Comments on: An Open Letter to Congress http://www.intellectualconservative.com/2008/10/02/an-open-letter-to-congress/ Conservative and Libertarian Intellectual Philosophy and Politics Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:00:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Ivan Ivanovich http://www.intellectualconservative.com/2008/10/02/an-open-letter-to-congress/comment-page-1/#comment-74102 Ivan Ivanovich Thu, 02 Oct 2008 20:55:07 +0000 http://www.intellectualconservative.com/2008/10/02/an-open-letter-to-congress/#comment-74102 OK, you've sold me. McCain blew it. Now that we are both all wet, I'll just sit home or vote for Obama! OK, you’ve sold me. McCain blew it. Now that we are both all wet, I’ll just sit home or vote for Obama!

]]> By: Jeff Osonitsch http://www.intellectualconservative.com/2008/10/02/an-open-letter-to-congress/comment-page-1/#comment-74101 Jeff Osonitsch Thu, 02 Oct 2008 20:22:11 +0000 http://www.intellectualconservative.com/2008/10/02/an-open-letter-to-congress/#comment-74101 I want McCain to win as well, but the way to win in a political campaign is not to take a position identical to that of your opponent but rather to draw a distinction between your position and his - especially when your opponents position is deeply unpopular. McCain had a golden oppurtunity to set himself up against an unpopular bill, supported by both his opponent and the current unpopular president. The fact that the bailout is philosophically and practically terrible is a separate issue from the political one but in this case McCain could have been both right and popular. Instead, he blew it. I want McCain to win as well, but the way to win in a political campaign is not to take a position identical to that of your opponent but rather to draw a distinction between your position and his – especially when your opponents position is deeply unpopular.

McCain had a golden oppurtunity to set himself up against an unpopular bill, supported by both his opponent and the current unpopular president. The fact that the bailout is philosophically and practically terrible is a separate issue from the political one but in this case McCain could have been both right and popular. Instead, he blew it.

]]> By: Ivan Ivanovich http://www.intellectualconservative.com/2008/10/02/an-open-letter-to-congress/comment-page-1/#comment-74100 Ivan Ivanovich Thu, 02 Oct 2008 19:31:13 +0000 http://www.intellectualconservative.com/2008/10/02/an-open-letter-to-congress/#comment-74100 Sorry Jeff. It's not my intension to get into a pissing contest with you, but if JSM did as you say, not one of the OHB supporters would be tempted to cross over and not one of John's supporters would be more likely to vote for him than they are now. It's the middle ground people John needs and there is NO way to get the message out in the next 30 days, especialy if the whole economy tanks in that time. All that will do is get the Marxist elected. The Dems have been saying we are in a recession for more than a year, in spite of all the data, and most people beleive them. Nobody said the electorate was smart. There's a time to be an idealogue and a time to be a winner. I want to see McCain win, along with as many Congressmen as possible. Sorry Jeff. It’s not my intension to get into a pissing contest with you, but if JSM did as you say, not one of the OHB supporters would be tempted to cross over and not one of John’s supporters would be more likely to vote for him than they are now. It’s the middle ground people John needs and there is NO way to get the message out in the next 30 days, especialy if the whole economy tanks in that time. All that will do is get the Marxist elected. The Dems have been saying we are in a recession for more than a year, in spite of all the data, and most people beleive them. Nobody said the electorate was smart. There’s a time to be an idealogue and a time to be a winner. I want to see McCain win, along with as many Congressmen as possible.

]]> By: Jeff Osonitsch http://www.intellectualconservative.com/2008/10/02/an-open-letter-to-congress/comment-page-1/#comment-74099 Jeff Osonitsch Thu, 02 Oct 2008 18:54:45 +0000 http://www.intellectualconservative.com/2008/10/02/an-open-letter-to-congress/#comment-74099 The way to address a problem or crisis (financial or otherwise) is not to "pass something now" but to identify the specific underlying causes of the problem, then fix them. The bailout does not address the underlying cause of the problem, it simply further meddles with markets and creates brand new incentives for irresponsible behavior on the part of lenders and borrowers alike. From a purely political standpoint, John McCain could have wrapped up this election by coming out staunchly against this disgrace, defending the taxpayer and those of us who live within our means, and "naming names" as he has so often promised he would. He could have started with Barack Obama who received more money from Fannie and freddie than all but 1 member of congress and cut his teeth as a "community activist" with ACORN, the Marxist rabble-rousing group closely tied to this mess. The way to address a problem or crisis (financial or otherwise) is not to “pass something now” but to identify the specific underlying causes of the problem, then fix them. The bailout does not address the underlying cause of the problem, it simply further meddles with markets and creates brand new incentives for irresponsible behavior on the part of lenders and borrowers alike.

From a purely political standpoint, John McCain could have wrapped up this election by coming out staunchly against this disgrace, defending the taxpayer and those of us who live within our means, and “naming names” as he has so often promised he would. He could have started with Barack Obama who received more money from Fannie and freddie than all but 1 member of congress and cut his teeth as a “community activist” with ACORN, the Marxist rabble-rousing group closely tied to this mess.

]]> By: Ivan Ivanovich http://www.intellectualconservative.com/2008/10/02/an-open-letter-to-congress/comment-page-1/#comment-74095 Ivan Ivanovich Thu, 02 Oct 2008 13:21:42 +0000 http://www.intellectualconservative.com/2008/10/02/an-open-letter-to-congress/#comment-74095 Yes Jeff; "What the American people demand and deserve are simple and sensible, free-market-based solutions", but they have not had them for a long time, if ever, and they ain't gunna get them soon. So what do we do? I say we should pass something now with a 2 year sunset. That way we can go on with the election and then fix any errors by 2010. It took a long time for this situation to come to a head and we all knew it was coming, so let's not be pointing fingers. I loved Goldwater, but I still remember his 52 electoral votes to Johnson's 486. Yes Jeff; “What the American people demand and deserve are simple and sensible, free-market-based solutions”, but they have not had them for a long time, if ever, and they ain’t gunna get them soon. So what do we do? I say we should pass something now with a 2 year sunset. That way we can go on with the election and then fix any errors by 2010. It took a long time for this situation to come to a head and we all knew it was coming, so let’s not be pointing fingers. I loved Goldwater, but I still remember his 52 electoral votes to Johnson’s 486.

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