Who Makes More Sense on Iraq?

Barack Obama held his first press conference today in Amman, Jordan in which he acknowledged that he has some differences with General Paetreus in terms of the Iraq timeline for withdrawal. The Popular Message of Barack Obama I don’t think that I’m pointing out something new by saying that in general, the consensus of the American people is that we need to start pulling out of Iraq. (In fact, I dare say some would argue we should’ve been pulling out of Iraq a long time ago.) I personally think that this is one reason that Obama is so popular and … Continue reading →

Hey New Yorker: A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words

If you have no idea what my title means then dare I say you have not been paying close enough attention. This week, The New Yorker published a cover cartoon that depicted Obama in Muslim garb and Michelle with a machine gun. Yes–it really did. I have to be honest and say that I can’t quite wrap my brain around that editorial decision. A Picture Really Is Worth a Thousand Words Imagery is far more valuable in communicating a message than what you actually say thus the expression, a picture is worth a thousand words. It’s why propaganda always has … Continue reading →

Obama and the Economy

Obama on the Economy We’ve been talking in the politics blog about Phil Gramm and his comment that America is simply a bunch of whiners. We took a look at how McCain distanced himself from his long time pal. For Obama, Gramm’s comments have given him opportunity to talk tough on the economy and talk about what he’ll do differently then his opponent. There is Little Doubt We Are in a Recession Obama says that despite the fact that we are seeing slowed growth as opposed to negative numbers (those negative numbers being the technical definition of a recession), there’s … Continue reading →

Mr. Gramm, the Economy, and the Sensible Response

The economy is the number one issue on the campaign trail. . .or so the media tells us. We all care deeply about our homes, our jobs, and our families. Makes sense. We all care deeply about the economy and how to get it back on track and out of this recession. . .or so the media tells us. Since the issue is so important, I’ve decided to dedicate today on talking a bit more about the economy, starting with Gramm’s gaff. The Economist Talks About the Economy Phil Gramm, one of McCain’s top surrogates, a former presidential candidate and … Continue reading →

The Iranian Missile Crisis

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran is making a statement. In fact, he’s been making statements for quite some time now. Despite repeated warnings from other countries, Iran continues to develop its nuclear program and test fired missiles that have the capability of reaching Israel, among other Middle Eastern states. Why Is Iran So Dangerous? My disclaimer to this is that I don’t have the time or space to explore all the issues in the Middle East. Frankly, we could write books and books and still probably not cover all the bases. However, the BIG issue that everyone is talking about … Continue reading →

Do We Spend Too Much on the Iraq War?

No doubt, Iraq is a hot topic right now. With more than half of the country wanting us to pull out yesterday it seems, well wrong, that congress could pass a bill of that magnitude when so many voters are against the Iraq war. What the Bill Does The bill provides expanded benefits for military veterans as well as providing monies for college tuition for military veterans. It also provides $2.7 million dollars in flood relief to help victims of the recent flooding in the mid-west. The spending will bring the grand total to $650 million that the U.S. Government … Continue reading →

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Campaign Finance

Subtitle: Broken System or Broken People? McCain remains committed to the public funding for campaign finance. Most voters would like to do away with it. Obama did away with it. McCain can’t do away with it legally. Obama broke a promise. And I’m still not sure if the system is really broken. Obama’s decision to eliminate public campaign finance was historic. No major party candidate has ever done that before. While his people and McCain’s people supposedly sat down to hammer out an agreement, one of Obama’s lawyers said it was clear, they would not be able to come to … Continue reading →

Obama and McCain on the Economy

Polls show that the number one factor on Americans minds right now is the economy. Inflation is outpacing the national average for our pay raises. Unemployment is up, families are losing their homes, and more importantly, consumer confidence is down. The number one question we’re asking right now according to many polls, is what will the new president do to fix the economy. Yes, the economy is on our minds ever more so than bringing our troops home. Given that, I thought it appropriate to look at both McCain’s and Obama’s discussion of economics and how we’re going to ameliorate … Continue reading →

McCain’s Problem with Evangelicals

I thought for today, it would be appropriate to focus on the Republican side of this race for just a few minutes. You might be wondering if Evangelicals (you know, that super conservative, right wing, one issue type of voter) really makes up a significant portion of the voting block. While we saw Democrats come out in droves for the recently ended primaries, I would posit that last election it was unprecedented numbers of those who identify with that Evangelical sect that re-elected President George W. Bush. They are, to say it bluntly, a critical voting block in the Republican … Continue reading →

Is America Ready for a Black President?

Every time Hillary wins a primary or caucus, (like yesterday’s Puerto Rico landslide win) the question of Obama’s “electability” arises. Political journalists are talking about whether race is an issue for Barack Obama. While Clinton has never out and out mentioned race as a factor in the Presidential election, when she talks about herself being more “electable” than Barack Obama–I think it’s fair to assume that his race is perceived by some as a disadvantage. Certainly the journalists that spin the political news for us have suggested it. Shame On Us I have to say that I thought the answer … Continue reading →