Democrats Can Lower Taxes Too

Barack Obama unveiled his $80 billion tax cut plan for the middle class just a day after Hillary Clinton unveiled her long awaited Health Care plan, nudging into her spotlight.

Here are some details:

Creating a new tax credit of up to $500 per person, or $1,000 per working family. This initiative will help an estimated 150 million Americans.

Providing a universal homeowner’s tax credit to filers who don’t itemize their deductions. Obama aides estimate the credit will provide relief to 10 million homeowners, saving them an average of $500 a year.

Eliminating the income tax for roughly 7 million senior citizens earning less than $50,000 annually.

Instructing the IRS to send already-filled-out tax forms to filers who take the standard deduction, using the information it already has from W-2 forms and slashing the time it takes an estimated 40 million Americans to prepare their taxes to less than 5 minutes.

Basically it is a Robin Hood type of tax cut, take from the rich and give to the poor, which is not so bad, but will it fly with Republicans?

Either way, this plan is another step from the Obama campaign to offer solid policy and substance, which is lacked earlier in the campaign. Still, the plan lacks many details.

Edwards response to the lack of details:

“When it comes to selecting a President, specifics matter,” said Edwards spokesman Eric Schultz.

Democrats Can Lower Taxes Too

Barack Obama unveiled his $80 billion tax cut plan for the middle class just a day after Hillary Clinton unveiled her long awaited Health Care plan, nudging into her spotlight.

Here are some details:

Creating a new tax credit of up to $500 per person, or $1,000 per working family. This initiative will help an estimated 150 million Americans.

Providing a universal homeowner’s tax credit to filers who don’t itemize their deductions. Obama aides estimate the credit will provide relief to 10 million homeowners, saving them an average of $500 a year.

Eliminating the income tax for roughly 7 million senior citizens earning less than $50,000 annually.

Instructing the IRS to send already-filled-out tax forms to filers who take the standard deduction, using the information it already has from W-2 forms and slashing the time it takes an estimated 40 million Americans to prepare their taxes to less than 5 minutes.

Basically it is a Robin Hood type of tax cut, take from the rich and give to the poor, which is not so bad, but will it fly with Republicans?

Either way, this plan is another step from the Obama campaign to offer solid policy and substance, which is lacked earlier in the campaign. Still, the plan lacks many details.

Edwards response to the lack of details:

“When it comes to selecting a President, specifics matter,” said Edwards spokesman Eric Schultz.

Democrats Can Lower Taxes Too

Barack Obama unveiled his $80 billion tax cut plan for the middle class just a day after Hillary Clinton unveiled her long awaited Health Care plan, nudging into her spotlight.

Here are some details:

Creating a new tax credit of up to $500 per person, or $1,000 per working family. This initiative will help an estimated 150 million Americans.

Providing a universal homeowner’s tax credit to filers who don’t itemize their deductions. Obama aides estimate the credit will provide relief to 10 million homeowners, saving them an average of $500 a year.

Eliminating the income tax for roughly 7 million senior citizens earning less than $50,000 annually.

Instructing the IRS to send already-filled-out tax forms to filers who take the standard deduction, using the information it already has from W-2 forms and slashing the time it takes an estimated 40 million Americans to prepare their taxes to less than 5 minutes.

Basically it is a Robin Hood type of tax cut, take from the rich and give to the poor, which is not so bad, but will it fly with Republicans?

Either way, this plan is another step from the Obama campaign to offer solid policy and substance, which is lacked earlier in the campaign. Still, the plan lacks many details.

Edwards response to the lack of details:

“When it comes to selecting a President, specifics matter,” said Edwards spokesman Eric Schultz.

Just When I Thought McCain May Have a Chance

An anonymous insider now says McCain has only raised $3.7 million for the third quarter thus far, far lower than the $4.5 goal set by the campaign. Still there is two weeks left in the quarter, which is when most fundraising is held.

These numbers are awful. McCain, who continues to advocate fiscal conservatism and lower spending, spent almost all of this first and second quarter intake, leaving him with over $3 million out of $24 million raised to work with.

McCain has recently seen an uptick in the polls, but with such fundraising numbers, I find it hard for McCain to compete in the primaries unless he puts out a surprise win in New Hampshire and South Carolina.

Just When I Thought McCain May Have a Chance

An anonymous insider now says McCain has only raised $3.7 million for the third quarter thus far, far lower than the $4.5 goal set by the campaign. Still there is two weeks left in the quarter, which is when most fundraising is held.

These numbers are awful. McCain, who continues to advocate fiscal conservatism and lower spending, spent almost all of this first and second quarter intake, leaving him with over $3 million out of $24 million raised to work with.

McCain has recently seen an uptick in the polls, but with such fundraising numbers, I find it hard for McCain to compete in the primaries unless he puts out a surprise win in New Hampshire and South Carolina.

Two Defeats in the Senate

First and foremost, Democrats failed to pass the Webb Amendment, which will give soldiers in Iraq the same amount of leave as time served in Iraq after Senator John Warner rapidly changed his mind once briefed by the Pentagon on the ability to sustain or effectively implement such a policy.

The Amendment failed by four votes, 56 to 44, with Senator Collins, Coleman, Hagel, Smith Snowe, and Sununu voting with the Democrats.

It is a stunning defeat for the Webb Amendment, which was expected to pass until Warner’s stunning revelation. It means the Democrats push to bring the troops home just became harder and it is more likely than ever the next President will be left with the Iraq mess to clean up.

Secondly, the Specter Amendment, which would of reinstate habeas corpus for those detained by the United States, failed to pass the Senate, failing by four votes, 56 to 43.

Hagel, Lugar, Smith, Snower, Specter and Sununu voted with the Democrats. A question to Republicans: What would our forefathers say?

It has become clear, any effort to reinstate habeas corpus will have to wait until the 111th Congress.

He Wants to Visit Where?

The President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, requested to visit Ground Zero during his visit to the United Nations. Get this, he wants to place a wreath to show his respect.

Answer. No. In fact, hell no.

Here are reactions from the Presidential candidate.

Mitt Romney
Ahmadinejad’s shockingly audacious request should be met with a vehement no. It’s inconceivable that any consideration would be given to the idea of entertaining the leader of a state sponsor of terror at ground zero. This would deeply offend the sensibilities of Americans from all corners of our nation. Instead of entertaining Ahmadinejad, we should be indicting him.

Hillary Clinton
It is unacceptable for Iranian President Ahmadinejad, who refuses to renounce and end his own country’s support of terrorism, to visit the site of the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil in our nation’s history.

Rudy Giuliani
Under no circumstances should the NYPD or any other American authority assist President Ahmadinejad in visiting Ground Zero. This is a man who has made threats against America and Israel, is harboring Bin Laden’s son and other al-Qaeda leaders, is shipping arms to Iraqi insurgents and is pursuing the development of nuclear weapons. Assisting Ahmadinejad in touring Ground Zero – hallowed ground for all Americans – is outrageous.

There is no way in hell I will allow the President of Iran to visit the World Trade Center, who supports terrorism and continues to wage a proxy war against the United States via Iraq. No way I will allow him to visit such hollowed ground, where our nation witnessed the tragic murder of thousands because men like Ahmadinejad believe America, its friends and it’s way of life needs to be destroyed. He has every right to visit the United Nations and speak his mind to the international community, but Ground Zero will not be used for his propaganda.