Dear Senator McCain,

Please forgive me for writing at this late hour. However, we must make important decisions very soon.

I would be deeply obliged to you if you would forgo your proposed trip to Washington, D.C. The nation is deeply challenged by a financial crisis consequent to the fundamental dogma of the Republican Party. Your presence is unlikely to help and may prove to be detrimental.

Would this, Senator, be a good time to privatize Social Security?

You and your fellow Republicans advocate that. You agree with the President that markets can take care of themselves and require no oversight ... only an occasional bailout. Your are a charter member of the Keating 5, poster children for the last incarnation of a Resolution Trust Corporation.

Wall Street's perspective, Senator, has been over-represented in Washington and, pardon the nitpicking, in your campaign.

As you contend that your views are based on convictions (sorry for the double entendre, couldn't find a better word), wouldn't it be better for the nation and its challenged future to have a full, forthright, honest discussion about those views with one of your opponents in the race to assume leadership of this nation? It is conceivable that you would learn something about economics; perhaps you would share with us useful insights we've not heard. Stick with the Debate.

You have been absent from the Senate for five months as the storm clouds gathered, the lightening struck, the rain fell and the waters rose. Outrage about the Financial Industry Relief Act of 2008 is rising as we're all threatened with economic calamity, save those who've created and mightily profited from this crisis. Your President's plan absolves this latter group who not only raped and pillaged us on the way up, but expects (demands, actually) to do the same on the way down. Many of us think that inappropriate (shameful, to be precise).

You were chosen by the Republican party as its candidate to lead this country. You have the opportunity to lead from among us in a candid debate. Or you may return to the shelter of the Washington you so fervently deplore in your speeches to be instructed and guided by the lobbyists and financial interests whose principal concern is their own well-being and whose perspectives have led us to this precipice. Do you trust us? or do you trust them? Do not hide from us. Do not deny our concern and rage. Try being a real maverick. Try a little truthfulness.

And while I will be deeply obliged if you'll heed my request, it is unlikely that my sense of obligation will extend to voting for you and your would-be successor. However, a turn toward integrity and away from ideology and fundamentalism would help to salvage your once noble reputation. And for that I would be grateful.

Sincerely,
Paula

Comments

[Mimibee]

Dear Senator McCain:

As you suspend your campaign to participate in the economic crisis, a subject you admittedly can't handle, I assume you are going to bring your very unique experience in unprecedented bail outs - in your case the S&L crisis and the subsequent trial of the Keating 5.

No other candidate or member of congress can claim the level of experience or involvement in such an extraordinary event (as no one can imagine the experience of being a POW in Vietnam).

So, please do tell. Are the proposals on the table to bail out corporate greed and lax oversight similar to your S&L experience? Was the punishment for those involved back then similar to what you want for those involvement this time around? And as someone who was in school back then, excuse my ignorance, but was the bail out pulled off in a matter of days or was there time to review the proposal? In retrospect did it work?

Your unique claim in your campaign is your vast experience vs. your opponent. Now you have the opportunity to educate the public on government bail outs and curbing corporate and government greed and misconduct. Since you've chosen not to seize on the moment to educate the public on taxpayer bail outs, I can only hope that is because you are riding to Washington as the only one with the key to "lessons learned".

Yours,

A taxpayer about to foot another bill for one of congress' failures

[Dorraj]

Michale32086,

Clinton is voting for Mccain. He was on TV the other day and I thought he was a republican strategist the way he was touting Palin's ability. I mean c'mon even most repubs arent buying that garbage anymore. Clinton is thinking about 2012.

[Michale32086]

Perhaps you're right..

But Clinton has the right idea about forgetting partisan politics and working for the good of the country rather than the good of the Party..

Are Democrats Democrat first and foremost or are they Americans first and foremost??

It seems that, with the current crisis Democrats are more concerned about Party over Country..

What I am saying is that one can castigate and question McCain's motives all day long. But all that does is drag partisan politics into the crisis. Wouldn't it be better for the country to accept McCain's offer in good faith and work for the good of the country??

Michale.....

[LeftRight]

Yeah, because we NEVER see a republican decide to put party first.......

Iraq
GWOT
NSA
FISA

etc....

Then there's the case earlier this year where a republican in a leadership role pointed out that he thought a terrorist action would help mccain get elected......

The fact of the matter is that you have NEVER been a democrat OR a liberal Michale! You have been a republican/neocon the ENTIRE time you've been here, from FISA on!

[Michale32086]

I mean, seriously...

Even Bill Clinton states that McCain is acting on "good faith" in wanting to postpone the debates and put Country before Party..

If ya'all can't accept what Bubba himself says, who WOULD you listen to??

Michale.....

[Michale32086]

CONT

{{{{{{{{{{
The fact of the matter is that the negative LYING campaigning has been from mcbush, while all the negative TRUTH campaigning is coming from Obama!
}}}}}}}}}}}

Spoken like a true Political bigot..

So, it was the "TRUTH" when Biden said that FDR talked about the depression on TV in 1929?? It was the "TRUTH" when Obama said that his great great whatever Uncle liberated Auschwitz??

Come on... I am an Obama supporter as well, but let's be real about things.. Obama has stretched the truth just as much as McCain... Even more so of late which is why I am not as enthusiastic as I used to be..

Then there is that little matter of Obama taking over 100 K in donations from Mae & Mac...

{{{{{{{{{
And Michale, how many of the OTHER members of the Keating 5 are in the Senate? How many have agreed with the ideas of deregulation in all cases during this crisis? Haw many are running for President of the United States?
}}}}}}}}}}

That's just spin... The facts are this..

1. 4 of the 5 were Democrats.

2. No wrongdoing was ever proven against McCain or John Glenn.

All the rest is just political BS and bigotry and spin..

That's the danger with bringing up scandal and controversy against Republicans. Invariably, it is discovered that Democrats are just as guilty, if not more so...

Michale.....

[LeftRight]

Have you SEEN the ads??? mccain's first ad came out and said that Obama will raise your taxes, never mind the fact that his tax plans would CUT taxes for EVERYONE earning less than $250,000/yr!

By contrast, Obama's ads have said things like: mccain will continue bush policies. mccain will start additional wars. mccain admits that he doesn't know how to use a computer. mccain owns 7 houses, and couldn't remember it.

Tell me which one of these is speaking TRUTH and which one is telling lies???

[LeftRight]

"1. 4 of the 5 were Democrats.

2. No wrongdoing was ever proven against McCain or John Glenn.

All the rest is just political BS and bigotry and spin..

That's the danger with bringing up scandal and controversy against Republicans. Invariably, it is discovered that Democrats are just as guilty, if not more so..."

And, no, that's NOT spin. Out of the Keating 5, only ONE is still in Congress. Only ONE has been a major proponent of deregulation for more than 26 years. Only ONE is running for President!

THOSE are the facts. If one of the other Keating 5 were to come forward and say the things that mccain is saying, I would be JUST as vocal against THEM!!

[Michale32086]

@LeftRight

}}}}}}}}}}}
Turned to the dark side? Negative campaigning? The only thing that I've seen him do that could be considered negative campaigning is the ad that shows the truth that mcbush has admitted he doesn't know how to use a computer.
}}}}}}}}}}

"Negative campaigning is trying to win an advantage by referring to negative aspects of an opponent or of a policy rather than emphasizing one's own positive attributes or preferred policies. In the broadest sense, the term covers any rhetoric which refers to an opponent, if only by way of contrast, but can also include attacks meant to destroy an opponent's character, which may veer into ad hominem."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negative_campaigning

That computer ad is a prime example. The Obama campaign insults many MANY seniors who also don't use a computer much AND it mocks disabled people. Even Joe Biden called that ad "terrible". He was against it BEFORE he was for it..

CONT

[trinidadgirl]

Listen to me michal, with all due respect,....fighting about negative campaigning is not going to HELP AMERICA now.
The Republicans we all agree are dirty fighters...That's the reality.
Obama doesn't seem to relish in these tactics as much.
BUT, with all this 'bacchanalia' blowing up in people's faces, dirty fighting is not going to get America out of this mess...only solid workable solutions.

[Michale32086]

Yer preaching to the choir here..

I agree that Obama doesn't do mud very well.. Obama is at his best when he seizes and holds the moral high ground. That is how he was able to beat the largest political dynastic juggernaut ever assembled in the history of the country.

That is why I am so dismayed when Democrats urge Obama to "fight dirty", to "get into the mud" and to "go negative". Such urgings will only cause Obama to lose.

We DO need solutions to fix this country, not more political partisan arse-biting... But, I have to give credit where credit is due. It's appearing that it's McCain who is putting country before Party.

Michale.....

[LeftRight]

BUT it is a simple truth. He was attempting to portray mccain as out of touch, and to do that he told the truth. By contrast, mccain has come out with ads which are flat out LIES about Obama!

I would rather see negative campaigning where the negative politician was telling the truth than ANY campaigning where there are LIES present!

[MPeter]

Yeah, good missive to McPalin. The same guys who deregulated us into this mess now line up on the trough to gouge us again! McCain has no credibility. His campaign looks like a staff meeting for lobbyists. Great letter.

[Michale32086]

Such hypocrisy...

While McCain may be a "charter member" of the Keating 5, let's not forget that the OTHER 4 members of the Keating 5 are all Democrats.

As for McCain being absent from the Senate for 5 months, how does that compare with Obama being absent from the Senate for three times as long?

I won't even bother mentioning how Senators Clinton, Dodd, Kerry AND Obama have received (combined) about half a million dollars in campaign donations from Mae & Mac.

I am a confirmed and somewhat enthusiastic Obama supporter but that doesn't mean I don't have my own brain.

Let's be fair about things, shall we??

When it comes to this current mess, the Democrats are up to their eyeballs in it..

Michale.....

[knighthowl]

Why do I doubt your sincerity when it is well publicized that McCain has missed more votes than any other senator who has not suffered a stroke? You are spreading misinformation about Obama and, yet, claim to be one of his supporters. Somehow, your statements do not ring true.

[Michale32086]

So, point to my statements that "do not ring true".. Point to the "misinformation"...

Because I can assure you that, unlike the political bigots, I can back up everything I have posted.

I'll be standing bi...

Michale.....

[Michale32086]

For the record, my "political bigots" comment was directed at Democrats in general, whom I have found to be bigots, and not to the author of this commentary or any commentor specifically.

Michale.....

[scottman1085]

Exactly, Obama will bring more government, that's what we need. MORE Government.

[Michale32086]

Don't get me wrong.. I am enough of a liberal to enjoy seeing both candidates put country before Party...

I only wish it would have been Obama trailblazing instead of McCain. With Obama turning to the Dark Side of late with all the negative campaigning, he has really taken a hit with my enthusiasm over his campaign.

Michale..

[LeftRight]

And Michale, how many of the OTHER members of the Keating 5 are in the Senate? How many have agreed with the ideas of deregulation in all cases during this crisis? Haw many are running for President of the United States?

[cheforacle]

Beautiful, heartfelt post. Thank you.

[BusGreg]

Paula, please, don't give Senator McCan't any ideas about Social Security. It is my only income!
However, Letterman tonight hit it out of the park when he suggested that McCan't go to Washington and fix the problem and have his Veep candidate debate for him. After all she is ready to step in and lead the Nation, should he become unable (and elected) so she could certainly stand in and debate for McCan't. Keith Olbermann who sat in for McCan't had the idea to change the debate to the economy, rather than foreign policy so the whole country could see where the candidates stand. (as if anyone needs clarification on John-boy). But then Keith O having to sit in for the old Senator is another story. McCan't cancelled The Late Show so he could fly directly to DC, only to be shown doing an interview with Katie Couric, on the same network, when he was alledgedly flying back to DC!