Writing a political column these days is quite a challenge. Pertinent information becomes obsolete during the commercial breaks. Even my research sources are old news in the time it takes to navigate the web. The continually scrolling 'breaking news' banner changes faster than the eye can focus. In my last column four days ago, I predicted ol' Ike would be old news and forgotten within a week. I was wrong! It took two days. The million with little hope of restored power anytime soon may not yet know it, but now, Wall Street is a bigger pile of rubble than the city of Galveston and the Texas Gulf Coast. I can only hope my comments and questions take on the role of 'second-thought' pondering food.  

What is going on? Or, would it be more appropriate to ask what 'has been' going on for the last eight years? I confess, I don't have an accurate clue anymore. I do get the feeling today, however, that we are deeper in the tank than I suspected even four days ago. It is somewhat comforting that even financial guru, Suzy Orman seems rather dazed by the logic being applied to the timing on these 'bail outs', the floundering in the decision making adding billions to the tab by the hour. Now, Detroit is in on the act. Not the workers but the corporations want help with the standards being placed on them. Perhaps, they could ask Japan? They’ve had it down for years!

But, I'm attempting to fairly assess the comments and reactions of both candidates to these latest disasters by making notes of the swiftly changing rhetoric on the stump trail. Other than my annoyance at Mr. Obama's wavering on the off-shore drilling issue and a rather weak interview with Pastor Warren a few weeks back, I can't really find too many flips in that camp from 2006. I have noticed a more confident and forceful focus on issues again now that he can get off defense and concentrate on the offense. In the wake of recent events, suddenly, the lipstick has lost its sheen. People may just be thinking again.  

McCain on the other hand, is becoming increasingly tongue-tied and somewhat befuddled, forced into referring to those dreaded 'teleprompters' and cue cards more and more. He never did get the acronym S.P.I.C. right. It's S.I.P.C., folks, and it's NOT a regulatory organization as he claimed over and over. And, the 'fundamentally strong' economy is not the state of finance but rather about the 'workers'. Which might fly IF the workers had jobs to work.

But, I continue to be amazed at the various developments creating 'stories' beyond the candidate's political rhetoric.  I'm going to throw a few on the table, not necessarily in order of importance or occurrence as that is near impossible to keep up with, and maybe someone can help me figure it all out.

I'm wondering how yet another 911 style 'commission' to study what went wrong on Wall Street is needed by anyone in Washington for twenty-six years? Why do politicians always need a study to explain what they've been doing? Or not doing? How does a self-proclaimed advocate of de-regulation suddenly become a regulator ready to take on the 'good ol' boys'? He IS one of the good ol' boys!

I'm wondering, even more, how Senator McCain who seems to have acquired some of the election 'audacity' can rant about the corruption and greed that he’s prepared to 'fix' when he was a founder and one of the “Keating Five” congressmen investigated on ethics charges for helping convicted racketeer, Charles Keating. Keating was convicted of racketeering and fraud in both state and federal court after his Lincoln Savings & Loan collapsed, costing the taxpayers $3.4 billion in the S & L debacle in the 1980s. Keating's convictions were overturned on technicalities; the federal conviction was overturned because jurors had heard about his state conviction, and his state charges because Judge Lance Ito (yes, that judge) screwed up jury instructions. He still faces new trials in both courts.  

McCain intervened on behalf of Charles Keating after Keating alledgedly gave McCain at least $112,000 in contributions. McCain alledgedly made at least nine trips on Keating’s airplanes, and three of those were to Keating’s luxurious retreat in the Bahamas. McCain’s wife and father-in-law also were the largest investors with $350,000 in a Keating shopping center the Phoenix New Times called a “sweetheart deal.” If he can pull this off, I suppose he could fairly be called the candidate of 'change'. His own!  (Source: Google Research)

I'm wondering how a politician can welcome and demand transparency in government, volunteer to cooperate with any investigations by non-partisan panels then demand the investigation by the non-partisan panel (made up of both Republicans and Democrats) be turned over to a non-legislative panel that they had formerly appointed? Or, how can a party justify pulling a renowned terror investigation attorney out of Washington and sending them to Alaska to file a counter suit to stop the investigation all together when terror is such a threat? What is being kept under wraps here?

I'm wondering how a government already 350 Billion in budget shortfall with a multi-trillion dollar deficit riding the books can bail out anything? Bail out with what? Or, how that same government can assure me that any FDIC protected account is still safe because it's guaranteed to be backed up by that same government. Backed up by what? Some hastily printed worthless money? Why, they'll even increase the amount they'll back up!

I was wondering, too, If a candidate insists that the two highest executive offices in the land are no place for 'on the job' training, how can he assign a running mate whose foreign policy experience consists of a bird's eye view of Russia to sit in on some UN meetings before the VP debates to learn 'how foreign affairs' work. Would that not constitute on the job training? Or does that not apply here since it's only 'potential' job training?

How in the world does 'Lady Rothschild' an ardent Hillary Clinton supporter and financial backer, and one of the wealthiest women in the entire world come out in support of the opposition because she just can't trust Mr. Obama because he is an "elitist". How can a mega-rich Global financier call an inexperienced 'community organizer'whose had no responsibilites, was raised by a single mom and two Kansas grandparents an ‘elitist‘? That one soars right over my head! I'm wondering if it has anything to do with her 'banking' ties.

There was another setback in science this week, too. It seems that the UV ray scare has all been a hoax. The sun being a major contributor to skin cancer is as big of a myth as global warming. It seems that the U.S. Tanning Society is now throwing support to the McCain/Palin ticket and advocating the installation of a tanning bed to fight depression caused by sun light deprivation. Get back out in the sun, girls! UV rays causing skin cancer is a myth and it’s better than Prozac! This is good to know! I live in the Sunshine state so I won't even need to install a tanning bed.

But this has to be the ultimate irony! Did you by any chance see “Morning Joe” on MSNBC this morning? I don’t know whether to laugh or choke. Dick Cheney’s wife was on and she has just written a book for kids about the CONSTITUTION called “We The People“. Imagine the wife of the worst and most treasonous Vice President in the history of the country and SHE is writing a book on the constitution!! For kids yet! Now, this may sound like sour grapes so I confess in advance, but I swear there is no justice in the world! Here she is, wealthy from her husband’s illegal and treacherous activities, part of an administration that has repeatedly raped and ignored the constitution like no other . . . and she’s given air time to promote a book on the CONSTITUTION! There are so many struggling authors out there who would crawl to get that kind of air time or sell a book and the first, and now, second lady make another few million off a kid’s book.

My questioning is negative? Yes, I suppose it is, but the bar has already been lowered by the McCain ad campaign. Yes, I'm angry. My country, my values, and my personal faith, the whole world, in fact, is at stake here.

Susan Haley, Author
RAINY DAY PEOPLE – A Novel
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