Bush's Third Term

[Albus Dumbledore]

Oh ok. I don't have an avatar set because I feel like not doing the trend.

[Silent Hunter]

One word: McCarthyism.

One side doing it does not excuse the other.

[Albus Dumbledore]

One word: McCarthyism.

One side doing it does not excuse the other.

I didn't say it did. I merely said the democrats were adopting that style. Is noting something's existence the same as excusing it?

[Silent Hunter]

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Certainly sounds like it to me. Should have made that clearer.

[Albus Dumbledore]

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Certainly sounds like it to me. Should have made that clearer.

Fair enough.

[Silent Hunter]

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Certainly sounds like it to me. Should have made that clearer.

Fair enough.

No problem. Sorry about that.

[cp]

How exactly can McCain run as an outsider to Washington? He's been there for 25 years. He's been part of every major piece of legislation passed since 1994. His campaign seems to be rife with the lobbyists against which he railed in 2000. The list goes on. . . .

But the list isn't the most important reason. McCain's best play is to emphasize experience: it diffuses the age issue and gives an effective slight against Obama. But by implication that experience has to have come from somewhere: where is that, you ask? Washington! He can't have his cake and eat it too. Either he's an establishment figure with years of experience or he's a Washington outsider who's too old.

In any case trying to run on being an outsider against Obama is ludicrous. By any measurement Obama is more of a political outsider in Washington than McCain is. Obama's message of change fits into that image well and is more likely to resonate with voters.

[Albus Dumbledore]

Don't use logic on McCain supporters, commie.

[Sam Spade]

Sbane, climate change is not a trivial issue (this cap and trade thing that McCain favors frightens me to death). In any event, campaign finance issues are another, and McCain has new ideas on health care (yet to be fleshed out), and unlike Bush favors importation of drugs I think. McCain opposes drilling in ANWR. McCain also had that horrifically dumb idea to pay laid off manufacturing works at their prior wage rates for two years.

I suspect we both agree then that cap and trade is maybe one of the worst ideas in the last 30 years of politics.

[Sbane]

Sbane, climate change is not a trivial issue (this cap and trade thing that McCain favors frightens me to death). In any event, campaign finance issues are another, and McCain has new ideas on health care (yet to be fleshed out), and unlike Bush favors importation of drugs I think. McCain opposes drilling in ANWR. McCain also had that horrifically dumb idea to pay laid off manufacturing works at their prior wage rates for two years.

I suspect we both agree then that cap and trade is maybe one of the worst ideas in the last 30 years of politics.

Yes it would be better if they found real solutions but watever...

[Sam Spade]

Sbane, climate change is not a trivial issue (this cap and trade thing that McCain favors frightens me to death). In any event, campaign finance issues are another, and McCain has new ideas on health care (yet to be fleshed out), and unlike Bush favors importation of drugs I think. McCain opposes drilling in ANWR. McCain also had that horrifically dumb idea to pay laid off manufacturing works at their prior wage rates for two years.

I suspect we both agree then that cap and trade is maybe one of the worst ideas in the last 30 years of politics.

Yes it would be better if they found real solutions but watever...

I would prefer doing nothing to making things significantly worse.  Besides, if there was ever a piece of legislation that is an indirect tax on consumers that will be paid out to big business, it is that bill.

[Sbane]

Sbane, climate change is not a trivial issue (this cap and trade thing that McCain favors frightens me to death). In any event, campaign finance issues are another, and McCain has new ideas on health care (yet to be fleshed out), and unlike Bush favors importation of drugs I think. McCain opposes drilling in ANWR. McCain also had that horrifically dumb idea to pay laid off manufacturing works at their prior wage rates for two years.

I suspect we both agree then that cap and trade is maybe one of the worst ideas in the last 30 years of politics.

Yes it would be better if they found real solutions but watever...

I would prefer doing nothing to making things significantly worse.  Besides, if there was ever a piece of legislation that is an indirect tax on consumers that will be paid out to big business, it is that bill.

Yeah...go nuclear power woo!!!!

[Sam Spade]

Sbane, climate change is not a trivial issue (this cap and trade thing that McCain favors frightens me to death). In any event, campaign finance issues are another, and McCain has new ideas on health care (yet to be fleshed out), and unlike Bush favors importation of drugs I think. McCain opposes drilling in ANWR. McCain also had that horrifically dumb idea to pay laid off manufacturing works at their prior wage rates for two years.

I suspect we both agree then that cap and trade is maybe one of the worst ideas in the last 30 years of politics.

Yes it would be better if they found real solutions but watever...

I would prefer doing nothing to making things significantly worse.  Besides, if there was ever a piece of legislation that is an indirect tax on consumers that will be paid out to big business, it is that bill.

Yeah...go nuclear power woo!!!!

Nuclear power is the best solution, but alas...

[ChrisFromNJ]

This is the politics of fear.

I agree!

Signed,

- "Gore invented the internet"
- "Gore discovered the Love Canal"
- "John Kerry hates our troops"
- "John Kerry is a flip-flopper"

[Sbane]

Sbane, climate change is not a trivial issue (this cap and trade thing that McCain favors frightens me to death). In any event, campaign finance issues are another, and McCain has new ideas on health care (yet to be fleshed out), and unlike Bush favors importation of drugs I think. McCain opposes drilling in ANWR. McCain also had that horrifically dumb idea to pay laid off manufacturing works at their prior wage rates for two years.

I suspect we both agree then that cap and trade is maybe one of the worst ideas in the last 30 years of politics.

Yes it would be better if they found real solutions but watever...

I would prefer doing nothing to making things significantly worse.  Besides, if there was ever a piece of legislation that is an indirect tax on consumers that will be paid out to big business, it is that bill.

Yeah...go nuclear power woo!!!!

Nuclear power is the best solution, but alas...

Alas...the vast majority of Americans are extremely uneducated about the subject. You say nuclear power and they think Three mile island and Chernobyl. Everyone forgets that there is a actually a godamned nature preserve around three mile island and even the wildlife near chernobyl is making a comeback. Not to say that both accidents were easily avoidable with stringent quality and operations standards.

[J. J.]

McCain has the argument for a difference between himself and Bush:  "It was war badly made."

He can argue, effectively, that Obama cannot do anything without making matters worse.  He can site the surge and say, "I can."

[zombones]

This is all the theatrical side of politics.  McCain will make the case that he knows what he's doing, and Obama is inexperienced and naive.  Obama will make the case that he has the correct judgment on the issues when McCain didn't, and that McCain is Bush's 3rd term.  Both candidates will have to do their best to attack and defend to prove to the public who is right and who is wrong.  That said, Obama has a stronger case against McCain.

[Bogart]

Mccain will continue Bush's war policy and economic policy. The only place I have heard Mccain disagree with Bush on is climate change and torture. I do not see any other policy differences and if I am missing any please do let me know.

I agree. McCain's differences with Bush are more likely to be about style rather than substance. He agrees with most of Bush's policies, while being more willing to work with the other side. He's more of a compromiser.

[J. J.]

This is all the theatrical side of politics.  McCain will make the case that he knows what he's doing, and Obama is inexperienced and naive.  Obama will make the case that he has the correct judgment on the issues when McCain didn't, and that McCain is Bush's 3rd term.  Both candidates will have to do their best to attack and defend to prove to the public who is right and who is wrong.  That said, Obama has a stronger case against McCain.

Obama has already backed away from the pullout, and McCain can say that his strategy is better, with some justification.

I actually think that the "war badly made" argument would have helped Kerry in 2004.