Wow, the words are flying now. The Presidential race has taken a step to overdrive as both the candidates attack each others past. And the points picked by the McCain campaign seem to have the Obama campaign flustered to say the least.

The Obama campaign has been targeting the investigation of McCain in relation to the Keating Five investigations. Senator McCain was vindicated in that investigation and found to be without blame. Yet this was a huge problem at the time, and may again be, as the economy flounders in the wake of the mortgage bailout and the credit crunch.

With all eyes on the Dow Jones Index, which had dropped as low as 781 points down in the day. Expectations that all the problems of the mortgage crisis were averted by the $700 billion bailout have been proven false, which really should be no surprise. Europe and other world markets are now facing their own problems which again rippled from the initial failure of the Fed, Barney Frank and Chris Dodd on their Congressional banking committees, and President Bush. Note that neither Senator Obama nor Senator McCain were responsible for this economic fiasco. But with the introduction of the Keating Five Obama is trying to paint McCain as fiscally irresponsible.

Of course if the record is to be looked at only McCain has tried to reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and highlight problems while Democrats denied the existence of a problem. And only McCain actively worked on improving the bailout plan from what was essentially a blank check to an unwatched Treasury Secretary, with repayment going to Democratic pet projects of dubious nature (ACORN) instead of the public.

The McCain camp has targeted the highly questionable association of William Ayers and Senator Obama. I admit that I have trouble with the close association of the potential next President with a known, and self-admited, terrorist that actively was involved with the bombing of Government buildings on American soil and remains unrepentant. And it is accurate that Senator Obama has initially described their association as a friend, and has backed away from that since the early Primaries while the major news media has avoided all discussion of the matter.

The McCain camp has also targeted the association of Obama with Tony Rezco and Rev. Wright. I disagree with these associations being used against Obama as much as I disagree with The Keating Five tactic. Obama has never been found to have been influenced by either man in this voting record since he engaged in politics in Illinios. Without a reason to be alarmed, their less than perfect public images are just mud to be thrown at the candidate. And I have discussed my thoughts about the attacks using Rev. Wright, which I feel are a sidestep to a racial attack, in depth during the Primaries when Senator Clinton first used the tactic.

But the fact is that neither of these items being used by each camp address the fact that the economy will be weaker and troubled during at least the first year of the next President’s term. It is unrealistic that further cuts to taxes will be immediately available to stimulate the economy. It is equally unrealistic that adding 800 billion in new spending will be possible.

Right now Senator Obama is talking about taking on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s dream of a second stimulus plan. Considering the over $1 trillion spent this year just on failing banks and finance companies I can’t imagine where this money would come from, or how it would be any more effective than the first stimulus plan. Infact it would be less effective considering the economic landscape.

As for McCain he continues to believe that lowering corporate taxes is the only solution, which I believe will be a hard sell.

The fact is that right now the drop in the Dow Jones Index, and the up coming horrendous 4th quarter earnings that will reflect the slowdown in the economy, are helping Senator Obama and Democrats. There is no logical reason for this, since both Parties were equally lax and culpable in the creation of this problem (though arguably Democrats are slightly more at fault especially if the past is considered). But if the economy continues to falter drastically, and the promise of a 2nd stimulus plan gains attention (as it likely will) the chance of Obama winning the election increased dramatically.

And if that is what happens, for the reason of the economy, the real pain will start. In my opinion the weakest plan, and the least fiscally flexible plan, is held by Obama. With him in office, and a Democratic Congress again, I expect new record low approval ratings, double digit inflation, double digit unemployment, and an increase in taxes of all Americans by 7 – 15% minimally. Essentially a return to the environment that President Carter created.

But we will see if I am correct and if the various mudslinging attempts of the campaigns have any backlash.

Labels: Bill Ayers, Dow Jones Index, mortgage crisis, Nancy Pelosi, President Carter, Presidential election race 2008, Rev. Wright, Senator Barack Obama, Senator John McCain

A simple question I’ve asked before, does religion affect your choice of President of the United States?

As others have noted

Article VI of the Constitution of the United States of America states that “no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.”

Yet the question of religion has long been connected to elected office, and in recent years directly so. As religious fanaticism has caused some to become terrorists, the question of religion in American politics takes a stronger position. I for one do not find this to be a good position.

In a recent Democratic debate (there have been 27 so far if you lost count) George Stephanopoulos asked:

“My question is to understand each candidates’ view of a personal God. Do they believe that, through the power of prayer, disasters like Hurricane Katrina or the Minnesota bridge collapse could have been prevented or lessened?”

Can you imagine this question being asked of the oft quoted Theodore Roosevelt? Or perhaps Lincoln? How about if President Clinton had been asked if prayer would heal all the people without healthcare, or if President Carter were asked if prayer would get the hostages back from Iran?

Religion is a powerful thing, for an individual. Faith is something that cannot be quantified nor should it be worn like a merit badge. It is a facet of a person that is intrinsic like leadership. To pander to any group on this basis cheapens the people pandered to and the faith they have, in my opinion. Perhaps that is one reason that the Constitution precludes its use in gaining public office.

If we cannot separate religion for the debates of Presidential candidates, how do we believe the separation of Church and State will be maintained? Thus what other tenants of the Constitution are also subject to being bent or broken? How can we be idle as we see the slippery slope taking us to a place the Founding Fathers of this nation warned us never to tread?

Labels: American Constitution, political debate, President Carter, President Clinton, President Lincoln, presidential candidate, religious tolerance, Theodore Roosevelt

I send out my condolences to the family of President Ford, as does the entire nation.

President Ford was a good President, especially as he had no intention of running for the position of Commander and Chief. Unlike any President before or since he rose to this position without being elected by the people. Not bad for a man who had a difficult early life. If there is any legacy that will be seen by historians on his Presidency I think it will be that he was a unifier on the level of perhaps President Lincoln.

President Ford was born in 1913, and lived through the great depression. He went to the University of Michigan and became a football star. When I say a star I mean that he had offers to join 2 professional football teams but turned them down to attend Yale law school, where he graduated in the top 3rd. Even earlier in his life there were trials for the President-to-be. His parent divorced shortly after his birth, a radically unusual fact at the time, and his meeting with his father was less than a classic fairytale. Later in his youth he joined the Navy to fight in WW II and became a Lt. Commander.

While President Ford may be best known for his pardoning of President Nixon it is not the thing he should be known for. He made in roads to improve the automobile industry, reduced inflation by half, and ended a war that had taken thousands of American lives for a decade. In virtually every way President Ford unified the nation and placed it on a better path. While some have worried about politics and partisanship, he sought unity and improvement of the average man’s life. He achieved these things without fanfare and little acclaim at the time he did them.

President Ford was a man from moderate roots, that followed a path to keep America whole. He was honest and direct, in a time when the nation needed exactly those things. Much like the advice parents gives their children, his actions weren’t appreciated then but are better understood today. For that we must be thankful. Too much is taken as a given, or overlooked today, by the government and the media. President Ford is a reminder that there is another path and it is effective.

I am reminded of my earliest political thought. In the election of ’76 I recall coming home from school. The nation was abuzz with the fact that President Carter had just won. A family friend was over and discussing the election with my mother. When I was asked about school I mentioned we had a mock election and I had voted for President Carter. I was asked why him, and I said because he was a democrat. I was scolded for making a choice for a silly reason, and the family friend chided me opening my eyes with the statement, “Do you realize that he [President Carter] wouldn’t let you go to church with him on Sunday?” It was my first lessons in politics. Lessons I remember to this day.

Change just to change is not worth it, you may not like what is the best thing being done for you today, doing what a crowd does for no reason beyond being in a crowd is worthless. These facets President Ford held, and guided the nation by. He led us in the same way as he raised his family, as best as I can tell, with compassion and an eye to our betterment. That defines a great President. Unifying a hurt and disillusioned nation is a task few would want, or have faced. It’s a testament to the man and the American people that he succeeded and did so well.

This is what I think, what do you think?

Labels: President Carter, President Ford, University of Michigan, WWII