McCainomics

by Blazers Edge, Sun Jul 06, 2008 at 11:19:47 PM EST

Well, some people have been whining for more anti-McCain diaries where we can all agree and post 100 "McCain sucks" comments; here is my best shot as McCain unsurprisingly will be moving more rightward with a new economic plan that he plans to reveal tomorrow.  The headline on Drudge and politico is that "McCain promises to balance budget by 2013."  Sounds pretty good, eh?  Well, not until you read some of the details.

One way in which McCain plans to accomplish such a goal is to "overhaul entitlement programs, including Social Security...Medicare, Medicaid." http://www.politico.com/news/stories/070 8/11553.html

It appears that McCain believes the best way to win this election is to advocate for Grover Norquist/Club for Growth/Cato Institute ideas.  He's going after three of America's sacred cows.  There are other gems that are reportedly part of his new economic proposal and I'll leave them for you to read through that link.  

One final note: McCain was a Senator in the 90s and it's quite stunning that he forgets that Big Daddy was able to balance the budget because taxes were higher then on the upper-income and corporations and he did not place in two brutally expensive wars with no end in sight.




Tags: McCain, Obama, new economic plan (all tags)

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Is McCain now to Bush's right (2.00 / 1)

on the economy?  Have at it guys and gals.  It should be a good week for Obama to actually deliver some Democratic steamwinders.  McCain is trying to encroach on what should be our turf; Obama should be able to give him the business.


by Blazers Edge on Sun Jul 06, 2008 at 11:21:51 PM EST

Re: Is McCain now to Bush's right (2.00 / 1)

Must confess have not read the politico article.

But ovehauling of those programs is also proposed from our side ala obama.

I mean really we have to overhaul it. There is no doubt about that. Jut how you do it is in debate.


He was warmly received by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who called him "a leader that God has blessed us with at this time."
by roxfoxy on Sun Jul 06, 2008 at 11:31:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Haven't heard about (none / 0)

Obama talking about Medicare or Medicaid.  As for SS, Obama's most recent comments suggest that he's not going to do a thing to SS, besides getting the program more money by raising the payroll tax while providing a reprieve for those making between 97,500 and 250,000, an idea that I actually support wholeheartedly.

My diary may be premature because I am assuming that by "overhauling social security," McCain is going to call for privatized accounts, which is miles away from Obama.


by Blazers Edge on Sun Jul 06, 2008 at 11:35:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Haven't heard about (2.00 / 2)

Oh he has talked about medicare and medicaid.

Infact bush's last bill on that subject is going to create a nightmare of spending issues on them.


He was warmly received by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who called him "a leader that God has blessed us with at this time."
by roxfoxy on Sun Jul 06, 2008 at 11:44:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Haven't heard about (none / 0)

What has he said about Medicare and Medicaid?  I'm only familiar with his approach to SS.


by Blazers Edge on Mon Jul 07, 2008 at 12:14:10 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Haven't heard about (2.00 / 2)

Oh geez okay.

"The Obama plan would leave states in charge of Medicaid programs, but would require that providers in the new public health plan, Medicare or FEHBP "utilize proven disease management programs." Also, "providers who see patients enrolled in the new public plan, the National Health Insurance Exchange [a public watchdog entity he'd create], Medicare and FEHBP would be rewarded for achieving performance thresholds on outcome measures."

"U.S. Senator Barack Obama today said that as president, he will end government subsidies to insurance companies who have been using deceitful and illegal methods to enroll seniors in private Medicare plans that can result in higher co-payments and fewer health care choices.
Recent news reports have detailed how insurance companies aggressively market private Medicare plans to seniors - in some cases even forging their signatures and providing false information. The private plans under Medicare receive higher subsidies for services than under traditional Medicare. For some seniors, these plans can actually increase their co-payments and reduce their health care choices...."
http://www.newsrx.com/newsletters/Manage d-Care-Weekly-Digest/2007-05-28/27052820 0726MH.html


He was warmly received by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who called him "a leader that God has blessed us with at this time."
by roxfoxy on Mon Jul 07, 2008 at 12:29:40 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Wow, talk about a sleazy way (none / 0)

to balance the budget. Surely he knows it won't do any good anyway, what with an expensive new war in Iran to compliment the mess in Iraq.


Even John McCain lusts after teh engels.
by sricki on Sun Jul 06, 2008 at 11:22:45 PM EST

Re: McCainomics (none / 0)

This statement really is a mind f*ck:

"The McCain administration would reserve all savings from victory in the Iraq and Afghanistan operations in the fight against Islamic extremists for reducing the deficit. Since all their costs were financed with deficit spending, all their savings must go to deficit reduction."


by animated on Sun Jul 06, 2008 at 11:31:30 PM EST

Re: McCainomics (none / 0)

I agree that it's a pretty retarded announcement from the McCain campaign, but then Obama's campaign released in the same article, an almost equally preposterous and hard to believe statement:

Jason Furman, Obama's economic adviser, said: "John McCain has no short-run plan to create jobs and get the economy moving again [...] --as compared to Barack Obama's tax cut for 95 percent of workers and their families totaling $1,000 for a married couple.

Our economy is suffering a crisis of consumer confidence. Does it really follow that borrowing money in order to hand out $1,000 checks will improve consumer expectations about the future? Isn't it most likely that we'll all use that money to pay down credit card debt or save in the bank to very little benefit while interest rates are low? Why isn't anyone talking about infrastructure?


While I could sit in church and pray all I want, I wouldn't be fulfilling God's will unless I went out and did the Lord's work ~ Barack Obama
by bowiegeek on Sun Jul 06, 2008 at 11:55:33 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: McCainomics (none / 0)

If you read Obama's economic plan he raises taxes significantly on the upper class.  His tax cut for the middle class is simply a way to sell his overall plan.  Its actually a really good political approach to progressive taxation, and has allowed me to win over many of my moderate or right leaning friends.


by Xris on Mon Jul 07, 2008 at 12:06:58 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: McCainomics (none / 0)

Raising taxes significantly on anybody as the almost-but-not-quite-yet-technically-a-r ecession wears on might eventually prove to be a politically bad move. It sounds like you're pitching it the right way though-- divide and conquer.


While I could sit in church and pray all I want, I wouldn't be fulfilling God's will unless I went out and did the Lord's work ~ Barack Obama
by bowiegeek on Mon Jul 07, 2008 at 12:22:30 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: McCainomics (none / 0)

Oh I cherry pick like crazy when winning over undecideds.  I don't care if its honest or not, I just want to win:)


by Xris on Mon Jul 07, 2008 at 12:23:59 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: McCainomics (none / 0)

Thanks to the acid I dropped earlier this evening, McCainomics make total sense to me.  He's going to win both wars early in his first term, then use the booming peace dividend to eliminate the deficit.  

Even with the hard hit of acid, I'm not quite if he's including the costs for his Iran war, or if he's just going to win that one also in his first term.  


January 20 & sricki join with The engels in love!
by January 20 on Mon Jul 07, 2008 at 12:21:30 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: McCainomics (none / 0)

The Obama camp should be able to hammer him on these points. A lot of McCain's support is with older voters. Wait until they start to worry about SS or Medicare.


"The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good." Samuel Johnson
by MS01 Indie on Sun Jul 06, 2008 at 11:35:29 PM EST

Re: McCainomics (none / 0)

Jason Furman, Obama's economic policy director, called McCain's pledge "preposterous." Furman pointed out that the Congressional Budget Office now estimates a 2013 deficit of $443 billion, assuming the Bush tax cuts are extended. And he estimated that McCain would have to cut discretionary spending--including defense--by roughly one-third to bring the budget into the black by then.

$443 Billion!! yikes!!


by alyssa chaos on Sun Jul 06, 2008 at 11:55:22 PM EST

Re: McCainomics (none / 0)

I just got done talking about that article with my girlfriend.  Her mother is a hard core Republican, but when she read that article she is now not sure who to vote for.  SS accounts for half of their monthly income and crap like that from McCain scares them.

So is McCain just pitching hard for the Bush right wingers with all of this?  I was assuming he was going to get all of them anyways, but maybe I am missing something?  Someone explain to me who he is trying to appeal to with this stuff.


by Xris on Mon Jul 07, 2008 at 12:09:43 AM EST

Re: McCainomics (none / 0)

Best guess is that he is trying to show willingness to take on the "tough issues" - seems to me the Schmidt-run McCain campaign is going to return to Maverick Reformania.  

Fact is that the vast majority of people aren't going to look into the details of Whatever Bullshit He Proposes Tomorrow, but they will see headlines about "Social Security/Medicare/Medicare reform".  That sounds good, without context.  So it'll be the Obama campaign's job to out it as the farce that it is.


Polawtics. Where awareness of the internet happens.
by ASDem on Mon Jul 07, 2008 at 12:34:26 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: McCainomics (none / 0)

I guess I just read the article differently than you.  He sounded like a right winger on the economy to me, but maybe he will sounded mavericky to the general public.  

In any case, a large portion of his support comes from older voters, and SS reform does not play well with a lot of them.  I guess I will just wait and see how he rolls it out tomorrow.


by Xris on Mon Jul 07, 2008 at 12:37:18 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: McCainomics (none / 0)

Yeah, I don't disagree with you at all.  But you and I actually read the article.  Look at the headline:

"MCCAIN PROMISES TO BALANCE BUDGET"

And then remember that, for a lot of people, that's all they're going to read.

I'm not suggesting willful ignorance, just that all the McCain campaign cares about is Tuesday's headlines - the policy detail will be long forgotten, if ever learned.


Polawtics. Where awareness of the internet happens.
by ASDem on Mon Jul 07, 2008 at 12:40:35 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: McCainomics (none / 0)

Do you think its possible, that McCain is just doing what the establishment GOP wants now?  I can't find the article, but I was reading that people in the party are pushing him to get more conservative and in line with their "values".  The campaign shake up and this new right wing message would seem to lend some truth to that idea.

In any case, you should read this article about how Texas could become the next California.  Its from the nation, but is still good food for thought in regards to demographics:

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080721/mo ser


by Xris on Mon Jul 07, 2008 at 12:47:30 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: McCainomics (none / 0)

My mom and dad have been waffling, too... but, wait until they hear about cutting medicare!  that will send my mom towards the roof!  She couldn't wait to turn 65!!


It profits a PUMA nothing to give their soul for the whole world... but for McCain? --Sir Thomas More (if he were here now)
by LordMike on Mon Jul 07, 2008 at 01:44:01 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Well... (2.00 / 1)

mccain SUCKS!  ;)


Washington Woman
theocracywatch.org
EENR Blog
by kevin22262 on Mon Jul 07, 2008 at 12:12:24 AM EST

Re: McCainomics (none / 0)

What a McIdiot!  We lost the medicare talking point after Part D was introduced... now, they are giving it back to us?  

I'm sure this is to shore up support with the base...  He's really trying to play both ways... I just don't see how he can pull it off!  I don't think anyone really has been able to do it!

This "budget plan" just highlights Iraq's role in our nightmarish economic situation even more!!

I hope Obama's hungry... McCain just gave him a feast of giant to dine on!


It profits a PUMA nothing to give their soul for the whole world... but for McCain? --Sir Thomas More (if he were here now)
by LordMike on Mon Jul 07, 2008 at 01:47:33 AM EST


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