The Respectfully Republican Conversation

Yay Jonathan Kay, you said it.

On another note, I've complained about unwanted emails from "friends" wanting to enlighten me. ---- Palin chain letters to forward to another twenty friends.  To avoid any further spiking of my blood pressure---which I can no longer risk.  I've moved  the "friends to my spam box..... I'm sorry it has come to this........but its not worth my health and a stroke.

This morning was about an urgent  write in campaign to stop Palin from appearing at the Ahmadinejad protest and a bunch of additional venom about Palin--that was the last straw.---Spam box!

My Democatic party left me long ago----They traveled way to the left of me and I want no parts of it............I wonder how many are like me out there?  The silent centrists?

This is what it has come to................................

from The Washington Times

Thursday, September 18, 2008
EDITORIAL: The new 'digital brownshirts'

Where is Al Gore when you need him? Three years ago, the former vice president blasted "digital brownshirts" who "harass and hector any journalist who is critical of the president." He meant the mortal threat to the Republic of bloggers and angry Republican e-mailers. But times change, and the digital legions are greater nowadays on Mr. Gore's side. Thus we don't hear much fretting at all about the Obama Action Wire, which, unlike the brownshirts of yore, is actually managed by Barack Obama's campaign to muzzle critical media.

Here's how it works. A message goes out over Barack Obama's Web site with the names, phone numbers and e-mails of editors and producers foolish enough to host Obama critics. With Mr. Obama's extensive digital following, and his extensive fund-raising and contact lists, shutting up the Democratic nominee's critics with a fraction of Mr. Obama's millions of supporters is relatively simple. The digital legions plug phone lines, crash servers and intimidate the advertisers of these media outlets. This must be another instance of the "new" politics that Mr. Obama frequently talks about.

The latest incident, reported in the Chicago Tribune, "orchestrated a massive stream of complaints on the phone lines of Tribune Co.-owned WGN-AM in Chicago. "The offense: The station hosted National Review's David Freddoso, author of 'The Case Against Barack Obama: The Unlikely Rise and Unexamined Agenda of the Media's Favorite Candidate,' a fair and rigorous but adversarial examination of Mr. Obama's record. Surely, we can't have any of that.

"The Action Wire serves as a means of arming our supporters with the facts to take on those who spread lies about Barack Obama and respond forcefully with the truth, whether it's an author passing off fiction as biography, a Web site spreading baseless conspiracy theories or a TV station airing an ad that makes demonstrably false claims," Obama spokesman Ben LaBolt told the Tribune.

How Orwellian. Mr. LaBolt defends the very actions that prevent WGN-AM and others from airing the facts, as though obstructionism is an "airing of facts."

Note to the Obama campaign: Informed observers don't get "the facts" only from a political campaign. They read and listen to the independent media outlets - the same outlets the thin-skinned Mr. Obama is currently trying to quash. 

Chris Lehane, one of the Democratic Party's fiercest operatives, who worked in the Clinton White House and left John Kerry's campaign, reportedly, because it wasn't aggressive enough, said he saw "parallels" between Clinton's war room and the Obama campaign.

Both, he said, believed "that if you got into a knife fight in a telephone booth, you made sure you brought a gun." (On June 13 in Philadelphia, Mr. Obama had said much the same thing: "If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun.")

Ladies, I have listened to sooooo much spin that I am literally dizzy.  Susie, does that mean my BP is up.

Susie, why does "this friend" of yours continue to send you pro-Obama emails when the friend knows you are not voting for him NO MATTER WHAT!?  Ihear what Obama says thus, I don't need anyone trying to persuade me differently.  I don't send emails to those who have made up their minds about who they are voting for..that is, if they are pro-Obama.  I send my repub friends a few emails to "enlighten" them in case they haven't "heard."

Now we have Biden saying that raising taxes on the "rich" is patriotic.  You CANNOT spin that.  But, they're trying to spin it anyway.  I don't call it "patriotic."  I call it REDISTRIBUTION. 

Shirley---I had the most bizarre set of BP symptoms----A red hot burning ear---splotches on my chest and perpetual toothache in a tooth that had been pulled radiating into my head............I have to monitor it every day and treat accordingly......................The RSD has made my autonomic nervous system hypersensitive to blood pressure swings and it overshoots in both directions. At least I have a clue now how to recognize it.

Dizzy was one symptom I missed, thankfully...... LOL   ----had enough dizziness with the anticonvulsants I needed to discontinue............

Hi Shirley,

 Guess I should try to "watch my words" better.  Or be more direct.  I try to watch both the right and left shows ... kind've find a balance somewhere in there.  I watched Bill Mahr the other night and he had Rosanne Barr on.  I couldn't stand it. 

As far as reading political blogs .. I check out the writer and decide for myself if I think the blogger is a nut or not.  Also try to check the factchecker sites as well.  Then take it all with a little grain of salt.  :-)

Since my candidate isn't in the race, I still haven't decided what to do.

Bren

I'm still fuming over "white female marginals"!!!

Summer, I was referring to Heather Mallick's snide, patronizing essay:

"Think, Heather, think like a Republican! The Skeptics, shall I call them, are my base, and I'll pander to them as ardently as the Republican patriarchs tease their white female marginals."

Our Economy: "The Foundation"

By SusanUnPCcloseAuthor: SusanUnPC Name:
Email: susanunpc@gmail.com
Site: http://noquarterusa.net/
About: See Authors Posts (1356) on September 17, 2008 at 11:15 AM in Barack Obama, DNC, Economy, Federal Lobbyists, Housing Crisis, Lynn Forester de Rothschild, McCain/Palin 2008, Media Bias, Sexism

Below is John McCain's powerful new TV ad which will run nationally. It's especially timely because of the dire news reports as well as Larry Johnson's cut-the-baloney-Barack post below that reveals that Obama is really nothing more than Wall Street's go-to guy - and has gobbled up far, far more large amounts of lobbying money from Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, Lehman Brothers, and AIG. Larry's devastatingly factual post filled me with disgust at Barack Obama and particularly his followers who've lost all common sense and any capacity for objective scrutiny.

Last year, I concluded, from his patterns of behavior and the kind of people he takes money from, that Barack Obama is about two things: (1) Money and (2) Winning. Obama's ruse in using words like "ethics" and ideas like "populist reform" are just campaign fodder for those rapturous rallies that, for reasons that escape me, hypnotize his devoted followers.

I don't think it's any accident that Lynn Forester de Rothschild chose today to endorse McCain/Palin, as Uppity Woman reports. This close friend of Hillary's, and one of her stalwhart fundraisers, is also a savvy, hugely successful businesswoman and attorney. Please read the story at Portfolio about this "woman of major means" whose prescient business ventures and the "sale of cleverly acquired wireless broadband licenses" made her worth more than $100 million before she met her husband.

I'm guessing, but I will wager that Lady de Rothschild knows that Barack Obama isn't up to the job of steering our economy through these rough waters, and that she has been convinced that John McCain and team can do it better. (I.e., while she has frequently spoken eloquently about issues we've emphasized here - the sexism and "gaming" of the primaries against Hillary - I have a hunch the economic crisis factored into her decision to endorse McCain/Palin today.)

As a woman who was appalled by the treatment of Hillary Clinton by the media, by "liberal" bloggers who viciously attacked me and every Hillary supporter, and by candidate Obama and his surrogates with their below-the-belt attacks on both Clintons, I pay particular attention to the opinion of an influential and heretofore-dedicated Democratic party member like Lady de Rothschild who worked tirelessly for both Hillary's campaign and for the party. She attended the now-infamous DNC Rules & Bylaws Committee meeting where she was the most eloquent voice at the microphone urging the RBC to consider caucus reform. (I wish I had the video of her remarks that day.)

Barack Obama Has Called For Higher Income Taxes, Social Security Taxes, Capital Gains And Dividend Taxes, And Corporate Taxes, As Well As "Massive New Domestic Spending." "Obama's transformation, if you go by his campaign so far, would mean higher income taxes, higher Social Security taxes, higher investment taxes, higher corporate taxes, massive new domestic spending, and a healthcare plan that perhaps could be the next step to a full-scale, single-payer system. Is that what most Americans want, someone who will fulfill a Democratic policy wish list?" (James Pethokoukis, "Barack Hussein Reagan? Ronald Wilson Obama?" U.S. News & World Report's "Capital Commerce" Blog, www.usnews.com, 2/12/08)

· Barack Obama Would Raise Income Taxes. Obama: "[I] would roll back the Bush tax cuts for those making over $250,000." (Sen. Barack Obama, CNN Democrat Presidential Candidate Debate, Manchester, NH, 6/3/07)

· Barack Obama Would Raise Capital Gains And Dividend Taxes. "Sen. Obama wants to raise the long-term capital-gains rate for families making more than $250,000 to around 20 percent or somewhat higher but not above the 28 percent level it reached during the Reagan presidency, an Obama economic adviser says. The same rate would apply to most dividend income for these investors." (Tom Herman, "Tax Report Your Tax Bill: How McCain, Obama Differ," The Associated Press, 6/18/08)

· Barack Obama Would Raise Social Security (Payroll) Taxes On Families. "Obama's proposal ... would impose social security taxes on income above $250,000 per year. He would continue to exempt income between $102,000 and $250,000 from social security taxes." (Teddy Davis, Sunlen Miller, and Gregory Wallace, "Obama Kisses Billions Goodbye," ABC News' "Political Radar" Blog, blogs.abcnews.com, 6/18/08)

· Barack Obama Has Called For A Tax On Coal And Natural Gas. Obama: "What we ought to tax is dirty energy, like coal and, to a lesser extent, natural gas." ("Q&A With Sen. Barack Obama," San Antonio Express-News, 2/19/08)

· Barack Obama Has Called For A Tax On Oil. Obama: "I think it is appropriate for us to impose a windfall profits tax on our oil companies." (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks At A Campaign Event, Charlotte, NC, 5/2/08)

· FactCheck.org: "Obama's Votes Indicate A Willingness To Raise Taxes." "Certainly Obama's votes indicate a willingness to raise taxes, and Obama has not been shy about saying explicitly that he will raise some taxes." ("The $32,000 Question," FactCheck.org, http://www.factcheck.org, 7/8/08)

JOHN MCCAIN: I'll reform Wall Street and fix Washington. I've taken on tougher guys than this before. ANNCR: Change is coming. John McCain. JOHN MCCAIN: I'm John McCain and I approve this message.

· John McCain: "And Under My Reforms, All Aspects Of A CEO's Pay, Including Any Severance Arrangements, Must Be Approved By Shareholders." "In times of hardship and distress, we should be more vigilant than ever in holding corporate abuses to account, as in the case of the housing market. Americans are right to be offended when the extravagant salaries and severance deals of CEO's - in some cases, the very same CEO's who helped to bring on these market troubles - bear no relation to the success of the company or the wishes of shareholders. Something is seriously wrong when the American people are left to bear the consequences of reckless corporate conduct, while the offenders themselves are packed off with another forty - or fifty million for the road. If I am elected president, I intend to see that wrongdoing of this kind is called to account by federal prosecutors. And under my reforms, all aspects of a CEO's pay, including any severance arrangements, must be approved by shareholders." (John McCain, Remarks, Washington, D.C., 6/10/08)

· John McCain And Governor Palin Will Reform Our Mortgage And Financial Markets. "Fixing Fannie and Freddie, and reforming our mortgage and financial markets, is critical to getting the housing market and the entire economy moving again. A great deal of the savings and wealth of American families is wrapped up in the value of their homes. A house has traditionally been the wealth-building course to retirement. The housing industry employs millions of Americans. One of us, John McCain, said over two years ago, ‘If Congress does not act, American taxpayers will continue to be exposed to the enormous risk that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac pose.'" (John McCain and Governor Sarah Palin, Op-Ed, "We'll Protect Taxpayers From More Bailouts," The Wall Street Journal, 9/9/08)

· John McCain And Governor Palin Will Address The Role Speculation Is Playing In Energy Prices. "Congress already has investigations underway to examine this kind of wagering in our energy markets, unrelated to any kind of productive commerce, because it can distort the market, drive prices beyond rational limits, and put the investments and pensions of millions of Americans at risk. John McCain believes that where we find abuses, they need to be swiftly punished. To make sure it never happens again, we must reform the laws and regulations governing the oil futures market, so that they are just as clear and effective as the rules applied to stocks, bonds, and other financial instruments." (McCain-Palin 2008, "John McCain's Lexington Project: A Comprehensive Plan To Break Our Dependence On Foreign Oil," Press Release, 6/25/08)

· John McCain Fought For Financial Transparency In Stock Option Expensing. "U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) today offered an amendment to the Accounting Reform Bill that would require companies to record the stock options that they grant to their employees as an expense on their financial statements. His floor statement follows: ‘Mr. President, I rise today to offer an amendment that requires companies to record the stock options that they grant to their employees as an expense on their financial statements. If companies want to claim these expenses as a deduction for tax purposes, they ought to be noted as expenses on a company's income statement. We must end the double standard for stock options.'" (Office Of U.S. Senator John McCain, "We Must End Double Standard For Stock Option," Press Release, 7/11/02)

· John McCain Has Long Fought For "Transparency Of Our Financial Markets." "As the incoming Chairman of the Commerce Committee, I plan to conduct rigorous oversight over those aspects of corporate governance that fall under the panel's purview. I also plan to pursue further reforms that are desperately needed such as expensing stock options. We have an obvious, pressing obligation to investors to ensure the transparency of our financial markets. Reform is a process. It is not a one-time fight." (Office Of U.S. Senator John McCain, "McCain Declares Reform Crusade Continues," Press Release, 11/14/01)

One of the major moves by Paulson today not discussed much is the ten day (-maybe more)  suspension of short selling of stocks.....

They really need to reinstate the Uptick rule to help market stability............

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Revive Uptick Rule

By INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY | Posted Thursday, September 18, 2008 4:20 PM PT

Regulation: The announcement Thursday that short selling of financial stocks has been banned in Britain is intriguing. We may not want to go that far in our market, but we should at least reinstate the old uptick rule.

Short selling has always been an important part of our securities and commodities markets. It adds liquidity and corrects excesses in euphoric and irrational valuations.

IBD has long believed in the unfettered workings of supply and demand in all asset classes and all markets, but we realize that sometimes targeted market regulation is needed.

Some rules have been enlightened and effective. Others have caused more problems than they've solved. The uptick rule on short selling, part of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, was a good one. It was repealed on July 6, 2007. That was a mistake.

The rule was enacted during the Depression and in response to lessons learned in the crash of 1929 and its aftermath. The intent was to prevent short sellers from accelerating the downward momentum of a security already reeling from a crisis-induced decline.

Quite simply, it required that a short sale be made only at a price "higher than the last different price." In other words, you couldn't short a stock unless it first ticked up an eighth- or a quarter-point.

Over the past decade, critics argued that the uptick rule impeded the process of proper price discovery, especially in our new fast electronic markets. They also note that options and futures markets have no such rule, leading to a disparity with the cash market.

Supporters of the rule (10a-1) argue that it was designed to solve a crisis situation — like fire insurance on the family home, designed to prevent a possible catastrophic loss. It was enacted to address the runs on the banks of 1929 that resulted in part from a total loss in confidence in financial institutions and led to the failures of even strong banks. When depositors withdraw their funds and customers stop doing business with a financial institution, it fails.

More recently, we have witnessed catastrophic declines in share prices of some of our oldest and largest financial institutions. Some have failed. Most deserved to be pummeled for bad risk-management, foolish business practices and disinterested management.

Some say these flawed institutions were troubled, but should not have failed. They contend their ultimate demise came after a cataclysmic decline in their share prices created a crisis of confidence in customers and creditors. Unbridled short selling was often cited.

Whether the ultimate failure of Bear Sterns, Lehman Bros. and others was hastened by runaway short selling of their shares may never be known. Still, the 30% daily plunges in the prices of apparently healthy financial institutions that we've seen in the past few days do make you wonder.

We had similar concerns when we learned of heavy short selling of airline stocks coming out of Europe before 9/11. If terrorists wanted to try to cripple our capitalist system, massive short selling of our equities would no doubt be on their to-do list.

Our equity and credit markets are justifiably suffering from a crisis of confidence that touches all securities. The uptick rule was designed to function best in this environment. The Securities and Exchange Commission, one of our most responsible regulating agencies, is weighing re-enactment. It should move promptly.

Keep the smirking up Joe!

Certainly the Bidenism of the week.....

http://hotair.com/archives/2008/09/19/mccain-ad-patriotic-act/

I am officially out of this debate.  47 days left to election.  I think I never should have gotten involved in this debate, as it is the American people going to the polls in November.

Summer, I'm sorry that you've decided to leave the debate....yes, the American people are the ones to ultimately decide, but you brought such great intelligence and insight to the conversation, and that can never be wrong.  I hope you change your mind--we'll miss you!