Rearview Mirror

Obama on Bush-McCain Economics

THE BUSH LEGACY: HYPERINFLATION?

Here is a look at the Federal Reserve balance sheet, essentially a measure of how much money is being printed, since 1996. See that huge vertical line at the end? That's the last two weeks.

In the words of Lance Lewis, one of the terrific market commentators over at Minyanville, "If that's not what hyperinflation looks like, then I'm a leprechaun."

The Clintons Capture Sin City

It was the Las Vegas strip that put the Clintons ahead.


With 85 percent of precincts reporting as of 2:17 p.m. EST Saturday afternoon, it appears that the Clintons will win Nevada by less than 600 votes.


Statewide, Barack Obama finished first in 11 counties and second in 6. The Clintons finished first in 6 counties and second in 11. Yet they managed to capture more of the Sin City vote, pulling ahead in Clark County. (Click here for Clark County demographic data.)


According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Clinton captured about half of the white vote and two-thirds of the Hispanic vote. Obama walked with 80 percent of the black vote, a number that bodes well for next week's South Carolina primary.


The Review-Journal also reported that large numbers of the Culinary Workers Union went against the endorsement of their organization to cast votes for the Clintons who won that demographic 45 to 44 percent.


One must wonder how the Clinton campaign managed such a coup. Why would large numbers of union workers go against the recommendation of their union in a setting where their votes are made in plain view of their peers?


Ben Smith of Politico.com offers a potential answer: A robo-call made to Barack Obama supporters that trashes the candidate, harping on his middle name. "You just can't take a chance on Barack Hussein Obama," the call said. While the call is not directly linked to the Clinton campaign, it does echo President Clinton's comments last week when he questioned whether American should "roll the dice" on Barack Obama. (Click here for the full audio of the robo-call.)

Looking forward, Nevada's delegates will be split roughly evenly between Clinton and Obama in this increasingly tight race. Moreover, Obama's landslide victory among black voters should resonate among South Carolina voters next week.

















While the big picture will likely remain unclear until Super Tuesday on February 5th, one thing is clear: The Clintons have dedicated themselves to dragging Barack Obama through the mud on every turn, even if that means using his middle name to prey on the xenophobic fears of the average American voter. Reminds me of the fear-mongering politics of the Bush administration if you ask me.

Rove's Legacy: A Nation Divided, A White House Corrupted

“Karl Rove was an architect of a political strategy that has left the country more divided, the special interests more powerful, and the American people more shut out from their government than any time in memory," Senator Barack Obama said in a statement Monday. "But to build a new kind of politics, it will take more than the departure of a man or even an Administration that constructed the old--it will take a movement of everyday Americans committed to changing Washington and reclaiming their government.”

Obama Responds to Bush's Veto

"With one stroke of his pen, President Bush has stubbornly ignored the will of the American people, the majority of Congress and, most disturbingly, the realities on the ground in Iraq.

"Now we call upon our Republican colleagues in Congress to help override this veto and acknowledge what the President will not – that there is no military solution to a political conflict that lies at the heart of this civil war.

"Only the Iraqi leadership can make peace, and the best way to pressure them to do so is still a phased withdrawal of American forces with the goal of removing all combat troops from Iraq by March 30th, 2008.

"It is time to end this war so we can bring our troops home and redeploy our forces to help fight the broader struggle against terrorism and other threats of this new century."

-Senator Barack Obama, May 1st, 2007

Americans Must Aknowledge Connection Between Iraq, School Violence

After years of increasing violence and failed policy in Iraq, our President arrives at a solution: Send more troops.

"Our past efforts to secure Baghdad failed for two principal reasons: There were not enough Iraqi and American troops to secure neighborhoods that had been cleared of terrorists and insurgents. And there were too many restrictions on the troops we did have."

George W. Bush, addressing the nation on January 10, 2007, calling for a troop surge in Iraq.

After years of increasing violence and failed policy in our nation's schools, conservative pundits around the country arrive at a solution: Increased gun ownership.

"We can start letting people arm themselves and so when these people walk out, they say, whoa, I really don`t know if the security guard has got a weapon on him or the teacher has a weapon on him. We can do something about it.We do nothing about it. We just sit there and let it happen over and over again. "

Pat Brown, criminal profiler, interviewed on CNN on April 16, 2007, calling for an easing of gun restrictions to allow more people to carry weapons.

The American people and their elected leadership must wake up to the notion that the violence among our young people is a reflection of our violence and aggression overseas.

For your consideration: In its efforts to boost weak recruitment, the U.S. Army offers prospective soldiers the chance to simulate battle by downloading a free combat video game.

In a culture that celebrates and glamorizes violence, we must question what core values we want reflected in our young people, in our media, and in our foreign policy.

Consider donating to The Virginia Tech Memorial Fund.

Dramatic Shift in Political Climate Strongly Favors Democrats

The tide is changing fast in U.S. politics.

A comprehensive twenty-year study by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press shows that 50 percent of Americans now identify themselves as Democrats, while only 35 percent identify as Republicans. The figures have changed dramatically since 2002 when both parties were equal with 43 percent.

It's no surprise to see a change in opinion from the financially strapped, war-weary public, particularly as the Bush administration continues to melt down. Yet such a dramatic shift in sentiment in just five years demonstrates just how much momentum the Democrats have headed into the 2008 election.

The key findings of the report indicate that the public increasingly favors a social safety net, frowns upon assertive national security measures, and believes that the gap between rich and poor is out of control.

Media coverage of the report speculates whether this is the end of the conservative Republican era.

"This is the beginning of a Democratic opportunity," said Illinois Rep. Rahm Emanuel, chairman of the House Democratic Caucus. "The question is whether we blow it or not."

Clearly, the public is responding to the fact that Republicans have betrayed some of the key values of their party. Traditionally a party that prides itself on national defense, fiscal discipline, and Christian values, the Republicans have delivered years of failed foreign policy, budget-busting defense spending, and rampant corruption.

The iron is hot. The only question is whether Democratic leaders can strike effectively, delivering what the public wants--a government that is able and willing to act on the values that Americans cherish.

For Senator Barack Obama and other candidates, the challenge is clear: The public is ready for change and willing to listen. What do you have to say?

Obama and Bush -- Similar Strategies?

From the National Review Online, an author argues that, ironically, Senator Obama's campaign in many ways mirrors George W. Bush's 2000 strategy for the White House.

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=OTVlZGZhNmUyMWNjNGI4Y2VlZmQwNWRlOTY4N2JiZTY=