DOCUMENTATION: John McCain IS a third Bush term on the economy!
Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on July 16, 2008 - 5:02am.
Rapid Response
Hello Everyone:
I definitely believe and the evidence in my opinion very clearly shows that John McCain IS a third Bush term when it comes to the economy!
I am sure that most people have heard about how that Gov. Mark Sanford (R-SC) struggled to find differences between McCain and Bush on the economy last Sunday, July 13 on CNN Late Edition:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ryPQJr1i9J8
Sanford Struggles to Find Difference Between McCain and Bush (3:37)
Added: July 14, 2008
Gov. Mark Sanford (R-SC) on CNN's Late Edition, July 13, 2008
Right below is the CNN transcript of this video but believe me that this YouTube video is much better than the transcript is!
What went totally unnoticed is how that Republican House Minority Whip Roy Blunt proudly admitted on CNN Late Edition back on May 11, 2008 that John McCain's economic policies would be the same as Bush's and would be a Bush third term which Democratic Rep. Chris Van Hollen was very quick to hit home in this interview:
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0805/11/le.01.html
CNN LATE EDITION WITH WOLF BLITZER
Interview With Barack Obama; Interview With Chris Van Hollen, Roy Blunt
Aired May 11, 2008 - 11:00 ET
WOLF BLITZER, HOST: When it comes to domestic economic issues, what is the major difference between President Bush's policies, what he wants to do, and what John McCain would do if he were president?
REP. ROY BLUNT: Well, I think what John McCain wants to do is continue these pro-growth tax policies that our friends on the other side have been talking...
(CROSSTALK)
BLITZER: But that's what President Bush wants to do too.
BLUNT: And there is nothing wrong with that. There is nothing wrong with that.
BLITZER: So it would be in effect a third Bush term when it came to pro-growth tax policies?
BLUNT: It would be. I think it would be. And I think that's a good thing. You can't go out in the country anywhere and find people who believe that doubling the capital gains rate is a good thing, that raising the highest rate on every small business in America is a good thing, that eliminating those bottom brackets, that mean that people at the lower levels of tax pay less taxes than they would otherwise. In fact, I think one of the reasons that the economy has slowed down the way it has is the fact that there's great uncertainty about how those tax policies move forward.
BLITZER: Do you want to respond to that?
REP. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN: Sure. Look, I mean, the Bush economic policies have helped drive this economy into a ditch. The economy has lost $260,000 in the first four months of this year. And John McCain...
BLITZER: 260,000 jobs.
VAN HOLLEN: Jobs in the first four months. And John McCain does represent a continuation of the Bush economic policy, as Roy just acknowledged..."
John McCain's worst nightmare in my opinion will be is when he is asked to be specific about how his economic and foreign policies will be different from Bush's right now. If McCain stays too close to Bush in order to try and keep his Republican activist base, then he will lose more swing voters in the center. If McCain distances himself from Bush too much to try and keep more of the swing voters in the center he needs, then he will lose more of his Republican activist base where Bush is still overall fairly popular!
I would definitely like to see John McCain publicly questioned about Roy Blunt admitting that he will be a third Bush term on the economy. It will be interesting to see if McCain would throw the current House Minority Whip Roy Blunt under the bus like how he did to Phil Gramm!
Mitch Dworkin
http://www.securingamerica.com/
http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/16039
RESOURCES: Speeches, Articles, and Career Highlights to help define Gen. Clark!
Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on July 7, 2008 - 2:51pm.
http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/10756
StopIranWar.com: "War is not the answer"
Submitted by Wes Clark on February 21, 2007 - 11:40am.
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http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0807/13/le.01.html
CNN LATE EDITION WITH WOLF BLITZER
Interview With Mowaffak al-Rubaie; Interviews With Senators Kyl, Dodd
Aired July 13, 2008 - 11:00 ET
WOLF BLITZER, HOST: Are there any significant economic differences between what the Bush administration has put forward, over these many years, as opposed to, now, what John McCain supports?
GOVERNOR MARK SANFORD: Yes. I mean, for instance, take, you know -- take, for instance, the issue of -- I'm drawing a blank, and I hate it when I do that, particularly on television.
SANFORD: But take, for instance, the contrast on NAFTA. I mean, I think that the bigger issue is credibility in where one is coming from on, are they consistent where they come from.
John McCain has consistently stood against earmarks throughout his tenure in the United States Senate. Regrettably, the president has not been exactly busy with the veto pen on earmarks. I mean, there's just one contrast alone. It's particularly relevant...
BLITZER: Let me get back to -- you raised the issue of NAFTA. I don't see -- he's a huge supporter of free trade, John McCain. The Bush administration supports free trade. I don't see a big difference between the two of them on NAFTA.
SANFORD: No, I was going to go to a point -- I was going to go to a point which is, what you would want is consistency with regard to that position.
What I think is more relevant is Obama had said during the primary process we've got to go ahead and redraw NAFTA, and now his comments have been much more tepid post-primary about well, maybe...
BLITZER: That's a major difference between Obama and the president, but as far as NAFTA is concerned, McCain and Bush are on the same page.
SANFORD: They are, for free trade. And if you think it will help our economy, given the troubled economic times that we live in, lining up a bunch of trade barriers, I think it's at odds with reality that has brought about job growth and a lot of economic job creation the last few years.
BLITZER: But beyond the issue of what's called pork barrel spending or the earmarks, is there any other issue, on the economic issues -- whether tax issues, energy issues -- that you see a significant difference between what we've seen in recent years by the Bush administration and what John McCain would do if president?
SANFORD: You could go down a number of different bills. I mean, if you look at the steel bill that went through way back when, you know, Bush and McCain were opposite sides on that one. If you look at...
BLITZER: Well, they were opposite sides early on in 2001 and 2003 on the Bush tax cuts, which John McCain, along with Lincoln Chafee, the only other Republican voted against. But since then, John McCain says he endorses making those tax cuts permanent.
SANFORD: Which I agree with, and a lot of folks across South Carolina and across the nation I think agree with. The issue there is can we get the economic prosperity by raising taxes?
I think it's also relevant, again, if you look at that whole issue of, again, you know, policy, look at the farm bill. The farm bill was a very modest approach where McCain was to try and say we've got to rein in some of this stuff, you know. Obama talks about change that we can believe in, and yet his approach was not to curtail the benefit packages to people who might get as much as -- might be making as much as $2 million in a families household, or $750,000 household in an individual sense, as an individual farmer, Bush and McCain had wanted to lower that to about $200,000. I don't think that you're going to get out of the mess that we're in if you won't even take small approaches to saying we ought to limit subsidies to somebody getting $2 million in income.
BLITZER: Governor, we're out of time, but a quick question -- have you already been asked for the vetting process by the McCain campaign? In other words, have they started asking for some of your tax records and started asking you formal questions? Because you're widely considered to be on that short list.
SANFORD: Generous and kind, but again, I'm just trying to survive the week. I've made it to Sunday and I'm excited about it.
BLITZER: What's your answer, have they asked you for any documents?
SANFORD: No, sir. No, sir.
BLITZER: Not yet. All right. Well, we'll stay in close touch with you, Governor Mark Sanford of South Carolina. Thanks very much for joining us.
SANFORD: Pleasure...
http://thehill.com/campaign-2008/gramm-steps-down-as-mccains-co-chair-2008-07-18.html
Gramm steps down as McCain’s co-chair
By Klaus Marre
Posted: 07/18/08 07:51 PM [ET]
Former Texas Republican Sen. Phil Gramm late Friday stepped down as co-chair of Sen. John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) presidential campaign.
“It is clear to me that Democrats want to attack me rather than debate Sen. McCain on important economic issues facing the country,” Gramm said.
The former senator had been criticized for a remark in which he said that the economic slowdown was a “mental recession,” and that the U.S. was a nation of “whiners.” The campaign of Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) had seized on the remark and used it for a barrage of attacks on Gramm and McCain.
“That kind of distraction hurts not only Sen. McCain's ability to present concrete programs to deal with the country's problems, it hurts the country,” Gramm said. “To end this distraction and get on with the real debate, I hereby step down as co-chair of the McCain campaign and join the growing number of rank-and-file McCain supporters.”
Obama campaign spokesman Hari Sevugan responded by saying: “The question for John McCain isn’t whether Phil Gramm will continue as chairman of his campaign, but whether he will continue to keep the economic plan that Gramm authored and that represents a continuation of the polices that have failed American families for the last eight years.”
and a John McCain presidency would flush it into the sewer.
Hell, a John McCain presidency would flush our whole country into the sewer.
I can't imagine what shape we will be in if McCain gets handed the reins.
The thought of his senility and his wifes plastic, nipped, tucked, and pulled face in the whitehouse is just sickening.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/25695960#25695960 (05:03)
Economy needs ‘magic’ help
July 15: Countdown guest host Rachel Maddow highlights President Bush's answer for lower gas prices-waving his nonexistent magic wand and other bloopers from his press conference on Tuesday.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/25695960#25695960 (05:03)
Here is the link to the official White House transcript of Bush's press conference on July 15 that is under discussion in this video:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/07/20080715-1.html
Press Conference by the President
I wonder if John McCain will try and distance himself from this?
John McCain has been supportive of Bush's Iraq policies as well as his economic policies:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/25695873#25695873 (03:58)
McBush? How similar are Bush and McCain?
July 15: Countdown guest host Rachel Maddow takes a look at the similarities between Jon McCain and President Bush's Iraq policies even though the McCain campaign says the two differ on the direction the war will take.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/25695873#25695873 (03:58)
The frustration of many in this phase of the campaign is real. This series of posts is the best way I know to be inspired to vote for the Democrat this November. I envision a nightmare scenario if this country wants to continue the Bush tradition in the person of John McCain. I fear that he would not be much different than Bush. I am ready to "roll the dice," as Bill Clinton well said, with Obama this time around. A Democratic administration would bring a lot of good people in strong leadership positions, and that would mean a much better chance of getting the country out of the quagmire that the Republicans have given us for almost eight years.
What would John McCain do that is any different from what Bush is doing or from what Bush plans to do about this terrible economic mess?
If McCain cannot credibly answer that question to the voters, then Obama could possibly win the election almost by default. Even I could possibly win the election by default if I was on the ballot with a "D" next to my name IF McCain does not come up with better answers for this that are NOT the same as Bush's answers!
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0807/15/sitroom.02.html
THE SITUATION ROOM
Bush vs Obama: Debate Over Iraq and Afghanistan Continues; Auto Giant G.M. Makes More Cuts; Teen Faces Interrogators at Guantanamo Bay; Will Bush Administration Members Face War-Crimes Charges?
Aired July 15, 2008 - 17:00 ET
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: "General Motors are moving to ensure its very survival in these very tough economic times. Executives announcing some drastic measures, but they're downplaying rumors the company could go under.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT LUTZ, G.M. VICE CHAIRMAN: There has been a lot of speculation on Wall Street among analysts about the possibility of bankruptcy, which we have vehemently denied. Because we are in very tough times with a difficult economic situation and a shift away from trucks to very small passenger cars, we do face some near term liquidity problems.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Let's bring in our senior business correspondent, Ali Velshi.
Ali, how bad off is G.M. right now?
ALI VELSHI, CNN SR. BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Pretty bad, Wolf.
The stock is still under $10. That's almost a 54-year low. And they did this because there were so much talk of the possibility of bankruptcy or G.M. having to pair up with somebody else. This is the world's biggest carmaker. It's iconic.
Now, they are trying to raise $15 billion by the end of next year through various means, including laying off more people -- probably white collar workers this time. And the executives are not going to get any tax bonuses that were not predetermined.
But they're shifting basically from more trucks into more cars. They're going to have 300,000 fewer cars -- trucks in production at the end of the year, adding another 50,000 cars. There is a definite shift. It's consumers who are directing this shift and G.M. is having to sort of catch up, like the other automakers are.
But it is a company in trouble. Today, they're making an effort to try and stave off the talk of bankruptcy and suggest that they might actually be able to make a go of it. But it's still a long time away. The shifts are happening very quickly for these auto companies -- Wolf.
BLITZER: It seems every day we get another one of these huge economic -- these institutions in the United States...
VELSHI: Yes.
BLITZER: ...whether Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, the mortgage lenders, that seem to have so many serious problems. And it just sort of reinforces this notion of jitteriness and nervousness among Americans.
VELSHI: Yes. You've used the right word. You used the right word. Institutions -- that's what has Americans worried -- Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, General Motors. That's what's got people worried about the economy and that's why today you saw President Bush, Ben Bernanke and Henry Paulson, they were all trying to sort of give some sense of the fact that the economy, in their view, will be OK in the long-term. But Americans are worried -- Wolf.
BLITZER: We certainly are.
Ali, thank you.
And, as Ali just mentioned, General Motors is the world's largest automaker, with 284,000 people making cars and trucks in 33 countries. But the company certainly has struggled in recent years and seen its value plummet -- $10 a share, as Ali just mentioned. In April, 2000, G.M.'s stock was at an all-time high, more than $93 a share. It's plunged more than 62 percent this year alone, opening this morning at a 50-year low of only $9.41 a share. After today's announcement, G.M.'s stock rallied a little bit, gaining more than 5 percent.
We're watching this story.
All right. Let's go right to Carol Costello. She's watching a story incoming into THE SITUATION ROOM right now.
What are we learning?
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I'm sorry to follow up with more bad economic news, Wolf. This story just in to CNN. The Associated Press reporting that American Airlines, the nation's largest airline, cutting 200 pilot jobs. It's part of an overall move to cut the airline's workforce by 8 percent as it struggles with soaring jet fuel prices..."
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0807/13/twip.01.html
THIS WEEK IN POLITICS
All the Week's Political News Re-examined
Aired July 13, 2008 - 14:00 ET
TOM FOREMAN, CNN HOST: "The Republicans have a convention coming up. They don't want to be swamped by their own problems but they've got some...
BILL SCHNEIDER, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: And what are they going to do with George Bush and Dick Cheney? They are going to have to show up. But do they want a lot of pictures with Bush and Cheney raising arms with John McCain? I don't think so..."
Bush and Cheney right now are probably about as much help to John McCain as Herbert Hoover would have been for Republican candidates who were running in 1932!
I almost wonder if "something unexpected will come up" where Bush and Cheney may not even attend the GOP convention. Anything that they say can and probably will be used against McCain by Obama and by the DNC!
A lot of discussion on CCN takes a critical look at Obama, which is fine, but not enough takes a critical look at McCain. Thank you.
I always call things how I really see them so people in my opinion definitely need to know the truth about John McCain and how that he will be a third Bush term on the economy!
Those quotes from Mark Sanford and especially from Roy Blunt admitting that McCain will be a third Bush term on the economy were very important for people to be aware of!
Whenever I see John McCain do something wrong, I always call him on it:
http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/16043
REFUTATION: Answers to what the McCain campaign & the RNC said about Gen. Clark!
Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on July 8, 2008 - 2:58am.
http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/11611
Michael Ware calls McCain's comments about Iraq "beyond ludicrous" & "Neverland"
Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on March 28, 2007 - 5:02pm.
http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/11663
TRANSCRIPT & ANALYSIS: John McCain goes Round Two with Michael Ware about Iraq!
Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on April 3, 2007 - 2:46am.
and Bush have on the economy outside of what we already know which is "the exception of McCain being much tougher on pet projects, pork barrel spending."
Mitt Romney shifted the discussion on Obama vs. McCain and for the most part Wolf Blitzer let him get away with it. Outside of "McCain being much tougher on pet projects, pork barrel spending," what actual difference on the economy can you find between Bush and McCain from what Mitt Romney said in this CNN transcript?
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0807/16/sitroom.01.html
THE SITUATION ROOM
Failed Bank Now Being Probed; McCain's Uphill Battle; Challenges of Race in Presidential Race
Aired July 16, 2008 - 16:00 ET
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: "And joining us now, the former governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney, himself a former Republican presidential candidate. Now a strong supporter of John McCain.
Governor, thanks very much for coming in.
MITT ROMNEY: Thanks, Wolf. Good to be with you.
BLITZER: All right. Let's talk about issue #1, the economy, right now.
Obama keeps saying if you like President Bush's economic policies, vote for John McCain, because you're going to get a whole lot more of the same. With the exception of McCain being much tougher on pet projects, pork barrel spending, is there any real difference between McCain and Bush on the economy?
ROMNEY: Well, the answer is, of course. But, of course the greatest differences between McCain and Barack Obama.
But with regards to Bush, first of all, he will cut spending, not just on pork barrel projects, but discretionary accounts will be cut back. He'll also cut back on entitlement excesses. And then he's going to go after our energy policy in a very aggressive way by making sure that we, one, have a cap and trade program, but also, he's going to develop nuclear power, wind power, solar power, additional drilling in this country offshore. It's an entirely different approach to energy, getting us energy independent.
And with regards to trade, he does believe in trade around the world, but trade that's fair, that protects American jobs.
BLITZER: But so does President Bush.
ROMNEY: But the big difference between John McCain and Barack Obama is with Barack Obama. That's where the big difference lies, where Barack Obama wants to raise taxes, John McCain wants to lower them. John McCain, unlike either the president or Barack Obama, has said let's lower taxes on middle-income Americans, $2,700 a year savings by getting rid of the AMT, as well as doubling the personal exemptions.
BLITZER: But Barack Obama says you're only going to be paying more taxes if you make more than $250,000 a year. If you're middle class income taxpayer, you're going to have a cut in taxes. He says McCain will have a bonanza for rich people, he will have a savings for the middle class.
ROMNEY: You know, sweet talk is awful nice, but it doesn't compare with straight talk. And in the case of John McCain, he said, look, the tax changes he's going to put in place are changes to reduce taxes for middle-income Americans. And Barack Obama's been all over with regards to taxes.
But I do understand that he voted this year twice to increase taxes on people making $32,000 a year and above. So he's not a guy who's going to shy away from more government spending and more government taxing. So they come from different places with regards to taxes..."
"the status of Senator Gramm in the campaign of Senator John McCain" which means to me that he and his out of touch ideas are still a part of McCain's campaign:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25662958/
'Meet the Press' transcript for July 13, 2008
Carly Fiorina, Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Harold Ford, Jr., Mike Murphy, Andrea Mitchell
MR. TOM BROKAW: "Ms. Fiorina, what is the status of Senator Gramm in the campaign of Senator John McCain this morning?
MS. CARLY FIORINA: Well, John McCain, after making the statement that you just played, was asked directly whether Senator Gramm would have a position in his Cabinet, and his response was, "Well, perhaps he'd make a good ambassador to Belarus, but I'm not sure the citizens of Minsk would welcome him." I think John McCain's been real clear that Phil Gramm wasn't speaking for him and, in fact, John McCain has said now for many months that he believes the economy is in a recession. It's clear Americans are hurting. It's--they're hurting when they fill up their car with gas; they're hurting when they go to the grocery store.
MR. BROKAW: But the question is will Senator Gramm continue to have a role in the campaign? Will he be listed on the letterhead and will he be in the meetings in which they discuss the economy?
MS. FIORINA: I don't think Senator Gramm will any longer be speaking for John McCain, and I think John McCain was crystal clear about that this week. And I think...
MR. BROKAW: But he...
MS. FIORINA: ...by the way, outside of Washington, where this is an interesting parlor game, I think most Americans are not really focused on what a bunch of surrogates are saying. They're focused on what the candidates are saying. I was in town hall meetings with John McCain all week. Not one question about Phil Gramm. Not one question.
MR. BROKAW: Well, with all due respect, we have you here as surrogates, and we hope that America is paying attention to what you have to say because the campaign is on a broad front.
But let me just play for you what Senator McCain had to say on this broadcast earlier this year in January about the economy vis-a-vis terrorism as an issue when he was questioned by my dear friend, the late Tim Russert..."