Goldwater Institute: Learn to protect yourself

I thought this comment by Byron Schlomack of the Goldwater Institute, when asked if the money proposed for the Wall Street bailout would be better spent helping people who were duped into financial products they don't understand, pretty much sums up what it is Republicans believe:

"People need to protect themselves," he said. "They need to learn to protect themselves. They shouldn't ever depend on a government program or a government agency or a government guarantee to protect them from the unscrupulous."

Isn't this philosophy, that government should not protect consumers against fraud or predatory lending, what got us into this mess in the first place?

Now, when it comes to protecting us against gay marriage, will conservatives make the same argument? If you think same-sex marriage is so dangerous, then protect yourself by marrying someone of the opposite sex, but don't expect government to protect you from it. That's not their job.

CTJ: McCain advisor admits ads about Obama's tax plan are misleading

From the Citizens for Tax Justice:

McCain Campaign Continues to Mislead About Obama's Tax Proposal -- and McCain's Chief Economics Adviser Admits Their Commercials Are Wrong

For someone who wants to make the Bush tax cuts permanent for all but the richest 2 or 3 percent of Americans, and add on top of that a lot of new tax cuts for middle-class Americans, it's surprising how often Senator Barack Obama is accused of proposing "painful tax increases" on American "families." Nonetheless, the McCain campaign has tried to paint Obama as a major tax-hiker. The most damning aspect of these statements is that the chief economic adviser to Senator McCain has acknowledged that the Obama tax plan does not raise taxes. TIME's Michael Sherer wrote, back in July: "Here is Douglas Holtz-Eakin, McCain's chief economic policy adviser. 'I used to say that Barack Obama raises taxes and John McCain cuts them, and I was convinced,' he told me in a phone interview this week. 'I stand corrected [about Obama's plans].'"Read More

Too funny not to repost

John Stewart commenting on some hypocracy (in politics???) about whether women are looked at with a more powerful microscope. The answer varies depending on whether the woman is Hillary Clinton or Sarah Palin.

Former President Bush bored by Laura's speech?

Just as he did during his debate with Clinton and Perot in 1992, George H.W. Bush checked his watch during Laura Bush's speech at the Republican National Convention last night.

Watch Sarah Palin speak to her church, ask members to pray for a pipeline

Watch Sarah Palin speaking to her church earlier this summer, asking parishoners to pray that a local pipeline gets built because it is God's will that Alaska's natural resources be used for the lower 48, and hear her Pastor declare that Alaska is a great refuge in the final days.

Is she prepared to be a leader of something bigger than Alaska (yes, there are places bigger than wide open Alaska)? Does she realize there are people of faith in this country praying that we find alternative forms of energy that do not flood people out of their homes or create droughts? Does she believe in praying for God's will, or merely for her own self interest? She brags about how her Pastor did not pray that she be elected "if it is God's will," but rather just straight out he prayed that she be elected, and it worked. If Obama's pastor is fair game this election, then Palin's church advocating her election should launch a discussion of whether her church should keep its non-profit status from the IRS, since churches and other non-profits are not allowed to advocate one candidate or party over another. If they want to advocate political candidates or parties, fine, but let them pay taxes like everyone else has to, and not hide under the cloak of religion. I frankly don't think Palin's brand of Christianity squares with my reading of Jesus's teachings, including rendering unto Caesar what is Caesar's and rendering unto God what is God's. Moreover, I do not believe Jesus's kingdom is one of this Earth. A different interpretation of this lead to the crusades, and has lead to the religious right trying to force their brand of Christianity upon the rest of us (Christian or not) over the past 30 years. I am not sure Sarah Palin has been exposed to many views different than her own in her isolated community in Alaska. So please, everyone reading this, pray for her!