- Martin makes the point I’ve been making about Fannie and Freddie… that this does not constitute a government takeover or government growth at all, for that matter, since they were governmental creations in the first place. And Billy responds. The point I’ve been trying to make, though… we need to focus on Fannie and Freddie’s problems as governmental malfeasance, and corruption, not as just an issue of the growing state. Free Market individualism was never a part of this situation, guys. That lack is exactly what allowed the kind of nonsense that went on in those two places for the last decade. That, and a Democrat run congress unwilling to rein in it’s own, who went well over the line of public service into the area of serving themselves, and their political friends.I may get into this further over the weekend, but the real truth here is that Fannie and Freddie have been patronage playgrounds for Democrats for at least the last decade, (Can you say ACORN as an example?) and Democrats pushed back every time Republicans in congress tried to get them back under some semblance of control. This malfeasance is exactly why Paulson’s response was needed, in the end. That’s exactly the case Byron York makes today. Note the difference, too, of responses of each party to the problem. Both McCain and Obama say the bailout was needed, but while McCain wants to break up Fannie and Freddie into smaller groups with ore oversight, Obama wants to simply bail them out. It’s my view that the Republicans need to focus mre on this issue; A decade of corruption leading to a $B200USD bailout, landing squarely on the feet of the Democrats would play large in this next election.
- YetAnotherJohn wins first place in the OTB Caption contest, as well as an Honorable Mention, and wins the award, plus a little something extra in his payceck this week. (Don’t eat it; it’s for the rats.)
- Did you see this? Apparently, Al Qaeda is blaming Iran for working with the United States. OK, some disconnection, here, I think. Mostly at the neck.
- It appears the Democrats are regaining the long sought after ‘Wimp factor’. Not that they ever really lost it. Frank James over at The Swamp points out:
Greenberg, Quinlan, Rosner has just released (…over the weekend…-Ed), a survey that indicates that voters perceive Republicans once again as far and away better on national security issues than Democrats.
Forty nine percent of those surveyed thought Republicans were better on national security while 35 percent thought Democrats better. When it came to combating terrorism, 48 percent thought Republicans superior to Democrats while 33 percent gave Democrats the advantage.
According to the Greenberg study researchers:
The national security credibility gap is returning. Old doubts about Democrats on security, after diminishing during 2006-2007, have begun to re-emerge: concerns that Democrats follow the polls rather than principle; that Democrats are indecisive and are afraid to use force; and that Democrats don’t support the military. Because these weaknesses are longstanding and deeply ingrained, and because Republican weaknesses are newer and do not yet have a label associated with them, Republicans continue to win on many security issues.The Greenberg poll, done for the think tank Third Way, echoes a recent NBC/Wall Street Journal poll which found a large lead for Republican Sen. John McCain over his Democratic rival Sen. Barack Obama, with McCain holding a ten point lead over Obama on the question: who would be better on the Iraq, a 25 point lead on the handling of international crises and a 28 point lead on being better able to handle terrorism.
It does seem clear that however many accolades get tossed in the direction of the Obamessiah, the American people have not, at least, as a whole, forgotten the one vital lesson that 9/11 taught us.
- Zogby says McCain now leads, following the convention. A smallish bounce to be sure, but one several times the size of what Obama got. The difference, of course, was the pick of Sarah Palin. And that difference will likely be enough, on the face of it, for a Republican White House come November.
- The first day since de facto nationalization of home financing in this country? No, Billy, that happened the days that Fannie and Freddie were created. What you’re seeing is merely the first consequences of that creation. There was never any real influence of free market values in any of it. Indeed, it’s very purpose was to allow some ‘protection’ from it.
- Long time readers will know I have a special place in my logical mind, and in my heart for Doctor Charles Krauthammer. However, I think he’s got this oneon McCain’s pick of Palin, dead stinking wrong. The message, is the issue… not the messenger.
Doctor Krauthammer
The gamble is enormous. In a stroke, McCain gratuitously forfeited his most powerful argument against Obama. And this was even before Palin’s inevitable liabilities began to pile up — inevitable because any previously unvetted neophyte has “issues.” The kid. The state trooper investigation. And worst, the paucity of any Palin record or expressed conviction on the major issues of our time.
First of all, just about all those issues are answered. It amazes me, that he’s not seen this. Granted, the Democrats have kept up those questions but that exposes weakness on the part of the Democrats… even after being disproven, they stick with the anti-Palin memes because they have nothing else to go on. Secondly, and as such, I can’t for the life of me understand what he’s worried about. His worries, seem to me focused on the idea that her record is thin and that there are questions being raised by the Democrats on various scandal laden points, such as, again, I listed in last night’s Ramble. All of them… each and every attempt by the Democrats at scandal, has been left as the stable floor covering it started as, and Palin has come out of each one, head high. Clearly, there is far more than just star power in Palin.
- The Palin factor is so strong in fact, that opponents in the press are starting to wonder if it’s not Palin /McCain. Frankly, I’m not worried either way. And you know, for all the complaints about how she’s not ready for the office, and all the feces the chimps can throw… as I listed in yesterday’s Ramble… the American people… you know… the voters, have already figured out that she is. Which of course is the reason for the frothing at the mouth Democrat desperation.
- Matt Weaver over at No Quarteractually puts together a nice piece. on Obama/Ayers. Now, it’s true that No Quarter is not to be fully trusted, being in the tank solidly for the Clintons, and having had a history of going over the line of truth for that end. Still, there’s much in this article to commend it; Enough to almost make you forget who you’re dealing with. However, as with Krauthammer, we should listen to the message, and judge each accordingly, even in the situation of mistrust which Johnson engenders. As such, one can only agree when Weaver looks at the list of lies coming from Obama and concludes:
Fairly or not, Chicago has a long reputation as a corrupt political city. It is increasingly clear that Barack joined and became a willing partner in this corruption. The families, organizations, and businesses involved enriched themselves off of the private and public funds that Barack controlled. That Barack Obama lied and continues to lie about his relationship with Bill Ayers is a smokescreen and the tip-of-the-iceberg about the depth of his involvement in what are, or may be, corrupt practices among these people and their organizations.
Again, the message, not the messenger. If the message didn’t mesh so well with other things we know about Obama, I’d not give it a second glance. As it is, I don’t think we can ignore it.
Tags: Barack Obama, combating terrorism, credibility gap, Democrat, Doctor Charles Krauthammer, Doctor Krauthammer, Frank James, greenberg quinlan rosner, John McCain, Johnson, Matt Weaver, national security issues, NBC, nbc wall street journal poll, Nightly Ramble, Quinlan, Republican, Sarah Palin, Sen. John McCain, street journal poll, The Clintons, wall street journal
