Dear Senator McCain:
As an average, middle-class American, I write with concern because I’m starting to wonder whether or not the McCain-Palin campaign is just a colossal farce that the voters are forced to sit through.
I overlooked the exaggerations, as politicians are prone to, but took issue with the outright lies about Obama’s economic plan and Palin’s alleged opposition to earmarks and the bridge to nowhere. Then, your lies became evasion: refusing to meet with reporters on your plane or take their questions after rallies, Palin’s two softball interviews with the national media and still no press conferences, and the campaign’s patent refusal to allow media access to her. Shortly thereafter, you again tried to pull the wool over our eyes contending you’ve been a pro-regulation populist all along who takes on Big Business maverick-style.
My final indignation was in the third act of this horrible farce I can’t bring myself to laugh at: you’re “suspending” the campaign to go to Washington and fix this bailout problem. This political gimmick is even more brazen than the rush-to-judgment choice of Sarah Palin–and that’s saying a lot. The really juicy part of the joke? You want to postpone the debate scheduled for Friday and even the Vice-Presidential debate next week.
I’ve had it. Enough! Let’s call this exactly what it is: moose-$^#t.
No, Senator McCain, you do not get an extension on your homework assignment. You can show up to the University of Mississippi, like the all the other kids, and give the presentation you were assigned months ago. I don’t care that you’re grossly unprepared and I have little sympathy for your apparent inability to defend 25 years of pro-business, anti-regulation policies leading us to where we are today. Like any other person who wants to be President of the United States, you need to be able to handle more than one assignment concurrently and you need to do your homework on time.
Senator, you sold me and America a first-class ticket on your Straight-Talk Express, and I’ve come to learn that I actually hold a coach-class seat on the No-Talk Express, or as I’ve named it: Sham-trak. I want off this train and I want answers. I’ll even give you the questions in advance so you can study your scripted responses:
1. With Republicans in control of congress for 12 years and Bush at the helm for the last eight, the SEC Chairman and all its commissioners appointed by a Republican, the FRB Chairman appointed by a Republican, and a Republican Treasury Secretary, why do you think we should trust you, a Republican, with our vote?
2. When your economic advisor, Phil Gramm, said our failing economy was all in our head and called struggling Americans “a nation of whiners,” what exactly did he mean by that? And since he wrote a law in 1999 repealing restrictions and regulations on the financial sector, how can we be sure you’re not beholden to his “expert” economic policy advice?
3. In 2005 you stated “I’m going to be honest, I know a lot less about economics than I do about military and foreign policy issues, I still need to be educated” and said last December that “the issue of economics is not something I’ve understood as well as I should [but] I’ve got Greenspan’s book.” Do you think that instills confidence and hope in the American people about your economic stewardship? Why do you feel uniquely more qualified to handle something you’ve admitted you know little about?
4. Why do you continue to deny media access to Sarah Palin? Why don’t you talk to reporters anymore? Why are you avoiding the debate? Why won’t you give us the answers we deserve about the issues facing our nation and our everyday lives?
Here’s some advice from an average, middle-class American. Think of it as Straight-Talk 101: when you own 13 cars and can’t remember that you also have seven homes; when you want to inflict damage on the few of us who are provided employer-sponsored health insurance by taxing that benefit; when you and your party make it harder for struggling Americans to access bankruptcy courts but you and said party offer to bailout Wall Street with our money; when you want to continue the failed Bush-Republican policies of giving tax breaks to the wealthiest 1% while short-shifting the middle class; when you have all these factors about you pitted against a voter’s reason, logic and rational thought-and the emotional response to losing a home, job, and/or life savings–you shouldn’t be running from the media and debates, you should hop in the engineer’s compartment of your BS-Express and slam full-throttle towards them so that you can explain yourself and give us one, just one reason, why any sentient human being should vote for you.
See you in class on Friday.
Good luck because I think you’re gonna need it.
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An open Letter to McCain by Brian Normoyle, with permission to copy, send, distribute, read aloud in the town square. An OPEN letter .. free.
This speaks for itself – from The New York Times:
In the Roosevelt Room after the session, the Treasury secretary, Henry M. Paulson Jr., literally bent down on one knee as he pleaded with Nancy Pelosi, the House Speaker, not to “blow it up” by withdrawing her party’s support for the package over what Ms. Pelosi derided as a Republican betrayal.
“I didn’t know you were Catholic,” Ms. Pelosi said, a wry reference to Mr. Paulson’s kneeling, according to someone who observed the exchange. She went on: “It’s not me blowing this up, it’s the Republicans.”
Mr. Paulson sighed. “I know. I know.”
Senator Christopher J. Dodd, “denounced the session as “a rescue plan for John McCain,” and a waste of time.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/26/business/26bailout.html?_r…
Here’s John McCain in a 25 second interview clip – talking about the proposed financial bailout – the one he says he didn’t read!
The Obama campaign is sending the video around, and I can see why. Pay particular attention to the final few seconds, when McCain says he hasn’t had a chance to read the actual proposal.
http://tinyurl.com/4zpnel (The New Republic)
This post self censored (it was fun to write but not fit for civilized discourse).
I’m very happy to see that while you feel it, you do know what should and shouldn’t be included.
thank you!
I’m sure that’s open for debate as well, but this one time I’ll zip it. I think I want to focus on the details of the recovery plan if I can find them – three pages, shouldn’t be too hard to find. (oh man, its hard not to add a zinger).
*The answer to your question: YES!
“Recovery plan”….that’s probably a stretch, but I understand what your saying. I am not at all optimistic. I’m beginning to think we should just let it collapse and rebuild on the wreckage. But then I have very little money or involvement in all this mess anyway.
Red.
One problem.
You need to change your name to “Blue” Vixen. We wouldn’t wish Republicans to think you are one of us?
And, no I have not looked at your above “stuff.”