Friday Talking Points [51] -- Some Positivity

While we're all waiting for someone to leak the Palin Troopergate Report (which is reminiscent of waiting for "Fitzmas" during the whole Scooter Libby fiasco), let us take a brief look at the presidential race.

Things are getting pretty nasty out on the McCain campaign trail, it seems. Not much talk of "reaching across the aisle" these days. Now, while anyone with a halfway-decent brain saw this coming, this obviously doesn't include most of the mainstream media. Of course the end of the campaign was going to be nasty. Of course McCain and his minions were going to throw everything they could at Obama. Barack Obama himself knew this was coming. Democrats should have known it was coming. It's the old story of the scorpion and the frog -- McCain is getting nasty because he's a Republican candidate for president. "I'm a Republican, it's my nature," in other words.

Now, if that unfairly slanders some Republican candidates for lesser elections than president who eschew such tactics, then I do apologize. But at the top of the ticket, we have seen this type of thing before. Pretty much every four years, I'd say. So it really should come as no surprise to anyone that this is where we find ourselves.

The only difference this time around is that it looks like it's not going to work. And that is absolutely enraging some McCain supporters. From a Washington Post article titled "Anger is Crowd's Overarching Emotion at McCain Rally":

"No, I'm not mad, I'm pissed," said Joan Schmitz, who owns a plumbing company here. She said she was frustrated with polls showing Obama surging, McCain's performance in a Tuesday night debate, Obama himself, the media, and the liberal group ACORN, which she said was registering voters fraudulently.

Noting Obama's connections with Ayers, she said that "if it was a Republican, it would be nonstop," referring to what she said was the media ignoring the controversial acquaintance.

"I can't stand to look at him, I don't trust him. I don't like the circle of friends he keeps, I don't like his policies," Schmitz said of Obama. "I'm pissed off by it. I'm beyond mad. How is he climbing up in the polls?"

And, ironically enough, the madder and more "pissed off" McCain supporters get (especially when they're on national television), the more independent and uncommitted voters are deciding that Obama looks like the better choice.

Republicans are even setting up their own version of what is going to happen on Election Day -- watch for cries soon after that the election was "stolen" from McCain (note that ACORN reference earlier -- read the full article for an explanation).

So in response to Schmitz' question, Obama is climbing in the polls right now because he isn't being a demagogue. While McCain is. Which turns off the people in the middle -- where elections are always won and lost.

In keeping with this theme, and because I felt sorry for awarding the Most Disappointing Democrat Of The Week award last week to the entire Democratic Congressional delegation, I though this week I'd give them a break and use the Talking Points portion of our program to showcase some good things they managed to get done. But first, let's get this week's awards out of the way.

 

While Henry Waxman was in the running for Most Impressive Democrat Of The Week due to his hearings which grilled some Wall Street fatcats on their fatcattery and fatcatting ways, I noticed that Congress immediately and severely punished them... by handing them an extra $36 billion dollars. So while the hearings were high in sheer entertainment value, the results were not.

No, this week the MIDOTW award has to go once again to Barack Obama. Or, as John McCain likes to call him, "that one." Obama did a good job in the second debate, but more impressive was his astronomical rise in the polls. This really started last week, but shows no sign of abating, and really turned the corner this week. Now, it's a little early to measure the drapes for the Oval Office, but if Obama can just hold on to the gains he made this week, this election is not even going to be close. Of course, any Republican "October Surprise" could turn this right back around, but John McCain looking cranky and angry just isn't going to do it.

He also wins the award for his masterful use of the Keating Five this week. He pulled the gun out of his holster, showed it to McCain, and then slowly put it away again. The newsfolks actually mentioned it for the first time in the entire campaign this week, but Obama (by not driving the point home with a sledgehammer) showed that while he has negative stuff on McCain he doesn't really need to use it at this point. Which, again, appeals to the middle-of-the-road voters.

One more point in Obama's favor was his announcement that he has bought a half-hour chunk of network prime time less than a week before the election to talk directly to the American people. McCain just can't afford a stunt like this, and it could prove to be the most brilliant maneuver in a campaign full of such smart moves.

Barack Obama is indeed the Most Impressive Democrat Of The Week. Well done, Senator Obama!

[Congratulate Senator Barack Obama on his Senate contact page to let him know you appreciate his efforts.]

 

Allow me to preview this award with a movie flashback. From the classic film Casablanca:

Rick: How can you close me up? On what grounds?

Captain Renault: I'm shocked -- shocked! -- to find that gambling is going on in here!

[a croupier hands Renault a pile of money]

Croupier: Your winnings, sir.

Captain Renault: [sotto voce] Oh, thank you very much.

In this week's Ultimate Irony Division of the Most Disappointing Democrat Of The Week award, we have Senator Jay "Rocky IV" Rockefeller, IV, cast in the role of Captain Renault. Rocky IV declared this week that he was shocked -- Shocked! -- to find out the government is abusing the powers he so generously gave them with the various emasculations of FISA, which he had rammed through earlier. I mean, it's not as if the entire lefty blogosphere didn't warn him that ultimate power always ultimately leads to corruption. But Rocky IV takes oodles of money from the telecommunications industry ("your winnings, sir") to pass their pet legislation from the committee he chairs, and now he is going to get to the bottom of all this.

Yeah, right.

I wrote about this yesterday in more detail, but the most amusing line from Rocky IV had to be the following (from ABC News, who broke the story):

The chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), called the allegations "extremely disturbing" and said the committee has begun its own examination.

"We have requested all relevant information from the Bush Administration," Rockefeller said Thursday. "The Committee will take whatever action is necessary."

Um, you'll forgive me if I don't hold my breath waiting for that to happen. This week's Most Disappointing Democrat Of The Week is struck in special honor of Jay Rockefeller, IV, who is now the all-time champion winner of the MDDOTW with a reprehensible six wins. This week's special statuette takes the form of a small golden fox wearing a small golden guard's uniform, sitting in front of a tiny golden henhouse.

For shame, Senator Rockefeller, for shame.

[Contact Senator John D. Rockefeller, IV on his Senate contact page to let him know what you think of his actions.]

 

Volume 51 (10/10/08)

In the midst of an intense presidential campaign, I can get a little partisan and negative here in the Talking Points at times, so I'd like to take a one-week break and instead spotlight a few good things the 110th Congress actually got done. If you're interested in countering McCain's lies out on the campaign trail, there is always the Democratic Party's Count The Lies website (now a wiki!) to glean talking points from (they're up to 128 as of this writing).

But let's focus on the positive, for one week. Here are Talking Points to show that Democrats have actually gotten some things done in the past two years. Of course, there is always room for improvement, but we should at least acknowledge the achievements they did manage to accomplish.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has a much more exhaustive list of these on her website, if you're interested.

 

   Minimum Wage Hike

I am at a loss as to why Democrats consistently hide this shining light under a barrel. This was historic, and directly influenced a lot of people's lives, and yet you hear almost nothing about it -- especially on the campaign trail. Which mystifies me. Democrats should beat this drum loud and long, since they deserve credit for it.

"Democrats in Congress raised the minimum wage from $5.15 an hour, where it had been for a decade, to $6.55 an hour today. Next July, it will rise again to $7.25 an hour. Any American worker making minimum wage is seeing their salary improve over forty percent as a result of Democrats fighting Republican obstructionism in Washington. So remember, Democrats put money in your pocket. Democrats gave some of the hardest-working Americans a 40% pay raise. And Republicans didn't want you to have that money, and fought against it."

 

   New GI Bill

Again, one wonders why this isn't front and center of all Democratic campaigns for all offices. Democrats, led by freshman Senator Jim Webb of Virginia, passed the biggest expansion in benefits for American soldiers of all time. So why aren't they shouting it from the skies, every chance they get? It's a mystery....

"I never want to hear that Democrats don't support the troops ever again from any Republican. Democrats in Congress passed the GI Bill for the 21st Century over loud objections from some Republicans, including John McCain, who called it 'too generous.' You know what? I don't think it's 'too generous' to allow veterans to go to college. I don't think it's 'too generous' to pay a debt to our fighting men and women that can never be truly repaid. Democrats fought hard for the GI Bill, against Republicans up to and including President Bush. But we got it passed, because we consider supporting the troops one of our most sacred duties as elected officials."

 

   Stimulus Package

OK, I fully admit that passing out free money to taxpayers isn't exactly the boldest thing to do in an election year, but still, people need to be reminded who got this passed.

"Remember that $600 that taxpayers got earlier this year? You can thank Democrats for getting that stimulus package through. Now, obviously, it wasn't really enough, but it was a step in the right direction -- a step that Congressional Republicans fought hard against. Democrats put money in the taxpayer's pocket, Republicans fight such stimulus. That's all you need to know on Election Day."

 

   Democrats better on energy

Democrats have actually been getting some things done on energy, although once again, you don't hear about it much on the campaign trail. This one has gotten more exposure than some issues, though, because of the price of gas, mostly. But it needs to be pointed out who has a long-term answer to the problem, and who does not.

"Democrats, over the strong objection of President Bush and Congressional Republicans, managed to get some positive things done on energy. Democrats passed the first hike in fuel economy standards for cars and trucks in a generation. Democrats also saved the tax breaks for green energy that are absolutely necessary to move America off foreign oil and create green jobs for the future -- again, over the loud objections of Republicans. Democrats are planning for America's energy future, when the only thing Republicans have to say on the issue is 'drill, baby, drill.' We can free America from Middle Eastern oil, if the Republicans would only follow when Democrats lead on the issue."

 

   Democrats help Americans pay for college

Education is such a natural issue for Democrats, and Congress actually got quite a few things done on this front. But you wouldn't know it from listening to candidates. Come on, people, this is one of the Democratic Party's strong points! Drive it home!

"Democrats in Congress did everything they could to help Americans afford good education for their children, while all Republicans had to offer was obstructionism and vetoes. Democrats did manage to cut college loan rates in half in the biggest student aid bill in half a century, made sure that the credit crunch didn't affect students needing loans, passed a landmark College Consumer's Bill of Rights which expanded access to college for low-income students and reined in abuses in the student loan industry, and improved the successful Head Start program. If you are a parent who is worried about education costs being too high, there is simply only one party to vote for -- Democrats."

 

   Health care

Once again, a winning issue for Democrats. Some of these laws actually did get some media coverage, but voters need to be reminded of them out on the campaign trail.

"While Democrats tried to expand health care to 10 million children, sadly President Bush vetoed it and enough Republicans in Congress voted with him to deny these children health care. But Democrats did manage to get some positive bills passed into law, including fighting back against the Bush administration's attempts to gut Medicaid, requiring Medicare to bargain for cheaper prices on drugs by lifting the Republican ban on doing so, and ending discrimination against mental health claims by insurance companies. If you want to fix health care in this country, you need to help us get more Democrats elected so we can do so without Republicans being able to block our efforts."

 

   Republicans voted against Mother's Day

And finally, one from the archives (from FTP [31], at the very end). I know this was supposed to be all about Democratic victories in Congress, but this one just begs to be repeated by any House Democratic challenger, as many times as possible.

"Republicans have become so obsessed with obstructionism and so blind to the voters' wish that Congress get something done that they actually voted against honoring Mother's Day. This is a disgrace. The Washington Post ran a story about it with the headline: 'Republicans Vote Against Moms; No Word Yet on Puppies, Kittens.' I mean, what is next? Are the Republicans going to come out against apple pie, too? America deserves better than this. Vote Democratic in 2008. You know why? Because Democrats love their mothers, but apparently 178 House Republicans don't."

 

Chris Weigant blogs at: ChrisWeigant.com

Full archives of FTP columns: FridayTalkingPoints.com

Cross-posted at: Democratic Underground

 

Comments

[Michale32086]

More Voter/Registration Fraud...

ACORN has registered MICKEY MOUSE to vote...

And Democrats are STILL silent on the issue..

Michale.....

[PaxChristi]

By their fruits you shall know them

Disgraced Republican Majority Leader:
Thomas Dale DeLay http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_DeLay

Disgraced Republican Speaker of the House: Dennis Hastert
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20061023/editors

Disgraced Republican Senate Majority Leader: Trent Lott

Replaced by:

Disgraced Republican Senate Majority Leader:
Bill Frisk

The list goes on and on, all of them tied to coruption and being ethicly challanded.

[Michale32086]

For every disgraced Republican, I can post a disgraced Democrat..

For very Republican embroiled in a scandal, I can point to a Democrat embroiled in a scandal. Oft in the same scandal.

For every Republican you can accuse of a dirty deed, I can point to a Democrat who has a dirty deed of their own..

So, can we please drop the "holier than thou" attitude??

It's nothing but irrational and illogical bigotry.

Michale.....

[Dap]

Insight a Kilometer wide and a millimeter deep.

[Michale32086]

Perfect case in point..

Congressman's $121,000 Payoff to Alleged Mistress
Tim Mahoney Elected to Remove 'Ethical Cloud' of His Disgraced Predecessor, Mark Foley
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=5997043&page=1

So....

Anyone wanna tell me again how Democrats are pure as the driven snow??

No??

Didn't think so.. :^/

Michale.....

[Dap]

Yeah, like molestation of children in ones trust, and Congressional Republican leadership covering up the abuse is equal to grown adults having an affair. Brilliant! Rocket scientist eh. ROTFLMAO

[Michale32086]

And now there is MORE Voter Registration fraud in Missouri.

Google "Missouri officials suspect fake voter registration".

And in Houston, 4000 dead people have registered to vote..

Google "Local 2 Investigates Dead Voters"

And at the heart of ALL the voter fraud allegations is ACORN, a Dem advocacy group.

Amazing that Democrats CONTINUE to ignore the voter fraud issue.

Actually, not so amazing. Pretty much par for the course...

Michale.....

[Mildmannered]

If a Democratic government continues to not effectively address our serious problems including energy, healthcare, infrastructure, widening income gap, financial system, etc., etc. because of short-sighted, pandering, ineffective policies, I will seek deeper into my funk. I will also spend much of my time apologizing to my daughters (who are in their early twenties) for the mess we have left them.

I hope that Obama/Biden pans out to be the very different Administration which they have promised to be.

Great Quote from the "American President" which can be adapted to todays' election:

"We've got serious problems, and we need serious people, and if you want to talk about character, Bob, you'd better come at me with more than a burning flag and a membership card. If you want to talk about character and American values, fine. Just tell me where and when, and I'll show up. This is a time for serious people, Bob, and your fifteen minutes are up."

[Mildmannered]

Are no loans going to be available to college students next semester and the following semesters?

[Michale32086]

@CurtisEMayle

}}}}}}}}}}}
All fraud is reprehensible
{{{{{{{{{{

Agreed... But many Dems and many Republicans don't appear to think that way.. Sad, ain't it?

{{{{{{{{
However, there is a clear distinction between registration fraud and voter fraud.
{{{{{{{{{

Again, agreed...

But the issue at ACORN is that they were processing the registrations as legitimate.

THAT would have lead to voter fraud, had they not been caught at it.

And THAT is what is at issue here.

What I don't understand is why voter fraud was such a hot button issue for Dems months before the 2006 elections, even though there was NOTHING in the way of conclusive evidence that it was being committed.

Now, in the 2008 elections, when there is CLEAR evidence that voter fraud is being committed to the benefit of the Democrats, all of the sudden, Democrats want to sweep the issue under the floor.

How can any reasonable or logical person NOT find such actions hypocritical???

Thanx for the rational response. It's refreshing to deal with such issues in an adult and mature manner, rather than in the childish and immature ways that some people discuss things.

Michale.....

[chameleon59]

Actually, my understanding is that ACORN isn't allowed to remove any of the registrations their employees take - to protect them from charges that they're discarding Republican registrations. From the newspaper reports around the country, they routinely flag 'suspicious' registrations when the registrations are turned in because it's the only option they have. For the record, I personally know of a local case where an employee of a local get out the vote effort (my daughter's best friend's boyfriend, in fact) was fired after it was reported that he was falsifying names on registration forms rather than go out and knock on doors as he'd been trained to do. Yes, I reported him after he tried to recruit my daughter to help him fill out registration forms. It all subverts the democratic process and it infuriates me.

[Mildmannered]

registration fraud is terrible too, and if it follows up with voter fraud it is even more terrible -- doesn't matter which party

[Michale32086]

Then you and I are in complete agreement..

Michale....

[Dap]

Sure is funny to watch the "trolls for Obama" (?) create fallacious dichotomy to proffer their arguments, silly trolls.LOL

[Chris Weigant - Huffpost Blogger]

Dap -

I've noticed your comments are back, after a time of no Dap whatsoever (a period that just seemed so... I don't know... Dapless...), and do indeed welcome your return.

But I have to ask... where's the agape?

:-)

-CW

[Dap]

Dear Chris,

Dang, you are correct it has been 6 weeks since I've wrote directly to you talking points #45, didn't seem so long I guess because I have been reading your essays/posts but not commenting much. I had planned to drop ya an email but, alas, I'm slowing down and the time goes by quicker than ever, where does it go? The best to all at the Weigant household. Agape.

[GOP4MoreTears]

Just like the proverbial scorpion, the little troll just can't help him-self.TeeHeehe

[Michale32086]

Thank you for your concession that you have no logical or rational counter to my argument and must, therefore, resort to immature personal attacks.

Your concession of my superiority is appreciated, albeit irrelevant..

Michale.....

[kellygrrrl]

The End of Reagonomics
The End of Milton Friedman
The End of Ne0C0ns
The End of RovePolitics

The End of the BULLY ERA

one can hope

[Mildmannered]

I also hope that it is the end of the 60's divide, which has plagued me all my adult life.

[larry278]

All Obama has is an old SDS type terror-a$$ed from the late 1960's & an interesting real estate deal allegedly financed by a dodgy type fixer.
Sarah Palin has an investigation of a former brother-in-law who's a state cop going on & the legislature is investigating Gov Sarah's investigation & the trooper is said to be nasty when he drinks, a preggers 17 year old daughter, both daughter & the child's father dropped out of high school, the 1st dude who had supported Alaska's secession from the USA,. Sarah Palin's life is soap opera. Biden is dull compared to Sarah; he doesn't make a big deal of being a single father or having a son going to Iraq.
Who knows what nasty types McCain has in his past other than Keating? Sarah will end up with a day time TV show when her term as Ak's Governor ends. Will she be a judge, self-help expert, interviewer, fish & game host [that could get her late night re-plays]? All Biden gets is being Obama's veep. McCain can go on the rubber chicken speakers route before & after he leaves the senate. Palin & McCain will have a few coins coming in to help survive the melt-down's recession or whatever.

[Michale32086]

}}}}}}}}}}}}
Republicans are even setting up their own version of what is going to happen on Election Day — watch for cries soon after that the election was "stolen" from McCain (note that ACORN reference earlier — read the full article for an explanation).
{{{{{{{{{{{{

In other words, Republicans have taken a page from the DEMOCRATS playbook where the Democrats planned on contesting the 2006 election MONTHS before the election occurred..

So let me ask ya'all.. Present company excepted (IE CW) do ya'all feel that ALL VOTER fraud is bad, regardless of whether it comes from Democrats or Republicans??

Or, is it just that voter fraud by Republicans and for Republicans is bad, but voter fraud by Democrats and for Democrats is perfectly OK...

Because, judging from previous commentaries, ya'll seem to feel that gross and perverse attacks coming from the Republicans is very very bad, but then the vast majority of ya'all don't seem to have a problem with MAKING the same kind of gross and perverse attacks on Republicans..

So I am wondering if this is simply an overall sign of bigotry? Or is it selective and there WOULD be an instance or issue that ya'all would NOT think that Republicans are demons incarnate...

Just curious....

Michale.....

crossposted to www.chrisweigant.com

[CurtisEMayle]

All fraud is reprehensible. However, there is a clear distinction between registration fraud and voter fraud. Your reference to ACORN is registration fraud. Registration fraud is typically committed by low paid temporary workers, not realizing their forms will be checked, while attempting to scam their employer (i.e., ACORN) when they're paid according to the number of registrants. Those workers just write down any old thing to complete as many registration forms available. I witnessed it first hand in local elections when I was in college attempting to earn a little extra cash. In these instances, while still a fraudulent practice, the action and intent is not one of voter fraud.

If any of those fraudulent forms were to be used to vote, under any scenario, by any party/person(s), it would be voter fraud.

In either case, by either party, it gets politicized for maximum effect.

[Mildmannered]

Chris, I just saw this -- "Breaking News 8:20 PM ET:
Panel Finds Palin Abused Power in Firing of Public Safety Commissioner, The Associated Press Reports"

[Chris Weigant - Huffpost Blogger]

Mildmannered -

Well, see, that didn't take long!

Much less time than Fitzmas Eve, which as I recall, lasted a few months...

-CW

[Michale32086]

"Ethics inquiry concludes Palin was 'proper and lawful' in firing a state commissioner"

'nuff said...

Sorry... Another non-issue for the Democrats to go negative with..

Michale.....

[chameleon59]

See, I don't care that she fired Monegan, and I don't care that she wanted her brother-in-law fired. I care that she and her husband used the power and the resources of the governor's office to try to pressure public officials into a decision that they wanted made. Under Alaska law, Monegan serves "at the pleasure of the governor" which means that she could legally have fired him for no other reason than "I told him to fire someone and he didn't do it." Her abuse of power wasn't in firing Monegan - it was in pressuring him to fire Wooten. And anyone who reads the full report should be struck by just how much Todd Palin's fingers are in the day to day running of Alaska. THAT is the part that makes me go Palin in the White House? Uh, no.