I'm Andy the Engineer

I don't know where to start tonight. So I'll just start. I have a number of things to comment on...



- The first thing I want to talk about is Joe the Plumber.



McCain, Palin, and anyone else associated with their campaign love to keep bringing up Joe the plumber. They keep talking about him and Obama's comments about "spread the wealth". They keep talking about how they want to help people keep their wealth.



Well here's my problem: For all the talk about how they want to help the middle class by helping them keep their wealth, NOTHING in their economic plans does anything to help the middle class. It only helps the wealthy! It gives rich people and big corporation major tax cuts to save them thousands apon thousands, if not millions, of dollars. In the mean time, the middle class get a pittance in tax cuts while the poor get almost nothing.



There's a calculator on Obama's website that will show you how much you will save in taxes with Obama's tax plan versus McCain's tax plan. You can find it and figure out what you would save yourself under both plans here: http://taxcut.barackobama.com/



Now, granted, this is from Barack Obama's website, but from what I've seen on other sites, I believe the calculation I got to be pretty accurate. Anyway, the results are that I would save TEN TIMES as much in taxes with Obama's plan than I would with McCain's tax plan. And I have almost no doubt that is pretty close to being true.



McCain is for the rich. He may say otherwise but the proof is in his plans. He's not doing anything to help the middle class or poor. He says he is by helping providing companies the chance to provide more jobs but the truth is companies have had the chance to do that all through the Bush era and what did they do? They got greedy. They did what they could to keep the money for themselves. They did what they could with the help of deregulation to make as much money as they could for themselves and left everyone else out to dry. Oil companies, the financial industry, the lending and housing industries, numerous companies who paid their executives millions of dollars and handed out multi-million dollar golden parachutes and bonuses like they were going out of style while their companies failed and people's retirement accounts dwindled... and McCain wants to keep that plan going. He wants to make it worse by giving these companies even BIGGER tax cuts.



The truth is it's the middle class that needs the help. Why? Well, we're the ones who support all of these companies. They need us. And it's showing right now.



The middle class is taking a financial hit right now, they don't have the money to spend, and companies are suffering for it. If your average American doesn't have the money to spend on products and goods, the companies are not making money. By giving money back to the people, by giving them a tax cuts, as Obama wants to do, they'll have more available to spend to help these companies bottom lines. And then they'll make money and have money available to create jobs. Because the truth is if the people of this country, you and me, don't support these companies by buying what they are selling, they can't survive. Look at the auto industry right now. Look at how many people are losing their jobs right now. It's because people are not buying!



McCain and Palin keep talking about how Obama's plan is socialism. Since when is a tax cut socialism? That's a ridiculous claim and desperate. It again shows how they don't care about the middle-class.



This whole situation shows how out of touch McCain really is. Obama is trying to help the middle class and poor and the Republicans call it socialism. It's the average American who is suffering in this country right now, not the rich, but McCain is talking about huge tax cuts for the wealthy while doing almost nothing for the middle-class. Then he also wants to tax your health benefits or take them away on top of that. And also make taxpayer pay to bailout banks and people who took on bad house loans. I don't want to pay for someone else's mortgage problems. I have my own mortgage to take care of. Jeesh!



But going back to Joe the plumber... the average plumber salary in Ohio is $20 an hour. If he worked 60 hours a week, 50 weeks a year, he's make $60000 a year before taxes. And this is a high estimate by me, not really what he earns, which is probably less. Now, unless he's saved a TON of money over the years, can someone tell me how he could afford to buy a company that would give him a salary of $250,000 a year? Are you kidding me? How much would that cost to buy? And even if you taxed him at 40% on that $250,000, are you going to tell me that he wouldn't be better off bringing home $150,000 after taxes than $60,000 before taxes? Plus with tax loopholes and deductions, you know he could bring home a lot more than that $150,000. The guy's a farce. The arguments for this guys are a farce. The guy is a registered Republican and brought a scenario to Obama just to get the reaction he got and help John McCain. And everyone is buying it.



Here's an article about how Obama's, NOT McCain's, tax plan would actually be BETTER for Joe: http://www.mainstreet.com/article/lifestyle/entertainment/joe-plumber-numbers



So the summary of all of this is that, regardless of what McCain and Joe the plumber think and say, Obama's tax plan is actually the plan that would do more for Joe and the majority of small business owners in this country, not McCain's.



And unless you are making more than $250,000 a year, Obama's plan is better for you, too.



And if Joe ever did actually get himself into a position where he's making more that quarter of a million dollars a year, I'm not going to feel too sorry for him about his tax situation because he'll be bringing home a LOT more money than he makes now and the tax increase Obama is proposing is only 3%... not much more than what Joe would have to pay now making that much money.



- Next there's the cockiness of John McCain to say that US foes wouldn't dare challenge him in his first six months in office, as Joe Biden said would happen if Obama is elected.



Here's what McCain said on CNN (http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/22/mccain.blitzer/index.html):



"And the thing that probably may encourage them a little is that Sen. Obama has been wrong," McCain said in an interview to be aired on CNN's "The Situation Room" at 6 p.m. ET Wednesday.


"He was wrong about the surge in Iraq. He still fails to acknowledge that he was wrong. I mean, remarkable," the Republican presidential nominee continued.


"He was wrong when he said Georgia should show restraint. He was wrong when he said he would sit down across the table from Ahmadinejad, Chavez and the Castro brothers. He was wrong about those. So I can understand why the American people might be concerned."


Enemies would not similarly challenge McCain, he said, because he's already been tried.


"They know I've been tested," he said. "They know I've been tested. I've been tested many times."



First of all, why he thinks he's so untouchable that it wouldn't dare happen to him is beyond me. Biden's point was that either candidate is likely to be tested. It's just as likely to happen to him.



Next, McCain's still stating that Obama has not said the surge worked. He has! Here it is: http://mediamatters.org/items/200809060004



Then McCain is saying that Obama said Georgia should show restraint when they were fighting with Russia a few months ago. This is SO wrong. He said both countries should show restraint. Here's what he said (http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSWBT00953020080808):



"I strongly condemn the outbreak of violence in Georgia, and urge an immediate end to armed conflict," Obama said in a statement. "Now is the time for Georgia and Russia to show restraint, and to avoid an escalation to full-scale war. Georgia's territorial integrity must be respected."



And finally, McCain's talking about meeting with foreign leaders again and no pre-conditions. Again, I agree with Obama on this. You need to take steps and extend an olive branch if you are ever going to cease strained relationships with these countries.



So more false, misleading statements and out of date opinions from McCain.



- Next there are reports about the Republicans and Sarah Palin wasting taxpayers money.



First there's a report that the RNC has spent $150,000... ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS... on clothes and accessories for Sarah Palin and her family during shopping sprees at stores like Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale's, and Saks Fifth Avenue. And this is in only a little over one and half months! http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1008/14805.html



..........................



That's stunned silence.



$150,000!!!! Are you kidding me? That's more than double what I make in salary every year and Palin and her family spent that on clothes, hair, and makeup in a month. This is the woman who came into this race bragging about being a soccer mom. And now she's spending more than what most families make in a year to make themselves look pretty.



They couldn't have spent half that money? Maybe get something nice from Sears or JCPenney instead? I'm sure there are stores she could have gone to that weren't designer labels and still looked nice. I'm sure $4,716.49 on hair and makeup were not completely necessary.



To me this shows a real lack of understanding about the value of money and how important it is to keep expenses down in a time of need. It would have been possible to make Palin and her family (although I don't understand why her family gets into this as well) for a lot less than this. This was extravagant.



And so was this...



Apparently Palin has been charging Alaskan taxpayer thousands of dollars in expenses for her kids to fly around the country with her. Supposedly on official state business.



What possible official state business could Palin's children have? If you or I were to travel on business, do we get to take our kids with us and then charge our companies for it? I don't think so.



Here's a story about it: http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/21/palin.travel.ap/index.html?imw=Y&iref=mpstoryemail



And this is the woman who is the supposed fiscal reformer. Uh huh.



- One other question: Why aren't Palin's kids in school? They're travelling all over the country with her all the time. Don't these kids have school? What kind of parenting is that?



- Further proof that John McCain just doesn't get it: He's saying he's "amazed" by the treatment Palin has been receiving: http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20081022/pl_politico/14820



Does he not realize what's going on within his own campaign? Does he not realize how what they have been doing could come across to people? Can he not see how her inability or refusal to answer standard questions my make her less than prepared to be VP in the view of many people's eyes?



There's so many negative things that I could say about Palin and have said (only just yesterday: http://pickingapresident.blogspot.com/2008/10/what-to-talk-about-tonight.html) that I find it hard to believe that McCain can't see any of it himself. I just further goes to show that he's out of touch with what's going on in our country, what we need, and why he should not be elected President in less than two weeks.



- For all of Cindy McCain's proclamations that Obama's running a negative campaign, there's this story that says it's McCain running the negative campaign: http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20081022/pl_politico/14829;_ylt=AlXK.FyVzAny3ltvWKBxXOJsnwcF



- I just wanted to post this right up here. This is McCain's views on the economy. Here's the link where you can find the original article: http://www.aflcio.org/issues/politics/mccain_economy.cfm



ON THE ECONOMY


John McCain said it in his own words: He just doesn’t understand the economy. His economic plan would give big tax breaks to corporations and tax workers’ health care benefits. We call on McCain to help turn around America, not choose corporations over working families.


McCAIN ATTACKED MEDICARE


McCain: I Never Really Understood Economics. McCain said, “The issue of economics is something that I’ve really never understood as well as I should.” (Boston Globe, 12/18/07)


McCain: Americans Have Seen Great Economic Progress Since Bush Took Office. Since President Bush took office, “I think if you look at the overall record and millions of jobs have been created… you can make an argument that there’s been great progress economically over that period of time,” McCain said. (“Money & Politics,” Bloomberg, 4/17/08)


HERE’S WHAT WORKING FAMILIES UNDERSTAND

• Median family income has been falling for seven years now, when adjusted for inflation. (“A Feeble Recovery,” Economic Policy Institute, 5/1/08)
  


• The number of unemployed workers rose by 11.7 percent over the past year, an increase of 797,000 people. We’ve lost more than 3 million U.S. manufacturing jobs since 2001, and millions more are vulnerable. Between December 2007 and March 2008, the U.S. lost a net 240,000 jobs. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 5/2/08; Robert Scott, Economic Policy Institute, 3/29/08)
  


• Premium costs for employer-based health care are rising 10 times faster than incomes. (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 4/29/08)

McCain Says We’re NOT Headed Into a Recession. McCain said, “I don’t believe we’re headed into a recession. I believe the fundamentals of this economy are strong, and I believe they will remain strong.” (GOP Debate, Myrtle Beach, FNC, 1/10/08)


81 Percent of the Public Says We’re Already There. (NBC/WSJ Survey, 4/24-28/08)


McCain Dismissed Concerns on Mortgage Crisis and Economy. While campaigning in Florida, McCain dismissed concerns about the economy. “Even if the economy is the, quote, No. 1 issue, the real issue will remain America’s security,” McCain said. “And if they choose to say, ‘Look, I do not need this guy because he’s not as good on home loan mortgages or whatever it is, I understand about that, I will accept that verdict. I am running because of the transcendental challenge of the 21st century, which is radical Islamic extremism.” (The New York Times, 1/28/08)


But Economic Issues Top Working Family Concerns. According to a Kaiser Family Foundation survey, the price of gasoline is the number one concern for the public. In second and third place are finding a good job and paying for health care and insurance. (Associated Press, 4/29/08)

• Home foreclosure filings have increased by 112 percent over the past year, to 649,917 properties in the first quarter of 2008, representing one of every 194 households. (RealtyTrac Staff, 4/29/08)
  


• The price of a gallon of gas has increased by 156 percent since January 2001 and is approaching $4. (U.S. Department of Energy, Retail Gasoline Historical Prices)
  


• Over the past year, the cost of milk increased by 13.3 percent, the cost of bread increased by 14.7 percent and the cost of eggs rose by 29.9 percent. (U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 3/08)
  

McCAIN’S ECONOMIC PROPOSALS: HELP CORPORATIONS, NOT WORKING FAMILIES
McCain’s Economic Plan Helps Corporations, not Working Families. “McCain offered sweeping rhetoric about the economic plight of working-class Americans…even as he spelled out a tax and spending agenda whose benefits are aimed squarely at spurring corporate growth.” (The Washington Post, 4/16/08)


McCain Offers Massive Tax Cuts for Corporations and the Wealthy. McCain’s plan offers two massive tax cuts for corporations, slashing tax rates from 35 percent to 25 percent, with 58 percent of the benefits going to the top 1 percent of taxpayers. This is an even larger tax rate cut for the wealthiest taxpayers than Bush gave them. (Reuters, 3/10/08; “Five Easy Pieces and Two Trillion Dollars,” Center for American Progress Action Fund, 3/21/08)


But He Wants to Tax Our Health Benefits. McCain would make employer-paid health premiums part of taxable income, creating a new tax on working families. He would drive insurance costs up further by promoting high-deductible health savings account plans. (Health08.org Forum, 10/31/07; Kaiser/HRET Employer Health Benefits 2007 Annual Survey; Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 9/20/06, 4/5/06)


McCain’s Tax Cuts Would Cut Social Programs Working Families Need. “McCain cannot pay for his tax cuts without massive reductions in Social Security, Medicare or other key programs that benefit the vast majority of Americans.” (“Five Easy Pieces and Two Trillion Dollars,” Center for American Progress Action Fund, 3/21/08)


McCain Skipped Vote on Economic Stimulus Package Despite Being in Washington. McCain missed a key vote on economic stimulus legislation to provide rebates to taxpayers—even though he was in Washington, D.C., at the time. “McCain returned to Washington but made an eleventh-hour decision to skip the vote, aides to his campaign said.” (H.R. 5140, Vote #8, 2/6/08; Associated Press, 2/6/08)


McCain Says He Wants Tough Lender Standards—But Votes Against Them. McCain has called for strict standards and greater transparency for lenders and for cracking down on predatory lenders. But he voted against a measure to discourage predatory lending practices and failed to vote on a bill that would overhaul the mortgage lending practices of the Federal Housing Administration. (McCain’s Remarks on Economic Woes, 3/25/08; St. Petersburg Times, 1/24/08; S. 256, Vote #22, 3/3/05; S. 2338, Vote #432, 12/14/07)



Is that enough?



- Did you know that 70 other countries prefer Obama to McCain?: http://caffertyfile.blogs.cnn.com/2008/10/21/why-do-citizens-in-70-countries-prefer-obama-to-mccain/



- Finally, I have a video to share with you tonight.



Chris Matthews had on one of McCain's senior advisors to discuss Palin's comments about the role of the VP. (I posted about that last night.) The woman could not give Matthews an effective answer about Palin's comments and Matthews ripped her for it. This is great: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjG8i4lTSpA



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That's all for tonight. Lot's for you all to read.