Two prescriptions for economy
Democrat Barack Obama today launched an unusually long TV ad in which he speaks directly to the camera -- and to voters -- about his plan to get past the financial crisis, change the policies of the current administration, and revive the economy.
The two-minute spot will begin airing in swing states today, his campaign said. It criticizes John McCain and President Bush, but in what is becoming increasingly noticeable about Obama's ads, never mentions that he's a Democrat and that McCain is a Republican.
"For eight years, we've been told that the way to a stronger economy was to give huge tax breaks to corporations and the wealthiest Americans, and somehow prosperity would trickle down," Obama says.
"Well now we know the truth. It didn't work. Instead of prosperity trickling down, pain has trickled up. Working family incomes have fallen by $2,000 a year. We’re losing jobs. Deficits are exploding. Our economy's in turmoil.
"I know that that we can steer ourselves out of this crisis. But not by driving down the very same path. And that's what this election's all about. On taxes, John McCain and I have very different ideas. Instead of giving hundreds of billions in new tax breaks to big corporations and oil companies, I'll cut taxes for small and startup businesses that are the backbone of our economy. Instead of more tax breaks for corporations that outsource American jobs, I'll give them to companies who create jobs here. Instead of extending the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest -- I'll focus on you.
"My plan offers three times as much tax relief to the middle class as Senator McCain's. If you make less than a quarter million a year, you won’t see your taxes raised one penny under my plan. And seniors making less than fifty thousand, who are struggling with the rising costs of food and drugs on fixed incomes, won’t pay income taxes at all. The tax code we have today is over 10,000 pages long. Almost every bit of it was shaped by some lobbyist taking care of some special interest.
"Well, it's time we had a President who puts you first. I hope you'll log on to BarackObama.com and read my full plan. It will help jump-start our economy, create millions of jobs, and bring back our Main Streets all across America. The old trickle-down theory has failed us. We can't afford four more years like the last eight.
"I’m Barack Obama, and I approved this message because I know that with a new direction, and new policies focused on jobs and the middle class, we can lift our economy and our country," he concludes.
McCain hit back with a spot that calls Obama's promises on the economy, the Wall Street crisis, and energy independence "empty words."
The 30-second spot shows snippets of Obama ads where he lays out promises, then follows each with McCain's critique.
"The truth? Obama's reforms mean higher taxes," the announcer says.
To Obama's pledge to clean up the Wall Street mess, the ad cites Franklin Raines and Jim Johnson, though Raines was never an official adviser and Johnson was only on board briefly as a vice presidential vetter. "Obama's top advisers made millions, then stuck you with the tab," the announcer says.
"Obama's plan? Empty words," the announcer concludes.
The Republican National Committee, meanwhile, struck back with a web ad that also cites the Wall Street turmoil -- and warns that Obama's proposals would make the situation worse.
"Meltdown," the announcer says. "Wall Street squanders our money and Washington is forced to bail them out with – you guessed it – our money.
"Can it get any worse? Under Barack Obama’s plan, the government would spend a trillion dollars more, even after the bailout. A trillion dollars. Who pays? You do. New taxes. New spending. New debt. Barack Obama’s plan: It will make the problem worse."
UPDATE: In response to the RNC ad, Obama spokesman Bill Burton said in a statement, “For John McCain’s party to demagogue a rescue plan that he supports in order to score cheap political points is not only dishonest and dishonorable, it is the height of irresponsibility on a day when we urgently need to pass that plan to prevent an economic catastrophe. So much for country first.”
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WILL IRISH EYES BE SMILING ON ELECTION DAY? JOE BIDEN'S MOTHER'S GRANDFATHER CAME FROM IRELAND. BARACK OBAMA'S GRANDMOTHER'S GRANDFATHER CAME FROM IRELAND. BARACK IS SCOTCH-IRISH ON HIS MOTHER'S SIDE AND IT LOOKS NOW LIKE IRISH EYES WILL BE SMILING ON NOVEMBER 4TH.
I find it enlightening to note that with 60 seconds of airtime John McCain and the Republican Party simply took shots at Obama with "gotcha journalism" (to quote Palin). Neither 30 second ad seemed to offer solutions or a potential plan to remove the American tax payer from the current Wall Street quagmire. I guess this is what McCain meant when he was going to fight an honorable campaign that focued on the issues that concern taxpayers the most.
The republican response doesn't say what they'll do, only that they don't like Obama's solution. I guess their solution is to keep doing what has been working so well.
Ok, so traising taxes on big corps will create more jobs??? Lololol. You gotta be kidding me, Mr. Obama.
Go ahead, raise corp taxes, and watch unemployment skyrocket, beacuse that's the first palcew eemployes--and fastest-- can offset higher expenses.
look, folks. this is no different than your household. we need to cut expenses. Plain and simple. So do they.
Obama's plans to inject several Billion $'s worth of new projects into this economy will put us into a Depression faster than you can say Barney Fife Frank. He has no clue as to how a capitalist society runs but has plenty of ideas of how to lead us into a Socialist / Marxist society.
Here's my 2 cents.....the bailout won't work. So far, no one has mentioned how the companies would be allowed to use the money. Everyone is comparing this to 1929, but there are several differences:
1) Huge corporations that make enough profit to be able to reinvest in themselves without getting loans (wal-mart, Caterpillar, etc).
2) Public Utilities---yes, were around in 1929, but not to the extent that they are now. People will still need electricity/phones/internet, etc.
3) Minimum wage---while the minimum wage isn't exactly a living wage, it is a lot closer than we would be without it. In 1930, you could work in a field all day for a nickel, which was better than nothing, but not as good as $40/day is today.
4) International business---there are a lot of people in this country (engineers, technicians, etc) that get sent overseas to work with clients. While it may slow down, it won't stop. That means some of the world's resources would be coming back here.
Everybody seems to be worried that the banks won't loan out any money at all.....and I don't see why they wouldn't.....sure, they will be a lot more strict than they have been, but why wouldn't they use a chance to make a profit? Which brings me to my next point...This whole thing seems to be orchestrated by the banks and the federal government. People have been saying for a few years now that the bubble was going to burst, and the Federal Reserve refused to acknowledge such a thing was possible. Earlier this year, the Federal Reserve and Treasury Secretary was telling Congress that there was nothing to be concerned over, that things would be OK; now these same people are telling us that there are "Dire consequences to not acting now", yet they won't tell us specifically what will happen, nor can they tell us exactly how their plan alleviates what they say will happen. People just need to quit living outside their means, easy for anyone making above $50k/yr, not so easy for those who make less, but let's finish with some advice....
1)get rid of cable TV and save yourself about $50/month
2) quit buying $200 pairs of shoes
3) don't buy that plasma TV, yes it is cool, but you don't need it
4)Quit buying all the latest gadgets (Iphones, dvd's, computer games, etc)
5) get rid of all the extras (text, internet, video, etc) off the cell phone bill, and use the cell phone as voice only, and only when needed.....it may be possible to go back to a landline for cheaper, or a combination, cell phone for long distance calls and landline for local calls.
6) don't buy a new car every two years, and for god's sake, don't trade in your old one---even if you spend 2k/yr on maintenence, it would take you 10 yrs to make up the 20k a new car will cost
Obama, whose co-workers on the Altgeld Gardens project in Chicago, where he claims he got his "executive experience," stated "he was ineffective." Obama, whose $1 million home was bankrolled by a convicted felon. Obama, who has spent all of 143 days in the Senate, where his votes amounted to registering "Present" on critical issues. This is the guy saying McCain doesn't know anything about the economy???? The fact that he's even running for president is a travesty!!! The Dems must really be desperate!
Everything Obama says is reasoned, and sane. His plan is well-thought out and helps the regular folks. Stop reciting Fox and McCain talking points people and look around you: THIS is where trickle-down, deregulated, more wealth for the wealthy has brought us! The proof is in the crisis...and in McCain's inability to do anything but generate negative ads that LIE about Barack Obama. If McCain had ANYTHING to offer the average American, why wouldn't he tell us so? Ball in your court, Johnny Mac. You used to be a good guy. You used to have honor. You used to be a maverick.
So? How are YOU going to turn this economy around, Mr. McCain?
mb: You are 100% correct. Obama is going to be a freaking nightmare. we cannot afford his (lack of) presence, lack of experience, and socialistic ways.
All you meat heads that think lowering taxes will have a negative impact on the economy should have paid attention during economics class.
Lower Taxes means more money to spend by consumers which helps the economy.
It does add to long term debt that must be repaid at some point - that is the negative side.
Why can't people fess up - giving loans to people that could not afford them, allowed (forced) higher housing prices. This started long before "W" was in office. Defaults on these loans and tightening of the mortgage market is driving the prices back down (and making refinance impossible for many). This is causing further defaults and making many of these mortgage backed security funds worth much less to the point that some firms are under water.
Some how you Democrats that started this snowball are somehow putting blame on Republicans using tax cuts as the cause.
Tell you what - raise taxes on the rich and see if that solves the financial problems of Wall St and the US - what a bunch of dopes.
Remember, it's UNPATRIOTIC of you if you don't pay more taxes.
- Joe Biden
ps....did I really only give $500 to charity last year out of my income of over $300K???
mb, I think you stole my "id".......you must be a sneaky republican! If you need my id to hide your worthless, vitriolic comments.....then YOU, as a republican, are the desparate one!
These adds are too short to go into any detail from either side. Wake up America and see this is all B.S. BOTH ADDS AND BOTH SIDES!!!! With Obama's plan, who do you think is going to suffer when the oil companies, big biz and "the rich" get hit with his tax increase? These high taxes are going to trickle down to us. They will pass along the crap to us and raise prices. You don't think they are going to take less of a profit, do you?
McCain's plan says he wants low individual tax rates - sole-proprietorships, partnerships, landlords and others are taxed under the individual income tax. -(How is this not good?)
Access to capital from low tax rates on dividends and capital gains. (-Again, how does this not help?)
Minimizing expensive mandates - such as those for health insurance and pro-union initiatives like card check. (Make it easier to do business? Wow, what a concept!)
Enhancing international competitiveness to keep jobs here; not abroad.
A lower corporate tax rate. ( -so we can make our stuff just as low priced. the more it costs to do business here the more crap costs for the consumer. Do we get that or no? There are a lot of people in China working for pennies. Try doing that in the U.S.)
Improved investment and research incentives to ensure that workers have the most modern technology. (Boy, this is a crazy idea.)
Bringing the budget to balance, reducing federal borrowing, and controlling spending to reduce the burden on the economy. (Great idea........hope it works.)
Bottom line, the people in Washington talk out of both sides of their mouths. "Do you all want this? Then so do we". They want your votes!!! It's tiring to try to keep up with all the crap. Stay out of our pockets. This is sad that America seems to want big brother to run our lives. Were is it said that in America everyone has to be the same. Fact is, there are going to be people who have and people who have not. Me? I am trying to have for my family and I and am pissed off that there are people who are doing NOTHING to help themselves. They expect the government to provide for them. NO WAY is that o.k. Why do the majority have to work our asses off to pay taxes to help people who is sitting home watching T.V. getting free health care that we pay through the nose for? (just one small example, of course)
My feeling is both candidates suck........it's the lesser of two evils here. That is what we are voting for.
TRUTH IS SPREADING ABOUT OBAMA'S TIES TO TERRORIST!
Barack Obama has had a long association with his friend William Ayers, who was on the FBI's Most Wanted list for nearly a DOZEN terrorist attacks.
NOBODY in the mainstream media has wanted to talk about this fact -- until WE started FORCING them to.
Just this week, the Wall Street Journal's Stanley Kurtz ran a HUGE exposé on the long relationship between Obama and Ayers, entitled "Obama and Ayers Pushed Radicalism On Schools" -- giving details about what they did together, and revealing to the nation what we've been saying all along
The truth is finally starting to get out about Obama's terrorist ties -- but we need YOUR help to FORCE the media to deal with that truth and NOT LET UP or "sweep it under the rug!"
William Charles Ayers and Barack Obama have been friends for decades.
This is a man who has admitted to BOMBING THE PENTAGON -- and has never expressed one ounce of regret for his actions. Ayers is a terrorist -- and Obama is his friend and political student.
Obama has tried to dismiss Ayers as just "a guy who lives in my neighborhood," and "not somebody who I exchange ideas with on a regular basis." Yet documents in the Chicago Annenberg Challenge (CAC) archives, housed in the Richard J. Daley Library at the University of Illinois at Chicago, make it VERY clear that Ayers and Obama were partners in the CAC in the 1990s. But that's not all -- there is clear evidence that Obama and Ayers were friends all the way back in 1986.
Obama and Ayers served together in 1995 on the CAC, overseeing the distribution of about $50 million to area schools through radical left-wing groups like the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (or ACORN). As the Journal reports, Ayers "called for infusing students and their parents with a radical political commitment, and which downplayed achievement tests in favor of activism."
That same year -- 1995 -- Barack Obama's first run for the Illinois State Senate was launched at a gathering at Ayers's own home!
THE WORD IS FINALLY GETTING OUT about Obama's connections to this radical left-wing terrorist -- but we need YOUR help to FORCE the media to deal with that truth and NOT LET UP or "sweep it under the rug!"
What does the association between Ayers and Obama say about Obama's political views and perspective?
Ayers was an anti-American, traitorous radical who will stop at nothing to push his hateful communist agenda. (Yes he called himself a "radical, Leftist, communist"!)
In the 1960s and '70s, he was a leader in the notorious underground terrorist group, the "Weathermen." The Weathermen declared war on the United States government, and they bombed over 30 establishments (leading to multiple fatalities, including police officers).
Ayers is unapologetic about his terrorist activities. In fact, he even said he didn't do enough bombing!
Incredibly, on Sept. 11, 2001, Ayers is quoted by The New York Times as saying, "I don't regret setting bombs … I feel we didn't do enough."
WHAT??? How could a man like Barack Obama associate with such a dangerous radical? And even defend him?
Obama and Ayers not only worked hand-in-hand at the CAC; they worked together at the "Woods Fund," and had a number of forums to fight legislation together. And guess what "nonprofit organizations" benefited from funds directed to them by Obama and Ayers? How about Rev. Jeremiah Wright's church, for starters?
And now Obama, Ayers' friend, could be sitting in the White House next year -- unless WE tell the American people the TRUTH about them!
We can't do that without YOUR help -- and with barely ONE MONTH left before the most important election of our lifetime, TIME IS RUNNING OUT to get the truth out there NOW!
We MUST continue to get the word out there about Obama and his ties to terrorists like William Ayers, a man who once said, "Kill all the rich people. Break up their cars and apartments. Bring the revolution home, kill your parents, that's where it's really at." A man who bombed the Pentagon and doesn't regret it. And the man who almost single-handedly launched Barack Obama's political career.
The major media have already decided who their candidate is! MSNBC host Chris Matthews says Barack Obama makes a "thrill" go up his leg when he hears him speak.
Oprah Winfrey thinks she has picked your next president!
But you can STOP Chris Matthews, Oprah and the rest of the liberal media.
You can say, WE the American people will pick our president.
Obama continues to speak down to us like little children and he's the know-it-all Ivy League professor.
TO: SueP
Had the TWO bills that McCain proposed not been blocked by Barney Fwank thd the kind hearted liberal democrats YEARS AGO the economy wouldn't HAVE to "turn around" as Fannie Mae and the dafailed sub-prime mortgage mess would have been squashed.
#15, mb.....you are an imposter! I have decided that you can have the id I've been using.....I'll just change mine! What you just posted is so obviously full of lies, smears, and vitriol that it makes me sick! It's people like you who should have to take an intelligence test to be allowed to vote!
Maybe it would be useful for McCain to start speaking the public. This attack only policy is not working for me. Attack, attack, attack - but not offer any alternatives? Riiiiggghht. I guess if this tactic (umm, strategy) worked for Bush it will work for McCain. The result - how's that working out for you - bigger government, deficit, spending like a drunken sailor, two wars (possibly two more - Iran/Russia, economic meltdown, etc.