Passport or not, if I stole a half-billion dollars and wanted to get gone--I'd get gone.

Broke people can flee. If I had that kind of money, I would flee in style.

Posted at June 16, 2008 5:39 PM in response to Suicide Really Is Painless for Convicted Hedge Fund Manager

"It does not matter what percentage of your wealth debt represents. It matters that you are paying interest, and thus wasting money, for no good reason."

Sure it matters. Such percentages are a wonderful way to figure out fiscal irresponsility. If 70% of my net worth is tied up in credit card debt, you can bet that I'm fiscally irresponsible. If one-tenth of one percent is, unless you know more, you can bet that I am not.

And my understanding is that this is CC debt not CC interest. And my guess is that their rates are just slightly lower than mine...

"Exactly. They are wasting lots of money. What does this tell the average Joe struggling to make an extra $10.00. ?"

It tells him that the McCain's are richer than he is. But he already knew that.

It also tells him that his credit card debt should probably be about $100.00 or apparently a bunch of people will call him fiscally irresponsible and unfit to be president. When he could be unfit for SO many other reasons.

Posted at June 13, 2008 1:01 PM in response to Report: McCains Have Over $100,000 In Credit Card Debt

So, here I am, defending John McCain and his pill-popping wife.

They carry one-tenth of one percent of their net worth in credit card debt, because *they want to*.

Maybe they want to stimulate the economy. Maybe they are trickle-down supporters. Maybe they want to maintain some debt so they can get their credit score up. Maybe their Amex Adamantium card gets them really good seats at the symphony if they charge $100,000 a year.

Doesn't matter.

It is not even the slightest, tiniest, microscopically minutest bit financially irresponsible. This is, and let me say it, too, ridiculous.

Do you know how many college-educated American's with a household income of $100,000 a YEAR are driving $50,000 cars?

C'mon.

Posted at June 13, 2008 12:41 PM in response to Report: McCains Have Over $100,000 In Credit Card Debt

I don't know about his last point, but sheepdogjeff is right: this is a non-story. There is NO story here. What the hell is this?

How many, even financially-responsible, Americans can say their credit card debt is even 1% of their net worth, to say nothing of (one-tenth( of one percent?

Their credit car debt isn't even a rounding error.

Use.

Less.

Posted at June 13, 2008 12:29 PM in response to Report: McCains Have Over $100,000 In Credit Card Debt

You're right, Aubie. That letter is awful.

"To show our good faith, we should both commit to the first town hall I have suggested...."

Is this how McCain intends to interact with Obama? Constantly challenge him to do things that McCain figures will put him at a disadvantage?

First, the Iraq trip, and now this.

Do politicians typically feel compelled to respond to these "dares"?

And I just think McCain looked particularly old and lame last night.

Everytime I see him challenge anyone, I think the same thing: "Mandelbaum! Mandelbaum!"

Posted at June 4, 2008 12:25 PM in response to McCain Invites Obama To Series Of Weekly Town-Hall Meetings

It's a tough one.

Ickes is right, of course: taking delegates from uncommitted and giving them to a candidate seems deeply wrong, as does taking candidates from an actual candidate and giving them to another.

Although I didn't appreciate the affirmative action crack.

But once you decide to consider this Soviet-style primary AT ALL, all bets are off.

What REALLY should have happened here is that HRC pulled her name from the ballot, too.

Then virtually all votes would be uncommitted and we'd know to split them down the middle--if we decided to count such an election at all.

But that didn't happen. So we end up seating delegates from a bogus election and trying to hammer out some kind of compromise.

As they say, it's imperfect.

I'm an Obama supporter, but I gotta say that the 69-59 split sounds more fair than splitting it all down the middle.

Posted at May 31, 2008 2:21 PM in response to Obama-Backer David Bonior: Split Michigan Delegates 50-50 Between The Two Candidates

Hillary Clinton wouldn't raise fifteen dollars as a third-party candidate.

Except from the Republicans.

The idea that she would win is laughable and I don't know why people say it.

It could help Obama lose, though, so I'm sure she's considering it.

Posted at May 30, 2008 11:59 PM in response to Pelosi Warns Clintonites: No "Scorched Earth" Approach

Tena,

I haven't missed anything. I saw Carville. And cheered.

And I hope you're right. I *do* believe that her campaign is fraying. But that's not enough. We need Hillary herself (and Bill!) to admit defeat.

And I just don't see them gearing up for that.

Yesterday, McAuliffe switched horses again--said it's the DELEGATES--not the popular vote, that count.

And I wondered, what's that about?

Today I hear all of this talk about the uncommitted delegates in Michigan legally having to stay uncommitted until the convention.

And all of this talk about how the exceptions made for Iowa, NH, NV, and SC, were improper, so like MI and FL, they have to have their delegates cut, too (admittedly that wasn't from the Clinton camp, but Ickes is on the RBC and supposedly a rules expert. He's already said that the legal memo was wrong).

Mark me down as one of those people that believe that Hillary WANTS a reasonable offer of less than 100% of the delegates to be made.

That way she can call it an outrage and use it as grounds to keep fighting.

I hope I'm wrong.

'Cept I'm not.

Posted at May 30, 2008 6:03 PM in response to Pelosi Warns Clintonites: No "Scorched Earth" Approach

I don't believe she's quitting next week.

It is only logical that a candidate will start sending *some* signals that she is going to quit. A candidate should prepare his/her supporters for the transition.

Especially when the fight has gone of this long.

Hillary hasn't done any of that.

On the contrary, she is still sending strong signals that she' "a fighter" and "on to the convention".

I personally think the even tone and calm demeanor of today is just part of an abusive cycle so that she can make it to tomorrow, so we can stop with the attacks. So the SD's will wait a little longer. Whenever the cries get too loud, they start acting like she's going to be reasonable.

But she isn't.

Punch.
Kick.
Flowers.

Punch.
Kick.
Flowers.

All the way to the convention.

Because ANYTHING can happen.

Posted at May 30, 2008 5:39 PM in response to Pelosi Warns Clintonites: No "Scorched Earth" Approach

Well said, bat.

Just because you're racist doesn't mean you can't be persuaded.

And I'll bet anything that Obama will be a heck of a lot more persuasive that most other candidates. Like say, John Kerry. Or Al Gore.

And he doesn't have to cure them of racism. He only has to show them that HE is okay.

Many racists are open to "some" of the people they are racist against. Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan are respected by people that hate other black people.

Posted at May 26, 2008 12:44 PM in response to Newsweek: Obama's Appalachia Problem Is Real