Tuesday, September 30, 2008
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Watch the video
McCain is being deceitful with his sudden populist message and support for regulation; his economic policies still favor our nation's wealthy elite. Call out McCain's economic dishonesty. Send this video to friends and recommend they read the latest on TheRealMcCain.com.
SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES - 9/30/2008
By Darrell L. Castle
Constitution Party 2008 Vice-Presidential Candidate
» Ten National Security Myths
A refreshingly different view of the world situation.
This article appeared in the October 6, 2008 edition of The Nation.
A refreshingly different view of the world situation.
This article appeared in the October 6, 2008 edition of The Nation.
A better idea than the Bush bailout
We Need a New Deal
Katrina vanden Heuvel & Eric Schlosser | We should apply FDR's principles of relief, reform and reconstruction to our current financial crisis.
Katrina vanden Heuvel & Eric Schlosser | We should apply FDR's principles of relief, reform and reconstruction to our current financial crisis.
A glimpse into two very different personalities
Friday's unique free-form debate...
Monday, September 29, 2008
Zakaria: McCain's VP decision is 'fundamentally irresponsible'
In a column appearing in Newsweek, world affairs expert and author Fareed Zakaria said he thinks it would be best for Republican presidential hopeful John McCain, if Gov. Sarah Palin bowed out as his vice presidential running mate. Zakaria says McCain did not put the country first in making his V.P. choice, and he says Palin is not qualified to lead the United States. full story
Dear John
After reading various articles that are harshly critical of your recent political drama antics and your chosen VP's embarrassingly shallow knowledge of foreign policy, I have begun to feel sorry for you. You used to make me angry when you lied. But now I'm sad for you.
If I put myself in your $500 shoes, I can imagine how deeply embarrassed you must be -- such an ambitious person who really wanted to get to the White House, who now sees his campaign going down in flames. I truly feel sorry for you, Senator.
My own most embarrassing moments haven't been on a national stage. Thank God. But yours are being displayed for all to see. And, if that isn't enough, they are parodied unmercifully by comedians.
For a brief moment, after you chose Sarah P. to be your VP, things were looking up. But now it is looking like a movie that started with a couple good scenes and then degenerated into a ridiculous plot with poor acting. This isn't the way a war hero's story should end. Not like this.
There are calls this week for your VP to pull out of the race, suggesting that she say she needs to spend more time with her family. I wish someone would come up with a good excuse for you, Senator -- an excuse that would help you save face. You deserve that much, after a lifetime of service to your country.
What about this: you could get a good horror movie make up artist to create something that looks like a large cancer sore breaking out on your forehead and oozing down over your eyebrows and onto your cheeks. You could then pay a good actor-doctor to come before TV cameras with a dead serious look on his face and announce the sad news to the nation, "Senator McCain's melanoma has come back with a vengeance. Tragically, we've learned that in the last few days, the cancer has made its way into his brain."
Then, Senator, you could appear on camera with your square-jawed, bravest look and announce, "For the good of my country -- which I always put first -- I must drop out of the race. My brain can no longer be trusted to make wise decisions, because it's being eaten up by cancer. That's evidently why I've been doing such silly things lately." Then people would weep for you, instead of mocking you. It would be a good way to keep from further embarrassment.
That might be the best way you can save face, at this point ... but please, Senator, see if you can talk Sarah Palin into dropping out first.
If I put myself in your $500 shoes, I can imagine how deeply embarrassed you must be -- such an ambitious person who really wanted to get to the White House, who now sees his campaign going down in flames. I truly feel sorry for you, Senator.
My own most embarrassing moments haven't been on a national stage. Thank God. But yours are being displayed for all to see. And, if that isn't enough, they are parodied unmercifully by comedians.
For a brief moment, after you chose Sarah P. to be your VP, things were looking up. But now it is looking like a movie that started with a couple good scenes and then degenerated into a ridiculous plot with poor acting. This isn't the way a war hero's story should end. Not like this.
There are calls this week for your VP to pull out of the race, suggesting that she say she needs to spend more time with her family. I wish someone would come up with a good excuse for you, Senator -- an excuse that would help you save face. You deserve that much, after a lifetime of service to your country.
What about this: you could get a good horror movie make up artist to create something that looks like a large cancer sore breaking out on your forehead and oozing down over your eyebrows and onto your cheeks. You could then pay a good actor-doctor to come before TV cameras with a dead serious look on his face and announce the sad news to the nation, "Senator McCain's melanoma has come back with a vengeance. Tragically, we've learned that in the last few days, the cancer has made its way into his brain."
Then, Senator, you could appear on camera with your square-jawed, bravest look and announce, "For the good of my country -- which I always put first -- I must drop out of the race. My brain can no longer be trusted to make wise decisions, because it's being eaten up by cancer. That's evidently why I've been doing such silly things lately." Then people would weep for you, instead of mocking you. It would be a good way to keep from further embarrassment.
That might be the best way you can save face, at this point ... but please, Senator, see if you can talk Sarah Palin into dropping out first.
John McCain and the Lying Game
By Joe Klein
Every politician stretches the truth. But McCain is running a uniquely dishonest campaign
Sunday, September 28, 2008
From Kim Komando -- an inspirational story
• Video of the Day: You should meet Patrick Henry Hughes. His story is truly amazing. Maybe it will inspire you.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
More about McCain's anger problem
Andy Card: I Have Seen John McCain's Anger
by
Ronald Kessler
As published at NewsMax.com
President Bush's chief of staff, Andrew H. "Andy" Card, Jr. has observed Senator John McCain's notorious outbursts of anger first-hand, Card said in his first extensive interview since leaving the White House.
Referring to the Republican front-runner for president, Card said, "Sometimes he was pretty angry, but I felt as if he was putting on a show. I don't know if it was an emotional eruption or for effect."
In a July 5 NewsMax.com article, former Senator Bob Smith, a New Hampshire Republican who served with McCain on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said, "I have witnessed incidents where he has used profanity at colleagues and exploded at colleagues.... He would disagree about something and then explode.
"It was incidents of irrational behavior. We've all had incidents where we have gotten angry, but I've never seen anyone act like that."
Friday, September 26, 2008
The first presidential debate
Senators Barack Obama and John McCain had their first debate tonight. One thing came through loud and clear to me: John McCain is angry. Here's how some bloggers saw it:
Larison:
"Mr. Potty Mouth can be heard muttering “horseshit” under his breath when Obama
pointed out McCain’s resistance to talking with fellow NATO member Spain. We’ll see
if the media picks up on this." Chris Matthews of MSNBC:
Said of McCain “He's grumpy, he's angry."
His grumpiness erupted every few minutes in statements of clear disdain for his opponent -- whom he consistently refused to even look at. What does that refusal to even look at Obama say about his attitude toward his opponent? Someone may have told McCain it would make him look presidential. But instead it looked arrogant and pompous.
I don't agree with every one of Obama's policy positions, but he strikes me as cool-headed and intelligent. McCain seems neither. We don't need an arrogant angry man at the helm of this Ship of State.
Larison:
"McCain is starting to let his contempt for Obama show. He keeps laughing like some sort of disturbed gremlin...."
Thomas Schaller:"...Obama seemed loose and confident and not intimidated by McCain. McCain seemed growly and tense..."
"Mr. Potty Mouth can be heard muttering “horseshit” under his breath when Obama
pointed out McCain’s resistance to talking with fellow NATO member Spain. We’ll see
if the media picks up on this." Chris Matthews of MSNBC:
Said of McCain “He's grumpy, he's angry."
His grumpiness erupted every few minutes in statements of clear disdain for his opponent -- whom he consistently refused to even look at. What does that refusal to even look at Obama say about his attitude toward his opponent? Someone may have told McCain it would make him look presidential. But instead it looked arrogant and pompous.
I don't agree with every one of Obama's policy positions, but he strikes me as cool-headed and intelligent. McCain seems neither. We don't need an arrogant angry man at the helm of this Ship of State.
The Bailout is a Disaster, says Dave Ramsey
Q & A: Dave Ramsey
The popular Christian financial adviser on why he thinks the bailout is a disaster.
Q. What do you think of the bailout?
A. I think it's a disaster. It's the largest government department ever formed in the history of man, and they are doing it in five days, and they are doing it based on a spirit of fear.
There are other things we could be doing to calm markets. All of the Bush administration appears to be in a dead dog panic. I'm afraid it's going to pass, but that doesn't mean we're going to like it.
Q. What do you recommend instead?
A. Change the market accounting rules. Do away with the capital gains tax, which will cause money to flood into the market instantaneously in 24 hours. Last, if we do need to do some insurance of some of these bonds, we can insure them rather than just buying them all. Only 7 percent of them are in foreclosure, while 93 percent of them are paying, so why are we buying them all—so we can make Paulson king?
First Palin, Then Campaign Suspension. What Now?Slate predicts McCain's next 10 Hail Mary stunts.
Posted Thursday, Sept. 25, 2008, at 1:39 PM ET
1. Returns to Vietnam and jails himself.
2. Offers the post of "vice vice president" to Warren Buffett.
3. Challenges Obama to suspend campaign so they both can go and personally drill for oil offshore.
4. Learns to use computer.
5. Does bombing run over Taliban-controlled tribal areas of Pakistan.
6. Offers to forgo salary, sell one house.
7. Sex-change operation.
8. Suspends campaign until Nov. 4, offers to start being president right now.
9. Sells Alaska to Russia for $700 billion.
10. Pledges to serve only one term. OK, half a term.
Do you have an idea for McCain's next campaign stunt? Send it to us at NextMcCainStunt@gmail.com, and we will publish the best ideas. E-mails may be quoted by name unless you indicate otherwise.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Dave Letterman on McCain suspending campaign
Watch a clip of Letterman's comments -- the best material starts at about 5:00:
Original Post: John McCain canceled a scheduled appearance on CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman" mere hours before he was slated to tape the show Wednesday as part of the suspension of his campaign, MSNBC reported on air Wednesday afternoon. Keith Olbermann will appear on Wednesday's "Late Show" in McCain's place.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Why not vote for Sean Masterson!
Republicrats – Official Political Party of Sean Masterson
Throughout the Republicrats campaign, we're calling for supporters to send us ... Support the Republicrat Party by spreading the message of change with ...originals.msn.com/republicrats/ - 71k -
Sean seems a little brighter than the present occupant of the White House.
That should be a good motivation to back him.
From the Nation magazine
Goldman Sachs Socialism
William Greider | Bernanke demands $700 billion with no accountability, no transparency and no guarantees. Take it or leave it, suckers.
William Greider | Bernanke demands $700 billion with no accountability, no transparency and no guarantees. Take it or leave it, suckers.
From Ron Paul's website
The only Republican Presidential Candidate I felt I could trust was Ron Paul. Though he wasn't nominated, he continues to speak to his followers via his website and in rallies, etc. Here's some interesting stuff his site posted about the monetary crisis:
Dollar to Lose 90% of Its Value?
September 23rd, 2008 by Jesse Benton
Today’s Radio Broadcast - Robert Blumen
September 23rd, 2008 by Jeff FrazeeWe finally got fed up with the media’s (lack of) coverage of the Austrian school
perspective on this financial meltdown. Followers of the Austrian school have been right for years with warning our country of this impending disaster, yet, the media does very little to give us a voice.
Therefore, we are using the power of the Internet to bring you the message you need to hear. All this week the Campaign for Liberty is broadcasting the first hour of Scott Horton’s Antiwar Radio show as he talks with guests about the current financial crisis.
Today on the show Scott will host Robert Blumen. Mr. Blumen is a frequent writer on Mises.org and LewRockwell.com. He is the author of a great article titled “Is Gold Money?” and an excellent communinicator on the topic.
Tomorrow on the show will be Ron Paul’s former economic adviser, Peter Schiff, to talk about current events and give advice on how to avoid this crisis.
Please tune in from 12:00pm - 1:00pm ET:
http://74.205.0.5:8000/listen.pls
The live feed works with iTunes and Winamp
Download iTunes
http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/
Download Winamp
http://www.winamp.com/player
If you missed yesterday’s broadcast with Bob Murphy and Mark Thorton you can download the archived MP3 here:
http://dissentradio.com/radio/08_09_22_murphythornton.mp3
Monday, September 22, 2008
Sen. Bernie Sanders: The Middle Class Must Not Be Forced to Bail Out Wall Street Greed
This proposal is an unacceptable attempt to force middle income families to pick up the cost of fixing the horrendous economic mess that is the product of the Bush administration's deregulatory fever and Wall Street's insatiable greed.(Huffington Post)
Friday, September 19, 2008
TruthDig: the candidates and the economy
Eugene Robinson on McCain and the Economy
"This Is the Man Who’s Going to Fix the Economy?" -- John McCain was telling the truth when he said that economics wasn’t his strong suit. In response to what many economists have called the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, the Republican nominee has sounded—and let’s be honest here—totally, embarrassingly and dangerously clueless.
"No Time for a Minimalist" -- Barack Obama isn’t going to win any arguments about the economy if he keeps winking at the robber barons who helped wreck Wall Street.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
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Will the neocons who tutored George W. Bush in the ideology he pursued to the ruin of his presidency do the same for Sarah Palin? Should they succeed, they will destroy her. Yet, they are moving even now to capture this princess of the right and hope of the party.
| ||||
David Brooks writes in the New York Times that Sarah Palin is unqualified: In the current...
Former cast member Tina Fey, now the star of "30 Rock," returned to Saturday Night Live to play Republican...
The Palin Doctrine: Why the Neocons Are So Excited
AFP/Getty/Alex Wong
Friday, September 12, 2008
John McCain attacks Palin's experience (video)
"I am prepared. I am prepared. I need no on-the-job training. I wasn't a mayor for a short period of time. I wasn't a governor for a short period of time."
This is from an earlier Republican debate, in which McCain is contrasting his own record with the record of Mitt Romney; but it applies even more to Sarah Palin, his VP choice.From Andrew Sullivan
Assuming They're Not Crazy
12 Sep 2008 04:25 pm
I'm in two minds whether John McCain has lost his mind or never had a soul. But I have to say I am surprised by the barrage of lies and distractions his campaign is throwing out. The farce of the Palin candidacy is one such distraction - but the lies about sex education, the lies about Palin's pork record, the lies about "tiny" Iran, the lies about the lipstick-pig nonsense, the lies about the bridge to nowhere, the lies about the oil pipeline ... I mean, what is going on?
Some believe this is just GOP hardball. But it actually isn't. They're usually not this stupid. If you are going to broadcast a series of outrageous, demonstrable lies to smear your opponent, you tend to to that in the last two weeks of a campaign, so the lies can actually stick before they are debunked. But in September?
I know many people believe that the American people - especially the under-informed swing voters - are too dumb to know when they are being lied to. But these lies are so obvious that this cannot be true. And the sheer viciousness of the personal attacks on Obama make Rove's attack on McCain in 2000 seem mild.
Here's what I think. I think McCain is out of it. I think he checked out of his own campaign and handed it over to Schmidt and his fellow Rovians. This does not mean he does not have total responsibility. John McCain is now for ever a despicable and dishonest and dishonorable man. He has destroyed his reputation. But he is also trying to do what he can to win this election. My view is: if this is how he intends to win this election, he has mis-timed his lies.
So my assumption is that this is all about trying to get into Obama's head and get him to make a mistake. Which is why Obama needs now more than ever to stay calm and confident and focused.
Les Misbarack
12 Sep 2008 04:53 pm
Whatever happens, the McCain campaign could never pull this off.
Patience, steel... triumph.
David Sirota on Republican Misdirection
"Country First? Hardly" -- Stripping away the partisanship, passion and propaganda, what about the veracity of the claim that the GOP puts this country first? Well, let’s just say it’s a little dicey.
Patrick's comment: I believe this article sees through the shallow form of "Christian patriotism" that has undergirded the Bush Administration. It is not true to Jesus, and it is not true to the principles that our Founding Fathers wanted to enshrine in the Constitution. It is a cheap counterfeit of both of those things. Which is not to say that genuinely committed Christians haven't been roped into supporting the anti-Christian/anti-Constitution actions of Bush and Cheney. I know they have. I was one of them.
"Country First? Hardly" -- Stripping away the partisanship, passion and propaganda, what about the veracity of the claim that the GOP puts this country first? Well, let’s just say it’s a little dicey.
Patrick's comment: I believe this article sees through the shallow form of "Christian patriotism" that has undergirded the Bush Administration. It is not true to Jesus, and it is not true to the principles that our Founding Fathers wanted to enshrine in the Constitution. It is a cheap counterfeit of both of those things. Which is not to say that genuinely committed Christians haven't been roped into supporting the anti-Christian/anti-Constitution actions of Bush and Cheney. I know they have. I was one of them.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
When Barack Obama criticized McCain's economic plans
by saying "You can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig,"
he was obviously NOT speaking of Sarah Palin. He was
saying that the old Bush economic pig is still a pig even
when John McCain tries to make it look different. Then
McCain's campaign accused Obama of sexism, saying he
was attacking Sarah Palin. Click on the link below to
hear Obama's response.
by saying "You can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig,"
he was obviously NOT speaking of Sarah Palin. He was
saying that the old Bush economic pig is still a pig even
when John McCain tries to make it look different. Then
McCain's campaign accused Obama of sexism, saying he
was attacking Sarah Palin. Click on the link below to
hear Obama's response.
Sarah Palin is misrepresenting her record on the Bridge to Nowhere.
Click on "thoroughly documented" (below) for a video of her statements supporting it.
It is now thoroughly documented that Sarah Palin supported the $398 million "Bridge to Nowhere" when she ran for Governor in 2006, even though Congress cancelled the earmark in 2005.
She only opposed it in September 2007 after her final efforts to get $329 million more from Congress failed. Yet she kept the partial funding from Congress!
So when Palin repeatedly says "I told Congress, 'Thanks, but no thanks' on that bridge to nowhere," she is repeatedly lying.
It is long past time for reporters to call Sarah Palin exactly what she is - a serial liar.
Sign our petition to the Media:http://www.democrats.com/call-sarah-palin-a-serial-liar
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Andrew Leonard on Sarah's gaffe
Sarah Palin explains Fannie and Freddie
On Saturday, Gov. Sarah Palin summarized her views on the Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac mess:
On its face, the first sentence doesn't make much sense. For the last 40 years or so, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have been private entities, and haven't cost the taxpayer a dime.... (Andrew Leonard, How the World Works)"The fact is that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have gotten too big and too expensive to the taxpayers. The McCain-Palin administration will make them smaller and smarter and more effective for homeowners who need help."
McCain winning in the polls?????
Poll Madness: McCain Takes Lead Even As Democrats Out-Register Republicans?
This week's mainstream coverage of the presidential horse-race has been dominated by a series of polls showing the McCain-Palin ticket with its first stable lead over Obama and Biden. Gallup's tracking poll, USA Today and CBS News all show the Republicans with some kind of lead over the Democratic ticket. But, interestingly, all three polls were also conducted using a higher sampling of Republican voters than in July, thus raising a question of methodology.
In a year in which Democrats have a lead of 11 million registered-voters over Republicans, and have been adding to that advantage through a robust field operation, are pollsters over-sampling Republicans?
In a year in which Democrats have a lead of 11 million registered-voters over Republicans, and have been adding to that advantage through a robust field operation, are pollsters over-sampling Republicans?
Monday, September 8, 2008
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Friday, September 5, 2008
How the neo-cons took over the Bush Administration
Neoconservatives
Michael Lind, the Whitehead Fellow at the New America Foundation in Washington, DC, is the author of Made in Texas: George W Bush and the Southern Takeover of American Politics. |
The Weird Men Behind George W. Bush’s War
Who will tutor Sarah?
Who will help VP nominee Sarah Palin get up to speed on foreign affairs? John McCain seems to be comfortable with the Neo-Con approach that has guided Bush and Cheney. Here's what General Wesley Clark says about their plans. Click on it to watch the video.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Lies at the GOP Convention
This is what’s wrong with our politics. At the Republican convention, speaker after speaker just flat-out lied, and our news media isn’t calling them on any of it. YOU CAN’T GET THE STORY FROM THE PUNDITS.
They smeared Barack Obama repeatedly and told lies big and small.
Here’s just a few of them:
- Sarah Palin and John McCain claim that Barack Obama wants to raise our taxes, but the vast majority of families are way better off under Barack Obama’s plan. JOHN MCCAIN ACTUALLY WANTS TO TAX OUR HEALTH BENEFITS!!! Barack Obama’s plan only raises taxes on people with individual incomes over a quarter-million dollars.
- Sarah Palin and John McCain lie and claim that their plan is better for people like us. They don’t cut taxes for us hardly at all, and wipe out that cut with their plan to tax our health benefits!!!! Barack Obama actually cuts middle class taxes to try to restore fairness that was lost under Bush.
- Sarah Palin lied when she said Barack Obama had authored “no major law, not even in the state senate.” This is just a bald-faced lie. In fact, just in the US Senate, Barack Obama passed the most sweeping reform package since Watergate, and reached across party lines to pass, with Senator Lugar, legislation to help keep nuclear weapons out of the hands of terrorists and, with Senator Coburn, legislation to create a revolutionary database that makes government more transparent and accountable.
- Sarah Palin and John McCain continue to lie about Barack Obama’s energy plans. They keep pushing more drilling as the main answer to our problems, when it won’t do anything to lower the price of gas. And then they claim Barack Obama, in the words of Palin, “is against producing [more energy]. Barack Obama is for producing more clean energy and ending our addiction to oil. He has the most comprehensive energy plan of any Presidential candidate in history.
- The Republicans keep attacking Barack Obama’s plans for Iraq, even though the Iraqi government AND THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION just signed an agreement that follows the plan Barack Obama has been advocating for months.
- It’s the same thing on negotiations and diplomacy. Sarah Palin attacked Barack Obama for holding the position that the Bush Administration has belatedly been forced to adopt: holding direct talks with Iran. We’re too strong a country to be afraid of talking to Iraq.
It goes on and on. I’m tired of the lies. www.truthfightsback.com
They smeared Barack Obama repeatedly and told lies big and small.
Here’s just a few of them:
- Sarah Palin and John McCain claim that Barack Obama wants to raise our taxes, but the vast majority of families are way better off under Barack Obama’s plan. JOHN MCCAIN ACTUALLY WANTS TO TAX OUR HEALTH BENEFITS!!! Barack Obama’s plan only raises taxes on people with individual incomes over a quarter-million dollars.
- Sarah Palin and John McCain lie and claim that their plan is better for people like us. They don’t cut taxes for us hardly at all, and wipe out that cut with their plan to tax our health benefits!!!! Barack Obama actually cuts middle class taxes to try to restore fairness that was lost under Bush.
- Sarah Palin lied when she said Barack Obama had authored “no major law, not even in the state senate.” This is just a bald-faced lie. In fact, just in the US Senate, Barack Obama passed the most sweeping reform package since Watergate, and reached across party lines to pass, with Senator Lugar, legislation to help keep nuclear weapons out of the hands of terrorists and, with Senator Coburn, legislation to create a revolutionary database that makes government more transparent and accountable.
- Sarah Palin and John McCain continue to lie about Barack Obama’s energy plans. They keep pushing more drilling as the main answer to our problems, when it won’t do anything to lower the price of gas. And then they claim Barack Obama, in the words of Palin, “is against producing [more energy]. Barack Obama is for producing more clean energy and ending our addiction to oil. He has the most comprehensive energy plan of any Presidential candidate in history.
- The Republicans keep attacking Barack Obama’s plans for Iraq, even though the Iraqi government AND THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION just signed an agreement that follows the plan Barack Obama has been advocating for months.
- It’s the same thing on negotiations and diplomacy. Sarah Palin attacked Barack Obama for holding the position that the Bush Administration has belatedly been forced to adopt: holding direct talks with Iran. We’re too strong a country to be afraid of talking to Iraq.
It goes on and on. I’m tired of the lies. www.truthfightsback.com
Vanity Fair: Laura and Cindy are mega-rich
One of the persistent memes in the Republican line of attack against Barack Obama is the notion that he is an elitist, whereas the G.O.P. represent real working Americans....
It caught our attention, then, when First Lady Laura Bush and would-be First Lady Cindy McCain took the stage Tuesday night wearing some rather fancy designer clothes. So we asked our fashion department to price out their outfits.
Laura Bush
Oscar de la Renta suit: $2,500
Stuart Weitzman heels: $325
Pearl stud earrings: $600–$1,500
Total: Between $3,425 and $4,325
Cindy McCain
Oscar de la Renta dress: $3,000
Chanel J12 White Ceramic Watch: $4,500
Three-carat diamond earrings: $280,000
Four-strand pearl necklace: $11,000–$25,000
Shoes, designer unknown: $600
Total: Between $299,100 and $313,100
Wow! No wonder McCain has so many houses: his wife has the price of a Scottsdale split-level hanging from her ears.
(All prices except Laura’s shoes and Cindy’s watch are estimates, and the jewelry prices are based on the assumption that the pieces are real.)
Hoping for a lower abortion rate? Here's how.
New Study on Abortion Reduction (by Mary Nelson)
The heated abortion debate has up to this time been focused on legal measures. A new study commissioned by Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good concludes that government social spending and economic conditions do more to reduce abortions than legal strategies such as parental consent laws.
Joseph Wright (Penn State University) and Michael Bailey's (Georgetown University) examined the dramatic drop in abortions in the 1990s. The results are significant. States that spend more generously on nutritional supplement programs, for example, could see up to 37 percent lower abortion rates. Other factors such as cutting welfare more slowly and higher male employment rates had a 20 to 29 percent reduction rate.
The negative approaches don't seem to work. Welfare caps on children born while on welfare and laws requiring parental consent for minors have only negligible impact. The study concludes that "pro-family policies reduce abortions."
Both Republicans and Democrats should take note. The authors estimate that increased welfare payments and less Medicaid funding for abortions could lower the current abortion rate by 37 percent.
Mary Nelson is president emeritus of Bethel New Life, a faith-based community development corporation on the west side of Chicago. She is also a board member of Sojourners.
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