Biden - Palin Debate, Anyone watch it?

[PurpleChicken]

Quote:
Yeah Ceta they are awake in Cspan today. I'm home with the flu and have been following
this banking crisis closely. Since I hold such strong opinion on certain things I feel
obligated to learn as much as I can. OK, I'm lying. I just wanna watch Barney Frank
and his croanies spew bs.

I'd also like to agree with the "smooth tap dancer comments". They both were. In BOTH
their defenses neither are economic people and most of the questions focused on those.
Palin is strong in energy yet hardly anything was asked to give her a chance to show
how knowledgeable she truly is. The same can be said about Biden and foreign policy.
I still think they both did better than McCain and Obama did.


As for the bumper stickers and signs well I live in CT and work outa Massachusets,
both blue (I forget what the colors mean) states. You must live in a red one.
Personally, I get a kick out of the cars with all the bumper stickers on them. I wanna
just shout "Hey, try and find some identity you loser" but I just smile and pass on
by.

 

[Backyard Buddies]

Like many others, I watched the debate with interest. I'm not partisan, but I am well read (both in history and in current politics) and vote my values.

Specific to the question of this thread, I think both performed well in the debate. Joe Biden, who I've watched for years, had the challenge of not saying too much and rattling on. For those of you who find him boring, he did pretty well in this regard, for Joe. He's a smart guy and knows a LOT about how this country is run. He has firm ideas about what needs to be fixed and has been a staple on the Sunday morning news programs about these issues over the years. I've come to really like him because he's a regular guy with a really good brain and ideas to be implemented.

Sarah Palin, as many of you have found, is a likeable gal. She's folksy and smart. But what she isn't is well informed. Yes, she could learn these things, but considering the HUGE issues facing our country right now (War, Economy) we need someone who has the knowledge to be ready on Day One. We don't have time for a learning curve. It has pained me to watch her fail to answer questions that I could answer. I don't want someone with less knowledge than I have a heartbeat away from the presidency! However, for those of you who already like her, she did her job tonight, as I knew she would. She was well practiced and when she didn't know the answer, like a good debater, she just answered the questions with what she wanted to talk about instead. But, if you watch her carefully, you can see the "Oh NO!" look on her face the few seconds before answering.

This year, I will be voting the democratic ticket. Here's why:
For those of you who are middle or working class, please do a little reading about what the various parties stand for. For 6000 years, class issues have followed a standard form. The rich stay rich, the rest stay down. (except for years following devastating plagues, but that's a different discussion). This was true of our country as well, until the changes that came about after the crash in '29. Hoover tried some of the same things we're trying now - like bailing out the banks and it didn't work then. Our middle class is came about thanks to the government instituted policies of the FDR administration. Do any of you know what people in this country did before unemployment and Social Security when tragedy struck? They lived in poor farms. 80 years ago, it wasn't uncommon for strangers to board in the homes of others, just to make ends meet. Do we really want to unravel the benefits that we've all grown up with and enjoyed?

Think that the Republican party doesn't want to do that? Many do. They hate the FDR policies, and they convince you that government in your business is a bad thing.
McCain is opposed to the minimum wage.
McCain is opposed to equal pay for equal work for women.
McCain wants your Social Security to be privatized.
McCain's economic adviser (former - he helped write the policy but then had to leave the campaign after calling Americans a bunch of whiners for boo-hooing about the economy), Phil Gramm, is responsible for instituting the deregulation of the very policies that kept banks from being able to invest the way that has led us to our current economic situation).

I would argue that we need regulation. Why? Because people are greedy. When people have money, they don't want you to have it. It gives them the power.

But, back to Palin and why she's a dangerous choice. Palin is a blank slate - they can put upon her exactly what they want her to know. Perhaps that wouldn't be that big of an issue, but as any one of you who was a Republican before Reagan knows is that the Republican party has lost its way. It's now bigger government than the Democratic party. Reagan, Bush1, and Bush2, all ran deficits. Clinton did not. In fact, Palin herself ran a deficit in Wasilla.

But, more than that, this Neo conservative takeover for the Republican Party (including many advising John McCain) in the past 8 years is the thing most of concern to me. Until this is removed from the party, I will not be voting for it. If you like pre-emptive war and nation building at the cost of the American taxpayer, by all means, vote for it. Just know that along with that, you can kiss goodbye a lot of the middle class things you've come to enjoy.
See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoconservatism
See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_for_the_New_American_Century

 

[Fudgie]

I know this is off the subject of the debate but here goes, All I know is this. If I screwed up my finances as bad as the banking institutions, who the heck is gonna bail me out! NO ONE!!!! They would send my butt to jail. I say if they were so stupid to make the danged loans KNOWING full well that it was a risk then too danged bad! Let them fall in their on stinkum. I work my butt off to make ends meet and to feed my chickies and my dogs and my cows and my horses. Not asking for handouts from some taxpayers dollars. I mean there are senators and house of representative people that are writing hot checks to the government and they get their hands slapped and they vote themselves a raise. HELLO PEOPLE!!!

I cannot stand welfare(ok, the abuse of welfare).

Get off your butts and get a job and quit making me pay for your laziness. Now don't get me wrong, there are people that REALLY NEED the welfare system but any of you tell me, if any of you know just one person living off the government with 4 kids and another on the way and no plans to stop, they get paid for each kid they have and then spend the money on cigarettes. GOOD LORD! Spend the money teaching these people what birth control is and what happens when you play in the straw pile without protection! MAKE them go to school, learn a trade, then get to work! 2-4 months on welfare and you are done forever, period! If you have not found a job, better get on the stick! Too danged bad, get with it! Maybe this sounds harsh but come on. I have a soft spot for people that are truely trying and just cannot make ends meet but this is getting ridiculous when people on welfare drive better cars than me and have better clothing than me and I work hard for my money and they are living off the fat of the land.

We all have choices to make but get real!

 

[mtnhomechick]

Great Post BB. Made sense and not insulting.

I listened also. I listened a bit harder to Sarah because of the age and health of McCain. I could see where she could BE our president. But not really.

I like her. A gutsy lady. Handles herself well. Not part of the old boy network. Didn't like the winking though. Didn't fall for that.

Biden to me is just another politician.

I am voting according to the past though. I DON"T want 4 more years of the same.

WAR? I always thought of Iraq as an occupation.

I pity the man who has to repair the last 8 years.

Economy.........I blame Greenspan more than anyone for that.

This time I will likely vote democratic. I have voted both in the past.

Just my thoughts.

 

[texaschickmama]

1. Occidental College records -- Not released
2. Columbia College records -- Not released
3. Columbia Thesis paper -- "not available"
4. Harvard College records -- Not released
5. Selective Service Registration -- Not released
6. Medical records -- Not released
7. Illinois State Senate schedule -- "not available"
8. Law practice client list -- Not released
9. Certified Copy of original Birth certificate -- Not released
10. Embossed, signed paper Certification of Live Birth -- Not released
11. Harvard Law Review articles published -- None
12. University of Chicago scholarly articles -- None
13. Your Record of baptism-- Not released or "not available"
14. Your Illinois State Senate records--"not available"

15. And why did you place your hand on the Koran when

You were sworn in as senator if you are a Christian?

 

[TheOLDNewChick]

I watched it...

 

[s6bee]

Quote:
The question to both candidates was if they supported same sex benefits, the question said nothing on marriage. Biden supports benefits and answered that. Palin only spoke of same sex marriage in response to that question not the benefits and was then asked again about the benefits. Biden directly answered the benefits question but only added his personal view on same sex marriage becuase Palin went on about that.

 

[keystonepaul]

McCain = Respect, Honor, Patriot, Trustworthy


We'll I wonder if his first wife found him respectable, honorable and trustworthy??? An affair kinda eliminates those three from contention when folks are describing you. As for several folks calling him a "great man" well he may indeed be a great politician and may make a great president, but he will never be a great man. He was so respectful, honorable and trustworthy that his second wife needed to have him sign a prenup before marrying him cause she had all the money. He may be the right man for this country but he'll never be a great man. He forfieted that right. Keystonepaul

 

[leslie]

The other pows had that same treatment.. only they didnt have a big shot daddy to make it softer for them and they put their country first.
How can you dispute the men who saw it and told of it and lived thru it? how can that not matter?

and while his wife lay fighting for her life with cancer.. he went out and found himself a new rich young beautiful one.. one that had her hair and no disease eating her alive. nope he is not much of a man.. no indeed....

 

[PurpleChicken]

Backyard Buddies I would love to discuss just about every issue you wrote about.
I agree with many of your statements and disagree with several.


First, most Republicans, are not neoconservatives. Yes, the party has lost it's way.
That for me is the reason I am now a registered independent, not Republican.


Biden is a smart guy. He would be so much more suited for the presidency than
Obama is. I would argue Obama is the same blank slate that Palin is. The trouble
is his background and affiliations are downright scary.


Sarah Palin is not a history major, neither is Biden. While the media continues to show
her inability to answer a question about Supreme Court decisions they fail to show
how biden didn't know when the great depression started and who was president at
the time. The people are human.


I don't know of many Republicans who support 100% deregulated markets. Any person
with a basic understanding of the markets and human nature would never want these
flawed entities to run amuk, which is what they would do.


As for deficits, Clinton was fotunate enough to be president at a time in history when
our economy boomed coupled with a decrease in military spending. Reagan and neither
Bush was so lucky.


Finally, "If you like pre-emptive war and nation building at the cost of the American
taxpayer, by all means, vote for it. Just know that along with that, you can kiss
goodbye a lot of the middle class things you've come to enjoy." is an unsupported
and stereotypical leftist attitude. Plus it's just plain wrong.