The Bailout Blame Game

By AMANDA KOCH, Assistant Managing Editor

This is why I get tired of politics. This is why I DVRed the debate and watched it at leisure over three days. This is why I sometimes prefer to actually work at work instead of reading the myriad of Web sites I feel obligated to keep up with on any given day. This is why, for the sake of my sanity, my benevolent brain processes the whining of politicians in such a way that all I can hear is Charlie Brown’s teacher speaking. The blame game.

I have news for everyone. The failed bailout bill is not the sole responsibility of the Democrats. Or the Republicans. Or Obama. Or McCain.

Minutes after the failure to pass the bailout bill, House Leader John Boehner said it was Nancy Pelosi’s fault the bill failed. He said her partisan speech before the vote made some Republicans change their minds.

So, let me get this right. These Republican representatives thought this bill was a good idea. They thought this bill would help the economy. They thought it would help Wall Street and Main Street. They were convinced this bill was needed, and they were ready to vote ‘yes.’ Then Pelosi said this crisis was caused by the failed policies of this administration. So the representatives in question then crossed their arms, pouted their lips and threw themselves on the floor like a bunch of toddlers, and they refused to vote ‘yes.’ They voted against what they thought was right to really stick it to Pelosi and her partisanship. Well, if that’s true, I think that says more about them than Pelosi and her partisan speech, which, let’s face it, we all knew she was thinking, even if it never made it past her lips.

Democrats said it was the fault of Republican leaders because they failed to get their people behind it. Perhaps the Democrats have short-term memories, because they are the majority and had enough people in their own party to pass the bill without the Republicans. So, let me get this one right. The Democrats believe in this bill. They believe this is the answer to the financial crisis. They believe that if we don’t vote ‘yes’ for this bill now the economy will tank, even more than it tanked already, if you can believe it. Well, apparently the Democrats didn’t believe enough to really stick out their necks on this one.

According to Pelosi, Democrats lived up to their part of the bargain, lending 60% of their members to the ‘yes’ vote; not as many votes as they had, but 60% of their votes, and the Republicans didn’t live up to their part of the bargain. They didn’t provide their required percentage of votes. Let’s face it, Democrats didn’t want to throw all their votes in one hat, even if they really did believe this bill was needed, for fear that this whole concept would fail and it would be easier to blame them for it. They needed the Republicans votes to share the potential blame.

I don’t even want to get into the Obama and McCain blame game because I already have a headache, but I will anyway. Let me begin with this statement – how two Senators are responsible for the failure of a House vote is beyond me.

According to McCain, Obama obviously didn’t try hard enough to get the votes needed for this thing. Apparently, McCain didn’t realize more than twice as many Democrats than Republicans voted ‘yes.’ Doesn’t this mean McCain failed at getting the votes needed? Well, we’ve all heard about his school record, so I guess we can chalk this misperception up to the fact that percentages and math are just not his thing. And this is the guy who thinks he’s the linchpin to the whole bailout negotiation. Does he even understand math?

After the failed vote and McCain’s comments, Obama told McCain to step off, then said all Americans should be pissed that this happened at all, that this crisis was brought about by the awful policies of the Republican administration over the last eight years. Oh right, thanks, I totally forgot that a bunch of idiots got us into this mess and now we’re all going to suffer. Thanks for the advice, Senator. Care to share any other advice? Maybe I should be mad that a robber came into my house and stole all my stuff. You think so? Come back when you have something to say.

The fact is, some people thought the bailout bill was a bad idea. Some people on both sides of the aisle thought something was missing from the bill, whether it was Republicans who thought it called for too much oversight or Democrats who thought more help should be offered to people in foreclosure. Or some members from both parties who heard from their constituents that they hated the bill, got scared with elections so close to go against the voters. And I’m sure some thought it was simply a bad bill, and to them no bill was better than a bad one.

There is no one group or person responsible for this. It failed, and now it’s Congress’ job to go back and try to fix it so that a majority are happy with the final bill. That’s their job – getting a majority to reach a consensus on pieces of legislation. You’d think no one ever explained this to them; like it’s a new part of their jobs; something they’ve never had to do before. Stop pointing fingers, and stop whining. I’m over it. I’m tired of this blame game crap.

Amanda Koch can be reached at amandarosekoch@gmail.com.

McCain Call Gone Awry

By CASEY HYNES, Correspondent

John McCain’s senior strategist and campaign manager spoke with reporters this morning about the Republican presidential nominee’s response to the White House’s proposed bailout of the country’s troubled financial system. Steve Schmidt, the senior strategist for the campaign, and campaign manager Rick Davis emphasized McCain’s concern that the plan could cost taxpayers up to one trillion dollars, and that it would give unprecedented, and largely unchecked, power to the Treasury Department.

During the call they explained that McCain is speaking with colleagues on the Hill to determine “what kind of mischief can go on when these lawmakers get their hands on a trillion dollars” coming through the system. The Arizona senator wants to insure that there are clear guidelines for oversight and accountability in the plan, and advocates “unprecedented transparency” as the bailout unfolds, according to Schmidt and Davis.

Officially, the conference call was supposed to address a new ad from the campaign, titled “Chicago Machine.” The ad is meant to raise questions about Democratic nominee Barack Obama’s connections to certain members of the political establishment in Chicago, including Mayor Richard Daley. Schmidt criticized the media for not investigating more of Obama’s “friends in Chicago,” including William Ayers, who has admitted to carrying out terrorist attacks as a member of the radical Weathermen underground organization.

Schmidt also blasted The New York Times as a “pro-Obama machine” that has repeatedly gone after McCain and his vice presidential running mate, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, but has done no serious vetting of the Illinois senator. “Whatever The New York Times once was, it is today not by any standard a journalistic organization,” Schmidt said.

He went on to say that the Times is “100 percent in the tank for the Democratic candidate, which is their prerogative to be.”

Casey Hynes may be reached at casey.hynes@gmail.com.