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by witiwebprod1 from MyFoxMilwaukee

Last Post 4 days, 1 hour Ago


Last week, I asked to you share some pre, during and post debate thoughts for the VP debate.

Now, it's time for the 2nd Presidential Debate.

What are your expectations? Hopes? Predictions?

During the debate, feel free to come back to this post and share your thoughts while you watch...

And, just like last week, come on back after the debate to share your thoughts on how things went.

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Member Comments Total Comments: 32
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projectmgrmike read my blog
Oct 7, 2008 | 12:42 PM

To be perfectly honest, I don't expect a lot from the debates. Keep in mind that the average bump for a candidate from a debate is usually less than 1 point in the polls. The only debate that really made any difference was Kennedy-Nixon in 1960, and that's only because it was the first one to be televised. Frankly, the debates are "I belive in this" and "my opponent doesn't". Unfortunately it gets old quickly.

They talk about plans to do this and this, but never give any detail. Each candidate gets what, 2 minutes to answer a question. In two minutes I can give a synopsis on multi-million dollar project I manage, but they can't give a synopsis of how they're going to turn the economy around so we don't have to keep borrowing from China to fund our knee-jerk reactions like the $700B bailout (with probably $100B in earmarks included).

I miss politics of the old days, where I'm the candidate, and I will do this, this and this in return for your vote. Now it's pure mudslinging, insults (even during the debates), and no details about what they're going to do or how they're going to do it.

adoseoftruth read my blog view my photos
Oct 7, 2008 | 3:10 PM

In advance of the debate, I hope McCain stops playing "nicey nice" and as it relates to Mr. Obama's economic and government philosophy, accurately calls Mr. Obama what he is: a socialist with a socialist agenda.

"When I'm President, I will raise the minimum wage and make it a living wage by making sure that it rises every time the cost of living does. I'll start letting our unions do what they do best again – organize our workers and lift up our middle-class. And I'll finally make sure every American has affordable health care that stays with you no matter what happens by passing my plan to provide universal coverage........"

Senator Obama, July 18, 2007

projectmgrmike read my blog
Oct 7, 2008 | 3:47 PM

Adoseoftruth

I agreed with you with everything but the healthcare. Here is where I part company with the conservative base.

People should never have to worry about if they're sick or need meds. If you lose your job tomorrow, you get a Cobra benefit, which will probably cost you $1200 per month. If you're making $1400 per month on unemployment, now you have to weigh in do I eat, pay the rent or get healthy? Governments all over the world have proven they can make the universal health coverage work. I've personally worked in Europe and seen it work first hand, but the government needs to work with the insurance companies to make it a reality.

I agree we don't need to continually raise the minimum wage. The last thing I need is my kids getting older and making $18 in high school, or allowing unions to continually negotiate wages that drive up consumer goods to the point we can't afford them.

I consider myself an average Joe, unfortunately I went to school and one of my two majors was Economics, so I have followed both candidates closely on monetary policy. So far neither candidate has an economic program that can resurrect our economy out of the abyss and put it back on track.

My two cents - you want someone that wants to relate to the average American, vote for an average American, not someone with $2 million in the bank (Obama) or owns a dozen properties (McCain). You need the guy who has been through hell and back with finances, healthcare, and offshoring of jobs.

Sorry didn't mean to go too far off the beaten path with this comment.

rasguy24 read my blog
Oct 8, 2008 | 3:20 AM

Tax increase on 225,000 and up + forced health care on small business, or fines = closer of small business, inability to start small business. death to small towns, mom and pop business

unemployed force you to get health care for dependence,or fines, no - one who can afford health care doesn't have it. Obama, this doesn't help the middle class, it destroys the upper middle class, and fines the poor.

rasguy24 read my blog
Oct 8, 2008 | 3:26 AM

I know adose will hate this,
Kudos to McCain since we have to buy the bad mortgage anyway, It's better to give the savings to the homeowners then more CEO's.

rasguy24 read my blog
Oct 8, 2008 | 3:31 AM

Notice, the markets has fell everyday since Obama took the lead in the polls.

Could it be investors with money, rather send their money to off shore banks instead of pay Obama's taxes on capital gains in a resless market?

The bail - out not effecting the markets the election is.

rasguy24 read my blog
Oct 8, 2008 | 3:37 AM

McCain: I will veto earmarks and make them known.

Obama: it's only 18 billion dollars of they early budget.

rasguy24 read my blog
Oct 8, 2008 | 3:38 AM

"the yearly budget" correction

Katbird read my blog view my photos
Oct 8, 2008 | 7:26 AM

"The bail - out not effecting the markets the election is."

That is an absurd comment. They both effect the market. That has been evident since the bailout was suggested.
Also, fines were never mentioned by Obama for those who don't have healthcare. We own a small business and like the idea of a tax credit for small businesses so they can afford health insurance for employees. What I'd like to hear is that they will go after insurance companies and healthcare businesses to more fairly price their services.
This debate was as close to a draw as you could get. Neither candidate made any new or strong points. As far as how they handled themselves, Obama was more willing to make eye contact and didn't seem as nervous. For a guy that demanded town hall meeting debates McCain seemed very out of place.

Katbird read my blog view my photos
Oct 8, 2008 | 7:28 AM

I agree with Projectmgrmike, instead of attacking each other talk about the issues and give complete answers. Answer the question at hand instead of turning it around and telling us what your rival is going to do. Tell us what you're going to do.
Debates are more like watching two kids argue.
We need facts to make decisions, not pandering.

adoseoftruth read my blog view my photos
Oct 8, 2008 | 7:31 AM

Rasguy, your right, when I heard McCain talk about the government intervening further into the housing market, I just about imploded.

Somethings I wish McCain would have pointed out: with Obama wanting to the Bush tax cuts to expire, everybodies taxes will go up. The top 5% who "don't need a tax break", already pay 60% of all Federal income tax.

From an economic point of view, who pays more or less in taxes is irrelevant. If the net change is an increase in taxes, it will negatively impact economic growth.

In effect, Obama was railing against choice and letting people shop around for health insurance as due to different state requirements, policies would be different depending upon the state in which the company is based.

He should have pointed out that in the case of N Korea, the only reason they are a nuclear threat is because of an agreement reached between the Clinton Administration, which the N Koreans promptly broke.

Overall, I was disappointed in the quality of the questions selected, and the general response of both McCain and Obama. Most of what they said seemed to be right out of their normal stump speeches.

Obama made more government sound SOOOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOD. Didn't he?

projectmgrmike read my blog
Oct 8, 2008 | 9:08 AM

RasGuy

In response to your comment "Notice, the markets has fell everyday since Obama took the lead in the polls.

Could it be investors with money, rather send their money to off shore banks instead of pay Obama's taxes on capital gains in a resless market?"

Keep in mind, that over 40% of the markets in this country (ie, NYSE, NASDAQ, AMEX, etc) are owned by foreign investors from the Middle East. Foreign investors have been screaming about overvaluation and the fact the dollar has been getting progressively weaker over the last 2 years. They're pulling money out to hedge their losses on oil. And before you scream $4 gas prices, remember, Exxon and Shell and the likes set those prices.

Overvalued markets, weak dollar, translate loosely into overall losses for those drilling oil in oil producing nations. They're trying to maximize their profits like any other company. And no, I'm not a sympathizer of oil in any capacity, it's simple economics.

This has nothing to do with McCain down or Obama up in the polls, this has to do with self-preservation of capital.

Frankly I won't vote for either of these guys until they outline how they will act on their economic policies, which neither candidate has done. I've studied and worked in Economics long enough to know that when you don't have a game plan to act on your policies, you're already destined to fail.

rasguy24 read my blog
Oct 8, 2008 | 10:08 AM

I want to point out that Obama talked about an community service program that would make a nationwide organization that would be military trained and intergradeable.

My question, Why do we need military in our communities.

Contrys that have military in their communities are communist. and repressed.

rasguy24 read my blog
Oct 8, 2008 | 10:19 AM

Katbird the tax credit only covers 1/2 so that's 12,000 a year more you need per employee, up front, with hopes of recovering 1/2 on your taxes. this will close small business, glad you company can afford it. what about small town that don't have 50,000 costumers.

rasguy24 read my blog
Oct 8, 2008 | 10:27 AM

what will the extra cost do to your prices? please explain.

Katbird read my blog view my photos
Oct 8, 2008 | 10:55 AM

It isn't military. It's citizens trained for protest and protection.
They aren't armed nor do they have any real authority.

Ras...you are misinformed because of your bias. First off, you are not forced to insure your employees, it's just trying to make it more affordable. Most small businesses do not give heathcare coverage to their employees.
Our prices have remained stable even with the economy as screwed up as it is now. At this point, if we offered insurance to employees we would have to raise rates or split costs with employees. Our employees have found it cheaper to get insurance on their own or use their spouses.

Katbird read my blog view my photos
Oct 8, 2008 | 11:18 AM

Here's a fact check for you:

OBAMA: Said McCain's proposal to give people a tax credit in exchange for treating employers' health insurance contributions as taxable wages amounts to "what one hand giveth, the other hand taketh away."
THE FACTS: Obama's suggestion that McCain's health care plan is a wash for families is misleading. McCain offers families a $5,000 tax credit to help them buy health insurance. The corresponding increase in taxable wages would result in a much smaller cost than the value of the tax credit, at least at first. Over time, the value of the tax credit may diminish as premiums rise. However, the Tax Policy Center estimates that McCain's plan would increase the federal deficit by $1.3 trillion over 10 years - mainly because it would lead to less tax revenue coming in, meaning it is a true tax break overall.
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McCAIN: Said he would provide a $5,000 refundable tax credit for families to buy health insurance "rather than mandates or fines for small businesses as Sen. Obama's plan calls for."
THE FACTS: Obama's health care plan does not impose mandates or fines on small business. He would provide small businesses with a refundable tax credit of up to 50 percent on health premiums paid on behalf of their employees. Also, large employers that do not offer meaningful coverage or contribute to the cost of coverage would be required to pay a percentage of payroll toward the costs of a public insurance plan. But small businesses would be exempt from that requirement.

Katbird read my blog view my photos
Oct 8, 2008 | 11:20 AM

OBAMA: "Actually I'm cutting more than I'm spending so that it will be a net spending cut."
THE FACTS: The bipartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimates Obama would increase spending by $425 billion over four years and reduce spending by $144 billion for a net increase in the deficit of $281 billion. Obama has said he'll cut pork-barrel programs and the costs of the war in Iraq to pay for his programs - as well as raise taxes on the wealthy - but the specifics of his new spending plans outweigh the few spending cuts he's identified.
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McCAIN: Said one way out of the financial crisis is to "stop sending $700 billion a year to countries that don't like us."
THE FACTS: Although he didn't spell it out, he was referring - as he has in the past - to purchases of oil from countries hostile to the U.S. The figure is inflated and misleading. The U.S. is not spending nearly that much on oil imports and roughly one-third of what it does spend goes to friendly countries such as Canada, Mexico and Britain.

Katbird read my blog view my photos
Oct 8, 2008 | 11:22 AM

OBAMA: Blamed some of the problem of terrorism in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region on Bush administration policy in Pakistan, saying "We can't coddle, as we did, a dictator, give him billions of dollars and then he's making peace treaties with the Taliban and militants."
THE FACTS: Obama oversimplifies ex-President Pervez Musharraf's approach to making peace deals. In fact, the U.S.-backed Musharraf focused more heavily on military action, launching blistering attacks on the militants at times and negotiating peace deals with them at others. Obama also ignores the fact that Pakistan's newly elected civilian government, also U.S.-supported, is seeking the same kind of peace deals and has stepped back from heavy-handed tactics that were pursued by the Musharraf government.
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McCAIN: Said Obama had voted for tax increases "94 times."
THE FACTS: This inflated count, heard before, includes repetitive votes as well as votes to cut taxes for the middle class while raising them on the rich. An analysis by factcheck.org found that 23 of the votes were for measures that would have produced no tax increase at all, seven were in favor of measures that would have lowered taxes for many, 11 would have increased taxes on only those making more than $1 million a year.

Katbird read my blog view my photos
Oct 8, 2008 | 11:24 AM

OBAMA: "I believe this is a final verdict on the failed economic policies of the last eight years, strongly promoted by President Bush and supported by Sen. McCain, that essentially said that we should strip away regulations, consumer protections, let the market run wild, and prosperity would rain down on all of us."
THE FACTS: McCain has indeed favored less regulation over the years but supported tighter rules and accountability on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac two years before the start of a financial crisis prompted in part by those giant mortgage underwriters. Obama was not a leader in that unsuccessful effort. Some of the current problems can be traced to legislation passed in 1999 that lifted many regulations over the financial industry. That deregulation was championed by then-Sen. Phil Gramm, R-Texas, a McCain supporter, but also by President Clinton, who signed the legislation, and by former Clinton Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin, now a top Obama economic adviser.
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MCAIN: "Oil drilling offshore now is vital so we can bridge the gap between imported oil ... and it will reduce the price of a barrel of oil. ... We've got to drill offshore and do it now."
THE FACTS: The government estimates that opening the Atlantic and Pacific coasts and eastern Gulf of Mexico to drilling "will not have a significant impact on domestic crude oil and natural gas production or prices before 2030." Even then, it would only increase domestic oil production by 3 percent.

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witiwebprod1

FOX 6 Web Producer. Entertainment junkie. I LOVE celebrity gossip. I listen to classic rock, jazz and whatever else tickles my fancy. I am a creative person and spend much of my free time being artsy or working on a variety of crafts. I love pina coladas and getting caught in the rain. DVR is my hero.

Member Since: 8/24/2006