Obama Ad: McCain A "Prescription For Disaster"

Barack Obama is out with a new ad Monday morning, eviscerating John McCain for an article he recently wrote calling for the health care industry to have as much regulatory freedom as its banking counterpart.

"We've seen what Bush-McCain policies have done to our economy," goes the script. "Now John McCain wants to do the same to our health care. McCain just published an article praising Wall Street deregulation... Said he'd reduce oversight of the health insurance industry too... Just 'as we have done over the last decade in banking'...Increasing costs and threatening coverage. A prescription for disaster."

The spot, titled "Article" was expected. Ever since McCain's article from the September/October edition of Contingencies Magazine was first re-posted by New York Times columnist Paul Krugman on Friday, Democrats have been chomping at the bits to ram it down McCain's throat. After all, what better way to deflate the idea that the Republican nominee, after years of pursuing deregulatory policies, all the sudden was a champion of government oversight? Or, for that matter, what better way to drive home the notion that McCain would put one's health care - not to mention Social Security - at play in a clearly erratic market.

As such, Obama had been bringing up the Contingencies piece while on the stump. The ad, which will air on cable starting Monday, is the next effort to keep the article in the national conversation.

Comments

[hawkseye]

Now, watch this drive.

[amirtalai]

LOL

[bitabingbitabangbitaboom]

This presidency has been one fat Mulligan

[surfcitysteven]

We need to get this article on pdf and make it viral. Send it out in e-mails so as many people as possible can see how McCain feels about deregulation.

[Sumocat]

McCain has officially lost all footing. Until last week, the "original maverick" proudly claimed he's fought regulation for years, regulation that could have prevented the biggest bailout in U.S. history. That record is now toxic. What's he going to do? Most likely, increase his wager. Watch for him to harden his populist position by railing against the bail out and claiming Main Street shouldn't bail out Wall Street. It will, of course, be as sincere as anything he's said the past few weeks, but that won't stop him. McCain is going all-or-nothing in this election. Expect a slogan like, "No regulation means no bail outs." some time soon.

[jayelo]

Only the terminally naive still believe Obama does not get gobs of money from irresponsible investment entities, corporate interests, foreign interests, special interest PACs and lobbying firms.

[appleknocker]

Unfortunately, I have to agree. The difference is that Obama is still in full possession of his faculties, and apparently retains some sense of decency. In America, that's about the best we can realistically hope for.

[amirtalai]

agreed on both counts

[swift goat pet for truth]

While that may be true, McCain has gotten MORE money and for a LONGER time from MORE PACs and lobbying firms, AND his staff is from those same firms.

[quindy]

Whatever he gets he manages it very well. His campaign is running smoothly financially.

[noneIn2008]

An alternative view
How the Democrats Created the Financial Crisis
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aSKSoiNbnQY0

[outofhere]

The author of this commentary is a McCain advisor so of course it's the Dems fault. If McCain wants to put his money where his mouth is he can sign up w/ Chuck Hagel and others to sponsor the new SB 1100, which will regulate Fannie and Freddie.

Look at this: http://desertbeacon.blogspot.com/2008/09/ultimate-fish-story-john-mccain.html

[protagonia]

McCain/Palin will end life as we know it.

[BPCentrisAmerican]

John boy is a regular Huey Long, one second he’s the caped deregulator and the on the other hand a regulating populist; my head is dizzy, great animation ad. As for McCain’s supporters, they must be really confused, I don’t even think they know what their clapping for, every Republican I know would have liked the former McCain better, yet they didn’t. My take on it is old ideas die-hard and if want to know how he governs just look at his record, not this dog and pony road show. As for dog, no pun intended, really.

[BookDesigner]

Pigs--with or without lipstick--make good pets. They're smarter than dogs.

[Diogenis]

Tell my dog that.

[Susej]

But not kosher

[yorkie]

GOOD MOVE,,O TEAM HAS GREAT ADS AND KNOWS WHEN TO GET THEM OUT!!!! WITH EARLY VOTING MAKING UP NEARLY 30% OF TOTAL TALLY-- O NEEDS TO GET THE BEST BIG ADS OUT MUCH SOONER,,,,THE OLD DAYS OF GOING BIG LATE OCT ARE OVER!! IT'S a strong ad with the facts!!! ONLY THE GREEDY AND EASILY DUPED could possibly back MC GOO AND PALE FACE !!!!! ''HOW MANY TIMES DO YOU HAVE TO BE HIT OVER THE HEAD BEFORE YOU REALIZE WHO'S HURTING YOU??!!!-'''-QUOTE FROM HARRY TRUMAN IN 1948 ,,60 YRS AGO,,,, -- GET OUT THE VOTE---IN 1968 HUBERT HUMPHREY,HHH--LOST TO NIXON BY ONLY ABOUT 1-ONE --VOTE PER PRECINCT !!!!!

[blue235]

yes you are so right! i'm really glad that obama is starting to hit back hard where it hurts. i just hope that americans see this and will finally see that mccain is so not the man for the job.

[StephenDedalus82]

It occurs to me that the bankrupting of the US government is exactly what the Reaganomics ideologues always wanted. If Mc is elected, we'll be so debt-ridden that those evil targets of neocons like social security, welfare, etc. will have to be eliminated. What's happening to our economy is what happens every time the neocons venture to a foreign land and impose their "free" market nonsense on an unsuspecting, unwilling populace. Notice how they attempted to stifle all debate around the bailout--the shock doctrine at work. The bailout might not even work, yet we'll be stuck with the resulting debt. What a perfect time for the voodoo economists to work their magic and turn us into another New Zealand or Venezuela.

Most of this crisis was perfectly preventable, if only the neocon economic religion was called out for the ridiculous, tragic smokescreen it is. If only it were about promoting a utopian ideology, though! That would be bad enough, that they're forcing their unproved economic religion on the rest of us "for our own good." But libertarianism seems nothing more than a moral free pass to the unfettered greed of the few. The common good was never a motive.

[abouttime]

This guy, John McCain, is a disaster!

[GolfingDevil05]

If McCain and Bush had their way at the start of Bush's second term, the Social Security system would have been privatized and in the stock market last week. Those private accounts likely would have lost a substantial amount of its value. That should be the next ad.

[blue235]

his stupid campaign is now denying that mccain was privatizing social security. the campaign is now saying that they were for offering young people the option to put money into an investment account. yeah right. they really think that the american people area all stupid, but some of us are still paying attention.

[blue235]

i meant wanting to privatize, not actually doing it...whoop­s!

[Venom5809]

To all the Republicans out there google or wiki "Keating Five".
See who pops up.

[packerfans]

...and while you're on Wiki, look up Phil Gramm. McCain's economic advisor and his choice to be our next Treasury Sec. Yes, the person in charge of how all of this bail out money will be spent at the end of Bush's term. A leader in the 2000 push for deregulation and a guy so stupid that he had to repeat (I kid you not...) not one, not two but THREE grades in school!!!! God help us all.

[elbzee]

Damned whiney citizens!!!

[dare2tryobama]

I like how he gets him with his own words.

[RReitz]

Looking at his voting record at www.votesmart.com Remarks by John Mc Cain on Health Care on Day Two of the "Call to Action Tour" Date: 04/29/2008 Location: Arlington, VA

Smoking is just one cause of chronic diseases that could be avoided or better managed, and the national resources that could be saved by a greater emphasis on preventative care. Chronic conditions -- such as cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and asthma -- account for three-quarters of the nation's annual health-care bill. Watch your diet, walk thirty or so minutes a day, and take a few other simple precautions, and you won't have to worry about these afflictions. ..... So often it comes down to personal responsibility -- the duty of every adult in America to look after themselves ..........

But for every American who wanted it, another option would be available: Every year, they would receive a tax credit directly, with the same cash value of the credits for employees in big companies, in a small business, or self-employed. ....By mail or online, you would then inform the government of your selection. And the money to help pay for your health care would be sent straight to that insurance provider. The health plan you chose would be as good as any that an employer could choose for you. It would be yours and your family's health-care plan, and yours to keep.

The value of that credit -- 2,500 dollars for individuals, 5,000 dollars for families --

[CamJam]

Do NOT get fooled with McCain's plan:

"Right now you should be yelling, “What?” And demanding to know why you haven’t heard about this before. That is because the media keeps focusing on McCain’s proposed health care tax credits — $5,000 for families and $2,500 for individuals.

McCain certainly wants the attention to stay on those credits. It sounds so much better to be giving families tax credits than tax increases. But what you need to know about those tax credits is that they don’t go to you – they’re to be sent to the insurance companies. You never get actual money in your pocket. McCain says it right on his web site: “the money would be sent directly to the insurance provider.”
http://blog.thehill.com/2008/09/16/mccain-secretly-plans-new-tax-on-middle-class/

McCain’s Health Plan: DOA
http://demockracy.com/mccains-health-plan-doa/

As it is, our family is one hospital visit away from Bankruptcy and we have health care through my husband's employer as of this month, we've already paid out 4,900 on health care via his paycheck that is without even adding in the copays and deductables.

One of our 5 yr old twin son's has Autism. It will be VERY expensive to go out and buy coverage on our own - that is if we will be even able to find it because insurance companies will consider Autism a pre-existing condition.

[RReitz]

I agree, and I posted it because the credits are ridiculous. Is that prescription money for one month in some households or a credit for an emergency room visit? The possibility of him being elected has made my hypertension worse. He has no plan, he is out of touch and because he has health problems, has he followed his own guidelines? What would he do with his own plan or his own paltry credit?

[NoOneSpecial]

Funny and yet always weirdly on target:

"Man Succumbs To 7-Year Battle With Health Insurance"

According to an independent study, health insurance is the nation’s No. 2 killer, claiming the lives of some 400,000 Americans each year.

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/man_succumbs_to_7_year_battle_with