Comments on: VP Debate reaction from Ohio*

By: Joy

Joy — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 07:04:03 +0000

Palin will be useless as a member of the senate. She is wanted as VP because McCain wants to rally up voters with a showman… being in the senate doesn’t require folksy charm or showmanship, she would simply be paperweight.

By: Bob

Bob — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 10:48:45 +0000

You nailed it. My expectations in Obama’s ability to make wise decisions are now very high, and my expectations in McCain’s are low (I guess that means if McCain gets elected and U.S. still exists 4 years later he’s a winner?)

Palin?!?! In spite of her shortcomings – and they are substantial – she probably would be viable for an unremarkable career in the Senate, but VP? She is so far out of her league, I am actually terrified at the prospect.

By: Oengus

Oengus — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 06:27:52 +0000

Take it apart, the center for American Progress say has this to say; “One particularly strained attempt to misdirect blame for the current financial mess is to point the finger at the Community Reinvestment Act, a law passed in 1977 intended to eradicate discrimination in lending. Fringe right-wing blogs first started spreading the idea that the root cause of the crisis was that CRA forced banks into making imprudent loans to exceptionally risky borrowers.”
The law did pass in 1977, then read this; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_Reinvestment_Act#Congressional_Changes_1989_-_1994
This is how it happened, it is in fact need meeting greed.
It systematically lowered the standards of lending, Banks were allowed to loan to consumers who were not credit worthy with “no verification of income or assets; little consideration of the applicant’s ability to make payments; no down payment.” He notes that the Fannie Mae Foundation singled out Countrywide Financial, whose commitment to low-income loans had grown to $600 billion by early 2003, as a “paragon” of a nondiscriminatory lender who works with community activists, following “the most flexible underwriting criteria permitted.” The chief executive of Countrywide is said to have “bragged” that in order to approve minority applications, “lenders have had to stretch the rules a bit.” [http://www.nypost.com/seven/02052008/postopinion/opedcolumnists/the_real_scandal_243911.htm?page=0]
Not qualified to buy the home, the home cost more than you can afford, but with so many buyers the prices go up, interest only then sell out, leverage the capital up into another home, a feeding frenzy.
As all this is happening the banks are earning fees, record fees, they sell the loans to banks all over the world, but many of these are people that cannot afford the homes they live in, which mean the average household income cannot afford the average home. Sold one at an inflated price and then transferred the equity into a higher inflated price. Time to sell and now what?
What is important to note is how did these seniors vote? They could not see or stop it, they signed legislation that actually made it happen all of them, unless they were not in office. They are now signing another bill?
It is property it is over valued and so is everything else around it, they were offering 120% of value home equity loans as well. In some case, actually in reality homes are on average 30% overvalued. The higher you are on the social economic ladder the less the percentage the lower you are the higher the percentage in some cases you lost all value, it was abandoned and vandalized.
Since 1977 that being all legislation related to mortgage lending, much of which relates to the CRA over the past 20 years, nearly destroyed the financial markets. The people affected the most…the ones that the legislation was designed to help?
Lack of understanding and poor judgment, but they know how the political system works, you have to do what you can do to keep the seat.

By: Monica

Monica — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 21:56:41 +0000

I compared Palin at the debate to an actress who could easily win the Academy Award for a great performance. She memorized her lines well, dodged questions and played her role to perfection with winks and folksy words. But questions still remain in my mind: Once off script and not challenged to explain more thoughtful views, would she have reverted to the S. Palin of the Katie Couric interviews? I needed to hear more substance and details not color-by-number sentences. I saw lack of substance and depth and especially lack of feelings when Biden talked about the loss of his wife.

I would love to have her as my neighbor, but for such a position? NO WAY! She scares me. She even wants to extend the vice presidency power beyond what Cheney even has. Can you imagine giving power to someone who doesn’t have the capacity of intellectual curiosity and deep analysis of the issues? Biden was at a disadvantage for not being able to directly attack a woman, while she had a card blanche to do that, to use sarcasm and feminine charm. I don’t call this an equal footing, and yet, Biden was masterful in not appearing harsh or condescending and spoke with heart, authority and real knowledge of the issues. Obama/Biden all the way!

By: Jill Miller Zimon

Jill Miller Zimon — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 19:05:01 +0000

Ben, I really really dislike Palin the Politician and I really really dislike the thought of Palin as this country’s vice president or president.

As a person, I couldn’t tell you how I feel about the Governor – I don’t know her. I suspect she’s the kind of person very few people ever get to know OR there is little to actually know – she is exactly what she projects and that is whatever the circumstances require.

By: Ben K

Ben K — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 18:52:43 +0000

You really really dislike Palin.

By: E.J. Dionne on debate: Maverickiness fails as an organizing principle of decision-making | Writes Like She Talks

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 18:18:41 +0000

[...] VP Debate reaction from Ohio* [...]

By: Oengus

Oengus — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 16:59:17 +0000

It was all very spurious, the comment of Biden about reducing principals on loans? I see a lack of touch with reality in that, as if they seem to think the government can and should mess with that. Dangerously political.

Biden sense of reality relating to the middle class is tantamount to story telling two way he listens and then recants. The comment of reducing principals on loans was made and reflect an example of bad judgment.

That’s inherent in patronizing an element of society that has that bad judgment as well. That’s the I want I need element of society, that really does not know what is best.

Both candidate share that they each do not support the actual candidate they are aligned with.

Palin has it, she has common sense and what could be the ability to see in externalities without regard to politics, that’s her message. I would say she compromised to have the opportunity and could not be as visceral as she seems to have the potential to do, she cannot diverge from the primary objective that being to support McCain. I see Biden as going along as well, but with much more political game. Senators and Congressional are much more about political games than governors which actually have budgets to balance. Look close Biden sees it as a game, it is not monopoly, life, not the game of life. There is not a get out of jail free cards, though some would like that, or no share the wealth cards.

Palin could make sharp turns based on logic and reason, while the corporate democrats will ponder how will this be perceived.

The community reinvestment act, was much more rooted in democratic politics than the GOP. If you look at both sides of their heads you can see it, patronizing and aligned with cooperate greed.

McCain is not an outsider, he offers nothing new, Palin could though and what does she get…discounted, not based on who she is, based on what she is a republican. You and yours claim to be able to read between the lines, the woman practically came out and said I am not that politically entrenched, more solution driven, not politically driven.

Funny sometimes your worst fear could in fact be dream come true, too blinded to see it.

When McCain said, I cannot wait to introduce her to Washington…I think me to John, but I do not think that will happen.

Looks like we are about to enter something wishy washy and I see hell in hand basket getting served up. No change everything on hold we are in crisis and everybody is playing cover your ass… another episode of the queer political horse race.

By: moskowitz

moskowitz — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 12:28:36 +0000

excellent observations … succinct, very focused, & several points I missed – she was a high risk/reward choice … enjoyed your take