Here & There Column 10-28-08

Our Financial Mess & The Elections

Sooner or later I knew that our coffee Klatsch would bring up the topic of what happened on wall street and what our presidential candidates are saying.
Understanding that our Klatsch is not political.....we do have four members who are Republicans, three who are Democrats and one Independent.
In our attempt to properly analyze the financial collapse we all were in one accord when we concluded that the answer for the financial panic and collapse lies both with America's financial elite and the political elite of both Democrats and Republicans.
What we also felt was quite scary is the fact that these same so called elites are now working to see how much of our wealth is needed to bail us out.
The Klatsch members totally endorsed their opposition to this bailout of some of America's biggest corporation by you and me (the American taxpayer.
This whole mess was generated by the greed and arrogance of those who sought to make a quick buck and Wall Street played a significant part.
Calling a spade a spade we feel that the members of Congress should bear a large share of the blame and now they are pretending to come to our rescue. Think about that will you....and lets not forget that warning signs were given by a number of concerned members of Congress but this was over shadowed by Fannie and Freddie who spent millions lobbying Congress over the past decade.
As we poured our second cup of home made java and bit into our freshly baked donuts several of our members spoke out about a high number of the "elite" media who desperately seek to avoid the guilt of the left for the current crisis.
We agreed that this entire economic downfall is both the fault of Republicans and Democrats in Washington but that the liberal left media has made Barack Obama look better with these issues then John McCain.
Obama promises to change America and strongly opposes Bush's tax cuts for the rich and instead will offer tax cuts for the working families. He is pledging quality and affordable health care for all while McCain asks who is going to pay for this?
We all agreed that Obama is an attractive, intelligent and eloquent candidate but several in our Klatsch felt that this is where it ends and his associates are great cause for concern.
McCain says Obama will increase taxes and is urging voters to hold onto their wallet. He says voters could not rely on Obama's promise of tax cuts. The Republican candidate supports an energy abundance plan and a promise of a $5,000 per-family health-care tax credit tax to help pay for their health insurance.
Our Klatch unanimously agreed that tax proposals must be studied so taxes do not increase, health care should be within every ones reach, the Wall Street crisis should results in intense investigations and penalties, fines and even prison terms for those who brought this great country down on their knees, there must be concrete plans to develop an energy abundance plan, that Americans are sick and tired of big government and big cronyism, that our nation must remain strong in their efforts to fight terrorism, that small business and free markets are better than bureaucrats and socialism, that the majority of Americans are fed up with the corruption, dishonesty and arrogance of Washington and that all of us are eager to have someone honestly address the concerns we are faced with today.
Our Klatsch urges everyone to vote on November 4....this great nation of ours is depending on your decision.