****after the bashing and flaming - let's turn our attention to McCain*** (long)

[radfringe]

It's the ECONOMY, STUPID! The economy has jumped to the forefront of issues and concerns. the blatherheads have pretty much crowned mccain as the presumptive nominee for the repubs.

there have been a few postings showing polls where mccain would beat out Clinton or Obama.

so after you are done beating up on each other, you may want to aim your flame throwers in mccain's direction.

Bush's $3 trillion budget is US first
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080203/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_budget
Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON - In the nation's first-ever $3 trillion budget, President Bush seeks to seal his legacy of promoting a strong defense to fight terrorism and tax cuts to spur the economy. Democrats, who control Congress, are pledging fierce opposition to Bush's final spending plan — perhaps even until the next president takes office.

The 2009 spending plan sent to Congress on Monday will project huge budget deficits, around $400 billion for this year and next and more than double the 2007 deficit of $163 billion. But even those estimates could prove too low given the rapidly weakening economy and the total costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which Bush does not include in his request for the budget year beginning Oct. 1.

Last year, when Democrats were newly in the majority, there were drawn-out veto struggles. This year's fights could be worse because it is an election year.

---------

"This administration is going to hand the next president a fiscal meltdown," Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad, D-N.D., said Sunday in an interview with The Associated Press. "This is a budget that sticks it to the middle class, comforts the wealthy and has a set of priorities that are not the priorities of the American people."

for those fearing a McCain presidency... just remind McCain "leaners" that McCain has admitted he is not an "expert" on the economy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqsH7dkFGTo&feature=related

and a day or so later he flip-flops (http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/01/25/politics/fromtheroad/entry3754285.shtml) McCain Backpedals on Economy Quote

TAMPA, FLA. -- John McCain tried to clarify comments he made during last night's Republican debate when he denied saying he wasn't an expert on the economy.

During the debate, moderator Tim Russert quoted McCain claiming not to be an expert on the economy and McCain responded, “I don’t know where you got that quote from.”

Opposing camps quickly sent out a Boston Globe article from last month showing he said just that.

Today, McCain explained that he was actually speaking in general terms.

“I was saying that in the context of the long conversation,” he said. “If I made the impression that I am weak on the economy that is in contradiction to my record. He was later asked about this issue and he went on to list committees and economists who support his candidacy.

McCain's campaign is trying to reassure voters that he will have "good advisors"... now where have we heard that one before?

Meanwhile - with bush's lopsided, bloated, deficit record-breaking budget heading to the Hill...

McCain blames economic slowdown on government spending
Posted January 19th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/14293.html

John McCain recently acknowledged, “The issue of economics is not something I’ve understood as well as I should.” He added, however, “I’ve got Greenspan’s book.”

I’m quite certain The Maestro isn’t helping. In South Carolina, McCain told an audience a couple of days ago, “Every time in history we have raised taxes it has cut revenues.” As a matter of reality, McCain was talking gibberish.

]A few days prior, at a Republican debate, McCain said, “I don’t believe we’re headed into a recession. I believe the fundamentals of this economy are strong and I believe they will remain strong.”

Now, McCain, who presumably would have learned something about economics after serving in Congress for the last quarter-century, blamed government spending for creating an economic decline that he didn’t believe existed less than a week ago.

John McCain blamed overspending by the federal government in part for the nation’s economic troubles as South Carolina voters Friday received the sobering news that the state unemployment rate had hit 6.6 percent, the largest one-month increase in nearly 20 years.

“As a Republican, I stand before you embarrassed. Embarrassed that we let that spending get out of control,” McCain told voters on the eve of the state’s GOP primary.

“The economy is not good. The stock market continues down. And the indicators are not good. I’m not too astonished…. We let spending get totally out of control, and it continues today, and I’m sorry to tell you this,” McCain said at a town-hall style meeting at the Carolina Hospital East Campus in Florence.

.....my comment: on the plus side - McCain does have a book which doesn't need involved crayons. :eyes:

Like Poppy Bush, and smirk-boy - McCain denied the threat of recession, then flipped-flopped on it.

He's also blaming over spending by the federal government - considering bush's budget, it will be interesting to see how McCain votes on it.

(his past record on budget - http://www.votesmart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=53270&type=category&category=10&go.x=12&go.y=19)

Vote Key:
Y Yea
N Nay
NV Not Voting, Excused, Absent, or Present

in 2007 - he voted NV on approx 27 out of 34 items, Yes on 3 item, and No on 4 items
No items included Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2008, State Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization,Student Loan Lender Subsidy Cuts and Student Grants, Congressional Budget for 2008

YES items include: Prohibiting Funds for Groups that Perform Abortions, Emergency Departmental Supplemental Appropriations Bill of 2007, Inclusion of Iraq Operations Funding with the Consolidated Appropriations

If you take the time to look at his voting record for at least during the bush-cheney "error" - he's voted for pork, earmarks, wealthy-fare, corporate welfare - and against items which would help the rest of us.

it's easier to see the list on the link above - but for those reluctant to click:

Budget, Spending and Taxes
(Back to top)

Date Bill Title Vote
01/22/2008 Defense Authorizations Bill NV

12/18/2007 Inclusion of Consolidated Appropriations NV
12/18/2007 Inclusion of Iraq Operations Funding with the Consolidated Appropriations Y
12/14/2007 Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) NV
12/13/2007 Energy Act of 2007 NV
12/13/2007 Limit on Farm Subsidies Amendment NV
12/13/2007 Cap on Income to Qualify for Farm Subsidies NV
12/11/2007 Government Sponsored Farm Insurance Policies Amendment NV
12/06/2007 Temporary Tax Adjustments Act of 2007 NV
12/06/2007 Temporary Alternative Minimum Tax Adjustment Act of 2007 NV
11/16/2007 Supplemental Appropriations for the Department of Defense and Timeline for Withdrawal from Iraq NV
11/16/2007 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for the Department of Defense NV
11/08/2007 Water Resources Development Act of 2007 NV
11/07/2007 Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies NV
11/01/2007 Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) NV
10/30/2007 Amtrak Reauthorization NV
10/25/2007 Amtrak Federal Subsidy Limits NV
10/23/2007 Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies NV
10/18/2007 Prohibiting Funds for Groups that Perform Abortions Y
10/16/2007 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2008 N
10/03/2007 Border Fence and Customs Appropriations NV
10/01/2007 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 NV
09/27/2007 State Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization NV
09/10/2007 Bridge Repair Funding NV
09/07/2007 Student Loan Lender Subsidy Cuts and Student Grants NV
08/02/2007 State Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization N
07/26/2007 Implementing the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Act NV
07/26/2007 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations NV
07/26/2007 Border Fence and Customs Appropriations NV
07/26/2007 REAL ID Funding NV
07/20/2007 Student Loan Lender Subsidy Cuts and Student Grants N
06/21/2007 Energy Act of 2007 NV
06/21/2007 Alternative Energy Subsidies NV
05/24/2007 Emergency Departmental Supplemental Appropriations Bill of 2007 Y
05/17/2007 2008 Budget Resolution NV
03/23/2007 Congressional Budget for 2008 N

08/03/2006 Death/EstateTax and Minimum Wage Bill of 2006 Y
05/11/2006 Tax Reconciliation bill Y
03/16/2006 Education Funding Amendment N
03/16/2006 Debt Limit Increase Resolution Y
03/16/2006 2007 Budget Resolution Y
03/16/2006 Natural Resources and Environment Funding Amendment N
03/14/2006 Reinstate Pay-As-You-Go through 2011 Amendment Y
02/02/2006 Tax Reconciliation bill Y

12/21/2005 Budget Reconciliation bill Y
11/18/2005 Tax Reconciliation Bill Y
11/17/2005 Earned Income Tax Credit Amendment Y
11/17/2005 Hurricane Victims Tax Benefit Amendment N
11/17/2005 Pay As You Go Amendment Y
11/17/2005 Temporary Tax on Crude Oil Amendment N
11/17/2005 Tax Rate Amendment N
11/03/2005 Medicare Prescription Drug Amendment Y
11/03/2005 Budget Reconciliation bill Y
11/03/2005 Pay As You Go Amendment Y
04/28/2005 Budget FY2006 Appropriations Resolution Y
03/17/2005 Budget FY2006 Appropriations Resolution Y
03/17/2005 Education Amendment N
03/17/2005 Perkins Vocational Education Program Amendment N
03/17/2005 Homeland Security Grant Program Amendment N
03/17/2005 Native American Funding Amendment N
03/17/2005 Tax Subsidy for Domestic Companies Amendment N
10/11/2004 JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Strength) NV

09/23/2004 Increased Child Tax Credit bill Y
05/11/2004 Jumpstart Our Business Strength (JOBS) Act NV
04/29/2004 Internet Access Tax bill Y

05/23/2003 Jobs and Economic Growth bill N
05/15/2003 Jobs and Economic Growth bill N
04/11/2003 Congressional Budget for fiscal year 2004 N
03/26/2003 Budget Resolution FY2004 N
03/19/2003 ANWR Oil Drilling Amendment Y

05/26/2001 Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act, 2001 N
05/23/2001 Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act, 2001 Y
05/10/2001 Fiscal Year 2002 Budget Resolution Y