John McCain apparently can’t handle two major issues at once. While I can understand that our economic state is extremely important, this crisis is a BIG example as to why we need new leadership in the White House starting in 2009.
Obama did the right thing by rejecting McCain’s call to suspend his as well. Obama also would like to see the debates, with the first being this Friday, to go on too. If Obama would have suspended his campaign, and Democrats would have caved to conservative demands, what would have been next? Do we suspend our national elections in November? Do we move to have President Bush still in power for another year?
Yes, the two questions are very strong and could be controversial, but they should be asked. Economic crisis or not, the country’s elections should go on. The campaigns to elect the next President of this great country should go on. The only problem I’m seeing McCain in is the fact that the Republicans aren’t looking pretty swell with these hard times in the economy. It’s also been known that typically Democrats do better on economic issues. Look at FDR in the 1930s and Bill Clinton in the 90s. If the economy tanks without President Bush (or even John McCain himself!) saving the day, it dooms a McCain presidency.
Americans shouldn’t resort to panic politics at this time to solve our problems. Just like with the Patriot Act’s controversial measures, we could soon second-guess some of our decisions if we move too quickly.
Greg, as I’ve said elsewhere, I can’t really blame Sen. McCain for trying to have the debate postponed, because any debate on the economy is going to turn out badly for him.
I wish Obama would just come out and admit that he was absolutely BLINDSIDED on this.
All Summer all we have heard from Obama is our economy is in the tank, We need to do something about this and we need to do it now.
So the MCcain comes out and says OK we have a package in place but it needs approval from the House and Senate, lets go back to Washington and vote on this. We are after all Senators and This is our job.
Obama says Nope, This debate is so much more important than helping to solve this economic problem. And Helping keep Americans in their homes?
And McCain is the bad guy?
Prediction: By this time Thursday, (7PM) after polling is done by the DNC regarding this very issue, Obama caves.
So Michael, do you support the 700 billion dollar government bailout of those companies on Wall Street? I’d love to know.
Zach, clearly you don’t understand what Congress is about to propose. They will be BUYING mortgage securities from many companies. Those securities have value, and they will likely have more value when this blows over. They aren’t handing out money without asking for something of value in return.
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Greg, you just e-mail Obama and tell him to hold out, by golly, no need to do anything.
Please, pretty please?
Cindy, I clearly understand what Congress is trying to do, and I don’t think it’s a sound practice for our government to step in and spend billions of dollars of taxpayers’ money to buy bad debt from companies that overextended themselves.
@Cindy: if these securities are such a sure thing that will provide increased value “when this thing blows over” why aren’t companies snapping them up? Oh wait…
@Michael – McCain isn’t going back to DC for a vote. There is no vote even scheduled at this point because there’s been no agreement on a bill. Solving this economic problem and running a campaign aren’t mutually exclusive, if that were the case, everyone should be calling off their campaigns for Senate and the House.
The confusion and sputtering excuses from the Right on this development leads me to believe the RNC email server is down and hasn’t been able to send out it’s talking points yet.
Cindy,
I’m simply asking readers to not go into fear mode. Whenever we’ve been fearful of something, we seem to lose what we love and cherish the most – – some of our freedoms. The Patriot Act is a prime example of fear winning over the populace.
I just want to see capitalism remain strong and not a government that runs everything in the financial world. Banks like JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs should be looked at closely, and if they’re doing well…perhaps we should ask them what they did right.
Dan:
No I do not support the Government bailing out these businesses.
I understand why they are doing it, but that doesn’t mean that I support it.
See I was smart enough to actually resist all the mortgage companies telling me that “NOW is a great time to buy a house.”
We can finance anybody, blah blah blah…..And for those who couldn’t and the companies that financed them.
Tough Shit! Your stupidity should not be my problem.
And as far as my “vote” comment it actually should have read debate/vote.
One more thing though what good is a foreign policy debate when the one thing Americans seem to be most preoccupied with right now is the economy?
Michael, so then why not choose to change the topic for the debate to domestic issues/the economy?
Why not choose to have a debate about the issue that’s front and center for most Americans right now? After all, Sens. Obama and McCain could certainly choose to change the debate topic if they wanted.
Mike,
I agree with you on the premise of this bailout. In fact, I haven’t met anyone who thinks it is a good idea. However, a trillion dollars isn’t being proposed here to keep people in their homes, despite the fault of many who got in over their heads.
This is a bailout of the companies who knew people were in over their heads and bought up, traded, and retraded the securities backed by those mortgages with full and complete knowledge that it was a risky investment. This is plan in it’s current form isn’t about bailing out homeowners, it’s about bailing out huge investment companies that have made obscene amounts of money over the last 10 years and lost it all – and then some.
Finally, about the debate. Last week it was agreed upon by the group that runs the debates and the campaigns that in light of the financial situation, the debate could take on a focus of financial issues as well.
So like I said, stop with the political stunts and explain yourself to the American people on this issue. McCain is still unwilling to do that.