Divine Intervention?

I have to keep up with the conservative blogosphere..... at least better than I have been.

We all know about how John McCain had spoken to Sarah Palin only twice before choosing her as his running mate; for approximately fifteen minutes at a National Governors Association meeting early this year, and at his ranch in Sedona, Az. on the morning of August 29.

You might also have heard about the cruises to Alaska during the summer of 2007 sponsored by the two most eminent conservative magazines, The Weekly Standard and The National Review and how individuals from each cruise dined with Palin at the Governor's Mansion in Juneau. And how they were utterly charmed by the chief executive who impressed them with her charm, self-confidence, and in at least two cases, her physical beauty (described by The Weekly Standard's Fred Barnes as "exceptionally pretty and William Kristol as "my heartthrob").

In her recent article in The New Yorker, Jean Mayer describes the role of these meetings, of John McCain's close advisers, and of palinforv.p.blogspot.com, inaugurated in February 2007 by Adam Brickley. Although now an intern at the popular conservative website townhall.com (and prior to that, an intern at the Heritage Foundation), Brickley then was a junior at the Colorado Springs campus of the University of Colorado.

What really caught my attention was Mayer's description of Mr. Brickley's religious perspective:

Brickley’s family, once evangelical Christians, now practice what he calls “Messianic Judaism.” They believe that Jesus is the Messiah, but they also observe the Jewish holidays and attend synagogue; as Brickley puts it, “Jesus was Jewish, so to be like Him you need to be Jewish, too.” Brickley said that “the hand of God” played a role in choosing Palin: “The longer I worked on it the less I felt I was driving it. Something else was at work.”

Similarly, close to the end (approximately 8:15 of the 9:25 video) of her 10/20/08 interview by the adoring Dr. James Dobson, the professional psychologist who heads Focus On The Family, vice-presidential nominee Palin states



...because I'm going to know, at the end of the day, putting this in God's hands, that the right thing for America will be done, the end of the day on November 4.

Perhaps both Brickley and Palin, thinking alike, were right. Perhaps God did play a role in the selection of Sarah Palin, which then played a role in what happened on November 4. And what happened on that historic day was the right thing for America.

Thank You, Mrs. Palin

Sarah Palin must be one sorry woman.

Governor Earmark said this morning on MSNBC "If I cost John McCain even one vote, then I am sorry about that."

Here are a few opinion polls of the presidential race taken in late October which gave a good idea of voter about about the Alaska governor:

-Please tell me whether you agree or disagree with each of the following candidates on the issues that matter the most to you. . . For Joe Biden: 59% agree, 40 percent disagree; for Sarah Palin: 42% agree, 56% disagree.

-Please tells me whether you agree or disagree that each of the following candidates has the personality and leaderhip qualities a president should have.. Biden: 67%, has qualities, 31%, does not have qualities; for Sarah Palin: 37%, has qualities, 63%, does not have qualities.

-Do you think Joe Biden is prepared for the job of vice president,or isn't he? 74% prepared, 28%, not prepared, 8% unsure.
-Do you think Sarah Palin is prepared for the job of vice president, or isn't she? 35% prepared, 59% not prepared, 6% unsure.

-If you could vote separately for VICE PRESIDENT, would you be more likely to vote for Joe Biden, the Democrat, or Sarah Palin, the Republican? Biden, 54%; Palin, 37%; neither/other, 3%; unsure, 6%.

If this isn't evidence enough, Roger Simon explained it very clearly this morning in politico:

But a global economic meltdown — plus a shooting war in two countries — helped make superior knowledge seem like a good idea, and the ticket of Obama and Joe Biden seemed smarter than McCain and Sarah Palin.

Could McCain still have won by doing things differently? It is impossible to know, but at least two things will be argued about for a long time:

First, McCain could have picked a different running mate. Though Sarah Palin was certainly a shot of adrenaline into the Republican National Convention, nobody was looking very far down the road. By picking Palin, McCain surrendered his chief argument to voters: that he was a “steady hand on the tiller” and, therefore, a safer choice than Obama. McCain might be a steady hand, but Palin clearly was not, and when you are a 72-year-old nominee, voters are going to look at your running mate pretty closely. If McCain had selected former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, or even Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, he might have done better.

Blame it all on the economic calamity- but if John McCain hadn't selected Sarah Palin, it might not be the senator from Illinois celebrating today.

Article(s) Of The Week

Amid all the accusations about patriotism and associations, ultimately the primary theme (as far as there is one) of the McCain-Palin campaign has been the charge of "socialism," though it appears from their comments that neither Repub candidate knows what is. I wanted to note, therefore, two pieces, the first by Hendrik Hertzberger of The New Yorker, the second on 11/1 by Jacob Weisberg of Slate.

Hertzberger reminds us that Sarah Palin, governor of the Socialist Republic of Alaska, has told The New Yorker "we’re set up, unlike other states in the union, where it’s collectively Alaskans own the resources. So we share in the wealth when the development of these resources occurs.” Conveniently, we can view the "Image: United States Income Distribution 1967-2003.svg" form, which enables residents of Alaska- even those who have paid no taxes- to get a nice fat check from their government, an approach toward income redistribution and fairness excoriated by that same Sarah Palin on the campaign trail.

Wisberg links to Wikipedia's "Image: United States Income Distribution 1967-2003.svg.," including both a graph and a chart. We learn for instance, that from 1967 to 2003 the median household income of the 95th percentile of the American population jumped from $88,678 to $154,120 while in the same period the median income of the 50th percentile increased only from $33328 to $43318.the Social Security Act (which redistributes wealth), the Americans with Disabilities Act (which also redistributes), educational reform that would improve schools in poor areas, Head Start programs, statutes allowing parental leave, the Earned Income Tax Credit, the progressive income tax, and much more.

Both writers note, of course, that government policies are invariably redistributive. Renowned law professor Cass Sunstein points out

in terms of actual policy, it seems to include the Social Security Act (which redistributes wealth), the Americans with Disabilities Act (which also redistributes), educational reform that would improve schools in poor areas, Head Start programs, statutes allowing parental leave, the Earned Income Tax Credit, the progressive income tax, and much more.
(And the EITC has been a favorite of several Republicans, including Ronald W. Reagan, about whom conservatives have asked "What Would Reagan Do?")

I don't know if the widening gulf between the wealthy and other Americans would narrow in the administration of a Barack Obama, who has run a risk-averse campaign geared to assuring Americans that he is not what they fear in a black man. However, given the extreme rhetoric and proposals of the McCain-Palin team, in which the presidential nominee has taken to referring (ludicrously, if not pithily) to "Barack the Redistributionist," we must conclude that a McCain administration would take us in the wrong direction.

McCain's Newest Hero

At a rally last week in Mentor, Ohio, John McCain described Joe Wurzelbacher as"a great citizen of Ohio and my role model."

You can view below on YouTube below John McCain's role model explaining why he doubts Barack Obama's patriotism: "You know, McCain has fought and bled for our country, loves our country. There's too many questions with Barack Obama and his loyalty to our country and I question that greatly."



John S. McCain: Naval aviator. Prisoner of War. War hero. Navy liason to United States Senate. Member of United States House of Representatives. Member of United States Senate. Candidate for President of the United States (2000). Nominee of his party for President of the United States (2008).

And now at age 72,after idolizing a former two-term President (Ronald Reagan) and a respected General (David Petraeus), his hero now is.... Joe Wurzelbacher?

"Mine, Baby, Mine"

As reported here on October 31, Jake Tapper of ABC News wrote on Friday that Barack Obama had begun criticizing the Republican attacks on his tax policies. Obama noted "John McCain and Sarah Palin, they call this socialistic. You know, I don't know when they decided they wanted to make a virtue out of selfishness."

Maybe it all began with Sam The Non-Plumber, A/K/A Joe The Plumber- or perhaps not. The Wheeling (W. Va.) News-Register reported on its blog that a crowd on October 12 in Brush Run Park, just outside of St. Clairsville, Ohio chanted "Mine, Baby, Mine." A bemused Sarah Palin responded "I've never heard that before. Do you mind if I plagiarize that? I'm taking it across the U.S."

And so she has. In a blog on washingtonpost.com, Anita Kumar reported that the following day at the Virginia Beach Convention Center, "The crowd started chanting "Drill, baby, drill." But she corrected them: "It's 'Mine, baby, mine.' " (Palin apparently also referred to the area as "the Hampton Roads," an understandable mistake by someone lacking interest in anything outside of Alaska or her own ambition.) The vice-presidential candidate has continued using the phrase in speeches.

I suppose it's true, as the News-Register reported, that "mine, baby, mine" is merely a variation of "drill, baby, drill," especially as it first was used in coal country. Still, it's an apt description, even a metaphor, for the Republican campaign theme of me first, country last.

Another Day, Another Claim

In what is generally considered a "slip of the tongue," President Reagan in 1988 famously stated "facts are stupid things," misquoting John Adams noting in 1770 "facts are stubborn things."

John McCain, however, apparently agrees with Ronald Reagan. CBS News reports that on October 31 in Des Moines, Barack Obama commented "On the day of the Iowa caucus, my faith in the American people was vindicated and what you started here in Iowa has swept the nation." McCain responded on November 1 in Perkasie, Pa. "I’ve been humbled and honored to have the great opportunity to serve this nation, the greatest nation in the world and defend its freedom and I’ll do that until my last breath.”

I was not amused when Michelle Obama infamously remarked in Milwaukee on 2/28/08 "for the first time in my adult life I am proud of my country because it feels like hope is finally making a comeback" Still, Mrs. Obama at her speech to the Democratic National Convention in August put that issue to rest and she aims to be, ultimately, First Lady, not President.

But Barack Obama's statement was simply not the same as his wife's controversial remark this past winter. Check the dictionary for "vindicate:" according to the American Heritage Dictionary: To clear of accusation, blame, suspicion, or doubt with supporting arguments or proof: "Our society permits people to sue for libel so that they may vindicate their reputations" (Irving R. Kaufman). According to Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary: 1. To lay claim to; to assert a right to; to claim. [R.] Is thine alone the seed that strews the plain? The birds of heaven shall vindicate their grain. --Pope."

"Vindicate" usually is used by the speaker to verify to others that a claim is true. In this instance(s), it was employed by Obama to point to confirmation of what he already believed, as in "this is what I believed; now here is the proof."

Why has John McCain chosen this late date to manipulate and exploit the words of Barack Obama on love of country when he has been so enjoying fantasizing about a Socialist opponent? Obama spokesman Bill Burton responded to the Arizona senator by noting "It’s pathetic that McCain would take a statement Barack Obama has been making for a year about his faith in the American people and distort it to attack his patriotism." There really is no downside, however, for a candidate whose penchant for dishonesty always has been excused by a media which beginning on November 5 will try to sell the line that the real McCain was the guy they fell in love with eight years ago.

Decency

In their endorsement of Barack Obama for president, cleverly entitled "Obama for President," the editors of The New Republic write "Obama has even been described as a Burkean. Unlike Bush, he actually listens to those with whom he vehemently disagrees...."

This reminded me of the famous "Joe The Plumber" (or Sam The Pretend Plumber) discussion, shortly before the final Obama-McCain-debate, of mid-October in Holland, Ohio (video below transcript). Here is a guy, a conservative Republican, who hoped to buy a business at some point and was worried about Obama's tax plans. And the Democratic nominee listened to him and spoke to him- without reference to slogans or platitudes- for 5 minutes and 47 seconds.

Joe: My name's Joe Wurzelbacher.

Obama: Good to see you, Joe.

Joe: I'm getting ready to buy a company that makes about $250,000 … $270-$280,000 a year.

Obama: All right.

Joe: Your new tax plan's gonna tax me more, isn't it?

Obama: Well, here's what's gonna happen. If you're a small business which you would qualify as, first of all, you'd get a 50 percent tax credit, so you get a cut on taxes for your health care costs. So you would actually get a tax cut on that front. If your revenue is above $250,000, then from $250,000 down, your taxes are gonna stay the same. It is true that for … say, from $250,000 up, from $250,000 to $300,000 or so …

Joe: Well, here's my question …

Obama: I just want to answer your question. So, for that additional amount, you'd go from 36 to 39 percent, which is what it was under Bill Clinton. And the reason we're doing that is because 95 percent of small businesses make less than $250,000 so what I want to do is give them a tax cut. I want to give all these folks who are bus drivers, teachers, auto workers who make less … I want to give them a tax cut and so what we're doing is, we are saying that folks who make more than $250,000 that that marginal amount above $250,000, they're gonna be taxed at a 39 instead of a 36 percent rate.

Joe: Well, the reason why I ask you about the American Dream I mean, I work hard. I'm a plumber, I work 10-12 hours a day …

Obama: Absolutely.

Joe: … and I'm, you know, buying this company and I'm gonna continue to work that way. Now, if I buy another truck and adding something else to it and, you know, build the company, you know, I'm getting taxed more and more while fulfilling the American Dream.

Obama: Well, here's a way of thinking about it. How long have you been a plumber? How long have you been working?

Joe: Fifteen years.

Obama: Okay. So, over the last 15 years, when you weren't making $250,000, you would have been getting a tax cut from me. So you'd actually have more money, which means you would have saved more, which means that you would have gotten to the point where you could build your small business quicker than under the current tax code. So there are two ways of looking at it. I mean, one way of looking at it is, now that you've become more successful …

Joe: Through hard work.

Obama: … through hard work, you don't want to be taxed as much.

Joe: Exactly.

Obama: Which I understand. But another way of looking at it is, 95 percent of folks who are making less than $250,000, they may be working hard, too, but they're being taxed at a higher rate than they would be under mine. So what I'm doing is … you know, put yourself back 10 years ago when you were only making whatever — $60,000 or $70,000. Under my tax plan, you would be keeping more of your paycheck, you'd be spending lower taxes, which means that you would have saved and gotten to the point where you are faster. Now, look, nobody likes high taxes, right? Of course not. But what's happened is that we end up … we've cut taxes a lot for folks like me who make a lot more than $250,000. We haven't given a break to folks who make less and, as a consequence, the average wage and income for just ordinary folks, the vast majority of Americans, has actually gone down over the last eight years. So all I want to do is … I've got a tax cut. The only thing that changes is, I'm going to cut taxes a little bit more for the folks who are most in need, and for the 5 percent of the folks who are doing very well, even though they've been working hard … and I understand that; I appreciate that … I just want to make sure that they're paying a little bit more in order to pay for those other tax cuts. Now, I respect your disagreement, but I just want you to be clear. It's not that I want to punish your success. I just want to make sure that everybody who is behind you, that they've got a chance at success, too.

Joe: It seems like you'd be welcome to a flat tax then.

Obama: You know, I would be open to it except for … here's the problem with the flat tax. If you actually put a flat tax together, you'd probably … in order for it to work and replace all the revenue that we've got, you'd probably end up having to make it like about a 40 percent sales tax. I mean, the value added, making it up. Now, some people say 23 or 25, but, in truth, when you add up all the revenue that would need to be raised, you'd have to slap on a whole bunch of sales taxes on it. And I do believe that for folks like me who are, you know, have worked hard but, frankly, also been lucky, I don't mind paying just a little bit more than the waitress who I just met over there, who's … things are slow and she can barely make the rent. Because my attitude is that if the economy's good for folks from the bottom up, it's gonna be good for everybody. If you've got a plumbing business, you're gonna be better off if you've got a whole bunch of customers who can afford to hire you. And right now, everybody's so pinched that business is bad for everybody. And I think when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody. But, listen, I respect what you do and I respect your question. And even if I don't get your vote, I'm still gonna be working hard on your behalf 'cause I want to make sure … small businesses are what creates jobs in this country and I want to encourage it. All right. (applause) One other thing I didn't mention. For small-business people, I'm gonna eliminate the capital gains tax, so what it means is if your business succeeds and let's say you take it from a $250,000 business to a $500,000 business, that capital gains that you get, we're not gonna tax you on it 'cause I want you to grow more so you're actually going … you may end up … I'd have to look at your particular business but you might end up paying lower taxes under my plan and my approach than under John McCain's plan. I can't guarantee that 'cause I'd have to take a look at your business.

Joe: Okay, I understand that.

Obama: All right. Thanks for the question, though. I appreciate it. Okay, guys, I gotta get out here. I've gotta go prepare for this debate. But that was pretty good timing. Thanks.

For all the (phony) GOP paeans to "Joe The Plumber," it is Barack Obama who actually spoke to this citizen, explaining his program and answering his concerns, treating an average American with respect. To the Republican candidates, of course, Joe is not Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, but Joe The Plumber, a stereotype, a cardboard cutout, a prop to their slogans and talking points. If in fact the Obama-Biden ticket is elected on Tuesday, we can expect a time in the near future when John McCain, with a nod and a wink, will entertain the mainstream media by suggesting that he really knew this theme was a sham meant only to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.