zoelando's Blog

The Polls:
Currently Barack Obama is holding a 10 point lead in the Gallup tracking poll, 52 to 42. That's up 2 points since the day before.

The Electoral Collage:
The Electoral Collage is also favoring Obama 313 to 157 EV with 68 EVs in the toss up.

Summary:
With 15 days left, and a big endorsement (as far as independents are concerned) from Gen. Colin Powell, the race is trending in Obama's favor. We all expect the race to tighten up near the end.
The McCain campaign has got a new strategy shifting from the terrorist strategy to the socialist one. The problem that the campaign has is that it's too little too late to try and get a consistent message out.
The Obama campaign is running on all four cylinders with the endorsement of Powell, 150 million raised in September, and the momentum on their side. Careful is, as careful does, it what you can expect from this campaign here on out.

This Week on FOX NEWS SUNDAY

First: John McCain becomes defensive. Chris Wallace plays a McCain campaign robo-call advertisement for context. Wallace didn't even suggest that McCain's ad is false, when McCain goes off screaming "that is true, that is true"... crazy President. (0:27)

Second: Chris tries to interrupt McCain to ask him the question that he ACTUALLY wanted to ask. Chris didn't want to argue whether the robocall was true or not, it was all about the ethics and hypocrisy. (0:31)

Third: McCain says "I don't care about Mr Ayers", but then goes off on a rampage about... Mr Ayers. McCain sounds like a mad man, a drunk, Joe-six-pack maybe. (0:37)

Fourth: McCain is talking about John Lewis and then goes back to telling us how true is robo-call about Ayers is. McCain used to be such a good guy, the Happy Warrior. (3:02)



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsLocenvNB0

John McCain is possibly the first politician to ever call a tax break, welfare. So I did a little bit of research on comparable policies and stumbled upon another type of  "welfare" that John McCain and George Bush have advocated for the past 8 years. It's called corporate welfare and I will explain it below.

Corporate welfare is a term describing a government's bestowal of money grants, tax breaks, or other special favorable treatment on corporations or select corporations.

Subsidies considered excessive, unwarranted, wasteful, unfair, inefficient, or bought by lobbying (members of McCain's campaign) are often called corporate welfare. The label of corporate welfare is often used to decry projects advertised as benefiting the general welfare that spend a disproportionate amount of funds on large corporations. For instance, in the United States, agricultural subsidies are usually portrayed as helping honest, hardworking independent farmers stay afloat. However, the majority of income gained from commodity support programs actually goes to large agribusiness corporations such as Archer Daniels Midland, as they own a considerably larger percentage of production.

According to the Cato Institute, the U.S. federal government spent $92 billion on corporate welfare during fiscal year 2006. How's that for a welfare check?

- In consideration of full disclosure, my source was wikipedia

Here are some examples of McCain's corporate welfare initiatives:
More tax breaks for large corporations who aren't asking for them.
Corporate loophole that allow corporations to move their jobs overseas.
That $5,000 healthcare credit, going straight to the insurance companies.
$4 billion for big oil and voting 24 times against alternative fuels.
Privatizing social security and availing those commodities to the Wall Street Fat Cats.
... and more.

After:
10. The Iraq war which was a war of choice and not necessity costing 4,000+ lives.
9. Katrina, where the federal government reacted late costing 300+ lives.
8. 6 years under Bush and Republican congress no increase in the minimum wage.
7. Household incomes for average Americans declined rather than kept up with inflation.
6. A federal deficit when the Republicans started with  a surplus from Bill Clinton.
5. Department of Justice attorneys politicizing the entire institution.
4. Gas prices tripling, decline in American auto making, Anheiser-Busch sold to foriegners.
3. Abu Graib, Guantanamo Bay, compromising our most priceless attribute, our moral authority.
2. 9/11 a horrific moment, as an attack of that magnitude took place on the domestic front by foriegners.
1. No regard for the Constitution of the United States.

I couldn't care less if not one Republican was elected into office this fall.
 It's time to clean house.

How out of touch can the Republicans get? The new buzz word this week is "welfare". They say Obama's tax plan is welfare but when huge corporations are getting bigger breaks, incentives, and credits from the government, than the real workers, it's supposed to be called right. Well I'm going to tell you, that's not right.

It comes down to values – in America, do we simply value wealth, or do we value the work that creates it?
- Barack Obama


John McCain says that Obama's tax cut goes to persons who don't pay taxes... how out of touch? He doesn't understand that the working man's check gets taxed. The working man pays the same sales taxes as the wealthy man. The working man doesn't benefit from the same perks as the wealthy man... that is why the government has to reward work because these employers won't.

So McCain will spend these next few days attacking Barack Obama. They're robocalling about Bill Ayers and trying to distract and scare people. Attacking Obama and trying to destroy him is not going to work this time. The truth is, this election for many people, is not about the candidates.

When I early vote this Monday I'm not voting for a good soldier or an inspirational speaker, I'm voting for myself, I'm voting for Barack Obama.
- Me

So, I came home and flipped to my favorite news station to see none other than Barack Obama on... great interview by the way, excellent questions.
So definitely, Obama will be in O-town this upcoming Monday... I'll bring back some photos for everyone.

The suspense builds, no one knows what is going to happen but reports came out today that retired General Colin Powell will endorse a candidate this Sunday.

Powell is 71, a professional soldier who has advised 3 Republican presidents.
As a four-star general he was national security advisor to Ronald Reagan.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under George H.W. Bush.
And former Secretary of State under George W. Bush.

Powell has supreme national security credentials and appeals to both democrats, republicans, and independents. His endorsement could be a big one so we're keeping our eyes on it.

By the end of the exchange between Barack Obama and Joe the Plumber, I wonder if Joe got a different idea of Barack Obama. It means a lot to a true patriot to have a Presidential Candidate tell you his plans for the future. Joe didn't have much to say though.

If I'm not doing good in a poker game and I need to change my luck, I can either throw money at a hand and see what else can go wrong, or play a literally fiscally conservative few hands for a while... maintain my bank, sit back and control the flow at the table... yeah you have China and France in the game, India, Iran, Mexico and Canada too.

That's the choice that American's will face in the booth. You have John McCain, yeah I'll give it to him, I will feel very SAFE from terrorism with McCain as President. It's just that he threatens our national security in many other ways. There is technology coming out of Iran and China. It's not that they're getting smarter, they're just getting more money.

Cash rules everything around me because if you don't have a lot of money, you're thinking about money. All these corporations based in other countries will have to keep up with the cost of outsourcing here or close down. If the businessCitizens will open small businesses and in place of these huge corporations. American companies earn because the consumer base has money to spend, because they have work to be had. Gentlemen, you have to roll your dice a little different. Relax and get your rhythm for that 7-11.

Joe is thinking, hmmm, money now, money later, money maybe

Now we come back to Joe the Plumber he's now thinking. Okay, I didn't like the past 8 years, it didn't feel good, can I really do 4 more years of that? Nah, he's a changed man.

You can watch the entire exchange right here.

Joe the Plumber says he's a plumber who will be earning $250,000 per year when he starts his plumbing business. He's spooked by Obama's tax plan but...

1. There isn't a plumber in this world making that kind of money, from plumbing alone. Perhaps he's treating the neighborhood to peace-pipes.

2. Joe the Plumber isn't even registered to vote.

3. Joe the Plumber must do celebrity homes or have some special talent because the Bureau of Labor Statistics finds that plumbers make an average of $44,000/year.

4. If anyone is making a quarter million per year they should pay higher taxes, I don't care how they get it.

5. Joe the Plumber doesn't believe in Social Security.

6. Joe the Plumber owes about $1,000 on back taxes and the IRS has issued a lien against him. He could use a middle class tax cut right about now, I bet.

7. Joe "the Plumber" Wurzelbacher the state of Ohio reports, is not licensed to be a plumber.

Who is the real Joe the Plumber?

You have three groups within the republican party. Two of the three will not vote for McCain, one group is expected to vote for Obama, so which one are you?

Fiscal Conservatives, business owners, wealthy investors, and the like. They are supported by media-types such as George Will, Bill Kristol, Kathleen Parker, and Buckley (National Review)... this faction of the republican party has broken from the ranks to vote for Obama. They need the economy on the right-track more than anything.



Evangelicals, the ones that vote because of abortion. They're getting smaller by the day, and are being ignored by McCain and Palin. They wish Bob Dole or Buchanan was running so they probably will sit this one out or vote for Obama because of his high-ground and principle minded campaign.



Social Conservatives, mainly rednecks, racists, and xenophobes. These people are "mad, I mean really mad!" They spew hate, untruths, and all types of nonsense. They're not the smartest of the electorate, they think Obama is a muslim, or an arab, they come up with the most ridiculous accusations. These will be the few that vote for McCain next month.

This is a must see. Obama vs McCain debate similar to the Batman vs Penguin debate.

Some words: I like Sarah Palin. She seems like a cool lady, not the brightest, but she has some good sides to her. She fits in perfectly with her base. But this is sad for her to get booed at a hockey game with her kids. I blame John McCain.

Many fear an Obama Presidency for various reasons, so I'm writing this post to explain to everyone how a President Obama will effect you.

10. A strong economic base. The middle class is the engine of the economy and when the middle class is weakened through disproportionate tax policy the result is more greed coming from Wall Street. Barack Obama plans to make the tax policy fair, giving 95% of American's a tax cut or rebate, to spend here in America.

9. Small business investment. A top priority of Obama's economic plan is to give small business owners access to credit, whether you're a start-up or looking to expand, you will be able to see your dream of starting a business.

8. More jobs in America. Along with number 9, Obama will bring more businesses and jobs to America by closing those shady loopholes that allow businesses to move overseas. America does have the highest corporate tax for domestic companies but this country is special and it is a privelege for any company to do business here. NAFTA's terms will also be renegotiated.

7. Return on investments. We are spending billions of dollars on tuition grants for students who can't afford college educations traditionally. Obama proposes to allow these students to repay some of their tuitions through national service. Fighting fires in California, hurricane disaster relief, and other forms of service are needed and can be answered with this proposal.

6. Global front on terror. Obama's foreign policy is unique to that of Bush-McCain's because he wants to fight terror with the involvement of other nations. Obama has the ability to bring many people to the table to share a common goal. That's why you see Farrakhan and Rabbis both endorsing the same candidate.

5. Transparency. Never before has the nation been so engaged in a Presidential election and it won't end after the election. The true ideals of a democracy can be realized through transparency in government and the ideas that Obama proposes, some of which have already been adopted, will allow for security and confidence in our government.

4. Education a priority. We must upgrade our education policies as often as possible. Obama supports early childhood education, more pay for teachers, and education reform. He, Obama, wants this nation to again be the leader in math, science, and technology, our security depends on it.

3. Envy of the world. You have to admit, Obama is the coolest smart guy you've ever seen. This man of mixed heritage is a perfect embodiement of America. Young, fresh, motivated and of course cool.

2. The American Dream. The world will see Barack Hussein Obama and say "wow, these American's are for real when they say anyone can make it here". With a president Obama this country would have fulfilled its promise that all men are created equal, and the world can learn by example.

1. Hope. With Obama, hope has made a comeback.