Political Hippo Circle Jerk - America, farg YEAH!

[Cerevant]

Chances of Balanced Budget:
Obama with Democratic Congress = 0%
McCain with Democratic Congress > 0%

Explain to me why it is, that it is still assumed that the liberals will deficit spend and the conservatives will be so frugal?  Which Democratic US president earned the party this reputation?



Also, has anyone noticed that we spend over $300B / year on medicare - paying the bills for people who don't have health insurance?  When the US is spending twice what Canada does per capita in a single-payer system shouldn't it be able to instead give some level of basic coverage via subsidies for private coverage?

Good opinion piece on the types of economic questions that the candidates will face

Interesting, but the key assumption is that Obama is not prepared to answer those questions.  I would be stunned if he isn't.  I will be absolutely flabbergasted if the debates aren't more like Kennedy-Nixon than Bush-Kerry.

[rjs246]

when it comes to my individual freedoms ill take the civil rights attorney over the vote with bush hawkish ex war hero

You don't care about individual freedoms though. Big brother isn't real, remember?

[ice grillin you]

you being a paranoid lunatic about big brother does not mean i dont about civil/individual rights

[rjs246]

Fair enough.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

Explain to me why it is, that it is still assumed that the liberals will deficit spend and the conservatives will be so frugal?  Which Democratic US president earned the party this reputation?

The only Democratic President in the last 25 years had a Republican Congress and sweet, beautiful gridlock; along with increased tax revenue from an economic boom.

Reagan had a Democratic Congress the whole time, and their version of compromise was exactly the opposite - everyone spends - YAY!

I am fairly scared of either party having control over the legislative and executive branches of government, and there is no chance the Congress goes "red" this election.

[Cerevant]

The only Democratic President in the last 25 years had a Republican Congress and sweet, beautiful gridlock; along with increased tax revenue from an economic boom.

Nice cut-off there: we'll ignore the fact that Kennedy and Carter also ended with less debt than when they started.

You didn't answer my question: which president is responsible for the reputation of democrats as deficit spenders?

I am fairly scared of either party having control over the legislative and executive branches of government, and there is no chance the Congress goes "red" this election.

Agreed, but this country used to to self-correct politically.  With the predominance of fear and the absolute lack of accountability, I don't know if this will be the case any more.

[Rome]

when it comes to my individual freedoms ill take the civil rights attorney over the vote with bush hawkish ex war hero

McCain has been quite clear on his support of Bush's national security spying policies.

The guy who had his freedom stripped from him while being held in a de facto concentration camp for years is a supporter of policies that are only a few steps away from that.

I heart irony.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

With the predominance of fear and the absolute lack of accountability, I don't know if this will be the case any more.

So, you're saying Democrats will be in charge of both branches forever?


In the interest of equal time, this blog explains why Rome and rjs support Obama.

[phillymic2000]

So you're saying that the GOP machine is engaging in a smear campaign?

Onowai.

Its the subject matter on this one. Its not right. Its lower than low. Slimier than slime.

I agree on the slimeliness of this smear. Overall both sides have and will be doing it for the rest of the race. They did it to each other, why would you think they would not do it to their enemies?

[ice grillin you]

what slime has obama tossed?

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

He's been pretty good about staying out of it and letting the bloggers and media do the dirty stuff.

So, basically the McCain camp is dirty because they showed one ad that correctly but incompletely stated that Obama is for sex ed for elementary school kids?

How does that compare to accusing Sarah Palin of faking a pregnancy?  How does it compare to the great "How many houses does McCain have" controversy?

This holier-than-thou shtein is really over-the-top.  We should all be offended that they aren't talking about the issues and are pushing the usual "change" stuff back and forth.  But the assertion that it's perpetuated only, or even mostly, by the "right" is just asinine and partisan.

[ice grillin you]

you really dont wanna go down the list of right wing attack and hate mongering obama has had to go thru since day one...palin has had it easy compared the garbage barry has gone thru...just watch one night of fox news...its amazing

yes both sides do it as far as no name bloggers

but thus far only one candidate has approved a disgustingly bad slime ad and it aint the brotha

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

Wait, McCain's not black?

[Phanatic]

McCain and Obama will spend the same amount of money on foreign policy. They will just spend it differently. One will keep us working on finishing Iraq and the other will change our focus to Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Something to note when discussing budget. There won't be a big savings by the Obama side on that front. 

[ice grillin you]

anyone see barry on oriley the other day...he did a fantastic job...pretty gutty thing to do going on there and a stark contrast to palin who for now wont take questions from anyone much less an attack dog like bill o