McCain Urges Bush To Spend $1 Trillion On Bailout -- Without Congressional Approval

I'm not making this up. John McCain today urged the Bush Administration -- on more than one occasion -- to immediately and uniliterally spend $1 trillion buying up home mortgages.

I was watching live when he made the proposal this morning, and it seemed like such a staggeringly insane idea that I assumed he couldn't be serious. He couldn't think that Bush should just spend $1 trillion without asking Congress for permission...could he?

But then I saw his economic adviser try to back the idea up, and then I saw McCain make the proposal again during the NBC Nightly newscast. So he's serious. He really thinks that Bush should just spend $1 trillion without talking to Congress, without seeking approval, without building any sort of consensus -- without getting any protections whatsoever for taxpayers.

Update: Here's video of him making the proposal on three separate occasions Tuesday.

End update.

::: ::: :::

This is the same John McCain who just a couple of days ago was railing on the $1 trillion price tag of the bailout (when it was actually $700 billion).

But just a few days after railing against the unbridled power of government, McCain now seems to envision the presidency as a dictatorship. He now thinks that Bush should just spend $1 trillion without allowing anyone to ask any questions -- and he supports doing it just one day after the House of Representatives voted down a $700 billion bailout.

This won't suprise anyone on the left. The question I have is this: when are conservatives going to wake up and realize that despite all his bluster about being a conservative, the Republican nominee for president has proposed the single largest expenditure in the history of this nation -- and that he's proposed that it be made without the approval of Congress?

Comments

[OlderBudWeiser]

He is seriously off his rocker. Ironic he has several homes and has a compulsion to advise the POTUS to buy up 1 Trillion dollars of mortages behind the backs of Congress. I hope a lot of people read this post. He' s McCrackpot!

[Whinger]

National Security Presidential Directive/NSPD 51 puts the President in charge of ensuring constitutional government for all three branches of government in the case of a catastrophic emergency. This effectively makes the President a dictator. The directive itself is unconstitutional and ensures constituational government wouldn't exist.

Ah! Now I see wher you're coming from John, and where you're going to!

[Ivygreen]

Read all about it

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article18591.htm

[jacqmac]

Projected McCain 'backtrack' to media questions about $1 trillion statement:
"What I REALLY MEANT TO SAY was that the PRESIDENT could MAKE UP the LOSS that the Stock Market suffered when the bill failed to pass by just sticking it back INTO the Stock Market."

Get it? Bill fails-market tumbles-$1 trillion LOST. It's the fault of a 'partisan' Congress so the President should just act unilaterally and give Wall Street back it's money!

I am going to go on a NICE LONG VACATION AFTER THE ELECTION! I Believe that President Obama should declare Nov. 5 National Regain Your Sanity Day!!

[Smirk]

No POTUS, regardless of his/her party, should ever be able to spend $1 trillion dollars (or its future equivalent) without Congressional approval.

[ljmck]

So now the Republicans have a candidate who has lost his mind, backed up by another who never had one?

Seriously, aren't his many contradictory positions, weird behaviors, and increasingly odd statements an indication of some sort of physiological incident involving his brain? Someone should get this man to a doctor.

Or is it some sort of psychiatric condition, where his compulsion has completely overtaken his judgment? He's irrational.

Are we about to witness a complete implosion? Where are his caretakers? Are his advisors all lemmings, about to jump over the cliff with him--and take us all with him?

Frightening. There is no glee possible here.

[applebutter]

And despite all the warnings, and no matter what other utterly horrifying stuff comes out of the McCain campaign in the coming weeks, ~40% or more of American voters will vote for him.

THAT "my friends" is the scariest thought of all.

[Smirk]

Good grief! And it's no surprise if he envisions the presidency as a dictatorship. He's just following the lead of Bush and Cheney who have done their best to make it one. Once upon a time, most Republicans weren't insane. Too bad it has long since passed.

[karela]

Can we impeach him just in case he gets elected?

[OlderBudWeiser]

Doubtful. If he were to resign, we'd get Palin. If Palin bailed-> Speaker Nancy. Scary when you realize that. He shouldn't get elected and I hope the 40%'rs will smell the coffee.

[Daly]

Mc when did you hatch this idea? You wasted the senates & the presidents time holding your photo ops; never saying a worth word - last Monday you sand the economy was fundamentally strong; Wed you wanted to cancel debates you ran to Washington by way of Katie C, awesome dinner, lying to Letterman and comfy bed - no nightmares of how to pay for mortgage interrupting your sleep an entire 28 hours later you show up and do what? not a gosh darn thing -

Today, today you throw Bush under the bus, Bush has not been the brightest but he is loyal to a fault and his loyalty was misplaced in trusting you, allowing you the chance to shine where you were totally out classed by Obama, he is the one that raised the pointed questions in the meeting you called.

You are insane, and surrounding yourself with an echo chamber of Palin, your camp and deregulation lobbyist all led by Phil Gramm.

Medical records are called for; simply because you have already proven that it is not a honesty or truth are not qualities you take pride in; your worlds "country first" turns into first time this country to end up worse today than we were not just 4 years ago but 8 years ago of course you were around for the depression so it may bring back fond memories but most of us would rather not have that memory.

be gone

[nikz]

He really is losing it! I can't understand voters who are not fearful of a McCain Admin.

[WhoDoUTrust]

There are only two possibilities here. McCain is Sane or He Isn't.

McCain's premise: Bush has the Power, without consent of Congress, to raise $750 Billion for the bailout.
Pros
1. His statement to the Des Moines Register, "If I was Dictator..­." so yes, Dictators don't need permission to act so Bush doesn't either.
2. Of course Bush has the power. They just wanted to allow their buddies in Wall Street to have one last party before burning down the house.
3. Bush was getting bored as a Lame Duck and wanted to give a National Distress Address.
4. McCain suspended his campaign to come back and party, so tomorrow Bush will announce the bailout happened last week.

Cons
1. Every Democrat is slapping themselves! DUH! Why didn't I think of that?
2. If it was such a good idea then why did McCain suspend his campaign at all.
3. Even if he wanted to use the suspension to build suspense over the debate then why didn't he spring this idea during the debate.
4. Why didn't the Republicans just say "We refuse to participate in a vote since you already have the power to solve this crisis".
5. Does this make any sense to anybody out there? Can anybody point to one commentator or analyst who is taking this idea seriously or are they all treating this as an "I can't believe he said that" moment.

[midknightryder13]

I've only gotten 4 hours of sleep in the last two days -- but OMG! I'll have to try and find the NBC video tomorrow. Ye Gods!

[XME]

"I was watching live when he made the proposal this morning, and it seemed like such a staggeringly insane idea that I assumed he couldn't be serious."

Clearly you under estimate McCain's ability to be completely serious about completely irresponsible ideas with no though or planning whatsoever put into them. Every day I'm a little more scared to death at the prospect of a McCain/Palin administration!

[StarryLo]

He does envision the presidency as a dictatorship. Watch the video and please spread it around. He says it very plainly here.

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=videonetwork&maven_playerId=immersiveplayer&maven_referralPlaylistId=b959b1ca832e44b7543c0c1d3b9b6ef23903c7fc&maven_referralObject=873470075

[turboe4truth]

John McCain "I have always aspired to be dictator " He really said this today!!!!!on tape


http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=videonetwork