This link connects to something even more amazing than the last one I posted. This one points to a story on Yahoo that says McCain is 5 points ahead in the polls. What makes this extremely amazing is the fact almost every Republican running for something is behind in the polls. They are behind because the country wants things to change from the way they have been for the last few years, or at least the last year.
What this really points to though is just how afraid of Obama people really are. Obama is a great speaker and he’s got tons of charisma but it seems people are still afraid of supporting him. I suspect there are a few reasons for this. They are Reverend Wright, Bill Ayers, the speech in San Franciso, the speech in Germany, and the fact he really doesn’t have any experience plus a few others. I’m afraid of him because I think he would turn our economy into a shambles with raising taxes on everyone and he doesn’t want to do what needs to be done for the energy crisis.
At this point in time I would much rather have Hillary than Barak.
I’m not sure that I like McCain’s possible pick for VP, if he goes with —all right, someone help me–he was the VP nominee for the Democrats a few years ago. I don’t trust people who change parties if it looks as though there’s something in it for them.
I have the primary ballot to fill out, and I don’t know any of the local politicians. I guess it won’t be too surprising if I just cast my ballot for the Republican of my choice for President.
Comment by Mom or Gma — Wednesday August 20, 2008 @ 8:58 pm
Joe Liberman!
Comment by Mom or Gma — Wednesday August 20, 2008 @ 9:32 pm
I’m reasonably sure he won’t pick Lieberman. Most Conservative pundits are saying he would lose a lot of support if he did. I happen to like Lieberman but I understand where the Right is coming from. My favorite pick would be Condoleezza Rice. She’s super intelligent, conservative, and a Black woman. What more could you ask for? But I understand she’s not interested.
Comment by Don — Thursday August 21, 2008 @ 9:07 am
The Yahoo poll is an anomaly. According to CNN’s average of recent national surveys, Obama is ahead of McCain 45 percent to 44 percent. But this lead has steadily declined over the past few weeks.
Let’s not dance around it. One of the main things Obama has going for him is also a major thing going against him — his race. On anonymous polls a large number of people say they won’t vote for him because he is (partly) black. I’m sure that’s strong among southern whites, but present in other parts of the country too.
There are also still a surprisingly large minority who think he’s a Muslim.
After these (irrational) causes, of course, experience and position on issues are also important to the minority of citizens who think about such things (you and me!).
By the way, where did you get that Obama wants to raise taxes on everyone (besides McCain’s campaign)?
Comment by Daryl — Thursday August 21, 2008 @ 1:56 pm
I got that from his record of voting for tax hikes and against tax cuts. I know what he says. You need to pay attention to what he has done.
I do agree there are a lot of people who won’t vote for him because he’s black. They are also Democrats who are SUPPOSED to be the party that’s against discrimination. If we look at history the Republican party has actually been more Pro-Black than the Democratic party. Lincoln was a Republican. The belief that Republicans are anti-Black has been fostered by the Democrats.
On another subject a friend asked me if I had ever asked you what you think would happen if we actually bring all the troops home from the Middle East. We were wondering if you think all the terrorists would then ignore us and we could go merrily on our way. I ask because I can’t understand the Liberal thought process that makes someone think it would be better to fight the terrorists on our own soil.
Comment by Don — Thursday August 21, 2008 @ 2:42 pm
I’m not so sure that racial discrimination follows party lines, though I think the Republican party of Lincoln’s day has evolved a lot over the years and it’s not clear what party Lincoln would join today. Libertarian? Green? Democrat? Who knows?
I think if we brought all the troops home from Iraq immediately, their country would fall into chaos, civil war, anarchy. Eventually a strong central government would probably emerge, most likely dominated by Muslim radicals. This would probably give them confidence that God (Allah) was on their side and perhaps embolden them to spread the fight to other countries. What do you think would happen?
Comment by Daryl — Thursday August 21, 2008 @ 3:11 pm
Oh, and here’s some objective info on Obama’s voting record regarding taxes from FactCheck.org: “… the McCain campaign and the GOP falsely imply that Obama has pushed indiscriminately to raise taxes for nearly everybody. A closer look reveals that he’s voted consistently to restore higher tax rates on upper-income taxpayers but not on middle- or low-income workers. That’s consistent with what he’s said he’d do as president, which is to raise taxes only on those making more than $250,000 a year.“
Comment by Daryl — Thursday August 21, 2008 @ 3:26 pm
I agree that racial discrimination doesn’t follow party lines. Most of the Democrats pundits suggest otherwise though.
My main problem with Obama on taxes is the same as all the other Liberals. They somehow believe this country is a socialist country. They believe the rich owe the poor. They believe they know best and that it’s their duty to redistribute the wealth as they see fit. The richest 1% of the people pay about 34% of the taxes. The richest 10% pay about 62% of the taxes. That’s socialism in any language.
On your answer about leaving Iraq, I’m quite surprised. That’s also what I think would happen. But I also believe you can’t make a statement like “I’ll bring them all home in 16 months”. Circumstances change. I hope they come home sooner but to suggest you can bring them home on a timetable is just silly.
Comment by Don — Thursday August 21, 2008 @ 5:41 pm
I make more than 250k a year, I live in a 1300sq/ft three bedroom house in LA (with a mortgage). I have two children getting ready to go to college. I pay ~$4/gal for gas so I live 5miles from work. My standard of living does not include season tickets to anything or a vacation home anywhere else. I don’t own a Mercedes, BMW, or Lexus. I have no Boat, RV, or timeshare. We may go on a vacation for of more than five day every three years. I will contend that I do own one moderately priced street bike and three dirt bikes(one that is a 1990 model, grand total for the lot 12k at best). I should be taxed more because I’m rich?????
Comment by Scott — Thursday August 21, 2008 @ 7:19 pm
Scott — More than someone making $30K a year living under the same circumstances, yes, I think so.
Don — It looks like Mr. Bush and the Iraqi government are now agreeing on a “timetable” pretty similar to what Obama has been proposing all along.
Comment by Daryl — Friday August 22, 2008 @ 11:14 am
I’ll let Scott answer for himself but I do have to say I’ve always felt a flat tax would be a whole lot more fair. The way it is now is extremely close to Socialism.
What Mr. Bush and the Iraqi government are agreeing to is to attempt to have the Iraqis able to take over all their defense by 2011. Bush has always said as they stand up we’ll stand down. It’s the Liberals who have painted him as wanting to stay in Iraq indefinitely. He’s just always said he wouldn’t agree to a date certain like Obama’s supporters want.
Comment by Don — Friday August 22, 2008 @ 4:53 pm
Me thinks that Daryl is a Socialist. He might be more satisfied living in one of John Depp’s bedroom’s in France. Of course he isn’t invited he’ll just move in and claim it as his own; It will just be his right.
Comment by Scott — Friday August 22, 2008 @ 7:58 pm
You guys treat the “S” word as if it were a bad word!
Comment by Daryl — Friday August 22, 2008 @ 8:26 pm
I find that the “S word” leaves a bad taste in my mouth dull ache in my head. I see that the adage of “After wrestling with pig in mud for hours you finally realize that the pig enjoys it”
Comment by Scott — Friday August 22, 2008 @ 9:01 pm
As someone barely scrapping by, I think it would be nice to not be taxed as much. We’re doing everything we can to make it. But, we still have a ways to go before we pay our dues. I would see no problem paying more later to have a brake now. At least so I don’t have to wonder how I’m going to pay medical bills, and buy food, and fix the hole in my roof. We don’t live in any type of grandeur.
Comment by Jocelyn — Saturday August 23, 2008 @ 8:57 pm
OK, Now you can say that McCain is ahead in the polls. It looks like a lot of people are excited by Palin.
We’ll have to wait and see if they stay excited after the debates and as more info comes out about her past. Right now is still the honeymoon.
Comment by Daryl — Tuesday September 9, 2008 @ 10:41 am
Yeah I agree. We’ll see how long this honeymoon lasts and I do agree that’s what it is. She is pretty attractive to Conservatives though. I guess I mean that 2 ways. 😉
Comment by Don — Tuesday September 9, 2008 @ 11:34 am
Looks like Obama is back in front in the polls. McCain still leads in some, and it’s close, but averaging over multiple polls the needle has swung back to the left.
Of course as we saw in 2000, the majority doesn’t decide the election, the Electoral College does. Those polls also show Obama in the lead, but there are so many uncertain states that it could go either way. And a lot could happen in the next 6 weeks.
Comment by Daryl — Sunday September 21, 2008 @ 11:34 am
All we can say for sure is the person with the most electoral votes on November 4th will be the winner. As you rightly point out the person ahead in the polls will not necessarily be the winner.
Comment by Don — Sunday September 21, 2008 @ 11:50 am