Presidential politics

[strandinthewind]

Oh that Dean and his sealed records!!!!

http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/...rds/index.html

[gldstwmn]

Originally posted by Rob67
Well, I haven't seen much but Bush bashing from the left. They seem quick to criticize but are short of solutions for the problems. So until somebody comes along and presents a better and valid solution to global terrorism and the other pressing issues, Bush is the answer. I definitely haven't seen any from the current Democratic candidates. It's always the same blame game.

Rob

I meant what is Bush doing for you as a president. You know, personally. BTW, Lieberman would certainly seem to fit your list of credentials for President. What's wrong with him?

[strandinthewind]

Originally posted by Rob67
Well, I haven't seen much but Bush bashing from the left. They seem quick to criticize but are short of solutions for the problems. So until somebody comes along and presents a better and valid solution to global terrorism and the other pressing issues, Bush is the answer. I definitely haven't seen any from the current Democratic candidates. It's always the same blame game.

Rob

I see your point. The only thing I disagree with is Kerry made a valid point in his position when he was The Factor with Bill O'Reilly. He said he would be for building world support for the U.S. before we invade essentially unilaterally a la Iraq. I think this approach is a better method than Bush's approach. I think other people, like Bush I for instance, would have been able to get Germany, France, and Russia on board as Bush I was a diplomat for years and was an ambassador, while his son had none of these accomplishments. So, from that perspective, I think Kerry has presented a more viable solution to confront terrorism that Bush II. Note: I fully realize Kerry is saying this in hindsight and that he voted to gave W the power to invade Iraq.

[gldstwmn]

Originally posted by strandinthewind
Oh that Dean and his sealed records!!!!

http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/...rds/index.html

What do you think he's hiding?

[strandinthewind]

Originally posted by gldstwmn
What do you think he's hiding?

I honestly do not know. I mean it cannot be that bad of if it will be revealed perhaps in 2013. Surely, the D party, assuming they know, would not allow that snake to bite them on the ass then. Also, his record of voting was the offspring of these records and that certainly was public. So, I just do not know. But, I do know this, I and probably most of America hates or at least raises an eyebrow to apparently dirty little secrets like this.

[gldstwmn]

Originally posted by strandinthewind
I just read on article on this in this or last week's Time (I think ) on the plane. Be careful when comparing Bush and Clinton. Clinton did a lot of last minute things (like the current Alaska road building change) so that Bush would look bad for changing them (old old trick) when they were that way for the vast majority of Billy's Presidency.

We can only start to fix what's wrong begining with this next presidency.

[strandinthewind]

Originally posted by gldstwmn
We can only start to fix what's wrong begining with this next presidency.

Here is another:

http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/...ium/index.html

Reminds me of Britany - "Oops - I did it again!"

[Rob67]

Originally posted by gldstwmn
I meant what is Bush doing for you as a president. You know, personally. BTW, Lieberman would certainly seem to fit your list of credentitals for President. What's wrong with him?

You know, that's a great point. We were discussing politics this evening at my parents house. Lieberman came up as the most rational candidate from the Democratic candidates. You are right.

I think he understands what is trying to be accomplished on the foriegn policy front but I disagree with his economics. And how about Gore screwing him...WTF.

Still...I await the presidential race when the internal party BS is pushed aside....

Rob

[gldstwmn]

Originally posted by Rob67


I think he understands what is trying to be accomplished on the foriegn policy front but I disagree with his economics. And how about Gore screwing him...WTF.
Rob

That didn't sit well with me at all. I'm still trying to figure out what Gore sees in Howard Dean.

[gldstwmn]

Originally posted by Merf
Does anyone here know where I can find a list of the environmental protection laws put in place during the Clinton Administration that have been revoked/rolled back by the Bush II Administration? Because I think that is something that should be brought to light here-- good info for all.

Here's one that didn't go over:

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.j...toryID=4043104

Court Suspends Bush Pollution Rules

[strandinthewind]

Originally posted by gldstwmn
Here's one that didn't go over:

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.j...toryID=4043104

Court Suspends Bush Pollution Rules

I just do not get what "they" (all politicians here) are trying to accomplish. I know it is expensive for power plants to upgrade, but the govts. in the end wind up paying for most if not all of it through tax deductions, subsidies to the consumer and plant, etc. Then, the consumer is charged more for the remaining balance and their bills never go down once the upgrade is paid for in about a year.

A good example of this is your phone bill, which is probably $25 for basic service with $15 in pass on taxes and regulatory charges slapped on there. Another example is higher airfare (covers costs of fitting planes with new security devices as well as lessened travel) with an additional $5.00 per ticket security charge. Finally, my personal fav., 911 emergency services is $1.50 a month in GA , which is about $15 million a month with a rough estimate of 10 million phones - that is $180 million a year to run 911 - have you ever called 911? There are the peopke that did not know where Olympic Park was during the 96 Olympics in Atlanta - all that for $120 million a year, a sum most small citites do not budget in a year

So, all in all and over time, the precious bottom line and large bonuses of the power plant owners and execs. remain in tact. So, why not take the high road and just make cleaner air and rivers. Note: this is pretty much all politicians and not just the far right.

[gldstwmn]

http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/...eut/index.html

Soros, groups target Bush
President's campaign cites 'liberal special interests'
Friday, December 26, 2003 Posted: 3:32 PM EST (2032 GMT)

George Soros has pledged millions to independent groups, "to ensure that the money spent on trying to re-elect President Bush doesn't overwhelm the process."

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- President Bush's most-feared political opponents for now may not be Democratic presidential candidates, but a billionaire financier and anti-Bush advocacy groups with big-spending plans.

"Liberal special interests, led by billionaire currency trader George Soros, are raising millions in soft, unregulated money to defeat President Bush," the Bush campaign says in an Internet posting.

Bush has already raised more than $110 million for his primary campaign, in which he has no challenger, far outstripping any Democratic rival.

Campaign spokesman Scott Stanzel said anti-Bush groups threaten to spend as much as $400 million, justifying the Bush primary-season goal of raising a record $170 million, largely through a network of major supporters who funnel donations to the campaign.

But campaign finance experts say there is little chance of Bush being outspent.

"The Bush campaign is raising money hand-over-fist. He has the aura of the incumbency and the power of the presidency. He's in the catbird seat," said Celia Wexler, research director of the Common Cause good-government group.

Along with Soros, the Hungarian-born financier who has pledged $12.5 million to ensure "we can write off the Bush doctrine as a temporary aberration," another chief target of Republican ire are independent political groups such as the Internet-based MoveOn.org.

The group has raised nearly $7 million to run ads attacking Bush, and launched an anti-Bush television-commercial contest which has drawn more than 1,000 submissions from the public.

Groups including MoveOn.org are banned from coordinating activities with any party or candidate. But they have gained prominence under last year's McCain-Feingold campaign finance act which ended unregulated "soft money" donations. Democrats had relied on soft money to help claw back a Republican advantage in individual donations. (Supreme Court upholds 'soft money' ban)

"They have the potential to do an incredible amount of damage," said Scott Reed, a Republican consultant with close ties to the White House. He said the independent groups could run "over the top" ads attacking Bush with political impunity, and there was little financial accountability.

He suggested Soros may be seeking "payback" for the Iraq war, reflecting business interests in France and Germany.

Independent groups
Soros pledged his money to two independent political groups -- MoveOn.org and America Coming Together. "My contributions help to ensure that the money spent on trying to re-elect President Bush doesn't overwhelm the process," he said in a Washington Post opinion piece earlier this month.

Soros -- whose new book on the subject is "The Bubble of American Supremacy" -- said he was "deeply concerned with the direction in which the Bush administration is taking the United States and the world."

The Bush team's fund-raising appeals sharply criticize such efforts and accuse the independent groups of raising money overseas. "To beat these billionaire liberals and the flood of foreign money they're encouraging, we need your help today," an e-mail solicitation read.

MoveOn.org founder Wes Boyd said the groups accepts no foreign donations and defended the group's methods. He said its donors have no expectation of access to a successful candidate, unlike those who donate directly to a campaign. "There's no strings attached," he said.

The Center for Public Integrity government watchdog group said independent committees from across the political spectrum have raised $32 million this year, although the Soros-backed America Coming Together had yet to report.

Wexler said it was too early to judge how effective the groups would be. The Federal Election Commission is expected to issue guidelines in February on their political activity.

Conservatives have also used independent political groups and are doing so again this year. "They're playing catch-up ball," after waiting for the Supreme Court's December ruling upholding the campaign finance reform legislation, Reed said.

The conservative Club for Growth has run ads in Iowa and New Hampshire, where the nation's first major nominating contests take place, attacking front-running Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean.

[gldstwmn]

http://slate.msn.com/id/2093162/

Now It's a Scandal
New evidence that a House GOP leader offered a bribe.

[strandinthewind]

Slime

It reminds me of the time this guy's son was an awful artist and could not sell a painting. Then, his dad was elected gov. and his paintings were selling for tens of thousands of dollars with no appreciable rise in talent

[gldstwmn]

I hope the Washington Post plays it for all it's worth.