" Good for you NB!

I wonder if Obama wins if the Republicans will change their technique next time around. This lie, smear, and distract strategy doesn't seem to be working so much anymore. "

" NB - Does this mean you are coming around to support the idea of a middle class tax cut?

You can be pretty slippery on tax issues, so come right out and say it - I Do/Do NOT support a middle class tax cut.

Let's cut the taxes of the 'little people' for a change, eh?

You KNOW you want to do it!!! You've already lost the last few Knights of Outer Wingnuttia, NB!

Set yourself free by sticking with tax cut ideology but aiming them at the consumer side for a change. Let's raise demand and watch things take off again.

An impoverished middle class upside down in their home mortgages with no spending money makes for a lot of 'Hard Candy Christmases', NB.

~Ruff "

" The RepubliCON party will never be the same. They will definately need to do some serious soul searching and will either have to change or die. "

" LOL It will be fun watching NB complain down the road when B.O.'s "tax cuts" don't materialize. That's what happens when you believe in a politicians "character" instead of learning their ideology.

(When's the last time a Democrat actually cut taxes? Kennedy?) "

" Kevin, not sure what you mean, but Obama has already said he may not raise taxes if there is a recession. If so, that is the right move---he is showing flexibility already, which is a positive to me. Most politicians would stick to their talking points, like Bush who even though he started a massively expensive war still stuck with big tax cuts we could not afford.

Another example of the inflexibility and lack of leadership I am talking about above. "

" Ruff, ok this is my third try, the computer keeps eating my answer.

I am ok with Obama's tax plan, but it is hard for me to give a yes or no answer to you.

If it were up to me I would increase taxes on everyone if, IF it went to reducing the deficit and the debt. I think that anyone who benefits from the system should have to pay at least something into it.

I may seem slippery because I think there is some truth to both sides positions.

A small increase on the wealthy of 4.5% is not going to hurt them or the economy. Raising taxes in general can hurt the economy.

We have to deal with our debt or we are going to have another financial blow up, a big one.

Obama's middle class cut will stimulate the economy in the short term, so it is good. It won't solve the diminishing wages problem however, and the deficits continue.

MCCain's plan is worse, he will increase the deficit even more than Obama with his health care plan's tax breaks, even though I think taxing health care is a step in the right direction.

Things are complicated. But as I have indicated, overall I have decided to support Obama. "

" thanks Hear Ye, lets hope their Acorn=Ayers strategy failure makes their notice. So far they are still screaming about it, and pulling their hair out that no one cares but them.

They remind me of the way the Democrats went on about Bush's National Gaurd attendance record. "

" NB-

I think the economic situation is actually going to be 'the driver' behind the reforms coming, some taxes are going up and some down.

I believe that Obama will attempt to get rightwing 'buy in' to reforms, but will use the enlarged Democratic majorities in the House and Senate to force reforms even if Republicans object, much the way Bush did.

I think a lot of sacred cows are going to be slaughtered, no matter if they have been branded 'R' or 'D' in the past.

I actually prefer regulated market solutions to government driven solutions.

For instance I believe that the government should not 'run' banks, but I believe that the government should use a combination of tax and regulation to re-separate investment banking from commercial banking.

The current financial flameout has been used by Bush-Paulsen-Obama-McCain to further giving the crooked investment bankers more access to commercial bank deposits than Phil Gramm did and nobody, so far, is talking about the separation that served the nation so well since the 1930s.

Taxcuts have their place. So do 'loopholes and tax increases' when it comes to putting our financial house in order.

Many people discuss past high marginal tax rates as inhibiting 'growth' but fail to recall that the deductions were many, and targeted towards investment in plant and equipment.

We have also seen that removing the 1/4% stock transaction tax has resulted in Wall Street Weasels taking ever larger risks for tiny percentages of 'paper profits'.

We have a lot to discuss in the next few years, NB, and I'd like to see a positive discussion ensue.

~Ruff "

" I fear the GOP is going to pull far more to the right on social issues--going back to their base to be more anti-choice, more anti-personal liberties for gays, and will espouse less and less responsible economic policy, less and less responsible foreign policy, in an appeal to their elderly/religious base, and them I'm lost forever.
bleackkkk!
Good riddance, GOP!
If Obama does a good job in his first term, I'm gettin' me one of those cool Obama tee-shirts and I'll vote for his second term. I hope I get to do that. "

" Reminds me of long ago when we tried to warn everyone about Bill Clinton and his obvious character defects. The Dems all said we were just being "partisan" and "lying" about him.

Fast forward to today and I have had great satisfaction in saying "I told you so" to the many Democrats who finally saw the "real" Bill during the recent campaign.

I predict I will be saying "I told you so" again regards B.O... "

" can't write much, I am out of town, but Steph I think you will see that, but as things start to work it will die down. If things start to work. We are throwing the dice, but it seems like the best choice now.

Ruff, I agree, time for some thinking and complexity instead of fear mongering. Of course, that could apply to energy and global warming as well.

Kevin, we will see, Clinton was a grifter and I couldn't stand him, but he stayed out of the way of policy and had some good advisors, like Bentson, Rubin and yes Greenspan. "

" One more vote for Obama; one more mindless, uninformed idol worshiper who needs to take as much time researching the real Obama, as he does watching the World Series. Why don't you take as much time as it did writing this puff piece, to actually research black liberation theology. When you do, ask yourself why any decent and non-racist person would spend over 20 years in such a racist and hateful environment. "

" kevin...you are so typical...actually wishing that things go bad simply so you can say, "I told you so". Well unfortunately, you won't get to that this time. You'll have to get your rocks off some other way. "

" Misfit, who said anything about "wishing" things go bad?

I want nothing but the best for the country (that's why I support McCain). But I have also evaluated B.O.'s lack of qualifications and his inexperience and it is obvious to me that if he is elected, the country is in for some rough times ahead.

Even Biden admitted as much by his admission that there will be a "generated crisis" to challege B.O.'s lack of experience. It doesn't bode well.... "

" I remember another untried young president who had a crisis thrust upon him by people who thought he didnt have it in him to stand up to them...and it turned out pretty good.....now what was his name...had something to do with a little island.....Cuba as I recall "

" Cuba was all about Krushchev testing an inexperienced President. We almost had nuclear annialiation.

Do we REALLY want to go through that again if we elect an inexperienced candidate?

And somehow, with all John's women, I don't think a philandering President would play very well today... "

" kevin - Who cares about the sex life of a president except for busy-bodies and prudes who ought to be ashamed of themselves?

George W. Bush by all accounts is honoring his marriage after an dissolute youth, yet has been a disaster at running the USA.

Clinton was never somebody I wanted to meet my female relatives, but did a great job with our economy.

I find it odd that you bring up John Dubya McCain's poor sexual history while failing to give Barack Obama credit for being a decent family man and father.

It's kinda schizophrenic moralizing about some folks you wish to promote without mentioning the less-than-stellar moral background of so many Republican hypocrites.

In any case, sex has less than nothing to do with bankrupting the country as Bush has done.

Can we quit peaking through the Clinton's bedroom windows yet?

Yes, We Can!

~Ruff "

" NB- You want to put an end to the deficit spending and running the government in the red?

Put in the Eisenhower tax rates until the deficit is paid to zero, then the Kennedy tax rates until the government is running in the black.

Then put in the Clinton tax rates and institute 'Pay-as-You-Go' with the sole exception that all taxes required to balance the budget come from those who make $1 million or more per year.

Or, the APT Tax which would do away with the need for the IRA and accomplish all of the above in jig time!

~Ruff "

" by the way, if anyone is interested in reducing the debt:

How do you make a contribution to reduce the debt?
Make your check payable to the Bureau of the Public Debt, and in the memo section, notate that it is a Gift to reduce the Debt Held by the Public. Mail your check to:

Attn Dept G
Bureau Of the Public Debt
P. O. Box 2188
Parkersburg, WV 26106-2188 "

" Ruff~

One more comment, if you do happen to go to the link on historical government debt, you will find that the deficit has never been "zero". Our country's first fiscal year shows a 75 million dollar debt. Doesn't sound like much, but of course that was 1791 dollars.

The debt trend has almost always has been up. In the last century it only went down in the 20's. Go figure. "

" Ruff~

Link to US Govt web site detailing federal debt thru our country's history:

http://www.treasurydirect.gov/govt/reports/pd/histdebt/histdebt.htm

Of note:
While your hero Pres Clinton had a "Budget surplus", none of that was used to pay down the debt, public debt actually increased during his 8 years in office.

Neither candidate is promising any action on reducing public debt. Both candidates promise more spending. Fact of the matter is, no one can get elected telling their constituents they have to tighten their belts and the government will not be able to provide them with more in the future. Nor can anyone stay in office if they in fact do reduce the largess of the teat the public suckles from. "

" "post-it" - There's always a first time!

Also the words debt and deficit are really slippery words unless they are considered in terms of a 'National Balance Sheet' which has deteriorated badly under the last eight years of mismanagement.

~Ruff "

" The fact is...any and all new Presidents will be tested. McCain would not be immune from that. With his itchy trigger finger on the button, fiery temper and minimal skill with diplomacy...now that is a recipe for disaster. "

" Post it…..you can bet the libs won’t be sending any money….they only spend. "

" Our federal budget can never be balanced by more taxation.…it’s grown over 40% in the last 5 and a half years….the only logical way to reduce deficit spending to cut a few hundred billion of waste out this 3 trillion dollar morass… "