The 1st Debate: Last impressions

Well the rest of the debate went as expected. It was boring and both guys doubletalked and tried to talk over each other on several occasions. The best I personally can score it is a tie. And these guys are the best we have to lead the free world?

The 1st Debate: First impressions

I'm watching the debate now. Boring. Obviously rehearsed in spite of Lehrs assertions that no one knew the questions. I want a debate where the candidate says anything he wants for two minutes and the other guy gets a minute to respond. Then switch out. The only reason for a moderator is to cut the mike at the 2 and 1 minute marks respectively.

Congressional Bailouts and Cowardice

I am so ticked off. I am sitting here trying to figure out how to type this entry without blowing a gasket. Arrrrrrgh.

I am steaming over the recent bailouts by the .gov. Nowhere in the Constitution is Congress authorised to buy up, bail out, loan, back up, cushion, or otherwise prop up failing business with my money. And to make it worse, they pick and choose who they will help or ignore.

JPMorgan Chase, Bear Stearns, AIG, Fanny Mae, Freddy Mac, and who knows who else. I'm surprised they will let Lehman Bros go bankrupt. I find it amazing that if I make a math error on my taxes, the Men In Black from the IRS will bring down the heavens to get the money with penalties and interest added. Do I get interest on the year long loan? Hell No. How about a personal bailout from SBA loans if my business fails? Not bloody likely. But if you've contributed to reelection campaigns then you are a shoe in. Just ask these guys. Read on please.


The fundamental unfairness of a capricious policy that doesn't benefit Joe Citizen is enough to make me mad. But, add to it that these bailouts didn't even get debated by Congress is just over the top. Your money has been confiscated and applied to Corporate Welfare. Congress handed the authority to the treasury secretary in a bill larded with pork. That way, they can shuffle off the blame like the cowards they are.

And Lo it came to pass:

Last night, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi started pointing her finger directly toward the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue. "The most recent bailout initiated by the Bush Administration is just another example that George Bush is a failed manager," Pelosi said after announcing hearings to investigate fraud and look at what new regulations will be needed in the future. And today, the speaker threw numerous punches at Sen. John McCain calling the presidential candidate the "greatest deregulator." Source

Cowards.

The next thing that has me pissed off is that every time a mouse farts the Congress gets a special prosecutor and holds enough hearings to put Court TV to sleep. But, where the hell is the criminal prosecutions of the members of Congress that benifited from monies handed out by the Mortgage Giants. It's no wonder they didn't take pro-active action. Anywhere else it is criminal negligence. In DC it is politics101.

And then there is the opposing sides that want to blame the lobbyists. So much for free speech right? I mean, citizens have a right to organise to influence the .gov right? Well, only if you are lining thier pockets. But, the last time I looked the lobbyists are not holding a gun to any congress critters head. They can say so, but they won't. Cowards and Criminals.

And then just to really peg the ol rant meter, our boy Charlie Rangel is still sitting on the House Ways and Means Committee as its' chairman. He is evading the very tax laws that he writes. If he had a shred of honor, he'd realize that he should be ashamed of himself and step down.

A pox on the lot of them.

Sunday Funnies

I used to post at dailykos. I enjoyed the idea of discussion with folks who didn't agree with me. I don't post there now, but I have to give them props for a huge apparatus that gets a lot of media time. Right now, DK is hugely anti-Palin. A poster on DK accused her daughter of giving birth to the downs baby. And now another poster is comparing her to Nazi's. Be careful when you visit. If you post, don't even be close to anti-O. That's what brought out the sharks and triggered my autoban. Kos has some thinking liberals that are worthy of discourse. But, the Nazi story is a bit much y'think? Clink the link and read more Sunday funnies.

Since Gov Palin is becoming the news story that won't go away... didja hear about the alleged banning of books? It turns out that it wasn't true.
I will be glad when the election cycle is all over. The losers can all go on the talk show circuit and their cohorts can start the next generation of conspiracy theories. Imagine if the McPalin ticket wins. God forbid they should win in Florida or Ohio. There are some people who would spontaneously combust. I can already hear the twilight zone music in the background.

And in closing let's go ahead and give you the wasted tax dollars legislation found today. It's called "For the relief of" legislation (my term) and appears to be a case of patronage by using the power of your office to circumvent the law. Check out the legislation by Rep Pastor.

Back to Football.

... The more they stay the same

The question before us today is whether to subscribe to limited self government ala the Constitution or succumb to a creeping brand of big brother.

This argument has been going on longer than I have been alive. I was born in 1964, and even then we were debating freedom v. government. During this election cycle we had a candidate who could have set us back on the path of small government and individual liberty. But, we chose John McCain and Barack Obama.

There is no perfect candidate. No one man or woman can occupy the white house and fix everything that is wrong or going wrong. And that is the beauty of our system. With the checks and balances set up by the constitution no one can become the American Caesar.

I found this video on Mikechurch.com. Watch and listen. It's only seven minutes but it shows that the more things change the more they stay the same. The message is just as real and the need is there. No matter who you vote for, here is the best standard to hold them to.

Presidential Qualifications (JAG Format)

Inquiry into the qualifications to hold the office of the President or Vice-President of the United States of America in the case of John McCain, Sarah Palin, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden.

FINDINGS OF FACT

1. Per the Constitution of the United States the legal requirements to become President of the United States are: "No person except a natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United States, at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that office who shall not have attained to the age of thirty five years, and been fourteen Years a resident within the United States." Source
2. Per the Constitution of the United States the legal requirements to become Vice-President of the United States are: "The Electors shall meet in their respective states, and vote by ballot for President and Vice–President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves;..." and further in the same amendment "But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice–President of the United States." Source
3. John McCain is from Arizona and was born in the Panama Canal Zone on 29 August 1936. Source
4. Sarah Palin is from Alaska and was born February 11, 1964, in Sandpoint Idaho. Source
5. Barack Obama is from Illinois and was born August 4, 1961 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Source
6. Joe Biden is from Delaware and was born November 20, 1942; Scranton, Pennsylvania. Source

OPINIONS

1. That each candidate for President and/or Vice-President does in fact meet the requirements for election to the respective offices sought per the findings of fact numbered one through six above.

ASSUMPTIONS

1. That the sources identified above in the findings of fact section are accurate and reasonably unbiased in their statements.
2. That a literal reading of the United States Constitution alone fails to note any other qualifications such as prior experience as a lawful criteria for election to the office of President or Vice-President of the United States. Thus we can safely assume that the lack of elaboration indicates that only those items cited in findings of fact numbered one and two respectively are to be considered when evaluating a candidates legal qualification to serve in the office(s) sought.
   

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. That the question of whether each candidate is legally qualified to hold the offices to which they seek be finalized in favor of each candidate. (Opinion 1 and Assumption 1 and 2)