usdemocrats.com political news weblog October 01, 2008 back to weblog index
Why This Election Matters
To You -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
ABSENTEE VOTING -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?newsID=83957&cat=1 |
A Quick Look at the US Presidential
Election -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewarticle+articleid_2657278.html |
Election Race Diary Roundup
(9/28 37 Days to Change) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://feeds.dailykos.com/~r/dailykos/index/~3/JaqonpLSPtI/613587 |
Poll: Obama Outperformed McCain
in Debate -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=5904352&page=1 |
Presidential Candidates After
the Debate -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
Democrats question McCain
gambling ties -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
Local Democrats React to Presidential
Debate -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
Democrats, Republicans Reach
Agreement On Bailout; House To Vote ... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
Democrats take estimated 30000-vote
lead in Iowa -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://iowaindependent.com/6219/democrats-take-estimated-30000-vote-lead-in-iowa |
Democrats to try again on
bailout: Rep. Van Hollen -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSTRE48S76Y20080929 |
Obama says 'stay calm,' McCain
camp slams Democrat -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
Observers Say Election Fell
Short of Democracy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,581181,00.html |
Senate May Try to Revive Bank-Rescue
Bill as Early as Tomorrow -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601068&sid=aHYICE9mPE7c&refer=home |
Stephanopoulos: What's Next?
Congress Mulls Four Options -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/09/stephanopoul-11.html |
Congress agrees on tentative
plan for $700B bailout -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
US economy: How the $700 billion
Wall Street bail-out fell flat -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
"Senate to take up Indo-US
N-deal on Wednesday" -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
Lawmakers at Impasse on Incentives
for Renewable Energy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/30/washington/30energy.html?ref=science |
House defeats $700B bailout -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
Senate awaits further House
developments on bailout legislation -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
Senate Race Roundup -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://feeds.dailykos.com/~r/dailykos/index/~3/hq6QyFDIr44/614488 |
Eye on the Senate: Democrat
Hagan Leading Dole in NC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
Things are a rockin' in the
Senate Swing States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
Voting begins in US state
of Ohio -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
Election Fraud: GOP IT consultant
subpoenaed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Republican_IT_consultant_subpoenaed_in_case_0929.html |
Election Day isn't ahead of
us -- it's already here -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Early voting has begun in eight states -- including the key battleground of Ohio, where voting begins today -- and it will be starting in a dozen more over the next two weeks. Tonight is also the most important financial reporting deadline of the campaign. The resources we have on hand heading into October will decide the size of our voter registration and Get Out The Vote operations. The need for your support today is more urgent than it will ever be. If you haven't made a donation yet, now
is the time to donate. If you donate $30 or more, you'll receive
a limited edition Election Day T-shirt before Friday, October
17th. You can have a major impact on our strategy for the remainder of the election -- including where we can compete and how many voters we can reach. With voting already under way, we're racing to register voters and get the high turnout we'll need to win. What we do -- or don't do -- in these next 34 days will determine whether America gets the change we need or four more years of the same. Thanks, David David Plouffe |
Today on the presidential
campaign trail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iNxTApa2sQRu0Xx99P3jt2bEXw7gD93H3OEG0 |
Ohio election officials brace
for early voting -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gmJpgsrR27lwSUQ24_WSSrU0W-JwD93GUI9G1 |
US financial woes cast shadow
on Japan election date -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gkRjoFhSC63HUXr7o7LV1_4K__uQ |
Election Race Diary Roundup
(9/29 - 36 Days to Change) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://feeds.dailykos.com/~r/dailykos/index/~3/4cxc3Mm5yJs/615016 |
Hoyer Statement on Next Steps
to Address Economic Crisis --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WASHINGTON, DC House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement regarding the next steps on legislation to stabilize the financial system and shore up the economy: Democrats remain focused on working towards a bipartisan response to the economic crisis facing our nation. I have already spoken with Administration officials, as well as Congressional Republican and Democratic leaders about what needs to be done moving forward, and I will continue those conversations today. What is absolutely clear is that the threat to our economy and millions of working Americans requires that we act. At this time, the House is scheduled to meet at noon on Thursday. It still remains to be decided when the House will consider new legislation regarding the economic crisis.
###
WASHINGTON, DC House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement regarding the next steps on legislation to stabilize the financial system and shore up the economy: Democrats remain focused on working towards a bipartisan response to the economic crisis facing our nation. I have already spoken with Administration officials, as well as Congressional Republican and Democratic leaders about what needs to be done moving forward, and I will continue those conversations today. What is absolutely clear is that the threat to our economy and millions of working Americans requires that we act. At this time, the House is scheduled to meet at noon on Thursday. It still remains to be decided when the House will consider new legislation regarding the economic crisis.
### |
US Presidential Candidates
Propose Ideas on Financial Crisis -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
Which presidential candidate
would make the best moves in Iraq and ... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
Sudan: US Presidential Candidates
Answer Questions on Darfur -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
2008 Presidential Candidate
Biographies, Historical Debates & How ... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
Wall Street Bailout Hot Topic
On Campaign Trail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
The Bailout and What's Next -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dennis PS Watch the 47 minute 'Money as Debt'
animated documentary in http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-9050474362583451279.
This is a useful, though by no means definitive, introduction
to the topic of debt and the monetary system. Let me know what
you think. |
C-SPAN Daily Alert -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- C-SPAN Highlights Tonight: Tomorrow: Tonight: Tomorrow: Tonight: Tomorrow: Tonight: Tomorrow: ********************************************************************** * Vice Presidential Debate at in St. Louis,
MO - Thurs., C-SPAN, 9pm ET LIVE * Newspaper Articles * Leaders of both parties vowed Tuesday to keep working with the White House to get legislation passed this week to shore up the troubled financial system... - Full Story at www.c-span.org/capitolspotlight/ * Three televised presidential debates
were held in how many previous election years? - Answer at www.c-span.org/capitolspotlight/
|
deploying field staff and
volunteers to key battle -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- But I'm about to make some major decisions about deploying field staff and volunteers to key battleground states. The resources we have on hand going into October will directly impact our voter registration and Get Out The Vote operations. And now that early voting has begun in eight states -- including Ohio as of today -- we need to move as quickly as possible. Please donate $5 or more before the deadline
to help register voters, get out the vote, and win this election. We're stretching every dollar and doing everything we can with what we have. But every day I see firsthand how much more we could do -- and how far your donation will go. Thanks for your support, Jon Jon Carson |
Hoyer Statement on Announced
Senate Action on Economic Recovery Package and Tax Extenders --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WASHINGTON, DC - House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (MD) released the following statement this evening after the Senate announced it would vote on a combined economic recovery and tax extenders package tomorrow night: I am talking with my House colleagues about the Senate action and how to best proceed taking that into consideration in determining what action in the House will be most successful.
### |
Good day for democracy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/oct/01/useconomy.congress |
DMACC economics prof says
failed bailout great day for democracy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
The week that democracy won -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
US Senate voting on adapted
rescue package -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
Ted Stevens got special deals,
Bill J. Allen tells -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
Senate leaders modify rescue
bill...Asian markets -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
Senate to Vote on Financial
Bailout Plan on Wednesday -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
The Bailout: Senate Is Next -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
Lawmakers hope small changes
will spur bailout -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/10/01/business/01bailout.php |
Senate sweetens deal; vote
Wednesday -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
Senate to vote on reworked
bail-out -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5h5CVEFaxM-124lfUo1yEuhGxbITQ |
Senate Race Roundup -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://feeds.dailykos.com/~r/dailykos/index/~3/goTdhhA2t4I/615669 |
Flash: Senate bailout vote
scheduled tomorrow at approx. 9pm Eastern -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
Democrats roll out new study,
blame GOP for economic losses -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.limaohio.com/news/ohio_28844___article.html/years_mccain.html |
Group of Democrats Says Alternative
Bailout Plan Could Interest ... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000002967493 |
Obama and Democrats Fighting
Hard on GOP Turf -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
Slow down, some House Dems
say -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The whole bill has been fueled by fear, and hinged on haste, said Lloyd Doggett of Texas at a news conference Tuesday. I think every single member of Congress
understands the urgency of this matter and we all want to resolve
it, but ladies and gents let me be clear, just because we have
an urgent situation doesnt mean we dont have to be
deliberative, added Elijah Cummings of Maryland. |
FDIC seeks boost in deposit
insurance limit -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Chairman Shelia Bair put out a statement late Tuesday afternoon asking that Congress allow her agency to increase the $100,000 limit per account that has been in place since 1980. She did not say what she thinks the new
limit should be. FDIC spokesman Andrew Gray said simply, Well
leave that to Congress. Earlier Tuesday, both presidential
nominees Barack Obama, D-Illinois, and John McCain, R-Arizona
backed increasing the maximum to $250,000. |
Star witness takes stand in
Stevens trial -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WASHINGTON (CNN) The man who bankrolled most of the free benefits that Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens is on trial for allegedly trying to hide took the stand Tuesday, acknowledging his close friendship with the lawmaker even while serving as the governments star witness against him. Wearing a gray sport coat, Bill Allen did not look toward the defense table as he took the stand. Asked whether he knew Stevens, he said, Yes, hes right over there, pointing to the expressionless senator. During his testimony, Allen acknowledged trading Stevens a new Land Rover vehicle he had paid about $44,000 for in exchange for Stevens 1964 1/2 Mustang plus $5,000. Asked if he thought it was a fair trade,
Allen said, not really, but testified he entered
into the agreement because I liked Ted. |
Wall Street bounces back -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Dow Jones industrial average added 485 points, about 4.7 percent, recovering some of the record 777 points lost the day before. It was the third-biggest one-day point advance for the indicator in its history. The Standard & Poors 500 index rose 5 percent and the Nasdaq composite gained about 5.3 percent. Stock gains accelerated late in the day
after the FDIC chairwoman said shell seek to boost the
limit on protected bank deposits. Such a move would give individuals
more protection amid the financial crisis. The inclusion of such
a provision in the $700 billion bailout plan might also mollify
critics who think the plan is too focused on Wall Street, versus
Main Street. |
Testimony done for day in
Stevens trial -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WASHINGTON (CNN) The man who bankrolled most of the free benefits that Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens is on trial for allegedly trying to hide took the stand Tuesday, acknowledging his close friendship with the lawmaker even while serving as the governments star witness against him. Bill Allen also testified that Veco purchased a switch to power a generator at the Girdwood home, and that he did not know what it had cost. Asked if Stevens ever paid the company back, Allen said, No, not that I know of. Court recessed for the day after about
an hour and a half of Allens testimony. He will return
to the stand Wednesday. Prosecutor Nicholas Marsh told the judge
earlier Tuesday that the state may rest its case on Thursday. |
Gang arrests from summer
surge increased in 2008 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WASHINGTON (CNN) More than 1,750 gang members and associates were taken into custody in a nationwide summer surge of police operations aimed at reducing street violence, authorities announced Tuesday. The arrests of members of MS-13, 18th Street and many other gangs between June 1 and September 30 compares with about 1,300 arrests in similar operations a year ago. Details of the four-month law enforcement
surge operation coordinated by U.S. Immigration and
Customs Enforcement (ICE) will be announced Wednesday at a press
conference in Washington. ICE Assistant Secretary Julie Myers
and local police officials from New Jersey, Georgia and Kansas
will describe some of the operations, including the capture of
dangerous MS-13 and other gang leaders re-arrested after they
had been deported. |
Feds reviewing La. bridge
shooting -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In August, a judge dismissed state charges against the seven, six of whom are still police officers. The Department of Justices Civil
Rights Division, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern
District of Louisiana and the FBIs New Orleans office issued
a statement saying they plan to conduct an independent
and thorough review of the incident on the Danziger Bridge. |
Senate vote possible on India
deal -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The House of Representatives gave its OK to the bill Saturday and now Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has predicted the Senate could vote as early as Wednesday. But the vote is not a certainty, thanks
to a rapidly approaching congressional adjournment and complicated
Senate rules. At least one senator, remaining anonymous under
parliamentary rules, has been blocking a vote. And there must
be agreement to remove a rare requirement that congressional
approval must be after the Senate is in session for 30 days,
an impossible-to-meet clause as Congress races to go on the campaign
trail for the November election. |
Senate to vote on bailout
plan Wednesday -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
Senate to take up bailout
before House -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The bill adds provisions include raising the FDIC insurance cap from $100,000 to $250,000 and will be attached to an existing revenue bill that the House also rejected Monday, according to several The vote is scheduled for after sundown,
in observance of the Jewish holiday. Republican presidential
nominee John McCain and Democratic nominee Barack Obama and his
running mate Joe Biden confirmed that they would be present for
the vote. |
Senate makes risky move on
bailout -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In a surprising and potentially risky move, the Senate is adding an enhanced version of the failed bill to an existing revenue bill that the House also rejected Monday. The bailout plan has new provisions, including
a hike to the FDIC insurance cap from $100,000 to $250,000. |
Hill in North Korea for nuclear
talks -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hills visit comes at the invitation of North Korean officials and is part of a multi-capital trip that also includes South Korea, China and Japan. Talks involving North Korea and five other nations known as the six-party talks had come to an agreement on North Korea disabling its Yongbyon nuclear reactor and reprocessing facilities that produced plutonium for nuclear weapons. But in recent weeks, after the United States insisted on measures to verify information North Korea has provided, Pyongyang has taken steps that could reverse course and put the facilities back on line.
|
Bailout: Senate to vote Wednesday -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The bill adds new provisions including raising the FDIC insurance cap to $250,000 from $100,000 and will be attached to an existing tax bill that the House also rejected Monday, according to several Democratic leadership aides. The vote is scheduled for after sundown,
in observance of the Jewish holiday Rosh Hashanah. Republican
presidential nominee Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, and Democratic
nominee Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois and his running mate Joe
Biden, D-Delaware, confirmed that they would be present for the
vote. |
Obama, McCain tout plans for
economy before bailout vote -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Obama, the Democratic presidential nominee, has a rally scheduled in La Crosse, Wisconsin, where he will talk about the economic crisis. Wisconsin is a toss-up state with 10 electoral votes. His running mate, Sen. Joe Biden, is also expected to travel to Washington for the vote Wednesday evening. McCain, the Republican presidential nominee,
is giving an economic speech in Kansas City, Missouri. That state
has 11 electoral votes. According to CNNs interactive electoral
map, Missouri is leaning toward McCain. |
Senate leaders urge passage -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No one is happy about taking this dramatic and expensive step with the bailout, said Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat who is the Senate majority leader. No one is glad that we have reached this critical point. But, he said, I am hopeful that tonight we will see a strong vote in support of this plan and that bipartisanship shown here in the Senate today will spark the House of Representatives to do the same. The House of Representatives voted down
the plan Monday in a surprise development that followed marathon
negotiations between congressional leaders and the Treasury,
which proposed the plan. |
Allen continues testimony
in Stevens trial -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- On the witness stand for the second day Wednesday, Bill Allen read a note that Stevens had written him saying, You owe me a bill. Remember Torricelli. Friendship is one thing, compliance with ethics rules is another. I asked Bob (Persons) to talk with you about this. It just has to be done right. Allen said he spoke with Persons, a Stevens neighbor and friend who served as a go-between while improvements to the home were taking place. He said, Aw, Bill, dont worry about getting a bill, Teds just covering his ass, Allen testified. As the courtroom chuckled, he apologized for the expression, saying, Maybe I shouldnt say that. Former New Jersey Sen. Robert Torricelli
was admonished in 2002 after an ethics committee probe into whether
he had improperly accepted gifts from a campaign contributor.
Torricelli gave up his re-election bid soon afterward. |
Candidates tout bailout plan -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sen. John McCain, the Republican hopeful, told an audience in President Harry Trumans hometown of Independence, Missouri, that the bill before the Senate is much better than the one the Treasury Department originally proposed, with the addition of taxpayer protections, stronger oversight, limitations on executive compensation and more protections for peoples bank accounts. Sen. Barack Obama, his Democratic rival, pushed a similar message in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Democrats and Republicans in Congress have legitimate concerns about (the plan). I know many Americans share those concerns. But it is clear that this is what we must do right now to prevent a crisis from turning into a catastrophe. Both McCain and Obama are expected to fly
to Washington to vote for the bill. |
605,000 jobs lost - and counting -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Analysts on average forecast that the monthly employment report expected Friday will reveal that the economy shed 105,000 jobs in September the largest monthly loss in five years. The economy already has lost 605,000 jobs this year. Unemployment is expected to remain at a relatively high 6.1 percent. By CNNMoney.coms Steve Hargreaves |
New bailout bill adds provisions -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The add-ons are intended to attract more votes in the House, which defeated an earlier version of a bailout plan Monday. In particular, they are designed to attract more House Republicans, two-thirds of whom rejected the House version of the bill. The Senate plans to vote on the bill Wednesday evening. Because of the new measures added, the bills initial price tag will be higher than the $700 billion that the Treasury would use to buy troubled assets. But over time, supporters say, taxpayers are likely to make back much if not all of the money the Treasury uses for the program because it will be investing in assets with underlying value. Among the provisions added to the bill
is one to temporarily raise the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.
insurance cap to $250,000 from $100,000. It says the FDIC may
not charge member banks more to cover the increase. Instead,
the bill allows the FDIC to borrow from the Treasury to cover
any losses that might occur as a result of the higher insurance
limit. |
Ford sales drop 35 percent
on credit squeeze, customer worries -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ford reported that U.S. sales tumbled 35 percent from a year earlier. Sales tracker Edmunds.com had forecast a 25 percent drop in sales in the period. Overall industry sales are expected to fall 20 percent from year-ago levels. Experts said many consumers were apparently reluctant to make big ticket purchases at a time of economic upheaval. By CNNMoney.coms Chris Isidore |
House expected to vote on
bailout Friday -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The House dramatically rejected an earlier
version of the plan on Monday, The Senate is voting on a new version of
the bill on Wednesday, partly in From CNNs Jessica Yellin and
Deirdre Walsh |
Sales drop sharply for GM
and Ford -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- General Motors reported that sales of cars and light trucks dropped 16 percent compared to September a year ago. That was better than the forecast of a 24 percent decline from sales tracker Edmunds.com but it is still clearly a sign of weakened demand for autos. Sales of GMs cars fell 10 percent while sales of light trucks, such as pickups, SUVs and vans, declined 19 percent. The news was worse at Ford, which reported that U.S. sales tumbled 35 percent from a year earlier. Sales tracker Edmunds.com had forecast a 25 percent drop in sales in the period. By CNNMoney.coms Chris Isidore |
Public mood shifts, senator
says -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We are beginning to feel the tightening of credit in our own communities, said Sen. Jon Kyl, an Arizona Republican. There is a growing realization by folks throughout the country that this situation (is) a lot more serious than they thought. The Senate is expected to pass the bill
Wednesday evening, two days after the House of Representatives
dramatically rejected an earlier version. Many opponents of the
bill cited angry phone calls from constituents as a reason for
opposing it. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The presidential candidates have revamped their financial messages this week, shifting away from attacks on each other and intensifying their calls for action from Congress. Obama and McCain want their fellow lawmakers
to rally behind the proposed $700 billion financial industry
bailout, but there is a lot on the line for both candidates. |