You’re screaming in an empty room.

This country is going to get what it wants. I can only hope that God is on our side.

— Congressman Bobby Rush, in a debate with then state legislator Barack Obama, when both men were competing for the Democratic primary for Rush’s seat in 2000. Rush won the primary, 61 percent to 30 percent.

Barack Obama has racked up some accomplishments since 2000. But it’s interesting that seven and a half years ago, Democratic primary voters in Illinois’ First District — a district that included Hyde Park — agreed with Rush’s assessment that Obama was insufficiently accomplished and experienced to represent them in the U.S. House of Representatives, nevermind the presidency.

Obama believes that he has the ability to persuade our enemies face-to-face to give up their plans to defeat the ‘Great Satan’ because he is a Democrat who hopes to improve our reputation in the world. He can see all sides of an issue and be a ‘uniter.’

He has plans, sure enough. Naive, foolish plans more in line with Jimmy Carter than Harry Truman.

Obama tells you his plans. Listen to him, read his proposals, and get over getting a dose of your own medicine.

When you can tell me what Obama’s plans are, we’ll discuss.

I’m not McCain or one of his policy advisors either. But as a supporter, I should know where he stands on the issues and what his plans are. You should for Obama as well.

I applaud you, though, because you did answer my original question from this morning: it’s not possible for Obama or his supporters to address any of the issues this country faces without resorting to Bush-bashing.

If that’s what this election year comes down to-using the ease of bashing the sitting president to advance an agenda (or lack thereof)-that’s fine. At least I know.

I wonder if it’s too early to order a “Don’t blame me, I voted for McCain” bumper sticker….”
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When did I bash Bush? Sorry I schooled you but you were overdue. In my defense, I did give you the way out by pointing out “if you speak for McBush” but you chose to try and sell smoke and mirrors because others have fallen for it in the past. Again, you couldn’t answer questions that McBush hasn’t answered and you should have been smart enough to just admit that. McCain is no more prepared and no better qualified to be president than Obama is or Clinton is. Being president is the only training for being president and eventually you will understand this simple but true statement.

We agree on one thing, BPM: that was a waste of time. Because the reality of the situation is that you weren’t going to listen to whatever my answers were to your questions.

I’ll keep waiting for you to provide Obama’s stances on the same questions. Don’t worry, though, I don’t expect them any time soon.”

Sorry, d, but that doesn’t fly. Your supposed answers weren’t answers at all just vagueness and platitudes that you have made a big habit of decrying re:Obama without realizing that McBush is no better and everything you project onto Obama is more accurately descriptive of McBush.

If you had real answers, I would have appreciated and acknowledged them but If I ask you whether McBush has ever eaten at Cracker Barrel and you answer with: McCain believes that southerners have a rich cultural heritage in our country and we can help maintain it by recognizing that southern cuisine is a part of that heritage. McCain suggests that the international community should invest funds as tourists dining at Cracker Barrel restaurants to help the south rise again, well then I don’t consider that an answer to the question although you pasted a response.

He sounds similar to Obama in that answer. That doesn’t keep Iran from arming and didn’t keep N. Korea from arming. I guess this is another he doesn’t have a real plan moment except to stick with Bush’s policy.

————
“McCain believes that the US should continue to maintain its embargo of Cuba. He believes that America should continue, through radio and TV, to communicate directly with the Cuban people. McCain will press the Castro government to release political prisoners, legalize all political parties and unions, and schedule elections to be monitored by an international body.

How is McCain going to disarm N. Korea?
In 2007, McCain said that it was necessary for North Korea be committed to “verifiable denuclearization” and “full accounting of all its nuclear materials and facilities” before any “lasting diplomatic agreement(s) can be reached.”

How is this any different from what has been done for the last 40 years? How is that working for the Cuban people? I guess them surviving another four years of the status quo may be positive in McCain’s view.
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“Can you tell me who the 115 are?”
The highest and most intimate members of his campaign. His favorites ride the straight talk express with him. If you want their legal names, submit a press request to the McCain campaign asking for a formal list of his campaign staff in order rank.

I’m not McCain or one of his policy advisors either. But as a supporter, I should know where he stands on the issues and what his plans are. You should for Obama as well.

I applaud you, though, because you did answer my original question from this morning: it’s not possible for Obama or his supporters to address any of the issues this country faces without resorting to Bush-bashing.

If that’s what this election year comes down to-using the ease of bashing the sitting president to advance an agenda (or lack thereof)-that’s fine. At least I know.

I wonder if it’s too early to order a “Don’t blame me, I voted for McCain” bumper sticker….

I knew you couldn’t answer my questions before I asked them but imagine my surprise to discover that you didn’t know that you couldn’t answer the questions. I thought it was obvious that my point was that all of your arguments against Obama are hypocritical and straw men (and apply equally if not moreso to McCain himself) but I am pleased that you proven it so thoroughly with your non-answer “answers” to questions that you couldn’t possibly answer because McCain himself hasn’t answered. When next you want to hurl empty suit type insults at Obama, you might want to read your McCain “answers” to a few questions in this thread.

We agree on one thing, BPM: that was a waste of time. Because the reality of the situation is that you weren’t going to listen to whatever my answers were to your questions.

I’ll keep waiting for you to provide Obama’s stances on the same questions. Don’t worry, though, I don’t expect them any time soon.

The 60 billion is debatable because the families will end up paying more on the state and local levels just as they have with the Bush tax cuts for billionaires when the shortfall is not covered. McCain has been in the Senate for decades and hasn’t been able to curb or end earmarks so what specifically will he do differently as president that he couldn’t figure out the decades before. Also, from what I have read earmarks wouldn’t cover the total costs of the lost revenues. Offsetting in this case is the equivalent of trying to fill a swimming pool with a tablespoon. Where will McCain get the remainder of the funds or does he plan to continue to grow the deficit as Bush and the republicans have done for the last 7 years?

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“McCain believes that parents and children should be at the center of the education process. He believes that parents should be empowered with school choice to send their children to the school that can best educate them. As far as protecting college students from the credit crisis, McCain has called on the federal and state governments to anticipate loan problems and expand lender-of-last resort capabilities.”

Your copy and past here doesn’t even pretend to ANSWER the question or is it McBush’s plan that all parents should homeschool? As far as the credit crisis, McCain has no plans and no vision but he wants someone to anticipate problems. Let me save him some time, McBush college students are graduating with massive debt that will prevent them from doing simple things like becoming homeowners and building wealth. Now that I have anticipated the crisis for him, do you think he might work on a plan of some sort. Besides nothing you posted addressed my question in the slightest.
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[(copying and pasting here, because McCain’s own words speak better than mine)

“A secure border will contribute to addressing our immigration problem most effectively if we also:

Recognize the importance of building strong allies in Mexico and Latin America who reject the siren call of authoritarians like Hugo Chavez, support freedom and democracy, and seek strong domestic economies with abundant economic opportunities for their citizens.

Recognize the importance of pro-growth policies -- keeping government spending in check, holding down taxes, and cutting unnecessary regulatory burdens -- so American businesses can hire and pay the best.

Recognize the importance of a flexible labor market to keep employers in business and our economy on top. It should provide skilled Americans and immigrants with opportunity. Our education system should ensure skills for our younger workers, and our retraining and assistance programs for displaced workers must be modernized so they can pursue those opportunities

Recognize the importance of assimilation of our immigrant population, which includes learning English, American history and civics, and respecting the values of a democratic society.

Recognize that America will always be that "shining city upon a hill," a beacon of hope and opportunity for those seeking a better life built on hard work and optimism.”]

First, let’s not pretend. Everything you posted @ 11:59 is a copy and paste. Save the smoke screen. Again, you prove he has no plan unless you meant to convey that his plan is that we remain allies of Mexico and do nothing. I don’t see anything here that is different fromt the Bush policy except this piece of presidential innovation: Recognize that America will always be that “shining city upon a hill,” a beacon of hope and opportunity for those seeking a better life built on hard work and optimism.”
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“McCain believes in full support of the successful counterinsurgency strategy (i.e. the surge) effected by GEN David Petraeus. He recognizes that the gains of the last year would be lost under Obama’s call for withdrawal, just as progress was slowed by removing the American military from Iraq’s streets in 2005-2006.

McCain believes the United Nations should take on a larger role in supporting Iraq’s elections in 2008 and 2009. He believes the international community should support and fund programs to spur local entrepreneurship in Iraq, which will lead to an increase in jobs and propel the growth necessary to keep Iraq’s young men away from the attractions of extremism.”

Again, you don’t even pretend to answer the question of how will McBush end the Iraq war. However, I do find it funny as hell that McBush’s plan to end the war in Iraq is that the international community should spend money for the McBush war. Powell warned you in advance of the pottery barn theory that “your break it you bought it”. That is probably the stupidest Iraq plan to date: the rest of the world should pay the costs and somehow that will miraculously end the fight and instantaneously get our troops home.
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“Still owe you a couple. :)”

I appreciate your attempts here, d., but you completely missed my bigger point and I really was making a larger point. For all the experience and bona fides you bestow on McCain he is no more prepared to be president than Obama is and judging by what you posted he is less prepared. Furthermore, you have time and again mocked Obama for vagueness and platitudes and then you post manure that is worse than vagueness and platitudes because they don’t even answer the specific questions that they were supposedly intended to address. The real answers are easier than copying from McCain’s website, blogs and articles. For example (how will McBush end the Iraq war), McCain has no intention of ending the Iraq war unless he can exchange it for one with Iran. It really is just that simple and avoiding addressing this direct question by engaging in a HYPOTHETICAL 2013 fantasy is shameful but clever enough to fool most of the idiots in the media. Thanks for humoring me but this is surely a waste of time because McCain obviously has no plans and no answers for my questions if a die hard supporter like you can’t find them. I guess we will get back to the regularly scheduled program around here of Obama-bashing and Obama defending. :)

How is McCain going to prevent Iran from achieving nuclear arms?
Contrary to popular liberal belief, McCain believes in using the international community to keep pressure on Iran’s pursuit of nuclear arms. However, while he believes use of the military should be the last resort, he will not take the use of force option off the table.

How is McCain going to effect positive change in Cuba?

McCain believes that the US should continue to maintain its embargo of Cuba. He believes that America should continue, through radio and TV, to communicate directly with the Cuban people. McCain will press the Castro government to release political prisoners, legalize all political parties and unions, and schedule elections to be monitored by an international body.

How is McCain going to disarm N. Korea?
In 2007, McCain said that it was necessary for North Korea be committed to “verifiable denuclearization” and “full accounting of all its nuclear materials and facilities” before any “lasting diplomatic agreement(s) can be reached.”

How is McCain going to work in the interests of the people when his campaign is run by 115 federal lobbyists, excuse me 114 since it seems another one may have bitten the dust today?

Can you tell me who the 115 are?

We can’t save him, folks. He and Ferraro are so gone.

Being lazy. But what the hell….

And I don’t expect honest answers to my questions; generally speaking, I rarely do (even though I’m surprised when I get them).

I think you can produce sufficient answers to any question re: McCain.

The answer still remains: Can Obama supporters respond to your questions/concerns about Obama without bashing Bush or changing the subject to conveniently put you on defense?

Why is it so hard to explain why immediate withdrawl from Iraq will end the war? Or why negotiations with Iran, Syria, Cuba, and Venezuela without preconditions will be a successful, fruitful foreign policy strategy that will advance our national interests?

This will lead to a stable functioning Iraq and a reduced troop presence in Iraq.

BTW, and immediate, unconditional withdrawl, as proposed by Obama will not end the war but merey end our involvement until it becomes necessary to intervene at later date, after AQI has been able to reconstitute itself and Iran is free to train and arm illegal Shiite militias with impunity, wreaking havoc on the civilian population and destabilizing the government.

Cutting and pasting does not negate the validity of the argument but I guess it provides enough of a ‘distraction’ for you to ignore the content.

If you disagree that the surge is a winning strategy that is producing successful results, then you will indeed feel that McCain cannot ‘end’ the war, but it is none-the-less a real plan for ending the war.