not talking about enviromentalist green (unless, of course, it puts a few more greenbacks into my pocket).
The bottom line is that taxes will go up in 2009 and after - regardless of who is in office. Uncle Sam has some massive bills that have to be paid. The question is, where do I want that money spent, a hundred more years in Iraq, or the many problems we have here at home?
The only way drilling for oil here in the U.S. will lower prices at the pump is if the government nationalizes the petroleum indusrty in the U.S. Oil is a globally traded, fungible commodity. Get used to paying what Europe and the rest of the world pays. What we need is an energy policy and a focused effort to get away from petroleum-sourced hydrocarbons.
The Republican party is now trying to reinvent itself as a the party of small-l libertarians; free market capitalism, individual freedom, and personal responsibility. What we're really getting is social Darwinism. Some insiders are running a pyramid scheme and 99% of us are going to be at the bottom holding the bag when it hits the fan.
I'm with Obama. The U.S. has to return to its one-time past image of "first among equals" and stop acting like a hyper-power that is accountable to no one. In our post-technological world, a small group of determined terrorists can take down a hyper-power with a suitcase nuke. Throwing our weight around in the middle east is not going to make that scenario less likely.
The GOP is stepping around the "IRAQ WAR" issues with these attacks on both ends of the major issues.
Iraq war causes economy to falter, need new war strategy to gain public support. Iran is new Al Queda and they will have WMDS soon!!!!
Nothing for the people under $200,000, the elites consider themselves the "real patriots" because they are fighting for a "way of life"!!!!!
Way to go Jeff!
It never fails to amaze me that even though "trickle down" has now directly caused two recessions (1981-82, 2001) there are still people who appear to actually believe that "tax cuts improve the economy." My own theory is that this is just a rationalization that republicals tell themselves to make themselves feel good about being greedy.
Raise taxes for those who make 200k or more? Cry me a river.
I am so tired of these short sided comments. Obviously this poster makes less than 200k and wants the government to hand him everything. Did you ever consider that one day you too would make over 200k a year? or has the system so infected your brain that you can't even aspire to make this much.? Figure it out....the less money the government takes stays in the system as investment, raises and on and on and on....I know because I am a business owner and i do reinvest my money in new business. GET OFF THE GOVERNEMETN TETE AND GO DO SOMETHING WITH YOUR LIFE INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR HANDOUT>
Democrats, led by Speaker dictator Nancy Pelosi, has caused a major ripple effect amongst others of the party members, by intimidating them. She and other leading Democrats have not only engineered ADVERSELY THE BORDER FENCE, but also trying to gut SAVE Act (H.R.4088). That only 10 have signed the Discharge Petition. The other 39 Democrats have heard the ominous message loud and clear that if they sign the petition and it gets the necessary 218 signatures to force a vote, those Democrats should not count on any favors or help for their congressional Districts from the House leaders. It is obviously to appease the predator businesses, that hire cheap labor, but also church interference and ethnic caucuses. Alas, money talks when re-election is concerned, and to blazes with the 80% of public outcry, who want their borders regulated and the 12 to 30 million illegal immigrants with families to go home. The SAVE ACT (H.R. 4088) is an enforcement Federal bill, which would put arrogant employers in prison or heavily fine them.
If you are frustrated with your dollars supporting illegal aliens, compliments of pariah employers, demand your representative co-author the SAVE ACT. free faxes at NUMBERSUSA and toll-free both parties at ((202-224-3121)
To #18 Magnus: LOL, but sad. It is this thinking that is bankrupting this country. #1 look at the national debt, it HAS to be paid. The growing debt is directly damaging our economy right now. You are the one that wants something for nothing. #2 Several polls have shown that the majority of millionaires agree that the taxes on the wealthy are too low. Hell both Bill Gates and Warren Buffet are campaigning to raise taxes on the wealthy. Right now most of the super rich pay a lower real tax rate than middle-class families. #3 By the very definition, the wealthy receive more benefits from society and government than those with less do. It's an absolute fact that if the American government went bankrupt and the system went to hell that they are the ones with the most to lose and the ones that would lose the most. The homeless guy on the corner isn't going to care. The system is working FOR the rich, thus they should be the ones paying for it. Do you understand that there are people in America with incomes of over A BILLION dollars a year, and that they pay LOWER tax rates than people with incomes of $50 K? Do you get it?? I think that you don't. Do you understand that public institutions make these people's incomes possible? Do you understand that these billionaires owe more of their wealth to the government than the average guy? Do you understand that if there were no public schools, no prison system, no FAA, no SEC, no FDIC, no public road system, no military, etc., that these people WOULD NOT and COULD NOT because wealthy because the country would be in chaos and there would be no financial stability?
First of all, my household income is over $200K, as is the income of my parents and of my grandparents (on one side). Guess what, we're all in the top 1%. Guess what, this is shocking math, everyone can't be in the top 1%. Guess what else, everyone in my family also agrees that taxes on the wealthy need to be raised, however, I think that they really need to be raised even more on those with incomes over $1 million cause there is a big difference between an income of $250K or 300K and $5 million+ like some of these people. The point is that the wealthy ARE the ones receiving the greatest benefits from our social system and do have the greatest obligation to pay for it. Right now the wealthy are ripping everyone else off, in more ways than one, unless you actually think that some executive or athlete getting paid $10 million a year is actually working 300 times harder and doing 300 times more work and contributing 300 times more to the economy than a school teacher or a cop or a shop worker, etc. I don't. Compensation in our economy is way out of whack and the taxation system only compounds it. The wealthy are ripping workers off in pay and then getting a free ride in taxes. At least I can admit it and acknowledge it.
James Baker: “Talking to an enemy is not appeasement…” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYC3jVaDDEg&eurl=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/20/james-baker-talking-to-an_n_102674.html. Makes sense to me!
And as far as being the “most liberal senator”… If you look at all the Senate votes Obama participated in compared with all the Senators' votes, you'll find that he ranks 41st in 2007, more conservative than Hillary, at 29th. If you look at his lifetime voting record he ranks 25th, a solid, middle of the road moderate Democrat, still more conservative that Hillary.
So, the next time you hear the lie, challenge it with…um…fact. Check it out for yourself.
Also…OBAMA HAS BEEN CONSISTENT THAT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN "PRECONDITIONS" AND PREPARATION, THAT HE WOULD NOT SIT DOWN AS PRESIDENT WITH HOSTILE LEADERS WITHOUT HAVING DONE "THE APPROPRIATE GROUNDWORK"
Please report facts: http://stephencrosehome.blogspot.com/2008/05/obama-on-preconditions-preparation.html
As for Clinton…the agreed metric of victory in this nominating contest was ALWAYS the number of pledged and unpledged delegates, counting BOTH caucuses and primaries. It’s not the electoral college and never has been. This isn’t a general election. If a candidate is unsatisfied with the process, bring it up BEFORE the contest begins.
Do any of you sincerely believe that Clinton would be so upset about the caucus votes if SHE had won them? I sure as heck don’t. Mark Penn put it in her head that caucus states didn’t matter and now she’s paying the price for listening to him.
And as a young, college-educated woman, I’m frankly disgusted that an older generation of so-called ‘feminists’ would seriously consider voting for McCain out of selfish spite if Clinton is not the nominee. Shame on you for putting the reproductive rights of your daughters and granddaughters at risk. Feminism isn’t voting for a woman just because she’s a woman, ladies. That’s just idiocy.
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