John McCain is a Con Artist!

John the Con and Sarah, the sidekick, are now talking Change, and I don't mean 75 cents worth. McCon, for the last 20 years, has embedded himself in the disaster that has encircled our nation, as it drifts upon the world's prevailing winds. He is telling gullible Americans that HE will Change what is it that HE and the GO-Plunderers have done. McCon loves to hang with out con men. Here is Rachel Maddow breaking the story. McCon Man.

Before I go into exactly what McCon has done to America, I want to post a link to Glen Greenwald's great video.  Bravenewpac films has made McCain's Distortions. Watch it and donate. Here is another one of Greenwald's Bravenewfilms takeing on McCain. I have previously posted this video, but it is worth watching again. Pass them on to your friends. 

Here is what McCon has brought America along with the GO-Plunderers. They, nor he, have been the agent of Change, as you will see just how far America has fallen.

1. The likely disappearance of $2 trillion of household wealth that was converted into debt, which can no longer be transformed into consumer spending.
2. 29% of all households that purchased homes within the last 5 years owe more than the house is worth.
3. 40% of Americans are spending more than they earn because their wages lag around 2% behind the government's stated rate of inflation, which is officially nearing 8%, yet according to Shadow Govt Statistics inflation is at 12.5%.
4. The average American household holds $9,840.00 in credit card debt, at an interest rate of 19%, because they can no longer use their homes as ATM cards and credit cards are their last efforts to get cash to pay bills.
5. Personal consumption fell to 15% in 2Q08, and could very likely turn negative in the coming quarters.
6. Current credit card debt exceeds $880 billion.
7. There are 1.3 million foreclosures, while in 2005 there were 600,000.
8. There is an excess of 3.5 million homes in the U.S.
9. This 20 year credit expansion, brought to us by Alan Greenspan and the GO-Plunderers, as well as John the Con, created such a mortgage spending frenzy that if you took that growth out of the GDP, between 2001-2007, we would have shown less than 1% GDP because Greenspan only believed in debt wealth creation and not industrial productivity.
10. There now is somewhere between $450-516 trillion in toxic derivatives and credit default swaps throughout the world, which originated from the home mortgage debt frenzy.
11. The world is a $48 trillion economy and the U.S. is $13 trillion of it, yet what will happen when the consumer stops spending? In addition, we have a $10 trillion national debt. The economy and the debt are nearly equal.
12. 84,000 payroll jobs were lost in August; 60,000 lost in July; 101,000 private sector jobs lost in August, August unemployment rate was up to 6.1%, yet if discouraged job seekers were factored in the rate would have been closer to 8%.
13. 3Q08 GDP figures will likely be under 2%.
14. THe U.S. had $10.6 trillion in outstanding home loans, as of March 2008.
15. Existing home sales fell to a 10 year low.
16. Bank willingness to loan to consumers was at a 28 year low.
17. We are only 21% of the world's GDP, but spend 47% of the world's total military expenditures.
18. There are 537 elected congressional officials, but there are 35,000 lobbyists buying influence. McCain's campaign is ruled by 159 of those lobbyists. 
19. 8000 construction jobs disappeared in August, as well as 20,000 retail jobs and 1600 financial jobs raising the red flag in regards to future growth.
20. The July trade deficit reached $68.2 billion; up from $58.8 billion in June.
21. Since 2001, the annual trade deficit increased more than $300 billion.
22. Since 2001, 3.8 million manufacturing jobs have been lost.
23. Americans borrowed from foreigners around $50 billion each month impacting upon our trade deficit.
24. There is around $37 billion in FDIC, yet Fannie and Freddie hold $8 trillion in mortgage debt, and $4 trillion is FDIC insured.
25. The nation's biggest banks and investment companies are either going under, or getting taxpayers to bail them out. They cannot survive without taxpayer dollars.
26. Over 45 million Americans are uninsured, 40 million are under-insured, but the same GO-Plunderers bailout the richest CEO's in the nation, without any sort of penalty or jail time, will not consider a single-payer health care system of working America. Socialism only for the free-marketeers, but not for working people.
27. The Bush wars are costing over $12 billion per month.
28. The total cost of war will likely reach over $2 trillion.
29. Hank Paulson will be throwing $20 billion per month at these financial institutions holding bad mortgage-backed security debt in order to keep them solvent.
30. Fannie and Freddie were bailed out not because they were drowning but because the foreign sovereign wealth funds (central banks of other countries) told them to bail out the bad mortgage debt they bought from these American institutions, otherwise there will be blood on the tracks.
31. 1.4 million Americans are working at part-times jobs out of necessity and not by choice.
32. Median salaries ranging from those with only high school diploma to a master's level degree fell between 3-4%, when adjusted for inflation, therefore, the cost of college may not ever pay for itself with a boost in income.
33. Inflation-adjusted median household income has declined by $1175.00 since 2000.
34. Vacancies at community malls hit a 13 year high of 8.2% in 2Q08, while vacancy at regional malls hit 6-year high of 6.3%.
35. July and August retail sales have dropped by 0.5 -0.7% respectively. 
36. Part of McCain's legacy while in the congress is that over the last 10 years, the economy is about $1.5 trillion smaller. This comes to $10,000 per worker according to Peter Morici, professor at the U. of Maryland School of Business.
37. During the 23 years McCain sat in the congress, the U.S. has increased petroleum consumption by about 5 million barrels per day. Now, the 2007 Energy Act could reduce consumption by 4 million barrels per day by 2030, according to Morici.
38. U.S. imports from China exceed exports by nearly 5 to 1. 
39. China holds $447 billion, or one-fifth of their currency reserves, in Fannie and Freddie's debt, and will now halt their buying our the dollar in favor of other currencies. That will force the Fed to raise interest rates to attract foreign funds to once again buy the dollar. This could tank the economy in further. McCain and his GO-Plundering Pals, like Phil Gramm, have created this mess by erasing regulation from the financial markets.
40. Under McCain/Bush/GOPers, we have a $700 billion current accounts deficit, which had been financed by foreigners buy up our financial funny money securities.
41. The Phil Gramm, John McCain, the the 23 years of GOPer deregulation of the financial markets has been nothing but a full blown failure of monumental proportions.
42. The national debt is costing every taxpayer $66,666.00.
43. Soldier suicides, just this year, could surpass the record rate of last year.

Retired Andrew Bacevich, who now teaches at Boston University, has said that expansionism fostering greater power and abundance, and facilitating the pursuit of freedom has become undone. Efforts to pursue expansion in every which way, even including the war on terror, has squandered American power, wasted our wealth as a nation, and compromised our freedoms.

This has all occurred on John McCain's watch even while purporting that he was a maverick, though such a rebellious badge of honor had been made out of thin air.

Here is a very interesting Youtube video about the current issues around gold. It is in three parts totaling 30 minutes.

Part 1                                                         Part 2                                            Part 3

Here is a Youtube video of Sarah Palin speaking at her church. It is worth watching! Sarah is NOT vice-presidential material. Here is why.

Here is a Youtube video about the Freddie and Fannie bailout, Watch it.

Thanks for reading, Jerry

Postscript:   A must read from the Regressive Antidote called First Country.

It is about McCain and is GOP convention. It is a classic read!

Is Obama the Only Choice for President?

All across the Blogosphere progressive writers, as well as bloggers with undefined political leanings, use their firebrand styles to perforate both McCain and Obama. They fling their pointed daggers at them expressing dislike, disgust, and disappointment with their political policies and positions.

It is important that we criticize Obama's centrist views as he tries to appeal to separatist Republicans instead of solidifying a rallying cry toward progressives, Clinton-disappointees, and Americans wanting real change instead of "Change-lite". And again, we all know, except for those attending and glued to the t.v. special of Monty McCain and his Flying Circus, starring Sarah Palin, that real change is needed if this nation is to rise from the burning flames of our economic meltdown and into a country of windmill and solar panel technologies that would feed our energy needs without the massive tap-in to the oil fields of hostile producers.

During Palin's June 8, 2008 address to graduating students at the Wasilla Assembly of God Church, she told those malleable minds that the U.S. soldiers were carrying out "God's Plan". She framed her belief in a way where those students might think, just as her, that the U.S. has a mission in Iraq directed by God, her Christian God, which apparently has a different mission for those Muslims believing that God has a plan for them in their own country.

She spoke from her bully-pulpit and said, "Pray for our men and women who are striving to do the right thing. Also, for this country, that our leaders, our national leaders are sending [our soldiers] out on a task that is from God. That's why we have to make sure that we're praying for, that there is a plan and that plan is God's plan."

I guess, our GO-Plundering circus grand-mistress is directly connected to God's CENTCOM headquarters. How cool! It sounds like oil hegemony, killing, mass destruction, and nation-state occupation are the war plans of the Heavens! 

During that same address, Sarah Palin was pitching for her love of gas, and I don't mean the kind you get from eating too much moose meat, but the $30 billion natural gas pipeline project. She said, "God's will has to be done in unifying people and companies to get that gas line built [in our state of Alaska]." Hey Sarah, maybe you should try selling God on toning down those hurricanes hitting the gulf coast; or, how about healing our global warming and drought problems. What's with the pipeline swan song? Did God fix the voting machines to usher in your governorship, too? Did he not realize that you appear to be a dangerous wackjob?

While on the Larry Kudlow CNBC show called "Kudlow and Co." she said in regards to the question about being chosen to be McCain's personal care companion, "As for that V.P. talk all the time, I'll tell you, I still can't answer that question until somebody answers for me what it is exactly that the V.P. does everyday...?" (other than hold McCain's hand when signing his name.)

You know, I always trust my 5 minute impressions when I ask someone to answer the 3 A.M. nuclear button call, even though that trusted stranger has no experience knowing anything about other nations, except when leafing through a desk atlas. I guess, Bush thinking that they speak Latin in Latin America is OK, and he is our president. It may not really matter in the long run. Look, the Boy President glanced into Putin's eyes, and Georgie saw his soul. WOW! I am so glad our foreign policy is based upon what the crystal ball reveals during cabinet meetings. And now, Putin did not like those first impressions of himself. He got all mad and decided to get tough on Georgia, as well as with that safe NATO supply line going through Russia and on into Afghanistan. Don't mess with Putin or else. What's a little rough housing among soul brothers anyway? That is the GO-Plunderers for ya.

Ain't we done with the GOP, yet? Hearing former (at least, we can thank God for his defeat as PA Congressman) Rick Santorum's voice at the GO-Plundering convention made me cringe knowing he has a delegate's vote.

McCain does not speak about a timetable for exiting out of Iraq. He is bent on leaving it up to the commander, General Petraeus. They both support a conditions-based withdrawal. Although, on other days, McForget says, "Withdrawal? No way, man. I wanna stay for 100 years! And, Ya gonna like it!"

Obama has a timetable, although, he becomes the marshmallow center when it comes down to specifying the timeframe. McCain believes in "winning in Iraq". Obama asked Petraeus what his minimum requirement would be for withdrawal. Good question, but not good enough for me and most progressives. We want out ON DAY ONE!

On health care, McCain wants to tax the employee's employer-based contributions. He believes in giving Americans his special brand of choice vouchers so they can go out in the hell-fire called Insurance Land, and attempt to purchase a rat's ass policy, while he, McCain, gets the best health care money can buy, especially for a guy who is considered disabled and would likely be "red-tagged" by any ordinary-middle class-here's-my-vouch insurance company. McCain's definition of choice means to screw you and make those insurance companies even wealthier, while leaving the lone citizen no real chance to negotiate for a lower premium price that would offer a quality benefit. He is all scam. Monty McCain and his Flying Circus. And under the big tent is Sarah Palin, Laura Bush and Cindy. They represent a new line of toy play girl dolls for Republican children.

Obama is still holding on to the greedy private insurance model paid for through employer-employee plans. For those who cannot opt into such a plan, the government would offer Medicare-style coverage.

Obama wants to tax the upper 5-10% of our wealthiest Americans who have gotten very rich off the system and help out the rest of us who have been hurt by such tax shifting policies of the GOP. McCain wants to continue the Bush slash and burn legacy of "Trickle Down".

Bush Tours America 

This  Onion video is a tongue-in-cheek look at how Bush has damaged the country.

McCain's energy plan is to drill, send more troops to countries with oil and pipelines we so want for ourselves, and either kill, or threaten our economy and national security in order to get it. The Republic of Georgia has a pipeline the neo-cons want to protect from Russian control, so let's recreate a cold or hot war with Putin. This is the GO-Plundering energy plan. Obama wants to energize the economy by using alternative and renewable forms of energy, as well as drill realistically and RESPONSIBLY for domestic oil, and not recklessly like Mav-wreck would likely do. 200,000 barrels of oil per day gotten from off-shore drilling, by around 2030, when priced on a global scale, as well, when improving vehicle gas mileage for government fleet and personal vehicles would show better national fuel savings when compared with the 200,000 barrels per day drilling strategy without the risk of environmental damage.

They both like the idea of further plundering in Afghanistan. McCain would not be persuaded against "more wars, my friends." There is not a war McCain would not love. It appears he wants to kill and plunder his way to recovery from his days as a P.O.W. Obama might be persuaded against such a fatal attraction.

A comment made by an anonymous reader of the blog called Obama a communist-the entire word was capitalized. Does Obama sound like a communist? Now, does McCain sound like a neo-con fascist who wants to further the riches of the corporate war and oil elite machine at the expense of our nation's well-being and security? Does his vice presidential choice sound like the female version of George Bush? You each have to decide this for yourselves. I have a bias. Your views may be the total opposite. One thing is for sure, this nation needs help, and one of them better do it for us or we are all in big trouble!

Maybe McCain suffers from an Oedipal Complex and has chosen Sarah because she reminds him of how he sees President Bush, which could be as a mommy figure. Oh boy. It is going to be a long several weeks ahead.

John Stewart of the Daily Show says it all

Peggy Noonan says Palin choice is bullshit

History Was Made In America Tonight!

Here is Barack Obama's acceptance speech made before the Democratic National Convention. History was made tonight. It is time to end 8 years of the GOPlunderers' reign of disaster. 

                              Obama's Full Acceptance Speech

 

McCain Leads the Grand Ole Plunderers (GOP)

How can John McCain tell the public that he is capable of fixing the economy by making the Bush tax shift permanent or effectively slicing and dicing the federal budget? McCain had voted with Bush on nearly every bill for the last 8 years. Just this last year, he voted with Bush 95% of the time. What is McCain's answer to his disappearing maverick act?

Bush, McCain and the Grand Ole Plunderers (GOP) have destroyed our economy and not helped it. Most of us are worse off now than we were 8 years ago; and, we can thank McCain for his role in it. As McCain gives his Plunderer-in-Chief his full embrace, his Boy Chief tells America that the economic fundamentals are good, yet 1 in 3 homeowners who purchased homes since 2003 now owe more than what their property is worth. This amounts to around 80 million homes.

(Read: "The Battered American Consumer: Even the Middle Class is Feeling Economic Pain", Kathleen Connell, Christian Science Monitor, on Alternet.org, 8-20-08).

Did Obama forget to tell McCain that when the Boy Chief took office our economy was robust? The American worker was benefiting from the growing GDP. But today, the average American worker has experienced a decline in their real wages. Did McCain forget that he supported his Boy Chief as he burned and plundered the U.S. budget surplus, while simultaneously doubling the national debt to nearly $10 trillion; and making this nation less safe and more vulnerable as he chose to use his "Political Capital" on wars and creating a new form of fascism with a sprinkle of kleptocracy? This is McCain's and his fellow G.O.Plunderer's legacy.

Did Obama forget that McCain's politics is commanded by lobbyists, who have been embedded inside no-bid government contracts and have infiltrated federal agencies and departments with their private sector partisan stooges? And then, there is the fact that he and his campaign advisor and lobbyist pal were deeply involved in the mess that occurred with the breakaway Republic of Georgia. Did Saashasvili actually believe that McCain, Boy Bush, or the GOP would morph into his Ironman saving him from the big bad Russian army? McCain's foreign policy agenda appears more like the Boy Chief's than that of a maverick who stands up to his party-line leaders.

McCain's foreign policy doctrine seems to be based on a hegemanical, Viagra-induced erection for wars and the threat of war. He has been in support of a policy that would financially drain the swamp through wars and by involvement in "client-contractor" style government relationships, i.e. Georgia and Ukraine.

Did McCain forget that bin-Laden said that he would take America down economically, which McCain has allowed, and has appeared to have embraced, as well? Nice going, Maverick! McCain embraced it because he stood with Bush on nearly all votes as a Senator. And, he followed the Phil Gramm doctrine to not regulate the financial markets, as did Bush Boy.

Now, Russia could burn down the House (and Senate) by flexing their retaliatory muscle just by dumping their dollar holdings, and their toxic assets, part of which they still hold but have not swapped for fresh Bada Bing Bernanke dollars. And then there is the $100-150 billion worth of bonds they bought off of Fannie and Freddie to keep them floating even though there was a hole in their tube.

Bada Bing Bernanke and Hank "the Paulie" Paulson swapped any greasy, slimy pieces of U.S. toxic assets, which have been basically worthless forms of "ha-ha" collateral from anyone foolish enough to buy them, even the Russians, for freshly printed dollars. Now, the Russians hold dollars they can use to threaten us just by tossing them out onto the world market creating deflationary havoc for our currency. The Russians would only sacrifice the full value of those dollars for revenge upon our Boy President and the U.S. economy. (Bada Bing.) Do we need more deflationary problems with our dollar?

This is the McCain and Bush legacy. They have destroyed our economy. So off to Minneapolis to claim victory!

(Read: "Reality Bites Again", Jameshowardkunstler.typepad.com) 

The McCain-Bush Legacy has crippled the availability of credit because the banks have less capital to risk/lend, as seen with Merrill Lynch, which basically gave away $30 billion of their mortgage-backed securities for 5 cents on the dollar after their arranged sale juggling act. The Fed holds around $400+billion of such fire sale junk assets and are closing in on the half-way buy back point. Also, FDIC has only $37 billion available to them for depositor insurance-based bailouts! Will they be asking for more? And, how soon?

McShame has performed his senatorial duties with reckless abandon as he gave the Boy Chief a wink and a nod for 8 years. Now that is what a Mav-wreck would do! Our very own McShame has allowed countries and nation states from around the world, which are our questionable friends when the dirt starts uh flyin', such as those in the Middle East, Russia, etc, to be our "bankers" as they bought our assets in order to keep us supplied, not unlike a dealer to a junkie, with cash in order to allow us to financially implode. The dollar may lose its glitter and sheen as the world's reserve currency thanks to the G.O. Plunderer's mismanagement of government.

(Read: "The Incredible Shrinking Dollar?", Mike Whitney, Counterpunch.org, 8-20-08) 

It seems that Bush Boy's Big Tent maybe falling down upon us as we ask the question, "Is there really enough gold in Fort Knox?" The value of gold and silver paper claims may not be backed by any actual gold or silver. Such precious metals are supposed to be sitting in the vaults of our biggest banks, and elsewhere, if paper claims are to be issued or "leased" to secondary dealer investors. It is believed not to be the case.

Why is the value of gold (and silver) falling, in the commodities markets, when the U.S. Mint had to suspend the production of gold bullion and ounces if commodities markets wants you to think that there is a drop in demand? Is there a game being played here? 

If a small dealer is afraid to take on a gold purchase "leasing" risk, then the larger bank 

(a holder of gold bullion) offers a subsidized lease with a negative interest rate, which means they are paid to take on the gold (or silver) lease deal. This arrangement deflates the metal's value. This ends up looking like a futures derivative scam, not unlike the mortgage-backed securities scam. Does it all sound familar? Yet, people all around the globe want to buy real gold and silver in spite of the street/COMEX price. There is a demand, and the people cannot get the real thing. Production is suspended because the U.S. Mint cannot get the stuff to mint! In addition, many central banks are trying to purchase more gold to cover themselves.

It is all about covering short selling on these metals. We are seeing a precious metal paper manipulation in order to make money shorting their covers before betting on the longs. The Fed and banks want to collapse the price, yet people, and central banks all around the world, want to own the real deal anyway.

Are the big banks trying to unwind what might be billions of dollars in mortgage related asset losses by forcing a collapse in metals and commodities, while holding billions in short sells, which would make billions for them as they leveraging out their previous losses? 

No matter what the talking heads are saying there is a demand for gold and silver in spite of a supply crunch. People are selling off their paper assets, going into cash, and trying to buy gold and silver ounces and bullions. Gold maybe a commodity, but it is still a world valued currency.

Before the U.S. Mint suspended production, it could not source enough gold product, all the while, they were minting "2.5 times as many gold coins, this year, and almost 4 times as many silver bullion coins, this year, compared to last year." This disconnect between street price and derivative price would not be happening if the banks holding gold bullion were selling claims based upon vaulting of the actual physical precious metal.

The 1987 President's Executive Order on Working Markets gave the Fed and Treasury the power to manipulate the markets secretly with full legal authority.

Will such gambling kill more banks? Will depositors pull their cash and stick it away where they know they can get at it? If this happens, will the price of gold and silver double?

(Read: "The Disconnect Between Supply and Demand in Gold and Silver", James Conrad, Seekingalpha.com, 8-20-08)   

This is the mess McCain has brought us. His former financial advisor, the New Menace, Phil Gramm, is the grand-daddy of these scams and helped McCain formulate his economic policy. Cindy McCain, Johnny Boy's sugar-momma, has set him up with so much wealth that he has no clue what he is sittin' on. So what does he care about the rest of America? He is the new leader of the Grand Ole Plunderers.

Thanks for reading, Jerry

POSTSCRIPT:

The St. Lewis Fed Borrow chart

This chart is a must read. It details borrowing over decades.

The G.O.Plunderers find new ways to offend and harm the nation.

Bush slips up on the war in Iraq.

The Oil Battlefields of the World

                             First, here is a word from our president.

                       (to return to this posting after viewing link, hit the back arrow.)

The Russian war with the break-away Soviet Republic of Georgia is a struggle for the control of oil, among other ethnic, and geopolitical factors. No doubt, oil dominance is critical to Russia. Georgia has oil and access to the Black Sea and to the Caspian Sea through Azerbaijan. Between the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf is Iran. In other words, Georgia has the potential to supply oil to markets and bypass an entanglement with the Russians. Putin does not like that. He wants a piece of the action. This Tony Soprano has tanks and bombs.

The U.S. is in a struggle for control of oil, as well. The Russians, Chinese, and U.S. are all competing to control oil and oil prices. Gas as well. Oil prices effect economies and the price of currencies. 

John McCain wants to be dependent on oil because he is indebted to his oil benefactors and the kleptocrats chairman of the board, Dick Cheney. JohnBoy wants to drill off-shore California and everywhere else even though the environmental effects could be disastrous, especially in the California waters. Do we need another Katrina-like disaster?

The amount of oil gotten from the proposed drilling would make little difference in the price because in 10 years, the demand will likely have declined due to price and inflationary pressures put upon most Americans. We are currently experiencing a decline in demand and usage. The extraction of oil from tar sands and shale continues to be expensive. And then, there are numerous dormant wells leased by oil companies. It is reported that the oil drilled from new wells off our shores might only represent 1% of total daily outputs.

Obama plays the middle when he should not be doing so. He is trying to appeal to the nuclear, oil and alternative energy supporters all at the same time. Standing in the middle of the pond makes it harder to run to shore.

Obama needs to stand firmly close to those standing on the shore of the alternative energy crowd. This is what is needed now. 

He needs to tell America, "Do we want to engage in more oil wars? If not, vote for me! I will put into place an Urgency Alternative Energy Policy to build, across this nation, an alternative energy power grid and use oil for our non-energy needs. We can use our own oil and purchase oil from our real partners. We can put forth a major oil recycling plan and create enough biofuels for what is needed." 

We need to move toward efficiency with our transportation needs. If a person needs to purchase a new or newer vehicle, tax breaks to those who decide on battery vehicles should be given out. Subsidies to all who want to install solar panels, and such should be given out, too.

Mr. Obama needs to push away from  the sleeping JohnBoy and tell America how alternative energy will create jobs and opportunities for the nation. He needs to say how solar and wind can be built immediately to energize many of our communities reducing the need for non-renewal fuels almost overnight. Also, geothermal can be used in many areas of our country.

Do we want to get into struggles with the Russian and/or Chinese leaderships over oil? We have spent over $1 trillion in our oil war in Iraq. What a waste of life, time, political capital and money. 

By declaring energy independence we then can walk away from governments we should not support and help make more wealthy, especially the plutocrats, authoritarians and dictators.

Solar panels do work. They can supply homes and businesses energy, while providing energy back into the overall grid, as well. I saw a bed and breakfast with several sleeping rooms, hot tub, a/c, kitchen, workshop and lighting pay only $2.00 per month for electricity because they had a solar panel on their roof. In Denmark, if one drives a hybrid or electric vehicle, and it is plugged into the alternative energy grid at night, the batteries in the car act as storage selling back electricity to the electric supplier.

What if Prime Minister Putin decided to retaliate against the United States over our involvement with the government of the break-away Republic of Georgia? 

George Bush is hated by the Russians. They see him as fool and liar, therefore, Putin could easily create a significant recession, if not a depression, without ever firing a shot across the bow. All he would have to do would be to "sell all $50 billion of its Fannie Mae mortgage-backed bonds, all of its U.S. dollar-backed assets, and accept only rubles and euros in the future sale of Russian oil and natural gas." If this scenario were to happen, "watch as the dollar crashes and the Dow Jones goes into a death-spiral." (Bush's War in Georgia; Will it be the Flyswatter or the Blunderbuss?" by Mike Whitney, Global Research, 8-11-08. You can check our link postings and find Mike Whitney right there.)

Listening to McCain's tough talk over this Russian/Georgian violent confrontation is not what we need to engage in. 

Mr. Sleeping Dog McCain said, as he pounded his chest, since swaggering has been unattainable, "Russia should immediately and unconditionally cease its military operations and withdraw all forces from sovereign Georgia territory."  So, JohnBoy, what is next if Russia does not abide by your command? And then, there is Mr. Obama's statement, "Now is the time for Georgia and Russia to show restraint, and to avoid an escalation to full-scale war." The McCain campers say this is "weak"? How about presidential and tactful. The McCain campers would rather burn down the forest in hopes to get a better view of the other side.

One of McCain's neo-con camp counselors, Randy Scheunemann, a paid lobbyist to the Republic of Georgia, and JohnBoy's foreign policy talking head, surely has his biases. It is likely that McCain does not truly know the actual facts surrounding the cause of this confrontation, but we know it involves oil, and violence. The blogs and media are full of speculation over the facts. Mr. Whitney wrote that Georgian peacekeepers "Bushwacked" their fellow Russian peacekeepers, triggering the battle of wills, while destroying lives and treasure.

We do not need to get involved in military battles over oil when the world is full of very precise and dangerous weapons. JohnBoy has told the American people while on the campaign trail making clear that "There will be more wars, my friends."  I gotta give ya some Straight Talk, My Friends, it is time to get off the oil battlefields of the world.

Thanks for reading.   Jerry