Reader Comments
Issue 117 - October 8, 2008

Editor: Bravo for your “The Palin Hope.” The following quote from it is one of the best, most succinct, paragraphs I have read in a very long time to explain what the Bush administration has done to the nation: "Let us be very frank. National government non-defense spending has hemorrhaged to historic highs during the last seven years under George W. Bush and Republican Congresses. Spending increased by an all-time modern high of 25 percent over his first term and an additional 14 percent so far the second, vastly exceeding any period since Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society – before the bailouts and plus adding the largest new entitlement since Goldwater’s opponent, in the form of Medicare prescription drugs. As far as regulation is concerned, the last year of the Carter Administration produced 73,258 pages of regulation, which Reagan cut back to 50,616 pages. By the end of the Clinton years, the number of pages was back up to 64,438. But the Bush Administration ended 2007 with 72,090 pages – almost back to where Reagan began. And now we have a whole new regulatory scheme where Federal bureaucrats will decide subjectively which loans are “bad” and how much each banker will be paid for them. Stay tuned for the abuses and favoritism." Alan Caruba

Editor: Excellent article on Gov. Palin. Good Work. William G. Read, Captain USN (ret)

Editor: Well done. “The Palin Hope” is really a terrific article that gave me hope that Sarah Palin is a true, principled conservative in the mold of Ronald Reagan. It is a good read. I commend it to all. Bruce Eberle

Editor: Unfortunately, the "small government” philosophy wished for in “The Palin Hope” is outdated and more spending is the order of the day. The rejection of that philosophy was first enthusiastically enunciated by a major Republican operator—chairman of its party and a White House counselor under George W. Bush-- named Ed Gillespie in the Manchester Union Leader about 6 years ago. Apparently Republicans, rather than enunciating the evils of big government that has led to our current financial crisis, decided that it's easier to join 'em rather than fight, especially now when others are inaugurating a give-away derby. Al, Lemon Grove

Editor: Re “The Palin Hope,” hope is a theological virtue. Chris Manion

Editor: “The Palin Hope” is a wonderful article! Yes, I too, believe Governor Palin is what we need the next four years in Washington. My only hope and prayer is that many in America get their head out of the sand and stand up for what is right and give Governor Palin the opportunity to prove what she has already proven and done for Alaska. We need to bring back the Republicans to the Senate and Congress and boot the Liberal Democrats out of office. Yes, they have been wasteful and negative since taking over the Senate and Congress. Why don't we cut their pay checks in half! How about NO pay checks! M

Editor: Thanks for “The Palin Hope.” Perfect. Mark Crane

Editor: Regarding “The Palin Hope,” did you notice how the audience was inspired when Gov. Palin spoke? She is well able to be Vice President. It is uplifting to see her in action, and we will shed the gloom we are experiencing when she is Vice President. Nanny Lyles

Editor: Nice article on Gov. Palin. I agree fully. S.T. Karnick

Editor: Thank you very much for “The Palin Hope” article! It was well-written, using facts rather than the fiction (lies) we hear and read from the Democrat campaign. Please continue to keep us informed and encouraged. Nancy Hammett

Editor: Regarding Mike Pence’s “Stop Bailout Plan,” I oppose the proposed bailout plan because our system was designed to reward success and punish failure. Wall Street and the investment world is a crap shoot. Our banking system is the most regulated business in the world. The Comptroller of the Currency was not doing what it was supposed to be doing and the job for which it was created, The Community Reinvestment Act was a loophole to disaster. It was the vehicle that was abused in the name of equality. Common sense was eliminated in the matter of evaluating credit worth. Technology replaced experience and the wisdom required to make rational decisions. I spent 50 years in the system. I managed all fields. Unsecured and secured lending, auto finance, credit card and mortgages,.. I understand how it works in practical terms. I worked the streets, the front and back room operations and trained lenders in their trade. The liabilities that were bundled and sold should all be returned to those lenders of origin. They should have the job of working out terms with those who have failed to meet their obligations. No way the taxpayers should be burdened with bailing out unwise imprudent lending practices. Tom Leeson

Editor: All I can say about Mike Pence’s “Stop Bailout Plan” is AMEN! Kenny Hopkins

Editor: Congressman Pence’s “Stop Bailout Plan” makes sense. I listened for several hours yesterday to the testimony by Paulson, Bernanke, Cox et al. Secretary Paulson could not or would not explain how he would arrive at the price to pay for any of the bad mortgages he wants to buy with $700B of taxpayer money. Fed Chairman Bernanke at least was straightforward enough to admit it would be higher than the "fire sale" price and approach the "hold to maturity" price (which would reward incompetent and corrupt managers of banks, and those who bought their bad paper). In sum, the bailout would be the final capitulation of free enterprise to the collectivist central planning socialism. Congressman Pence's approach is more sensible. It may not be bold enough, however. Rather than indexing, I like Newt Gingrich’s idea of abolishing the capital gain tax altogether. H. William Burgess, Honolulu, Hawaii

Editor: Re Congressman Pence’s “Stop Bailout Plan,” all I can say is, “Mike Pence for President.” Bill Bateman

Editor: Congressman Mike Pence had years to debate what is good for the markets. He and the Congress and the Fed failed. Did you hear the anger against the US at the UN on Sept 23, 08 while some Congressmen were talking about talking? The world markets are seriously affected by our sub prime nonsense and living on credit. Capable people (at least the best we have) like the treasury secretary and chairman of the Federal Reserve have a proposal to possibly prevent depression in the world markets. The poor will die and the middle classes will be looking for soup kitchens. There is no time for speech making and sounding good to one's constituents. Vote on the proposal before it is too late. The plan may fail but failure is almost certain if it is not tried NOW. Ed Briody

Editor: Mike Pence has the right idea in “Stop Bailout Plan.” Keep him going. Ed Watson, San Diego

Editor: I disagree with Congressman Pence. Congress should act and act immediately to buy up the illiquid assets consisting of the Mortgage Back Securities sitting on the balance sheets of the nations’ banks. This will restore the ability of the banks to supply credit to the economy. Buying these assets from the banks will also put the Treasury in the position of very possibly profiting from this purchase. This is not a bailout but a purchase by the Treasury of illiquid assets which will mature some years in the future. John Bressler

Editor: Regarding Mike Pence’s “Stop Bailout Plan,” all I have to say is “no bailout.” Moe Ray

Editor: Re Mike Pence’s “Stop Bailout Plan.” I, like millions of Americans, am fed up with the corruption at all levels of this THING that we refer to as "government.” This latest debacle referred to as Fraud Street is deplorable. Who paid for OUR financial woes when IBM collapsed? We did. Who pays for all of the Social programs while others do nothing but receive from them....WE DO. So many social programs it is overwhelming, and most Americans have no idea that they even exist. At every turn, another crook surfaces, at every turn there is another greed based scandal that this "government" illegally passes on to the people of the REPUBLIC! Who gave this "government" the right to tap OUR money at will? I'm sick and tired of Social programs at my expense, and I will NOT live to support Socialism, yet I WILL survive against it. We need leadership to revolt against the greed, corruption, and self serving elected political garbage that has permeated our entire system. Take the second and third homes from these people who are truly responsible for the problems that THEY created. Take their multi million dollar yachts, their mansions and their pensions. Take THEIR life's savings. Put THEM in the streets like they so matter of factly do to people through their greed and corruption. I am a fiercely loyal AMERICAN patriot of this great Nation. I deplore the crooks in Washington and those who run these big corporations who are responsible for this disgraceful mess. If this thing we refer to as "government" and these "executives" think that those of us who truly stand for this United States of America are going to continue being driven to despair and oppression so they can continue to wear Armani suits and Gucci shoes, ya better think again. The second revolution is about to begin. Rick Christensen

Editor: No bailout. Regarding Mike Pence’s “Stop Bailout Plan,” let those responsible on Wall Street and in Congress know they will be held accountable and responsible for their actions. Milton Turoff, West Orange, NJ

Editor: Regarding John Goodman’s “Health Insurance Solved,” the term in the former era was "irresponsible" to convey the idea that individuals had the responsibility to take care of themselves. Now, it's "uninsured" in order to convey the idea that they are victims of somebody else's creation. But victims of what? I think, Congress. Laura D. Cooper, Attorney at Law (For a full discussion of the matter see my http://www.lauraslinks.com/Offsite/WHITE%20PAPER%20FULL.pdf)

Editor: Alex Castellanos wrote in an article that Barack “Obama Needs a Second Act” to the "Change" message he had used to secure his party’s nomination. Boy did he hit this one on the head!!! Obama kept screaming "change" from the top of his lungs, and from every rooftop, while avoiding dealing with facts and issues. By doing this he effectively cut Hillary Clinton off at the knees since she did not have a popular agenda issue to "sell." Mr. Castellanos is accurate to now say, Obama lost steam when he suddenly had to define, "change." Worse is that John McCain co-opted the line and has used it effectively to identify "his" change agenda of dumping his parties old guard in favor of his idea of bi-partisanship government. It may not work even if he is elected, but, it is an effective line to GET elected. McCain/Palin might just pull off another Republican presidential victory, in an election year that "those who know what is best for us," had predicted four years ago, was "their" election. This time, those nasty Republicans were not going to steal the election. Well, if ACORN and others have their way, Democrats might win the 2008 presidential election. But I say, if the election is actually fair and all "legal" votes are counted, I think McCain/Palin does win. Thanks, Steve Ralston