But What Will the Republicans Actually Do?

Bob Hubbard

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Press Releases › But What Will the Republicans Actually Do, Asks Bob Barr?
September 4, 2008 5:36 pm EST
Atlanta, GA - “Alaska Governor Sarah Palin gave a rousing speech yesterday at the Republican National Convention," says Bob Barr, the Libertarian Party's presidential nominee. "But what would a McCain-Palin administration actually do?”

Barr says Palin defended her record in Alaska, said many nice things about Sen. John McCain and tossed some well-deserved barbs at Sen. Barack Obama, "but Palin didn’t explain what the Republican ticket would do differently from the current Republican administration and past Republican Congresses,” Barr notes.

“For example, the words Social Security, Medicare, national debt, the deficit and the Constitution didn’t pass her lips," Barr observes. "Yet Social Security and Medicare alone face an unfunded liability of more than $100 trillion. The national debt runs $9.5 trillion. The deficit next year will be a half trillion dollars."

"What would a President John McCain do to reform Social Security and Medicare?" Barr asks. "What would it do to cut federal spending? Gov. Palin says a President McCain would use the veto. But that’s not nearly enough. The next president must propose closing down entire programs and agencies,” Barr notes.

Barr also notes that Palin criticized Obama for wanting to increase taxes. "Good," says Barr, "but what about Sen. McCain, who strongly opposed tax cuts in the past and says tax increases are ‘on the table’ in any negotiations with the Democrats over Social Security?”

“Why should the American people believe that his convenient conversion is anything more than a George Bush ‘Read my lips” campaign gimmick?" Barr asks. "Gov. Palin might have a believable record, but Sen. McCain certainly does not.”

Palin also promised that a McCain-Palin administration would produce more oil and natural gas in America; however, "does Sen. McCain really believe this?” asks Barr.

Until recently, Sen. McCain opposed even exploring on the Outer Continental Shelf, "and he still opposes looking for energy in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge," Barr explains. "That’s eight to ten billion barrels of oil he wants to leave in the ground. America’s resources are left untapped even as gasoline prices rise skyward."

“This is not change, but the failed status quo,” Barr says.

“The Republicans know how to give good speeches on reform,” Barr says, "but they really don’t believe their own rhetoric. The real candidates of change are Bob Barr and Wayne Root of the Libertarian Party. Only a Barr presidency would transform Washington, making it smaller, less expensive and more accountable to the American people,” notes Barr.

Libertarian Party presidential candidate Bob Barr represented the 7th District of Georgia in the U. S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003.
 

IcemanSK

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It's hard to not notice that McCain/Palin both talked about being agents of change within the Republican party & in Washington. So, Obama/Biden aren't the only ones.

Yet McCain has voted with W. 90% of the time & has a running mate that the GOP likes instead of his choice (& one that would suely upset the apple cart) in Joe Liberman. Palin is true GOP & the far right feel that they've been heard with that choice. Order is restored. The odd tone of both McCain & Palin's speeches this week (IMO) was expressed on MSNBC.c*m.

They talked about being reformers in Washington. Who's in charge now? The GOP. Are they gonna overthrow the GOP? Not if McCain agrees with Bush on 90% of policy. Unemployment in the US was 6% in July, yet McCain doesn't mention it once.

I see more of the same coming from McCain/Palin. What will change?
 

zDom

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"But what would a McCain-Palin administration actually do?”

But then, I wonder the same thing about Obama-Biden ...

And, for that matter, ALL politicians.

They are ALL liars. They are ALL rich overclass elitists out of touch with what life is like for the Average American.

There are ALL focused on being the ones in power and making promises when, in actuality, nothing is really going to change for ME: too "rich" (i.e., have a job) to be entitled to support from the gov't and too poor to do anything other than make ends meet week to week.
 

IcemanSK

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But then, I wonder the same thing about Obama-Biden ...

And, for that matter, ALL politicians.

They are ALL liars. They are ALL rich overclass elitists out of touch with what life is like for the Average American.

There are ALL focused on being the ones in power and making promises when, in actuality, nothing is really going to change for ME: too "rich" (i.e., have a job) to be entitled to support from the gov't and too poor to do anything other than make ends meet week to week.


You're right on about them all being rich & not like the average American. Obama at least talks about helping the poor. I hope it's more than lip service. I trust Obama a bt more than McCain.
 

Mark L

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Excellent questions, let's hope the candidates from both parties actually address these points over the next few months.

I've been bad lately, and don't know if Barr will be allowed to participate in the formal debates. Will he? That would add a little spark.
 
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Bob Hubbard

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They won't let any 3rd party participate since they changed the rules after Perot spanked the snot outta them.
 
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Bob Hubbard

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Perot had something like 6-7% popularity when they included him Bob Barr is currently running at about the same (with alot less press). The DC/GOP run group that controls the debates has since raised the inclusion level to 15% popuarity. It's not tht the are cowards, its that they don't want to run campaigns and have to actually answer questions and provide details on how they will do all that tuff they say. Perot'd nasty habit of answering a soundbyte with a spreadsheet and graph frightened the career polititians it seems. LOL!
 

Kwanjang

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They won't let any 3rd party participate since they changed the rules after Perot spanked the snot outta them.

Bob, If you are for a 3rd party, I am right there with you. I think a 3rd party would be a great thing for the United Staes.
 
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Bob Hubbard

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I've been involved with 3rd parties since the 90's. I realize that some of these groups are 1-issue bands, but they still bring a voice that should be allowed to speak on a level field. Any real national debate at the presidential level should include the Libertarian, Green and Constitution party candidates, as those are the 3 largest "third" parties, based on registered voters. All 3 also have won numerous 'lesser' offices. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_parties_in_the_United_States

What they need is for a candidate to win a congressional election for more serious attention.

The problem with the DP and RP is, they like the status-quo, so why would they include these outsiders? If McCain-Palin really want to be different and 'rebel', they should insist that the debates be 5-way dances, not the same tired infomercials as usual with the 3rds stuck on PBS yet again.
 

Mark L

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It's not tht the are cowards, its that they don't want to run campaigns and have to actually answer questions and provide details on how they will do all that tuff they say.
That's what I mean when I claim cowardice, pre-supposing that they actually have positions that they won't articulate.
 

Ray

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If you guys really want a third party candidate, I say we get behind Morry Taylor and get him to run again. After all, a man who wrote a book called "kill all the lawyers" (his sister is a lawyer) and had commericals like these can only improve things:



 
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hardheadjarhead

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They are ALL liars. They are ALL rich overclass elitists out of touch with what life is like for the Average American.


No, they aren't.

Biden isn't rolling in the dough. Neither is Palin. Obama's money only came in after publishing two best-sellers. All three came from humble beginnings.

Biden lives in Delaware and has commuted on the train to Washington for 36 years. His dad was a car salesman. Obama was born to a single mom and went to school on scholarships. Palin...well, gee. What don't we know about her and her rustic background? She's just one of the guys. Or something.

Their spouses also aren't rich elitists. Biden's wife is a school teacher that works with "at risk" kids. Obama's wife makes a decent living as an attorney, but she grew up on the south side of Chicago. Her father worked in a plant. Palin's husband fishes and works for British Petroleum...he has no formal education.

McCain...not so much. A third generation Naval Academy legacy (both father and grandfather were well connected admirals), he married into wealth when he dumped his first wife for Cindy, an heiress to a beer fortune.

I personally can't think of anything more elitist than a "Boat Schooler," much less a third generation one.


Regards,

Steve
 

Makalakumu

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No, they aren't.

Biden isn't rolling in the dough. Neither is Palin. Obama's money only came in after publishing two best-sellers. All three came from humble beginnings.

Biden lives in Delaware and has commuted on the train to Washington for 36 years. His dad was a car salesman. Obama was born to a single mom and went to school on scholarships. Palin...well, gee. What don't we know about her and her rustic background? She's just one of the guys. Or something.

Their spouses also aren't rich elitists. Biden's wife is a school teacher that works with "at risk" kids. Obama's wife makes a decent living as an attorney, but she grew up on the south side of Chicago. Her father worked in a plant. Palin's husband fishes and works for British Petroleum...he has no formal education.

McCain...not so much. A third generation Naval Academy legacy (both father and grandfather were well connected admirals), he married into wealth when he dumped his first wife for Cindy, an heiress to a beer fortune.

I personally can't think of anything more elitist than a "Boat Schooler," much less a third generation one.


Regards,

Steve

The figureheads don't matter. They have their bosses. They have the same bosses.
 

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