John McCain warned during the presidential debate last week that ACORN, a group that he praised when he was its keynote speaker in 2006, was “on the verge of maybe perpetrating one of the greatest frauds in voter history” and “may be destroying the fabric of democracy.” But columnist Bob Herbert argued that “when it comes to voting, the real threat to democracy is the nonstop campaign by the GOP and its supporters to disenfranchise American citizens who have every right to cast a ballot.”
Herbert wrote: “In one politically crucial state after another – in Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, you name it – the GOP has unleashed foot soldiers whose insidious mission is to make the voting process as difficult as possible – or, better yet, impossible – for citizens who are believed to favor Democrats. For McCain to flip reality on its head and point to an overwhelmingly legitimate voter-registration effort as a threat to the ‘fabric of democracy’ is a breathtaking exercise in absurdity.”
Vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin is doing her part to boost the economy. The Republican National Committee spent $150,000 just in September to clothe and accessorize Palin and her family, including nearly $50,000 at Saks Fifth Avenue and nearly $5,000 on hair and makeup. “With all of the important issues facing the country right now, it’s remarkable that we’re spending time talking about pantsuits and blouses,” a McCain spokeswoman said. Yeah, we could be talking about former 1960s radicals.
Meanwhile, a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll found that 55 percent of voters say Palin is not qualified to be president, up from 50 percent two weeks ago.
John McCain’s plan focuses on encouraging energy production, while Barack Obama offers only limited support for boosting domestic production of oil and natural gas. Worse, Obama wants to increase taxes on energy companies, a sure path to reducing domestic energy production and raising costs. Similarly, McCain’s plan recognizes the vital importance of coal, which we use to produce half our electricity, to America’s energy future. We are frequently called the “Saudi Arabia” of coal because we have 29 percent of world coal reserves. By contrast, the Obama campaign has sent at best conflicting signals on coal. McCain also endorses increased nuclear energy production, a subject on which Obama waffles. McCain’s emphasis on providing incentives for increasing domestic production and choice of a running mate who has successfully carried through energy initiatives contrast favorably with the Obama-Biden plan’s vague promises. – Andrew P. Morriss, professor of law and business and professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Barack Obama’s strategy is more sound and promises better environmental stewardship. Obama says “use it or lose it” to companies that aren’t using their drilling rights. Obama is aware of the challenges, and he has pledged to help companies overcome these obstacles. In contrast, John McCain’s plan would open more of the continental shelf to drilling than would Obama’s, but he wouldn’t pressure oil companies to work harder to explore and develop resources on already leased properties. Obama calls for investing $150 billion over 10 years in renewable energy technologies. The heart of McCain’s plan for renewables calls for “rationalizing the current patchwork of temporary tax credits” for energy sources like solar, wind and hydro. Obama’s plan, while no panacea for an oil-addicted America, breaks more boldly with lackluster policies of recent presidents. – Matthew R. Auer, professor at Indiana University
The city of Wichita and Sedgwick County appear to be working through their differences over how to pay for needed improvements to the neighborhood around the Intrust Bank Arena. The County Commission approved its $9 million portion of the projects Wednesday, to be paid by arena sales-tax revenue. The city would be responsible for $2 million in related sewer and water responsibilities, to be considered by the City Council at a special meeting today. Another proposal for tax-increment financing for the arena neighborhood also is on the table, two months after the county balked at a larger TIF district. The progress comes as a relief. The city and county have a shared responsibility to ensure that the prime venue will anchor a prime neighborhood.
John McCain warned during the presidential debate last week that ACORN, a group that he praised when he was its keynote speaker in 2006, was “on the verge of maybe perpetrating one of the greatest frauds in voter history” and “may be destroying the fabric of democracy.” But columnist Bob Herbert argued that “when it comes to voting, the real threat to democracy is the nonstop campaign by the GOP and its supporters to disenfranchise American citizens who have every right to cast a ballot.”
