Monday, September 22, 2008

John McCain in Scranton

John McCain was in Scranton today for what was billed as a "Town Hall Meeting" but it was just another campaign rally. He only took 4 softball questions from the audience that he hit out of the ballpark which explains why you needed a ticket to get in.


He started by reading a speech off one of those violin music holder things that sort of addressed the Wall Street meltdown. The one thing I got out of it was he was against golden parachutes to the top dogs of Lehman Brothers et. al. who drove the company into the ground. He also likes apple pie.

His remarks on immigration surprised me. He reiterated his long held position "I believe we have to have a commitment -- because it's a national-security issue as well as an economic issue as well as a humanitarian issue that we enact comprehensive-immigration reform." It was like sticking his thumb in Lou Barletta's eye.

The first question asked if the gas tax should be suspended. He said yes and then went off on some tangent about the Iraq war. He said that Donald Rumsfeld should have been fired and David Petraeus is the best military commander since Gaius Julius Caesar.


The second one had a guy that told McCain that he is spending $18K a year for his family's health insurance. He blew him off promising a $5000 a year tax credit.


Question 3 was not a question. "Thank you for Sarah Palin." -Lots of cheers. -Then she threw out all the BS you would hear on Rush.


McCain said "Great question." He said his running mate could take the barbs and was tough. "She's a reformer and will bring change."


The last guy who asked a question had the best one of the day. He said he worked for a Fortune 500 company that is about to downsize and ship 1500 jobs overseas.

How do you keep jobs in the USA?

McCain didn't have an answer, nobody does. He suggested that the solution would to be cutting corporate taxes from $35% to 11%. He said some other things that suggested he will just throw up his hands and will give our kids training at Community Colleges on to how to flip hamburgers.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

How does what he say sticking a thumb in Lou Barletta's eye? He is stating it is a national security issue- a Barletta position. He is stating we have a humanitarian issue- Lou Barletta never ever said he was against immigration ( although if you really believe taking in all the people who need help will work you need to watch this video- Immigration Gumballs-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7WJeqxuOfQ He finishes off by sayinig we need comprehensive immigration reform-nothing in that statement violates whatever Lou Barletta has publically stated.

We are taking in about 1 million immigrants a year. Really watch that video to see the exponential outcome of such a policy. It will become a huge economic issue if it is not addressed in the proper fashion. Blanket amnesty is not the answer. If it is then why don't we give amnesty to those in our prisions. Blanket amnesty gives it to the illegal criminals here.

Shipping jobs overseas- some of them need to go over there- like it or not many of you will not and should not work for $7.00 per hour but don't cry about that while you let the illegals here take your construction and meat packing jobs.

Due to a hail storm last year alot of the neighbors had their roofs replaced due to insurance claims. I watched 18 roofs get replaced by an illegal crew. How do I know? How do you know what your neighbor drives? He tells you. There is an area on a shingle that is small and it is the only place a nail can be put if you want to keep the warranty. Can tell you from personal observation most of the roofs will not stand up to warranty. Are the roofers in your area paying a descent wage? Sure they are...well those are the jobs that were taken.

Don't blame McCain..blame them all. Washington is failing us, both sides. This economic disaster is not due to one party. If you believe that then there is a bridge...ahhwell...

Anonymous said...

Go to Iowa and ask about the meat packing job debacle. The Iowans used to make $19.00 per hour. As soon as the immigrants- legal and illegal- starting taking the jobs the wage rate plummeted to $9-11.00 per hour. I know. I went to Iowa right before the caucuses and heard the problem first hand. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7WJeqxuOfQ It ended up being 389 jobs if you follow the story, mostly Mexicans and Guatemalans..in this one situation. And the jobs didn't return to Americans, they were filled by Somalians. Don't so much worry about what is going overseas..tidy up our back yard first.

Anonymous said...

sorry my 7:23pm link should be http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,355178,00.html for the Iowa story

D.B. Echo said...

I wonder how McCain's visit to the nearby VA hospital in Wilkes-Barre went? That must've cheered the folks there, to see that a fellow vet who is running for President took the time to come and see them, even though there aren't enough of them in any one location to constitute a major voting bloc or even a media event.

He...did go to the VA, didn't he? I mean, after the huge stink he and his campaign raised about Barack Obama not visiting wounded soldiers in Germany, you would think he would want to vist the VA hospitals everywhere he went, right?

WVIA referred to this as an "Irish Town Hall Meeting", though that could have just been Lisa Mazzarella reading things that aren't there (again). Still, if it didn't result in a massive drunken brawl, with the Gardai arresting anyone too drunk or injured to run away after they showed up, it wasn't a real Irish Town Hall Meeting.


I'm pretty sure my Word Verification Word is using Icelandic characters.

Anonymous said...

I am a Democrat who is not enchanted with Obama. Went to see McCain and I have to say I am impressed. Judging from the size of the crowd for a weekday morning, I would have to say that Obama is in for a very rocky ride in Luzerne and Lackawanna Counties.

Anonymous said...

As a student of Presidential history, Mac, reading from a tripod, reminded me completely of good old Herbert Hoover as he appeared on the old Pathe Newsreels. Of course, Hoover had no damned idea of what to do in the face of the Depression, and I would assume that Mac himself is in the same quandry. Sometimes fate steps in at historical moments; it gave us Washington during the birth of our nation; Lincoln during its near anarcy; and Roosevelt during the Depression. ONe cannot help but wonder how we would have turned out if their opponents had been elected instead. We are at such a crossroads now, and only time (about six weeks) shall tell the outcome of this story (at least the beginning of it). God Bless us All!!!

Anonymous said...

"Rally?" Either inaccurate, dishonest or lazy of you Gort. This was an invitation to attend the Irish-American Presidential forum. Many dems have attended over the years, including I believe Sen. Clinton. Obama has been invited as well.

Gort said...

I don't care what they billed it as. I've been to plenty of campaign events and know when I'm in the middle of a rally.

And thanks for the compliments.

Anonymous said...

I did not exactly have the chance to read it, but there was a headline on the front page of the CV relating to something about Mac getting the Irish vote. Is there still such a thing as an Irish Vote?? Is Mac Irish??

Zen said...

I know somebody else that is after the Irish vote.

http://zenspoliticalrants.blogspot.com/2008/09/new-obama-campaign-photo-and-bumper.html

Anonymous said...

I find Obama a race hating radical who is bad for America. But every time I look at McCain I think about what he did to his first wife and the 123 sailors he killed on the Forestall. Bob Barr is starting to look good and I am a Dem.