John McCain is at serious risk of alienating the conservative base of the Republican Party if he has not already done so.
Both John McCain and Barrack Obama pitched comprehensive immigration reform to the "League of United Latin American Citizens"
Might I inquire as to which Latin American country they are campaigning for President of?
According to the Associated Press: It's a poignant message for the audience, an organization that advocates social and economic policies benefiting Hispanics.
What ever happened to social and economic policies benefiting Americans?
Both candidates are also slated to address the annual conference of the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) later this month.
NCLR unabashedly defends its contributions to a chapter of Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán (MEChA) stating that while they 'disavow' their separatist rhetoric, they will continue to support programs that help Hispanics enter and finish college. Check out both websites:
http://www.nclr.org/section/separatist/
http://www.nationalmecha.org/about.html
Do tell me, precisely what does "MEChA was founded on the principles of self-determination for the liberation of our people" mean in the context of Hispanics in America?
How about: "the affirmation that we are Indigenous people to this land by placing our movement in Aztlan, the homeland of all peoples from Anahuak."
Google "Aztlan" if you really want a shock!!!
NCLR's statement is the equivalent of a German-American organization vowing to continue to support a chapter of the Nazi party, despite their political philosophy, because they help German-Americans enter and finish college.
I'm having trouble figuring out which candidate is the far-left liberal candidate! If Barack Obama continues to move towards the center and John McCain towards the left, we might eventually have to swap candidates between the parties.
JOHN McCAIN WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
I urge all readers, Democrat or Republican, to voice your opinions on this issue to their respective candidate. I for one, as an American, in vehement disagreement with the philosophy of NCLR and MEChA, am appalled at this shameless pandering for votes.
I am beginning to wonder if (hope?) a viable independent candidate will emerge.
Alan Keyes is even beginning to look viable. http://www.alankeyes.com
http://www.selfgovernment.us/aip/
Questioning the wisdom of a two-party system.
~Finntann~
Showing posts with label mccain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mccain. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Good Money Bad Politics
The 110th Congress of the United States has been seated since Jan 3rd, 2007, our esteemed congress members are paid $169,300 a year for their efforts and labors. Now we all understand that there is a presidential race going on, but here are some interesting statistics.
John McCain has missed 57.6% of the votes and is currently the #1 senator not there.
Barack Obama has missed 39.3% of the votes putting him at #3
Hillary Clinton has missed 29% of the votes putting her at #6
Tim Johnson has missed 57.1% of the votes, but then again he has a good excuse, having had a brain hemorrhage, he has since returned to work. One must also wonder why #4 Joe Biden (32.8%) and #5 Chris Dodd (31.2%) who have dropped out of the race are beating out Hillary Clinton on missed votes, when she's still in it. Sam Brownback #7 who also dropped out of the race is close behind her at 25% but we'll look to see his numbers improve. That leaves only Daniel Inouye (10.6%) at number 8 who's not there more than 90% of the time.
One could argue that all the free time off to run is an undocumented campaign contribution funded by the American taxpayer. Since the seating of the 110th congress the salaries paid thus far (through April) should be about $225,000 thus the missed votes (not based on hours worked) work out as being worth what follows:
John McCain $129,600
Barack Obama $88,425
Hillary Clinton $65,250
I understand that the Senators are theoretically working all the time, and that when missing a vote could be working on something at least just as important, but these folks are paid to vote...to guide the country in the direction it should be going, representing not only the interests of their constituents and their states, but all of us. One wonders what took place the 10% of the time Daniel Inouye wasn't there.
Looking at the senators, specifically from the perspective of the current election, got me wondering what else was going on. I found the following statistics on our congress, which got me wondering even more.
Barbara Cubin (R-WY) has missed 50.3% of the votes in congress, and she's not running, not even for reelection.
Duncan Hunter (R-CA) has missed 29% of the votes
Ray La Hood (R-IL) has missed 18.7% of the votes, and he's not running again either.
Don Young (R-AK) has missed 17.5% of the votes.
Eddie Johnson (D-TX) has missed 17.1% of the votes.
Deborah Pryce (R-OH) has missed 16.5% of the votes, and has announced her retirement. (Sounds kinda like she already started it)
In defense of the current candidates, a look at the 109th Congress gives a slightly better picture:
John McCain missed only 9% of the votes
Hillary Clinton missed only 2.5% of the votes
Barack Obama missed only 1.7% of the votes.
But one wonders where Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) at 22.2%, and Daniel Inouye (D-HI) at 11% were. Jon Corzine (D-NJ) missed 37.2% of the vote, but he was running for governor of NJ.
Wouldn't we all like to take 2 or 3 days off a week to look for other employment while remaining on salary at our current job, no questions asked.
Really... we need to establish at least some minimum standard for our representatives to vote... say 5% barring extraordinary circumstances? I am not so naive to think that our elected representatives need to make all the votes, but there does need to be some rational level of participation. Perhaps in the near future we can take a look at what votes were missed and by whom.
Good sources of data for voting records are:
http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/110/senate/vote-missers/
For information on what votes were missed and how each candidate voted on each issue you can go to:
Hillary Clinton: http://www.votesmart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=55463
Barack Obama: http://www.votesmart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=9490
John McCain: http://www.votesmart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=53270
So you can find out how they all voted on the HR 2082 The Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008.
Obama: NV (Not Voting, Excused, Absent, or Present)
Clinton: NV
McCain: N
~Finntann~
John McCain has missed 57.6% of the votes and is currently the #1 senator not there.
Barack Obama has missed 39.3% of the votes putting him at #3
Hillary Clinton has missed 29% of the votes putting her at #6
Tim Johnson has missed 57.1% of the votes, but then again he has a good excuse, having had a brain hemorrhage, he has since returned to work. One must also wonder why #4 Joe Biden (32.8%) and #5 Chris Dodd (31.2%) who have dropped out of the race are beating out Hillary Clinton on missed votes, when she's still in it. Sam Brownback #7 who also dropped out of the race is close behind her at 25% but we'll look to see his numbers improve. That leaves only Daniel Inouye (10.6%) at number 8 who's not there more than 90% of the time.
One could argue that all the free time off to run is an undocumented campaign contribution funded by the American taxpayer. Since the seating of the 110th congress the salaries paid thus far (through April) should be about $225,000 thus the missed votes (not based on hours worked) work out as being worth what follows:
John McCain $129,600
Barack Obama $88,425
Hillary Clinton $65,250
I understand that the Senators are theoretically working all the time, and that when missing a vote could be working on something at least just as important, but these folks are paid to vote...to guide the country in the direction it should be going, representing not only the interests of their constituents and their states, but all of us. One wonders what took place the 10% of the time Daniel Inouye wasn't there.
Looking at the senators, specifically from the perspective of the current election, got me wondering what else was going on. I found the following statistics on our congress, which got me wondering even more.
Barbara Cubin (R-WY) has missed 50.3% of the votes in congress, and she's not running, not even for reelection.
Duncan Hunter (R-CA) has missed 29% of the votes
Ray La Hood (R-IL) has missed 18.7% of the votes, and he's not running again either.
Don Young (R-AK) has missed 17.5% of the votes.
Eddie Johnson (D-TX) has missed 17.1% of the votes.
Deborah Pryce (R-OH) has missed 16.5% of the votes, and has announced her retirement. (Sounds kinda like she already started it)
In defense of the current candidates, a look at the 109th Congress gives a slightly better picture:
John McCain missed only 9% of the votes
Hillary Clinton missed only 2.5% of the votes
Barack Obama missed only 1.7% of the votes.
But one wonders where Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) at 22.2%, and Daniel Inouye (D-HI) at 11% were. Jon Corzine (D-NJ) missed 37.2% of the vote, but he was running for governor of NJ.
Wouldn't we all like to take 2 or 3 days off a week to look for other employment while remaining on salary at our current job, no questions asked.
Really... we need to establish at least some minimum standard for our representatives to vote... say 5% barring extraordinary circumstances? I am not so naive to think that our elected representatives need to make all the votes, but there does need to be some rational level of participation. Perhaps in the near future we can take a look at what votes were missed and by whom.
Good sources of data for voting records are:
http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/110/senate/vote-missers/
For information on what votes were missed and how each candidate voted on each issue you can go to:
Hillary Clinton: http://www.votesmart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=55463
Barack Obama: http://www.votesmart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=9490
John McCain: http://www.votesmart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=53270
So you can find out how they all voted on the HR 2082 The Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008.
Obama: NV (Not Voting, Excused, Absent, or Present)
Clinton: NV
McCain: N
~Finntann~
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