kiowamohican Unemployment is taxable, so people on unemplyment are paying taxes.

Capitol Hill...... Mythical land of Unicorns, Leprechauns, and $400.00 haircuts.
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Aargh me matey! Blue Stars and Yellow diamonds for me...

unless of course you're operating 'under the table',and no legitimate business does that

additionally, declaring a home office deduction on your taxes is also one of the 'flags' to invite an IRS audit. So even if your records are squeaky clean, you still need a tax specialist, a CPA or attorney, to represent you, not to mention the added stress.

basic forms of ownership: sole proprietor, partnership, corporation. Under corporation is becoming an LLC, which protects the owner's personal assets from law suits against the business. It does not change the bottom line of expenses incurred to operate the business, even if the 'owner' is the only 'employee'. And the business & owner both pay tax, a double hit on the same money, + the double hit on social secuity, paying both the employer's AND employee's share. To know which method is best for any small business, you need to consult an accountant who specializes in small business accounting, and of course that is not free, either.

Now do you see why taxing the Main Street, Elm Street small business is a bad idea? It is truly the Nightmare on Elm Street.

Would it not be possible to incorporate and become an "employee" of your business. That way, your salary is considered part of the wages that the business pays out to all of the employees. And the business and the "owner" then pay taxes separately? I have to admit I'm a little unsure of how that would work out but I do remember talking to the owner of a local tavern about it a few months ago.

it's not 'appear' to make less money..it IS less money. A business has to pay their vendors for supplies, buy equipment, they have to market their product or service, they must pay their employees or subcontractors, they may need to utilize the services of an accountant to keep their books, they need to have electrical & water supply... All that costs money which is not available for the owner to spend on personal purchases.

I understand Gross net income, Individuals are taxed on their gross income while being allowed a few deductions. Businesses are taxed on their net income and are allowed to take many many deductions. Therefore, through careful manipulation of the tax code, businesses can pay significantly less in taxes due to their ability to make it appear like they are not making much money. Advertising, mileage, vehicle depreciation, capital investments, just to name a few.

we can't afford Obama because with his tax 'plan' many small businesses-and that means jobs- will be taxed out of existence. Do you not understand the difference between gross and net income?

whatdidyousay:
Yes, much of the sell off you see on Wall Street is because of the likelihood of Obama winning. Keep in mind the stock market is a LEADING INDICATOR of things to come. The reasons you hear given by the media for the DAY gains or losses in the market is normally just hot air. The market traded today is an indicator of what investors think will happen in about 6 months. After McCain BOTCHED the bailout, and all but lost the presidency, you now see wall street selling off HUGE. Keep in mind the bailout was suppose to stabilize markets! Well, that was what the clowns on Capital hill said anyway. The smart $$$ was of course getting out, or short selling when the bailout passed.
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Capital gains is kind of a misunderstood tax. If your a trader like I am, it has ZERO effect; as for you to claim capital gains you have to hold a stock for OVER one year. If you do that, and sell with profit, the capital gains is then just a 15% tax on your profits. If you sell before holding a year, and profit, you are then taxed at whatever tax income bracket you fall into (normally in the 25-35% range). Basically all a tax in capital gains does is DIS-courage people from investing long term. If you raise the capital gains above 25%, what many will do is just unload stock before a year of holding to avoid the tax, and be taxed at the lower personal income tax level.
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The next funny crisis your going to see is the huge decline in tax revenues to the treasury as hardly anyone will be claiming capital gains this year with the market getting smashed. It will be funny to see government squirm when revenues start to fall. Perhaps then they will actually CUT SPENDING! No doubt they will just print more $$$, or increase taxes, which will just exasperate the problem even more.

Janie: "We can not afford Obama"

HUH?

Of all the arguments against Obama - assumingly favoring McCain - "We can not afford Obama"

Look at where we are now.

clouds555 - I watch The Daily Show with Jon Stewart religiously, I can not miss it ever. Honestly, he's pretty good at finding out lies, half truths, and gaffes that both of the candidates have made. I think in 2012 the Independent ticket should be Cobert/Stewart or possibly Stewart/Colbert, either would be fine with me.

The party line has always been "we will lower taxes" sure that will get you votes, but the reality is he has no idea how to do it, he has no support in doing it, and once his ideas get to the congress and the senate, they are destroyed because they have no real validity. They just simply won't work. Now the other side is this Mc Cain has worked in Washington for 26+ years, has a proven track record of challenging those who make zero sence, and will get reform done through both of the parties. Working together and achieving the goals set forward so we may see the burden placed in the proper places so as we may not get into this situation again. People I believe in change, however Obama will make things worse not better. More business will fail, it will cost more to do business, that will increase prices and cost jobs. There is no other outcome. It is just the way it is.

My God people. Okay I run 2 small buisnesses in this town and have freinds that run many more. I ask you a simple question and esspecialy to this "cloud person" How many people do you know in the last 3 weeks lost their job or experienced a layoff? Simple question. Be it a child or a person maybe not in a skilled trade etc. The reason, rising cost of doing business. Simple. If Obama raisess taxes on small business and/or our cost of doing business who is going to pay for it. The employee, the consumer, and we the people. It has to come from some place. We in turn lower our "cost" to compensate. It is that simple, this fantasy that "95 percent will have a tax break" is just that. He states that he wants change, but yet he sticks with the party line.

No offense clouds555, but your comments are boardering on stupidity. Apparently you believe only democrat's should vote. You believe they should vote for who ever is selected regardless of qualifications. It makes no difference to you since you believe(?) ,which to me, smackes of one party,one rule, you know like those democratic countries, Russia, China, NKorea,and of course, Iran, etc., etc.. Anybody who is not a democrat is a racist. If the party decides to run someone or something, it's ok with you after all what could be wrong with him/her/it? You don't believe in choice, you believe in party line. Choice and opinion are the American way. Based on your limited comments, there is only one way, your way. So come on down off your cloud and join the rest of the real world. Stop trying to cloud the system with racist remarks, or is that your intention, to accuse everybody who doesn't think or see it your way that they are racist and not true democrats and that republicans and independents be damned because they don't adhere to the one and only demorcatic party line? Wonder what Obama would think of your comments. Would he approve?

Clouds: How about if I counter your ridiculous "Democrats who aren't voting for Obama are racist" with "Men who aren't voting for the McCain/Palin ticket are sexist" or "Women who aren't voting for the McCain/Palin ticket have been told by their "old man" who they can vote for--and it ain't no hockey mom!"
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All 3 statements are equally absurd.
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I don't "care" who you vote for--as long as you vote!

Those 5% of corporations and people that Obama wants to tax more are the corporations and people the other 95% of us work for and depend on to bring home a paycheck. If he wants to tax those 5% more than what's that going to do to them? Higher costs of operating and probably meaning they will have to cut jobs and scale back. It sounds good to tax the rich but, in reality it's going to hurt more than help. Just give businesses an environment to succeed and grow and the market will correct its self. These guys want Government more involved which is a horrible idea.

Watching the debate last night, I was enlightened by the resemblance between John McCain and the cartoon character Cotton Hill of "King of the Hill" fame. McCain could barely walk, don't know if any of the rest of you all noticed that or not.
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And it seemed to me as though Obama used the debate to retaliate against the majority of McCain's mudslinging political ads. Well, as far as that goes, I guess they BOTH did.
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And why doesn't Tom Brokaw think about a Presidential bid? Seems like he has a pretty firm grasp on the idea of foreign policy.

kiowamohican:
Your posts make a lot of sense.It is interesting that as obamas poll numbers go up, the stock market numbers keep falling. Maybe all those "rich people" that obama says he is going to tax at a higher rate are deciding to sell off now and take advantage of the current capital gains tax rate before obama gets the chance to raise it. Raising taxes will hurt businesses even more. If obama gets elected, look for double digit interest rates again, just like when carter was in charge.

gstrube...I have a simple hypothetical question for you. If the company you own was just told your business taxes were going to increase what would you do? Lay off people? Cut your paycheck? Leave the lights off? Raise the price of your product you sell to consumers? Or...?

RAF: Your dead on with the tax comments. First off the unemployment rate is around 6%. If you are unemployed you are not paying federal income taxes, yet you will be getting a tax break according to Obama. In other words...WELFARE. Also many lower income workers who are employed still don't pay taxes (keep in mind FICA is not considered a tax; as you are suppose to get that $$$ back when you retire..Even though we all know thats a sham too). So those who pay ZERO in federal taxes will also get a tax break. Well, if you don't pay taxes, and get a break, that again is government welfare. That's fine if you support that, just call it what it is. Your taxing higher income people to provide welfare for those who do not work or do not pay taxes if you really are going to provide a tax cut for 95% of the people.
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Massive corporate taxes, and taxes on the "rich" have been tried many times in the past, and have all failed. Before Reagan took office, the top marginal tax rate was 75%. Yeah; that worked out great. The "Robinhood" tax system always sounds good when your in the middle/lower class, but in reality it always fails and the economy gets punished. While often the middle class NEVER does get that tax break. Remember Clinton promised a middle class tax cut when he ran in 92, and once in office...Well.....SORRY, thanks for your vote, hahahha.

HAHAHHA..This poll now has 42% undecided and over 13,000 votes cast...Someone has WAY to much time on their hands, or is using a bot program. I hope they are using a bot program, or else Janesville really has some crazies!
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WOW these debates are BORING. There was no baseball game on tonight to get away from it. I just have never seen answers so scripted by both sides in the many years that I have watched debates. The questions also did not really let you see their personality, or think on their own. Just the same auto pilot answers you see on the campaign stump. I think this debate was a total draw. Nothing of any real substance by either one. I think Obama scored good on health care, and McCain scored well on nation security/defense issues. The economy I am totally convinced BOTH these guys are clueless. Did I hear McCain wants a plan to help lower mortgage payments for those struggling to pay? WOW, what a bastardization of conservative principals. Guess we should all have bought million $$ houses years ago, as the government will now come to our rescue at the tax payers (the ones who WERE responsible) expense!

RAF...for a change place the tax burden on all the corporations that have skated by under the Republican plan. They want to reap all the benefits, yet not share in any of the burden.

"That one." What a class act McCain is. The only experience he brings to the discussion is how to be a condescending, unstable, old jerk. Just as when he stated to the audience member " You probably don't know about Fannie and Freddy. Americans are smarter than he gives us credit for. Yes "Grampa Mac" we can see through your facade!

Obama lied again tonight on his tax plan for America. He continues to state that 95% of Americans will receive a tax cut. If we did assume that 95% of Americans worked, they would still not get a tax cut. Why? Simple, the 2 lowest quintiles of federal tax payers are in the negative as far as federal income tax---meaning after filling out tax return forms and receiving (if eligible) earned income and child care credits get back more than they paid in. There is NO WAY to lower the tax burden below a zero rate! So the truth is, the lowest two quintiles will not receive a tax break---there is nothing to give a break on. Yet Obama continues with the 95% statement and the media never question it.

Obama says the cut off for income tax is $200,000. What he does NOT say is whether that is gross or net. If you are a small business, $200,000 is not un unrealistic number for gross sales, or if you prefer, gross income. Out of that $200,000, you must pay your suppliers, rent or lease,electric, water & sewer, equipment, business insurance, bank fees, book-keeping, a variety of taxes- paid quarterly, phone, web-hosting or phone book ads, etc. Then add all the extras if you have even one employee. And before you know it, that $200,000. is now way, way under $100,000. These are not big, fancy "Wall Street" businesses--these are locally owned businesses, like small restaurants, mechanics, electricians, plumbers, hair salons, handy-man repairs, painters...

We can not afford Obama

When did respect leave? How many of you could put up with the abuse and insults that have been heaped upon both candidates. Would you want your life, your reputation out there to be torn apart. Lets start making comments that are constructive for a change. Otherwise, nothing is accomplished. It just fuels the anger and right now we need straight thinking to help us make an INFORMED CHOICE.

Come on people, who would even seriously consider voting McCain/Palin-McCain NOW is claiming he is going to change Washington....hmmm is that the same Washington that he has been a part of for more than 20 years??? He is now only using the phrase "change" because of how successful those words have been for Obama! People have heard Obama, they have heard McCain-the American people are finally starting to get it 28 days before the election. McCain would be another 4 miserable years with the same policies that we as Americans have had to endure for the last 8 years. And the real reason McCain chose Palin as a VP candidate-it was to try and scoop up the 18 million votes that Hillary got during the primary, that is the only way he will win this election. Do you think if Hillary were running against McCain instead of Obama, McCain would have chosen a black man as his VP??? If you are honest with yourself you know that answer would be a flat out NO!! Has anyone really sat down and listened to Palin anyway? She has yet to directly answer any question that has been asked of her in the interviews I have watched, she's good at dancing around the issues though. She would be one heartbeat away from being president-the most powerful person in the world!!! The republicans are worried every time she opens her mouth now as to how much damage control they are going to have to do when she gets done talking. These are serious times and we need serious people. McCain/Palin are not it. I hope that people get out and vote more than anything else. What would be even better is that the voters would be informed and have educated themselves on the issues and the candidates. I am proud to say I am voting for Obama 4 weeks from today, after listening to him all of these months I believe he would be the best choice to help get this great country of ours back on track. After reading some of these comments left by others, it proves to me how small minded some people are-worried about a candidates middle name? As if he had any control over what his parents named him as an infant. Those people who think like that are in need of some serious help in race relations. In 2008, I would like to believe that the election will be decided by issues and solving problems and not by something that none of us have control over-that being race, gender and the given name on our birth certificates.

Please do not come on here and show your stupidity by calling people racist. I think you are a racist trying to change your spots, ashamed of who you are. Well you should be! The important issue is vote. Pleaase vote, and use your own mind to decide what is important to you. Then vote acordingly to whatever party you find the best fit for you. Ignore the racist comments of some idiot. Be true to your own ideals and morals.

Now you are goping to call people racist because they can see through your BS, and have the power of reason, which you obviously do not. Then you are going to follow that up with being a Democratic lemming, and doing what your "party" has done and do your thinking for you. You see that is the problem not the solution. If you have the power to voice an opinion, then do so with thought and tact, not mudslinging and just plain stupidity. Think the issues through, what do you think will happen if all these new goverment programs take over for medical, social security, unemployment etc. well I can sure use my mind to say the money has to come from somewhere and I would assume that that means more taxes. Buy a paper from Chicago, and see how alot of Illinois citizens think about a man that has not done anything for his elected state. He has barely been in office and has done nothing. Their own govenor is about to go to jail for pete sake.

Who is this clouds55 person. First off i believe you ARE a racist. Second off Who are you to call Janesville a racist town, and why?
Listen, if you can not see that Obama does not have the leadership ability to do the job of President and Comander in chief, then you are also as ignorant as your comments. Both candidates have good qualities depending on what YOU feel is important to YOU. This is why we elect officials not by race or religion nor economic status, but election. Yes you have a voice but mudslinging is why your Hillary lost. That and the lies she tells. LOL McCain is my guy because I believe in what he says and his record, PLUS I like Palin and what she has acomplished. Obama, well he is the future that is for sure, but he lacks experience and certainly can not lead our military. Having served in the Marine Corps for 4 years I would run if Obama was our comander. He just lacks the ability to run a military.

whythink, I totally agree! What's the worse that can happen? I think things can and will change for the better with a new president of a different whether liberal or another affiliation.

whybesad

1. Why is being a liberal, or the most liberal, a bad thing?
2. Dennis Kucinech (sp) is the most liberal senator I know.
3. Again, why is being a liberal, or the most liberal, a bad thing?

Look where the conservatives have taken us.

McCain's new diversion tactic continues to backfire.

'WASHINGTON (AP) -- Barack Obama has his William Ayers connection. Now John McCain may have an Iran-Contra connection. In the 1980s, McCain served on the advisory board to the U.S. chapter of an international group linked to ultra-right-wing death squads in Central America.'

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/M...

cloud555 : Maybe you should have said--Democrat's who don't vote for Obama are racist. Then there would have been no confustion. So spin away but that is not what you said in your orginal statement.

Obama is a LIBERAL not a DEMOCRAT McCain is more of a Democrat than Obama. Obama is the MOST LIBERAL senator in the Senate.

There's only one thing that annoys me more than people who will be voting for John McCain, and that is people who are undecided. Come on people, what are you waiting for? These candidates have been campaigning for the past two years. Get your heads out of your arses.

Just in case my comment below is pulled, I didn't want the meat of my message to be lost.
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clouds: Thank you for calling me a racist. You have no idea what ethnicity I am. You were ASSuming me to be white, but for all you know I could not be. I voted for Clinton in the primary because I did NOT like the other formiddable Democratic candidate. I vote for the person and their views. Whether they are an elephant or a donkey really holds little weight while making my political decisions.
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I have never, nor will I ever, fill in the bubble on the ballot "straight party." I voted for Paul Ryan but yet a democratic presidential candidate. Hmmm....

clouds: Thank you for calling me a racist. You have no idea what ethnicity I am. You were ASSuming me to be white, but for all you know I could not be. I voted for Clinton in the primary because I did NOT like the other formiddable Democratic candidate. I vote for the person and their views. Whether they are an elephant or a donkey really holds little weight while making my political decisions.
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I have never, nor will I ever, fill in the bubble on the ballot "straight party." I voted for Paul Ryan but yet a democratic presidential candidate. Hmmm....
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BTW--I can't be racist. I have a color television.

clouds555: actually, I know people of several skin tones, religious persuasions-which includes 'none', as well as all across the political spectrum. Fortunately for the country, we don't pull a party lever when we vote. You would be wise to practice the same.

Shaun Hannity announced on Friday that his "Hannity's America" show on Sunday would be about Obama's extremist friends.

This is how desperate McCain is... He is having Hannity lead the charge - NOBODY is going to convince me that Hannity and Palin decided to focus on this issue on the same day was an accident.

Hannity is just a puppet for McCain, a man he said he wouldn't support not too long ago.

YUCK!

OMG I hope it ain't true....very very scary

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08iomNFrz...

Has anyone else seen this, is it really about Obama??? Scary!!!!

Let's face it, Barack Obama's middle name is Hussein, so he must be a Muslim. He voted against a ban on abortions, so he must hate babies. He's black, so he's obviously affiliated in some way with extremist groups like the Black Panthers. He attended a Madrasa, Fox News didn't visit the school to check out to see what it was all about, so it's obvious Sen. Obama has extremist hate views toward our country.
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Hate-mongering will not work on those who can think for themselves. By the logic listed above, I will conclude that Todd Palin hates America because he was affiliated with a group trying to secede from the Union. By the logic listed above, because you have in your name something similar to that of an evil dictator, you're automatically evil.
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Are some of you really so feeble-minded to believe this stuff? C'mon, people, think about what you're saying. Stupidity is no excuse for hatred and fear.

there's another presidential candidate on the ballot in Wisconsin that would not have given $700B of our tax money to corporate bankers. www.baldwin08.com

rsjeff01 - Show us all the story or press release that says Barack's middle name is "off limits". Everyone knows why you use Barack's middle name, but not McCain's (Sidney, by the way). Fortunately, for the rest of the free thinking country, your attempts at character assasination just makes the McCain campaign look even more desparate.

A Republican complaining about losing freedom is laughable. Where have you been the last 7 years? Thanks to Bush and Chainey, we have less freedom than ever. There is no indication that McCain would reverse that. He will be just more of the same.

To cloud555: your statement was; anyone who doesn't vote for OBAMA is a racist!you can say it r-a-c-i-s-t. no democrat would vote for a republican. you were always a republican and like most things just didn't know it.

:You just might want to re-read your statement. The first sentence seems to imply that if you don't vote for obama your a racist! No where does it say anything about democrat. The only connection is if your a democrat you won't vote republican. You brought it up now defend your statement which seems to indicate that if you don't vote for obama your a racist----clarify and your other implication is that republicans are racist. Come on Cloud555, wake up.

clouds555: you are still calling people who do not vote for Obama racist. It is very possible that the democrats who choose to vote for McCain have considered the full range of issues, and have determined that O is not the one. After all, there were still 18 million democrats who voted Hillary. Are you suggesting that if Hillary had gotten the nomination, then those who didn't vote for her are sexist? Talk about a (weak) single issue opinion! Race or gender has nothing to do with this! That is an archaic position-might have passed a century or two ago, but for the majority of Americans, not today.

jguernsey
You missed the point.
The point is the left wing media, the Obama campaign, to some degree the McCain campaign have in essence censored America by claiming the use of Baracks full name to be "off limits". For example, yesterday at a Palin rally in Fort Myers Florida a Repubican Sheriff, Mike Scott said, "Barack Hussein Obama" in his speech, and not 20 minutes later the McCain/Palin campaign, and the Obama campaign put out press releases against the use of Baracks middle name. Why? What is everyone afraid of? John McCain to most conservatives is not the ideal guy for the job either, but we can either put him in the White House and keep some of our freedoms or we can put Obama in and have them all chipped away. This is how it starts. Our freedoms get chipped away little by litte until one day (4 years from now) they are gone.
I know Barack has not been linked to any foreign terrorists (yet)of course, and by using his middle name does not make him Muslim, and not all Muslims are terrorists.........we get it.
The point is that the Obama campaign does not want all of us to connect the dots to his relationship with Bill Ayers. This is a guy he has called "a friend". A guy that by all accounts is an unrepentant domestict terrorist. A domestic terrorist who may soon have a free pass to the White House. Is this where we are at now in our society? Presidents paling around with unrepentant domestic terroists? What kind of message does this send to Iran, Venezuela, Russia, North Korea, Syria, Al Qaeda & Hamas?
Don't get me wrong the economy is a very important issue, but we have to keep our freedoms secure first so we can enjoy our free market capitalist society in the future. In spite of what the left wing media and Michelle Obama would like you to believe, America is a great place to live, even today. I am all for trying to make it better, but Obama is not the answer.

McCain's economic advisor, Phil Gramm, certainly isn't moderate. And with McCain admitting that he doesn't know much about economics, more of the same is not the answer.

no, sorry, that would be an overcorrection, & with the economic road as slippery as it is currently, a hard left swerve would cause us to skid off the roadway altogether & crash. Moderation is the way.

Janie7 - Actually, I think that 4 or 8 years of a "hard swing to the left" should just about undo the hard swing to the right we've had for the past 8 years.

oppps wrong place, sorry

Did the friends know about the plan before he so called carried the plan out??? This is just sooooo sad. To think you grow to hate the person that gave you life, so much that you want to kill them....just sick

well, it should be scary because that is the path we are on! Socialism is government ownership and control of natural resources (that includes land), industries, banking and credit (mortgages), and public utilites.

It is dangerously naive to believe that only owners are 'greedy' and workers never are. There needs to be balance between all, and it's not going to be reached when there is a hard swing to the left.

FOX News/Opinion Dynamics Poll. Sept. 22-23, 2008. N=900 registered voters nationwide. MoE ± 3.

"Which one of the following issues will be the most important in deciding your vote for president: [see below]?" (Options rotated)

Economy and jobs
46%
Terrorism and national security
10%
War in Iraq
8%
Taxes
7%
Ethics/government corruption
7%
Health care
7%
Abortion
4%
Energy
3%
Immigration
1%
Other (vol.)
4%
Unsure
3%
http://www.pollingreport.com/prioriti.ht...

The people I listed were on another forum thread.
http://www.gazettextra.com/news/2008/sep...

rsjeff01
This is going to be easy.

As you so eloquently put,
"Barack HUSSEIN Obama, you have to be kidding me. Do all of you Dems out there really want a President with the name Barack HUSSEIN Obama? Really....?"
Yes, for a few reasons. The people who sling "Hussein" around are fear mongers. Playing on simple word association, it actually doesn't work on people who can think for themselves. Some quick facts, Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda had no ties what so ever, so that's debunked right there. The intelligence was wrong. Barack Hussein Obama was named after his father, Barack Hussein Obama Sr. Barack Hussein Obama Sr. was born in 1936 nearly a year before Saddam Hussein was born. The connection there is nonexistent. Anyone who tries to claim that there is a connection is incredibly misinformed.

"A guy who cannot even hold his hand over his heart during the pledge of allegiance. He does not truly believe what our flag stands for."
I don't feel like typing it all out I'd suggest that you click the link but I doubt you will.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/mus...

"Barack HUSSEIN Obama went to a medrasa"
it is spelled "madrassa"
CNN, the only news channel to actually visit this school pretty much debunked all claims that it is an "extremist" school.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/01/22/o...

His middle name is Exhibit A? I've never heard that it is "off-limits." It is of Arabic origin, other people with names of Arabic origin: Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Moses, Abraham (the father of three religions) - I guess they were "terrorists" as well. I already explained how he got his name.

Palin's husband was once a member of the Alaskan Independence Party, and Palin has addressed the AIP at least once. Just in case you don't know, the AIP is for the succession of Alaska from the United States. Seems kind of unpatriotic to me.

Okay that's fine, you can go vote for the guy who was a member of the Keating 5, who's campaign manager, Rick Davis, was still receiving money from Freddie Mac up until about a month ago, and is friends with G. Gordon Liddy amongst other people I already listed below.

I'll vote for the guy who actually has a plan for America, other than taxing health care benefits, deregulation, perpetuation of this war in Iraq while doing nothing about Afghanistan and whose energy policy consists of "drill baby drill." but that's just me.......

More untrue scare tactics. The "market" will not be socialized, but Banks will most certainly be more regulated in the future. That will help the small business owner get loans. If the Banking system isn't fixed, then God help us all.

The Keating Five scandal was a direct result of greed and under regulation, and McCain has learned nothing from his relationship with someone who committed fraud, and stole the money of thousands of people. Now, McCain's financial advisor is Phil Gramm:

'Before he retired from the Senate in 2002, he wrote the Gramm-Bliley bill, an act broadly deregulating the financial industry -- and now blamed by many economists for the epidemic of speculation and fraud that has shaken the global economy.

Touting those changes as a way to "modernize" American finance for a global future, Gramm said they would bring wonderful new efficiencies and savings to consumers. As with the energy deregulation that he sponsored -- which was supposed to bring lower prices and better service, but led to blackouts and price gouging -- those economic wonders never quite appeared. The damaging effects of banking deregulation took nearly a decade to be felt, but whether we have experienced the worst still remains to be seen.

Over and over again, from the savings-and-loan fiasco to the Enron shock to the global banking meltdown, the golden promises of deregulation have turned to leaden ruin. Perhaps nobody cares about the lobbyists surrounding McCain, but someone should ask him why he would cherish the advice of a man whose devotion to ideology has already done us so much damage.'
http://www.salon.com/opinion/conason/200...

Economics is a real issue of this election, not someone's middle name, or trying to discount someones patriotism.

Regardless of who wins in November, the country is going to shift left, the question is: how far to the left? Obama is the most left leaning senator, ever. Over the years, many Republicans have often wondered why McCain even considers himself a Republican at all, so if you are wanting a more moderate person in the White house, you should vote McCain.

And the major unions backed NAFTA, too.

again, I know several small business owners...100's, in fact, locally, statewide, and across the nation. When the gov't dictates a price, instead of the market, the owner has to either raise the price they charge for their product or service, or they must cut expenses. It is NOT a question of the owner accepting less in his or her back pocket...many owners actually make less than their employees. Additionally, the owner may well work way over 40 hours a week, try 80+. Many are red-taped out of existence. Sure , there is greed in some business owners, but be fair and honest: there is also greed on the part of some workers, too.

Socialization the market place will not solve the economic woes-it will ultimately make them worse. If it would, the Soviet Union, et al, would not have failed.

This is too easy.
Barack HUSSEIN Obama, you have to be kidding me. Do all of you Dems out there really want a President with the name Barack HUSSEIN Obama? Really....? A guy who cannot even hold his hand over his heart during the pledge of allegiance. He does not truly believe what our flag stands for. His own wife hates our great country. As she said her self "america is a mean place", and "I have never been proud of my country before". I am betting on inauguration day he will have his fingers crossed too. We all grew up pledging allegiance to the flag and holding our hands over our hearts. Barack HUSSEIN Obama went to a medrasa...who knows to what he was pledging allegiance.
What ever happend to patriotism? Is patriotism really about paying more taxes as Joe Biden says? Is this the new Democrat logic or just more of the same old thing.
"just words, just speeches", right Barack?
I would like a president that will fight back when our country is under attack. Not a president that will befriend the enemy and sit on boards with them. I would like a President that has a overwhelming desire to serve his country. Not a president with an overwhelming sense of entitlement.
I have news for you people....not voting for Barack HUSSEIN Obama is okay. Do not buy into the left wing media hype. This is why I am using Baracks middle name. We have all been told by the media that Baracks middle name is "off limits". Why? Is it because it is exibit A in the evidence of why we should put him under the microscope? Say what you will about McCain and Palin, but they have never once hated this country. They have never once befriended a terrorist.
I am going to vote for the guy who did not start his Presidential campaign in Bill Ayers living room. But that's just me.......

How come Ralph Nader is not even an option in this survey? Vote Green!
The following issues are priorities for Ralph Nader and guess what, Obama and Mccain haven't even "brought these issues to the table". The Green Party represents the views of the majority of Americans today.

-Adopt single payer national health insurance

-Cut the huge, bloated, wasteful military budget

-No to nuclear power, solar energy first

-Aggressive crackdown on corporate crime
and corporate welfare

-Open up the Presidential debates

-Adopt a carbon pollution tax

-Reverse U.S. policy in the Middle East

-Impeach Bush/Cheney

-Repeal the Taft-Hartley anti-union law

-Adopt a Wall Street securities speculation tax

-Put an end to ballot access obstructionism
-Work to end corporate personhood (Corporations enjoying constitutional rights as if they are a person)

-Defend, Restore and Strengthen
the Civil Justice System

-Adopt the National Initiative

If Nader was allowed to debate and covered in the mainstream media I believe that people would start thinking about finally shifting the change from the few to the many, to the people.

Janie7 - and your point is? I'm fully aware of who signed NAFTA. Clinton was historically more of a moderate. In Congress, Republicans supported NAFTA more than Democrats did:

House Republicans:
132 Ayes - 75.4%
43 Noes - 24.5%

House Democrats:
102 Ayes - 39.5%
156 Noes - 60.5%

Senate Republicans
34 Ayes - 77.2%
10 Noes - 22.7%

Senate Democrats
27 Ayes - 48.2%
29 Noes - 51.8%

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/1993/roll575....

So, while Clinton may have signed NAFTA it was passed largely by Republicans. Even if he would have vetoed NAFTA, it is likely that it wouldn't have taken much to override his veto.

It's not just NAFTA though, company's outsource to India, China, Taiwan, Vietnam, etc almost entirely in the name of increasing profit with, what seems like, little regard to the people that are losing their jobs. They are driven primarily by greed which is going to be the downfall of this country as we slowly sell ourselves off to the lowest bidder. With how fast the stock market is plummeting, it is almost like a United States "blue light special." The DJI is down almost 370 points today, so much for the so called "rescue" plan.

OMG...Your NOT a little confused

I'm a little confused. Let me see if I have this straight.....

* If you grow up in Hawaii, raised by your grandparents, you're "exotic, different."

* Grow up in Alaska eating mooseburgers, a quintessential American story.

* If your name is Barack you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.

* Name your kids Willow, Trig and Track, you're a maverick.

* Graduate from Harvard law School and you are unstable.

* Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, you're well grounded.

* If you spend 3 years as a brilliant community organizer, become the
first black President of the Harvard Law Review, create a
voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend
12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as a State
Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become chairman
of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years
in the United States Senate representing a state of 13 million people
while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs,
Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you don't
have any real leadership experience.

* If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city
council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people,
20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people, then
you're qualified to become the country's second highest ranking executive.

* If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising 2
beautiful daughters, all within Protestant churches, you're not a real Christian.

* If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your
disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian.

* If you teach responsible, age appropriate sex education, including the
proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society.

* If , while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no
other option in sex education in your state's school system while your
unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant , you're very responsible.

* If your wife is a Harvard graduate lawyer who gave up a position in a
prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city
community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family's values
don't represent America's.

* If you're husband is nicknamed "First Dude",with at least one DWI
conviction and no college education, who didn't register to vote until
age 25 and once was a member of a group that advocated the secession of
Alaska from the USA, your family is extremely admirable.

OK, much clearer now?

and if you really want to keep jobs in the U.S., you need to be willing to pay for it with a smile. U.S. workers will not work for pennies a day-which is what many 3rd-world workers make--nor should we. People complain about prices, but will turn around & buy a T-shirt made in wherever because it's $5.00 vs one made here on all U.S. goods & labor, but it retails for $15.00. Look at the tags to see country of origin. I know small business owners who strive to stock only U.S. or certified non-sweatshop goods, and shoppers complain. And these small businesses are barely clearing any profit--honestly, a checker at Wal-mart makes more and has less job stress.

Obama reminds me of the old time preachers. He builds you up with hope and promise, collects his fee and leaves town. You feel good until the next day when you find out nothing changed, just that your wallet was a little bit emptier.
Regarding the racist comment:
Does that mean that if Obama wins, we are no longer a racist nation?
If McCain were black and Obama White, would I be a racist for voting for Obama?
This is suppose to be an election based on the candidates policies not race. So, lets throw out these absurb racist comments and talk about the policies and changes they each propose. Then maybe, just maybe people can make an informed decision.

While I do not agree with clouds555 statement about being people who do not vote for Obama being racist, I do agree with his second point. Really, I would like to know what is so appealing about McCain that a person who usually voted for democrats would vote for someone like him? Obama has made me a more outspoken democrat, not one who is willing to vote for the other guy. This is one case where the grass is definitely not greener on the other side (McCain's) of the fence.

and as for outsourcing jobs, it was Clinton who signed NAFTA into law

clouds555: this has got to be one of the most racist statements I have ever read! Do you seriously believe anyone should vote for-or against-any candidate based solely on their skin color?!? Incredible! Good Lord, I certainly hope the majority of voters are weighing the ISSUES and not melanin in anyone's skin!!!

mainstreet - You left out the rest of the story.

Then after the homeless guy works for us for a few years, we'll outsource his work to another person (read: country) and fire the "homeless guy", because we found someone to do the work cheaper. We have to increase our bottom line so while we give the homeless guy the shaft, we lobby the government for less regulation so we can cook the books, increase profits to ourselves and a select few of our major investors. After the whole thing collapses, we'll either get the government to look the other way while we soar off into the distance on our golden parachute or bail us out. Welcome to the Republican party.

You sweep your yard? Interesting.

Mainstreet: I don't know if that is a true story or not, but I love it. I have voted primarily, if not solely, democratic in prior elections. Not this year.

I asked my friend's little girl what she wanted to be when she grows up. She said she wanted to be President someday. Both of her parents, liberal Democrats, were standing there, so I asked her, "If you were President what would be the first thing you would do?"

She replied, "I'd give food and houses to all the homeless people."

"Wow...what a worthy goal." I told her, "You don't have to wait until you're President to do that. You can come over to my house and mow, pull weeds, and sweep my yard, and I'll pay you $50. Then I'll take you over to the grocery store where the homeless guy hangs out, and you can give him the $50 to use toward food and a new house."

She thought that over for a few seconds while her Mom glared at me, then she looked me straight in the eye and asked, "Why doesn't the homeless guy come over and do the work, and you can just pay him the $50?"

I said, "Welcome to the Republican Party."

Spinmaster glad you said it. Words of wisdom amen!

Yeah, you probably think Sarah Palin is a good choice for VP, too. Face it: If McCain gets elected, we're all in trouble. It'll only be a matter of time before we have President Palin. Better brush up on your French now for the move north.

theres no hope for janesville if duhbama is voted in.

Woo hoo Obama is in the lead! Maybe there's hope for Janesville after all.

Q. what do john mccain and george bush have in common?

A. everything including sagging poll numbers!

you obviously are buying the sarah palin BS instead of actually finding out the facts. enjoy your november loss.

Q. What do Osama and Obama have in common?

A. They both have friends who have bombed the Pentagon!

In the middle of the biggest financial crisis to hit the US, John McCain's top adviser announced their plan to stop engaging in a debate over the economy and "turn the page" to more direct, personal attacks on Barack Obama. Since McCain insists on taking the low road, there will be a video released at noon eastern time today to counter the McCain campaign tactics. Please take the time to watch it.

http://www.keatingeconomics.com

Anyone watch the Vice Presidential debate, and notice the way Joe Biden was wiping big beads of sweat from his forehead when he thought the cameras weren't on him?
.
And the way they both had a list of generic answers to Gwen Ifill's questions?
.
Palin's "soccer mom" persona was old even before she put THAT mask on. What is she going to do? Pack the leaders of the free world into a minivan and drive them all to Chuck E. Cheese's to attend the next Middle East Peace Summit?
.

And what was the deal with Palin exiting her plain that day in St. Louis with a baby in her arms? Tell me they didn't all just sit during their flight to Missouri brainstorming a way to make her look all "wholesome" in front of the news crews.

You people confuse me more than the candidates do.

John Mccain's advisor Davis was still receiving money from Freddie Mac up until a month ago.

usaret - misleading, he's doesn't work for the campaign and I wouldn't even call him his "finance guy". According to the Washington Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/con...

Raines had "taken calls from Barack Obama's presidential campaign seeking his advice on mortgage and housing policy matters." Whether he got a "golden parachute" has nothing to do with Obama as according to what I've read, they were barely associated.

Yes, but if you look at the little numbers in blue, you can see which sources are cited in the wikipedia article. Not only that but do you not think that because so many people edit it there are people who would fact check it, especially people who work on either campaign?

Here's some more just in case:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/09/m...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/con...
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/el...
http://www.newsweek.com/id/137522
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/20/us/pol...
http://www.washtimes.com/news/2008/jul/0...
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=...
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/Story?id=4...
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/04/us/pol...

While you at it, you might want to look and see who Obama's finance guy is. Seems like he was in charge of Freddie or Fannie. Understand he got a nice golden parachute when he departed. Yep he was one of those making sure a lot of people bought homes they couldn't afford. He got the money the home owner got the shaft.

oh, c'mon, citing wikipedia as a reliable source? anyone can post anything on wikipedia

Hey, what about none of the above. I'm going to vote for no one, who voted for that corrupt bail-out of financial corporations. Anyone notice what they're doing in Europe with the same crisis? Their insuring individual savings accounts. Anyone notice that we've done nothing to calm individual fears or to address the underlying problem -- the burst of the real-estate bubble? Corporate welfare is supported by Democrats and Republicans alike, with the exception of those on the supposed "fringe" like Ron Paul and Dennis Kucininch.

While not necessarily "sleaze" McCain's many of campaign advisors are lobbyists. So much for standing up to lobbyists. McCain, bought and paid for by Washington lobbyists.

Among the 177 lobbyists that are or have been on his team are:
Rick Davis - Former Telecom Lobbyist
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Davis_...)

Charlie Black - Former Mortgage Lender Lobbyist
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_R._....

Randy Scheunemann - Former Big Oil Lobbyist
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randy_Scheu...

Nancy Pfotenhauer - Former Energy Lobbyist
http://sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=N...

Phil Gramm - Former Mortgage Giant UBS Lobbyist
Also was quoted as saying:
"You've heard of mental depression; this is a mental recession," and "We have sort of become a nation of whiners, you just hear this constant whining, complaining about a loss of competitiveness, America in decline."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Gramm

John Green - Former Mortgage Lender Lobbyist
Wayne Berman - Former Insurance Company Lobbyist

Rev. Wright, while he is a highly inflammatory speaker, I really don't think that he is a racist. Obama's mother is white, it doesn't take too much logic to deduce that if Rev. Wright is a racist, he wouldn't have wanted to have much to do with Obama, him being half white himself.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremiah_Wr...

Tony Rezko:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Rezko
Scroll down to the: "Ties to Barack Obama" section. It seems to me that they were not the really close friends that people paint them to be.

I already went over the William Ayers connection, they live in the same neighborhood, other than that their prior contact was limited and they are, once again, not the great friends that people paint them to be.

By referring to him as Barack "Hussein" Obama, (quotations for emphasis) just shows your ignorance and how you have been captivated by the fear mongering of the right. The first part of my blog:
http://thejasondoctrine.blogspot.com/200... goes into how pathetic it is that people use his middle name the way that they do.

yeah the Dems like this poll...just like Wisconsin no ID (or in this case "cookies") required allows you to vote as often as you like.

Just like the Democrat motto vote early and often

And I suppose Barack Hussein Obama never attended the Church that the Rev. Wright was preaching at either. Spin it anyway you want. The truth is he has a history of surrounding himself with sleazy people (Rev. Wright, Tony Resko, William Ayres). Don't tell me if McCain had relationships with sleaze like this that you lefties wouldn't be all over it like white on rice.

In its broad strokes, McCain's life story is oddly similar to that of the current occupant of the White House. John Sidney McCain III and George Walker Bush both represent the third generation of American dynasties. Both were born into positions of privilege against which they rebelled into mediocrity. Both developed an uncanny social intelligence that allowed them to skate by with a minimum of mental exertion. Both struggled with booze and loutish behavior. At each step, with the aid of their fathers' powerful friends, both failed upward. And both shed their skins as Episcopalian members of the Washington elite to build political careers as self-styled, ranch-inhabiting Westerners who pray to Jesus in their wives' evangelical churches.

In one vital respect, however, the comparison is deeply unfair to the current president: George W. Bush was a much better pilot.

And yes, ignore the pole above. It's taken some wild swings in the last few days.

Bill ayers said no such thing. He said 'I don't regret setting bombs. I feel we didn't do enough.', speaking about his activities in the 1970's. This quote was published in the New York Times on the MORNING of 9/11. His comments were made BEFORE the attacks on the World Trade Center.

Just watch. While Obama and Biden deflect these non-issues and talk about how they will actually govern the country, McCain and Palin will shift to an entirely negative campaign, hoping to scare people away from Obama, instead of trying to convice undecided voters why they should vote McCain. This is the same tactic used in 2000 and 2004. So much for McCain being a "maverick".