I thought Senator Biden did well last night. You'd have to tune in to know that because once again, the mainstream media is balking on content and context when it comes to reporting the facts on progressive politics -- better healthcare, nurturing both the market and marketplace so that 21st century private energy markets and diametrically across from these markets the public energy policies can exist in reality, sanely and cleanly exiting Iraq whilst redeploying troops to Afghanistan if our Special Forces troops get their asses kicked x number of times during a month or year's time. The debate also had elements of internal media silliness, for example this question from moderator Gwen Ifill:
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IFILL: . . .Biden, we want to talk about taxes, let's talk about taxes. You proposed raising taxes on people who earn over $250,000 a year. The question for you is, why is that not class warfare and the same question for you, Gov. Palin, is you have proposed a tax employer health benefits which some studies say would actually throw five million more people onto the roles of the uninsured. I want to know why that isn't taking things out on the poor, starting with you, Sen. Biden.
BIDEN: Well Gwen, where I come from, it's called fairness, just simple fairness. The middle class is struggling. The middle class under John McCain's tax proposal, 100 million families, middle class families, households to be precise, they got not a single change, they got not a single break in taxes. No one making less than $250,000 under Barack Obama's plan will see one single penny of their tax raised whether it's their capital gains tax, their income tax, investment tax, any tax. And 95 percent of the people in the United States of America making less than $150,000 will get a tax break.
[ snip ]
IFILL: Governor?
PALIN: I do take issue with some of the principle there with that redistribution of wealth principle that seems to be espoused by you. But when you talk about Barack's plan to tax increase affecting only those making $250,000 a year or more, you're forgetting millions of small businesses that are going to fit into that category. . .
Use of the words class warfare are now rejected by most including populists as both undefined jargon and a "word virus". It is a catch phrase designed to stir up emotions and create smitten controversies more than explain anything. Biden is a formally educated man therefore in the beginning he fell for this word virus by replying with the word fair, something you do not do during an election season in a capitalist, competitive society that is collectively trying to move away from economic dictatorship or a corporate run society. The term class warfare was bandied about a lot during the 1980's by people hooked on wealth who espoused the benefits of Reaganomics and the virtues of rugged individualism which is soooo yesterday.
Worthy news links:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/10/03/politics/2008debates/main4497138.shtml?source=mostpop_story
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7649760.stm
http://voices.kansascity.com/node/2300 :
By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial
The morning after, it's even easier to see exactly how Joe Biden won Thursday's debate -- and precisely how Sarah Palin faltered.
The highlights:
-- Biden wasn't smug, he wasn't condescending and yet he hammered home point after point, such as linking John McCain to President Bush's failed policies.
-- Biden stayed on point. He didn't wander around after moderator Gwen Ifill asked a question. Whether it was Iran, the bailout or other topics, Biden answered what he was asked.
-- Biden talked about foreign affairs like he knew the trouble spots of the world and how he and Barack Obama would handle them.
On the other hand:
-- While Palin didn't commit huge gaffes, she wandered all over the place in answering questions. It was noticeable, and made it clear Palin's knowledge of many topics was skin-deep. . .
...And finally here's something from the right-wing Weekly Standard:
http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2008/10/was_gwen_ifill_fair_1.asp
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