misskriss

My husband is banned

Who Uses Public Financing? According to FEC spokesman Bob Biersack, "Every major party nominee since 1976 has accepted public financing." But when a candidate can raise as much as $55 million in one month from private donations in a primary season, like Sen. Barack Obama did in February, and when there are estimates that the 2008 general election could cost as much as $500 million per nominee – or $1 billion overall – a grant of $84.1 million in public financing may not look so attractive. The 2008 presidential candidates are in the midst of confronting this issue. In late February, Sen. John McCain accused Sen. Obama of hinting in a USA Today op-ed that he would renege on his pledge to accept public financing in the general election. In the op-ed, Obama wrote that if he was tapped to be the Democratic nominee he would push for an "agreement in good faith that results in real spending limits." Presumably, the "real spending limits" Obama mentioned would be different from the $84.1 million the FEC is offering. Meanwhile, Clinton, unlike Obama, has not pledged to use public financing in the general election. But Obama isn't alone when it comes to campaign finance conundrums. Also in February, McCain requested to withdraw from the primary election public matching funds system. But the FEC responded that, without a quorum (four of the six FEC seats are vacant), it could not issue a formal decision. The FEC's chairman also had questions about the McCain campaign's promise, as a condition of receiving a bank loan, to reapply for future matching funds and use that money as collateral against the loan under certain circumstances. McCain's situation was further complicated when, as The Washington Post reported, he exceeded the $54 million spending limit for candidates who participate in the matching funds program. McCain's campaign and his lawyers insist he formally withdrew from the matching funds program and is no longer subject to its spending limits. However, the FEC, lacking a quorum, has not been able to make a final decision on McCain's status and whether or not he violated campaign finance rules. - Emi Kolawole Sources Public Financing of Federal Elections. Feb. 2008. U.S. Federal Election Commission. 18 Mar. 2008. Presidential Spending Limits for 2008. Feb. 2008. U.S. Federal Election Commission. 18 Mar. 2008. Congressional Research Service. Public Financing of Congressional Elections: Background and Analysis. Washington: GPO, 2007.

McCain also has ties to Khalidi through a group that Khalidi helped found 15 years ago. The Center for Palestine Research and Studies has received more than $800,000 from an organization that McCain chairs.

My ex husband just sent me this via email. He wrote it to me and since no one here knows him I feel okay about posting it. He and I are still friends and have always differed on politics until now...sort of. Although I still disagree with a lot of what he says in the email, his ability to think outside of his usual box is respectable. For the first time since I've known him we will vote for the same person. My ex husband is a commander in the Navy, a former naval aviator and is currently serving in Iraq. I write to you today to extoll the virtues of a man I admire and respect, a man I feel is different from most politicians, a man of honor and integrity. His grandfather was a 4-star admiral and architect of one of the hardest won victories of this, or any other, era in the Pacific against the Japanese. His father was also a 4-star admiral who ordered the bombing of Hanoi even though he knew his son was imprisoned there. Then LCDR John McCain was a naval aviator through and through and I know those types very, very well. He flew hard, played hard and railed against authority, much like somebody else we know. He was a POW for 5 years. I experienced 2 days of 1/100th of the reality he went through and I can tell you, unequivocally, that anyone who not only survives that ordeal but comes out the other side with the honor that he did and then goes on to serve his country in politics for 25 years afterwards is a true hero, not just someone we label a hero. Personally, his lineage and children are all first rate. He has been divorced, but is good friends with his first wife has been married to his second for many years now. All 7 of his children have led, so far, productive, quality lives and speak highly of him. He has 2 sons currently serving their country at the Naval Academy and in the Marine Corps. We should not easily brush aside the fact that he is a quality father and husband. His political experience is extensive, as mentioned above. Politics, no matter who or where you are, is an ugly profession. You are forced to "spin" in order to appeal to the masses so that you can actually get something accomplished AFTER you are elected. This is why Colin Powell never ran for office, in my opinion. John McCain HATES this fact about his job. He really is a straight-shooter at heart, wants to tell it like he sees it (and has many, many times) and then act decisively and with passion. He hates corruption and pork-barrel spending, 2 of my personal pet-peeves. He is FAR more qualified to lead the U.S. Military as comannder in chief and handle matters of foreign affair than is Senator Obama. I have waited for him to run for the Presidency for some time, since he is exactly my kind of non-partisan independent thinker. He is, in short, a great man. A man I would be proud to call my friend or my colleague. Mr. Obama, on the other hand, is inexperienced with only 3 years on the national scene and is a bit more left than i care for.. I fear that with a democratic senate and house, he has the potential to put this country into tailspin of taxation and spending that knows few bounds....not what we need at this point. He has managed some rather non-commital statements about his taxation plan and I'm afraid that I will see a significant increase in my taxes, even as I try to put 2 girls through college at the same time for the next 6-8 years. I don't believe that things get better when you just hand people money, which I think is what democrats, in general, tend to do - especially people who have no idea what to do with it when you give it to them (like me). When I tried to break their positions and character down line by line, I came out with McCain ahead by a solitary "+" sign. That is why I cast my ballot for Senator Obama with a heavy heart.. Not so much for the promise he brings, as my disappointment in the decisions Senator McCain has recently made. He tends to be emotional, as do I, and that is not what we need right now. Mr Obama has a very statesman like quality to him, he captures people and they want to follow. This, combined with his obvious good judgment in terms of his initial no vote on the war in Iraq (which I still believe, though only possible via a nearly miraculous tactical and strategic save by GEN Petraeus, years from now will produce a much better relationship with the Middle East - but was never a good idea in the first place) and the manner in which he uses top advisors and listens to their inputs while making his own decisions, places him in a better position to be the leader of the free world at this time. If he tries to withdraw from Iraq too quickly, however, it will be a disaster and I can only hope that he listens to those experts that he employs to advise him on matters he is weak on (I wish you could see what I see...we really are making a difference here and we just need to see it through...we're soooo close to consolidating this thing and bringing home a "real" win). Senator McCain let us down severely with his choice for VP. I made the mistake of trusting George Bush because his father was a great man, but actions speak louder than words. Colin Powell endorsing Senator Obama cancels Mr Obama's extremely poor choice of religious institutions (I was actually scared when I listened to Rev Wright's 45 min sermon). His judgment showed again as he distanced himself from that organization. While still confounded about how he could listen to that hate for more than 10 min without walking out (let alone for years), I feel that he is able to correct himself faster and more efficiently than John McCain. McCain is moving in the wrong direction...he is moving away from himself in order to save a voting base that I completely disagree with (the far right), while Obama is moving in the right direction. With respect to money, I believe that he will listen to high quality individuals and not go crazy. I sincerely hope that I do not regret this choice in this area, because again, it will have direct consequences on our daughters and you and I in a very real and personal sense. I disdain the manner in which all passionate advocates go about their craft, a win at all costs mentality...I wish I were God-like and could look into the candidates lives and know the "truth." I was not fond of many of the emails and articles you sent me, most were rhetoric. But I do thank you for making me think. I am not saying you're right and if McCain is elected, i believe he will do a fine job...he is not the republican party, he is his own man, he's just not acting like it right now when I need him to the most. I hope with all my heart that my analyses, together with my instincts, will actually produce a quality result this time. Have a good day, Kris. The father of more than half your children -

Agreed..

Wow... how so? Can you give an example?

Hmmm... I live on a private drive and although my girls don't play soccer they do play volleyball and attend schools without metal detectors. I also have a daughter at Florida State University, My neighbors are lawyers and doctors and we're all voting for Obama. I guess we're the blue urban blight...

Also, didn't Joe Lieberman say that our enemies will test our new President? McCain says he has been tested but his friend Joe the Lieberman says that our enemies WILL TEST our new president. hmmmmmm.

http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/10/mccain_aide_gave_reporters_inc.php

I saw it everytime I turned on MSNBC as well.

Well she started getting suspicious when he began hanging out in airport restrooms for fun .

http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/17789356/detail.html

"Oh and I buy my daughters famous name label purses on special occasions too. Must really suck to try and enjoy life. " And I bought my daughter a Juicy Couture purse for her 16th birthday. You're totally missing my point. Actually it was for her 15th birthday.

My republican brother says he is now going to vote for Obama but begged me not to tell his fiance.

In my Good Housekeeping magazine there was an interview with Cindy McCain. When asked about which issues were important to her. "Also, the economy...the economy-slash-education; I put them together. Because as a mother, I — like everyone else — have to fill my gas tank in my car. I have to feed my family. I have to be able to make sure that I can keep a roof over their heads and, with things escalating the way they are, it's very difficult." I guess it is difficult to upkeep seven homes. Cindy's outfit and jewelry at the convention still cost more than what Sarah spent shopping so I guess Sarah really is more Josie sixpack than I thought.

Really? For their 7 yr old daughter? Wow. Priorities. Look, I don't care that they spent that much money on her clothes. Sounds like fun-- it's the fact that she spent a lot of her speech at the RNC talking about wasteful spending (fired the chef and sold the plane) and how she is a regular hockey mom. The fact is that the women with $10 an hour jobs aren't walking around spending $150,000 in a couple months on clothes. Again, it's not a big deal to me except for the fact that she's trying to play like regular Joe, I mean Sarah when in fact, she's not.

***Well, perhaps she's just trying to connect with Joe the elitist latte-sipper Well, she does quote from her starbucks cup so I should have seen it coming.

The deal is, Palin's big schtick if you will is being a "hockey mom" and connecting with Joe sixpack and now Joe the plumber. There's a photo of her 7 yr old carrying a LV purse which is just a tad ridiculous but whatever. It wouldn't be such a big deal if she didn't talk all the time about the " New York elite" etc. I guess now she is part of the Alaska Elite. I do understand that she needs a new wardrobe but my goodness that's a lot of shopping.

This drives me crazy as well. My daughter wore an Obama shirt to school and a fellow classmate asked her how she could wear that shirt because " Obama is a Muslim." My daughter replied that no he wasn't a Muslim but even if it was so, WHO CARES???" What I have learned Darius, is that you can't argue with stupid or ignorant.

"How close are McCain and Liddy? At least as close as Obama and Ayers appear to be. In 1998, Liddy's home was the site of a McCain fundraiser. Over the years, he has made at least four contributions totaling $5,000 to the senator's campaigns--including $1,000 this year. Last November, McCain went on his radio show. Liddy greeted him as "an old friend," and McCain sounded like one. "I'm proud of you, I'm proud of your family," he gushed. "It's always a pleasure for me to come on your program, Gordon, and congratulations on your continued success and adherence to the principles and philosophies that keep our nation great."

Can you give us links to credible sources, which we can read and evaluate for ourselves, that support this assertion with respect to Singlaub personally? (Please keep within Forum rules.) He is not a child molester. It was an attempt at sarcasm. There are those who attend rallies for McPalin who yell out that Barack Obama is a terrorist, that he commits treason.. that he should be killed. He was making an absurd remark to make a point, if I can speak for him.

I guess no one else can answer but thanks to those that did..

which is what? I know my husband has a somewhat interesting way to try and get a point across and many don't pick up on his sense of humor or his sarcasm. ( not that's what he was doing in the post you are referencing, however....) but I'm curious as to what you meant by that statement.

Ahhhhh... from the Vietnam war. But it did drag on a few more years, correct? Okay.. I found where he answered the question on why he won't share. “Because I have my own ideas and it would require implementation of certain policies and procedures that only as the president of the United States can be taken." Which leads me to another question. If he doesn't become President then will he keep this information a secret? Country first, I guess.

Brilliant.. best answer I've heard so far.